August opens with a collective sigh of relief. We made it through July! With the Mercury retrograde coming on the heels of a Cardinal culmination, we had many hoops to leap through, many twisted strands of yarn to unravel. It may have seemed like all the conundrums in life converged on us simultaneously, forcing us to sweat and strain our way to new understanding. The revelations relieved the pressure and brought us to the point where we could see a form peering through the mists of the future, allowing a plan to be made.

It may not be the perfect solution, but it gets us a few steps further on our path. We can see a way to work the energies of the next three months, with the emphasis on "work." It’s time to lay our foundations, to ascend the mountain of our sacred purpose. We may not see the whole of our future laid out in detail, but if we shorten our vision to the current time, we can see far enough to make a small plan and carry it out step by step.

This part of the journey takes courage, because we are being guided into a zone of unfamiliarity, where we encounter all our fears of inadequacy in the face of the unknown. Fortunately, August is the time of Leo, sign of the heart, when courage (from the French coeur, "heart") abounds! We can draw on an abundance of coeur-age now to leap into our zone of discomfort.

This is the area of greatest growth right now, because we are involved in a balancing act. There is a great confluence of the planets into a narrow range of degrees (each in its respective sign), focused on the Sixth Harmonic. The Sixth Harmonic brings us sextiles and the Grand Sextile (aka the Star of David, Merkabah), as well as the lesser forms of the Cradle, Mystic Rectangle, Kite, and Minor Grand Trine. The Third Harmonic trine and Grand Trine are also subsumed into the Sixth Harmonic. In July, we had the first of the true Grand Sextiles (involving only planets) on July 29–30.

The Sixth Harmonic is great for establishing a form or structure on any level of existence. At this point in our common evolutionary process, it is mostly about establishing a foundation. It is a pattern that stays with us off and on through June 2014, with one or another Sixth configurations constantly with us through then. In August, the most available points of the pattern are those held by Saturn and Jupiter, which trine each other. This is an amazing connection of enterprise, and we will do well to capitalize on them.

However, without the goad of a perceived challenge or problem, we may be at a loss as to how to use these relaxing energies. This is where the more strident connections out there become useful. Trines are famous for their ease and flow—it’s enough to make us want to nod off. Add a few oppositions and squares, and we have a balance of longing and need combined with opportunity and flow. We have the urge to get something done and we can actually do it with a minimum of stress. We feel both challenged and confident, energized and inspired.

August gives us this combination, in the form of squares from Leo to Saturn in Scorpio, and in the form of the Fourth Harmonic pattern that Jupiter has entered into with Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn, triggering action in the Cardinal Signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn). This is the famed and feared Cardinal Grand Cross, which is intermittently present through mid-July next year. Jupiter will bring to the surface the Mother Lode of transformation we’ve been cooking up since Pluto entered Capricorn in 2008. Now we will see it all. It may not always feel good, but it is better to feel bad and know what to do about it than it is to just feel bad, as many people have felt since then.

We will feel drawn and driven to work hard in August, especially now that Saturn is moving forward and has given us a directive for rebuilding, even if it’s only short-term. Some of the sweat will go into planning, as Mercury makes a quick transit of Leo and squares Saturn on the August 11, then Mars continues the process when it enters Leo on August 27. But the real release comes through Jupiter, which makes its first set of connections to Pluto and Uranus on August 7 and 21.

Between the challenges that these connections represent, we will be sufficiently goaded into purposeful action. What a relief, to be able to take action with meaning! These are the first of three passes, so our actions will be formative, but there is also the sense of setting something in stone (finally!) as Saturn moves through the tail end of its yearly cycle.

In August, we’re also treated to a Blue Moon. There are many definitions for a Blue Moon, but the only one that makes sense in astrological terms (and bears deep meaning) is where there are two Full Moons in the same sign. In this case, we are repeating the Full Moon in Leo-Aquarius. We get two months to work with these archetypes of social expression and group consciousness. After a time when we’ve been flooded with emotional truth, now we get to lift it away in a burst of brilliant objectivity and humanity, taking the pressure off the cooker and coordinating heart and head.

As for those with an emphasis in the Mutable Cross (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces), this is a transition period. The fulcrum of force in these Signs centers on Neptune and Chiron in Pisces. We make a crossing with these energies August 22–September 3. We find what needs healing and begin to see how we can activate the process as the Sun opposes these bodies of inner reality.

The rest of the planets continue to separate from each other. Mars is well behind the pack of fast-movers, while Venus is well ahead, now arcing high in the Western sky at sunset to put her radiant beauty on breath-taking display. As she climbs higher each night, it reminds us that her next retrograde cannot be far off. Mercury reaches the halfway point of its four-month cycle on August 24, the Full Mercury Superior Conjunction with the Sun. In this connection, Mercury is on the far side of the Sun away from the Earth, so it feels appositional in nature. We gain useful and activating perspectives on what has arisen during and since July’s retrograde.

If you’re good at multi-tasking, you’ll digest August’s banquet very well. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to act, it could arrive. Until we receive the call to action, we can cultivate our opportunities by weeding out the obstacles to fulfilling them, then guide them onto the trellis of our purpose with our day-to-day choices.

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(Except as otherwise noted, all interpretations here are based on a natural chart, using the beginning of Aries as the ascendant, and times listed are Pacific Standard Time (UTC–8) until March 10; Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-7) thereafter.

A "Void Moon" or "Void of Course Moon" (or "VOC moon" for short) makes no significant aspects until it enters the next sign. Its void period is thought to be a poor time for starting new projects or making concerted effort toward existing plans.

According to William Lilly, the Moon in Cancer (Moon's rulership), Taurus (Moon's exaltation), Sagittarius and Pisces (signs ruled by Jupiter, the Great Benefic) "performeth somewhat." Lee Lehmann reports that she has tested this, and "you can take it to the bank." Another way of putting how this works is that, when an action is taken during the void period in one of these signs, you get "unanswered success." That is, the lack of planetary action prevents your action from being denied.

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Thursday August 1

Showing us the other side of the coin, the Sun leads us to follow up on events around July 1 when it quincunxes Pluto. We will see some remaining awkwardness that we can work on resolving during the rest of Pluto’s current cycle, which ends on January 1. Venus and Mars connections to Chiron and Uranus simultaneously augment our opportunities for healing as well. The Moon starts the month in Gemini, going void at 9:48 am (12:48 pm ET) for the rest of the day. It’s a good day to get to the heart of the problem and heal it, if you have the opportunity. This is White Rabbit Day. When you say “White rabbit!” upon arising on the first of the month, you invoke the lunar power to bring magic manifest into your life in the coming month.

Friday August 2

Following on yesterday’s healing contacts, Venus sextiles Mars to give us a hint of what’s coming in Winter-Spring as they move further into their current cycle, which started April 6. Contacts and connections made today will turn out well. At 9:30 pm PT (12:30 am August 3 ET), the Moon enters Cancer, ending a very long void period in Gemini. Our feelings precipitate out of the ethers, and we know what’s missing. We can use our awareness to feed the next lunar cycle, which starts on Tuesday, August 6. For now, we are in the Wishing Moon, so make your wishes for the coming month based on what you discover.

Saturday August 3

Mercury clears its Retrograde Shadow when it reaches 23°07' Cancer today, taking us into new mental territory and allowing us to close the final door on the previous Mercury cycle, which has featured the healing of old wounds since late February. We can now fully embrace the new cycle of establishing new mental, emotional, and physical foundations. The Moon carries on in Cancer, making all the big contacts as recreates the Water Grand Trine before it lights up the Cardinal Cross planets Jupiter, Pluto, and Uranus. The processing we do today will shape our focus and awareness for the next lunar cycle, almost upon us.

Sunday August 4

We reach a choice-point today related to May’s eclipses as the Sun squares the Nodes (transiting eclipse point). This is about breaking through situations where we feel stuck, but the best approach is not to push, which engenders resistance. Rather, we must continue our softly-softly efforts. The best approach is to sneak our warmth and good influence in through the back door. The Sun also activates our awakening and healing process through hook-ups with Uranus and Chiron. We get another look at the startling events of July and how to resolve them. The Moon carries on through late Cancer, going void of course at 11:49 pm PT (2:49 am tomorrow ET) to infuse our dreams with extra psychic juice.

Monday August 5

The Moon enters Leo, sign of tomorrow’s New Moon, at 9:58 am PT (12:58 pm ET). Laid out before us we see an obstacle course that could be fun or onerous, depending on how we look at it. Either way, we need to navigate it over the coming month, so we might as well enjoy it. If we paint flourishes on the boulders, we’ll lift our own spirits as we inspire those who follow us on this path. Progress is invisible now, but it is still happening.

Tuesday August 6

With so many planets at 12 degrees and earlier, the New Moon at 2:51 pm/14°35' Leo happens after all the connections, and the Moon is void of course after this conjunction. This is true about other planetary interactions as well, telling us that the coming month will be more about known factors than new ones. As new problems, ideas, and solutions unfold in the weeks ahead, they will come forward in the context of known needs and circumstances. What happens will be tempered by Jupiter’s opposition to Pluto, which is exact tomorrow. This offers us the opportunity, if not the necessity, to launch some of the big changes that we’ve waited so long to enact.

These big steps will bring with them a harmonious release, but they may be too big to fathom right now. Don’t let the enormity of what’s happening overwhelm you. We benefit by taking each step as it comes, knowing that the path we’re on is one we chose in a previous moment of great insight and lucidity. If we are called to make a big change in our external circumstances, such as a move or job change, we will automatically turn to our most basic needs until we stabilize to a new routine. As Jupiter moves into this Cardinal hotspot, squaring Uranus on August 21, things may develop rapidly if we’ve primed the pump for it.

In the chart cast for the US set in Washington DC, the Descendant picks up the degree of the Mars-Jupiter conjunction. This tells us that what happened on July 22 will have a follow-on event today. Even if it seems innocuous, it will inaugurate a cascade of bigger events through August 21. What’s more, this places Jupiter’s exact opposition to Pluto on the angles, indicating that difficult situations at home, such as the release of NSA documents, will impinge upon relationships with foreign powers. Although this is mostly about friendly powers, the US may pull rank or act in an unfriendly way. The country will appear to be its own worst enemy. The President will manage this adeptly on the basis of the long view.

The Sun and Moon are both at 15 Leo, carrying the Sabian Symbol, “a street pageant moving along a street packed with people.” There is an air of celebration, perhaps of victory in a competition or conflict, and people are eager to participate, both to raise their spirits and praise those who "won." However, what’s happening behind the scenes? What’s real? Is the parade a distraction from underhanded activities, or is the contest one based on ethical behavior? A celebration for the wrong reasons has a hollow ring and a brittle substance. If it carries heart (Leo), it holds an energy of love and joy that bespeaks its authenticity.

Wednesday August 7

Although we’ve been feeling it these past few days, Jupiter finally reaches its exact opposition to Pluto at 9°26' Cancer/Capricorn. This is the first of three such contacts, so it sets up a new condition in life that we have several months to work with. We are on the threshold of a big change, our first chance to respond in a substantial way to the transformation we’ve been enduring for the past few years. The Moon continues its void period in Leo until it enters Virgo at 8:57 pm PT (11:57 pm ET).

Thursday August 8

At 5:13 am PT (8:13 am ET), Mercury enters Leo to help us move our mental energies from emotion to inspiration. The Moon in Virgo keeps us focused on pragmatics, but we may wake up foggy-headed as it opposes Neptune overnight. It’s all harmonies for the rest of the day, making it the perfect day to make progess toward our biggest objectives.

Friday August 9

The Moon continues to show us the gentle side of life as it completes its stay in Virgo, when it re-activates last week’s Venus-Mars harmony. We can bring this accord into our own relationships by using this connection today. At 3:05 pm PT (6:05 pm ET), the Moon takes us into the void-of-course lull. Time to relax!

Saturday August 10

At 6:08 am PT (9:08 am ET), the Moon enters Libra, filling the gap to create a Cardinal Grand Cross. It helps us by coordinating head and heart through a sextile to Mercury, so we can see and resolve our current conundrums with clarity. This gives us a new angle on our healing process as Mercury quincunxes Neptune. Self-honesty is the key that we will not be able to avoid, as Pluto comes onto the lunar radar.

Sunday August 11

The pressure to meet deadlines, to perform to others’ standards, peaks today as Mercury squares Saturn. This can be a very fruitful activation if we step up to the plate with hard work and ingenuity. The Libra Moon continues to create meaningful experiences through its connections in the Cardinal Cross. Pay attention: We can observe the sprouting of our seeds of change now if we look closely. The Moon goes void of course on a note of agitation as it squares Mars.

Monday August 12

The Moon induces a quiet morning when its void period hangs over until 1:18 pm PT (4:18 pm ET). Its entry into Scorpio focuses us immediately on something that must be done, even though we may not want to do it. Take heart, it will bring relief in the moment and contribute to long-term benefits.

Tuesday August 13

The Moon in Scorpio brings forward elements of discord as it challenges Mercury as it quincunxes Pluto. This means that we may have to take on a situation of potential conflict from what we perceive as a weakened position. In the overall scheme of things, this will fade once we have dealt with it, so go ahead and bite the bullet. We will overcome the remaining awkwardness through the strength we are continuing to build through other means.

Wednesday August 14

At 3:56 am/21°49' Leo/Scorpio (6:56 am ET), we experience the First Quarter Moon, the time when actions bring magical results. We are in the midst of dramatic changes, as Jupiter continues to magnify the effects of Pluto and Uranus. It may seem as though there aren’t enough hours in the day, but we’ll cut our way through the tall grass with speed and precision. Inspiration will guide us.

Mercury is our agent now acting on our behalf, as it makes three connections today. Its square to the Nodes brings us to a point of reconsideration: Did we make the right decision on August 4? Mercury also trines Uranus and quincunxes Chiron, for a new take on what needs mending and how to do it.

At 2:30 pm on a note of pleasure, the Moon enters its void period, giving us down time until 6:04 pm upon its entry into Sagittarius.

In the lunation chart for the US, the Sun-Moon square is prominent. This suggests that an area of deep and long-standing resistance needs to be dealt with. The needs of the people, especially those in the heartland, are being overlooked in a backroom deal. The fading middle class is likely to be further weakened by the bargain, but this is a trade-off situation that will be supportive in other ways.

For the First Quarter Moon, the Sabian Symbols at 22 Leo/Scorpio are: “A carrier pigeon fulfilling its mission” (the Sun); and “Hunters protected by heavy clothing are shooting wild ducks” (the Moon). Both images are about birds, symbolizing the flight of the soul and the migration to the Paradise Time where souls unite and flourish. There is an inner conflict implied, where the mission of the soul feels undermined or challenged by the illusion of separation and isolation, which leads to conflict and war. This week may be a time to guard our speech, or at least to be aware of the pitfalls of revealing ourselves without forethought. This also suggests self-harm—“shooting oneself in the foot"—if we follow appearances.

Thursday August 15

The Moon in Sagittarius creates a Fire Grand Trine with Mercury and Uranus, for a day of brilliant creativity or just plain fun. Enjoy!

Friday August 16

Venus enters Libra, one of her home signs, at 8:37 am PT (11:37 am ET). She is the first to activate this Autumn energy, filling in the missing link in the Cardinal Grand Cross through August 27. Hidden conflicts, based on misunderstandings from the past, perhaps based on childhood or societal conditioning in our relationships of all kinds will surface now so they can be healed. The Moon carries us above the mundane as it trines the Sun from Sagittarius before entering its void-of-course period at 10:32 am. We can still use the Moon productively, even though it does not enter Capricorn until 8:25 pm.

Saturday August 17

The Moon starts the day in early Capricorn, reaching the juicy Cardinal pattern at midday. It carries with it Venus’s energy in anticipation of the connections she will make over the next ten days. Attend closely, because there will be cues to what’s coming.

Sunday August 18

The Moon in Capricorn reaches its void period at 11:26 am PT (2:26 pm ET) as it opposes Mars, creating a longing for closeness. This is a good time to think about the ways we can create that if it reflects a persistent need in our lives. We get a breath of fresh air when the Moon crosses into Aquarius at 9:07 pm.

Monday August 19

We have to stay mindful of our deep inner need for spiritual connection, as Venus quincunxes Neptune. It’s important to assert space and time for this in our relationships as they shape-shift in response to the changes we are enacting now. The Moon in Aquarius underscores our need for enlightened discipline, as well as the need to ignore the routine in order to bring our most important tasks to completion.

Tuesday August 20

The Blue Full Moon arrives at 6:45 pm PT/28°11' Leo-Aquarius (9:45 pm ET), the drop of the other shoe to finish up situations that opened to us on the July 22 Full Moon, also in Leo-Aquarius. After the Full Moon, the Moon is void of course until 9:43 pm, when it enters Pisces. This Full Moon continues and completes processes already in motion, lending a dispassionate eye to what might otherwise generate a higher emotional pitch. Even as we engage in these completions, a new beginning is just around the corner.

In the Full Moon chart for Washington DC, the Cardinal Grand Cross is featured front and center. Uranus on the Ascendant suggests that portions of the public will be in a reactionary mood regarding ongoing issues in public policy, especially those areas where the legislature and administration have acted against the public interest—or failed to act at all. As the people see that their ability to sustain themselves is being undermined, even deliberately blocked, they are beginning to speak out and stand up in greater numbers. With Pluto directly on the MC, the possibility for the use of martial force against the civilian population is great. Weather events related to global warming, the contamination of food supplies by chemicals and unproven genetically engineered strains, the withholding of healthy seed stock, work and wages, and water: these threaten the supply of food and the right to physical and social health that is part of American freedoms. Venus on the Descendant is our reminder that things are done differently in other nations, with better effects.

The Full Moon’s Sabian Symbols (29 Leo/Aquarius) are: “A mermaid on a bleak, rocky shore awaits the prince who will grant her immortality” (the Sun); and “a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis” (the Moon). After a long wait while our dreams have been incubating in hidden darkness, they can now emerge in their beautiful final form. Although we still need allow their wings to dry, their legs to steady, and their eyes to adjust to the light, we can now see their delicate divine essence in their fully glory. Let them take flight in their own time. Your patience is being rewarded.

Wednesday August 21

Jupiter is the lead actor on center stage today, as it perfects its square to Uranus and trine to Chiron. Both are the first of three, a shift that opens us to the next subplot in life, an adventure that will do much to relieve stresses as it creates excitement borne on the winds of change. The Moon threads its way through Pisces in a constructive way, granting us a day of calm on our other fronts.

Thursday August 22

The Sun enters Virgo at 4:02 pm PT (7:02 pm ET), as the Moon wings its way through the final degrees of Pisces. It finds Mars in its final days in Cancer, bringing bliss through a flowing trine. At 6:38 pm, the Moon takes us further into our center with its void period, helping us into a peaceful evening.

Friday August 23

The Moon enters Aries at 0:13 am PT (3:13 am ET), once more focusing us on our biggest challenges as it connects with the Cardinal Grand Cross planets Venus, Pluto, Jupiter, and Uranus. Fortunately, we have some help. Hard on the heels of the Sun, Mercury enters Virgo at 3:37 pm, the Sign of its rulership and exaltation. This enhances our logic and ability to organize, to streamline and produce. With a sharp mind, we can see through our dilemmas without negative emotions clouding our view.

Saturday August 24

As Venus squares Pluto, her first contact in the Cardinal Grand Cross, we see into the relationship complications that are created as we transform. If we pull ourselves back from our attachments, we’ll be able to find the deeper purpose and harmony in the situation—what’s being learned and why this is the best and fastest way for it to occur, as Mercury and the Sun conjoin at 1°51' Virgo. Moon in Aries could make us a little reactionary.

Sunday August 25

The Moon’s brief void-of-course in Aries commences at 3:01 am PT (6:01 am ET). When it goes into Taurus at 6:13 am, the second Grand Sextile of the summer is formed. Key to our process now is Mercury’s opposition to Neptune today and the Sun’s tomorrow. To use this Grand Sextile well, we need to clarify our goals and spiritual direction. It’s a good time to tune in to our inner guidance and make sure we are aligned with our highest purposes, taking action as it is called for.

Monday August 26

The Moon in Taurus and the Grand Sextile continue through today, with an added twist, as Venus quincunxes Chiron and opposes Uranus. This may require multi-tasking in a circumstance that seems annoying, or a health matter could emerge just when we don’t need it. Through it all, we’re reaching for the insights that the Sun’s opposition to Neptune can bring to us. All in all, this is a time when we are more likely to disconnect from others to gain perspective. It is better to wait until we’re stabilized with those insights before reaching out to others.

Tuesday August 27

Venus finishes her dance with the Cardinal planets as she squares Jupiter, to bring our need for closeness and family to the surface. As the dust settles from this round of revelations, we will see even more clearly than before whom we want most in our lives. We will understand better the purpose that lies just beneath the instinctual longing we have, making it easier to act to fulfill those bonds. Mercury sextiles Saturn, an opportunity to make long-term plans. Mars enters Leo at 7:05 pm PT (10:05 pm ET), leading us to a more creative expression of our urge to act. The Moon is void in Taurus at 3:58 pm for the shortest void of the season, lasting only until 4:08 pm with her entry into Gemini. With a square to Neptune, meditate yourself to sleep for powerful dream messages.

Wednesday August 28

In an action-packed cycle, the Last Quarter Moon helps us wind down the energy and assimilate the wisdom it brings when it occurs at 2:35 am/5°15' Virgo-Gemini (5:35 am ET). This lunation feels much gentler, as the primary connections of August are behind us, with only a gentle Mercury trine to Pluto to augment our understanding. We need some time to stabilize what’s changed and what’s new. With the joy of new potentials and the confidence born of self-empowerment, we can embrace our circumstances and prepare for creating on this new inner landscape. The Moon takes us into the quietude of its void period at 9:44 pm.

In the chart for the US set in Washington, the planets show calmer energies around the nation. The issues of the past few weeks have been recognized, with real solutions yet to be activated. Trade and manufacturing deficits, piracy, the greed for oil—all these create imbalance in the economy and politics of the nation, and they must be dealt with for true national health to return. The truth is out.

The Sabian Symbols for the Last Quarter Moon at 6 Virgo/Gemini are: “A merry-go-round” (the Sun), and “In spring, game birds are feathering their nests” (the Moon). After our delicate balancing act of the past three weeks (and the months and years prior), we have something to truly celebrate. False images have fallen away to reveal a blessing of breath-taking beauty. Take it in! Accept this gift—it will transport you into a whole new life, where even more joy and fulfillment waits to be born. Even if more challenges await, we need our time to take in the goodness of things.

Thursday August 29

This is a good day to take account of the facts, as Mercury opposes Chiron and quincunxes Uranus. We need to see every factor now so we make clear decisions and don’t have to backtrack. We see signs of new emotional and social stability, the results of the past year’s steady efforts as the Sun sextiles Saturn. The Moon remains void in Gemini.

Friday August 30

Good news and agreement are in the air as Mercury sextiles Jupiter, for clear communication and a wide-open channel to understanding. Whether we’re taking a test or signing papers, all will turn out well. The Moon is void in Gemini until it enters Cancer at 4:33 am PT (7:33 am ET). This opens us to a new page of drama in this life chapter, as emotion and instinct meet the need for transformation via a Pluto connection tonight.

Saturday August 31

The Moon is our sole source of activity today as it wings through Cancer, reconnecting the Cardinal Cross planets and the auspicious Mercury-Jupiter sextile. Solutions are available for whatever arises. The Moon’s void period commences at 5:06 pm PT (8:06 pm ET) until tomorrow at 5:01 pm.

 

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