MONTH OF August
Aim that arrow, Archer! After a contemplative Cancer season filled with revelations, August kicks off on an optimistic note as the Sun takes its annual chariot ride through lively Leo until August 22, parading through your ninth house of expansion and adventure. Are you feeling the urge to travel, learn new things or shift boundaries that are no longer a good fit? As the natural ruler of this zodiac sector, you’re usually “in the zone” during Leo season. Lucky you, Sagittarius!
The question at hand: How big and how far do you want to go? Before you take that leap of faith, however, this year’s Leo season might not be quite as breezy or happy-go-lucky as you’d like. Thanks to a few transits, your world travels or entrepreneurial visions for the future might take a little extra planning to pull off without a hitch.
For starters, Mercury will be retrograde from August 5 to 28, crossing communication wires, delaying flights and travel routes and causing technology breakdowns. To wit: Mercury’s pre-shadow period began on July 16 (and coincided with Crowdstrike’s historical global IT outage shortly thereafter).
On the plus side, a galvanizing Mars-Jupiter conjunction could bring a midmonth relationship defining moment! The most complicated day to watch is August 19, when a double dose of cosmically confounding T-squares—a tug of war involving multiple planets—arrives along with the Aquarius full moon.
Despite the planetary plot twists, August is still the most wonderful time of the year if you’re a Sagittarius. You’ll be at your best, high on life and pulsating with possibilities. Have you been aching to stretch your wings? Now may be the time. Take courses, work on an indie business idea, inhale a good book or a podcast that inspires personal growth.
An extra push to explore arrives with the year’s only Leo new moon on August 4, which plants the seeds for growth and optimistic risk-taking over the next six months. Close your eyes, set an intention and prepare to work your magic far and wide! This expansive new moon inspires you to think (and travel) beyond your current limits. A startup business or an educational endeavor could take off. Connect to far-flung followers and see what you might co-create. If you’re a media-maker or teacher, start cooking up a new project that you can launch over the coming six months.
Right as you’re about to race off on those exciting ventures, though, the celestial speed limit gets lowered. On August 5, Mercury, the planet of communication, technology and travel, turns retrograde, a U-turn that will last until August 28. Choose your words with care during this cycle (advice that goes double for you, an outspoken Sag) and back up important electronic data and devices. You’ll feel Mercury’s impact the most in your career and out-in-the-world life as it will reverse through Virgo and Leo, hitting the public sectors of your chart.
From August 5 to 14, Mercury will back through Virgo and your tenth house of career, leadership and authority. How do you interact with people in power—or when you’re the one in charge? Authority figures and decision makers could be particularly challenging now. But rather than get embattled, use this time to handle unfinished or behind-the-scenes projects. Mercury retrograde rules the past. Clear the decks and get in touch with former colleagues and clients. They could prove to be amazing resources!
When Mercury reverses into Leo and your outspoken ninth house from August 14 to 28, unfiltered opinions could land you in hot water. The less you blurt, the cooler you’ll stay. Got a big visionary project you want to leap into? Pack an extra parachute. It will be so hard to contain your enthusiasm, especially since Leo season could bring a bounty of luck.
Putting a hold on tempting offers might be impossible now, thanks to a cosmic counterforce midmonth. When courageous Mars and risk-taker Jupiter (your cosmic ruler) form an exact conjunction in Gemini on August 14, a dynamic duo—either business or personal—could reach warp speed. This combination will activate your seventh house of committed relationships. If you’re not rushing off to City Hall for a quickie marriage license (half kidding) or leaping into a long-distance love affair, then you might decide to pour your time, attention or even some money into a joint business idea.
While astrologers advise against signing binding paperwork during Mercury retrograde, you may need to just double down and read the fine print three times over. If it feels too good to miss, light a candle, ask your guides for protection and take the plunge. A juicy, one-time-only opportunity should NOT be passed over!
If you’re still navigating the options, though, then DO take control and slow the pace down enough to weigh all the facts and figures. Partnerships can be a lot easier to get into than out of, Sag. Don’t minimize the risks and potential downsides. Instead, use the openhearted energy of Mars and Jupiter for a candid conversation in which you discuss what you both want for the long term. Just make sure you’re prepared for this intense level of honesty if you open that door.
Major news could arrive at the August 19 Aquarius full moon, which illuminates your third house of communication. If you’ve held off on making a decision, you could get the information you need to move forward (or opt out). A project might finally get the green light you’ve been waiting for, especially if it involves media or communications.
But even if things do pop off, you could get overwhelmed by all the details and activity going on today. As you grow in your life and career, keeping track of everything might get harder. Do you need to delegate or upgrade your systems? It’s time (yet again) to shift out of the “I’ll just do it myself” mindset and start training people to support you. Got a message to share with the world? La luna hands you the microphone and invites you to hold court.
Choose your words carefully, however, because this year’s Aquarius full moon brings a plot twist. The skies will feature not one but TWO rare T-squares, a three-way conflict involving planets that can pull you in polarizing directions! Expect the intensity to rise, and we don’t just mean the political landscape—2024’s Democratic National Convention kicks off the same day, after all!
The first T-square involves the heavy lifters of the zodiac—hot-to-trot Mars, hopeful Jupiter, cautious Saturn (retrograde) and harmonious Venus duking it out in adaptable mutable signs—while the second features the full moon, Mercury retrograde and disruptive Uranus in stubborn fixed signs.
The Jupiter-Saturn-Venus T-square mashup serves aclass=”body-el-link standard-body-el-link” s an inflection point stemming from the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn on December 21, 2020. Many astrologers suggest that the seeds of the Age of Aquarius were planted when Jupiter and Saturn appeared from our vantage on Earth as a single, extra-bright star. Great conjunctions happen every 20 years, which means we’re at the first-quarter mark of this one.
The 2020 Jupiter-Saturn conjunction injected a fresh dose of Aquarian values (community, belonging, and freedom) into your third house of perspective and preferences. Your entire mindset and communication style could be totally different now. But here’s the rub: Jupiter and Saturn have opposite agendas. Jupiter is fun-loving and expansive while Saturn is serious and restrictive. It can feel like you’re being pulled in every direction—one moment you’re confident, and the next you’re hesitant. You’ll need to navigate between these contrasts.
Jupiter in curious Gemini and your relationship-oriented seventh house suggests exciting conversation and collaboration whereas Saturn in escapist Pisces and your domestic fourth house offers a reality check on your personal narrative and sense of belonging. With Venus in discerning Virgo and your purposeful tenth house, it’s time to get serious about the legacy you’re leaving behind. On a deeper level, this mutable T-square can help you break free from lingering family-of-origin guilt, shame and fear that could subconsciously be steering your ship.
As if that wasn’t enough, there’s another cosmic mashup to get through! The Aquarius full moon T-square features an opposition between the emotional moon, communicator Mercury (still retrograde) and the dramatic Leo Sun, with changemaker Uranus (in Taurus) wedged in the middle. Talk about a celestial pressure cooker. This fixed-sign planetary party could bring on edginess, stress and potentially a breakthrough (or a breakdown) in relationship and career matters. The full moon illuminates where you might have stubbornly resisted change in the past and could offer a burst of clarity around your true preferences and sense of belonging.
By the time Virgo season kicks off on August 22, you’ll be ready to channel that insight into tangible action steps. Wait another week till Mercury turns direct (forward) to hit the “go” button, though. The Sun spends the next four weeks in your professional, ambitious tenth house, kicking off a month of career focus and success. Set goals, stick to structures, and prioritize. It’s time to sort through the bounty and see which of those ideas are worth developing. Do any have long-term potential? Map out a few rough concepts or take a decisive step forward. Up, up and away!
Resistance is futile, Sagittarius! With cosmic lovebirds Mars and Venus ending summer in Gemini and Virgo—the rulers of your seventh house of relationships and tenth house of public status—it’s officially “commit or quit” time. If a relationship’s potential has expired, ship it out to sea and clear the slate for a more compatible option.
Your tolerance for situationships and casual encounters will be at an all-year low. While you’re scouting for a keeper, look for someone who’s omplementary instead of a clone. With Mars in Gemini all month, the dynamic dance of exploring your contrasts is a total turn-on. Note to coupled Sagittarians: Absence makes the heart (and other body parts) grow fonder. Give the “joined at the hip” schtick a rest and pursue independent interests, too. Pillow talk will be so much more engaging when you reunite with your S.O. at the end of the day!
Regardless of your relationship status, mark August 14 in your calendar for an adventurous date night. Excitable Mars and fun-loving Jupiter will link up in social Gemini, setting the stage for serious fun and banter. Open-bar karaoke followed by a unique hands-on Filipino tasting menu experience? Yes, please!
Just take heed: Mercury will be retrograde for most of the month (August 5 to 28), potentially jamming communication signals and wreaking havoc on your electronic devices and text chains. Double-confirm your plans and read over your messages to make sure everyone’s on the same page. A simple misunderstanding could escalate to full-blown fireworks during Mercury’s backspin.
When Venus relocates to Libra from August 29 to September 22, the intensity in your love life should lighten up. Go out and have fun hanging with friends or flitting between different circles. With Venus immediately trining smoldering Pluto, sparks could fly with an acquaintance. Take a break from the power-couple routine or worrying about the future and do your autonomous thing.
You can also lean in to the more casual side of your union with Venus in your eleventh house of friendship. Schedule group outings; host a back-from-summer-back-to-school party together. This sector rules technology, so single Archers might get on the apps, upload fun new photos and write a profile that reflects your sparkling (and hilarious) personality. Ask friends to set you up with their friends. Keep it chill—but stay open to surprising connections.
Partnerships for the win! With go-getter Mars in Gemini and your committed seventh house, dynamic duos are ablaze until September 14. Welcome complementary souls into your orbit and see how much bigger you can make things when you combine your superpowers.
Adding a splash of your trademark Sagittarius vision is part of the bewitching cocktail. With the Sun in Leo and your expansive ninth house until August 22, your “secret sauce” is the ability to envision possibilities long before others could conceive of them. The August 4 Leo new moon could spark one of these no-limits reveries.
By the time the August 19 Aquarius full moon activates your communication zone, you’ll be primed to put a bold message out there. Just take note of the intense double T-square that day (detailed in the main section of this ‘scope). You may not be able to reach everyone today, but you can get a strong core audience warmed up.
Another reason to manage expectations? Mercury will be retrograde from August 5 to 28, backing through the more worldly and ambitious parts of your chart. Until August 14, Mercury will reverse through Virgo and your career zone, a time to make sure all systems and plans are solidly in place before you press “go.” Scale back on some of the overly ambitious plans from August 14 to 28, while Mercury back-pedals through Leo and your enterprising ninth house. Be cautious about risks, and maybe use this time for a short sabbatical or brainstorming retreat where you can capture all those visions you haven’t had time to fully articulate.
Line everything up now for a big September splash. When Mercury corrects course and returns for a second, well-behaved trek through Virgo from September 9 to 26, your tightened-up plans could really take flight!
Love Days: 22, 26
Money Days: 6, 16
Luck Days: 4, 14
Off Days: 24, 29, 12
