The Director is Drunk! aka Navigating the Aquarius Full Moon & the Dumpster Fire of Summer 2025

"The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion." — Albert Camus

Let's talk about the glitch. You know the one. It’s that moment in The Truman Show when a whole-ass studio light labeled 'Sirius' falls out of a perfect blue sky and shatters on the pavement in front of Truman Burbank’s house. It’s the impossible object, the flicker in the matrix that proves the sky isn’t real and the whole world is a stage.

It’s the feeling that the script we’ve all been handed for Summer 2025 is a first draft written by a burnt-out AI that’s been fed a diet of nothing but cable news and dystopian fiction.

The simulation is getting lazy. The plot points are recycled: another far-right surge in Europe, another American political scandal that feels like a rejected storyline from Veep, another tech billionaire promising salvation while building a digital cage. We’re living in a Pottersville run by a handful of tech oligarchs who’ve convinced us that their avarice is our progress. They’ve rolled back digital protections, turned our town square into a toxic echo chamber that runs on outrage and disinformation, and they’ve done it all with the grin of a Rupert Murdoch, who knows the government is already in his pocket.

And the most insidious part? The sheer, mind-numbing exhaustion of it all. The constant barrage of chaos isn’t a bug - it’s a feature.

It’s an architecture of apathy designed to make you too tired to fight back, too overwhelmed to see the bars of the cage. It’s designed to make you believe that this glitchy, soul-crushing reality is the only one available.

But here’s the thing about glitches. They reveal the code. They show you the system isn’t infallible. And right on cue, the cosmos is sending in a system-crashing update.

On August 9, 2025 - we get a Full Moon in Aquarius, conjunct Pluto, the great revealer of all that is rotten and hidden.

It’s Morpheus holding out the red pill, the moment you’re shown the code behind the simulation and given the choice to unplug from the whole damn machine. We’re just crawling out of a chaotic Mercury retrograde in Leo, and as we enter the post-shadow integration phase, this Full Moon is that shocking moment of waking up in the pod, covered in goo, realizing the world you knew wasn’t real. It’s a bucket of ice-cold reality forcing us to see the truth of the script we’ve been forced to act in.

MARS IN LIBRA & THE ARTFORM OF PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE

The opening scene of our cosmic movie begins on August 7th, as Mars, the planet of war, drive, and aggression, skulks into the diplomatic, peace-keeping sign of Libra. Astrologically, this is called being in “detriment” or “exile,” which is a polite way of saying Mars fucking hates it here. The warrior is forced to trade his sword for a subpoena, his battle cry for a strongly worded email. Action becomes strategic, bogged down by a sudden need for “justice, fairness, and partnership”. It’s deeply uncomfortable.

Think of it like Cameron Diaz in The Holiday, a high-powered LA movie exec suddenly stuck in a tiny, quaint English cottage. The energy doesn’t fit the environment. She’s a powerhouse forced to operate in a setting that demands a completely different set of skills, leading to awkward, frustrating, but ultimately transformative adjustments.

This transit feels like a tense negotiation scene, not a shootout. The best cinematic parallel is Michael Scott’s ridiculous buyout negotiation in The Office. When Dunder Mifflin tries to buy out his failing paper company, Michael’s tactics are pure Mars in Libra: absurd, indirect, and bafflingly effective. He declares, “We never accept their first offer,” before he’s even heard it. He throws out nonsensical demands and appears to have zero leverage. But then, in a moment of accidental genius, he pivots. He stops focusing on his own weakness and exposes his opponent’s weak BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement). He reminds them that their company is bleeding clients and that they are the desperate ones.

It’s a classic Libran move: winning not through brute force, but by masterfully shifting the scales of justice and perspective. This is our energy down. The orange grandpa has no leverage. That new ‘revolutionary’(in fact, so OVERDONE) ‘cruelty is the point’ storyline will not make it onto the screens, the script will eventually burn. This is YOUR energy now: the power of the passive-aggressive pivot.

FACING THE FOG MACHINE AND THE BRICK WALL: MARS VS. SATURN & NEPTUNE

Just as our hero gets the hang of this weird diplomatic dance, the movie’s antagonists make their move. Around the time of the Full Moon, Mars in Libra moves into a direct opposition with two cosmic heavies, both retrograde in Aries: Saturn and Neptune.

First, Mars opposes Saturn retrograde. This is the moment in the negotiation where the other party looks you dead in the eye and says, “Absolutely not.” It’s a “major stop sign,” a hard boundary, an immovable obstacle. With Saturn in its fall in Aries, this rejection feels deeply personal, a direct challenge to your courage and your right to exist. It’s the bureaucratic brick wall that appears out of nowhere, designed to crush your initiative. We all deeply love those.

At the same time, Mars opposes Neptune retrograde. If Saturn is the brick wall, Neptune is the thick, disorienting fog that surrounds it. This is the energy of confusion, gaslighting, and disillusionment - aka 2025 politics. You feel “all turned about and confused” bumping into walls you didn’t even know were there. This aspect saps your will to fight by making the enemy seem shapeless and the goalposts seem to constantly shift.

This astrological configuration is a perfect mirror for the public’s experience of confronting systemic power in 2025. You try to engage with the system on its own terms, playing by the rules of fairness and debate (Mars in Libra). In response, you are met with the immovable, nonsensical blockades of bureaucracy and entrenched power (Saturn in Aries), all while being shrouded in a disorienting fog of misinformation, propaganda, and outright lies pumped out by state actors and their tech allies (Neptune in Aries).

This transit teaches a brutal lesson: the old methods of polite negotiation are designed to fail against an opponent who uses deception and immovable force - Democrats please take notes. This realization is what necessitates a rebellion.

GLOBAL REALITY BITES: THE PEOPLE VS. THE TECH OLIGARCHY

And that rebellion is exactly what this Full Moon in Aquarius is here to spark. This is the main event, the plot twist, the moment the audience gasps. The Full Moon at 17° Aquarius lands conjunct Pluto, the planet of power, secrets, and underworld transformation, who is currently retrograde in the same sign.

Aquarius is the sign of the people, the collective, the community & humanity. It also rules technology, networks, and the future. Pluto’s 20-year journey through Aquarius is set to unearth the entire toxic underbelly of our technological society, exposing the power structures that manipulate the collective from behind the scenes. This Full Moon is a flashbang in that dark room.

Let’s be clear: Pluto in Aquarius is about the rise of the tech oligarchy. These are the new Henry F. Potters from It’s a Wonderful Life, the avaricious board members who seek to own and control the entire town for their own profit, turning Bedford Falls into a sleazy, soulless Pottersville.

This Full Moon illuminates their playbook for 2025: the rollback of digital protections under a friendly Trump 2.0 administration, the co-opting of the digital civic space for political gain, the amplification of hate speech and disinformation for profit, and the creation of what commentators have called a "Trojan horse for control of the internet".

The great lie of the last two decades has been that the internet is a tool for community and democratization. This Full Moon, conjunct Pluto, reveals the truth: the “community” (Aquarius) has become a “user base” - a product to be mined for data and sold to the highest bidder by hidden forces of power and control (Pluto).

The perfect film analogy, of course, is The Social Network. This lunation is the moment the entire Harvard student body wakes up and realizes that the fun, innovative social tool they willingly joined is in fact a massive, unethical power-grab built on stolen data and broken trust and built underground Apocalypse bunkers in Hawaii.

The message is unmistakable. A revelation, based on information, is coming. And it will compel us to begin the long, difficult journey of leaving this toxic system behind.

THE UNEXPECTED JOY OF GOING ANALOG: A VENUS-JUPITER LIFELINE

Just when the story seems its bleakest, the director gives us a scene of profound hope. Just two days after this intense Full Moon, on August 11th, we get one of the most beautiful and supportive transits of the entire year: Venus conjuncts Jupiter in the sign of Cancer.

This is a cosmic lifeline. Venus, the planet of love, beauty & connection, meets Jupiter, the planet of luck, expansion, and joy. They meet in Cancer, the sign of home, nourishment, emotional safety, and family. Jupiter is “exalted” here, meaning its joyful, generous energy is at its absolute peak.

This emotional wave of just hope arrives at the precise moment we need it most: just as Mercury stations direct and the fog of the last month begins to clear.

This transit is the antidote to the cold, detached, manipulative energy of the tech oligarchy. It is analog love in a digital hellscape.

It’s the reminder that true community isn’t found in a comments section. It’s found around a kitchen table. It’s the unexpected, overwhelming joy of real, tangible, embodied connection.

Think of the final scene of The Shawshank Redemption. After decades of systemic oppression, violence & despair, the reunion on the beach in Zihuatanejo is a moment of pure, breathtaking relief and freedom. Or think of Will Smith’s character in The Pursuit of Happyness, weeping with joy in the street after finally getting the job that will save his family.

This Venus-Jupiter conjunction is that feeling. It’s the unexpected arrival of grace. A reminder that even in the darkest of movies, there is a profound and un--glitchable joy to be found in real human connection.

🛠️ YOUR SURVIVAL KIT FOR THE SYSTEM GLITCH 🛠️

• Weaponize Your Charm (Mars in Libra): Your superpower right now isn't a battering ram, it's a scalpel. Learn the art of strategic negotiation. Read up on BATNAs. Be so charmingly reasonable they don't see the blade until it's too late.

• Master the Sacred 'No' (Mars opp. Saturn): Saturn is the lord of boundaries. Saying "no" is a sacred act of rebellion. No to the extra project. No to staying an extra hour. No to the energy vampire. No to the doomscroll. Protect your fucking energy.

• Embrace Your Inner Outsider (Full Moon in Aquarius): The system wants you to conform. Your power is in your weirdness. The perspective from the margins is the only one that sees the whole, corrupt picture. Own it. That's your vantage point.

• Find Your Real-Life Fellowship (Venus-Jupiter in Cancer): Log off. Call a friend. Cook a meal for someone. Hug your damn dog. The revolution will not be livestreamed - it will be built around kitchen tables and in living rooms. This is where you refuel. This is where you find the joy that the algorithm can't touch.

• Go Analog (Mercury Direct): The clearest messages won't come from a screen. They'll come from your gut. Journal with a real pen. Take a walk without your phone. Listen to the silence. What if you cook up a healthy feast, improv-decorate the table to death and NOT take a picture of it for social media? WHOA! REVOLUTION!

✍️ SACRED HOMEWORK: YOUR REBELLION BLUEPRINT ✍️

• The Unfollow Audit: This Full Moon is about leaving troubled waters. Open your phone. Who or what are you following that makes you feel powerless, enraged, stupid or feed into the myth of not being enough? Commit to a conscious withdrawal of your energy from the systems designed to drain it. Make a list. Hit unfollow. This is your digital declaration of independence.

• The Community Contract: Aquarius is the collective. The tech bros want 'community' to mean a user base they can sell to. Reclaim it. Who is your real-life fellowship? Who would you call at 3 AM? This week, make a tangible plan to strengthen that network. Schedule a dinner. Start a group chat that's about mutual support, not just memes. Write down one concrete thing you can do to build a stable community where "the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured".

• The Outsider's Manifesto: The system is built on conformity. Your freedom lies in your authenticity. This Full Moon illuminates what makes you different. Grab a journal and answer this: What truth do I know because I'mnot on the inside? What part of my 'madness' is actually my genius? Write your personal manifesto. Write it with a pen. On paper. And try your best to keep it in between the you and the You. This isn't for anyone else. It's the blueprint for becoming so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.

The Veiled Warrior Meditation: Balancing Leo Season’s Fire & Aquarius Full Moon’s Water

Right now, the cosmos is pulling us between the blazing fire of Leo, calling us to stand tall, shine bright, and own our truth - and the cool, truth-seeking waters of Aquarius, asking us to dissolve ego, release old illusions, and remember our place in the greater whole. Tensions arise between heart and mind, self and collective, passion and compassion.

So, if you’re feeling lit up one moment, wrung out the next, or frankly like you might steam-clean your own aura just to cope, I’ve made something for you.

This is for us - the Veiled Warriors - who walk the line between flame and tide. The ones who crave their spirituality raw, real & edged with power.

Your balance of water’s calm and fire’s spark awaits HERE.

✨ YOUR CELESTIAL ROADMAP: SIGN-BY-SIGN GUIDE ✨

♈ Aries: The Reluctant Hero Faces the Music

Logline: A born leader, used to calling all the shots, is forced into a series of tense diplomatic negotiations where their greatest adversary is their own self-doubt.

Act I: The Setup (Leo Season & Mercury Rx)

With the Sun and a trickster Mercury Retrograde moving through your 5th House of Creativity, Romance, and Play, you've been in a major life-review montage. It's like you're re-watching old home movies of a past relationship or a creative project that flamed out, trying to figure out where the script went wrong. Did you lose your fire, or were you just playing a role for applause? The drama has been internal, a crisis of the heart, questioning what truly brings you joy.

Act II: The Confrontation (Mars vs. The World)

On August 6, your ruler Mars, your personal gas pedal - moves into your 7th House of Partnership. Suddenly, all your drive is channeled into your one-on-one relationships. You want to collaborate, commit, or maybe pick a very well-articulated fight. But on August 8-9, Mars stares down Saturn and Neptune in your 1st House of Self. This is a cosmic standoff. You're trying to negotiate with a partner, but you feel blocked, insecure, and lost in a fog of "who the hell am I, anyway?" It's like trying to win a debate while having intense vertigo. The movie scene is the tense, high-stakes negotiation in Michael Clayton, where the real battle is with your own conscience. You can't win with them until you get right with you.

The Plot Twist (The Aquarius Full Moon)

The Full Moon on August 9 lights up your 11th House of Community and Future Hopes, opposing the Sun in your 5th. Here's the twist: this relationship drama isn't just about you and one other person. It's a spotlight revealing who your real people are. This lunation is the "watchdog" guarding your true tribe, forcing a sudden awareness of which friendships are fueling your future and which romantic dramas are just a distraction from your larger mission. You might get ghosted by a fair-weather friend only to be saved by your ride-or-die crew.

The Denouement (The Venus-Jupiter Windfall)

The beautiful meeting of Venus and Jupiter around August 12 happens in your 4th House of Home and Roots. This is the film's quiet, powerful ending. After all the external battles, you find profound luck, safety, and emotional nourishment right where you are. It’s a "found family" moment, a sudden wave of belonging that reminds you that home isn't a place, but the people who make you feel safe enough to be your messy, magnificent self.

The Director's Notes

• Soundtrack: "Rebel Girl" by Bikini Kill. A Riot Grrrl anthem about the electrifying power of finding an ally who sees and celebrates your own revolutionary fire.
• DIY Zine Prompt: Create a one-page zine called "Allies & Enemies." This isn't about people but rather it's about qualities. Cut out words and images from magazines to represent the energy that fuels you versus the energy that drains you. This is your personal manifesto on partnership.
• Grip Kit: When that Mars-Saturn frustration hits and you want to lash out at a partner, channel it. Go lift something heavy, sprint around the block, punch a pillow. Use that raw energy to build your own strength instead of tearing down a connection. This is about taking responsibility for your own fire.

♉ Taurus: The People-Pleaser with a Dark Side Breaks Character

Logline: A creature of comfort who has built a life around…