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A new week begins. This week has a sense of continuation associated with it. None of the planets, Moon excepted, change signs this week, and Venus remains retrograde along with the mighty Uranus-Neptune-Pluto trio. This is also, perhaps, a week of focusing on the self. Jupiter is conjunct Sun all week. Consciousness, personal identity, and self-expression have a sense of expansion and abundance connected to Jupiter. Mars passes over Venus in Leo this week, and both will be conjunct all week. Mars is strong in the fire signs, and Venus, acting in extremes due to the retrograde and a bit independent in the Leo sign, tends to defer to Mars’ self-focused will, drive, and ambition.

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The transiting Sun moves into the Virgo sign this week. Happy solar return to Virgo Suns! Sun makes an exact conjunction with Jupiter on August 26. Jupiter is a bit enervated in the Virgo sign (a blessing, perhaps, with a muted Jupiter tending to avoid excesses). Sun and Jupiter form a planetary pair, making the earthy conjunction powerful and potentially useful. Jupiter is a minor Sun, with his own “solar system”, and the abundance and optimism of Jupiter melds well with the Sun’s vitality and consciousness. This week therefore can be quite productive in the workplace, for example, other things equal.

Mercury also speeds into the Libra sign by the end of the week. He will be leaving his classical dominion and exaltation in Virgo, but Mercury does well in the air signs. Reading and socializing tend to be more of a focus with Mercury in Libra, as well as exchanges of ideas and mutual benefit in commerce, also propitious for the workplace.

Venus and the three outer titans, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, continue to retrograde, while Saturn slowly but surely crawls towards the Sagittarius sign. Of interest, over half of the planets appear to tend to their own duties this week, separated from the other planets in the transits. The effusive, spiritual Neptune is a towering presence in his home sign, Pisces; Saturn and Pluto continue to play ping-pong, generating a “structured power” theme and emphasizing a last gasp of behind the scenes authority and emphasis on transformation of institutional structures in the mundane world; and Sun-Mercury-Venus are in a medley of their own by the end of the week, combining conscious collaboration with thought and ideas for business or other endeavors of the mind.

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With Saturn direct again, Venus is one of the four currently retrograde planets, with the three planets beyond Saturn (Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto) comprising the remainder. Venus and Sun draw close together in the Leo sign by the end of the week, and both trine Uranus throughout the week. Evaluating relationships, with a sharp focus on one’s own role in relationships, is front and center. Sun, Venus, and Uranus in fiery signs, connecting by aspects, and Venus-Uranus retrograde all suggest that relationships are anything but boring this week!

This is definitely a week of change based on several planets changing signs. Mercury and Jupiter both enter the Virgo sign, and Mars enters Leo. Mars tends to do well in the fiery signs, and Mercury is in exaltation (most easily able to manifest his characteristics) in the Virgo sign. Perhaps Jupiter changing signs is most notable, as he only does so basically once per year (excluding possible back and forth movements between signs due to retrograding). Jupiter is enervated in Virgo, but that can be a plus: Jupiter’s excesses are kept more in check. He does have a tougher time dealing with Saturn, still forming a tight square to the restrictive titan (carrying on the “structured expansion” theme, with a bit more structure than expansion). Even with the varied planetary movements and potent retrogrades this week, Sun in his home sign, Leo, tends to dominate the transits. Self-expression, creativity, and romance characterize the mid-Summer days.

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Sun continues his transit through his own sign, Leo, this week. Venus goes retrograde early in the week, but she remains at 0 Virgo all week, conjunct the important fixed star Regulus. Sun certainly shines brightly in his home sign, but Neptune, for example, also is very commanding in his home sign, Pisces. Sun and Neptune will form a subtle, but difficult, aspect this week. Amalgamating the better qualities of the two, with effort, result in themes such as “inspired creativity” and “expression via imagination”. The long-standing mutual reception between Saturn and Pluto also contributes to the home signs theme. Those adept enough to use structure in consolidating power are using the Saturn-Pluto theme (“disciplined transformation”, “authoritative perspectives”) productively, indeed.

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Sun, Mercury, and Venus change signs this week, giving the energies from the heavens somewhat of a feel of ‘musical chairs’. Sun moves into Leo, as does Mercury (and Mercury speeds past the Sun in early Leo by the end of the week). The Venus-Jupiter conjunction remains intact this week, but takes on a different tone with Venus entering the sign of her fall, Virgo, early in the week. Instead of multiple t-squares in the cardinal signs, by the middle of the week the transits have only one. It’s a mighty cardinal t-square, however, including Mars and his overlord, Pluto, pointing to another titan, Uranus, in Aries. Our massive star in the center of the solar system in a fire sign, and in his home sign, will mark an increase in activity and emphasize use of energy. This theme combines well with the cardinal t-square: taking initiative via the influence of Mars, Pluto, and Uranus (think ‘innovation and power stemming from personal drive’ and ‘ambitious, spontaneous change’).

Pluto and Saturn continue to retrograde and remain in each other’s signs. Behind-the-scenes authority has a type of ‘on or off’ condition, acting in extremes. Saturn and Neptune in watery signs (and Neptune in his own sign) create significant influence for the watery energies in the transits, despite Sun and Mercury leaving Cancer. Sun/Mercury, Saturn, and Chiron form a watery grand trine until the end of the week. Conscious use of the mind grants the opportunity to use structure in order to forge new paths ahead.