Mercury, Venus & the Moon
At the time of this month’s New Moon, Mercury is stationed and about to move into retrograde motion for the second time this year. We also see Venus in the final degrees of Leo, moving into Virgo just before Mercury turns retrograde.
The New Moon in Leo will act as a harbinger to lead us into this period of Mercury Rx (through Virgo & Leo) from now until the end of the month. For a few days whilst the sky is dark, it’s a perfect time to quieten our minds and drop focus into our heart-space for some quiet introspection. Here we find home to our true desires, our innate creativity and unique self-expression. If we take a moment to move our awareness from our heads into our hearts, what might we find? If we shut down all the noise of expectation and responsibility of what we “should” be doing and listened to our hearts, what might we hear? In what direction might our hearts lead us?
The New Moon in Leo is an invitation to look into the dark mirror of the night sky and contemplate the moments when our hearts have “skipped a beat”; the encounters that have “warmed our hearts”; the times when our hearts have filled with pride. These memories contain pure joy and happiness and ones that we might ponder as we ready ourselves for Mercury’s time of retrograde, beginning in Virgo.
Mercury is the planet of perception and communication, integration and projection. Mercury rules Virgo therefore a retrograde motion in this sign is a lot more suitable than in others as Virgo has no problem revisiting, reassessing and fact checking. Attention to detail is Virgo’s superpower.
With the Leo New Moon leading us into this period of retrograde motion for Mercury it is an opportunity to re-evaluate matters of the heart. This highly focused lens may bring to mind memories that haven’t surfaced for a long time and the feelings that go along with them. New insight may arise as you unpack these moments. With Virgo’s tendency to look at every tiny detail and rehash things to death, the first stages of this Mercury Rx period may begin to feel a little tedious. By the middle of the month when the retrograde motion moves Mercury back into Leo things will become a little easier, pulling back into the sign that invited this process to begin.
Nevertheless, Mercury in retrograde can always be a little problematic where communications can go awry, and perceptions skewed. Use this time wisely to seek out all information available to you before making any assumptions around the language of your heart.
Once Mercury goes direct in Leo later in the month, you may have more clarity around what your heart truly wants and be better at articulating what you need and who you need, to support your happiness.
Let’s not forget, within a day of this New Moon, Venus will move from the final degrees of Leo into the early degrees of Virgo, conjunct the Mercury position. Venus rules love, relationships, creativity, possessions and our values.
If during the New Moon you were reminded of what and who brought you joy in the past, Venus in Virgo now invites you to discern whether those feelings are still relevant today. Is the artist in you still fueled by the spark that ignited your desire to create? Does the love connection you had for another still warm your heart? Whether the answer is yes or no, it can be interesting to look at the changes or adjustments you’ve made along the way (voluntarily or not) to maintain interest and satisfaction. Some will remain in the past as memories (fond or otherwise) whilst others will have managed to evolve along with you and still bring beauty, joy and happiness into your life.
New Moon in Leo – 4th August @8:14pm Melbourne, 11:14am London, 3:14 am San Francisco
Venus in Virgo – 5th August @12:23pm Melbourne, 3:23am London, 4th @7:23pm San Francisco
Mercury Rx in Virgo – 5th August @1:57pm Melbourne, 4:57am London, 4th @ 8:57pm San Francisco