August 2024 Astrology Forecast
Theme: Heart-led Action
By Guest Astrologer, Meagan Leonard | IG: @_space.drama
Graduate of Our Mystic Astrology Apprenticeship Program
Subthemes for August 2024:
- Seeking out authentic relationships and experiences
- Prioritizing what is most important
- Taking calculated risks
Overall Energy
Water seasons, like the recent Cancer season, are consistently difficult. They force us to slow down and acknowledge pain swept under the rug, wounds that haven’t healed, and desires we haven’t acknowledged. For a few challenging weeks, our intuition becomes heightened, and our dreams become more intense as we are invited to dive deep and retrieve what was repressed or forgotten so that it no longer holds power over us.
This year, the transition from Cancer to Leo was not the celebratory affair we’ve come to expect. Instead, for many of us, the last two weeks of July were marked by frustration, impatience, and anxiety as we grappled with the after-effects of the Full Moon in Capricorn and the uncertainty of choosing a new path. This may have manifested as self-doubt, imposter syndrome, lack of motivation, or apathy.
Although none of these qualities are associated with Leo’s energy, they arise from the tension we experience when we resist the push to take a chance and show up more authentically.
Leo is bold, open-hearted, and demonstrative—it wants us to take risks and make the first move without worrying about what will happen next or how we’ll be perceived. When this energy becomes active in the collective, we are encouraged to take courageous action toward what we want despite past failures and show up as our weird and wonderful selves without fear of rejection.
Many of us are yearning for something real—we are tired of the posturing, game-playing, and social niceties, but continue to live our lives on the sidelines, adhering to arbitrary rulebooks and doing things because that’s how they’ve always been done…
We watch videos, read books, and absorb information to the point where we become cut off from our instincts and can’t interact with others without psychoanalyzing their intentions. For Leo, wearing its heart on its sleeve has always been a badge of honour—but in 2024, it’s a red flag.
This month, we will be invited to show up more authentically, share our gifts with others, and love without fear. Cancer season made us aware of our deepest wounds and how they hold us back from the life we want. Leo season will remind us that courage is not the absence of fear but showing up and taking action despite it.
We are experiencing tension right now because we are being pushed to start before we’re ready, to trust our first instincts and do what feels right.
It’s time to take chances, get messy, and make mistakes.
Transits
Mercury retrograde and cazimi in Virgo and Leo
Most of August’s energy will be filtered through the lens of another Mercury retrograde. For the first half of the month, the planet of communication will backspin through Virgo, eventually meeting up with the Sun in the final degrees of Leo on August 18.
When planets station retrograde, they initiate a period of review and reevaluation—we go back over something. In this case, it is a review of our progress toward a goal and what we must do to maintain the momentum and protect our achievements. Because the cazimi will occur just days before Mercury stations direct, this retrograde cycle will likely give us the clarity we need to take our commitments seriously and persevere through obstacles.
Mercury in Virgo is meticulous—it encourages us to make concrete plans and communicate them to others—this means compromising and setting boundaries. If chaos, drama, and stress have been hindering your progress, now is the time to problem-solve, eliminate distractions, and introduce more structure into your life.
Success is not a one-time event, and this retrograde cycle will remind us that as exciting as a milestone can be, we cannot become complacent and expect to ride that momentum to the end of the line. Long-term stability requires sacrifice and showing up day after day, even when it’s difficult and unglamorous.
Acknowledge your wins, then get back at it.
Mars conjunct Jupiter
On August 14, an auspicious conjunction between Mars and Jupiter could have varying effects. Mars embodies action, quick decisions, and fast-paced energy, while Jupiter expands whatever it comes in contact with; therefore, this transit has the potential to either accelerate or destroy something. Impatience and impulsiveness will need to be tempered during this time—nervousness arising from the other co-occurring transits could result in risky decisions made in an attempt to alleviate anxiety.
On the other hand, when used wisely, this energy can give us the confidence to make a bold move we’ve been wavering on and the courage to assert ourselves in new ways. Check in with your intuition and give ideas space to breathe before pulling the trigger.
The Uranus squares
Venus, Mercury, and the Sun will all form squares with Uranus in Taurus this month, making the quality of time slightly unpredictable. Uranus represents freedom from restriction, so these transits may create tension or unease that draws our attention to where we feel confined or weighed down. Because the squares will occur between Leo and Taurus, we may realize how stubborn dedication to our obligations and responsibilities has been impeding our creativity and playfulness.
Leo rules romance and our inner child, so getting in touch with these aspects of ourselves will be particularly important. We will be encouraged to find ways to breathe new life into stagnant situations and create more space for pleasure by remembering what used to light us up. Not everything we do needs to serve a purpose or contribute to a goal—sometimes, we experience our most significant breakthroughs when we follow our whims and do things simply to delight ourselves.
The Mercury cazimi will also occur the same day it forms a square with Uranus, which could bring shocking revelations or unexpected communication. Whatever comes through will likely shed light on a situation and shift your perspective—this is a good time to be forthright and speak truthfully about your plans and intentions.
Venus and Mars’ tension with Saturn
Mid-month, the relationship planets will contact Saturn, with Mars forming a square on the 14th and Venus moving into opposition on the 19th. Saturn represents caution, responsibility, and discipline, so we may experience these transits as a desire for proof or validation that something is worth our long-term effort. In the Northern Hemisphere, summer will be winding down, and some of us may need to decide whether a warm weather fling has staying power.
If you’re not navigating a new relationship, this could manifest as a test of strength and courage in other areas of your life. In either case, we may find that we have to prove ourselves and our dedication by navigating some obstacle or taking something to the next level.
Signs Most Affected:
Leo sun, moon, and rising
Taurus sun, moon, and rising
Virgo sun, moon, and rising
Pisces sun, moon, and rising
Key Transits and Dates:
Aug. 2: Venus in Leo square Uranus in Taurus
Aug. 4: Venus enters Virgo, New moon in Leo
Aug. 5: Mercury retrograde in Virgo
Aug. 7: Mercury conjunction Venus in Virgo
Aug. 14: Mars conjunct Jupiter in Gemini, Mercury retrograde in Leo
Aug. 15: Mars in Gemini square Saturn in Pisces
Aug. 18: Mercury in Leo square Uranus in Taurus, Mercury cazimi, Venus in Virgo square Jupiter in Gemini
Aug. 19: Full moon in Aquarius, Jupiter in Gemini square Saturn in Pisces, Venus in Virgo opposite Saturn in Pisces, Sun in Leo square Uranus in Taurus
Aug. 22: Sun in Virgo, Venus in Virgo square Mars in Gemini
Aug. 28: Mercury station direct in Leo, Venus in Virgo opposite Neptune in Pisces
Aug. 29: Venus in Libra, Venus in Libra trine Pluto in Aquarius
