(25 August 2024) There is no shortage of interesting alignments this week. First, Mars enters sidereal Gemini early on Monday (EDT). Mars sign changes can sometimes have turbulent effects as its untethered, active energy is temporarily released from its moorings. This excess of Mars energy could be helpful for activities requiring physical effort (sports, combat, heat-related manual labour) but it may be an obstacle for smooth social interaction. Since Mars is in a sign ruled by Mercury, the entry of Mars into Gemini could also benefit strategic speech where logic is deployed against an adversary such as legal argument, debate and perhaps academic writing on contentious subjects.
For its part, Mercury will be on firmer ground this week as it ends its retrograde cycle late on Wednesday. At a general level, this could improve efficiency of communication and transportation safety. Computer security systems could also be more effective in resisting cyberattacks. And yet Mercury will still be in a partially weakened condition due to some difficult placements in the signs it rules: Mars is in Gemini and Venus is in Virgo. Mars is a natural malefic and thus it can disrupt the normal functioning of Mercury-related matters such as trading, commerce, and information exchange.
The transit of Venus through Virgo is another area of potential weakness since Venus is debilitated in this sign. Venus can still be benefic when it forms alignments with other planets as it does midweek when it aligns with Uranus (3 Taurus) and then Neptune (5 Pisces) and Pluto (5 Capricorn). Therefore, Tuesday, Wednesday and possibly Thursday could be decent days for scheduling appointments, meetings and socializing in order to maximize cooperation and friendly interaction.
However, we should note that the Venusian capacity to create harmony and social value will be diminished during its four-week long transit of Virgo (Aug 24-Sep 17). The traditional association Venus with value and wealth (e.g luxury goods, gold) could also impact financial markets since its debilitated state could lessen investor confidence. The upcoming conjunction of Venus with Ketu (South Lunar Node) on September 4 may highlight a moment of a ‘loss of value’ since Ketu represents renunciation and anti-materialism. Parenthetically, this transit of Venus through Virgo may be unfavorable to Kamala Harris, as the debilitation of Venus could cause difficulties for women and feminine-identified matters.
Finally, Uranus turns retrograde on next Sunday, September 1. Uranus rules technology and innovation and is associated with intense bursts of energy, often with unpredictable consequences. Uranus retrograde stations can be disruptive of the status quo as prevailing trends are subject to change and interruption. This particular retrograde station of Uranus at 3 Taurus may be especially powerful since it will closely align with Mars (3 Gemini). Mars-Uranus combinations symbolize chaotic and uncontrolled interaction, often with an overtone of conflict and violence. Friday’s Mars-Uranus alignment will be within one degree of exact and will coincide with a tense Moon-Pluto opposition. This doesn’t look like a good day for initiating new projects. The best all-around days this week could be Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
