ASTRO FORECAST: JULY 31 — AUG 10, 2014

Antinous Astrology Forecast

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JULY 31 to AUG 10, 2014

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THURSDAY JULY 31, 2014

On Thursday Mercury finally leaves Cancer after a marathon, five-week stint in the one Sign where Mercury feels really bored. Starting now, Mercury fast-forwards through fiery Leo in just two weeks. Mercury and Jupiter will have their annual rendezvous — this year in upbeat Leo. This will be an exciting two weeks of tweeting, chatting, messaging, emailing, blogging and vlogging for sure.

FRIDAY AUGUST 1, 2014

On Friday watch out for bullying and vengeance when distrustful Scorpio Mars squares off against over-eager Leo Jupiter. Mars is suspicious of ulterior motives and ready to pick a fight to avenge a perceived wrong. Jupiter, meanwhile insists on being right about everything and dares anybody to challenge him.

SATURDAY AUGUST 2, 2014

On Saturday Mercury joins the Mars/Jupiter wrestling match which got underway on Friday. In alignment with Jupiter in arrogant Leo, Mercury is itching to ratchet up the volume of the fight and to broadcast everything via webcam, broadband or any other means available to as many people as possible.

SUNDAY AUGUST 3, 2014

Overnight Sunday/Monday we come to the Scorpio First Quarter Moon, which is the lunar phase we call the THIEF MOON in honor of Prometheus ... the first thief ... and it was thanks to his larcenous thievery that humans are not living in burrows and dens like animals ... Rituals and meditations tonight can focus on your "inner thief" — the things you rob yourself of — self-esteem, self-love, self-confidence, for example. By robbing yourself of these qualities, you are vulnerable to real-life thieves ... Tonight's lunar phase is also reminding us about the ability to take what we need without asking in advance. It is about getting back what is rightfully ours.

MONDAY AUGUST 4, 2014

On Monday there is good news and there is not so good news. The good news for those of you who live in the Eastern Hemisphere is that you will want to cuddle when ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD forms a pleasant aspects with Pluto, Saturn and Venus. The not so good news is for those of you who live in the Americas when the Moon goes VOID OF COURSE for 16 hours ... resulting in a carelessness and romantic frivolity. Not that that is necessarily bad. It just means you may not get as much work done as you had hoped.

TUESDAY AUGUST 5, 2014

On Tuesday you get lots of work done in a flash when ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD forms a nice trine with lucky Jupiter.

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 6, 2014

On Wednesday cleverness and spontaneity rule the day when ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD is in positive configurations with Mercury, the Sun, Uranus and Neptune.

THURSDAY AUGUST 7, 2014

On Thursday you may be tempted to get raunchy when secretive Scorpio Mars forms a trine with fantasy-prone Pisces Neptune. You will want to let your fantasies take you to dark and unexplored corners of your sexual self. Just saying.

FRIDAY AUGUST 8, 2014

On Friday ideas come at you from all sides and you can expect the unexpected when the Sun aligns in conjunction with Mercury and then (later) Mercury forms a trine with impulsive Uranus. A surprise message or call may be just the news you have always been waiting for ... whether you knew it or not.

SATURDAY AUGUST 9, 2014

On Saturday it's time to say good-bye to tired-out old habits when the Sun forms a trine with Uranus as meanwhile Saturn squares off against both the Sun and Mercury. Uranus is pushing you to go for something new and different even as Saturn is showing you just how tired and worn-out some of your old ways of thinking and behaving have become.

SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

On Sunday the AQUARIUS FULL MOON occurs. This is the summertime moon of generous gifts which we associate with Antinous/Vertumnus, the shape-shifting God of summertime bounty and generous gifts. We call this the DONUM MOON when magical rituals are performed for fortuitous gifts.

SNEAK PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK:

Another exciting week lies ahead between August 11 and 17 when we come to the Taurus Third Quarter Moon — the MOON OF BROTHERS — when we honor Lucius Aelius, who was like a brother to Antinous in the imperial court of Hadrian. This night is when we celebrate our gay brothers!.... More details next time ....

THE LEO NEW MOON HELPS YOU BECOME WHO YOU WERE BORN TO BE

TONIGHT's Leo New Moon is your opportunity to let your inner Sun shine forth so that you become the being you were born to be.

In the Religion of Antinous we call this the SACERDOTE MOON because it represents the priestly spiritual development of Antinous from boyhood to mystery initiation and finally to godhood.

Each lunar phase represents a Divine Spirit or Archetype. The Spirit of the Sacerdote is Spirituality itself. It is holiness and sacredness personified.

The Leo New Moon is the fierce moon of kindling the flame of courageous new faith.

This is the night to kick-start your self-esteem, to jump-start the dead battery that is your career or your love life or your artistic ambitions.

We all know the feeling -- chronic low self-esteem, chronic insecurity, a habitual feeling of powerlessness, of being at the mercy of others.

Take heart!

We are approaching one of the most sacred periods in our Liturgical Calendar. ANTINOUS THE GAY GOD is saddling up and preparing to engage in the SACRED LION HUNT.

The LEO NEW MOON which ushers in the season of the SACRED LION HUNT. Antinous fights the lion and grapples with the lion -- he and the lion become ONE and the SAME -- they join forces to create divinity -- HOMOTHEOSIS.


The awe-inspiring "Strength" card (shown here) from Stevee Postman's COSMIC TRIBE TAROT beautifully symbolizes what we are talking about.

During the LEO NEW MOON, we have the opportunity to shine. There's an ebullient child-like energy that draws forth the playful and creative self that resides within. Yet, when doing so care is usually taken since Leo wants to be nothing if not dignified.

The Sun God sign Leo aligns us with a feeling of wanting to be recognized and embraced for the special being we are. If other people's interactions with and attitudes towards us do not meet with these expectations, our pride is hurt and we roar with indignant rage.

Which is not a bad thing. Most gay men have problems expressing anger. We have been taught to be "nice" boys. We have been brainwashed to believe that "nice" means never daring to speak up for ourselves, never taking care of "Number 1". The result is that our pent-up rage sometimes makes us turn into a wild and raging beast -- the lion!

ANTINOUS THE GAY GOD has mastered the art of grappling with those leonine energies. He shows us that it is possible to become one with our "inner lion" -- without being devoured by it.

He shows us how to harness the enormously powerful Leonine energies inside us in order to boost our self-esteem, to end our powerlessness, and to energize us into standing up for ourselves with dignity and pride.

Antinous allows us to see how important it is to be generous in spirit and to radiate our inner light to those around us. He shows us how if we do not let our vital energy flow,  we may experience stress, tension and RAGE in our hearts, bodies, and mind. The Leo New Moon reminds us that we should proudly express our essential self -- a being that has great gifts to offer those with whom it orbits.

The SACRED LION HUNT demonstrated to Hadrian and the world -- and most importantly to Antinous himself -- that Antinous was no longer a common-born kid from the provinces. It showed that He was on the road towards Divinity.

The New Moon in Leo is also special to the Religion of Antinous because the Leo New Moon is creative and playful. The Leo New Moon is a bit of a show-off and likes to be in the spotlight, with all heads turned his way -- as with the Beauteous Boy himself.

The Leo New Moon is also eager to throw out old and ineffective habitual ways of thinking -- "I'm old, fat and stupid" "I'm unworthy" -- and eager to go for new solutions which will help us to get out of the rut which has become our everyday lives.

Many of you are familiar with the experience of waking up to the fact that your life is no longer working the way you have set it up. Sometimes this is due to a shift occurring inside yourself over time, and sometimes it is part of the larger shift that is currently affecting all humanity.

Change is happening at such an increased rate that it is difficult to predict what the future holds. As a result, many of the old ways of planning out a life are no longer applicable, and if you cling to them you feel strangely out of tune with reality. If you are in tune with the LEO NEW MOON energies around you, you will begin to question ideas that just a few years ago seemed sensible.

In the simplest terms, the shift you are undergoing right now has to do with recognizing yourself as being more than human -- the process we call HOMOTHEOSIS -- remembering that your earthly aspects are a very small part of who you are.

In truth, you are a multidimensional being. Gay-Man-Godliness-Becoming-the-Same.

When you begin to realize this, the life you planned for a limited conception of yourself no longer fits. You must meet the needs and qualifications not only of your body (the "monkey" as Flamen Antonyus calls it) but also of your Spiritual Heart. 

This realization dawns slowly for some and with the suddenness of a bolt of lightning for others, and each of you must find the way that works for you to integrate this new and larger sense of self into your life plan.

Tonight during this Leo New Moon, take time to reflect on becoming who you were born to be. Rather than focusing on a specific task, go to the center of your heart and meditate on the core strength of your soul. 

Perhaps you are here to bring beauty, whether through art, justice, or fashion. Perhaps you are here to help heal the  offering of the world, whether through your writing, activism, or as a physician. 

Or maybe you are here to bring insight and truth where there is confusion and ignorance....

By the way, Leo rules the heart, spine, and hair. Pay extra attention to these parts of your body around the time of this Leo New Moon.

ASTRO FORECAST: JULY 24 — AUG 3, 2014

Antinous Astrology Forecast

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JULY 24 to AUG 3, 2014

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THURSDAY JULY 24, 2014

Thursday is the luckiest day of the year when the Sun makes its once-a-year rendezvous with Jupiter — and both happen to be in fortuitous Leo this year. Thursday is specially packed with planetary energies when Venus trines with Neptune to enhance creativity and a sensitive connection to Universal Love, the Sun aligns with Jupiter to expand our confidence and faith in life, while Mercury connects to Uranus, Saturn AND Chiron — a day filled with mental energy.

FRIDAY JULY 25, 2014

On Friday Mars leaves Libra, where it has been very uncomfortable since December 2013, and dives into the steamy waters of Scorpio, where it feels truly at home. All of the warrior god's natural characteristics, good and bad, are much stronger here. Mars's aggressive energies are more intense, more passionate, more loyal, more stubborn, crueler, more secretive, more manipulative, more jealous and (surprise!) more sensitive here than in any other sign. It will be an intense couple of months until Mars enters Sagittarius September 22, 2014.

SATURDAY/SUNDAY JULY 26/27, 2014

Overnight Saturday/Sunday we come to the Leo New Moon. That is the lunar phase we call the SACERDOTE MOON which spiritually kick-starts your life ... Take time to reflect on becoming who you were born to be ... Rather than focusing on a specific task, go to the center of your heart and meditate on the core strength of your soul ... Perhaps you are here to bring beauty, whether through art, justice, or fashion ... Perhaps you are here to help heal the offering of the world, whether through your writing, activism, or as a physician ... Or maybe you are here to bring insight and truth where there is confusion and ignorance.

MONDAY JULY 28, 2014

On Monday you may sense doubts about other people's feelings towards you when over-sensitive Cancer Venus is in exact opposition to incisive Capricorn Pluto.

TUESDAY JULY 29, 2014

On Tuesday you get lots of work done quickly and still have time for insightful daydreams when ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD forms a positive sextile with Mars while forming an intuitive 180-degree aspect to Neptune.

WEDNESDAY JULY 30, 2014

On Wednesday the harmony and good will is almost palpable when ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD engages in positive aspects with Pluto, Venus, Saturn and Chiron.

THURSDAY JULY 31, 2014

On Thursday Mercury finally leaves Cancer after a marathon, five-week stint in the one Sign where Mercury feels really bored. Starting now, Mercury fast-forwards through fiery Leo in just two weeks. Mercury and Jupiter will have their annual rendezvous — this year in upbeat Leo. This will be an exciting two weeks of tweeting, chatting, messaging, emailing, blogging and vlogging for sure.

FRIDAY AUGUST 1, 2014

On Friday watch out for bullying and vengeance when distrustful Scorpio Mars squares off against over-eager Leo Jupiter. Mars is suspicious of ulterior motives and ready to pick a fight to avenge a perceived wrong. Jupiter, meanwhile insists on being right about everything and dares anybody to challenge him.

SATURDAY AUGUST 2, 2014

On Saturday Mercury joins the Mars/Jupiter wrestling match which got underway on Friday. In alignment with Jupiter in arrogant Leo, Mercury is itching to ratchet up the volume of the fight and to broadcast everything via webcam, broadband or any other means available to as many people as possible.

SUNDAY AUGUST 3, 2014

Overnight Sunday/Monday Mercury we come to the Scorpio First Quarter Moon, which is the lunar phase we call the THIEF MOON in honor of Prometheus ... the first thief ... and it was thanks to his larcenous thievery that humans are not living in burrows and dens like animals ... Rituals and meditations tonight can focus on your "inner thief" — the things you rob yourself of — self-esteem, self-love, self-confidence, for example. By robbing yourself of these qualities, you are vulnerable to real-life thieves ... Tonight's lunar phase is also reminding us about the ability to take what we need without asking in advance. It is about getting back what is rightfully ours.

SNEAK PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK:

Another exciting week lies ahead between August 4 and 10 when the AQUARIUS FULL MOON occurs. This is the summertime moon of generous gifts which we associate with Antinous/Vertumnus, the shape-shifting God of summertime bounty and generous gifts. We call this the DONUM MOON when magical rituals are performed for fortuitous gifts .... More details next time ....

ASTROLOGER PREDICTED OF ANTINOUS: "HE WILL BECOME THE FRIEND OF A KING"

AN astrologer casting the natal horoscope for newborn Antinous would have told his proud parents the following:

"He will be handsome, attractive and have an uncommonly well-proportioned body and amiable disposition."

As the baby's mother smiled and nodded (image here by Priest Uendi), the astrologer would be encouraged to go on: 

"And because Jupiter was well aspected to Venus as his mother gave birth to him, little Antinous will one day become the friend of a king ... favored for his great beauty ... and in general will be favored with fortune over all his peers."

All of those things are listed in the standard textbook used by astrologers in the 2nd Century AD ... the "Mathesis" by Julius Firmicus Maternus.

The astrologer would be reading word-for-word from the textbook for a child born whose Rising Sign was 19 degrees Aquarius.

But the textbook has more to say ... and the astrologer might have been forgiven for conveniently "forgetting" to mention the next sentence couple of sentences:

"He will be one of the exoleti (sexual inverts), a sodomite who engages in irrumation," the textbook says. "And though generally fortunate, he will die in the first blush of young manhood."

Modern-day astrologers no longer use the Ancient Roman "Mathesis" textbook ... not as a rule ... although it is right on the mark in this case. 

But just like the ancient soothsayer, a modern a modern astrologer sees a bright and vivacious young man who stands out from all the others when he walks into a room. 

His sunny disposition is enhanced by the fact that the sun was high overhead in optimistic Sagittarius ... in conjunction with his Mid-Heaven.

His Aquarius Ascendant gives him a slight aloofness and appearance of being above it all. Yet Aquarius Rising also enables him to charm large crowds and impress others with his interest in a broad array of subjects. He can talk about almost anything with a degree of authority and interest.

Jupiter is at right angles to Venus, creating an exuberant personality ... a person who love to party ... loves excess ... someone who is generous to a fault, handing out money and favors as if there is no tomorrow.

Venus is in the House of Death, suggesting a willingness to die for love ... though, again, this is not something an astrologer would necessarily tell parents of a newborn.

Saturn is stranded in the First House, which speaks of a dour longterm future. But it is well aspected to Mercury, which is in Scorpio in the Ninth House, the House of Religion.

People with Scorpio Mercury do not hesitate to tell the unvarnished truth. They ferret out secrets and love to cast light on hidden truth. 

Hadrian must have loved Antinous in large part because Antinous invariably told him the truth, unlike all the other sycophantic and toadying courtiers.

The Moon was aligned with Mars in Aries the day Antinous was born. It must have been a stunning sight to go outside that evening and see the waxing First Quarter Aries Moon with a bright red star next to it ... Mars in conjunction.

People with Moon/Mars conjunction in Aries are such hot and fiery personalities that they can literally feel warm. They sleep without covers in the coldest weather. 

They throw of unnecessary clothing. They are hot and passionate. They are quick to blow off steam, but also quick to forgive and forget.

People with Moon/Mars aligned in Aries are also liable to take unnecessary risks. They live fast ... they burn the candle at both ends ... they do not fear death.

Those are the major aspects that an ancient astrologer would have seen in this natal chart.

But there would be aspects of this natal chart which would have been "invisible" to a 2nd Century astrologer ... but which leap out from the computer screen at a 21st Century astrologer. Look at the chart on this page and you notice multiple triangles overlaid on top of each other.

A total of Seven Grand Trines form the backbone of this extraordinary birth chart ... but they involve the planets Uranus, Neptune and Pluto ... which were not discovered until the dawning of the Age of Aquarius.

These slow-moving outer planets rarely form aspects with one another ... centuries pass before they form aspects. 

Uranus and Neptune were in alignment when Antinous was born ... Uranus and Neptune were in alignment in the 1820s when the decipherment of the Rosetta Stone helped to spawn "Antinomania" and revive interest in Antinous.

And Uranus and Neptune were aligned again in the late 1980s and '90s ... when the Modern Religion of Antinous was awakened.

A modern astrologer looks at those Seven Grand Trines ... involving Moon/Mars, Pluto, Uranus and Neptune ... and instantly sees that this person was born at an extraordinary moment in time ... when the planets were signaling a dramatic and sudden turning point.

This baby boy would become the last Classical deity. It is in his birth chart.

One final note: Hadrian was obsessed with horoscopes and would have studied the birth chart of Antinous in detail. After Antinous died, Hadrian discovered a star in the Constellation of Ganymede equivalent to the last decade of Capricorn.

Hadrian called it the Star of Antinous and he renamed the star group the Constellation of Antinous. The new star was located where Jupiter had been on the day when Antinous was born. The Star was forever linked with his natal Jupiter.

In FIXED STAR ASTROLOGY the natal conjunction of Jupiter and the Star of Antinous represents: "Great good fortune in wealth, fame, success ... but with constant threat of loss. Spiritual and religious authority and influence."

In Ancient Rome, Jupiter symbolized the Emperor ... so that Antinous was forever linked with Hadrian ... shining together ... for all eternity.

THE TRIBUNE MOON OF ANTINOUS THE ARIES THIRD QUARTER MOON

TONIGHT's Aries Third Quarter Moon is the lunar phase of the determined warrior which we call the TRIBUNE MOON in Antinous Moon Magic.

If you are someone lacking in self-assertiveness, then Antinous the Moon God is sending assertiveness your way on his moonbeams tonight ... so that you can forge ahead in with determination and vigor.

Each lunar phase represents a Divine Spirit or Archetype. 

The Spirit of the Tribune Moon is the dominant Alpha Male, the leader of the pack. This spirit is symbolized by the Roman tribune riding in triumph through the Forum.

It is the Spirit of discipline and obeying orders ... and giving orders which earn the respect and admiration of others.

It is the Spirit that likes order and rules and expects others to abide by his own code of behavior. This Spirit leads the charge into battle and is a born leader.
Many gay men have a hard time asserting themselves. We equate assertiveness with "aggression" and "being a bully." And so, many of us gay men go through our lives trying to stifle and suppress any sort of assertiveness. We try to be good little boys ... all of our lives.

And yet ... each of us is born with Aries warrior energy in abundance. He always finds a way to get out and exert himself. If we spend our lives suppressing our inner warrior energy, then it seeps out in destructive ways. We have problems with pent-up rage. We have problems with self-destructive habits. We build an impenetrable shield of fear and disdain around ourselves.

We are afraid of being hurt. And we are afraid of hurting others. So we hurt ourselves instead. Our lives turn into chaos.

The Tribune Moon is about confronting your fears ... above all, your fear of baring your true self to others. It is about turning your weaknesses into your strengths. It is about transforming destructive energies into constructive ones. It is about finding ... and fulfilling ... your destiny ....

Meditations and rituals tonight are best suited for finding ways to assert your will constructively ... for the benefit of yourself and for others.

ASTRO FORECAST: JULY 16 — 27, 2014

Antinous Astrology Forecast

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JULY 16 to 27, 2014

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WEDNESDAY JULY 16, 2014

On Wednesday, one of the major astrological events of the year occurs when the planet Jupiter enters the Leo Zodiac sign. For the next 12 months, lots of good things are to be expected. Jupiter is the planet of luck and opportunity. It moves slowly through the Zodiac, spending 12 months in each sign, so it takes 12 years for it to return to Leo. Remember where you were and what you were doing in 2002 to get an idea of the flavor of this coming 12 months.

For the past year, Jupiter was in Cancer, the sign of family, coziness and domestic affairs. But Jupiter Leo will put the spotlight on getting out on stage, front and center, and putting on a good show. Jupiter Leo is the ultimate Drama Queen. While Jupiter was in Cancer many people kept relationships together as a top priority but Jupiter in Leo may encourage the opposite — love affairs. Of course, if your marriage or relationship is sound this will not pose a problem.

Jupiter in Leo will bring a certain amount of fun into our lives and people may be more interested in socializing. Leo is ruled by the Sun, which represents our vital core. If you were born under the sign of Leo, you can expect the next 12 months to be a banner year.

Jupiter is at home in a fire sign (Jupiter is ruled by Sagittarius) and fire sign Leo will encourage self-expression for the performing arts and it should be a good year for movies, TV and any of the arts. Entertainment in general will become more important as well fun. Leo holds the potential to be around or connect with flamboyant and charismatic people. The downside of Leo is often a need for attention.

If you were born with Jupiter in Leo you are the type of individual who likes to energy and a big life force. You are probably a snappy dresser. You often have a feeling of neediness to draw attention or always be the center of attention — in other words, you are a Drama Queen — and the coming 12 months will be your chance to dominate the spotlight.

THURSDAY JULY 17, 2014

On Thursday, be careful what you say when ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD squares off against both Mercury and Venus while forming an exaggeration-prone configuration with Jupiter. This is a recipe for misunderstandings. People don't just jump to conclusions — they take a flying leap and end up hanging on a precarious ledge.

FRIDAY JULY 18, 2014

On Friday, Venus leaves nervous Gemini (where Venus never feels entirely comfortable) and enters cozy Cancer. Venus is very much at home in Cancer, creating a spirit of emotional home-and-hearth sentimentalism. Even if you are the sort of gay person who has never taken the idea of "marriage" and "family" seriously before, don't be surprised if you now think of settling down and setting up housekeeping with that certain special someone. That may mean merely sharing a house or apartment together. Or it may mean planning a gay wedding and possibly even adopting or siring children. For the past month, Gemini Venus expressed love and money through words. Now Cancer Venus will express love and money emotionally.

SATURDAY JULY 19, 2014

Overnight Friday/Saturday, we come to the Aries Third Quarter Moon, which is the lunar phase of the determined warrior we call the TRIBUNE MOON in Antinous Moon Magic ... This lunar phase is particularly powerful this year because it occurs precisely when the Sun and Mars are in a 90-degree square right angle to each other. If you are someone lacking in self-assertiveness, then ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD is sending assertiveness your way on his moonbeams tonight ... so that you can forge ahead in with determination and vigor ... The Tribune Moon is about confronting your fears ... above all, your fear of baring your true self to others. It is about turning your weaknesses into your strengths. It is about transforming destructive energies into constructive ones. It is about finding ... and fulfilling ... your destiny ... Meditations and rituals this night are best suited for finding ways to assert your will constructively ... for the benefit of yourself and for others.

SUNDAY JULY 20, 2014

On Sunday, Saturn ends its Retrograde phase and begins going forward again for the first time since March 2. If there has been a logjam in your life for the past five months, it should break up now. Because Saturn is in Scorpio, secrets will be exposed now. Saturn will remain in Scorpio until December 23, promising renewal and rebirth in time for the Solstice to those who are sincerely attending to the lessons and learning. You have a choice as to who you are intimate with, partner with, borrow from, and owe. Choose wisely and take responsibility for what you choose, how you act and your behaviors.

MONDAY JULY 21, 2014

On Monday, Uranus the planet of revolutionary change stops dead in its tracks (as seen from Earth) and goes Retrograde (backwards) for the next five months. Even when going forward, Uranus shakes things up. Uranus still shakes things up for us when it goes retrograde, but it starts to do so in a very pushy way. It pushes us to dig deep and really face the problems and the roadblocks that have impeded progress. It forces us to re-evaluate our values and our priorities.

If we've been turning a blind eye to a problem, Uranus retrograde will put that problem in our face, front and center, and make it impossible to ignore. If we've been too willing to settle and reluctant to venture from our comfort zones, Uranus will shake us out of it like you shake ants out of a picnic blanket.

Uranus sparks awakenings and inspires us to challenge what we accept as the norm, but when it goes retrograde it forces us to do so through an overhaul.

While Uranus is in retrograde, on a personal level, you may find Uranus forces you to re-evaluate your life — what you've accepted, what you've settled for, the choices you have made. If you've been mindlessly heading down the wrong path, Uranus retrograde gives you the proverbial slap in the face to bring you back to your senses — the kind of slap that stings, but for which you are grateful. After something happens, you may find yourself wondering, "what am I doing? Why am I doing this?" That's the planet's influence on you while in retrograde.

As a society, you'll find Uranus retrograde is when there is unrest and that brings attention to things we've let slide for far too long. More people begin to rethink the direction we've been taking, challenge convention and advocate for change.

You can really use Uranus retrograde to your advantage. It is an ideal time to reflect on your life. Examine your past in relation to your future, and if there is an "Aha!" moment to be had, Uranus retrograde can help you find it.

Have you fallen into bad patterns of thought or behavior? Have you trapped yourself in a lifestyle or job that hasn't really been working for you, but you stuck with it because it was easier than changing? Uranus retrograde is going to make you see what brought you to where you are, face your fears and take you out of your comfort zone, ultimately guiding you to the realization that there are better paths to take.

TUESDAY JULY 22, 2014

On Tuesday, an opposition from Mercury (the mind) to Pluto (intensity) will inspire a desire to know more — to understand more — to dive below the surface and see what lies beneath. This is a good day for deep discussions and psychotherapy. Also, the Sun enters Leo that day which will brighten the darkness of Pluto and help inspire creativity and a sense of fun. Leo is the home sign of the Sun, which means the next four weeks encourage leadership and creative expression. The Sun is most comfortable in Leo, and helps those with genuine intentions step into the limelight. If you're looking to get ahead, now's the time to shine! Promote your talents and ensure higher-ups understand exactly what you're capable of — and what you're looking for. Progress is possible, especially if you're prepared to boldly express your desires. The Sun in Leo symbolizes royalty, so be firm as well as considerate now. Working with others helps you get ahead — but be upfront about your intentions, and don't be bossy.

WEDNESDAY JULY 23, 2014

On Wednesday, you wake up from a restless night, having tossed and turned all night and having been troubled by vivid dreams. These dreams keep coming back to you during the day as ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD forms a tight sextile with stationary Uranus as it shifts into reverse gear. Your subconscious mind is full of changes that you need to undertake during the coming five months while Uranus is Retrograde.

THURSDAY JULY 24, 2014

Thursday is packed with planetary energies when Venus trines with Neptune to enhance creativity and a sensitive connection to Universal Love, the Sun aligns with Jupiter to expand our confidence and faith in life, Mercury connects to Uranus, Saturn AND Chiron — a day filled with mental energy.

FRIDAY JULY 25, 2014

On Friday Mars leaves Libra, where it has been very uncomfortable since December 2013, and dives into the steamy waters of Scorpio, where it feels truly at home. All of the Warrior God's natural characteristics, good and bad, are much stronger here. Mars's aggressive energies are more intense, more passionate, more loyal, more stubborn, crueler, more secretive, more manipulative, more jealous and (surprise!) more sensitive here than in any other sign. It will be an intense couple of months until Mars enters Sagittarius September 22, 2014.

SATURDAY/SUNDAY JULY 26/27, 2014

Overnight Saturday/Sunday we come to the Leo New Moon. That is the lunar phase we call the SACERDOTE MOON which spiritually kick-starts your life ... Take time to reflect on becoming who you were born to be ... Rather than focusing on a specific task, go to the center of your heart and meditate on the core strength of your soul ... Perhaps you are here to bring beauty, whether through art, justice, or fashion ... Perhaps you are here to help heal the offering of the world, whether through your writing, activism, or as a physician ... Or maybe you are here to bring insight and truth where there is confusion and ignorance.

SNEAK PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK:

Another exciting week lies ahead between July 28 and August 3 when we come to the Scorpio First Quarter Moon, which is the lunar phase we call the THIEF MOON in honor of Prometheus ... the first thief ... and it was thanks to his larcenous thievery that humans are not living in burrows and dens like animals ... Rituals and meditations tonight can focus on your "inner thief" ... the things you rob yourself of ... self-esteem, self-love, self-confidence, for example. By robbing yourself of these qualities, you are vulnerable to real-life thieves ... This lunar phase is also reminding us about the ability to take what we need without asking in advance. It is about getting back what is rightfully ours .... More details next time ....

EVERYONE'S A DRAMA QUEEN WHEN JUPITER IS IN LEO 2014-15

LUCK takes a turn for the better on July 16, 2014, when the planet Jupiter enters the Leo Zodiac sign.

For 12 months, until August 2015, lots of good things are to be expected. Jupiter is the planet of good fortune and opportunity. 

Everything is more exciting ... everyone is a drama queen ... like Ganymede stealing the scene from King of Gods Jupiter himself.

The painting is "Ganymede Adores Jupiter" by André Durand ... we love this gay tongue-in-cheek tribute by Monsieur Durand (one of our favorite gay visionary artists) to the famous Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres painting "Thetis Adores Jupiter."

Jupiter moves slowly through the Zodiac, spending 12 months in each sign, so it takes 12 years for it to return to Leo. 

Remember where you were and what you were doing in 2002 to get an idea of the flavor of this coming 12 months.

For the past year, Jupiter was in Cancer, the sign of family, coziness and domestic affairs. But Jupiter Leo will put the spotlight on getting out on stage, front and center, and putting on a good show.

Jupiter Leo is the ultimate Drama Queen. While Jupiter was in Cancer many people kept relationships together as a top priority but Jupiter in Leo may encourage the opposite — love affairs. Of course, if your marriage or relationship is sound this will not pose a problem.

Jupiter in Leo will bring a certain amount of fun into our lives and people may be more interested in socializing. 

Leo is ruled by the Sun, which represents our vital core. If you were born under the sign of Leo, you can expect the next 12 months to be a banner year.

Jupiter is at home in a fire sign (Jupiter is ruled by Sagittarius) and fire sign Leo will encourage self-expression for the performing arts and it should be a good year for movies, TV and any of the arts.

Entertainment in general will become more important as well fun. Leo holds the potential to be around or connect with flamboyant and charismatic people. 

The downside of Leo is often a need for attention.

If you were born with Jupiter in Leo you are the type of individual who likes to energy and a big life force. You are probably a snappy dresser. You often have a feeling of neediness to draw attention or always be the center of attention — in other words, you are a Drama Queen — and the coming 12 months will be your chance to dominate the spotlight.