The Astrology Company: August 2020 by Bob Mulligan

August 2020

By Bob Mulligan

(a personal note is at the end of the newsletter) 

August is usually lazy and transitional, but not this year.  Around the middle of the month violence can erupt.  On the 13th – Jupiter Parallels Pluto and Mars Squares Pluto.  Pluto rules viruses, Jupiter amplifies, and Mars is the god of war. 

Mercury starts August at 22 Cancer and ends at 21 Virgo (59 degrees) inscribing a Sextile. Mercury was fast in May, but not this fast.  Mercury is the messenger of the gods; Mercury brings us data from the environment.  He also is our thought process.   Mercury goes into the underworld (our unconscious) and returns to the surface unscathed.  Mercury rules nerves which heal very slowly when damaged. Our mental body changes very slowly.  This is an incredibly active month for everyone’s mental life.  We are inundated with information, and evaluation can take time.  We are learning to think in a new way. 

The Full Moon on the 3rd  at 11:59 AM EDT is on the 11th degree of Leo/Aquarius – Things put in motion at the New Moon reach illumination at the Full Moon; this can be a time of significant change through finishing and eliminating.  Uranus is Square both Sun and Moon, forming a T-Square in fixed signs.  Carefully crafted operations are suddenly shocked.  We are forced in a new direction. Security is at risk.  Mercury (planet of thinking) is opposite the big three in Capricorn: Saturn (responsibilities), Pluto (extremes), and Jupiter (expansion).  Fear, compulsion, and enthusiasm can infuse our thoughts in ways that can freeze us in place for a bit.  With Mars in Aries Square Jupiter in Capricorn the urge to immediately pounce on opportunities as they emerge can be overwhelming; this impulse may push us into action.  Venus Conjunct the North Node of the Moon in Gemini encourages us to take a higher road by releasing long held beliefs as we embrace a new reality. 

The New Moon is on the 18th at 10:41 PM EDT on 26 Leo 35. Mars is Trine the New Moon and Mercury; we are anxious to act, to create, to do something.  But Mars is also Square Saturn, so our efforts are likely to meet resistance from external circumstances.  Patience will be required to turn our inventive and persistent energy into something useful.  Venus Sextile to Uranus shows that we find joy in our daily routines.  We have renewed interest by seeing the familiar through a new lens. 

The Sun enters Virgo on the 22nd at 11:46 AM EDT. The Moon in Libra forms a cardinal T-square with Jupiter and Venus. There is a stronger emphasis on women, relationships, and everyone getting better together; this T-square is composed of the two goddesses (Moon and Venus) and Jupiter (enthusiasm).

Cardinal signs are physical, and this whole solar month may well require more exercise. This is reinforced by the Sun Trine Mars;    although in earth signs, which slow things down, the energy is there to do something.  With Mercury Trine Uranus, practical insights land like bombs from the sky and shake up our normal routine, but leave us better off.  There is a promise of hope for constructive world change, with a strong emphasis on getting practical results.  This requires extraordinary effort and willingness to grab new insights as they emerge.  

From the 1st to the 9th the feeling of being stuck in a rut gives way to enthusiasm; we envision that something can be done to change our circumstances.  There can be fits and starts, but gradually we get on the right path; our energy lifts. 

From the 10th to the 16th the die is cast.  It’s full steam ahead.  Yes, we will make mistakes and have missteps. This is to be expected, but now course correcting is quite difficult.  For better or worse, we are all pretty dug into our points of view, and no one seems interested in changing.  Hopefully, each of us has chosen our path wisely. 

From the 17th to the 23rd by admitting our limitations, we can uncover what is self-defeating in our methods.  Pushing to get something done is not wrong, it is perhaps necessary.  Still, we will have to revise our procedures very soon as new information emerges.  

From 24th to the 31st hard work is not enough.  Yes, we have obligations and daily routines, but inspiration is all around us.  The kindness we experience and pass on is real.  At the same time, we need to know what must be relinquished.  Symbols of our past hold us back.  A maudlin sentimentality can be at loggerheads with hard facts and current responsibilities.  Knowing exactly where to spend our time is an art form stemming directly from the illumined part of ourselves. 

1st – Saturday –  Mercury Opposite Pluto –   It is difficult to be buoyant; as long as our thinking is positive and realistic our emotional life comes along for the ride.  By putting our thoughts into action, life improves. 

2nd – Sunday –  Sun Square Uranus, Venus Semi-square Uranus, Mercury Semi-sextile Venus –  We either try something new or wish we had.  Anxiety lessens by enjoying the goodness and adventure life offers. We still must address our responsibilities. 

3rd – Monday – The Full Moon is at 11:59 AM EDT, Mercury Opposite Saturn –  Separating fact from fiction allows us to identify real barriers from the imagined ones.  It is empowering to recognize how much we can do individually and collectively.  We do not need to be cornered by obstructions; life improves by paying attention to what can actually be accomplished. 

4th – Tuesday –  Mars Square Jupiter, Mercury Contra-parallel Saturn, Venus Quincunx Saturn, Mercury enters Leo –  Caution is necessary to make the most of what is being offered now.  Not everyone in our milieu can come along in our current direction.   So be it, we instinctively focus on what is truly important. 

5th – Wednesday – Compassion is the most important ingredient powering our day.  If we take care of others, they will be with us when it counts.  Confusion disappears when we go back to basics.  We take care of life’s most pressing concerns, even when others don’t recognize it. 

6th – Thursday –  Mars Semi-sextile Neptune –  Our passions are aroused, but diligence and common decency are the keys to winning support for causes we all value. Others must be with us to scale the wall in front of us. 

7th – Friday –  Venus enters Cancer, Mercury Sesquiquadrate Neptune –  Well-established relationships need extra attention.  Even though we act alone, those we love must be included in our plans.  Inclusion brings more potency if we are able to keep to our current direction. 

8th – Saturday –  Mercury Parallel Venus –  A few kind words can open a new dialogue.  Our creative efforts allow us to find common ground, when we aim for consensus.  Other people matter, regardless of our differences.

9th – Sunday –  Mars Contra-parallel Neptune –  Enthusiasm and common sense are not enough.  We must be willing to moderate our views in order to be productive and happy.   Those who are left behind will suffer if not included in our thinking. 

10th – Monday –  Mercury Square Uranus –  Self-questioning doesn’t seem to be high on anyone’s list of favorite activities.  Everyone can be right from their own perspective.  We all tend to be locked in, pursuing our own picture of the world.  Differences are present; avoidance is better than arguing.

11th – Tuesday –  Sun Quincunx Jupiter –  We feel lucky and take some chances.  There is much dynamism; changes come with or without our effort.   We progress by choosing our destination carefully before we start our journey. 

12th – Wednesday –  Sun Quincunx Neptune, Sun Parallel Uranus –  Even though we may overshoot our mark, there is something to be inculcated from the residue of even our most egregious errors.  It is not about winning or losing. The most important thing is that we learn something. 

13th – Thursday –  Jupiter Parallel Pluto, Mars Square Pluto –   Violence comes because some people are careless or angry.  Taking the gifts that are offered today means to be calm and keep our sights set on long distant goals.  Sidestepping confrontations can help us stay on task. 

14th – Friday – Mercury Quincunx Jupiter –  Being too attached to results can leave us without the reward we seek.  Our contribution makes a difference, but things beyond our control shape the context of events.  For our efforts to be effective, we need to stay attuned to our environment. 

15th – Saturday – Mercury Quincunx Neptune, Sun Quincunx Pluto, Uranus turns Retrograde – Our actions are not an exact reflection of our thinking; we may think one thing and then do another.  This is not a matter of us changing our minds.  We tend to be led by our impulses.  Our challenge is to uncover inner conflicts, and then channel our energy appropriately. 

16th – Sunday – Mercury Quincunx Pluto, Sun Trine Mars –   The urge to create stems directly from internal pressure to do something, anything.  There is a need to overcome inertia and have movement.  Getting physical exercise relaxes the body, but calming the mind takes some concerted effort. 

17th – Monday –  Mercury Semi-square Venus, Mercury Trine Mars, Sun Conjunct Mercury, Mercury Parallel Uranus –  If our aggressive instincts propel us forward, we need to be sure that anyone with us is on the same page.  There is danger if our vision is so narrow that our point of view becomes excessively fixed.  The big joke here is that people who disagree with us can inadvertently share something of great value.  If we listen, we grow. 

18th – Tuesday –  Mercury Quincunx Saturn, Venus Sextile Uranus, the New Moon is at 10:41 PM EDT on the 26th degree of Leo –   We need to choose our associates carefully.  Unusual and progressive thinkers can prompt us along new ways of approaching life.  On the other hand, negative and cynical people will tend to augment our own suspensions and feelings of inadequacy.  With boundaries in place, we can finish something important, allowing us to move on. 

19th – Wednesday –  Mercury enters Virgo – “Energy follows thought”. What we entertain now will come to pass in a few days.  Productive behavior entails paying attention to detail and taking time to get organized.  Others may be in a hurry, but steady and slow wins the day. 

20th – Thursday –  Good fortune and joy follow us when we are energized and practical.  Correctly organizing our living space sets a foundation for success in other activities.  Tension builds when we recognize that we can’t do everything.  Taking care of basics mediates the challenge of brewing conflicts of interest.

21st – Friday –  Mercury Sesquiquadrate Jupiter –  Success or failure is dependent on timing, and exactitude.  There is real opportunity for taking a leap forward, but it requires seeing opportunity when it arrives, then jumping in immediately.  If our goals are specific and fit into a larger narrative that makes sense, this is a lucky day.

22nd – Saturday – Sun enters Virgo – Analysis is good, but if we dive too deep into minutia we starve our heart; not only will life be disappointing, we become confused.  Paying attention to detail has real meaning when we see the big picture first.  We have been given everything we need for the road ahead.  Even though new information is available, we don’t need to indulge it.  Time spent digesting what we have is more appropriate. 

23rd – Sunday –  Mercury Sesquiquadrate Pluto –  A few minor tweaks allow us to set our sights on a more distant goal.  In a flash of inspiration we may complete something sitting in our in box, or pending file, that’s been there way too long.   It’s time for getting closure. 

24th – Monday –  Mars Square Saturn –  Anything worth doing is worthy of our patience.  We need attention on details.  We simplify life when we strive to get it right the first time.  Anger and frustration will not accomplish much.  Consistency of effort wins the day. 

25th – Tuesday – Mercury Trine Uranus, Sun Sesquiquadrate Jupiter, Venus Opposite Jupiter, Mercury Sesquiquadrate Saturn, Mercury Sesquiquadrate Mars –  We can see so much that is beyond our grasp, but that doesn’t mean we should be complacent.  There are some quick solutions to long standing problems, but we still must implement them.  New ideas and unique opportunities abound.  To be effective, we need to release ourselves from a feeling that we must do everything.  Overextension brings exhaustion. 

26th – Wednesday –   We have all the pieces; now we can see the big picture.  We still must do the work, but at least our effort will have context and meaning.  To be realistic without being lost in a sea of data is the path to success. 

27th – Thursday – Venus Trine Neptune –  Emotional creativity can take several forms.  We may spend time with some artistic media, or share the love we feel with those long-familiar with our ways.  Regardless of our direction, we have the power to make the world a happier place. 

28th – Friday –  Mercury Parallel Mars –  That extra shot of adrenaline does not have to come from physical stimulants.  It is as if hidden forces come to our rescue and push us across the finish line.  Once we identify what needs to be done, we can commit to a course of action. Our efforts bring results.

29th – Saturday – Mercury Trine Jupiter – If we are honest with ourselves and others, a personal history unfolds, allowing us to correct past mistakes. Our conscience points us toward true north.  We scramble to take advantage of today’s goodness.  Prioritizing keeps us on track. 

30th – Sunday – Venus Opposite Pluto, Mercury Contra-parallel Neptune, Mercury Opposite Neptune –   It is a dreamy day, but practicality is on vacation.  We can experience difficulties with others if we try to make them fit our ideal of how they “should” be.  Jealousy and disappointment can leave us cynical and in self-doubt.  The finer things of life are there, but this is not our time to indulge them.  This is still a brilliant day for writing, taking note of insights, and observing.  

31st – Monday –  It is natural to reach out for something new.  The past is still stalking us, but we can move forward and accomplish much.  We must listen to others, then go our own way.  Much of the tension from the last few days can be resolved if we accept that our needs differ from others in our local environment.

Bob Mulligan is available for personal appointments, astrology classes, and astrological material.  Call him at 239-261-2840 or by e-mail at bobmulliga@aol.com.  Visit our web site, www.theastrologycompany.com.

 

During this time of great political divide in the country and the world, it is important for us to remember who we are.  Love conquers all; when we remember to be kind and respectful we build bridge not walls.  We can be the voice of reason, common sense, and unity.  This only happens when we overcome our own weaknesses. 

The next “Question and Answer” session on Zoom will be on Sunday, August 9th at Noon EST.  If you would like to attend, email me.  I will send you the link.  Last session Jerry Watson asked a question about the Lunar Eclipse of last January.  I could not give an adequate answer so I have polled experts over the last month. Come.  Join us.  It is great fun to spend time together over astrology. 

My daughter, Katie, has joined our local chapter of “Showing Up for Racial Justice,” (also known as SURJ). SURJ is a national network of groups and individuals working to undermine white supremacy and to work for racial justice. She is helping to design and send their monthly newsletter.  My daughter in NYC, Juliana, is at some protest for Black Lives Matter almost every day.  My other three children live in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and are all safe at the moment.

Greta Thunberg is one of my heroes.  She was awarded the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity, her award was 1 million Euros.  She donated all of it to climate activist organizations.  Yes, there is hope for the human race.

A Republican Congressman accosted Alexandria Ocasia-Cortez on the steps of Congress.  AOC asked for a personal time on the floor of the House.  The 5 minute clip on the internet was viewed 10 million times in the first day.  I was curious so I went and listened to the whole hour captured by C-Span.  If you are interested, take a look – https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4894466/representative-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-addresses-house-exchange-representative-ted-yoho

 I read Mary Trump’s book, “Too much and Never Enough”, the day it came out July 14th, very enlightening.  It reads easy and lots of information, first hand and in context.

 George Will (long time Goldwater Republican) gave a talk over Zoom to a conservative organization in Australia.  He put today’s election into a wider historical context.  It was informative. He is voting for Biden. 

At the funeral of John Lewis, Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush spoke.  They were all good speeches commemorating a wonderful and inspiring individual.  It was broadcast live on Fox, CNN, MSNBC, and NPR.  If you missed it, you might take 6 minutes to listen to George Bush’s eulogy. I was deeply moved by it:

https://www.nbcnews.com/video/president-george-w-bush-gives-tribute-to-rep-john-lewis-88981573509

These are dangerous times.  It’s our job to keep the light of truth burning, even in the darkest moments.  A supreme will is weaving the threads of our history. These are birth pains of the new world being born.   Each of us has a role to play.  Shining a light into dark places means, you first have to have a light.  We must work on our own inner life first.  Next we have to get involved.  We can be involved with the social change.  Personal fulfillment requires some participation to make a better world.  Contributing time, money, and energy to organizations and movements that reflect our personal values is a duty for each of us.

 We each have a responsibility to break the shackles of our own ignorance, to overcome our own intolerance.  We can take a stand on truth without making an enemy of others. We want converts to truth by living it in our own thoughts, words, and deeds.

“Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love…Our aim must never be to defeat or humiliate the white man, but to win his friendship and understanding.”  –1958 Dr. Martin Luther King 

 

Bob Mulligan is available for personal appointments, astrology classes, and astrological material.  Call him at 239-261-2840 or by e-mail at bobmulliga@aol.com.  Visit our web site, www.theastrologycompany.com.