Astro Forecast for August 2015--All That Glamour isn't Gold (Pleasant Nonetheless)

photo by Patricia Herlevi

While the Leo New Moon and Pisces Full Moon of August wax glamour, glitter, and illusions, the Sun, Mercury, and Jupiter transits in Virgo ask us to get down to work and even find pleasure in our daily routine. If we don't find pleasure in our daily routine, then it's time to make changes in lifestyle, life, or at the least, in our attitude as we move from expecting others to serve us to finding how we can serve the world better.

At first glance, we experience clear skies in August without any T-Squares, Grand Squares or Yods to block our way. We experience a square with retrograde Venus and Saturn, which along with all the Virgo transits asks us to look at our daily regimen. If we look in the mirror and ill health stares back at us, then it's time to pull up the sleeves and find the right exercise and diet as well as, drink more water and get more rest. If we resemble a straw figure then it's time to make sure we're getting enough to eat and not running ourselves ragged. We will also spend more time with self-care, hopefully with out the baggage of guilt, and develop self-love which is actually the opposite of arrogance because when we love ourselves, we don't have to suck others dry constantly looking for their approval.

On August 2, Saturn goes direct in Scorpio and then wend its way back into Sagittarius in mid-September. Those of you with your Saturn at 28 to 29 degrees Scorpio will complete your Saturn Return. For you this is the time to assess any unfinished business, to let your old life go and embrace the new. For instance, many people get married or divorced during a Saturn Return. Those of you around 60 experience the empty nest (if you raised a family) even deeper now and those of you retiring from a career or going into semi-retirement, assess where you've been and where you would like to go next. In other words, the end of a Saturn Return acts as a rite of passage or transition into the next life phase. Just make sure you release old baggage, especially on the psychological level with Saturn in Scorpio.

Venus moves back into Leo on August 1 so we also have unfinished business around self-worth and whether or not we value our gifts/talents. We look at the ways we shine in the world and we also take a deeper look at our values. We're now experiencing in the late embers of Leo in a concentrated form. This could show up as pettiness or confidence. There's nothing more beautiful than a confident woman who owns her beauty, talent, and gifts. I like Louise Hay's affirmation: "I am beautiful and everybody loves me." I believe that saying this affirmation validates us so we don't have to run around making the right impression in the world. When we can look in the mirror and love what stares back at us then we have mastered Venus in Leo.

The big news for August is Jupiter changing signs from Leo to Virgo. Remember that Jupiter expands what it touches so beginning August 10, we turn to themes of service, servants, purifying, fixing, purity, assimilation, digestion, and other Virgo themes. While we might have spent extravagantly with Jupiter in Leo and eaten too much sugary and rich food, now we spend frugally and clean up our diets. More people either head to the gym or more likely a yoga studio. We turn to body workers for our aches and pains as well as, to meditation teachers to get back in touch with our spirit. We visit or hang out at temples or monasteries and that sort of thing, especially with the North Node also moving into Virgo in November.

Virgo

So Leos, your run of good luck and luxury living is about to end. However, Virgo is not a party crasher, but the brakes on a sports car. Every sign balances out the sign prior to it and the sign that follows it, so in this case, Virgo helps us balance the books, pay off our debts, get our health back in order, and get back into our work routine after a year-long holiday. Well, at least that is how it feels to me.

Mars ends its trine with Saturn on August 9 when the planet moves into the fiery sign Leo. Mars loves spending time in Leo because of the fire element, but Mars can cause us to act and feel arrogant if we don't balance our emotions. The good news is that this combination gives us drive and ambition so if we have been acting lazy, we now clean up our resumes, polish our pitches, and get out our speeches so that we can further our careers. Those of you who work in the entertainment business would do well with this combination as long as you keep your ego in check. Remember that the planets in Virgo asks us to serve the world and not snap our fingers at servants and treat God like a Genie in a bottle.

On the 25th, Jupiter pulls into an opposition with Neptune which could have people trotting out as martyrs, saints, and victims. Expect some drama and melodrama played out on the world stage, especially with Venus and Mars in Leo. Perhaps we will feel mildly entertained or extremely irritated. When planets are in Virgo we feel irritated with others and fall into the trap of nit picking and nagging. Virgos and Leos don't usually play nice in the sandbox either. Just look at the generational tension between the Pluto in Leos and the Pluto in Virgos. So the question becomes how can we use our creativity to solve problems in our lives, in our communities, and the world? What can we harvest now that brings light to the world? Virgo has a tendency to take things too seriously whereas, Leo's creativity and playfulness brings us innovative solutions. Dream big, but also dream realistic--now there's an awkward balance to strike.

We aren't going to experience any major interactions with the outer planets so in this regard we experience a respite from the Uranus-Pluto Square, the Saturn-Neptune Square, but we still experience the flowing sextile between Neptune and Pluto. Take this time to breathe because both the Saturn-Neptune, and Uranus-Pluto squares return this November.

I'll be covering the Leo New Moon and Pisces Full Moon in other posts, but for now, let's just say that I'm giving mixed reviews for August. We'll want to take an extended holiday which I don't recommend because if we clean up our daily and health routines in August as well as, balancing the books and paying off debts, we will experience an easier time with the outer planet squares towards the end of the year. November is looking like a crunchy month, and I'm not just talking about pretty leaves underfoot.

Want to know how the transits will affect you? Looking for the right date for a wedding or launching a business? Are you looking for an instruction manual for your child? Sign up for a session with me either through the form on this site or visit Metaphysics 4 Everyday Living.