General Themes for August- Mercury continues its backwards ways until 10:40 pm on August 7th PDT, so hold off on signing contracts or finalizing big sales until Mercury is in direct motion again, according to your time zone – give or take a few hours from Pacific Time. Many astrologers, including yours truly, think that planets at their station are also at their most powerful. I count the days until Mercury is at least a degree beyond the stationary point before I feel 'safe' regarding matters governed by the Messenger planet. So, keep your eyes on the road and double-check any messages, amounts and addresses until at least the 10th of August.
August begins with a Full Moon in Aquarius, signaling a time of year to love your neighbor and celebrate the peak of summer with friends and community. The New Moon arrives mid-month, on the 17th across the Americas. This New Moon, in Leo, spotlights both Mars and Saturn, traveling companions for a few weeks in Libra. This is a combination that favors sustained, creative output. Any projects, especially fun ones that you hope will have lasting value and that you plan to keep working steadily on, should be started now, with the cosmic winds at your back.
Aries- The August lunations light up the fun, friendship and romance sectors of your Solar Chart this month. The challenge for Rams lies in getting along well enough with everybody to spend quality time together. Sometimes it is better to go it alone, or be willing to be lonely rather than embroiled in conflict. The recipe for August should: A) Fun 'n frolic by yourself or with strangers/fresh prospects. B) Keep to serious matters and work on being productive in joint projects with close buddies and partners, while maintaining as much independence in these endeavors as possible. Saturn and Mars are thwarting intimacy and easy-going jollies with loved ones, so the best way to 'make lemons into lemonade' will be to work together first to satisfy the Taskmaster (Saturn) and his enforcer (Mars) and the subsequent "pleasures shared" should come without trouble or rancor.
Taurus- Earthy themes for an earthy sign this month, Taurus. Without getting too technical, let's say the material aspects of life are in the spotlight, especially the first two weeks of August. There are three things to work on and weave into an cohesive pattern. If you can put your gifts and skills to good use, stay organized and productive while keeping your priorities straight, then you may find yourself shining like the star you are in the upcoming months, Bull-babe.
Gemini- Everybody loves you still, and now you can look forward to your sparky, magnetic attraction drawing in money along with all the groovy attention you have been getting, lately. Already assigned the "gift of gab" label, whether the greeting card descriptions are accurate for all Geminis or not, this month is likely to provide multiple opportunities to listen, learn, interview, reply, edit, and just plain talk. A key bit of information and/or a well-timed conversation with neighbors, siblings, or passers-by could be a magic "tip" that leads to riches and rewards.
Cancer- Starting the second week of August, the goddess of Love and Beauty, Venus, slinks into your personality house until the second week of September. This means that you can take advantage of the fact that you look cuter, smile sweeter, sound silkier and seem sexier, Crabby. With all this charm and charisma oozing out your aura, make the most of the situation and reach out and touch someone(s). Venus helps with love and enhancing attraction, but that is not all. Friendships flourish and money-matters benefit as well. The over-all pleasure principle applies here... cool breezes on hot days, a tasty treat, or a gentle touch on exposed skin make life a little more liveable, so live it up a little more this next month, Cancer.
Leo- Homework for Leo this birthday cycle – and happy, happy birthday to all the radiant Lions out there – listen to "My, My, Hey, Hey" by Neil Young. And ask yourself, "Is it better to burn out, than to fade away?" If you are not sure of the answer, listen to Neil Young's "Hey, Hey, My, My." As the jester whispered to the king riding in his carriage, soaking up the praise from his adoring subjects, "...and some day, you too shall perish." Take heart, Big Kitty, the more you are willing to see your life as a streaking comet instead of an eternal flame, the more equipped you are to fashion a brilliant display and give your absolute all. Why hold back? This is a month to get intimate with the eternal flame of Self, so that you can play your personal roles to the hilt, giving the tastiest performances and emptying yourself on life's stage - just to be filled back up with the rich, juicy, ambrosia of the essence of the Divine. Rock on.
Virgo- Ahh, supposedly meek, mild, virginal and virtuous Virgo, how to say what I have to say...When the wind blows at your back, when the omens indicate Fortuna smiles upon you, when the cards are stacked in your favor, press your advantage! If you can keep from shadow boxing with yourself or fretting your favorite worry, you may actually expand your magical power of finding God in small things to encompass enough of the Big Picture to place yourself into a winning situation. People, positions, placements and opportunities are out there. Are your horizons broad enough to scope out the possibilities? Don't fret the pressure, you have almost exactly one year to feast on the blessings available, just do not procrastinate forever, or you might waste what the Universe is offering.
Libra- A friend of mine with an inexhaustible supply of apt images, Cassandra English, came up with an analogy for Saturn interacting with Mars: Saturn is the horse-trainer and Mars is the wild stallion. Find a way to tame your dynamic, untamed creativity without breaking the spirit of your primal, instinctive nature, Libra. This month, the Luminaries shine in your inner child's playhouse, and illuminate your friendships and alliances. Your best playmates this month help you out of your strait-laces and into situations where you let your hair down and allow the fur to fly. Libra's libido and creative life-force needs to be unbridled for a bit so your vitality is available to meet a challenge, master a task, surmount a hurdle, or take on a juicy new project. You can harness (Saturn) your horse-power (Mars) for the long-run, and measure (Saturn) out the energy (Mars) towards the ultimate goal, but first you have to wake the pony up!
Scorpio- Wow! Are you feeling yanked in several directions simultaneously, Scorpion? Is your current life like a never-ending game of 52-card pick-up? Is your schedule a cut-and-paste tapestry of tatters? Do you wake up wondering what day it is, what month it is, what life it is? If anyone could relate to this next message, it would be you Arachnid, a delver into the deeps if there ever was one. If you let yourself be caught up on the surface swells you will be fighting fruitlessly against the choppy and chaotic waves of each day. Find a deeper channel, a submerged current that moves with a steady and powerful flow. Meaning and purpose is located there, and mystery, too. There is an open connection with the Source/Force of Being that can be tapped into. This is not to suggest you try to drop anchor and hold fixed in resistance. That would be a mistake. Instead, keep sounding the depths to stay on soul's course and recognize the distractions for what they are. Helpful read: The Odyssey by Homer.
Sagittarius- Travel for Archers is not favored until after Mercury's wobble period is finished around the 11th of the month; however, once the God of travel and transactions has settled down, the rest of August calls the restless soul to journeys either literal, or simply flights of fancy. If not over actual territory, the mind may need to venture to faraway places. Books, travel shows, classes, lectures, visits to the observatory or meditative soul-seeking, these are things that keep home-bound Sagnefarians satisfied when the opportunity to sail, ride or fly is not available.
Capricorn- Exchange value, worth, market potential, getting and giving, earnings and trade. Maybe you are business-oriented and production-minded this month, Cappy, maybe not. How might those terms and concepts also apply to personal matters? In the mirror of oneself only, it might be that deeper feelings of self-worth and self-love ought to be explored. When it comes to relating, the subtle dynamics of appreciation and reciprocation, offering and receiving will benefit from conscious attention, aided by the lunations in August. Are you getting what you want, and of equal and probably intertwined importance, are you giving what your 'other' desires? Time to work it out, even if the most important other is yourself.
Aquarius- With early August's blast of Full Moon in Leo power-surge to the heart and soul, Wunderkind, you are tasked with taking stock of your intentions and deciding where to put your attention and energy. This humble astrologer has some suggestions for you. Divide your focus into two different dimensions of your life. First, have some fun, joyous, liberating, exalted, heck – even excessive fun. Just designate a driver, alright? Second, put some serious thought into your Path, your life direction, and what to do when - in order to make tracks towards your personal Promised Land. Perhaps a vision quest or some sort of path-finding exploration is in order. Whether you commune with iguanas in the wilderness, or a life-coach in an office, or scorch your feet with Tony Robbins, find a way to Find Your Way and start trekking, souljer.
Pisces- The Universe seems to be requiring Pisces-people to take a course in self-reliance while devilishly putting a kink in their supply lines, making it harder to count on the kindness of others. With Mercury retrograde until mid-month, the happy place for Fishes looks a lot like home. While you are at it, the cleaning up you are doing should extend to your diet and overall lifestyle, Pisces. While relying upon your own resources is not necessarily a bad thing, when bankers won't make loans and even your roommate seems stingier than usual, it might be tempting to take it all personally. Think of it as a consolidation period. Do more with less and think of it as a game where the most frugal Fish wins. By the second week of August, your friends will start showing up again, asking if Pisces can come out to play.
August begins with a Full Moon in Aquarius, signaling a time of year to love your neighbor and celebrate the peak of summer with friends and community. The New Moon arrives mid-month, on the 17th across the Americas. This New Moon, in Leo, spotlights both Mars and Saturn, traveling companions for a few weeks in Libra. This is a combination that favors sustained, creative output. Any projects, especially fun ones that you hope will have lasting value and that you plan to keep working steadily on, should be started now, with the cosmic winds at your back.
Aries- The August lunations light up the fun, friendship and romance sectors of your Solar Chart this month. The challenge for Rams lies in getting along well enough with everybody to spend quality time together. Sometimes it is better to go it alone, or be willing to be lonely rather than embroiled in conflict. The recipe for August should: A) Fun 'n frolic by yourself or with strangers/fresh prospects. B) Keep to serious matters and work on being productive in joint projects with close buddies and partners, while maintaining as much independence in these endeavors as possible. Saturn and Mars are thwarting intimacy and easy-going jollies with loved ones, so the best way to 'make lemons into lemonade' will be to work together first to satisfy the Taskmaster (Saturn) and his enforcer (Mars) and the subsequent "pleasures shared" should come without trouble or rancor.
Taurus- Earthy themes for an earthy sign this month, Taurus. Without getting too technical, let's say the material aspects of life are in the spotlight, especially the first two weeks of August. There are three things to work on and weave into an cohesive pattern. If you can put your gifts and skills to good use, stay organized and productive while keeping your priorities straight, then you may find yourself shining like the star you are in the upcoming months, Bull-babe.
Gemini- Everybody loves you still, and now you can look forward to your sparky, magnetic attraction drawing in money along with all the groovy attention you have been getting, lately. Already assigned the "gift of gab" label, whether the greeting card descriptions are accurate for all Geminis or not, this month is likely to provide multiple opportunities to listen, learn, interview, reply, edit, and just plain talk. A key bit of information and/or a well-timed conversation with neighbors, siblings, or passers-by could be a magic "tip" that leads to riches and rewards.
Cancer- Starting the second week of August, the goddess of Love and Beauty, Venus, slinks into your personality house until the second week of September. This means that you can take advantage of the fact that you look cuter, smile sweeter, sound silkier and seem sexier, Crabby. With all this charm and charisma oozing out your aura, make the most of the situation and reach out and touch someone(s). Venus helps with love and enhancing attraction, but that is not all. Friendships flourish and money-matters benefit as well. The over-all pleasure principle applies here... cool breezes on hot days, a tasty treat, or a gentle touch on exposed skin make life a little more liveable, so live it up a little more this next month, Cancer.
Leo- Homework for Leo this birthday cycle – and happy, happy birthday to all the radiant Lions out there – listen to "My, My, Hey, Hey" by Neil Young. And ask yourself, "Is it better to burn out, than to fade away?" If you are not sure of the answer, listen to Neil Young's "Hey, Hey, My, My." As the jester whispered to the king riding in his carriage, soaking up the praise from his adoring subjects, "...and some day, you too shall perish." Take heart, Big Kitty, the more you are willing to see your life as a streaking comet instead of an eternal flame, the more equipped you are to fashion a brilliant display and give your absolute all. Why hold back? This is a month to get intimate with the eternal flame of Self, so that you can play your personal roles to the hilt, giving the tastiest performances and emptying yourself on life's stage - just to be filled back up with the rich, juicy, ambrosia of the essence of the Divine. Rock on.
Virgo- Ahh, supposedly meek, mild, virginal and virtuous Virgo, how to say what I have to say...When the wind blows at your back, when the omens indicate Fortuna smiles upon you, when the cards are stacked in your favor, press your advantage! If you can keep from shadow boxing with yourself or fretting your favorite worry, you may actually expand your magical power of finding God in small things to encompass enough of the Big Picture to place yourself into a winning situation. People, positions, placements and opportunities are out there. Are your horizons broad enough to scope out the possibilities? Don't fret the pressure, you have almost exactly one year to feast on the blessings available, just do not procrastinate forever, or you might waste what the Universe is offering.
Libra- A friend of mine with an inexhaustible supply of apt images, Cassandra English, came up with an analogy for Saturn interacting with Mars: Saturn is the horse-trainer and Mars is the wild stallion. Find a way to tame your dynamic, untamed creativity without breaking the spirit of your primal, instinctive nature, Libra. This month, the Luminaries shine in your inner child's playhouse, and illuminate your friendships and alliances. Your best playmates this month help you out of your strait-laces and into situations where you let your hair down and allow the fur to fly. Libra's libido and creative life-force needs to be unbridled for a bit so your vitality is available to meet a challenge, master a task, surmount a hurdle, or take on a juicy new project. You can harness (Saturn) your horse-power (Mars) for the long-run, and measure (Saturn) out the energy (Mars) towards the ultimate goal, but first you have to wake the pony up!
Scorpio- Wow! Are you feeling yanked in several directions simultaneously, Scorpion? Is your current life like a never-ending game of 52-card pick-up? Is your schedule a cut-and-paste tapestry of tatters? Do you wake up wondering what day it is, what month it is, what life it is? If anyone could relate to this next message, it would be you Arachnid, a delver into the deeps if there ever was one. If you let yourself be caught up on the surface swells you will be fighting fruitlessly against the choppy and chaotic waves of each day. Find a deeper channel, a submerged current that moves with a steady and powerful flow. Meaning and purpose is located there, and mystery, too. There is an open connection with the Source/Force of Being that can be tapped into. This is not to suggest you try to drop anchor and hold fixed in resistance. That would be a mistake. Instead, keep sounding the depths to stay on soul's course and recognize the distractions for what they are. Helpful read: The Odyssey by Homer.
Sagittarius- Travel for Archers is not favored until after Mercury's wobble period is finished around the 11th of the month; however, once the God of travel and transactions has settled down, the rest of August calls the restless soul to journeys either literal, or simply flights of fancy. If not over actual territory, the mind may need to venture to faraway places. Books, travel shows, classes, lectures, visits to the observatory or meditative soul-seeking, these are things that keep home-bound Sagnefarians satisfied when the opportunity to sail, ride or fly is not available.
Capricorn- Exchange value, worth, market potential, getting and giving, earnings and trade. Maybe you are business-oriented and production-minded this month, Cappy, maybe not. How might those terms and concepts also apply to personal matters? In the mirror of oneself only, it might be that deeper feelings of self-worth and self-love ought to be explored. When it comes to relating, the subtle dynamics of appreciation and reciprocation, offering and receiving will benefit from conscious attention, aided by the lunations in August. Are you getting what you want, and of equal and probably intertwined importance, are you giving what your 'other' desires? Time to work it out, even if the most important other is yourself.
Aquarius- With early August's blast of Full Moon in Leo power-surge to the heart and soul, Wunderkind, you are tasked with taking stock of your intentions and deciding where to put your attention and energy. This humble astrologer has some suggestions for you. Divide your focus into two different dimensions of your life. First, have some fun, joyous, liberating, exalted, heck – even excessive fun. Just designate a driver, alright? Second, put some serious thought into your Path, your life direction, and what to do when - in order to make tracks towards your personal Promised Land. Perhaps a vision quest or some sort of path-finding exploration is in order. Whether you commune with iguanas in the wilderness, or a life-coach in an office, or scorch your feet with Tony Robbins, find a way to Find Your Way and start trekking, souljer.
Pisces- The Universe seems to be requiring Pisces-people to take a course in self-reliance while devilishly putting a kink in their supply lines, making it harder to count on the kindness of others. With Mercury retrograde until mid-month, the happy place for Fishes looks a lot like home. While you are at it, the cleaning up you are doing should extend to your diet and overall lifestyle, Pisces. While relying upon your own resources is not necessarily a bad thing, when bankers won't make loans and even your roommate seems stingier than usual, it might be tempting to take it all personally. Think of it as a consolidation period. Do more with less and think of it as a game where the most frugal Fish wins. By the second week of August, your friends will start showing up again, asking if Pisces can come out to play.
