Hello, welcome to Astrology Alchemy.
I'm Sheila Bellagio, your host for this podcast.
Alchemy is defined as a seemingly magical process of transformation.
Spiritual alchemy is the process of pursuing the gold of your true nature.
By transmuting the unrefined limiting parts of yourself.
In this podcast, I'll offer you inspiring insights from current astrology cycles that support your path of turning your personal lead into gold.
More resources are available at the website on the edges of change.com.
Hello, and welcome to episode number 324 of the Astrology Alchemy Podcast.
This is for the week of August 4th, 2025.
I'm your host and guide, Sheila Er.
So here's a phrase from this week's podcast poem.
Who wants to know a story's end?
The big news this week is about Mars, the Warrior Action taker, warriors Archetype.
Here's an overview.
Mars enters Libra this week and it activates a wave of dynamic tensions and breakthroughs with outer planets inviting you to a potent review of how you take action, seek justice, and navigate conflict.
I wanna remind you, I'm trying out a new form with this podcast to give you some reflection questions to help you in your own individual journey with the planetary archetypes to go deeper and to make it your own, and to give yourself some time to reflect and honor how you navigate the unique currents of the astrological energies that you're sensitive to.
On Wednesday, August 6th, Mars enters Libra for six weeks.
This begins a new cycle focused on relational assertiveness.
Mars again is the astrological archetype of action taking.
It's the sacred yang.
Let's go do it.
Let's go after what we want.
It's very assertive.
In its wounded side, it is very aggressive and can even be violent.
Libra is that Zodiac sign that wants balance, fairness, relationship, reciprocity.
Mars and Libra supports your capacity to initiate from balance, justice and social artistry, but may also expose for you places where you hesitate to take a stand.
Sometimes the deep challenge of any planet moving through Libra as an energy really has to do with the wounded side of Libra, which is to make nice.
And to keep the peace at all costs.
There's a tension here.
'cause Mars is a very assertive archetype.
And Libra sometimes can say, well, we can go both ways.
It could be this.
What about that?
We wanna make sure it's okay for everybody.
That's a beautiful energy.
But when it comes from a survival strategy, we end up not being assertive in a sacred way.
So this six week period may challenge your survival strategies and relationship where you make nice or keep the peace, or you don't wanna rock the boat.
Particularly when we're in such a territory collectively of so much violence, of so much suffering, they may say, oh, I just, I'm just gonna keep it low here.
Tune into Mars and see where you can take action from a sacred place.
Of stewardship of your own and others' energy.
Here's a reflection question for you.
With this cycle, where are you being asked to initiate action from partnership and not polarization?
This is an immense gift to our world right now because the toxic hook to polarize and other everyone, including your inner parts, is very strong.
Can you take action from partnership?
We continue the journey with Mars.
It's a very strong Mars week, so, cool.
Your jets.
When you get pissed off and activated, please take some time out and take care of yourself, okay?
Because conscious Mars is really powerfully helpful.
Unconscious Mars is destructive.
On Friday, August 8th.
Mars newly in Libra, trines, Uranus, newly in Gemini.
Again, this action taker, just having moved into the territory of partnership relationship justice activates with Uranus, the Maverick archetype.
This is the one that wants us to question old status quo, stagnant control patterns to say, blow it up, get free.
Dig under the fence.
Let's try something different here.
Just recently in the sign of Gemini, we'll be there for seven years.
So this radical change with our mind, with our ideas, with our capacity to think outside the box.
Now, Rine means Mars and Uranus are 120 degrees away in the heavens from each other.
That's from Astrology's point of view.
It's very harmonious.
They really support each other.
And of all the planets that we work with as archetypes, they are the most impulsive ones.
They just wanna get on with it.
So you have this really deep support to take action Mars in a balanced, fair way, Libra, to radically shift up your ideas, your mindset.
How you wanna think your narratives.
So Mars trying, Uranus is also helping this electric impulse for change, but there's another cycle involved here.
On the same day, August 8th, Mars is opposite Saturn, which is retrograde in Aries right now.
There's a very different character than Mars and Uranus, Saturn, the structure maker.
The responsible one, the overt planet with the rings, bring your own boundaries.
Okay.
Whenever Saturn's in the play, there is this invitation to adulting to step up, make the call, decide, Hey, this is mine to do or not mine to do.
Now Saturn is recently new into Aries, so this is really challenging us to take responsibility for our absolute unique self and way of going and to listen to ourselves in a good way, to take back our own authority and not project it on outer of humans, institutions, religions.
It's just, okay, it's up to me.
Now Saturn is retrograde, which means it appears to be going backwards in its heaven, and it brings this inner review of what is really mine to do, Saturn and AVEs, and how do I create foundation and structure for my own uniqueness, my own individual path.
Now.
Now Mars is opposite Saturn.
This means they're opposite each other in the heavens, and that implies some tension.
I often say to people that an opposition between two planets is like a tug of war.
It's a back and forth journey, give and take.
So here's Mars and Libra.
I wanna stand up and take action on fairness and balance.
Here's Saturn in Aries saying, whoa, whoa, whoa.
I need an inner structure.
I need to know the rules of the game for me to figure out what it is mine to do, what's not mine to do.
So this brings, this challenge and friction to question some old limitations or internalized rules.
And remember, we've got this double energy on this particular day we have Mars, the action taker in you and the world activate evading with the maverick.
Come on, make some radical changes, but also being held sort of stopped in a appropriate way by Saturn.
It's kind of cranky energy and it really, these two cycles, it's a signature that invites a bold but measured realignment.
In how you assert your will, that's Mars in relationships or group dynamics.
So it's this, growth producing tension that says, I know where I need to go or where our group needs to go to do something radically different, but I need to be measured and adult and mature about it.
It's not just about me, and it's not just about, you know, lead follower get outta my way.
It's like, whoa, how do I become a leader of change?
So just notice how that might be stirring.
Here's a reflection question on these two cycles.
What outdated rule or internal authority needs to shift so you can act with more freedom?
And remember that liberation starts as an inside job.
So many of us are so distressed.
And activated and reactive to the immense, horrific suffering that's going on in the world with dominator, white supremacist control, patriarchal patterns, and in our anger or rage, we can be self-destructive and not make any change.
So it's also, whoa.
What's my own inner outdated rules or internal authority that I need to shift so that I can act with more freedom, not just for myself, but for all beings?
Okay.
The Mars journey continues on Saturday, August 9th.
Mars and Libra is now opposite Neptune, newly in two areas.
Also, retrograde.
Refer back to many podcasts about Saturn and Neptune right next to each other.
So this cycle of Mars opposite Neptune can be a time of possible confusion or disillusionment about what direction to take or how to use your energy.
'cause Neptune is this visionary, mystic being, it's an archetype.
I've talked to you about how it's a dissolving function.
It takes us into altered states.
Very positively.
It's vision, it's prayer, it's ceremony, it's union with, something larger than our ego.
Equally, its challenge can be altered.
States that are unhealthy, addiction, hopelessness, despair, mental health issues, giving up, why bother feeling invisibilized, feeling just g lost and confused.
It's all there in the spectrum of Neptune.
So it's really also this time of having the courage Mars to activate your intuition, not just your logic.
Let your intuition guide your next move.
This cycle invites surrendering ego control and softening combative tendencies.
Mars represents the part of ourselves that is our individual personal will.
And when we get stressed, when we get fearful, when we get anxious, we fight.
That's a very, I mean, there's many core reactions, but fight is one of them.
And Neptune is this dissolving, softening much larger collective perspective, transpersonal perspective.
So it's also like, you know, what are you fighting about that you don't need to fight about?
How can you really tune into your intuition and let it guide you what move, what action to take?
Same day on Saturday, August 9th, we have a full moon at 17 degrees of Aquarius at 12:55 AM Pacific Daylight time.
So here's this monthly time of the balance between the sun and the moon.
The sun, the solar conscious self radiating its light from Leo, the fire sign of creativity, sovereignty, and willing to be seen opposite, balancing the moon, the instinct of nurturer archetype full in the energy of Aquarius.
And the core conversation between Leon Aquarius is the individual self-expression visibility.
Here I am in balance with the collective evolutionary transformation, Aquarius.
It's a you we conversation.
Be who you are.
Stand in your own sovereignty, but don't fall into the wounded patterns of narcissism.
Recognize.
Your individual creative beauty and power is also there to contribute to the greatest good of all, which is Aquarius.
So this Aquarius Full Moon shines a light on your place in the collective.
It highlights themes of vision, innovation, and emotional detachment.
Aqua, this is a time for you reflect on how your personal expression supports.
Or sabotages larger social ideals.
It's really important for those of us who live in the United States to recognize that we co-created the situation we have.
And again, there's, it's playing out this clash between the old patriarchal, dominating, overbearing, over control energy is universal in our world.
And this evolution where this old way of being and this old narrative is dying in its death rows, and yet it's taking a lot, it's taking many out in its death rows.
But we need to recognize any of us who are involved in the United States living here connected to it in some way.
We co-created this.
And so this question I'm offering you.
What personal truths are you ready to contribute in service to the greater whole?
What's your piece in revolution?
Evolution in whatever way you feel called to make a difference.
It's not so much about we are right, they're right, they're right, we're wrong.
You know, those kinds of things, but rather recognizing you have a creative spark, you have a unique voice, and it needs to come to the table in service to the greater good.
Notice what's stirring with you under this full moon.
Okay, one more Mars cycle.
Sunday, August 10th.
Mars in Libra.
Rines, Pluto retrograde in Aquarius.
Plu.
The farthest planet in our solar system.
Remember, like many astrologers, it is not a dwarf planet.
It's a very, it's small but mighty as a transpersonal ally.
It's the transformer.
It's the systemic change maker.
Remember, I see Pluto as the archetypal energy in us, in the world that says, get into the basement and clean up your old boxes.
Look at what's festering.
Look at what's dying.
Look at what hasn't been metabolized and alchemized.
'cause until you do that, you can't have true evolution.
You can't really be in sacred power because you are still unmetabolized, and we're always unmetabolized.
But Pluto really demands a truth telling down to the bones.
Cut the bs.
So here comes Mars.
The action taker again, trining 120 degrees away from Pluto in the heavens.
Harmonious powerful cycle to help you make deep systemic changes.
This cycle is like a deep, well of empowered, will, and focused intention that becomes available to you.
This is an alchemical aspect, catalyzing you to act with courage and integrity.
Especially in transforming relationship patterns or social structures.
That's the Libra part that Mars is in, because again, Pluto and Aquarius, Aquarius is a sign that wants, evolution and it's very connected to.
Universal truths and egalitarian mission.
It's like, how does everybody get free?
How does everybody get to be liberated?
So Mars in this very personal planet, meaning our own individual will, asking about balance and justice and fairness and relationships aligning with this larger collective transformation evolution call.
A reflection question for this cycle.
Where are you ready to act with deeper purpose and transformative power?
And last but not least, coming attractions.
The next week on Monday, mercury goes Direct.
in Leo after being retrograde for three weeks.
So it, I'll speak more about this in next week's podcast, but it happens pretty early on Monday.
So I wanna give you a heads up.
It marks a time of mental clarity returning after a profound review phase.
Maybe you found that to be, so maybe not.
New insights may emerge about how to express your voice and creativity with heart-centered leadership.
So I just wanna plant that seed.
It's already happening.
Most of my listeners are.
Very, very sensitive to these archetypal planetary cycles.
So you're probably already feeling Mercury about to go forward in its orbit symbolically.
So just want to acknowledge it and acknowledge you.
Thank you so much for listening and I hope you are with me in this experiment of the new format with the reflection questions.
I I welcome any kind of feedback email.
You let me know how it's going for you, but I wanna help you go deeper with some of these cycles and really let you own it in your own way through reflection.
So the poem that came to offer for this week's cycles with this Mars action taking courage.
Let's balance things out in alignment with four big outer planets, Saturn.
Uranus, Neptune and Pluto really helps you question your status quo and how you've always done things.
It's called What if This Road by Sheena Puke.
What if this road that has held no surprises these many years decided not to go home after all?
What if it could turn left or right?
With no more ado than a kite tail.
What if its tarry skin?
Were like a long, subtle bolt of cloth that is shaken and rolled out and takes a new shape from the contours beneath and, and if it chose to lay itself down in a new way around a blind corner.
Across hills.
You must climb without knowing what's on the other side.
Who would not hanker to be going at all Risks.
Who wants to know a story's end or where a road will go?
What if this road by Sheena Pgh?
So notice.
Your attunement with Mars' challenge to you this week and the full Moon.
What if this old road goes a different way?
What if you are willing to know a different ending to your story and to sort of set forth and say, let's try it differently.
Let's explore balance and.
Relationship that is an attunement, not just with me, but all my beloveds with the world.
How can you be a champion of justice and fairness now in a way that's congruent for you?
Thanks as always for your listening to this podcast.
I so appreciate your support.
And you're telling others about it, your reviews, and I wanna highlight for you, I'm very excited to open up enrollment once more in my signature course Transformation Journey roadmap.
It's a very powerful journey, self-guided of reclaiming your own intuitive, powerful wisdom by.
Addressing your inner saboteurs and all the conditioning patterns we all have that make ourselves small and invisible.
So if you're not already on my email list, go to my website on the edges of change.com, sign up for the email list, and also go there for information on when I'm opening the Transformation Journey Roadmap course.
Once more, it will come with a free workshop.
To invite you into exploring the roadmap.
That'll be on Saturday, August 16th, so check it out.
Thanks so much.
I.
You have been listening to the Astrology Alchemy Podcast with your host, Sheila Lange.
Resources are available at the website on the edges of change.com.
Thank you for listening.
Bless your alchemical journey to embrace the gold of your true nature.