If you are energetically sensitive (and maybe you don’t yet know it), it’s likely that for the last year, you have been in a particularly energetic squeeze and that you have not emerged the same. For those of us who are aware of it, the astrology of what we are experiencing now began on July 16th, 2024. 

The Overarching Picture:

10 months ago – Mercury retrograde pre-shadow began July 16th, lasting through August 

In September we had two eclipses

Mars retrograde pre-shadow began on October 4th and continued through May

Mercury retrograde occurred from November through December

Venus retrograde began in January and continued through May  

We had two more eclipses in March 

Mercury retrograde occurred again in March and paired up with the same degrees of Pisces and Aries as the ongoing Venus retrograde, continuing through April

And Mars Retrograde, which began all the way back in October and ran in the background of all of this, finally finished in May.

All of these retrogrades, Mars, Venus, and Mercury culminated their post-shadow by mid May. 

All of this is to show you how one major astrological event has been overlapping with another for the last year and how we have not been out of transformative, magnitudinal energy since July of 2024. If you have felt like you are in a vice or a pressure cooker this last year, this would be why. 

Finally, all of it is ended and we are on the other side. What does it all mean? That is yet to be sorted out.

A solid bookend time from July 16th to May 16th from which we have not emerged the same. It is going to take time to unfold, beginning with the next Mercury Retrograde, which is operating separate from this cycle in a new sphere of energy. It will help us sort out exactly what this change and transformation has meant for us. Who are we now? Where are we headed? What is transformed? And most importantly what has innately changed in us that, even if we wanted to, we could never go back? These are important questions to ask now through August all while keeping in mind the transformation of our internal world and outer world as a reflection of this over the last year. The slate is not exactly clear but we are now someone who could clear it.

Upcoming Dates:

Mercury Retrograde began on June 30th, 2025, at 4° Leo in its pre-shadow. 

It will occur in earnest from July 17th- August 11th, 2025.

And it will exit its post-shadow at 15° Leo on August 25th, 2025.

In this time we will experience the awakening of who we really are and we will bring it to the world. 

Leo is the sign of empowerment of the Soul and the Heart. 

Where fellow fire sign Aries and its ruler Mars deals in physical world power, Leo and the Sun deal in the empowerment of our essence and true self. Leo is a fire sign that particularly nestles in the heart and all that is contained within. Dreams and inspiration become reality because you make them so by claiming them. 

Now is the time for big gestures even if they are coming out as tiny actions, if your hands are shaking as you do them, they are still big. Now is the time for the empowerment of the self. 

Many people look down on Leo for being self organized. But the truth of the matter is that everything emanates from the Self, all of our experience is founded in energy that we bring, and as Leo’s sister in opposition Aquarius will teach us, there is no WHOLE without the portion that is YOU.

Leo and Aquarius work together across the chart to balance the self with the whole and the greater good and truly create magic. Now is the time to put in the piece where you matter, where what you contribute is important and reaches out to realms unknown with effects unquantifiable for the world to be changed by the magic star power that is your very existence, the stardust that thrums in your blood. 

For many of us taking the stage of our own life will look like remembering to feed ourselves appropriately, making time for enjoyment or relaxation, connecting with our hearts and dreams. 

In a world that values us for our production value, we will say No to outside pressures and instead check in with what we need and nourish that in ourselves body, mind and Soul, because “I matter.” 

It doesn’t have to be contained to self care, but it can start there and that can be your first step onto the world stage where “I matter.” 

It can simply start with the words “I matter” and lead to the emotional revolution fully contained within.

Because you do matter. You are a very important part of the ecosystem not because of what you bring to it but because you are part of it, and without you there is a hole.

When you take care of yourself, your innateness shines like the sun. And that is the magic you bring, effortless, untaxed, shining angel wisdom that you are. 

So this summer remember a few things, you are the magic, you are the Sun, you matter and you shine. Over the next few weeks, we are going to see how we embody that message so keep those words close and we will find out who we really are now that all the digging in depth and darkness over the last year is done. 

Who did we emerge as? Who are we really? Who have we been all along? What does our heart tell us?