August begins in the midst of lightning storms and torrential seas. We’re preparing for the third and final eclipse of the summer, which will close the eclipse vortex—an epic month-long period of change and karmic compression. At the same time, multiple planets are now in retrograde, forcing us to turn inward before we leap ahead. In particular, Mars retrograde has been generating heat, helping us question our desires and recalibrate our sexuality and inner masculine. And now, Uranus is entering the mix, triggering plot twists and volatility—as well as unexpected opportunities and insights. Our trajectory could now veer into any direction.

This month, the key is to rest with uncertainty—to take time to strategize and plan. We could ask ourselves what we truly want—what aligns with our most authentic heart and highest ideals. Pushing ahead with impatience will only lead us to burnout and frustration. As we step into significant transformation, emerging from our cocoons, we can remember to slow down and stay grounded. We have the opportunity to break out of deep ruts and to open to much greater frequencies of light and potential. We only have to remember to be patient as we ride out the storms.

MARS SQUARE URANUS

Our frustrations are up at the start of month, with Mars squaring Uranus on August 2, as Mercury retrogrades in Leo. Our irritation is now reaching a boiling point. We could feel as though we’re struggling to move ahead with our desires, as outside circumstances thwart our momentum. There’s no use trying to push upstream. We can take a moment to pause and reflect on our previous mistakes with neutrality and non-judgement, breaking out of old patterns, relationships, and circumstances that have been holding us back from our joy, pleasure, and authenticity.

T-SQUARE: VENUS, SATURN, + CHIRON

A T-Square arrives August 4 to 14, helping us heal old wounds around love and creativity. We may feel heartbroken or weary from heartache, but we can trust the planets’ support of our long-term future. We’re healing the past as we lay foundations for a more stable future—as well as healthier relationships to romance, justice, and the inner feminine.

VENUS ENTERS LIBRA / URANUS TURNS RETROGRADE

Venus enters Libra on August 7, just as Uranus stations retrograde. This is a beautiful day for love, creativity, and harmony. We also have the chance to look inside and contemplate where we’ve been stuck and where we’re finally ready to break free.

The Leo Solar Eclipse arrives on August 11, closing the eclipse vortex. Solar Eclipses are extra potent New Moons, making this the perfect day for intention-setting. Leo rules the heart, so we might consciously drop our intellectual minds into our hearts, and orient our lives toward greater love, pleasure, and compassion. We’re pushing outside of our comfort zones, connecting with increased creativity and romance, as we break out of our rigidity, traumas, and unhealthy emotional and relational patterns. Where have our hearts been blocked? What have we been afraid of going after? We’re now diving headlong into the future, emanating with new frequencies of understanding. We’re ready to offer ourselves to the world with genuineness, fearlessness, and pleasure, with an eye toward the collective good.

MERCURY STATIONS DIRECT

On August 19, Mercury stations direct as Jupiter trines Neptune. It’s time for forgiveness and for healing communication rifts. We may feel deep unconditional love arising in us and surrounding us, with a reminder of our interconnection. Any turmoil we have experienced during this challenging eclipse season now has the chance for amelioration and resolution.

PISCES FULL MOON

The Pisces Full Moon arrives on August 26, forming a Grand Kite with Uranus and Saturn. This is a beautiful indication that all of the upheaval and changes we’ve been experiencing are beginning to settle into a new and stable form. Collectively and personally, we’re now moving into the new paradigm with grace, support, and deep self-sufficiency. We’re beginning to rebuild the places that we’ve had to let go.

MARS STATIONS DIRECT

As Mars stations direct on August 27, we’re finally ready to move forward after experiencing two months of our momentum halted. We’ve been questioning our motivations and drives, reassessing our sexuality and inner masculine, and now we can move forward, gaining speed as we embrace new ways of relating to these Marsian issues. We’re bounding forward, dusting ourselves off from the chaos and upheaval of recent times. The horizon is beginning to light up, with a glimmer of what’s to come.

August 2018 summary

This August is a month of frustration and discomfort, as well as tremendous insights, breakthroughs, and unexpected turns. We're closing the eclipse vortex, with the third and final eclipse of the summer arriving on August 11. It's helping us release traumas, fears, relationships, and circumstances that have been holding us back from our deepest pleasures and desires. At the same time, many retrogrades are forcing us to turn inward, with Uranus unsticking our places of stubbornness and rigidity. We have no choice but to draw on our patience during this time of immense reflection and standstill. We might ask ourselves: What mistakes have we repeatedly made? What unhealthy patterns are we ready to dislodge? And which direction are we now ready to move toward? While August is a month of thwarted momentum, it's also allowing us the chance to lay proper foundations so we may fulfill our long-term visions. By the end of the month, Mars will station direct, finally bounding us ahead, while the Pisces Full Moon sextiles Uranus and Saturn—stabilizing our chaos. We'll be much better equipped to catapult into the future, balancing our creativity with pragmatism, our personal pleasure with deep care for the greater good. Without choice, we're learning self-sufficiency as we develop trust in ourselves and the universe. The key now is to surrender and relax.

As lightning strikes, waves crashing against the bow, may we call on our inner pace and stability. May our natural wisdom keep us afloat, our eyes squinting in the early morning sun.

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