August seems to be retrograde season. Venus is in retrograde, Mercury goes into retrograde much later in the month, and Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are all in retrograde. So that's 6 out of 10 planets. All of the outer planets being in retrograde will last until October, when Pluto turns direct. All of this energy gives us a time to rest and reflect, of course, but also examine our past actions and where we want to go. Sometimes our decisions when a planet is direct have not worked out for us, and a retrograde period can highlight these themes. It's a great time to reassess, but also act. Perhaps a little counterintuitive to what astrologers say, but I think we best learn from experience, not thinking, planning, or preaching. It's good to get out of your own head (and your own way) sometimes.

A planet that is not direct right now is Mars- sometimes action and getting into your body and instinct is best. Now may be a good time to focus in on what you can do. What you can control. Hone in to your body and inner knowledge. ( I recently had a reading session with Runa that really helped me with this!)

Retrogrades can flip our entire world upside down, change how we see things, relate to one another, and view the world. I’m writing this quite late in the month - Mercury retrograde began a few days ago. I’m not going to lie and say that all of these retrogrades have been wonderful, because they haven’t been, at least, not for me. I’ve been love sick and heartbroken and feel like my world has been shoved in a blender all within the span of a couple of weeks. But there is so much growth here.

I’m journaling more than I have in weeks, and I’m trying not to shove the universe’s gifts away when I’m presented with them. I’m trying to see these retrogrades as periods of growth and change and character development. I’m trying to see them as gifts. Now this hurts but that doesn’t mean it can’t, somehow, some way, be for the greater good. But often lessons are best learned after we cry about it for a minute. So if you need to cry, do that first.

On to the rest of the transits - this month is relatively uneventful compared to last month. So I don’t want to fill up this blog with more space than needed. Mars changes signs, and asks us to seek balance in all of this. Isn’t balance, through action and change, such a funny thing?

Some questions to ask yourself this month:

  • What are some ways this retrograde period is shaking up your life? How is it for the better? How does it feel for the worse? Most importantly, above it all, how will you respond to it?
  • What are some challenges you are facing? Is there any way to put them down, just for a moment?
  • How can you find your balance when you feel tossed into the midst of a storm? (And to all of my California subscribers, I hope you are okay with the hurricane and earthquake!)

Abby