August 2023 Astrology
The August astrology videos for each sign are up on my channel and you can find those here. We have Venus on her retrograde loop, all in Leo, until October. Mercury will also go retrograde. We are in retrograde season with only Mars, Uranus (until the end of August) and Jupiter (until the start of September) direct.
Mercury Retrograde
Mercury will station retrograde August 23rd until September 15th, but the shadow periods start August 4th and end September 30th. The retrograde is in Mercury’s home sign of Virgo. Mercury in Virgo likes routines and systems that work, paying attention to every detail. There’s an esthetic with Virgo, a purity that means streamlining so there is no clutter and things run smoothly. We’ll be refining wether we want to or not. You can learn more about Mercury in this blog or this video.
I have learned, as an obstinate Taurus, that we need to pay attention to the shadow periods as well. The retrograde will have Mercury moving back and forth between 8 and 21 degrees of Virgo. Mercury is the trickster of the zodiac and likes to play games, especially during retrograde. Usually the consequences aren’t disastrous, but definitely annoying and create a delay. What seems a done deal is not carved in stone until Mercury leaves the post retrograde shadow.
Remember Mercury is about communication, commerce and ground transportations. All these are hampered. Communications are muddled and people misunderstand or a detail is changed. It demands reviewing, replanning, revising. Have a plan B and don’t be caught out.
I find Mercury relates to numbers especially. So if you are traveling or concluding a commercial contract, double and triple check. If you buy a laptop or cellphone you may change you mind or it will not work out. Ideally, try to hold off until September is past and Mercury leaves shadow.
Venus Retrograde
Venus is retrograde from July 22nd to September 3rd. The video is here. But the shadow lasts to October 7th. the following day Venus leaves for Virgo, after 4 months in Leo. That is an unusually long time. My July astrology videos talk about the Venus retrograde and so do the August ones.
Venus relates to love, beauty and money and is also about relationships. Venus is harmonious and diplomatic and wants to be in relationship to others. And with her charm others are drawn to us. So Venus retrograde is all about relationships on a loop: people returning to the picture or new relationships backtracking. Or both at the same time!
Usual Venus Retrograde Advice
Avoid any expensive do overs to your appearance or your surroundings when Venus is retrograde. Also investing in a wardrobe change, new hairstyle or a cosmetic procedure. Venus, depending on placement, can also have you wanting to redecorate. It is best to wait until the shadow period has passed.
Venus in Leo
Venus takes on the vibe of whatever sign she is in. In Leo, Venus can be a bit of a diva. Think Miss Piggy asking “But what about moi?” In Leo, in the 5th house, it is about creativity, children, romance, sex and what we do for fun and pleasure. It is called the fun house, as in amusing and creative, not the circus version with tilted floors and distorting mirrors.
With relationships, Venus in Leo filters her view through a what-does-this-mean-for-me lens. There’s also a bit more ‘gotta be me’ with Venus in Leo. Not necessarily a bad thing. And it echoes the nodes of the Moon who have moved into the Aries-Libra axis, for 1 1/2 years, on July 18th.
The Ex Hex
Astrologers often say exes will return on Venus retrograde. That’s possible. But depending on the placement it can be anyone else we were in a relationship with. A friend, sibling, even a work buddy coming back into the picture. Sometimes that’s the story in and of itself. Other times it can be an offer or idea they bring back.
Mars in Virgo
Mars has been in Virgo since July 10th and will leave for Libra August 27th. In Virgo dynamic Mars has to pay more attention to detail. The 6th house is about physical health and service to others. We may be taking on a new exercise routine. Or just more physical activity. Mars energy expresses itself physically. It is about doing and moving. With Mars in Virgo, we can definitely establish some lifestyle and health routines that have the potential to last.
Mars will not retrograde in 2023 and spends about 6 weeks in each sign. Wherever Mars is you can use that energy to advance something or develop something in that area. We feel more energetic and confident with Mars. Just remember Mercury will be hampering Mars. It’s like little brother and big brother. Mercury gets in the way and mixes things up. Mars wants to forge (good word as Mars rules metals) ahead and Mercury makes us backtrack and redo with the retrograde putting a loop on things. For all of us this is 6th house energy, but watch for your Sun and Rising as this will be in a different area of the chart.
Sun
The Sun moves from Cancer to Leo on July 22nd until August 23rd. The Sun and Mercury are never far from each other. An area of our lives is illuminated by the Sun and Mercury has us thinking and talking about that. For all of us there is energy in 2 consecutive houses as the Sun and Venus are in Leo, then the Sun joins Mercury and Mars in Virgo.
It is early fall energy as we leave the hazy days of summer, the 5th house of pleasure and fun in Leo to start to get organized in Virgo. Take it slowly!
Moon
There are 2 full moons this month, one on the 1st in Aquarius and one on the 30th in Pisces. A Leo-Aquarius opposition is about self and group. Individuality and fitting in. Again echoing the nodal shift.
With Virgo-Pisces we look inwards to psychological well being in relation to physical well being. Needing alone time and demands made on us in relation to work.
Trine and Square to Uranus by Mars and the Sun
Mars will trine Uranus from the 12th to the 22nd and in between the Sun will square Uranus form he 13th to the 19th. Uranus is disruptive and rebellious. Sometimes it is us rebelling, the feeling of having to break free from too much constraint. Or it can be something unexpected happening. Uranus is also sudden insight. I look at this for each sign in my August videos.
Retrograde Season
Pluto has been retrograde since May and has moved back into Capricorn. He will be there until the end of the year despite going direct on October 10th. This is part of the 2 year transit into Aquarius, where Pluto will be for 20 years starting for good in 2024. The video is here and the blog version is here. Saturn stationed retrograde June 17th, followed by Neptune June 30th, both in Pisces. Venus is retrograde since July 22nd and Mercury soon on August 23rd, followed by Uranus on August 28th. Jupiter will follow a week after on September 4th. Venus will be direct but still in shadow.
Things will feel like they are slowing and you may get déjà vu. There will be do-overs. Or undoings. Or re-confirming our commitment to a person or project after re-examination. Be well.
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