Stargazer – astrology for August 2022
Image: Steve Alexander – Crop Circle at Barbury Castle, Wiltshire, UK 17th July 2022Stargazer – astrology for Aug 2022. The magic of crop circles | Virgo new moon – tie up loose ends | Prepare for Mars retrograde | Health tips for Leo, & more...
by Stella Woods
"...the true purpose of the Mars retrograde cycle is not to make us lose our temper or crash the car, rather to push us to align actions and goals with our true nature."Uranus–North Node–Mars triple conjunction; change is inevitableAugust opens with a dramatic triple conjunction between Uranus, the moon’s north node, and Mars in earth sign Taurus. These three astral bodies can be seen in house or section nine of the chart below, calculated for 1st August. Uranus is the blue symbol shaped like a TV aerial. The north node looks like a set of headphones, and the traditional male symbol in red represents Mars.

The art of astrology involves combining the symbolic meanings of planets and zodiac signs to interpret and understand the energy of a specific time. By examining the triple conjunction of Uranus, Mars, and the north node, we can see what August might have in store for us personally and collectively.
Shock and disruption – take nothing for granted
Firstly, this triple conjunction is not an isolated incident. The energy has been building for some time. Uranus entered Taurus in May 2018. The Moon’s north node entered Taurus in January this year, and has been edging closer to Uranus ever since. Mars joined Uranus and the north node in Taurus at the beginning of July.

Uranus represents disruption of the established order via revolution and innovation, while the north node represents collective karma and growth. Taurus is all about our material and natural world – money, energy, food, agriculture, environment, economy, security, banking, and finance. Those with a more spiritual bent often downplay the importance of Taurus, but we all need food, shelter, warmth, and security to stay alive. Just ask the 10 million Ukrainian refugees whose lives have been completely disrupted by the Russian invasion, or the tens of thousands of Australians who were forced to evacuate or lost their homes in the recent floods.

The Uranus-north node conjunction in Taurus also reflects our worldwide energy crisis – a crisis that has been exacerbated by the situation in Russia, but which has also been building for some time, due to increasing world population and our reliance on fossil fuels. We can no longer take things for granted. The knock-on effects of this disruption to our physical security are inflation and rising interest rates; falling stock markets; unaffordable housing; political and economic instability; soaring energy and food bills; food and fuel poverty; disruption to supply chains; and further environmental devastation.
Fuel on the fireWhen we add explosive Mars into mix, it’s like throwing fuel onto the fire. Think civil unrest and rebellion. Since Mars first joined forces with the Uranus-north node conjunction in July we’ve seen the ousting of British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson; the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, and the resignation of the Sri Lankan President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa after protesters broke into his residence and set fire to the Prime Minister house following months of economic crisis. We can expect to see more sudden changes in established leadership in large corporations and governments. And unless we deal with our current Taurean problems we risk food and water shortages, fuel poverty, rationing, and further disruption from climate change.
Changing values and open mindsAwareness of the problem is the first step and as Albert Einstein once said: ‘We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.’ Taurus is all about values, and this triple planetary conjunction is pushing us to redefine what we value. What does it really mean to be wealthy? What are possessions for? What is more important – competition or cooperation? One of the great gifts of the coronavirus lockdown was to make us really appreciate what we value in life – food, water, shelter, love, health, friends and family.

Creative and sustainable change is the next step. Uranus in Taurus has already ushered in many changes to the way we live and there are more to come. Walking and cycling instead of driving. Holidays closer to home. Reducing, reusing, and recycling. Growing our own food. Shortened supply chains. Reduction in food waste. The sharing economy. Working from home. Better work-life balance. Solar power. Community support. Decentralisation. Gratitude and appreciation for what we already have.
Final Saturn-Uranus square – adapting to changeIn the closing months of 2022, we have the final square or 90° angle between Saturn in Aquarius and Uranus in Taurus, a planetary line-up that has been in force since the beginning of 2021. (You can see this square in the chart above - Saturn is the brown symbol shaped like a sickle on the right-hand side in house seven and Uranus is the blue symbol in house nine shaped like a TV aerial.) While Saturn in Aquarius pushes us become resilient, wise and strong by facing up to the challenges of life and working for the collective good, Uranus in Taurus invites us to reinvent ourselves and break free from old beliefs, old habits, sabotaging behaviour and anything that keeps us stuck in a rut. Profound and lasting change is the outcome.

Uranus is sometimes called the higher octave of Mercury and represents the higher, more brilliant or inventive mind. Take this triple conjunction as an opportunity to use your creative mind to break free from whatever is holding you back in life. Think outside the box to discover new ways of achieving security and transforming your values. Expect unexpected events or encounters that could radically change your life. Open yourself up to new people, new inventions, new technologies and new ways of doing things. But be prepared for shocks and surprises and be willing to let go of anything that is clearly not working.
The magic of crop circlesCrop circles have been photographed in fields all over the world. In particular, each summer, a whole host of these amazing geometrical formations appear overnight in the wheat, barley, rapeseed, and corn fields close to the sacred sites of South West England, such as Stonehenge and Avebury. Despite their best efforts, no scientist, farmer, or sceptic has ever caught or filmed a human being creating a genuine crop circle.

Most people who see images of the circles are overawed by their beauty, size, and complex design. The crop circle above was photographed from the air by Steve Alexander of Temporary Temples. It appeared overnight in a field of wheat near Barbury Castle Hill Fort on the 17th/18th July 2022, and is a massive 73 metres wide.

When you stand in the middle of a crop circle, which I’m lucky enough to have done several times, all you can see is flattened grain. Aerial photography and social media have allowed us to appreciate, discuss, and share these stunning images, opening us up to dimensions of higher consciousness via the universal language of mathematics and geometry.
Image: Steve Alexander – Crop Circle at Barbury Castle, Wiltshire, UK 17th July 2022In the dark of night…Crop circles tend to appear in the middle of the night, when the fields are at their furthest distance from the gravitational pull of the sun. Witnesses have seen tubes of light descend from the sky in 15 second bursts, prior to the appearance of a circle, and orbs of light have been spotted hovering over the fields. Often a column of vapour appears above the circle, apparently from moisture released from the shafts of grain. Lab results on plant and soil samples taken from crop circles show that the grain stalks have been blasted by a form of electromagnetic energy. And biophysicists have discovered that seeds, from crops where the circles appeared late in the season, grew four times as fast as control samples.

What, if anything, are the circle makers trying to communicate? And is it possible they come from another planet or dimension? Some believe they are encoding energy forms at sensitive points on the Earth to help humanity evolve. Whatever their motive, there is something very special and sacred about the crop circle phenomenon.

I’d like to acknowledge the work of Steve and Karen Alexander of Temporary Temples who, since 1994, have been flying over the UK crop circles, taking photos, making drawings, and analysing the sacred geometrical designs to try and find answers. You can view images of the latest 2022 crop circles and read all about them on their website. https://temporarytemples.co.uk
Full moon in Aquarius
The lunar qualities of emotion, instinct, and intuition reach their peak each month at the full moon, which, in August falls on the 12th in air sign Aquarius opposite the sun in Leo. Expect some tension and irritability with Saturn in Aquarius conjunct the full moon and the triple Uranus-North Node–Mars conjunction in Taurus clashing with both sun and moon.

Aquarius, Leo, and Taurus are all fixed signs, meaning they are somewhat inflexible and won’t give ground easily. Avoid locking horns with others or insisting that you are in the right!

The best way to use the energy of this full moon is to do something practical and helpful for friends, family, and/or community.
Virgo new moon – tie up loose ends
The lunar month begins on the 27th of August with the new moon in Virgo. Virgo has great attention to detail and the patience to carry out the most mundane tasks with grace and efficiency. With spring just around the corner, use the energy of this new moon to plan the rest of your year, and tie up loose ends. Mars in Gemini clashes with the new moon tempting you to fritter away the hours, so the advice is to work hard then take a break. Then repeat!
Mars in Gemini – exploring new ideas
Mars normally spends two months in each zodiac sign, but in 2022 will be in Gemini for a full seven months! It will be from 20th August to 25th March (2023) due to the Mars retrograde transit (see below).
Gemini is all about communication, information, and adaptability, so during this seven-month period we will have ample time to try out new things; explore different ideas; see what works – and change course if necessary.
Preparing for Mars retrograde
August is a good time to prepare mentally for the Mars retrograde transit in Gemini, which runs from 30th October to 13th January. Readers of this column will be familiar with the challenges of Mercury retrograde, which happens every four months. Mars retrograde is much less common, happening every couple of years; the last Mars retrograde being September-November 2020, in the thick of the coronavirus pandemic. Mars is the action planet of the cosmos, but when he turns retrograde, we are forced to cool our heels and go over old ground instead of forging forward.

The more primitive side of Mars tends to come to the fore when Mars is retrograde; ‘primitive' meaning anger, rage, lust, and the force behind accidents and violence. But the true purpose of the Mars retrograde cycle is not to make us lose our temper or crash the car, rather to push us to align actions and goals with our true nature. Those 'primitive’ emotions and dramas only arise when we’re not being true to ourselves, and things boil over. Some more positive words for the Mars retrograde transit are passion, rebellion, excitement, authenticity, thrill, novelty, and surprise. As Steve Jobs put it: "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else’s life".

The most challenging part of the Mars retrograde transit will be the first two weeks of December, particularly for those born under the sign of Gemini or Sagittarius. You will instinctively know if a situation, circumstance, or condition is unsustainable, and are likely to make radical changes in order to reclaim personal power.
Astrological health tips – LeoThis month we take a look at the vibrant, creative, and fun-loving sign of Leo.

Leos rarely get sick, pushing through stress and discomfort that would floor lesser mortals. Their stamina, endurance, and competitive spirit mean they can achieve miracles, but the cost is often burnout, chronic fatigue, feelings of anxiety, or panic attacks.

Leo rules the heart and emotional upsets can trigger heart palpitations, breathlessness, backache, and high blood pressure. They carry their stress in their upper back and spinal column, so regular massages are essential or other physical treatments designed to increase blood flow and make the lion purr. Exercise such as yoga or Pilates can be great to discharge pent-up stress. Leos are not the easiest of patients – when they are sick they often become prickly, and need to be left on their own to recuperate.
Leo health advice
  • Drink plenty of water
  • Regular massage and physical therapy
  • Seek joy, pleasure, and fun
  • Indulge your inner child
  • Relaxing yoga and stretching
  • Solitude and journaling
  • Swimming and other cooling activities
  • Valerian, motherwort, and chamomile tea

About the author:
Stella Woods is an astrology teacher, writer, and consultant. Contact Stella at stella@stellastarwoman.com or www.stellastarwoman.com or
www.facebook.com/stellastarwoman
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