The Wheel of Light
Monthly Newsletter - August 2019
This month four planets will transit from Leo to Virgo. This tends to be a difficult transition, perhaps the most difficult between any two contiguous signs. The planets involved are the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars. These are the planets that are involved with our day-to-day interaction with each other and life in general. The shift from one sign to the next can be somewhat jarring because their focus is so totally different.
Leo is a fixed fire sign. It is oriented toward self-expression. Its creativity and confidence can flow readily into playful or recreational activities that are designed to enhance one's enjoyment and pleasure. The centered Leo can be generous, loving and supportive to others. It is a good leader, good organizer and provides stability and strength to be persevering and successful in whatever the endeavor is. Leo can be adventurous, romantic, humorous with a strong sense of personal integrity.
Leo can represent the emerging individual who seeks to establish their identity within a wide-ranging framework in which we put ourselves out there in dynamic, and sometimes dramatic ways. I think of Leo as the eternal adolescent of the zodiac: when centered they can be playful and project an attitude of confidence. The off-center Leo, however, is someone who may seem quite sure of themselves but who in fact looks for positive recognition and attention from others in order to feel secure within themselves. In order to be centered Leo needs to feel love flowing through their hearts to others. Leo is the sign of love in the romantic or recreational sense. "Who do I love or what do I love?" The centered Leo is one who finds support from within and is therefore less needy of external validation. Sometimes we can associate Leo as the annoying drama queen or king who is always seeking the limelight. A centered Leo, however, can be quiet and self-contained. They enjoy their own company even as they reach out to others in gestures of generosity and love. They prioritize principal and honor in their words and actions above attention from others. They are strong people who can pass by without feeling the necessity to exhibit their strength.
After Leo, one of the prime signs of individuation, comes Virgo, the sign of mutable earth. Partaking of the earth element implies that Virgo prioritizes practical activities. These can be primarily oriented to body through health and healing or to activities involving nature, from animals to gardening to hiking. Mutability implies adaptability. Virgo is primarily oriented to learning and applying that knowledge to life in ways that are useful to themselves and others. It also suggests that Virgo prioritizes service. As such it can be humble and self-effacing.
Virgo is the sign that sweats the details of any idea, situation or relationship. As such it can be picky and perfectionistic. This can lead the off-center Virgo to express reductive criticism. That is, the focus is on finding fault rather that noting how to improve. The centered Virgo is one who prioritizes duty and devotion. This could be to a person, a family, a job or to a spiritual path. From a spiritual perspective everything is already perfect. What is required is refining the self and one's behavior rather than getting stuck in compulsively noting the faults and flaws of self, others or life in general.
The challenge of the transition from Leo to Virgo is especially challenging to the off-center person. This is someone who constantly seeks attention from others even as they feel overwhelmed by their own faults and imperfections. One can get stuck in a loop of needing to be on stage even while criticizing their own performance as being unworthy of the very love and attention they seek.
The primary challenge this month is to be centered. By striving to look within for love and validation we are less inclined to seek or even notice feedback from others. We can put our time and energy into refining the self by working with a strength of Virgo – being detail oriented. It's not about perfection in all things at all times. It's about learning more about the self and life on a daily basis and seeking to be of service in ways that are compassionate, caring and conscientious. We can make a difference in the world by being self-contained and comfortable with a relatively minimalistic lifestyle. When we fall away from our center we tend to worry that ourselves and our efforts are not enough. It can be as if our mind has a life of its own and we are continually undermining ourselves by getting stuck in noting only that which is not acceptable. If we work on ourselves to eliminate our weaknesses in ways that are patient and self-loving, we find our center and can take positive advantage of the transits this month.
Aries (March 21-April 20)
Aries: Early month is a good time to focus on fun and games. Creativity, recreation or spending time with children can all be fulfilling at this time. Later month is time for practical application of ideas and information. Refine your daily routine so that you can be as attentive to your own physical needs as you are to the needs of others.
Taurus (April 21-May 21)
Taurus: Early month is a good time to make changes to the home or to shift behavioral patterns within your family. The priority should be individuating either in decorative style or social interaction. Later month is a good time to refine your creative self so that you are able to integrate the playful with the useful.
Gemini (May 22-June 21)
Gemini: Early to mid month is a good time to clearly and creatively express your ideas to others. Whether writing or speaking, be as expressive as you can with expectations of being heard and understood even if not always agreed with. Later month is a good time to focus more on personal issues and work on refining your core relationship with yourself.
Cancer (June 22-July 22)
Cancer: The New Moon in Aquarius on the 15th is a good time to make sure that you are presenting yourself authentically in your social activities. This could lead you to letting others know what changes you need in your relationship to them that will enhance your satisfaction and fulfillment in the situation. Being less open and more self-protective could cause you to come across as aloof and uncaring.
Leo (July 23-August 23)
Leo: Your natural tendencies to be open, honest and playful could be abundantly revealed in early month. Later month might bring more of a desire to spend more time alone or to relate to others in ways that are more supportive of them and their interests rather than focusing and prioritizing your own.
Virgo (August 24-Sept 22)
Virgo: Relative to other signs, you may experience the energy this month differently. While they may strive for illumination of self in early month and self-effacement later on, you may tend to be more internal early on and more out front later on. The challenge for you this month is to remember that a lot of energy is in Leo, a playful sign. If all you do is prioritize service to others and humility later on you are missing out on an important element of life, especially this month.
Libra (Sept 23-Oct 23)
Libra: Your social life could get a burst of energy in early month. Whether you are partying with friends, BBQs with colleagues or seeking new outlets for group interaction, this is a time to enjoy the season. Later month may bring more of a desire to spend time either by yourself or to work at refining and improving both your social behaviors as well as specific relationships.
Scorpio (Oct 24-Nov 22)
Scorpio: As one of the more private signs, you may struggle with the early month partying and playfulness, especially in public situations. Late month, however provides both the energy and impetus to be functionally productive within a defining social context such as friends or colleagues.
Sagittarius (Nov 23-Dec 21)
Sagittarius: As a fellow fire sign, you can reap the benefits of the Leo energy in early month by going on exhilarating adventures and relating to others in loving and creative ways. Later month brings more practical things in focus, especially with regard to career. Refining usage of professional tools now can lead to more productivity and reward later on.
Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 20)
Capricorn: This is a good time to focus inwardly. Spending time in spiritual pursuit, whether your own meditation practice or going on some type of spiritual retreat are examples of where and how to focus that energy. Engaging in creative expression is another way to access the presence of the Divine and to use the energy available to you in productive and growth oriented ways.
Aquarius (Jan 21 to Feb 19)
Aquarius: Early month is a good time to recalibrate your social behaviors, especially those that involve sharing ideas and personal information with others. The impulse to do this could come from feeling frustrated or unfulfilled in certain relationships. Later month is the time to actually implement the patterns that you theoretically created.
Pisces (Feb 20-March 20)
Pisces: Two patterns emerge for you this month. One is the familiar inward focus with the desire to enhance your spiritual life or to be more artistically expressive. Later month is a time to bring the joy and fulfillment you created and experienced in early month to others in the form of volunteer service.
Rio Olesky has been a professional astrologer since 1976. He is the author of A Manual for the Modern Mystic and Astrology and Consciousness and The Astroreader. He offers both private readings as well as classes for both beginning and intermediate students. Call Rio at 707-887-1820. Check out his website: www.starwatcher.com.