StarIQ.com New Moon Report, July 30, 2011
by Jeff Jawer
The Moon is our constantly changing companion. She lifts our tides and lights our nights. She reflects our needs, moods and daily deeds.
Saturday,  July 30, 11:40 am PDT, 2:40 pm EDT 
 
The exuberant  Leo New Moon is a celebration of life. This Sun-Moon conjunction in the sign of  the heart is joined with beautiful Venus, enhancing creativity, promoting  playfulness and inspiring romance that's spiked with originality thanks to a  favorable trine from innovative Uranus. There is a potential, though, for  overindulgence with expansive Jupiter’s energizing square to this lunation.  Being outgoing and taking risks is appropriate as long as turning up  self-confidence and expressing your beliefs doesn’t overpower others.
Mercury Retrograde
(水星逆行)
Tuesday,  August 2
 
The messenger  planet’s backward cycle, lasting until August 26, triggers travel troubles, data  disasters and communication breakdowns. Double checking details helps prevent  these problems. Yet even that might not be enough to stay on track because  Mercury’s retrograde turn opposes diffusive Neptune, thickening the fog of  confusion. This shift of perspective could, however, open minds to other  dimensions with heightened intuition and imagination while softening harsh  conversations with compassion.
Mars in Cancer
(巨蟹座火星)
Wednesday,  August 3, 2:23 am PDT, 5:23 am EDT
The  warrior planet is not designed for fighting in sensitive Cancer. This sign is  made for nurturing and caring, not war and conflict. This transit does encourage  tender ways of addressing differences and more cautious approaches to initiating  activities. However, it’s also associated with passive-aggressive behavior that  masks real feelings of vulnerability. Whining around the edges of issues instead  of addressing them directly can be disempowering and disingenuous. 
Neptune in Aquarius
Thursday,  August 4, 7:59 pm PDT, 10:59 pm EDT 
Neptune’s 6-month visit to brainy  Aquarius provides a subtle dose of intellectual inspiration. Mystical beliefs  and spirituality may be described in scientific terms, blurring the lines  between physics and metaphysics. Perhaps some genius ideas will emerge that can  help us safely dispose of plastic waste and finally lead to mainstream  application of alternative energy sources.
Mercury in Leo
Monday,  August 8, 2:46 am PDT, 5:46 am EDT 
Mercury backing into grandiose Leo  can inflate the importance of our own ideas. It’s tempting to defend positions  out of pride even if facts don’t agree. Separating ego from intellect with a bit  of objectivity can counter this reactionary impulse. The upside of this transit  is the recovery of creative concepts that have been left lingering on the vine  and are now ripe for picking. 
Mars  square Uranus and Mars opposite Pluto
 
Tuesday and  Wednesday, August 9-10 
Tension  rises with Mars’ catalyzing aspects to astrology’s most transformative planets.  Electric Uranus and powerful Pluto are moving toward a series of exact squares  in 2012-15 that has the power to reshape the world. Mars’ interactions with this  pair can trigger a sense of uncertainty and provoke impulsive behavior. Taking a  calmer approach to crisis, though, can lead to innovation and learning how to  manage the pace of change.
Full Moon in  Aquarius 
(水瓶座满月)
The Full Moon in Aquarius represents a time when we can step outside of ourselves to see a more global picture of reality. Its opposition to the Sun, Mercury and Venus in self-conscious Leo gives us the choice of falling into infantile patterns or recognizing that there are at least two sides to every story. This is an opportunity to express Leo’s heartfelt warmth without burning others with an overheated need to dominate, but rather to engage in shared experiences that honor the uniqueness of everyone.
Venus in Virgo
Sunday,  August 21, 3:11 pm PDT, 6:11 pm EDT 
The love planet’s entry into earthy  Virgo permits us to view relationships in a more practical manner. Emotions are  tempered by operational considerations that can take the steam out of  unrealistic romance, but increase the efficiency of partnerships. The discerning  eye of this sign may focus on flaws, yet its value comes from constructive  criticism that helps to solve problems instead of presenting them as failures. A  more refined sense of taste allows us to appreciate life’s pleasures without  overindulging ourselves.
Sun in Virgo
Tuesday,  August 23, 4:21 am PDT, 7:21 am EDT
Virgo is a sign of efficiency  that’s more interested in getting the job done right than looking good or  playing to the crowd. We can grow more conscious of ways to take care of our  bodies and our obligations with less wasted time and effort. This sign’s  penchant for perfectionism can lead to unreasonable expectations. Yet the  purpose of setting high standards is to inspire us to work toward them and  respect the progress we’re making even if there’s still a long way to  go.
Mercury  Direct
(水星恢复直行)
Friday,  August 26 
New ideas and fresh contacts come  more easily with the messenger planet shifting into forward gear. But it takes  weeks for Mercury to regain full speed, reminding us that a steady rate of  growth is more likely to produce lasting results than a fast blast of enthusiasm  that can die out as quickly as it arrived.
Leo symbolizes the joy of a child discovering his or her creative power. Being the center of attention is a way we feel valued when we’re younger, but returning that recognition with generosity is what makes us loving adults.