A walk in the woods is never a bad thing, as it calms the nerves and focuses the mind, but now it’s become a necessity. Shattering recent events have been such that you don’t simply want it, now you actually need it. So you put on your walking shoes and retreat into the solitude of the greenery.

At first, you’re just glad to get away from the world’s tension; but the longer you persist, walking up the trail and into the trees, the quieter your mind becomes. An occasional hiker passes you—and they looked stressed even out here! But pretty soon, you’re alone with your thoughts. That’s when it gets tough, and you have to sit down to consider things.

The greenness of the leaves before you commands your attention. You watch a squirrel scurry about, unafraid. You notice the whiff of wind curling your hair. And your mind is able to connect with your environment in a manner that allows you to not only handle past events but calmly prepare for the future. Your perspective broadens. You accept the moment and listen to the brook threading its way unnoticed through the greenbriar patch.

And that’s the energy of this week. The keynote is RESTORATION OF HARMONY. It’s time to have an adventure, but make sure you have good treads on those walking shoes. The unknown calls us and we need to answer, but we need to not take anybody’s word as final even when they seem authoritative. The process this week is about self-discovery.

This week is a bit of a respite after the cruelly hard energy of last week that gave us headlines and images we never wanted to see. Coming as it does after such intensity, this week may seem unnaturally calm, even sleepy. But that doesn’t mean it’s going to be uneventful.

After all, Mercury is still retrograde. By the end of the week, we’ll be right in the middle of its three-and-a-half week trip through the early degrees of Leo. Mercury Retrogrades are famous for screw-ups, miscommunication and general missed signals. The old adage about never putting off what you can do today cannot have been written under a Mercury Retrograde!

This is the time to review, reflect and prepare for implementation of plans when the Planet of Communications turns direct on August 8^th. Finishing up old projects is supported now. Getting that scene in Act One down perfectly is a better use of your time now than making constant calls to the agent… who, being also under the Mercury Retrograde, would probably just blow you off anyway!

Leo is the sign associated with leadership, entertainment and creativity. This portends some drama—and drama is Leo’s middle name—in the creative fields, political spheres, and personal matters of the heart and feelings. In the human body (as delineated by astrology), Leo is associated with the heart and chest. As the Sun is the ruler of Leo, and we are currently passing through the first decanate (10 degrees) of Leo, all things leonine are to the fore.

So the creative arts are actually accentuated right now. This can be a very inspirational time period if we do not allow the distractions and disturbances that naturally come with Mercury Retrograde to define our mental space. The best use of this period is to perfect your manuscript, song or other creative work to the best of your ability. Come the time when Mercury goes direct, you’ll have something you’ll be proud to represent.

With Uranus (sudden changes/possible chaos) still in its hard square (90-degree angle) to Pluto (power issues/extreme behavior), this is not going to be an especially mellow time…it’s just that this week the pressure is not quite as intense as it was last week as Mars moves out of its direct opposition/square to these powerhouse planets.

The energy starts out slowly on Monday with a long void-of-course Moon. A void-of-course Moon is a gap between the time the Moon, as it travels through a particular sign (in this case, Virgo), makes its last aspect (angle) to another planet and the time when it enters into the next sign. The energetic effect is like a piece of fluff drifting through the air as it’s carried by the wind—the energy isn’t taking us anywhere in particular, so connections may not happen right then. It’s like a mini-Mercury Retrograde: don’t count on much. Then the Moon slides into Libra and things get more connected and harmonious.

Tuesday is more intense with the Moon’s opposition to Uranus and square to Pluto, followed by its conjunction to Mars. This is the aspect that brought recent tragedy (which we directly warned about in last week’s column) and needs to be negotiated carefully. But other, more positive aspects help mitigate the intensity.

Wednesday is a day when Mercury makes a harmonious trine to Uranus and is like the lightbulb going on in your head. (Now it would be a twisty thing rather than bulbous, but you get the idea.) Make good use of this energy and you could end up like Frederic Handel, who went into his room, closed the door, and three weeks later emerged with his masterpiece, Messiah.

Thursday is the quarter-Moon, when the Moon—now in Scorpio—looks like it’s cut in half in the sky. It’s a gotta-work-it-out time, where things take effort. Focus can help us work through conflict. In human terms, think Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara, or Bill Clinton (Leo) and Hillary (Scorpio).

Friday starts out with another long void-of-course Moon, so be careful you don’t make plans that leave you up in the air. It’s not until 10:18 pm PDT/1:18 am EDT that the Moon goes into Sagittarius. But then the fun begins! The entire weekend is filled with harmonious trines and few difficult aspects, and Moon in Sagittarius is all about the party, so have fun! Otherwise, you aren’t doing your astrological duty!

This week’s forecasts for the 12 Sun Signs, dates approximate for convenience:

ARIES (March 20-April 19): If there was an award for Best Actor in a passionate scene, you might win it this week. With all the Fire Sign energy at your fingertips, action (in the intimate sense) may entice you now. But check that the window’s still open when you enter the boudoir of someone’s life, because with the retrograding energy you may need to exit fast.

TAURUS (April 20-May 19): Fireworks on the home front may involve reviewing why you did the thing you swore not to do, but couldn’t help doing. The good news is that things are often cleared up by decisive action, and right now you need to be decisive. It’s not often that mellow lethargy breeds conflict, but this is one of those times. Stand up now! Forward, ho!

GEMINI (May 20-June 19): Sometimes it pays to be Cecil B. de Mille. If you feel like Moses watching the Red Sea part in front of you this week, it’s not just because you like the movie. The emphasis on Air and Fire Signs has you primed for leadership, and in an enjoyable way. Communicating that to others, though, may not be so easy. So don’t drop the ball, uh, tablets now.

CANCER (June 20-July 19): Financial matters may require you to twist yourself into a pretzel this week, or at least a yoga pose. Flexibility is required, and the more you can bend your brain into something harmonious, the easier it will be for you. Your empathic skills may be on high alert, also. But others’ brokenness is not your own. Own your own energy this week.

LEO (July 20-August 19): There’s not a lot of difference between lion and a saber-toothed tiger, and this week you could either end up with your hopes extinct or be roaring with contentment. It’s a powerful moment fraught with possibilities. Opening your mouth comes easily now, so be just aware of what’s coming out. Pride goeth before a fall, and lions move in prides.

VIRGO (August 20-September 19): The way to think about all the current prospects that promise so much pleasure is to simply say, like Joseph Campbell, “Where’s my bliss?” Right now, yours is right in your face, chewing on your lip and tempting you to simply say, “Yes!” But you may not recognize it even when you’re touching it. Trust your secret instincts.

LIBRA (September 20-October 19): Why bother about thinking when events do all the work for you? Your job this week is simply to see what’s what. It’s like Michelangelo went out and sculpted your perfect scene and you still weren’t sure he had it right. Ultimately, the Universe has it right, so take the mote out of your eye. Stevie Wonder laughs because he sees in other ways.

SCORPIO (October 20-November 19): Those changes you didn’t want to come for so long have arrived with a moving van and are hurriedly disassembling your previous environment. The best thing to do is not get in their way. You can take the most valuable parts of your psyche with you, but let go of the superfluous. When the bill comes, you’ll pay it gladly.

SAGITTARIUS (November 20-December 19): Somebody is expanding your heart simply by existing. What’s nice about this is that you are able to act without feeling insecure. And act you will this week, as the passion for—well, everything—intensifies. This is a time where your impulses are actually a form of attunement. Flickering flames call to your moth-like heart.

CAPRICORN (December 20-January 19): The letter has come but you can’t quite make out the handwriting. So you take out your magnifying glass and attempt to read it, but it’s too squiggly even for that. Don’t be surprised this week if you can’t understand people. Even with the most powerful of lenses, sometimes you just have to let things reveal themselves. Patience is a virtue!

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 19): If you haven’t convinced yourself that you’re Shakespeare (or at least Ben Jonson), this is the week to do so. The Air/Fire Sign energy uplifts you but you need a proper forum in which to shine. Hold court at Tiffany’s, an appropriate place for jeweled thoughts. But don’t trip over yourself and smash things. Be careful; be a gem yourself.

PISCES (February 20-March 19): Your favorite song is playing on the car radio and you’ve completely forgotten the words. But you hum until they come back to you and join in with the last chorus. This week is like an invitation to join the band and finding out you’ve got laryngitis. Sure, it’s awkward in spots. But fake it until you make it and no one will know.

NEXT WEEK: In the forest, the mighty forest, the lion sleeps tonight: but that was before Mercury went retrograde in Leo! Right now there’s a rumble in the jungle, but it could just be the drum circle celebrating life! Join in the Cosmic Rhythm—right here in STAR POWER! Astrology Unleashed.