The MAIN ASTRO events of August 2022

August 11: Full Moon in Aquarius, 6:35 pm (19:21 Aquarius)

August 27: New Moon in Virgo, 1:16 am (4:03 Virgo)

August 3: Mercury into Virgo, 11:57 pm

August 11: Venus into Leo, 11:29 am

August 20: Mars into Gemini, 00:56 am

August 21: Vesta retrograde revisits Aquarius, (3:48 am)

August 22: Sun into Virgo, 8:15 pm

August 24: Uranus stations retrograde, (6:53 am) to January

August 31: Sedna in Taurus stations retrograde, 11:48 pm

TIMES PDT

August Overview:

A triple conjunction of Mars, Uranus, and the north node in Taurus (half of the karmic axis) happens on August 1. As is typical of Uranus, this transit can kickstart something out of the blue. To the plus, it could be a lucrative potential or a breakthrough regarding a recent log jam. Watch for a shift of perspective, a sudden insight or inspiration, or an opportunity to speak your mind or heart. This triple conjunction in Taurus puts everything pertaining to money/finance, value and worth, and survival on a fresh trigger. (Sex, fertility, and reproduction fall under Taurus too. Monkey pox is apparently on the rise.)

Mars/Uranus set up a short corrective window to tackle something necessary, to update, switch-track, hatch a new plan, or to feel your way along a next stage. Watch for an opportunity to take advantage of something that is undervalued or has not yet caught notice. Whether it ends or springs to new life, this first week or so is instigating. Watch August 7, 8, 11 (full moon) and 14 for further development.

On the jarring side, Mars/Uranus can be disruptive, unpredictable, volatile, explosive, or shocking. Where possible, avoid stressful situations or stressed-out people, and don’t put yourself in harm’s way. Wouldn’t it be great to catch a break regarding weather extremes? (Don’t count on that!) Watch also for notable headlines, from the world of politics, business, and finance (perhaps art & music too.) While Mars has been on tour through Taurus (since the beginning of July), active measures have been taken toward slowing inflation. As I write this, the pope is currently on his Canadian “pilgrimage of penance”. His visit is a powerful symbolic gesture (befitting of the transiting south node in Scorpio.) Indigenous leaders are calling for more than just an apology. Will the Catholic Church make a substantial financial restitution (befitting of the transiting north node in Taurus)? Let us hope that Mercury in Virgo, starting on August 3, goes beyond the words, and that Mars, surpassing a considerable resistance threshold held by Saturn (as of August 7), prompts a correction and accountability in action in some real and tangible way.

Mercury in Virgo:

Mercury tenants Virgo from August 3 to August 25. Use this transit to get to work on the to-do list, to make improvements to your health regimes (diet, exercise) and get a better routine going regarding necessary matters (i.e., cleaning, clearing, studies, etc.). Added attention to detail and to safeguards are to your advantage. August 16, Mercury’s trine to Uranus could put synchronicity into play. Use this transit to have a fresh conversation. It’s a good time to schedule a job interview, to bargain hunt, negotiate further, hire help, sign up for classes, or to tend to paperwork. Utilize your ingenuity. Watch for a creative solution, a bargain, a saving grace, or an opportunity to put it out in the open, to make use of something previously discarded or under-rated. Thanks to the sun’s trek into Virgo and Mercury’s trine to Pluto, August 22 is well used to get on it and to seize advantage while the getting is good.

August 7 & 8:

While the Mars/Uranus August 1 transit mentioned above can jettison it/you forward, prior to August 7, Mars faces a hurdle or restriction from Saturn. Frustration or tension can mount. Through this first week, pacing it right may mean biding time, going slow and working your way through it.

Mars/Saturn in square aspect can produce a harsh confrontation or push come to shove prompt. The accompanying trine of Venus/Neptune could be somewhat mitigating or softening regarding how Mars/Saturn pressure valve is released. (Hard Mars/Saturn aspects can trigger acts of aggression, violence, and armed conflicts.) To the plus, Venus/Neptune could set a backdrop for added sensitivity in knowing how to “massage it”. In other words, when to exert more influence, and when to pull back and let things find their own watermark. On the other hand, Venus/Neptune is a give-way aspect. It can dissolve boundaries or resolve, produce loss, and see a pouring forth of emotions. Building to August 8, Venus in Cancer in opposition to Pluto intensifies the emotional track. Fear and insecurity can be a driving force. These transits are likely to be reflected via the money markets. (We could see a significant downturn, drain, or bottoming out.) A belt tightening aspect, this Venus/Pluto transit can put the squeeze on time, money, and choice. The edict of the day is directed toward getting it under better control, toward setting or reaching goals, and toward achieving desired results.

August 11 Full Moon in Aquarius:

Drawing added complexity from Saturn and Uranus, the full moon in Aquarius can be a mixed bag of stress, stop and go, and jump-start opportunity. Circumstances or emotions can go from one extreme to another. Travelling with the brakes on? Not for much longer, especially so if the full moon makes direct contact to your chart. The springboard is set for breaking free, for liberation, reinvention, and improvement – perhaps in a catapulting or don’t let it stop you way. August 11 and the days that follow can unleash what’s been stifled or unblock what’s been held up. Plans could change, perhaps suddenly or abruptly, but perhaps it goes better that way. A spontaneous choice could deliver well. Try something new or different. A creative solution or independence bid could spell improvement. Use the here and now moment to its fullest. Face it head-on, get it into the open. There’s a good potential to get cleared away rather quickly. What is in your best interest? What lights you up? Makes you happy? Venus entering Leo on the full moon puts an added spotlight on self love and making it good for yourself. Have some fun while you are at it. The full moon rollout could extend through the weekend that follows.

August 14, the sun’s opposition to Saturn and Mars trine Pluto marks the time as right. It can bring you/it to a conclusion and/or position you at a starting gate. Mercury trines Uranus on August 16. Venus trines Jupiter on August 18. Overall, Aug 14 to 18 can keep it rolling well.

Mars in Gemini:

Mars enters Gemini on August 20. This is a mobilizing and trend setting transit. Typically, Mars will spend 5 to 6 weeks in transit through a sign, but due to an upcoming retrograde cycle (October 30 to January 12, 2023), Mars will spend 8 months in the sign of Gemini. That’s a long test drive! Expect to get plenty of mileage out of this transit, backtracking included. Expect to be much better informed by the time Mars in Gemini reaches the end of its tenure (March 25, 2023).

Thinking of signing up for a course? Yes, good idea. Use the Mars in Gemini transit to tend to paperwork, negotiations, buy tickets, get/renew a licence etc. Trade in your car, upgrade your mobile devices, your media, etc. In a quandary about your next plans? Think short term or temporary, go month to month, stay open-ended and open-minded, take it one step at a time. When Mars goes retrograde (end of October to middle of January), your attention or priorities can shift. You could second guess or question what you have on the go. Ideally, the first third of the cycle is best used for introduction, testing and trial runs, the second third for revisions and development (nuts and bolts), and the final third for implementation and moving forward.

Mercury opposes Neptune on August 21, making for a good weekend to kick back and relax. Starting the new week on a relatively smooth sail, the sun’s entrance into Virgo on August 22 is accompanied by Mercury trine Pluto. Also shifting gears, Uranus begins its annual 4 month retrograde on August 24.  Keep intentions, plans, and schedule open, and take that day as it comes.

Mercury enters Libra on August 25. Venus, ruler of Libra, squares Uranus on August 26 and opposes Saturn on August 28. This Venus action bookends the new moon in Virgo on August 27. Use this weekend to squeeze the last drops out of the season’s best while the getting is good for doing so. Back to work/school month is soon upon us, Mercury retrograde is too. (Starting in Libra and finishing in Virgo, Mercury tours retrograde from Sept 9 to October 2.) There is a correlation between the full moon of August 11 and the Venus position of the new moon of August 27. This Venus action holds lucrative potential. As such the new moon sets up an excellent window for all fresh starts and upgrades, for putting creativity to work to finding better solutions, and for making improvement where it is desired and/or needed, especially regarding communication tracks, health, and healing (heart, body, mind, and soul). The new moon sets up a good timing for the start of a new project, job, semester, or training program.