`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

— Lewis Carroll,
Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

Mercury turns retrograde in Leo this week in a highly pressurized atmosphere that may be fraught with extreme frustration and feelings that our efforts are blocked at every turn. The Sun arrives in Leo to set off a Fixed Cross with the retrograde Mars and Uranus. To top the week off, Friday's Full Moon (4:20 PM PDT 4° Aquarius/Leo) brings surprises that will likely lead us to [...]

"People need trouble -- a little frustration to sharpen the spirit on, toughen it."

— William Faulkner

The seeds of profound frustration are sown this week and are likely to be fully apparent by Thursday's Cancer New Moon (7:57 PM PDT 20° Cancer). Mercury has entered the shadow of the next retrograde period (July 27th - August 19). As well, Mars is now retrograde and won't turn direct until August 27th, leaving us without effective levers to effect direct action. There are likely to be serious temptations to demonstrate our frustrations with explosive outbursts — or more. With Mercury in dramatic and demonstrative Leo, we may seek to display our feelings with extra flair and flourishes — even bombastic emphasis. However, no matter what pronouncements we may make or demands we issue, we are [...]

"You only ask for directions when you can't see you're in Heaven"

— Matt Kahn

There may well be a whole lot of rattled nerves this week. Mars stations to go retrograde on Wednesday just as we reach a Full Moon (9:52 PM PDT 6° Capricorn-Cancer) that is conjunct Saturn. With Mars retrograde, idealism runs headlong into reality and one way or another, adjustment is required. The increasing sense of responsibility may lead us to believe that we need to take direct action and impose our will on circumstances that are entirely beyond our control. The stationing of Mars requires that we step back from imposing our will or taking direct action and look for opportunities to increase our insight and simply [...]