Grand sextile aka "Star of David" formation

I've been so focused on this grand trine in July, I didn't even realize there was an even rarer configuration this month -- a grand sextile, also called a "Star of David" formation. But, thanks to an email from a reader who asked about it, I'm now looking forward to our experience of this configuration on Monday, July 29.

A grand sextile is basically two grand trines superimposed over each other, one with the point of the triangle up, and the other with the point down. I've been talking about the effects of the Grand Water Trine in the past two NorthPoint Journals, and on July 29 we add the energy of a Grand Earth Trine to the mix.

There is the same ease of flow between the planets in this second grand trine (Pluto, Venus and the Moon), but being in earth signs, the effect is to ground, comfort and calm us. This sounds like a very good thing, especially given the increase in the effects of the Pluto-Uranus square we will be expecting around the same time.

Since the fast-moving Moon is one of the planets involved in this grand sextile, the effects will last only for the one day. The chart I've run for the event is timed at 2:48pm PDT, when the Moon is exactly trine Venus and applying to the trine with Pluto. The energies should be strongest then, through the next few hours as the Moon then also exactly trines Pluto.

Here's what astrologer Bil Tierney writes in his book Dynamics of Aspect Analysis about a grand sextile involving a Grand Water Trine and a Grand Earth Trine:

"...a highly productive power that can realistically benefit many areas of the individual's life. Talents and opportunities indicated are pursued with a desire for practical application as well as emotional gratification and material security. The stability and purposefulness of the sensible earth signs minimize the danger of this Grand Sextile swinging off into too many scattered directions at once.

"Because of the presence of both a Grand Earth Trine and a Grand Water Trine, the sensual nature is apt to be very well-developed and able to be channeled in highly imaginative ways. Whatever routines are necessary for the thorough development of creative enterprises are more easily accepted and undertaken."

There is a bit more push to this energy than a grand trine by itself, because the overlapping of the two grand trines creates oppositions between some of the planets. There is still great opportunity, as with the Grand Water Trine, but perhaps less tendency to sleep through the experience! Still, to take advantage of this energy, we need to engage with life -- as Mr. Tierney also writes, "the creative resources are abundant and need to be actively tapped. Here exists an enormous overload of capacity which demands to be actively exploited."

We have a full week to consider how we might tap into the energies of this rarely-seen configuration. Any ideas?