Dear First name / friend,
Well, that Capricorn Full Moon last Sunday certainly
delivered powerful transformations, amiright?! With so much playing out in the US and in the world, I bet you felt the intense energy in your personal life too. Pluto's involvement brought up power struggles, hidden truths, endings, and even historic new beginnings. The Full Moon was conjunct my South Node—the karmic release point in my chart—which sparked a huge desire to shed. I cut my hair, cleansed my home, ditched some items taking up space, felt a push to release some relationships, and took a hard look at some of my ingrained patterns and behaviors—some of which were painful to look at.
One big takeaway
I took from this Full Moon was around feeling the pressure to transform. It brought up some heavy stuff that I knew needed changing, but knowing that doesn't make the process easy or pleasant. If you found yourself in a similar space, know you're not alone. Full Moons illuminate things in a more concentrated way than at other times during the month. Add Pluto's depth and shadow to the mix, and it can feel overwhelming to confront all the intensity it stirs up, especially if you're brave enough to take a long, hard look and confront any things you've been avoiding.
Right after the Full Moon, the Sun moved into bold, fiery, playful Leo, which we typically love. Leo energy helps us find our self-confidence, courage, and creative flair, pushing us to share our unique gifts with the world. But just as the Sun settled into Leo on Monday, it faced an opposition from Pluto, stirring up more power dynamics and a push for us to embrace our true desires from the heart, regardless of what others might think or feel about it.
If you're feeling Leo energy like I am this week, it can feel like an exciting time to take risks, dive into fun projects, and be more daring in your endeavors. But there's also that nagging self-doubt or stage fright that can come with stepping more into the spotlight. I try to remind myself that it's completely normal and expected to feel that way! These cosmic activations are intense, but they're here to help us see the truth and push past our fears in new ways. Trust that if you're leading with your heart, the right people will find you and resonate with your message.
This theme of bold self-expression vs confronting our shadow continues this week. The Sun and Venus in Leo are lighting us up, keeping us in a playful and perhaps dramatic mood in our lives and relationships. Leo can be fiery and sometimes a bit hot-tempered or impulsive when provoked. Mars in Gemini, along with Jupiter, is firing up communications and activities to a whole new level. Overall, it's hard to hold stuff in right now, the energy wants to move! However, as a contrast, we also have Pluto, Saturn, and Neptune moving retrograde, urging us to pause, reflect, revise, and dissolve what no longer serves us. Asteroid Chiron, known as the Wounded Healer, has joined the retrograde pack as of this morning, beginning its backward journey through the last decan of Aries from now until December 29th.
Chiron's energy is about turning our pain, wounds, and vulnerabilities into healing and growth—in a way that benefits ourselves and others. Since 2018, Chiron in Aries has been helping us heal our core sense of self, particularly around taking initiative, pursuing our desires, taking risks, and being more independent. Chiron is currently at 23 degrees of Aries, where it's been since June 21st, and will stay until August 31st. If you have any planets or placements around 23 degrees of the Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn), you're likely feeling this energy strongly.
This energy ties back to the April 8th total solar eclipse we had at 19 degrees of Aries that was conjunct with Chiron. Chiron will revisit that 19 degree point during its retrograde period. Themes from the spring may resurface, possibly linked to old wounds or triggers that began at that time. Chiron retrograde can also bring up all our past insecurities—from childhood and even past lives—making us face where we feel inadequate. But the retrograde also offers a potent time for healing, helping us get to the root of our suffering, to finally make peace with and accept ourselves, as we are, wounds and all. Knowing your natal Chiron placement by House and Sign can offer additional insights into long-standing patterns or behaviors ready to be healed and transformed.
Ultimately, Chiron's retrograde in Aries paired with the Sun moving through Leo are beautifully harmonized right now. Both fire signs bring an energetic spark to our healing journey. Chiron in Aries helps us address deep wounds around self-expression and the fear of being "too much." Meanwhile, Leo’s vibrant energy encourages boldness, creativity, and self-expression. It’s perfectly okay to embrace your big feelings and powerful presence, even if it don’t resonate with everyone. Personally, I’m working through this myself—balancing my desire to shine (thanks, Leo) with the self-consciousness and fear that also comes with it.
We also have a shift in thoughts and perceptions this week, as Mercury moved out of Leo yesterday and into earthy, grounded, modest Virgo. Mercury in Virgo is all about the details, bringing a practical, methodical approach to communications, our thoughts, and how we put plans and systems in place. Quite a contrast in energy from Leo! We're currently in Mercury's shadow period as it prepares to go retrograde on August 4th. This means that any issues cropping up now are likely part of the upcoming retrograde story. Check which House(s) 4 degrees of Virgo to 21 degrees of Leo fall in your chart to see which areas of your life are up for renewal, revision, and re-do's.
