Judging the Judges:
The Sun Enters Virgo, Venus Enters Leo;
Mars Enters Cancer:
Mercury Temporarily Slips into Libra
& the Moon’s Nodes are in Capricorn/Cancer

SHELLEY ACKERMAN
Photo: Rich Press

As we enter precision-seeking Virgo, the astrological sign of health associated with work, labor, service, details, specifics, and integrity, health care reform is still up in the air: And the lack of clarity as to what is actually being proposed versus what citizens have been lead to believe will be taken from them in order to pay for it is so thick you can cut it with a knife.

ARIES: The August 20th New Moon in your creative 5th house punctuated a joyful albeit momentary respite and escape from the ordinary. But - if tapped into and integrated into your being, as the Sun enters Virgo on the 22nd, you’ll be armed and ready to not only successfully tackle the pile on your desk (and clear it once and for all) but to knock ‘em dead work-wise and show your colleagues who’s boss. Forget taking the week ahead off, your time is best spent taking care of business. Your ruler, Mars, enters sentimental and sensitive Cancer on the 25th. For the next seven weeks, sharpen your emotional awareness, honor the softness in yourself and in others, and abstain from battles you just can’t win.

TAURUS: The New Moon on Thursday should encourage you to freshen up your environment and splurge on at least one teeny item for the home that makes you feel rich and important, it’s a psychological bump up that will be further emphasized when your ruler, Venus, enters royal Leo on the 26th. For the next few weeks, your home is absolutely your castle! On another front, Mars enters Cancer and your 3rd house of siblings. Screen your calls and take a breath before responding to any whiney emails from needy neighbors. If a brother or a sister is in crisis, listen intently, but think before you speak. It’s almost a shoe-in that anything you say will be misconstrued.

GEMINI: The New Moon in your communicative 3rd house inspires you to tap into innovative ways for you to express your many talents and ideas, after all, what good do they do any of us by going round and round in your head without ever seeing the light of day?. But of course, there’s always the issue of ‘one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration’. Know that if you’re willing to invest in yourself, a lot will be accomplished this month. Energetic Mars enters your 2nd house of earning potential, emphasizing the fact that you need to be emotionally connected to what you do in order to be successful. If your heart isn’t in it, don’t waste your time on it.

CANCER: The New Moon in your 2nd house of income opened your eyes to ways in which to generate new financial opportunities, ones that are rooted in areas that you truly love. Because of it’s need for security (and providing for one’s family), the sign of Cancer is terrifically adept at acquiring money and making it grow. What’s important, is that you maintain a sense of honor in all of your transactions. If you in any way feel cheap or diminished by what you’re involved in to generate wealth, it’s the wrong thing for you to do. Mars enters your sign on the 25th and your passions about everything will come to the fore. But do yourself a favor: Through next week, steer clear of all confrontations.

LEO: The New Moon in your sign on the 20th jump-started a new lease on life, and it’s just what you need to build on as the Sun enters your 2nd house of income (through Sept 22). Forget all vacations and stay-cations: On August 22nd and 23rd, the stars align to make some strategic professional headway. And the career mojo you conjure up, though small on the surface, will act as a potent fertilizer for the months ahead. Keep conversations with neighbors and siblings to a minimum. Things could inadvertently escalate into a full-blown pissing contest. Be very careful driving on August 25/26.

VIRGO: Your ruler, Mercury, opposes wild and wooly Uranus this week and the most innocent comment could be met with a bizarre but clever response. Be social and available on Aug 22/23 when the Sun in your sign makes a positive connection to Pluto in your creative 5th house- making it possible for you to transform a pie dream into something viable. Mercury then enters your 2nd house for two weeks before turning retrograde: Be prepared for annoying request from banks or financial institutions to come up with paperwork, and people who just don’t get it. Mars enters your 11th house of group associations and through mid-October you’ll be alternately sparked and annoyed by your teammates.

LIBRA: The week begins with your ruler, Venus in your career sector favorably assisted by Uranus in your 6th house of day to day details, signaling help from an innovative creative type. Take it and run with it. As Mars enters your 10th house, you’ll be motivated to tend to all that you’ve avoided in the past 18 months to get your career back on track. Don’t blow this cycle! Mercury enters your sign for a couple of weeks before retrograding back into your hidden 12th house. Some of what you put forth idea-wise and on paper, will be challenged but you’ll be able to revise it and submit it again - improved and in an acceptable form.

SCORPIO: The New Moon in your 10th house always comes at a time when most of the world is on vacation. But this works well for your secretive nature-after all, it’s that much easier to get certain things done when no one is watching. Your ruler, Mars, enters your philosophical ninth house on August 25th: For the next seven weeks, you’ll need to strike a balance between your passionate nature and the part of you that knows when and how to keep things close to the vest. Timing is everything: Avoid showing your hand on the 25th and 26th. There’ll be a better moment to discuss your concerns later.

SAGITTARIUS: Every year in late July or during before August 22nd, when there is a new Moon in Leo, you have the opportunity to ‘rewrite your script’ for the school year ahead by revisiting your core beliefs and revising a philosophy that no longer serves you. Now, when the most vocal and destructive among us are on the verge of ruining the possibility of health care for everyone, you have a lot to offer in this national conversation. At the very least, it behooves you to use your big-picture broadcast skills to engage, encourage conversation, and when asked, to enlighten interested parties in your world.

CAPRICORN: A partner or spouse unexpectedly buries the hatchet and gets along very well with a sister or female neighbor and this surprising spirit of cooperation offers a tremendous relief for you. So you see, miracles do happen! Keep that in mind as feisty Mars enters your 7th house: For the next seven weeks, that same partner (or other ones) may be more agitated than usual. Though it may feel as if you’re under attack, it’s best for you to take none of it personally. With Pluto in your sign, YOU hold all of the cards and most of the power. Sometime we are more effective when we say nothing or very little.

AQUARIUS: The New Moon in your 7th house of partnership alludes to a new cycle with a spouse or significant other. They may have to adjust to a new schedule, a different job, or a new boss, but whatever it is, your support is crucial to get them through it. Mars enters your 6th house of work and health so for a few days this and next week, your stomach may be sensitive and legal flare-ups may surround you – but they could be ones that you do not have to engage in. Bottom line: Don’t get an ulcer over that which doesn’t concern you. It’ll all smooth out soon enough.

PISCES: The New Moon in your process-oriented 6th house blends two components together: Creativity and Organization. And though you Neptunian types are often unfairly given a bad rap for being escapist and chaotic, this is definitely one week that you can give the rest of the word a what for and show us all how to get things done. Mars revs up your 5th house of creativity and fun, and romance permeates your world through mid-October. Use the energy to build something magical, no drudgery required.