Engaged Astrology

Namaste —

I hope this finds everyone well! I have been busy with astrology, film and family, and am grateful to be able to gaze up at a calm, stabilizing Jupiter glowing in the Western sky every evening when I walk my dogs!

Above: Guru face-off! Jupiter (“Guru”) in the West, exalted in Cancer, and a rising full moon on Guru Purnima (7/29/26) in the East. This special full moon is dedicated to all teachers everywhere! Later this month, the moon will be involved in two eclipses.

Planets are storytellers. We construct narratives with — or because of — them that explain our lives, or predict them. Our efforts to decode the planets can often reach a fever pitch.

But looking up at these serene celestial bodies floating in the sky, I’m reminded that stories are very much our business down here on earth, not theirs. They put all our passion, all our frantic narrativizing, in perspective.

This perspective will be helpful this month because there are a lot of changes afoot this month—and therefore a lot of potential story-triggers. The biggest is Saturn turning retrograde (and please scroll down to the bottom for some sign-by-sign readings for this).

Saturn very slowly turned retrograde on July 27th and will remain so until December 11th. Retrograde planets are actually physically closer to the earth, so they have a lot of storytelling power.

One of the key aspects of any retrograde is the “Re-“ that begins that word. “Re-“ is from the Latin root meaning “back” or “again”. With Saturn retro our stories must …

RE-live

RE-evaluate

RE-veal

RE-work

RE-commit

RE-new

The word for Saturn in Sanskrit is “Shani”, which also means gold. The idea here is that, though superficially frustrating, Shani in retrograde gives us the opportunity to access the deeper aims of life — to be clearer, to be better, and to be more aligned with a “God of our Understanding” (to paraphrase AA). (By the way, wearing gold is a great way to help digest — and protect against — the demands of Saturn.)

I have been reading Philip K Dick’s masterful “The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch” which contains a quote from “De Imitatione Christi” by Thomas à Kempis …

“Think the least gift that he giveth is great; and the most despisable things take as special gifts and as great tokens of love.”

Sounds very much like Medieval Catholicism, but also very much like Shani. And even more so: retro-Shani!

Shani is the karmic record-keeper and when retrograde, the records he scours (using his ShanAI) go back further and deeper. Be prepared to RE-live and RE-evaluate — and possibly RE-gress. What you are RE-wiring will have a lot to do with your personal chart. (Again, please refer to the bottom of this email for some sign-by-sign readings.)

In the meantime, here are a few more GENERAL ways this Shani retro transit might affect us all, and the stories we tell…

• The past. This retro transit will — must — bring stuff up from the past. It may appear as memories, nostalgia, old relationships, or literal obligations returning for resolution. Shani rarely resurrects the past without purpose; there must be something in the RE-telling of these stories that we need to do in order to move on.

• Tiredness. Retro Shani is heavy, and especially at the beginning (and the end) of the cycle, incredibly (painfully) slow. Forward motion may feel like wading through mud. There may be a sense of “This again?” or “This is just too hard”. And there may be a desire to just pass out instead…

• Humility. It is safe to say that Shani’s biggest enemy is ego. Shani believes that we are all the same and that we have no business thinking we are better than anyone else. In whatever area this retro-Saturn is affecting our charts, we will absolutely need to be humble. If we are not, Saturn will oblige us to somehow — and that may not be a fun process.

• Persistence. Retrograde Saturn presents obstacles, and can manifest suffering, but it also always encourages hard work and persistence. There is a masochism to this — it reminds me of how soldiers were given methamphetamines in World War II. But part of dealing with Shani is trusting that, though he can make things feel impossible, he will also gift us the tools, and the energy, to make them possible in the long run. Saturn tells long — the longest! — stories.

• Clarity. “RE-discovery” doesn’t sound like as much fun as actual “first” discovery. Wouldn’t you rather “live” than “RE-live”? All of these “REs’”, they’re kind of a chore. But in doing them, in opening to them, we are able to reach a level of understanding, and a kind of clarity, that we would not have achieved the first time. There is a famous expression in Sanskrit that I often quote to clients: “Saturn leaves you shining like a diamond”. It’s the immense pressure of earth and time that creates diamonds with their pristine clarity. Retro Saturn works the same way: immense pressure. But in the end, we can see what we couldn’t see before; know what we couldn’t know. And that is the “Shani” — the gold.

Saturn is currently in Pisces (I wrote about Saturn in Pisces, in the context of the Revolutionary War, in December). But my teacher, Pt Sanjay Rath, always reminds us that retrograde planets behave as though they are in the opposite sign — in this case Virgo. Virgo is ruled by the planet Mercury, and this is the beginning of a theme this August. Mercury (as “dispositor”) provides the backdrop to a lot of the changes occurring and will, as only it can, amplify them.

Mercury is the yarn-weaver, the Hermes, the scribe, of the solar system. So whatever goes on this month, we humans will have an ample, and very active, storytelling response. Stories help us understand, but they can also overwhelm, entrance or paralyze us. The stories we believe shape the life we experience, but they are usually not the truth of who we are.

We ourselves, like Shani, are wanderers made of gold. Too many stories can dull, and obscure us.

As I mentioned, Saturn just switched directions and TODAY (August 1st), both Mars and Venus are both changing signs. The cumulative effect of all these changes, plus two eclipses, should give August an interesting “new deal” feel — as well as crack open a lot of new stories.

On August 1, Venus leaves Leo and moves into Virgo, where it stays all month, almost exactly to the day. Venus is debilitated in Virgo, and also receives the direct aspect of retro-Saturn from Pisces. We can say that Saturn is literally “on top” of Venus this month. Venus is the planet of beauty and love, so in terms of love stories, August is unfortunately not the happiest. But the beauty part is supported by Shani — he wants art/culture that can be shared and enjoyed by all people, and he wants beauty that lasts — so this is a great time for both making and enjoying creative endeavors.

This is taking place, again, in Virgo, ruled by Mercury, so the stories will come through loud and clear this month. We must be extra-careful with the ones about our relationships, and the people we share them with. Saturn creates “Vata”, or wind, which when it gets in our brains can cause confusion. Likewise relationships, and partnerships, could become dried out and confused: look for blame games, past resentments, false assumptions, and paranoia. Yay! The key here is patience. It’s only a month and then things will be better as Venus moves, on September 2nd, to its own sign of Libra. Here it will be happier and also out of Saturn’s direct firing range. The stories will change.

Mars moves from Taurus to Gemini on August 2nd as well. Again, Gemini is ruled by Mercury, who also happens to be sworn enemies with Mars. So this is not a very happy transit for Mars either. Gemini has a scientific, brainy profile, and in this realm Mars can provide the energy and hard work required to tell very smart and productive stories. But Gemini (the “twins”) also connects to relationships, and couples; and it is in this area that Mars, the most un-romantic of planets, can cause friction, or worse, explosions.

The solar eclipse occurs on August 12th at 10:19am Pacific. It will not be visible in the US, but its stories will surely reverberate. Eclipses are portals. They open connections to deep, all but forgotten, instincts and states; they connect us with a liminal world where “energy” runs the show. In the case of a solar eclipse, because it is MOON that is blocking the sun, these energies focus on our BLOCKED MINDS (in lunar eclipses, because the earth blocks the sun, the results can be more physical — there is one of these later in the month).

The eclipse takes place towards the end of Cancer in a Nakshatra called Ashlesha, which is ruled by mercury, and Mercury happens to be in Cancer at the time it happens as well. (Jupiter will also still be in Cancer, exalted, which is great because Jupiter is supposed to be able to protect us from eclipses.) Cancer connects to the mother so this eclipse might trigger stories around some kind of abandonment — or a withdrawal of love. Eclipses also deeply affect the signs across from them, in this case Capricorn, which is scary, because if love is withdrawn, Cap can be a killer. I would expect some scary, jolting, news-stories around this time. But it will NOT be as bad as you thought at first because Jupiter will protect by bringing comprehension, and wisdom, to the stories this eclipse tells.

Sun moves through a turbulent Gandanta (cusp) starting around 8/15, then moves out of Virgo into Leo between 8/16 and 8/19 (it will take it some time to settle down). However this entire week, from a day or so before the eclipse (8/11) until Sun stabilizes could be a bit chaotic and crazy from a storytelling perspective. Sun in its own sign of Leo promises that order, and boundaries, will be re-established.

Finally on August 27th at 9:18pm/PT there will be a lunar eclipse. It will be a partial eclipse on the West Coast, but total on the East Coast. It takes place in Aquarius, in Shatabishak Nakshatra — I wrote about the lunar eclipse when it took place here last year. Shatabishak is one of the more fascinating Nakshatras symbolized by a perfect circle. The word means “100 doctors” and it is connected to healing and knowledge, the kinds of healing and knowledge that make us whole, and protected. So an eclipse here can be scary because “healing and knowledge” are darkened and made invisible. When the portal opens here, it might be scary. Remember not to try to look at the eclipse — it is not considered a beneficial darshan. Instead, Vishnu/Krishna are the remedies because they propitiate the EARTH. That is who we have to petition to once again liberate the moon from the shadows that engulf it.

Chances are, the earth will oblige and this very active month will end on a note of RE-gaining stability, RE-covering. The 100 doctors will go back to work.

Continuing our theme, Mercury will be exactly conjunct the sun during the eclipse, so will, once again be the perfect witness on the scene of the crime.

All of the above definitely spells a month of recalibration and transformation where, in general, work is prioritized over relationships. As mentioned, the through-line between all these events is Mercury: Venus enters Virgo which is ruled by Mercury; Mars enters Gemini, also ruled by Mercury; Sun undergoes an eclipse while in the same sign as Mercury and in a Nakshatra ruled by Mercury; and the moon eclipses while Sun is exactly conjunct Mercury. I have mentioned the compulsive storytelling and amplification that should accompany these changes, but how else will Mercury contribute?

Off the bat, it’s a good thing! If we are undergoing recalibration and transformation, Mercury is a good planet to have behind us because it’s flexible and also rules humor. So we will be encouraged to go with the flow and might even be able to laugh as the month unfolds. The stories will be powerful, and will do what stories are meant to do — change us. But hopefully Mercury will allow us not to break as we bend, and if we do crack, it will be a joke we’re cracking!

Mercury also rules money and finances. This is highly chart-dependent, but there will have to be financial implications to all these transits and changes. Financials generally don’t love instability so the general financial trend might be negative unfortunately — at least initially. I would expect a lot of market volatility in August, especially around the eclipses.

Mercury rules technology, specifically “Information Technology” (IT) and its medium: computers. There are other planets involved in “technology”, such as Ketu, which speaks to the tininess, speed and heat of tech, but ultimately this is Mercury’s domain. Mercury is intelligence, our ability to decode and process information. So Artificial Intelligence must have Mercury in its DNA, and the current AI boom must also be a Mercury boom. Retro Saturn in Pisces, and all these other Mercury-related challenges, will most certainly have an effect on our general tech climate.

One current story that connects directly is the rapid emergence of a movement to “Pause” or “Pace” AI development. The Hugging Face hack, which was carried out by a ChatGPT bot, and another outbreak of hacks at Anthropic, are only the latest examples of how these AI’s can be dangerous. “Pacing” AI development is an extremely difficult prospect — our competition with China, and our profit-obsessed administration are probably the two biggest obstacles.

However, it is not surprising that the day Saturn turned retrograde there was a major new development in this Mercury story: the publication of a statement, called “Pacing the Frontier”, signed by representatives of all the major AI companies asking for government regulation. This is the first time the majority of current AI decision makers have come together on this and it’s a big deal. Here is the basic request:

We request that the U.S. government support an international effort to develop the technical and governance tools needed to deliberately pace the frontier of automated AI development.

If Mercury is the technology then it is telling that — on the day Saturn stationed retro in the sign across from Mercury’s multrikona (Virgo) — a movement began to SLOW this development. In classic Retro Saturn syntax, this feels RE-gressive. But it is also the RE-sponsible thing to do. Mercury has great powers, but it cannot alone be responsible for a new form of consciousness, and an intelligence so powerful that it could meaningfully threaten humans. Mercury NEEDS the wisdom of Jupiter, the clarity and ethics of Saturn. And now it’s getting them. I believe that during the rest of this Retro Saturn period, before the end of the year, this will become a huge deal. I think it will become heavily politicized in the run-up to the November elections and could absolutely be a difference maker in the next general election as well.

More broadly, another clue to the current moment comes from Ashlesha Nakshatra, where the solar eclipse is taking place — also, as mentioned, ruled by Mercury. The symbol of this Nakshatra is a coiled snake and it is connected to the “Nagas”, mythological Serpent Kings who actually want to protect us, not hurt us. In ancient times, warriors would make sacrifices on Ashlesha to gain protection in their battles.

The thing is that snakes are SCARY (anyone see the last season of Euphoria??). The stories we tell about them don’t usually include them helping us. The eclipse (on August 12th), and the general Mercury-related tumult of this month, might have us telling very scary stories. We might feel exposed, as though something is being stolen from us, that our movements are RE-stricted, that even our deepest ancestral wealth is somehow being threatened and that things are out of control.

The blessing is that Mercury, though it compulsively tells stories, can also listen. The story that tells us that a snake is coming to bite us in the neck, will also, at the end, reveal that this snake is a NAGA: and it’s actually there to protect us.

Eastern thought actually has many examples of protective serpents. In the days following his enlightenment, the Buddha was deep in meditation. A fierce storm came in and the Naga Muchalinda wrapped himself around the Buddha and protected him, with his “hood”, from the rain and the wind. There is also Shesha (Ananta), the cosmic serpent upon whom Vishnu reclines in the ocean of milk, and who is said to hold the entire earth on his hoods. The Nagas are also thought to protect wells, rivers, underground wealth, and fertility. Naga worship (Nag Panchami) is specifically about seeking their protection and blessing.

What I am saying is from a storytelling point of view, the Nagas of Ashlesha hold a key to the unfolding of energies this month: a story that begins with great threat, but, in an Act Three twist, the Nagas actually end up being on our side. We can petition these Nagas and their stories via Mercury. By RE-connecting with nature, wearing the color green or just having FUN we can actively encourage more positive endings.

[Hinduism has a major Naga related ritual this month, most likely because August/September comprise “eclipse season”. Naga Panchami (Sanskrit: नाग पंचमी) is observed on the fifth day of the bright half of the lunar month of Shravana (July/August), and this year it falls on the 16th August, 2026. It honors Rahu and Ketu which are the eclipse “nodes” that Jyotish ascribes the power of planets. By turning them into planets it allows us to decipher what they are doing peoples’ charts — ie the stories they are telling, and the tell a lot! More importantly, it allows us to pray to them.]

Though we can slow the stories down — and encourage them to be positive — one thing we can’t do is stop them, or forbid them. Our need for them is so great — that would be like forbidding air.

As usual, awareness is the most bullet-proof way forward. The degree we can be conscious of our story generation engine (Mercury) is the degree to which we can detach from them.

Come back… come back to the mellow orbs in the night sky silently watching over us, the trees swaying gently in the breeze. All these stories… they belong to us humans, and are ours alone.

A poem, to this point, by Hafiz:

You don’t have to act crazy anymore—
We all know you were good at that,

Now retire, my dear,
From all that hard work you do

Of bringing pain to your sweet eyes and heart.

Look in a clear mountain mirror
See the beautiful ancient warrior
And the divine elements
You always carry inside

That infused this universe with sacred life
So long ago

― Hafiz, “I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy”

These brief readings focus on the stories Retro Saturn may be telling us. They may sound harsh — but remember they are only stories! (See above.)

In terms of which to read, if you know your Vedic ascendant, I would suggest focusing on that sign. If not, focus on the sign where your Vedic moon is. If you don’t know that, then I am also including Vedic “Sun Signs” by date. These are not, strictly speaking, part of traditional Vedic Astro, but, in the context of Retro Saturn (who is adversarial to the Sun), could contain valuable information. In general, whatever you consider to be your main “sign”, read for that.

Take care of your health. Some past malady might RE-cur, and you could be challenged to develop new strategies to protect or heal yourself. Also be mindful of any debts you might have and watch out for expenses. Some adversary from the past, or someone who reminds you of them, could come back to haunt you. Delays or RE-gressions at work are also possible. Patience and humility are key — you will get through this and emerge stronger than before.

Something you thought you knew you may need to RE-learn. Stories/issues around your kids (or if you don’t have kids, anyone who relies on you) will RE-surface, and demand your attention. If you use mantras or prayers, you might need a change: try returning to old ones that you haven’t used in a long time. The same goes for anything that you use to protect yourself — including savings. New situations may require you to RE-evaluate how to stay safe. Patience and humility are key — you will get through this and emerge stronger than before.

A repair or structural issue in your home may RE-emerge and require your attention. Work-life balance might require RE-calibration. Remember to stay grateful for your work, but obstacles there are also natural at this time. RE-mind yourself not to let stories related to them dominate your consciousness, and to stay soft, open and curious instead. Patience and humility are key — you will get through this and emerge stronger than before.

Issues/stories with siblings or close associates may RE-cur, be careful to RE-spond not RE-act. Stories may leave you feeling trapped or boxed-in, unable to act for a variety of reasons — go slow and take things day-to-day if necessary. This is a great time for creativity — try to RE-main in creative mind-space. Don’t give up! The eclipse on the 12th takes place in Cancer so be especially careful around that date. Patience and humility are key — you will get through this and emerge stronger than before.

Financial issues that you thought were behind you may RE-emerge and require a fresh approach, or a serious review. Close family members, including your partner (if you have one) may have more needs than you had counted on. It might feel as though stories/situations are coming up out of the blue and surprising you — don’t beat yourself up for not seeing them coming. Try to RE-spond, not RE-act, with kindness. Patience and humility are key — you will get through this and emerge stronger than before.

Strange tensions may develop between who you are and who you were in the past — issues/stories RE-emerge that you thought you had already dealt with. Be careful of your health, and try not to procrastinate dealing with it — or with anything. Your closest relationships may feel as though they are RE-gressing — there may be deeper issues you have to address. Patience and humility are key — you will get through this and emerge stronger than before.

Expenses that you thought had been settled may need to be RE-visited. Travel plans may be harder to make, and perhaps you need to RE-evaluate based on a busy work schedule. Promises you made seem harder to keep, or promises made to you appear to be broken — but be careful of paranoia. Step back from the stories, especially if they are not yours. Patience and humility are key — you will get through this and emerge stronger than before.

You may need to dip into savings during the beginning of this period, but should be able to make it up later. If you have children, or people who depend on you, make sure you are staying in touch with them and tracking their needs. Potential drama-stories in your friend group or work community, possibly the RE-surfacing of an older issue. Remember we are all in this together. Patience and humility are key — you will get through this and emerge stronger than before.

Issues with a boss or workplace may RE-surface and cause stress. There may be a RE-curring situation at home as well. Between these two things you may feel trapped and overwhelmed. It is extremely important to take care of yourself during this time and keep your stories in perspective. Patience and humility are key — you will get through this and emerge stronger than before.

You may be receiving mixed messages at work, with some situation from the past RE-emerging and casting a shadow on the present. Unusually for you, you may be having a hard time making up your mind about your next move. Though this is frustrating, rushing it is not a good idea. Your feelings of entrapment or stasis are temporary. The solar eclipse on August 12th takes place in Cancer, directly across from Capricorn, so you will definitely feel its effects. Patience and humility are key — you will get through this and emerge stronger than before.

It is already a transformational moment for you with regard to finances (as well as close family connections) but more changes may be coming. They may be RE-verberations of past decisions you have made, or even situations that have nothing to do with you, but that you are obligated to take on. Remember to RE-spond and not RE-act — and also that taking on these RE-sponsibilities, though possibly inconvenient, is the right thing to do. The lunar eclipse on August 27th-28th takes places in Aquarius, so proceed with care around these dates. Patience and humility are key — you will get through this and emerge stronger than before.

This is a transformational moment with regard to your identity and how you present yourself to the world. There may be a RE-surfacing of old issues that you perceive as holding you back, and you may have to work through them one more time. Take great care with your romantic partnership, or any close relationship in your life, and don’t be surprised if you must RE-visit things, or stories, that you thought were already settled. Patience and humility are key — you will get through this and emerge stronger than before.

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L.A. DJ Nic Harcourt (KCSN) signs off every day by saying “Stay safe, be kind, and keep it simple.” I’m going to borrow that for August!

Sending love,

Jesse