It’s still “big change season,” as we just saw the exact conjunction of Mars, Uranus and the North Node in Taurus. I’ve been making a lot of noise about it these past few weeks, and will continue to do so for a few more, as it’s a volatile force that will really shake things up in a material way for many. Transformation can be beautiful, but none of the forces at play here are known for being gentle.

That said, we’ve POSSIBLY seen the worst of it. The array will continue to be triggered by the moon and other fast moving planets, but Mars is already making its way through the gauntlet and onto more placid pastures. As Hump Day dawns, many of the relationships from last week continue – Venus is still also within range of the “big change” array, though her influence remains more gentle and offers the possibility for pleasant surprises. Also though, Venus is approaching an opposition with Pluto, which will perfect on Monday…more on that later. The Moon opposes Chiron, inviting us to ponder the impasse between our capabilities and our insecurities. Mercury is hanging onto the edge of Leo, the person dominating the conversation is running out of steam. Senses of self have been nurtured into greater agency by the Sun’s relationship with Jupiter, and that confidence may be tested both by its incoming trine to Chiron and its own contentious relationship to Mars-Uranus-North Node.

Thursday (8/4) sees Mercury’s ingress into Virgo, where he is most comfortable and capable. The running monologue of Leo gives way to cooler, more reserved voices, keen on assessment and analysis. A fine time to truly take stock of a situation’s nuts and bolts, to commit to a left-brained project, to administrate like the devil’s day planner. Mercury is not catching any major aspects out of the gate, but will soon.

The change array may be set off by the moon’s movement through Scorpio on Friday (8/5,) when she is conjunct to the South Node. The South Node is a negating force, a vacuum which can disintegrate, and therefore it may be a good chance to consciously uncouple from some toxic influences, to excise some poison in one’s heart. The moon will also be in a tough relationship with Saturn during this time, so there may be some fundamental, structural hurdles to clear in order to do this, or some you may run into if the choice to do so is made for you – also a possibility here. It is also worth noting that the Sun is well within orb to be a part of the activity here, which creates a condition called a “Grand Cross” – people may feel as though they’re being pulled in multiple directions on this day.

Saturday (8/6) is a little less eventful, the moon creating a harmonious relationship with Pluto, offering the possibility to touch bottom on one’s emotional deep end before the moon moves into more hopeful Sagittarius by evening. Its movement through Sag the following day, Sunday (8/7) should generally be pleasant and stoke growth – a good day to train or engage in art, though potentially a frustrating one for study or number crunching-adjacent activities.

By Monday (8/8), the aforementioned Venus-Pluto opposition will be exact. This aspect has been tightening throughout the week and its presence was likely felt beforehand, but it will be highlighted by the moon’s midday movement into Capricorn. Venus in Cancer is the actively sensitive, nurturing lover; Pluto in Capricorn represents deeper appetites, the taboo, control issues, and may even shine a light on places where the structure of relationship has rotted and is in need of shoring up.

Finally, on Tuesday (8/9,) the Sun’s slide into a combative relationship to Mars-Uranus-North Node is just about complete, and will loom large for the coming week. This represents the way personality and consciousness is assailed by some irrevocable changes in one’s life, a thing that’s not hard to believe given the news cycle of the last…I don’t know, all of recent memory? It feels like that square is active all the time, to be honest. But while mileage may vary as to the scope of its personal effect on the native, it is worth taking a breath in the eye of the storm and taking stock of exactly how the tumult has affected what makes you yourself. Because there have been a lot of changes for just about everyone lately, and recognizing and accepting those changes is the only healthy way to roll with them. Thus, I encourage the reader to do just that. Alternately, I know that a Uranus transit can feel electric and energizing, so after taking a pause to breathe through it, if you feel compelled to work off that energy – ideally on something that needs changing in life – then I encourage the reader to ride that lightning. We’re in the build-up to a full moon here, and the charge in the air may reflect that.

Until next Hump Day!