The weather had been fierce of late. Your friendsthought it wasn’t the best time for you to take that rock-climbing trip. You weren’t necessarily scared, but you weren’t feeling at your physical peak, either. But you packed your gear anyway and set off to accomplish your longtime goal. What those around you didn’t understand was that your will was set, and you weren’t going to change your mind.

True, it didn’t start off easy, but the more you(carefully) slogged away, the higher you ascended. It wasn’t Mount Everest, but for you it was always about the sheer effort, the challenge of the next moment. A rockslide almost doomed you, and one time you freaked out when you looked down rather than up, but you kept going.

Finally, the peak was in sight and you’d done it the hard way. You hauled yourself onto the topmost plateau, rested awhile, then got up and enjoyed the view. You knew how John Muir felt, how the Native Americans felt, how anyone who had any sort of heart or sensitivity felt. The only word for it was “sublime.”

And that’s the energy of this two-week period.With a Full Moon illuminating our physical and psychic landscape and the transiting North Node (life destiny point) changing signs, THIS IS A TIME OF CREATIVE CULMINATON. Bringing projects to completion through hard work and focused attention pays off now for creative individuals.

We are in the Waxing and Waning Moon-phase called “Gibbous,” the time just before and after the culmination point which results in the Full Moon we so adore. The energy is intense, driven, sometimes just plain tense. There is a feeling that things need to come to a boil now, so the traffic in the city may be chaotic, but there is more internal pressure as well. So, as my beloved guru, Swami Satchidananda, used to say, “Take it easy…but don’t be lazy.”

The actual Full Moon occurs on Friday, August 31st, at 6:59 am PDT/9:59 am EDT—directly opposite the Virgo Sun at 8 degrees, 33 minutes Pisces. The energy of the Virgo/Pisces axis is about merging practical know-how with service to others, or to oneself. It’s a very idealistic, even spiritual energy that longs for the purity of one’s dreams to be made real.

Virgo energy is about the ability to recognize how everything systematically fits together. Virgo is ruled by Mercury, the planet associated with the intellect. Virgo natives are notorious worriers, because their astute minds are able to categorize information quickly. This makes them very sharp when it comes to such things as finances, office protocol, even military crispness. They love order, cleanliness, lots of details. You want a Virgo to be your bookkeeper, secretary or health instructor.  

Pisces energy is very different. It’s more diffused, creative, even cosmic. Pisces energy is about going beyond the mental boundaries and uniting withone’s ideal. One could call it “The Urge to Merge.” The longing to become One—inseparable forever—with one’s beloved or with one’s ideal of the Divine is what gives Pisces natives their oft-deserved reputation for being “space cadets.” This ethereal energy is not really of this Earth—it’s actually a recognition of the spiritual fact that there are no real boundaries except what we ourselves create.

Needless to say, this may create much confusion on the level of everyday life. The escapism sometimes associated with Pisces—a propensity toward drugs or alcohol, religious zealotry, etc.—comes from this innate feeling that there is more to life than what is actually visible. The Virgo/Pisces polarity is sometimes called the Martyrdom Axis, because giving oneself away to a Greater Cause, whether it be one’s romantic partner, creative ideal or one’s belief in God, is common. Psychic perception, also common with this energy, is another aspect of this attunement to the Boundless.

There may be problems in relationships because of what we can simply call “boundary issues.” Think of Michael Jackson, who was born under this polarity. Creative, idealistic, otherworldly in his talent; and yet…well, you know. The cautionary lesson here is that sometimes spirit and matter have a hard time mixing. This is why it’s so important to meditate. Mental clarity helps emotional clarity, and vice-versa.

So this is a time of practical idealism. There is no better time to meditate on one’s dream and workhard to bring it into being.

How close are you to finishing your screenplay? What details do you need to take into consideration as you begin to market your talents? What creatively motivates you to get out of bed and activate that urge to express yourself? This is a week where it pays to pay attention to your own dreams. The gift this week’s energy can bring to you is the ability to manifest your deepest dreams in everyday reality. But you’ve got to do the homework.

About 12 hours after the exact Full Moon on Friday, August 31st, the planet Mercury (associated with communications/intelligence/transportation) shifts into one of the two signs it rules, Virgo. Mercury entering Virgo puts the emphasis on details, details, details! The next two weeks present an excellent opportunity to clean up that manuscript, think things through in systematic ways, labor in such a way that “flawless” is the only word people can think of when they look at the fruits of your actions.

On Thursday, September 6th, Venus (lovey-dovey pleasure energy, whether of sex, money, relationships or ice cream) moves from cozy Cancer into vibrant Leo. Can you say PARTY?!? Remember that Venus rules the arts, so consider this current period a time where the sweet, nurturing energy you need around you to finish the project then transforms as you complete it into a grand celebration. So create now, party later.

One more currently shifting element deserves our attention.

There is a mathematical point in astrology called the North Node of the Moon. It indicates an open space for personal growth, a movement toward the unknown. Where it falls in one’s individual chart is an indicator of where one’s life destiny is calling, and what it might be. Its opposite point, the South Node, on the other hand, is an indicator of past karma, personal issues, accumulated skills. It is, in short, familiar ground.

Every year-and-a-half or so, the North Node changes signs. As it moves from one sign and element to another, a major shift in energetic patterns occurs in the world, and in our individual lives. Since in relation to the Earth this point moves backwards through the zodiac, it is now leaving Sagittarius and entering the sign of Scorpio. This occurs on Saturday, September 1st.

Expect a shift of emphasis in the news from big-picture philosophy and religious ideals to deeply-held personal issues. Scorpio is associated with sexuality, passions generally, in-depth research, banking and shared resources. Since the ruler of Scorpio is Pluto, a planet associated with extremes of behavior, and Pluto is now locked in an astrological brawl with Uranus, the planet of Awakening Through Chaos, we should not expect this year and next to be especially peaceful. But the energy IS useful!

What the Universe is saying now is that wherever your real passions are, that is where your attention needs to be. Many personal issues may surface for the purpose of helping you stay on target. It may not be easy, but transformation is promised, both on an individual level and in the world at large. Stay tuned! And stay tuned in.

Speaking of shifting emphasis, this is the 26th week we have presented STAR PRESENCE! (nee, STAR POWER!) in this format. After preciselyhalf a year, we are evolving into something a littledifferent. Expect more topical subjects, an astrological roundup of the Hollywood starscape and more, when we meet again shortly.

Until then…“Stay Cosmic, My Friends.”