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by Anita
Astrologically, Lammas, the first harvest, occurs when the Sun is at 15 degrees Leo. This happens on August 6, though the traditional date for celebrating Lammas is August 1.
Lammas represents the start of the harvest season. Virgo, astrologically the sign of harvest and healing, comes during the period between Lammas and autumn equinox. In your personal life as well you should be seeing a harvest -- the efforts of your work beginning to manifest. Look at your life and see where you have aimed, and if you are still on target. What have you accomplished that you set out to do? What do you still have to get done? Are you where you want to be? Are you who you want to be? Meditate on how the course of your life has been directly or indirectly impacted by the choices you've made. Reflect now on those choices, and see where your free will has led you. Are you happy? If not, what can you change?
The energy of the Sun is starting to wane, even as the weather turns hot. This is the time of year to start looking inward, finding your inner energy and relying on your inner resources. As the season of canning, pickling and preserving approaches, you too can preserve memories of your past successes, learning from them as well as from your mistakes, to set the path for future growth and development.
While the Sun is in Leo, focus on your self, your unique identity that sets you apart from others. What is the unique gift you came into this lifetime with? How can you use your special talents, and what kind of legacy do you want to leave behind? The nature of Leo is warm and generous. As the Sun shines on everyone, so should you radiate your strength and identity; no matter what your surroundings. You never know what effect you may have; the significance a small comment can have on the people around you.
As the Sun moves into Virgo, focus turns to storing food for the coming winter, on learning about herbs and herbal healing. Virgo is the master of detail and chemistry, knowing that the slightest variance from the formula could produce poison rather than medicine. Virgo excels at editing, analyzing, nursing, gardening. Virgo is always the sign of service to others, and prefers not to lead. As a boss of mine once said, "Our department wouldn't exist if our services weren't needed by others." This is the essence of Virgo. What good is science and knowledge, if it isn't used in service to humanity?
Venus in Virgo loves small things. Virgo rising in a chart generally suggests a small or thin person, and generally produces allergies or sensitivities. Applying this to personal development, it means you should focus on the detail of your physical self. Be aware of your body, and how it reacts to different foods. Be aware of how your emotions ebb and flow. Do you find yourself bored, emotionally flat? That's a sure sign that you're not following your passion. Since Virgo is an earth sign, its emotions generally are slow to build. Nevertheless, take stock of your direction in life and try to find out what brings that glow to your senses.
One year, when I'd experienced a series of major traumas, I found myself needing to move. I ran through the list of Seattle neighborhoods, and to my dismay, nothing leaped out at me. Queen Anne Hill? Too expensive. Ballard? Boring, flat. I slowly realized I didn't particularly want to live anywhere. Then, I saw an article about houseboat living in a magazine. Suddenly, I felt fired up. I would love to live on the water, in a houseboat. Feeling that surge of happiness, I began to make plans, and was able to climb out of my dungeon of self-pity. As it turned out, I never was able to move into a houseboat, but the experience helped me get in touch with my feelings, and learn how to identify and seek out activities that made me happy. Paying attention to your physical and emotional well-being helps you get back on the path you need to tread in this lifetime.
As an astrologer, I've been asked many times, "What should I be doing?" or "What's the right decision for me to make?" As a believer in free will, I always reply that you yourself know best what to do and where to go. If you are in tune with yourself, your actions always use the best planetary energies as they cross sensitive points in your chart. Although astrology helps you predict what influences are affecting you, it never can or should tell you what to do. If you'd like to learn more about this view of astrology, read Choice-Centered Astrology, by Gail Fairfield (a Pacific Northwest writer). During Lammas, ponder the fact that self-knowledge and exercise of free will is the domain of Leo.
Mini-ephemeris, Lammas to Autumn Equinox
July 27, 10:12 p.m. PDT, Mars enters Taurus: Just a few days before Lammas, the planet of personal energy and passion moves into the slow-moving earth sign Taurus. It's not the best placement for Mars, but while it's there (about two months), it's a good time to methodically plan and follow your plan of action. Slow, but sure will win the race.
August 1, Lammas: The Moon is in Cancer. The Waning Moon in its home sign indicates a good day to do weeding, both actual and psychological. Think about what doesn't work in your life and make a plan to leave it behind.
August 4, 8:05 p.m. PDT, New Moon in Leo: This is a good time to be totally self-centered, but in the sense of getting to know yourself better (Not an excuse to be selfish and lazy!). Let your generosity and benevolence shine. Continue working on your plan to bring into your life things that are important to you.
August 6, 10:18 p.m. PDT, Sun at 15 degrees Leo (astrological Lammas), Moon in Virgo: This is the perfect time to take advantage of the dual Leo-Virgo energies that reign between Lammas and autumn equinox. Meditate on your personal identity and free will; the Virgo Moon will help illuminate your analysis. Since the Moon is waxing, the energy is favorable for starting new projects.
August 15, 8:49 p.m. PDT, Mercury goes direct: Once again, communication becomes smooth and obstacles dissolve easier -- unless Mercury is retrograde in your own birth chart, in which case you find it more difficult to make yourself heard and understood.
August 16, 8:05 p.m. PDT, Venus, planet of love and beauty, enters her home sign of Libra, sign of harmony and art: For about the next month, this is a wonderful time to work on relationships and harmony with others, on a one-to-one basis.
August 19, 10:53 a.m. PDT, Full Moon in Aquarius: The Sun in Leo, sign of individual self-expression, is balanced by the Moon in Aquarius, sign of humanitarianism and universal equality. Whereas Leo teaches you about yourself, Aquarius teaches you about your responsibilities within society. Aquarius shows you not only what value you can give to a group, but what you can get from group association. Use this Leo/Aquarius energy to further focus on your own path, and what service you can provide for others.
August 22, 5:45 p.m. PDT, Sun enters Virgo: It's time now to analyze what you've learned about self-confidence, and finalize your plan for the coming season. While the Sun is in Virgo, power comes from your ability to harvest and sort the wheat from the chaff. The key word for Virgo is discrimination -- being able to tell the difference between what to keep and what to throw away.
September 2, 3:52 a.m. PDT, Pluto goes direct in Sagittarius: Pluto governs humanity as a whole and mass movements. Retrograde movement of a planet internalizes its energy; when it goes direct, analysis ends and action begins once again. In Sagittarius, sign of religion, philosophy and travel, Pluto continues to refine and change attitudes toward bigotry, shortsightedness, and small-mindedness. Pluto moves slowly through the signs, so any changes it brings are long to take effect.
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I welcome feedback on these columns. If you have questions, recommendations or suggestions for future columns, you can contact me at sylviafan@juno.com.
Copyright © 2006 by the article's author