by Courtney McCullough aka Twin Star Astrolology
This Leo season (July 22-August 22) starts with some drama. With Mercury retrograde in Leo, things have likely already started to come up, but we’ve got a tense few days from here. Don't panic though- once we get through a few key transits, it's all peace and love.
We kick off Leo Season with Venus squaring Mars. Venus and Mars often move at somewhat similar speeds, so while they exact this square on 7/23, they will be traveling in square with one another for the rest of July, until Venus enters Cancer.
What’s more; Venus and Mars are both in Mercury ruled signs, so they are both being ruled by this retrograde Mercury, who is in Leo, the sign of the self.
To me, this set up looks like friction within our closest personal relationships, peppered with miscommunications, or not saying things, and being stuck in our own perception (that is likely missing key information). Everyone is hanging tight onto *their* perspective, or not being forthcoming about the full truth.
To complicate this further, Mars is currently conjunct the South Node, which acts like a draining force. This could show up in a couple different ways. Perhaps the things that are depleting our energy finally take a toll on our relationships. Perhaps the needs of our closest relationships feel insurmountable. Perhaps we are the one feeling like our partners are leaving us high and dry and not participating with us. Whichever way you cut it, it looks fricative, and with both planets being ruled by this retrograde Mercury in Leo it looks like we are very anchored in our own story, and likely don’t have all the information we need.
To turn up the heat on this dynamic, two days later we toss a match into the gunpowder with a spicy Leo New Moon opposite Pluto, Sextiling Uranus, and Trining Saturn/Neptune. Power dynamics are called into play, and something gets unearthed that brings us into a more radical truth. Ultimately, this is likely for the best so that we can uncover and live from the truth, but the excavation of it looks explosive, and the potential for confusion is high.
A couple days later on the 28th, as Venus leaves Leo, she makes a sextile to Chiron, and two days later enters Cancer, trekking her way towards Jupiter. This looks like a great time to kiss and make up. There will likely still be some tensions in the air, and reconciliation may not yet be present, but this feels like an opportunity to extend the olive branch and lay down the swords. Once Venus is in Cancer, we are more easily reminded of how much we love and care for our closest relationships; warts and all.
The rest of the season, we have Mars in Libra, which is also great for finding peace, but just a friendly reminder that true peace comes from all parties being heard, so resist the urge to acquiesce for the sake of harmony. Stand in your truth and let you and your partners find a solution that actually works for all.
Hang tight, love hard, do it big, and I’ll catch ya next time for Virgo Season.
Lots of Love,
Courtney
Key dates:
7/22 - Venus Square Mars at 27º Gemini - potential for tensions to arise in our intimate relationships.
7/24 - Leo new moon
7/28 - Venus Sextile Chiron at 27º Gemini - Do a chord cutting spell with old love stories that no longer resonate
7/31 - Venus enters Cancer - shake off the tension and reconnect with your most beloved loved ones
7/31 - Mercury Cazimi at Leo - Clarity comes in
8/7 - Mars enters Libra - Kiss and make up
8/9 - Mars in Libra Trine Uranus in Gemini - Follow your spark
8/9 - Mars in Libra opposite Saturn in Aries - One more battle to sweep under the rug
8/9 - Aquarius Full Moon
8/10 - Mars in Libra trine Pluto in Aquarius - time to take over the world
8/11 - Mercury stations Direct at 4º Leo - make your big announcement
8/12 - Venus Conjunct Jupiter at 14º Cancer - Have a party
