As addressed above, Venus honors the heart space by giving us patience and permission to allow ourselves time to gather our wisdom, wait on those much valued insights, which allow for connecting with ourselves and our lives wholeheartedly. Mars represents the masculine, preferring to take immediate action toward a clearly defined goal.

Having a fiery planet (Mars) in a fire sign (Leo) - equals ENERGY and DRIVE.  If you've been experiencing just too much passivity, which may have lead to second guessing yourself and putting off making decisions and taking action, this may be just what you need!

One of the reasons Mars in Leo spikes self-confidence, ambition, and drive, and strengthens our capacity to be 'present', is that it also embodies the qualities associated with the hero and the hero's journey, namely courage, conviction, purpose and loyalty.  This placement calls to us to stand strong and determined in our personal power, sword in hand, ready to slay lesser qualities, in the form of apathy, indecision and fear.

The other 'persona' of Mars in Leo, is its connection to the entertainment industry and showmanship.  If it had a voice, it might say: "Let's get this show on the road. We have things to do, places to go, and we're going to do it with a bang."

If you need to spruce up your self-image, step into your worldly persona, sell yourself or market your ideas or projects, and come across with a great deal of personal charm, competence and savvy, this is the aspect you've been waiting for!

Below, are the three main astrological influences which involve Mars this month:

1) Mars-Saturn square (Aug 30 - Sept 18) Exact Sept 9

    Mars in Leo, in square to Saturn in Scorpio.

Mars energy is strong willed and action oriented when in Leo, while Saturn in Scorpio is slower on the uptake, and often, emotionally resistant to change.

This 'dynamic' can play out within ourselves, our  relationships, and within the themes we are currently experiencing in our lives.  We may notice a struggle between the proactive part of ourselves, which desires change and is in need of a breakthrough of some kind, and knows that something has to change, BUT - then there's the other part, which we're all very much acquainted with.  This part of ourselves or others, is resistant to making changes, afraid of taking too much risk, for fear of failure and/or of 'misreading' the signposts. This may be the part of us that is more inclined to align with the climate of uncertainty currently pervading the outer world.

2) Mars-Uranus trine  (Sept 8 - 19) Exact Sept 14

    Mars in Leo in trine to Uranus in Aries.

Mars has a great dance partner in Uranus, in that the chemistry between these two fire sign planets is most dynamic. We're talking, high-energy, decisive, action oriented, intuitive, creative, and determined.

This makes it a great time to utilize the drive and inventiveness of this combination, by placing fresh  energy into our intentions and to pursue our individual goals with renewed vigor.

3) Mars-Venus square (Sept 22 - Oct 6) exact Sept 28

    Mars in Leo in square to Venus in Scorpio

This is about power dynamics within relationships and, the relationship between our desire nature and

the pressure to fulfill same. 

Each of these planets in the signs they are in, are comfortable being the center of attention, the point of attraction, the person running the show, so 'egos' can flair. There can be differences of opinion with regard to financial 'styles', which may lead to power issues.  We can be caught off guard as feelings of envy or jealously arise within us, in looking at the good fortune of others. In short, we're looking at the 'king' and 'queen' personas, so there's bound to be some intrigue and drama in the mix.

With regard to financial endeavors, this combination is not well suited to the 'scrimping and saving' mentality of past generations. It feels more aligned with the idea of having our cake and being able to eat it, too, but it can also be excessive, so be aware of taking bold financial risks, especially on a whim.

A powerful Jupiter-Venus trine, taking place September 22 - 30, helps create balance and compromise, in that it brings us into the 'heart' energy AND it is a very

favorable financial aspect, considered to be 'lucky'.

If we're wondering how these energies may play out within ourselves, we may notice a 'push-pull' between feeling confident (about money and love) and then, not so confident.  As an example, we may spend big in order to fulfill our desires, but then, return most of what we purchased. 

In last month's newsletter, I offered a drawing for three complimentary readings, as a way to honor the

passage of my Saturn Return.

I had asked those who wanted to be entered in this drawing, to send me an email with ELDER POWER in the subject line. I received several emails from subscribers to alert me to the fact that being in their 60's or 70's didn't make them feel like an elder.

So, just to clarify my intention. In Arizona, we have a visible native American presence (Hopi, Navajo and Apache), so the word 'elder' comes up a lot.  It is used by the native American culture in reference to a person who is honored for the wisdom they carry.

Having got that out of the way, let's take a look at the three winners:

   Julie Shaw

   www.julieshawdesigns.com

  Mona Dinaburg

 No photo for Deborah from Ohio

NOTE:  All times noted below are PST

Sept 1:    This can be a productive day.  If you feel more energized and creative, working in the evening hours, you've hit the jackpot this evening!

 (Virgo Sun trines Pluto in Capricorn, which can be felt all day but which is exact at 1:43 am; Mars-Moon conjunction in Leo is exact at 11:30 pm)

Sept 2:   You may meet with  some resistance this morning in  adhering to a schedule, whether it's a workout schedule, or work schedule.  Since it's labor day, you might opt to allow yourself some spontaneity.  There's a late afternoon influence which is energizing and engaging.

(Leo Moon squares Saturn at 7:30 am; Moon trines Uranus at 4:00 pm).

Sept 4:   You may experience  a mid-morning, energy low, which temporarily saps your physical vitality and especially your mental focus.  Good idea to have some nutritious 'energy' bars on hand, and/or take a little break from activity.  Breathing and stretching works perfectly with this.

(Virgo Moon opposes Neptune at 10:45 am)

Sept 5:  New Moon in Virgo.  See 'Lunar Activity'

Sept 6:   Busy mental energy can intrude upon your sleep in the early morning hours.

(Moon-Mercury conjunction in Virgo at 3:00 am)

Sept 7:  It could take you a little while this morning to figure out what you want to do with your day.  The dilemma may be in whether to do your own thing and go your own way, or be a tag along and 'hang' with others.

(Sun in Virgo sextiles Jupiter in Cancer, exact at 6:45 am; Moon opposes Uranus at 9:30 am)

Sept 8:  A nice social aspect today favors relationship activity.

(Moon - Venus conjunction in Libra - exact at 2:00 pm)

Sept 9:  Creating a low-key day for yourself, and flying 'solo' for the first half of the day, just might be the best way forward.  Challenging influences do not lend themselves to lots of interaction with others.

(Mars-Saturn square - exact at 4:00 am but can be felt for most of the day. Scorpio Moon conjuncts Saturn at 8:45 am and squares Mars at 9:00 am)

Sept 11:  A very beneficial Grand Trine in 'fire' this afternoon, is uplifting and energizing.  The enthusiastic energies surrounding this combination can put a wind in our sails. 

(Sagittarius Moon trines Mars in Leo and Uranus in Aries - exact at 3:45 - 7:15 pm)

Sept 14:   Because of lots of dream activity, you may find yourself being slow to get going this morning.  Early afternoon brings forth two influences, one of which may bring up resistance, and a tendency toward dwelling on what isn't working, while the other will push us toward being decisive and moving forward.

(Moon opposite Jupiter at 6:00 am; Mercury in Libra squares Pluto in Capricorn at 1:30 pm and Mars in Leo trines Uranus in Aries at 2:00 pm)

Sept 15:   The need for emotional space may creep up on us this evening, for we are likely to 'feel' the energies of the Saturn-Venus conjunction, exact on the 18th.  If you're involved with a computer type project, be aware of a late evening  influence which can create problems. 

(Moon in Aquarius challenges Saturn in Scorpio at 7:00 pm; Mercury in Libra opposes Uranus in Aries all evening, but exact at 11:45 pm)

Sept 17:  We may feel like we're being drawn into the 'mists'  today, which is great for reflection and those activities which are therapeutic in nature, but we may feel more challenged when engaged in logic-linear, analytical, and action oriented  activity.

(Pisces Moon conjuncts Neptune at 12:30 pm, and trine Saturn and Venus in Scorpio at 8:15 - 9:30 pm).

Sept 18 - 28 -   Don't be surprised if you are being drawn toward a personal financial overview.  It's a great time to revisit the goals made at the beginning of the year.  It's  a good time to reassess, and if necessary, readjust, so that you feel you're on task for the final quarter of 2013.

(Venus conjunct Saturn in Scorpio and Venus sextile Pluto in Capricorn (Sept 18);   Saturn in Scorpio sextiles Pluto in Capricorn (Sept 20);  Venus in Scorpio trines Jupiter in Cancer (Sept 26);  Venus squares Mars in Leo (Sept 28).  

Sept 18 :  A mid-morning philosophical influence boosts our faith and trust, which is a great backdrop to the challenging afternoon influences, which may bring our attention to financial restriction and possible relationship challenges.  It's possible that this could be triggered by bad news from the various financial reporting agencies.  If we fall into fear based thinking, the second afternoon influence can help us adopt a more 'empowered' position.  These influences are 'emotionally charged' as the energies build toward the Full Moon tomorrow morning.

(Pisces Moon trines Jupiter in Cancer at 11:15 am; Venus conjuncts Saturn in Scorpio at 2:00 pm and Venus sextiles Pluto at 7:00 pm)

Sept 19:  Full Moon in Pisces.  See lunar activity.

Beware of overly optimistic thinking this evening and if you purchase something, especially over the internet, don't forget to read the fine print! 

(Mercury in Libra squares Jupiter in Cancer at 7:15 pm).

Sept 20:  It's a good thing it's Friday today, for we're certainly in the mood for freedom and bold, self-expression. If you're involved in a morning 'commute' stay focused. There's a  general wave of impatience in the air, so accidents can happen!  

(Aries Moon conjuncts Uranus at 5:15 am and trines Mars in Leo at 12:15 pm).

Sept 22:   Hopefully, you can spend some time outdoors to enjoy the Autumn Equinox today!

Sept 26:  An early morning influence triggers our optimism and creativity.  An early afternoon influence expands our sense of financial abundance, contributes to an expression of generosity, and brings us into a good heart space with regards to self-love, and romance.

(Moon in Gemini trines Mercury in Libra at 4:30 am; Venus in Scorpio trines Jupiter in Cancer at 2:00 pm).

Sept 27: Remember that sense of expansive wellbeing we experienced only yesterday, well, we just may have to work at hanging onto it through today.  With the Moon moving into the sign of Cancer and bounces up against the 'biggies', it can feel like we're all over the map today!

(Moon opposes Pluto at 6:45 am, trines Saturn at 8:00 am and squares Uranus at 10:00 am;

Sept 28:  Can we play nice, and share today!  We start off with the best of intentions, but it's a mixed bag, as to whether we get off track with petty thoughts and even 'jealousy' toward others.

(Moon conjuncts Jupiter at 1 am and trines Venus in Scorpio at 4:00 am;  Venus squares Mars in Leo at 6:30 am.

Sept 29 - 30:  The Leo Moon wants to take charge and stir the pot!  We might swing between passive-aggressive behaviors these couple of days.  It's going to be more productive to put energy into taking care of your own business, instead of minding others!

(Sept 29:  Moon squares Saturn at 8:45 pm, and trines Uranus at 10:00 pm;

Sept 30th: Moon squares Mars at 7 pm and squares Venus at 10:00 pm)

Lunar Activity

Sept 4       New Moon          13 degrees  Virgo            4:36 am

A New Moon in Virgo is productive by nature, loves to organize space, take care of life's pressing details, shop for the most nutritious food, but also loves to create time for nurturing, mind/body activities.

Sept 19    Full Moon        25 degrees of Pisces          4:13 am

The majority of people seem to feel emotionally overwhelmed when the Full Moon takes up residence in the psychically sensitive sign of Pisces.  While, we may venture into this day,  reluctantly taking leave of an awesome dream, there's the problem of getting grounded and getting our 'head' on right.   But, don't sweat... by 10:00 am, the Moon is in the action oriented and energetic sign of Aries...so we're not about to space out all day! 

However, be aware that moving from a water sign into a fire sign on a Full Moon morning takes some finessing.  Our 'psychic' energy can't move quite as fast, and/or with the precision of our 'physical' body, so we still need to take our time when involved with those activities which require a combination of speed and precision.