August 2018 Forecasts

​Mercury Retrograde July 26 - August 19
Mercury is retrograde in the slippery sign Ashlesha, having reached the very end of sidereal Cancer by the end of July: a weak section in the zodiac for Mercury, showing a lack of rational thinking and emotional reactions. 
Although creative, this is confusing, as the areas of life affected experience the eclipses and Rahu's continued presence. Mercury's retrograde is a time to review this area of life - whatever that is for you personally. 

Mercury crosses the solar eclipse degree by August 5, bringing something out into the open prior to the solar eclipse on August 11, but Mercury is placed in combustion from August 2 to August 16. Things are about to get very confusing before we get any clarity. 

Mercury stations retrograde on July 26 and direct on August 19, so best to leave a little extra time for the slow turnaround during these periods, especially for travel and communication, accepting that not everything is in our control.

Keep an open mind and a flexible schedule throughout. 

Mercury is opposite Mars, and joined the nodes, creating an uncertainty that can result in childish reactions and outbursts if we are not cognizant of this possibility. Even then, we must accept that we’re not perfect and can react to the pressurized environment inappropriately at times. 

Listen to your inner child, of course, but don’t throw away all reasoning. 

Venus and Mars (Botticelli)

Venus in Virgo August 1 – September 1
There are statistically more divorces during autumn than at any other time of year. This is because Venus usually enters debilitation in autumn. The extravagance of Leo leads to the fall of Venus in Virgo.

​Usually, this means getting back to the 'hum drum' routine and questioning everything we are doing and why we are doing it. Virgo is all about making ourselves better. However, when we try to change other people, well, that never goes well, does it?!

This year, Venus enters debilitation earlier, which can only mean one thing: Venus is getting ready to enter a retrograde phase (beginning October 6). Watch for an early sense of autumn setting in during August, in the sense that we start trying to organize everything and everyone. Virgo's best talent, and biggest downfall, is micro-management.

Happiness levels are affected by over-analysis when Venus transits Virgo. Instead of just loving whoever or whatever is, we start requiring conditions to a certain way to be happy. And because we feel a lack, we may try even harder to get that feeling, exhausting ourselves in the process. A little detachment is helpful, as Saturn is strongly impacting throughout and exact on August 10, but if we overdo that impulse, we may end up feeling dried up emotionally. 

This tendency can be balanced by being happy with what is, reflected in Venus' aspect to the polar opposite sign Pisces. Reach for that sentiment as much as you can in August. 

By looking after Venus: nurturing ourselves and our relationships, we can move beyond immature reactions that will only serve to conflate frustrating situations because of the eclipses and retrograde planets in August (all the planets, except Jupiter and Venus are retrograde).
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Jupiter in Vishakha August 2 - October 27
Jupiter returns to Vishakha in August. It’s still not happy being in Libra, of course, but at least we have a sense of where we need to go. Our awareness turns more inward once it moves into Scorpio by October.

​After all the noise and distractions, especially while Jupiter was in Swati, it challenged our sense of knowing what is right. And while Saturn’s continued transit through Sagittarius can remove those that have misguided, the possibility of digging our heels in and holding onto outworn beliefs is also relevant.
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Now that Jupiter has returned to Vishakha, it heralds a process of focusing our awareness on our next step. We’ve heard all you have had to say, but now we must listen to that still, inner voice, to guide us forward, and inward, to connect with something more meaningful. 

This journey has just begun and will take us deeper by October 11, once Jupiter moves into Scorpio as it continues to transit Vishakha until October 27. It then leaves Vishakha behind on October 27, moving all the way through Scorpio until March 2019, when it will briefly move into Sagittarius and retrograde at the juncture between Scorpio and Sagittarius on April 10, 2019. 

The planet of meaningful purpose, halts between what we wish to achieve on a material level and our spiritual aspirations in 2019, in the most sensitive juncture of the zodiac, where gods and goddesses of life and death reside. 

Jupiter’s current aspect to Neptune creates unrealistic ideals. And yet, this outer world is unreal; the only reality our experience of something beyond our material existence. 

Jupiter’s transit in August gives us insights into what lies ahead, with meaningful change coming from struggles between our outer attention and inner focus in the months that follow. 

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Uranus Retrograde August 7, 2018 – January 6, 2019
Uranus joins the other planets; Pluto, Neptune, Saturn, Mars and Mercury, in retrograde motion in August, leaving only Jupiter and Venus in direct motion. Retrograde planets bring an imbalanced expression to what the planet represents, as we struggle with frustration from apparent setbacks. 

Mars stays in an aspect to the ‘wild card’ planet Uranus until November, so buckle up for a long and unexpected ride. Mars comes back into a tight aspect to Uranus once it moves direct, (exact on September 18), at which time Venus will oppose Uranus, creating many more unexpected events.

When Uranus is retrograde, the unexpected becomes inspected. In other words, we begin to look within to make changes in our internal selves, not just through experiencing external changes. 

The most obvious expression of this is the messy divorce between the UK and EU, as the UK experiences a Uranus opposition, creating a split. The zeitgeist turns inward to question changes that must occur within, but can also show external delays as we question these changes. 

And who gets Ireland in this messy break up?

Ireland also joined the EU when Uranus was in the opposite position to where it is now, creating a very unsettled period for the country. When Ireland’s Jupiter cycle and its subsequent transit through Gandanta (section between Scorpio and Sagittarius) for a large portion of next year are considered, we can see big changes on the horizon for Ireland as a result of Brexit. 

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New Moon Partial Solar Eclipse in Cancer August 11
The Sun in sidereal Cancer is ordinarily a period of retreat and renewal in some sort of seclusion, or at least a need for such - when we take a holiday and wish to recuperate. This year, the new Moon in Cancer is also a partial solar eclipse, requiring us to re-calibrate our energy output.

The Sun in Cancer challenges the sign Leo by its 12th position, bringing up power struggles in the background and behind the scenes. Leaderships roles are challenged, particularly as this new Moon is a solar eclipse, temporarily darkening the light of our luminary, but also giving us insights into the dynamics involved, as the Sun is eclipsed in the lunar sign known as Ashlesha. 

This is a clingy, yet slippery, lunar sign, as things are revealed about leaders, while just as many are obscured. 

Mercury transits to the sensitized eclipse degree (24 degrees sidereal Cancer) by the end of August, while Mars transits opposite by the end of October, bringing something out into the open for the next few months. If you have any planet, but especially your ascendant, Sun (those having their birthday around August 11) or Moon, around this degree, then this is an eclipse to pay close attention to. 

Sun in Leo August 17 – September 16
The Sun enters its own sign and position of power by the end of August. Once the disturbing eclipses begin to settle, and as Mercury and Mars station direct by the end of the month, we can get a sense of our confidence returning. 

The Sun in Leo is all powerful but may show off its power in exaggerated ways, especially because of the Mars impact. Whatever way you express your uniqueness, not matter how vulgar initially, this is a time to find your strength and share your talents. 

Full Moon in Aquarius August 26
The Moon is fullest at 12.56 BST in sidereal Aquarius, in the lunar mansion called Satabhisak which is a sign representing healing, expressed by an electric and eccentric impulse; a thinking outside the box type of quality. 

We can tap into this full Moon healing as the Moon breaks the unnerving sense of a Kala Amrita Yoga (when the visible planets line up on one side of the nodes), and think about our lives differently. 

The Sun has settled into Leo by this full Moon phase, while Mercury as begun to move forward again and Mars stations the day after. 

The Moon is aspected by Saturn, keeping our minds subdued all the same, while Mars slowly stops and reconsiders our next action plan.

Saturn will station in a couple of weeks too, marking a key turning point in the year and our lives by the beginning of autumn, which can also feel like things are grinding to a halt. 

Patience is rewarded at this time. 

Mars stations Direct August 27
Mars ends its retrograde transit on August 27, stationing at 4 degrees of sidereal Capricorn, which is where we find the lunar sign Uttara Asadha, translated as the ‘the undefeated one’. 

After all our setbacks during Mars’ retrograde, our will wins out in the end. The purge continues with Mars together with Ketu, joining the south node again in direct motion and crossing over the lunar eclipse degree by September 27. It seems there is more to purge! 

Mars’ station requires us to manage our energy for the turnaround, releasing any pent-up frustration that has accumulated over the past few weeks, so be aware of not overdoing it, or suppressing too much while the planet slowly turns around.

​Slowly we get a sense by the end of August how it will all play out. 

There is a peak we must get to, a destination we have had in mind for some time now, and although there have been setbacks and pitfalls as we set out, we can now gather more steam on this worthwhile journey. 

Keep your eye on the prize!



OM TAT SAT

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