The standout event for this week is a very dynamic Mars Jupiter Conjunction (14 Aug) which is part of a bigger picture being presented to us this week. This is a big T-square configuration that will be felt for the next two weeks, involving the two malefic planets, Mars and Saturn, as well as the two benefic planets, Venus and Jupiter.

The first installment of this configuration starts when Mars and Jupiter come together. There’s lots of activity and dynamism when Mars and Jupiter conjoin, and their entrepreneurial spirit could springboard some exciting, stimulating and fulfilling results. On the other hand their impact could also be abrasive, aggravating and detrimental, leaving behind a mess to clean up. The common trait is that the nature of this pair will be short lived and unsustainable so if things turn bad, it won’t last long and vice versa.

Mercury begins its underworld journey as it stations retrograde to kick this week off. This Mercury Retrograde (5 Aug) is the second of its cycle this year happening in all three fire signs – the places of inspiration, ascension, impulse and aspiration. Currently Mercury in Virgo is completing the Aries cycle which began in April 2024. Part of this completion cycle involves Mercury moving backwards from our Earth’s perspective, symbolising a journey into the underworld to recreate itself. As Mercury Stations Retrograde this week, you may find yourself contemplating the journey you’ve been on since early April when the current cycle started. Whatever you started then might somehow feel like it’s moving into stagnation. You may be prodded to rethink your ways and consider alternative measures that might help revive your motivation. Your early April intention may need to be revisited in some way as Mercury Stations Retrograde. In this way, this Mercury Retrograde continues the path of the reset which started last week at the Leo New Moon.

A new cycle begins this week with the New Moon in Leo (4 Aug), which might be a welcome reset. Last lunation seemed to be a hectic combination of volatile aspects and helpful transits happening all at once, mainly occurring across the fixed signs of Leo, Taurus and Aquarius. While we’re still in the thick of Leo season, it’s pleasing to know that the planets are shifting into more amicable placements which may ease tensions a little.

This is the first Leo New Moon in over 250 years with Pluto staring down at it from the opposite sign of Aquarius. In last week’s article, I wrote about the raw and piercing new vibe of Leo season that we will now experience for the next 20 years, thanks to Pluto’s new position at 0 degrees Aquarius, the opposite sign of Leo. This week’s New Moon will be the first major event of the Sun that will inaugurate this 20 year trend, so it’s quite a powerful New Moon if you think about it in this way.

Following on the volatile Mars-Uranus-Algol stellium last week, the strong fire energy continues into this week. Mars will make contact with the Sun and Pluto this week, and although the heat will remain, it seems much more productive if the fire can be channelled in the right way.

Leo season starts at the beginning of this week with the Sun entering its own sign of Leo (22 Jul). There’s usually a sense of uplifting brightness and positivity when the Sun makes its annual return to his home. However, now that Pluto has entered Aquarius and staying in this zone for the next 20 years, every Leo season will be injected with the penetrating depth of Pluto at the opposition point every time the Sun enters its home sign. We may see the optimism of the Lion’s essence diminish as a result. Pluto’s intimidating gaze from afar might cause paranoia, insecurity and apprehension to enter into the Lion’s positive outlook.