Photo by Luke Tanis.
The beginning of August marks Lammas, an Old English harvest celebration. It is a time of summer’s greatest bounty from mother earth. Early August unfolds in the heart of Leo season! Leo the lion bursts forth with creative gifts, a generous spirit and a joyful expression of life. The height of summer is upon us in all its glory! The Sun is in range of a conjunction with Jupiter in Leo at the start of the month. Ask yourself, how can I truly shine and radiate my own rays of light for all to see? I think of the lyrics by Robert Hunter, “Playing, Playing in the band. Daybreak, daybreak on the land!”
August 3rd, Chiron, the “wounded healer,” turns retrograde at 00°52’ Taurus. It is hard not to see Chiron’s recent entry into the sign of the bull as evidence of the escalating events related to climate change. Let’s face it; this summer has been rough across the globe. Chiron reenters Aries mid-September. But in the meantime, expect more revelations of the painful wounds our mother earth is experiencing. With Uranus in Gemini now, we need a collective wakeup call of new strategies in dealing with global climate problems. “Some folks look for answers, others look for fights.”
Venus enters Libra, 12:12 pm Pacific time, August 6th, while Mercury enters Leo, 9:28 am, August 9th. Mars follows into Cancer August 11th, 1:30 am. Libra and Leo are two signs often associated with artistic expression and creative endeavors. Meanwhile, the sign Cancer softens the war-like aspects of Mars, helping to bring out a nurturing side of ourselves and a sensitivity to others. Combined, the planets in the second week of August suggest a lovely time to share sweet romance, caring acts of kindness or playful rounds of music-making and merriment. August 15th, Mercury conjuncts Jupiter in Leo, 10°09’. Open doors to new levels of creativity! Sing to your heart’s content!
August is also eclipse season. First, we have a total solar eclipse, Leo 20°01’, August 12th, 10:36 am. This is a powerhouse of a New Moon, total eclipses carrying the greatest weight of all types of eclipses. Look to see where mid- to late Leo falls in your own birth chart. Here you may expect new developments roughly six months before or after the eclipse. Leo as a sign is about stepping into your own power as artist or leader. “Standing on a tower, world at my command, you just keep a turning, while I’m playing in the band…” Artists wear many “hats” and yours may depend upon the house in your birth chart where the eclipse falls. In order to fully take the stage as the regal lion or lioness that you are, some things may need to go by the wayside or maybe you need to take charge in innovative ways.
August 18th, the north node of the Moon enters Aquarius, the south node Leo. The nodes are points in the sky that show us our “karmic” habits (south node) while also revealing where, as a collective, we are trying to go (north node). We are dealing with old patterns of wanting to be “seen,” of seeking applause or power as leaders more for the intention of ego rather than an Aquarian sense of equity, justice and humanitarian concerns. Let’s hope we move away from power trips and more to the “age of Aquarius” in value! Sun enters Virgo August 22nd, 7:18 pm. Time to rise above our imperfections with sound critical reflection.
A partial lunar eclipse occurs August 27th, 9:18 pm, 04°54’ Pisces. A Full Moon in Pisces opposes Sun, Mercury, 05°22’ Virgo, and squares Uranus, 05°37’ Gemini. Balance letting go and feeling through your emotions and the visionary side of you with the need for some practical discernment of what is worth criticizing and perfecting.
Jupiter in Leo trines (120°) Saturn retrograde in Aries, 13°41’, August 31st. In range the last two weeks of August, this event holds a lot of potential for being a spiritual warrior who is willing to step into leadership with strong and positive conviction. Do the right thing the universe says! “When it’s done and over…a man is just a man”!
