The gentle essence of Virgo calms the planet. The lady of the stars assuages all the animals of the stars. The ruler of Virgo is clever Mercury, who has just turned retrograde, joining Venus, also reversing. When we compose the songs of our life, artistic Venus provides the music and intellectual Mercury writes the words.

Venus is retrograding in Leo, asking that we reexamine the relationships in our lives, particularly in regards to our values, our children and our creative potential. Romances from the past can reappear. With Mercury walking backward, hold on to your car keys and look at your diet. It would be best to wait until the middle of September for major purchases and decisions.

Aries - Art and creativity are bounding forward for Aries. With Mercury reversing, you now have the opportunity to reexamine the projects that you are currently creating and refine the words and music that are springing from you. By the middle of September you can present your work.

Taurus - Appreciation for the garden of earthly delights arises in Taurus as you greet your fellow earth sign, Virgo. Your ruler, lovely Venus, is reversing, so you are looking back at loves from your past, assessing what you genuinely value in partnerships and how to establish boundaries.

Gemini - Lively Gemini finds that your guide Mercury is reversing. You recall that in this phase material objects have lives of their own, appearing and disappearing. The benefit of this phase is that you have enhanced abilities to edit portions of your life and decide what you really want.

Cancer - When your friend, Virgo, enters the center of the sky, you generally find that you are able to express yourself clearly. This time, with both artistic Venus and articulate Mercury reversing, you may be at a loss for words, but when you really express your needs, you can be profound.

Leo - Leo is ready to pounce on the future. Before moving forward, you have to invite Venus into your home. This goddess is the symbol of love and creativity and she is moving backward in your sign until the 3rd of September, asking you to review your past and then integrate it.

Virgo - Happy Birthday, Virgo! Two of the big personal planets, your ruler clever Mercury and artistic Venus, are moving backward. Therefore before your leap forward in the middle of September, you need to play catch up and decide how to establish healthy boundaries.

Libra - The Sun is in gracious Virgo. Your big news is that your celestial guide, Venus, is moving backward in creative Leo. This is the ideal time for you to look backward at partnerships in your lifetime and learn lessons of self-protection from the past, putting yourself first at certain times.

Scorpio - Clear, rational Virgo allows you to have ideas about what you want to do in your future. But wait! With all of these reversing planets, the news from the stars is to take time to review your past and learn from it, before you move ahead and make the career moves that you need.

Sagittarius - Balancing all the quadrants of your life becomes a theme for you now that the Sun has entered discriminating Virgo. Fortunately, lucky Jupiter is your ruler, helping you remain centered while all of these other planets march into your past, integrating it with your present.

Capricorn - Virgo brings clarity to you, especially during this extremely busy time. You have all sorts of amazing ideas about all of your work projects. Consider implementing them in the middle of September, when your innate wisdom will be activated by the stars moving forward.

Aquarius - Finances are a topic for you with rational Virgo in the center of the stars. The current starry positions are advocating for you to realize that the primary relationship that you have is with yourself. Then you can make the financial moves that best serve you in the months to come.

Pisces - Virgo, your opposite sign of partnerships, is now in the center of the stars, making you active, attractive and in demand. With the goddess of love moving backward, you can now learn from relationships in your past, and protect yourself and ask for what you need in the future.

Karen Anderson is available for readings at 303-258-7258.