Radical Peace: Astrology of 8/1 – 8/7

This week Uranus stations retrograde, joining our current retrograde-heavy sky and squaring Mars (also retrograde) as it stations. Both of these planets lock into a square for the rest of the summer which opens up the possibility to feel frustrated by stagnation, as well as the opportunity for being smart and slow… and this whole Neo dodging bullets in the Matrix vibe.

What I mean by that is this: Mars is a defensive archetype and relates to the part of us that is up in arms, ready to defend against a threat. That is all fine and good when a threat truly is present. But not when we’re just in a trauma pattern or a fear-based matrix of thought. The bullets being dodged here are further entrenchment in your own disempowering narratives and fear-based habits. And then watching them go.

When Mars is retrograde, we’re actually served by taking the time to step back from our impulses and here, in Aquarius – triggers – and clear the karma that’s coming up by making a new choice or taking a higher road than we have before, instead of re-enacting old patterns.

Uranus squaring it in Taurus adds this extra slowness and a certain revolution of patience. What would it be like if you actually took your time? Retrograde seasons don’t mean a break from action or not doing anything, but a higher degree of internalized consciousness relative to the retrograde archetypes. Thoughtfulness, covering your bases, being attuned to rhythms instead of pushing. Pushing when it’s actually time to push. If you’re feeling thwarted when you push hard, is there a good reason for pause? If you’re feeling stagnant, is there something you need to release?

I offer the title Radical Peace this week because it’s an option. Not all will take it, and Mars retrogrades do surface frustration in people. But you can hold the vibe of peace down. That’s the whole point of using astrology as a guide. ?

If you’re new here, I go into a lot more detail on this transit in my free Mars retrograde mini e-book which you can get by signing up for my mailing list here. You’ll also receive the weekly forecasts to your inbox!

Also this week, the Sun squares Jupiter, Venus enters Libra and Venus in Libra and Mars in Aquarius trine each other. It could be a radically pleasant week to stand down from fight-mode and re-frame consciousness into a more peaceful state. And with Uranus in Taurus, this could totally be in your body too, like relieving stress and feeling a tangible difference from stress mode to leisure mode; and what novel perceptions of reality bubble up in your freshly soothed consciousness. You might have to do the work though, in liberating yourself. Which doesn’t mean you do things by yourself, but that you value your wellbeing enough to be resourceful and form good relationship to the love and abundance around you in whatever form that exists.

Read more about the week below! Before you do, I want to let you know of an opportunity to win two astrology readings from me, one for you and one to gift to a friend. I’m collecting stories from people on how having astrological self-awareness has created transformation in their lives. Answer the survey here to enter a drawing to win. I’ll be drawing two recipients on the New Moon August 11.

August 1

Mars in 2 Aquarius square Uranus in 2 Taurus: 7:39 PM PDT

• Both stagnation and breakthroughs in vitality are possible. Be open to the appearance of new information that helps liberate stagnant energy. This can happen intellectually and emotionally, but it could also be something more embodied like integrating a new health/dietary habit or releasing stuck energy in the body.

• Places in your life where you are trudging along and/or being a workhorse can become easier under a new systems/bigger-picture approach. Whenever we simply pose the question of how something could become easier or more streamlined in our experience, we make ourselves receptive to receiving bolts of insight. If on the other hand, we use our intellectual energy to maintain the status quo (think that this is just the way it is), we are non-receptive toward new ideas. It can be better at this time to hold the questions and trust that new ways of doing the same old things will arise in our consciousness than to not ask at all. In cases of stubbornness to the way things have been done, it’s just like changing the channel and being open to a new learning curve.

• Under certain circumstances/favorable conditions, endurance can be boosted. Pay attention to what practices, forms of nourishment, rest habits, routines, etc. give you more staying power.

August 4

Last Quarter Moon in 12 Taurus: 11:18 AM PDT

• Coming down from last week’s lunar eclipse, this last quarter Moon now squares the ecliptic while the Sun in Leo is still close to the North Node and Mars in Aquarius is on the South Node.

• One theme playing out for Mars retrograde is that anger and frustration does not necessarily imply the need to react or act out. As with the wisdom of the Mars archetype in general, there is a time to act and a time to not/retreat. However, during this time it can be really important to take ownership of what your anger and frustration means, perhaps at a deeper level than what is occurring at the surface. You might think of a scenario where someone is so fed up at the conditions of their life that they start to connect to the part of themselves that dreams and wants for something more while now having the libidinal energy (in the form of anger/frustration) to channel into bringing those better conditions into fruition. So see if it is fruitful to take the time to sit with what is frustrating you and glean insight and clarity from it about what you do actually want.

August 6

Venus enters Libra: 4:27 PM PDT

• Venus now enters one of her signs of rulership, harmonizing with the lunar nodes upon entry and squaring Saturn in Capricorn. Venus also forms an inconjunct to Uranus in Taurus. Venus will be in Libra until September 9. Later when Venus is in the following sign of Scorpio, she’ll retrograde and re-enter Libra on October 31, where she will turn direct November 16 and remain in Libra until December 2. So for a good while, we have a lot of Venus in Libra and Venus in Scorpio and an intensification upon relevant themes.

• Because Venus and Libra are already related by rulership, Venus in Libra is like an intensification of itself. The outer-dimension of Venus – relationship with other – is heightened in the field. With this comes added focus on cooperation, compromise, diplomacy, peace, equality, justice, charisma, charm, and generally harmonizing with other people.

• As we may see as Venus continues her journey around the Sun into Scorpio, harmonizing with other people includes strings and attachments, desires, projections, evolution, and the possibility for intense emotion and synergistic creativity. Relationship is totally a portal for growth in that way – individuals offering mirroring to each other that validates, challenges, enlivens and transforms.

• Venus’ initial contact to Saturn in Capricorn upon entrance into Libra might serve as a useful reminder for us through this cycle that integrity, boundaries, and clarity goes a long way in supporting relationship (even if it curtails the possibility of certain relationships because desires/needs are not compatible).

• Many are afraid of hurting others feelings, not being liked, or creating negative ripples in the field, and from this place they will be superficial or smooth things over instead of being truthful. Next-level Libra, however, would come from allowing conflict and disagreement or a difference in interest to be acceptable. This allows more resonant dynamics to show up, instead of staying entangled in dynamics one is only drawn to from a place of fear/avoidance rather than attraction and interest. Honesty about discord also keeps relationships vital instead of co-dependent.

• Libra relates to the experience of meeting new people and making new connections – it is a cardinal sign, which relates to the beginning of seasons. This could be an enjoyable time to make a point to meet new people and to discover so much in the process.

• One of the attracting features of the Libra archetype is to take a genuine interest in other people and to really engage with and listen to them. Interest becomes reciprocal.

• Libra can remind us to enjoy our connections! As Anais Nin says… “Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.”

Sun in 14 Leo square Jupiter in 14 Scorpio: 4:27 PM PDT

(Image: Remedios Varo)

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” – Marianne Williamson

• Self-actualizing has an edge, one that involves shadow work and confronting our fears. As the Sun in Leo squares Jupiter who is currently magnifying the underworld, the tension between our creative manifestation of self and our fears of doing so may arise.

• This square can relate to encounters of feeling our shadow reflected/mirrored back at us – whether that is feeling called out, or boosted and encouraged related to some gift we are not totally owning.

August 7

Uranus stations retrograde in 2 Taurus: 9:49 AM PDT

(Image: Gherardo Cibo)

Uranus is currently square retrograding Mars in Aquarius, and now they both lock into the square, both retrograde, for the rest of the summer (or winter for those of you on the Southern Hemisphere). You’ll find tons more details about this transit in my free Mars retrograde mini e-book. Sign up for my mailing list to instantly receive it.

• Have you felt any call to take a step back? Rather than creating tons of new actions and karmas, this double retrograde square invites us to take the time to stand back and assess a situation from a distance. If you resource your intuition and your higher self, you may notice increased discernment in the matter of whether to act or stand back.

• Situations that may call for the most pause/review are ones that involve being triggered and acting out based on being triggered. By internalizing the situation and gaining insight in the process, accelerated evolution can occur.

• Through insight that comes from standing back, more inspired and aligned actions can be taken.

• Uranus in Taurus is a great transit to have body revolutions and somatic epiphanies. Be receptive to insights on how to change your biochemistry, how to get the right foods for you, how to create harmony in your various body systems – it’s like a whole new world.

Venus in 1 Libra trine Mars in 1 Aquarius: 5:32 PM PDT

• With Venus and Mars both in air signs, there can be a pleasant, easeful, witty, intellectual charge to our relationships and meetings with people in passing. Venus in Libra can also bring some diplomacy and relational skill into more entrenched conflicts (Mars in a fixed sign) at this time.

• A flirtiness/attractiveness around this transit might have to do with giving others the space to be themselves. A lot of people feel lonely and isolated and don’t even present the more weird/unusual parts of themselves at first (making it harder to be met). But this can have to do with the way that not everyone they meet is actually prepared to hold space for their uniqueness and interact with it. Air signs are great at connecting over ideas and leaving breathing room. Note opportunities under this pleasant transit to let others be themselves and to let yourself be yourself around others.

Thank you for meditating on the planets with me! Let me know how you’re doing in the comments, and please share this article with your friends on social media!

Book a reading with me for more personalized guidance and insights about your natal chart.

~Sabrina Monarch

Sabrina Monarch is a soul-centered Evolutionary Astrologer who publishes weekly astrological forecasts, works with clients and teaches. She has been collecting astrological experience for over a decade. She is a novelist and is currently pursuing her masters in Philosophy. She also enjoys kundalini yoga, meditation and ashtanga yoga.