038 | Taurus Last Quarter Moon – but wait, there’s S’more!

April & Jen bring you the biggest news of the week: Mars squaring off with Pluto, which seems ominous… yet the symbolism might support deeper, positive work. A Last Quarter Moon in Taurus prompts a discussion of the larger picture surrounding this lunar phase, which includes Uranus turning retrograde for a five-month nap and the Sun kissing Mars. Also: marshmallows, grandparents, and 25,000 ways to say thank you. Although, really… it always comes back to pie, doesn’t it? Sign up for April's mailing list for updates, a free monthly lunar workbook, AND an email tutorial on the Lunar Phases! To join the podcast conversation and leave a comment for April & Jen, go to www.BigSkyAstroPod.com. Read more about this week’s astrology at the Big Sky Astrology website! Follow Big Sky Astrology on IG, Twitter, and FB @BigSkyAstrology Read a full transcript of this episode. Episode links: 00:35 – Yep, we’re extending the birthday celebration, because why not? To hear the solar return mini-lesson and infamous birthday song and spousal cameo, go to Episode 37, Full Moon in Aquarius & Many Happy (Solar) Returns. Give a listen while you’re eating s’mores and lemon meringue pie! . 05:18 – Leonine Mercury squares bullish Uranus at 10°40’ (Aug. 10). The planet of communication is on the Sabian symbol “Children in a swing in a huge oak tree.” The planet of disruption is on “A woman sprinkling long rows of flowers.” (Review Episode 23, Talkin’ Taurus and the Void (Of Course!) Moon for more on these symbols.) Look for flashes of inspiration, an awakening of ideas, bolts out of the blue, or surprising news – and cultivate some beauty, like some lavender fields or a tulip farm. And take note: This aspect may feel somewhat like a Mercury retrograde! This is the continuation of a story that began around April 30. (And to hear Jen’s parents’ cameo, go to Episode 23, Talkin’ Taurus and the Void (Of Course!) Moon.) . 09:16 – ** Moonwatch! ** This week there is a Last Quarter Moon (LQM) at 19°28’ Taurus (Aug. 11). This reflective point in the lunar cycle always supports contemplation and thinking about “How am I doing to achieve my long-term goals?” So it’s linked to this particular 3-week period, of course, as is the case every month... but also to life in general. . 10:49 – Jen pitches a question: Why do some astrologers associate the lunar cycle with a 28-day cycle, a 6-month-cycle, and 2.5-year cycle? April hits it out of the ballpark. . 12:14 – This LQM is on the Sabian symbol “Wind, clouds, and haste,” but the sign of the bull doesn’t usually move too quickly… perhaps conditions exist in which things are moving rapidly. The Sun is on the symbol “Zuni sun worshippers” which indicates the importance of ritual, being intentional, and revering nature and the natural rhythms and cycles of life. . 14:59 – Mars in Aries squares Pluto in Capricorn at 23°05’ (Aug. 13) for the first of three times between now and the end of the year, continuing a story that began on March 22. Mars wants to move forward at warp speed, but Pluto points out the limits of our personal efficacy and power. The Sabian symbols are lovely, though: Mars is on “An open window and a net curtain blowing into a cornucopia.” And Pluto: “A woman entering a convent.” There might be an opportunity here for you, if you will pause and let yourself retreat and reflect: If change is coming, in what positive direction can you help move it? . 21:07 – Uranus sits down to reverse course (Aug. 15) at 10°41’ Taurus on the symbol “A woman sprinkling long rows of flowers.” Sound familiar? As the planet of the unexpected pauses in the sky, it becomes more internalized and can sometimes act the opposite of what we associate it with. The sideways planet will turn direct in January 2021 at 6° Taurus. (Learn how to find this point in your birth chart here.) .23:43 – The Sun and Mercury in Leo both trine Mars in Aries (Aug. 16). This is a warm, encouraging aspect, so act with heart on your loving, c