Mercury in Taurus, Sun Trine Pluto: To Have, to Hold, and to Reinvent

Mercury ingresses into Taurus at 11:37 a.m. EDT, just two hours before the Sun trines Pluto. When two astrological events occur in tandem, it's definitely time to pay attention. So what kind of song is about to be sung? Possibly an intensely beautiful, cathartic one.

Although Mercury is not particularly well placed in Taurus, neither is it debilitated. Thoughts and communications will definitely turn toward money, honey, sensual love, beauty, and art -- perhaps clarifying the preoccupations of the three other planets currently transiting Taurus: Sun, Venus, and Mars. That's certainly a lot of earth energy. If you happen to have the Sun in Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn, Cancer, or Pisces (or have an emphasis on one or more of those signs in your chart), you will feel right at home.

Some people would rather die than change, but today I would advise even the most stubborn of you (which would likely include a high percentage of Tauruses) to give reinvention a wholehearted shot. Pluto energy is never "easy," but a trine is the best possible aspect to ride it, not fight it; Pluto may bare its teeth on a trine, but in a smile -- not as a prelude to a bite.

Envision yourself becoming the person of your very best dreams. If no one is handing you the keys to unlock all those obstacles, become your own locksmith. Do not wait for anyone's permission; grant yourself power, creativity, mystery, sex appeal -- any positive trait that will bring a smile to your own face. Do it even against all so-called evidence that you are a nobody. Your newfound self will then radiate like a newly charged sun. You may prefer to enjoy it in private (depending on whether your Sun or your Pluto is stronger in your own chart), but if you are out in the field, others will bask in your glow and become inspired to remake themselves. If enough collective momentum is generated, the chain reaction will continue even after the Sun finishes trining Pluto.

This Past Week Has Been the Equivalent of Changing Time Zones!

Greetings, my lovelies and uglies. In this final unofficial week of summer (officially, summer lasts till September 22), it is time to take stock of two major planetary shifts that occurred within the past week: the Sun's entry into Virgo (August 22) and Mars's entry into Scorpio (August 23).

The Virgo period pulls us away from such Leo-type venues, pursuits, and states of mind as the beach, parties, vacations, disco naps, and summer flings -- and toward literal or figurative freshly sharpened No. 2 pencils. The Sun-Neptune opposition on the 24th encouraged daydreaming and escapism, but now we are beginnning to feel the self-improvement bug. It's either back to school or back to the grind (even if you never really left the grind because to take even a week off would cost you your livelihood). It's that time of year to do what's good for you and take the long view, even if this mind-set is not nearly as much fun as your want-to-dos. However, with Mercury still lingering in Leo, there is still time to howl at the upcoming Full Moon in Pisces (which also happens to be a Blue Moon!) on Friday the 31st...and on the imminent Sun-Pluto trine (exact today at 8:20pm EDT), if you allow Pluto's shadowy, underworld rays to commingle with the Sun's more forthright ones, you may wind up with a tincture of magnetism, magic, and power to have some serious fun with.

And speaking of power, Mars in Scorpio has much more potential for that than Mars in Libra, a placement considered to be in its "detriment," as Libra is a Venus-ruled sign and far more concerned with maintaining harmony than dealing with conflict and desire. Mars transiting through Libra this summer had its ups and downs as well as side-to-sides, but most certainly affected (or infected) romantic relationships as well as politics. In the sign of Scorpio, however, Mars finds a true home; in fact, before Pluto's discovery in 1930, Mars was Scorpio's sole ruler. Therefore, Mars operates far more effectively in this fixed water sign. Coming to terms with sexual desires and ambition is a hallmark of this transit; so is shedding your skin to accommodate the considerable growth spurt you will experience between now and October 6. (If you were born with Mars in Scorpio, this transit will mark a Mars Return for you -- a double dose of business as usual.) That said, Mars is far from harmless when traveling through Scorpio...unless you consider a snake or eagle to be harmless. If you are unfortunate enough to make enemies with a Mars-in-Scorpio individual, rest assured that person will not only fail to forgive and forget, but also subscribes to the belief that revenge is a dish best served cold, so you will never see it coming.

On a personal note (for it's high time I reveal some of my steamy entrails), the change from Mars in Libra to Mars in Scorpio has breathed new life into my body, my soul, and my relationship with a certain Pisces who I have become increasingly convinced is the love of my li -- are your eyes turning green? I also lack equity, a steady job with benefits, still battle nightmares on a regular basis, and am about 15 lbs. overweight, which for a petite person like myself is the equivalent of twice that.

Now take out those freshly sharpened No. 2 pencils in case I decide to give you a pop quiz.

Clean-Up Time: Welcome to the Sun in Virgo

Summer officially has four more weeks to go, yet with the Sun's entrance into Virgo today at 7:39 p.m. EDT, the season is on its last legs--at least in this hemisphere. Labor Day fittingly occurs with the Sun in Virgo, after which there is a renewed emphasis on such Virgo matters as school, work, and the coming harvest (or not, as the case may be). The mutuable signs of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces all mark the waning of a season, preparing for the next one while still in this one, which often manifests in those born with the Sun in these signs' relative instability and duality as compared with the rest of the the zodiac. This also means more flexibility and ingenuity, if other planetary aspects concur.

Virgo is perhaps the least understood of all twelve signs, and has the most mundane, least awe-inspiring adjectives to describe it: Perfectionist. Competent. High-strung. Service-oriented. Hypochondrical. Obsessive-compulsive. Detail-oriented. Yet the list of exciting, awe-inspiring Virgins is a long one, and over the next four weeks I shall make it my business to post some astrological profiles that will bust this signs's boring rep.

In the meantime, get out those freshly sharpened #2 pencils and take some notes:

The skinny on Virgo:
Element: Earth
Quality: Mutable
Polarity: Feminine/Yin
Planetary ruler: Mercury
Body part/function: intestines/powers of assimilation

After Leo's joy of self-expression comes the task to refine the self. Like Gemini, the other Mercury sign, Virgo is curious and eager to learn but much more painstaking in the process. Virgo marks the crucial stage of human awareness: self-consciousness. Sexually, the Virgin maintains a certain innocence and purity even after losing its virginity--even if it decides to experiment like wild. Its Earth element lends definite sensuality. The scene in the film 9 1/2 Weeks that combines sex, food, and the Domme/Sub dynamic must've been conceived by a Virgo.

This year's entrance into the Virgo period occurs with the Sun trining Pluto at 0 degrees at Capricorn, making it an excellent time not just to clean up, but to excavate and transform the contents of your inner basement...and plumbing. If you find that you are "backed up," blocked, stymied, tangled up, or otherwise constipated, cleanse your system by ruthlessly confronting it and trying to make sense of the clutter, even if you come to the conclusion that whatever you are dealing with is utterly chaotic and illogical. Only by clearing out what no longer works (and perhaps never did) in your mind, office, and body (all ruled by Virgo) can you effectively clear the decks for something new.