Mercury is in the midst of a Retrograde and Venus will begin one before long. A Retrograde is an optical illusion of backwards motion that occurs as a quicker planet passes a slower one. Mercury and Venus are closer to the Sun than the Earth and orbit more quickly. When they pass us, as they often do, they look like they move opposite their normal direction. All the areas of life associated with them seem to be going backwards, too. Mercury does this three times a year; Venus every year-and-a-half or so.

I wrote about Mercury Retrograde in my last newsletter. It's in Cancer, the realm of emotions, and makes us aware of our feelings. It's important to be in touch with them, and talking about them now can help. Mercury finishes its backward motion on July 9, after which we'll feel like we can make progress in the arena of communication. For now, appreciate that you can learn something by re-visiting topics. It's also a good time to complete unfinished paperwork or call back people you've been meaning to contact.

Sometimes, Mercury (or any planet) Retrograde is not done until the planet has exited the range it backed up across, called the "shadow." To see these ranges of influence, you can download my free 2007 On a Page.

Venus is busy in the midst of a three-part drama, joining Saturn three times. You can spot them in the night sky with the naked eye. Look westward after sunset. Venus is the first and brightest object to appear as the sky darkens. Saturn will be fainter but visible next and close by (they will be at the same zodiac degree on July 1, August 13 and October 13). Also nearby is another body, looking about like Saturn but twinkling more. This is the star Regulus in the constellation Leo, the "heart of the lion." Venus and Saturn will be closest to Regulus at their August 13 get-together, a beautiful site for days before and after, but especially when the crescent Moon passes by them on the 12-13. Mark your calendar now so you won't miss it!

Since Saturn is lined up halfway around the sky from Neptune (which we can't see), Venus copies Saturn and does the same. The result is a three-stage dance that impacts us in Venus's two prime areas: love and money -- which seem to be pretty important to most people! Saturn wants us to get real while Neptune tempts us toward non-reality, such as fantasy or denial. Saturn asks for commitments; Neptune is an escape artist. You can understand how we'll have our hands full keeping finances straight or keeping a partner in line. On the bright side, Saturn wants to help manifest Neptune's dreams, so this is a chance for us to make dreams come true in romance, business partnership or finances. It just takes balance (Venus), work (Saturn) and some magic (Neptune) to accomplish this.

Venus does most of its work in Leo, entering Virgo on Oct. 8. Symbolically, this tells us that the creative force is strong and we need to follow our hearts (like Regulus signifies). Come from a place of joy toward a place of service and usefulness (Virgo's traits). Saturn leaves Leo after a 2-1/2 year visit on Sept. 2, laying the groundwork in Virgo for Venus to follow. We have been building a foundation of self-confidence and may have to temper that with some humility, or at least lay ego aside to be an effective helper. Neptune brings a spiritual influence and adds humanitarianism as it moves through Aquarius (the sign opposite Leo). It calls on us to make a contribution to a cause larger than our personal wishes. You didn't seriously think all you had to do this summer was work on your tan?