For the world, the first week of August is positive for longterm plans but difficult for current business problems (Saturn station direct in late Scorpio, trine Mars but square Jupiter exact/Venus retrograde). Markets can be depressed (Saturn square Mercury). Motivation returns by the second week (Mars into Leo, sextile Node; Jupiter into Virgo); health issues and practical analysis win the day. Between the 13^th-14^th, very unclear choices cause confusion (Mercury opposite Neptune) but there is a new start for unexpected yet constructive change (New Moon trine Uranus). The 16^th is favorable for intense negotiating (Pluto trine Mercury). However, the last days of the month indicate continuing over-idealism or unrealistic hopefulness (Full Moon in Pisces conjunct Neptune, opposite Jupiter).

In the U.S., August is a difficult month full of great pressure from shaken lifestyles and uprooted patterns (Pluto opposite U.S. Sun), a pervasive sadness along with a push to reevaluate our roots (Saturn station direct square U.S. Moon, conjunct U.S. progressed IC), and a definite need to heal, release negative influences, and come up with brilliant ideas for a new approach (Uranus conjunct U.S. Chiron, sextile U.S. progressed Mercury; Saturn sextile U.S. Pluto). The first week is filled with arguing (Mars conjunct U.S. Mercury) and excess (Jupiter/Venus opposite U.S. Moon, square U.S. progressed Moon). Effective actions can be implemented on the 11^th (Mars sextile U.S. Midheaven) but much frustration is encountered on the 14^th (Mars square U.S. progressed Saturn). The second half of the month brings up many old problems (Neptune square U.S. Uranus). Intolerance, short tempers, and impulsive behavior are shown on the 19^th (U.S. progressed Mars semi-square U.S. progressed Ascendant) but inventive solutions are bandied about on the 20^th (Mars conjunct U.S. Node, sextile U.S. progressed Uranus). The best of the nation can come forward during the third week (Jupiter conjunct U.S. progressed Ascendant). The last week is favorable for business and pleasure (Jupiter sextile U.S. Venus, sextile U.S. progressed Saturn). The 28^th indicates a return of strength (Mars trine U.S. Ascendant). The 30^th brings slow but good business results (Mars sextile U.S. Saturn).

President Obama continues to feel inspired all month (Neptune trine his Neptune) yet struggles to adjust to drastic changes and a lack of peace especially on the homefront (Uranus square his progressed Midheaven). He has too much on his plate during the first week (Jupiter square his Midheaven, conjunct his Uranus), with the first few days offering a helpful tie (Jupiter conjunct his Node) but a nerve-wracking career peak that leaves him feeling trapped (Saturn station direct conjunct his Midheaven exact, square his progressed Uranus exact). From the 9^th to 15^th, he is nervous and quite upset (his progressed Moon square his Uranus/progressed Node). There are quarrels on the 14^th (Mars conjunct his Mercury). By the 17^th, he can find calmness and quietude (his progressed Moon trine his Saturn); from the 17^th to 20^th, there are fun days (Jupiter trine his Venus). The last week shows him over-reacting (Jupiter square Moon). The 29^th is busy but angry (Mars conjunct his Sun), and in need of spiritual healing (Full Moon conjunct his Chiron in H1). Enjoyment can be found at the end of the month (Jupiter conjunct his progressed Venus).

Donald Trump should not be dismissed lightly as he has a strong and brave leadership role to play in life, with many factors pointing to greatness now and in 2016 (his Ascendant at 29° Leo; his progressed Sun from H10 at 28° Leo conjunct the fixed star Regulus; his progressed Midheaven entering Leo). He feels freed to speak his mind (Uranus sextile his Node/progressed Uranus in Gemini H10), and will be a powerful communicator during this period (progressed Mercury conjunct his Pluto). There is a mixture of opportunity versus limitation (Jupiter conjunct his progressed Sun/Ascendant at 29° Leo; Saturn station direct square same). He may labor under a delusion from late August through late September (his progressed Moon square Neptune), but seems to have a need to redeem himself in general (his progressed Venus conjunct his Chiron). In comparing Trump against Obama, Trump criticizes the president (T's progressed Saturn conjunct O's Mercury), forces him to transform (T's Pluto conjunct O's Sun), and angers him greatly (T's Mars conjunct O's Uranus/Node) - it would seem that they are old karmic foes!

By now, everyone knows that a fly-by of Pluto occurred on July 14th, 2015. A spacecraft reached this orbiting body at the far outskirts of our solar system, and sent back wonderfully detailed pictures revealing for the first time a lovely vast heart-shaped pattern on its surface and particulars such as ice mountains. Was it sending us a love note, even though we had previously demoted its status from full member of our planetary solar system to that of a dwarf planetoid?

Astrologers, having dealt with the effects of the placement of Pluto in clients' horoscopes as far back as its discovery in February 1930 by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, know Pluto's astrological influence to be profound, powerful and deep (i.e., anything but dwarf, as in minor or insignificant). It would be natural to surmise that this up-close-and-personal encounter might have ramifications beyond pure astro-physics.

Pluto, god of the underworld, rules such things as psychology and weapons of mass destruction. Its influence in a horoscope can speak of periods when the person is undergoing a deep psychological transformation, often precipitated by trauma or crisis, and it also refers to buried and hidden matters that are forced to the surface so that the "dirt" can be cleansed through the process of greater awareness. In unscrupulous people, Pluto's effects may bring forth violence, abuse, or connection to shady individuals, but in more evolved persons, Pluto's effect can bring great insights, positive change in behavior and values, and ultimately a strong sense of empowerment. Therefore, Pluto and the sign it rules, Scorpio, have been symbolically related to the phoenix myth of death and rebirth from one's own ashes.

In our history, for millennia we were unaware of the outer planets in the solar system because we had not yet invented devices such as telescopes that could enhance normal vision. And so we were constrained by what the naked eye could see in the night sky, the outermost planet of which was Saturn, the ringed planet, thus long called in metaphysics "the Ring-Pass-Not". This designation symbolized a limitation on our knowledge and a boundary on our grasp of the transcendent nature of the universe.

However, with the onset of the Industrial Revolution in the 1700s, Uranus was discovered in 1781 by William Herschel, coinciding with electricity and revolution. And then Neptune was discovered in 1830 by his son John Herschel, coinciding with film, anesthesia, paranormal research and spiritual development. Each of these planetary detections brought a change in our interaction with the world as well as in our consciousness. As I mentioned, Pluto's discovery did so as well after 1930. For example, Pluto rules the masses, the bomb, and psychology.

So we can be sure that our actual physical near-encounter with the planet itself will usher in another era of deep transformation to ourselves, to our nation, and to the world, because nothing has been found to be more potent than little Pluto!

In great coincidence, the Pluto fly-by has occurred near our nation's birthday of July 4th, thus opposing the Sun in the U.S. horoscope, a pattern of deep pressure to undergo transformation. It has also reached the mid degree of the sign of Capricorn - usually a significant turning point regarding the makeover of large intuitions and government. Therefore, we're in the thick of profound changes to our entire structure as a nation - i.e., a challenge to our constitution. And we are undergoing the peak of testing in that regard.

The connection between the Pluto fly-by, the images that we are now able to see, and the profundity of challenge we are undergoing as a nation and a society is more than coincidence. Is this intelligent design? America's symbol is the eagle, one of the clearest references to our evolved aspect, the phoenix, which can resurrect itself in more potent form after its demise. Pluto is sending a love note to us on Earth, perhaps most especially to America. We're experiencing intense change, and we are being assured that we will come out of this transformed and better for it.

From Pluto, with love,

Your very distant cousin.