Your August Horoscope Is Here
After spending July in retrograde purgatory, we’ll start August off with a major boost in confidence — to express our feelings, ask for what we want, and engage in (hopefully friendly) debates. Bruised egos and misunderstandings won’t be completely off the table, of course, but we’ll all be so busy speaking our own truths that we might not even notice who ends up feeling slighted.
As the month — and summertime as a whole — starts to wind down, so, too, will the Leonine exuberance that powered us through July and early August. In its place will come a desire to live and think practically, as the sun moves into Virgo on the 23rd. This earth sign’s solar season always brings a sort of back-to-school feeling, even to those of us who are no longer students. That mindset can lead us to reorganize, restructure, and set serious goals for improvement. But, if we take stock of the progress we’ve made so far and find it lacking, we could very easily take a turn toward self-criticism. A little constructive consideration never hurt anyone, but be careful you don’t beat yourself up over letting loose this summer. Read on for what this all means for your sign.
Welcome back, Aries. Leo, your fellow fire sign and frequent partner in stirring up high drama, is hosting the sun until the 22nd and its warm rays are coaxing you out of the comfort zone you clung to last month. Your inherently playful nature will reemerge, injecting a sense of ease — if not genuine fun — into all that you do. Of course, when a proud Ram finds joy in a project, they tend to expect reciprocal joy from those who witness their work. As you rediscover the satisfaction that comes with a job well done, be sure that you aren’t taking on these tasks solely for the acclaim.
There will be no need for attention-seeking behavior on the 15th, when the full moon will remind your friends, your coworkers, and even the rare acquaintance that you’re a powerful ally. They may come to you for advice, encouragement, or commiseration. Whatever the reason, expect to have a full inbox that day — and stronger bonds with those you choose to answer.
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This month will ask the impossible of you, cautious Bull: To accept great change. This summer has already challenged your normally steadfast convictions, but Uranus retrograde will begin on the 11th and shake you up even more.
Normally, this distant planet calls for revolution and innovation on a global scale. When it hits a retrograde period, its demands remain the same but aims them at our inner selves instead. In your case, Taurus, Uranus will ask you to consider your impulses. Do you receive them when they rise to the surface or do you shove them down? Are they merely whims or do they point to a deeper desire you might harbor? As difficult as it may be to sit with these questions, that’s exactly what you should do — by the time Uranus is direct in January, you’ll have a clear idea of how to adjust your approach.
Even as Uranus rocks your internal world, you’ll have a chance to plant firmer roots on the 23rd when the sun lights up fellow earth sign Virgo. You may be reckoning with some deep, dark questions, but there is still stability to be found.
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Keep an eye on Mercury, your ruling planet, Gemini. Your most private concerns will fall under your mind’s microscopic scrutiny as the messenger planet takes a tour through Cancer, Leo, and Virgo this month. Your finances will be up first — and a needless guilt spiral over how much you’ve been spending on cold brew could occur. Focus, instead, on where you’ve been smart with your money of late, then determine how you can make that strategy work in the long run.
On the 11th, your network — the system of people and devices through which you share info — could undergo a power surge of sorts. Too many updates (or perhaps just one piece of world-rocking gossip) could come your way, pulling you in multiple directions at once. Do what a perceptive Gemini does best and listen before you even think about responding. All that noise will settle down toward month’s end: The final days of August will find you at home, working toward personal growth and even indulging in a bit of nostalgia. Mercury’s retrograde may have ended at the turn of the month, but that hardly means it’s done stirring the pot.
A Mercury retrograde — or any planetary event that makes us feel vulnerable — tends to weigh particularly heavily on your heart, Cancer. Sensitive sign that you are, you may spend the first few days of August in recovery mode, but you’ll ultimately emerge from this retrograde period ready to speak directly from that caring heart of yours.
In return for your willingness to bare (at least some of) your soul, other areas of your life will feel more stable than ever. Your home, already a source of immense comfort for domestically minded Crabs, will be the place to be, as you realize just how proud you should be of the safe little nest you’ve created for yourself. Your relationships — the ones that you most readily and happily nurture — will lend you support and reassurance, providing your social life with a needed sense of consistency. This month might not be the best time for major progress in these areas, but where you feel most secure is where you thrive, Cancer.
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Brace yourself for an abundance of mixed messages this month, Leo. You’ll begin August enjoying the peak of your birthday season, reinvigorated and reaffirmed in your purpose, ideas, and self-presentation. You’ll feel highly motivated and ultra persuasive in the first two weeks of the month, so use that energy to get closer to your goals. When Uranus starts its annual retrograde on the 11th, you’ll be glad you pushed ahead while you could. Until January 2020, the planet of revolution will turn your thoughts toward changes, both minor and major, that could unfold. Take stock of what’s going on at home or within your family overall, then reflect on how your decisions have influenced the state of things on the domestic front.
A mere four days after this retrograde takes effect, the full moon will arrive and target the other significant relationships in your life. Connections can be forged, fortified, or forgotten during this period — if faced with conflict or a needy friend, ignore the desire to act out of self-interest and, instead, make your choices based on what’s best for the bond you share.
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Your birthday season is right around the corner, Virgo (starting on August 23, to be exact). And, as if your hardworking nature demanded it, you’ll have to put in a little extra effort before you can make it across the finish line. You’re used to multitasking and burning the midnight oil in the name of tangible results, but this labor will take a more spiritual slant.
Since Leo season began in July, you’ve felt a pull toward the past, to claim the victories you’ve made since this time last year and to reckon with where you may have missed the mark. Rather than seeing these missteps as failures, you can view them as lessons you had to learn in order to succeed later. Just make sure you’re still owning the role you played in these moments — it’s a rare earth sign who relishes in admitting fault. By the time the sun rolls into your sign, you’ll feel refreshed, grounded in your purpose, and even ready to party a little.
You’ll remember exactly you where your power lies this month, Libra — and that reminder couldn’t have come at a better time. In the wake of last month’s Mercury retrograde, you may feel socially stunted, cut off, and unsure of how to connect with (and please) those around you. Now that Mercury is direct and your ruling planet, lovey-dovey Venus, is coasting through generous Leo, your friendships will take on a rosy tint.
Your social life won’t necessarily hit a rough patch toward the end of the month, but it will quiet down. You simply won’t feel like Instagramming every outing or rallying your closest 20 pals every time you want to grab a drink. Don’t be alarmed if you don’t quite feel like yourself, Libra — we all need a chance to recharge. Virgo season, which starts on the 23rd, will only further encourage this mood, and even ask if you’re actually at your happiest when in social butterfly mode.
You don’t need another reason to read way too far into your social interactions, Scorpio, but Uranus’ retrograde will give you one anyway on August 11. Maybe something rattled your inner circle — or perhaps the guest list of said circle has changed dramatically in the last few months. Whatever the details, your relationships are shifting, possibly bringing about positive new dynamics and troubling ones in equal measure. The time has come to think about the role you’re currently playing in these partnerships. You’ll be more aware of who you can be yourself around, and which friendships actually feel a little stifling. These realizations may startle you, but take them at a slow pace. By January, Uranus will be direct and you’ll know just how to solidify your core group.
For clarity this month, look to the moon. It’ll wax to fullness on the 15th and remind you that you don’t have to end every day in a state of exhaustion to feel fulfilled. Your energy is needed out in the world, of course, but it’s also what allows you to care for yourself after a long day. If you seek that balance (with nothing to say of actually achieving it), the new moon on the 30th will put you, blessedly, in a state of resolution around your place in the outside world.
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Ready to move, Sag? Your ruling planet, wise Jupiter, ends its annual retrograde on August 11 in your sign. Unlike frustration-riddled Mercury retrogrades, Jupiter’s backspins tend to do more good than harm. Over the last four months, you’ve gotten to explore your intellectual pursuits, broaden your horizons (figuratively and literally, too), and simply let yourself be curious about what you see in the world. For a sign that leans a little philosophical, you likely welcomed this period as a break from the usual hustle and bustle.
But, when Jupiter goes direct this month, you won’t have to drag yourself back to reality — this retrograde has actually prepared you to return to your regular pace. As much as you love to dabble in multiple hobbies and interests at one time, you’re still the Archer of the Zodiac, Sag — and once you find something that speaks to your core passions, you direct all of your energy directly at it. The question is, what exactly means that much to you right now? Pinpoint a cause, a person, a project, that resonates with your sense of purpose, then aim true.
Another month, another opportunity for Capricorns everywhere to worry over their resources. This time around, that opportunity will arrive with the full moon on the 15th, which will highlight how you invest in your own needs — not just how you pay the bills or how you budget for groceries, but how your practical choices make matters easier or harder for you. Caps tend to save before they spend and work before they rest, but has following this path always made you feel more at ease?
Ease won’t be the only out-of-character sensation you’ll be seeking this month. In the second half of August, you could hear the call of the wild beckoning you far beyond your comfort zone. It’s time to try something new, Cap, even if that means logging fewer hours at the office or neglecting your chores at home. It may feel extravagant, but you’ve more than earned a late-summer adventure.
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If you’ve been feeling restless, rebellious, or just out of place at the office lately, take note, Aquarius: You could be on the brink of a professional breakthrough. When your ruling planet, Uranus, kicks off its retrograde on August 11, you’ll have a chance to take a closer, more critical look at your feelings around work. Are you yearning for freedom or just a slight change of pace? Do you want to shake things up within your current company or are you actually ready to move on entirely? Reflect long enough and your inner rebel just might find its cause.
Your sign will host the full moon on the 15th and further illuminate where you crave greater independence in your life. You’re happiest when you can follow the natural flow of information, Water Bearer — if a bend in the stream directs you elsewhere, toward an end in which you have no say, you’ll start to feel stifled. This lunar phase in your opportunity to reassess which current you wish to follow, which one will lead you to the next discovery.
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Flight safety manuals tell you to make sure you’ve got your own oxygen mask on before helping someone else — whoever made that rule was certainly not a Pisces, but you should still keep it mind this month. Putting your needs first won’t come naturally to your empathetic sign, but your well-being will vastly benefit from a little TLC through early August. Establish a consistent sleep routine and pour your energy into physical activities that bring you joy, whether that means hiking or getting back into rhythmic gymnastics.
You can follow your caregiving instincts after the 18th, when your skills as a mediator and advisor will be called upon by your friends and coworkers. You usually know how to diffuse a conflict, but be careful you don’t get embroiled in the dispute yourself. Relationships could become mighty strained, Pisces — use your emotional intelligence to guide your actions.
Was your July horoscope on point? Have a look back, here.
