Astrology for August ~ The World Keeps Turning

The planets involved in the cardinal T-Square were super busy in July. Saturn moved back into Libra, (to find out about Saturn in Libra's transit to your chart, click here); Uranus in Aries turned Retrograde and Saturn and Uranus made the last in their series of status-quo shaking oppositions (although we will be feeling their effects for some time to come). There was also a significant Solar Eclipse in Cancer and at the very end of the month, Mars joined the cardinal T-Square party by moving into Libra. See my preview of July’s astrology, for more details.

August begins with the Sun feeling very much at home in bright Leo. Click here for quotes from some very famous Leos ~ great insights into Leos and also into how the Sun in Leo combines with different Moon signs.

Mars continues to energize the T-Square, making alignments on the 3rd August with Jupiter in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn, both of them Retrograde. It’s a time to reevaluate past actions, put aggression and impulsiveness aside, set things right and accept that compromise might be the best solution. This approach is helped by Venus, who joins Mars in Libra on the 6th, where she's a much needed ambassador for peace and reconciliation. While she’s in Libra she will aspect Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto, all in early August, making it a busy period for sorting out relationship issues.

The New Moon in Leo on 9 or 10 August (depending on your time zone), makes a series of awkward semi-square and sesquiquadrate aspects to the T-Square planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto). Tackling the difficult challenges of the last few months might be top of your list of priorities now, but remember that New Moons are best for planning and planting the seeds of future actions, rather than for moving full steam ahead. This is because New Moons are dark times, when the full picture isn’t quite clear yet. By the time of the First Quarter Moon, around the August 16th, the best way forward should become much more apparent, making this a better time to take action.

On August 13, after a brief two and a half month visit to impatient, single focused Aries, Uranus moves back into sensitive, all encompassing Pisces. The radical planet will be in Pisces until March 2011, giving us a chance to revisit and get some closure around Uranus’ in Pisces themes. A blog post on this topic coming soon…

Also on August 13, Jupiter and Saturn oppose each other in Aries and Libra, marking the peak, the halfway point, of the current cycle which began in 2000. This opposition occurs very close to the ‘private becomes public’ Aries Point, so there will be no hiding from seeing things just the way they are – the good and the bad. Whether we like what we see or not, will depend on how we’ve done up until now, but in the collective, we can reliably expect fresh revelations of corporate, political and economic derry-doings to come out of the woodwork. Just look at the BP disaster, if you want a very recent example!

On the 21st, Saturn and Pluto make the last of their current series of inhibiting, constraining squares. We’ve been experiencing these squares since late 2009, alignments which have marked the beginning of the end for the current Saturn-Pluto cycle, which began in the early eighties. This last couple of years have been the final crisis point, from which we must all move forwards. There’s no going back, as we are individually and collectively asked to face our fears, clean up our messes and move towards building fresh structures which will enable us to plant healthy seeds for the next cycle which begins in 2019. Click here for my article on how this Saturn-Pluto cycle has been reflected in politics, economics and culture.
What else is happening in August? Well, on August 20, the trickster planet Mercury turns Retrograde in analytical Virgo. There’s no need to worry and I’ll tell you why in a post nearer the time.

The Sun goes into Virgo on August 22, so look out for my monthly ‘famous quotes’ blog post on Virgos. Also look out for my take on the Full Moon in Pisces on August 24.

See August’s Void of Course Moon times and Moon sign changes here: http://www.mandilockley.com/moonpages.html

Recommendations

For more great Moon stuff, check out Auntie Moon's Moon Phases for August and while you're there, make sure you check out her August Trivia and Treats and her Daily Moon Signs with Zodiactivities

Julie Demboski gives almost daily cosmic updates, so be sure to check in to her blog for the latest this August

Moonkissd by Jessica is also a great blog worth checking out

Coming soon at Astroair...

A great article on synastry and the elements...watch this space...

Whatever you’re doing this August, I really hope it’s a good one and for those of you on holiday, lucky you! With Saturn and Pluto (the aspect of hard, hard, work) transiting my Sun this year, I’ve almost forgotten what a holiday is ~ LOL!

With love,
Mandi
http://www.mandilockley.com/