Your Weekly Horoscope for August 15, 2021

Alex Sandoval

The heart of August tends to have us feeling torn between wanting to be in the moment and soak up every last second of summer and needing to plan ahead. It's Leo's love of spontaneous playtime versus Virgoan pragmatism. And this week, a sign shift for Venus and harmonious meet-ups make for even more excitable energy.

On Monday, August 16 at 12:27 a.m. ET, romantic Venus moves out of Virgo and into one of the two signs it rules: partnership-loving Libra, infusing your closest bonds, creative endeavors, and moneymaking efforts with a love of peace, beauty, and balance until Friday, September 10.

Then, on Wednesday, August 18, messenger Mercury and go-getter Mars meet up in Virgo, potentially taking already heightened mental energy to a whole new level. This is the day to schedule an interview, give a presentation, or dig into the weeds on a crucial project.

The next day, Thursday, August 19, game-changer Uranus goes retrograde until Tuesday, January 18, 2022. This will shift a burning need to change — which has been felt this year more than others, thanks to 2021's ongoing clash between Uranus and taskmaster Saturn — from an external to internal place. It's time to meditate and gain clarity on what needs to change within you in order to create the big-picture shifts you've been dreaming of. (Related: Strategies to Make a Major Life Change)

The same day, the confident sun in Leo opposes expansive Jupiter in Aquarius, offering an optimistic perspective and amplifying abundance and fortune.

And on Friday, August 20, Mercury forms a harmonizing trine to Uranus, followed by Mars doing the same on Saturday, August 21, making for creative breakthroughs and electrifying risk-taking.

Want to know more about how you can personally take advantage of this week's astrological highlights? Read on for your sign's weekly horoscope. (Pro tip: Be sure to read your rising sign/ascendant, aka your social personality, if you know that, too. If not, consider getting a natal chart reading to find out.)

Aries (March 21–April 19)

Your weekly highlights: Love ❤️ and Money 🤑

While romantic Venus is in your seventh house of partnership from Monday, August 16 to Friday, September 10, you'll be more focused on one-on-one activities — with a date, S.O., or even your bestie. Finding new ways to tackle ongoing shared projects and just spending quality time together catching up can feel equally energizing and restorative for your connection. And while game-changer Uranus is retrograde in your second house of income from Thursday, August 19 to Tuesday, January 18, 2022, you could be reflecting on how your moneymaking game plan mirrors your values — or not. Your values themselves could be shifting. Either way, this can be a really wonderful time to perfect and embrace your most inventive ideas, which could ultimately translate to a cash flow boost.

Taurus (April 20–May 20)

Your weekly highlights: Relationships 💕 and Love ❤️

You'll be able to make your grind and wellness plan more social while relationship-oriented Venus, your ruler, moves through your sixth house of daily routine from Monday, August 16 to Friday, September 10. Whether you're streaming the same yoga class as your sister who lives across the country or checking out a rooftop sound bath with friends, the added time with your VIPs boosts your sense of centeredness and connection. And on Wednesday, August 18, messenger Mercury and go-getter Mars pair up in your fifth house of romance, firing up your creativity, self-expression, and flirting game. If you've been wanting to share what's in your heart with someone special or even dive back into swiping after a time-out, this transit can serve as a lovely confidence-booster.

Gemini (May 21–June 20)

Your weekly highlights: Creativity 🎨and Relationships 💕

Get ready for your love life to get a seriously beautiful boost, Gemini, thanks to sweet Venus moving through your fifth house of romance from Monday, August 16 to Friday, September 10. Pleasure, spontaneity, and embracing your artistic impulses are all top of mind now, and you'll find your daily life includes more of all of it without much extra effort. If you're single, you could kick off a blissful connection with someone new, and if you're attached, it'll be easy to infuse your relationship with more lighthearted, sexy fun. On Wednesday, August 18, information-gathering Mercury and action-oriented Mars in your fourth house of home life make it possible to zero in on the details of a major project you've been wanting to tackle around your place or alongside loved ones. So forget the cold brew — you'll have all the mental and physical energy (and support!) you need to get it done.

Cancer (June 21–July 22)

Your weekly highlights: Love ❤️and Relationships 💕

Let's be real: You're always happy to hang close to home, but you'll be even more inspired, sentimental, and grounded by domestic bliss while romantic Venus moves through your fourth house of home life from Monday, August 16 to Friday, September 10. Whether you're cooking with your sweetheart or spending time with family taking a walk down memory lane by diving into old albums or enjoying a beloved summertime tradition, everything cozy and homey benefits your heart even more than usual now. And on Wednesday, August 18, information-gathering Mercury pairs up with go-getter Mars in your third house of communication, making this a pretty amazing day for brainstorming with friends and colleagues. Trading notes on your most inventive ideas can lead to lots of animated conversation and productivity. (Related: The Complete Guide to Astrology Sister Signs)

Leo (July 23–August 22)

Your weekly highlights: Creativity 🎨 and Relationships 💕

Although it is absolutely still your season, Leo, the tide is turning, and you can feel it. With social Venus moving into your third house of communication on Monday, August 16 where it'll remain until Friday, September 10, you'll want to share ideas you might've previously kept to yourself. Intellectual, upbeat conversations help you flesh out your action plans while bringing you closer to friends and colleagues. On Thursday, August 19, the confident sun in your sign opposes lucky Jupiter in your seventh house of partnership, helping you feel more supported, happy, and fortunate — especially when it comes to your closest one-on-one bonds. You'll feel like you have someone in your corner, whether platonically, professionally, and/or romantically, and in turn, there's really nothing you can't do. (Related: How to Decode Zodiac Sign Compatibility)

Virgo (August 23–September 22)

Your weekly highlights: Money 🤑 and Career 💼

Thanks to social Venus in your second house of income from Monday, August 16 to Friday, September 10, you'll be especially charming and magnetic while spending time with clients, coworkers, or friends. Expressing your financial goals comes naturally as will finding fun, artistic new ways to collaborate with your professional contacts, setting you up for welcome rewards. And while your mental energy is pretty much always cranked up to the nth degree, you'll be able to get even more focused on Wednesday, August 18 when messenger Mercury and go-getter Mars pair up in your sign. Now's the time to dive into researching a large scale project you've been wanting to tackle or to come up with a more detailed approach to an ongoing endeavor. You'll be fairly unstoppable. (See: How to Be Productive While Working from Home, According to Your Sun Sign)

Libra (September 23–October 22)

Your weekly highlights: Love ❤️and Relationships 💕

While romantic Venus is in your sign from Monday, August 16 to Friday, September 10, you'll be right in your element, finding lots of opps to socialize with your BFFs, make the world more beautiful, and spend heartfelt time with a new flame or your S.O. Whether you've been wanting to experiment with your personal style, channel your most heartfelt feels into into an artistic project, or plan a sexy getaway, this period might very well be the best of the whole year for you to do just that. And on Thursday, August 19, the confident sun in your eleventh house of networking opposes lucky Jupiter in your fifth house of romance, setting up a beautiful day for connecting with your nearest and dearest friends. Whether you decide to take off for an impromptu four-day weekend at the nearest beach or host a dinner party, you'll be feeling loved, supported, and connected.

Scorpio (October 23–November 21)

Your weekly highlights: Sex 🔥 and Career 💼

You're generally pretty private about your love life, but you'll be inspired to keep it even more under wraps from Monday, August 16 to Friday, September 10 while romantic Venus moves through your twelfth house of spirituality. Whether you just started seeing someone and aren't quite ready to share the details with your friends or you're craving time away from the daily grind and off the grid with your S.O., keeping a low profile and giving into your desires can actually prove pretty damn sexy now. On Wednesday, August 18, messenger Mercury and go-getter Mars, your co-ruler, pair up in your eleventh house of networking, and you'll have a lot of intellectual energy to pour into communication around a team project. Leading a brainstorm, presentation, or key meeting can be truly empowering.

Sagittarius (November 22–December 21)

Your weekly highlights: Relationships 💕 and Career 💼

You'll find it easy to spend more time with your platonic and professional connections while social Venus moves through your eleventh house of networking from Monday, August 16 to Friday, September 10. Whether you're catching up with your college besties over Zoom or enjoying a casual brunch with your fave colleagues, you'll love the vibe of hanging with a group. If you're single, you could meet a new match through friends, and if you're attached, you might end up heading out on more group dates than usual. And on Wednesday, August 18, messenger Mercury and action-oriented Mars join forces in your tenth house of career, making this an exciting day to communicate big-picture professional goals. Take the reins on that crucial presentation or call a meeting with higher-ups.

Capricorn (December 22–January 19)

Your weekly highlights: Career 💼 and Money 🤑

You're pretty much always focused on advancing your career, Cap, but you'd be especially wise to make a play for more responsibility or a leadership position while charming Venus is in your tenth house of career from Monday, August 16 to Friday, September 10. This transit can make you extra impressive to authority figures. And once they're confident that you have what it takes, you'll find lots of new doors could open. On Thursday, August 19, the confident sun in your eighth house of joint resources opposes lucky Jupiter in your second house of income, making this a super-fortunate moment to consider collaborating with a loved one who shares your financial vision. Maybe you'll decide to go in on a business endeavor or invest together. Either way, your optimism around what the end result could look like will be off-the-charts.

Aquarius (January 20–February 18)

Your weekly highlights: Sex 🔥 and Personal Growth 💡

Getting out of your comfort zone and soaking up new knowledge is the sexiest and most romantic thing you can imagine while relationship-oriented Venus is in your ninth house of adventure from Monday, August 16 to Friday, September 10. This could mean that you're up for swiping right on people you normally wouldn't match with or taking your sex life to a place you never really thought about exploring until now. Embracing the unknown can really send sparks flying. And from Thursday, August 19 to Tuesday, January 18, 2022, revolutionary Uranus, your ruler, moves backward through your fourth house of home life, spurring you to meditate on changes related to family and your domestic sphere. It could be that you're redefining and reframing what all of it looks like, which could be daunting, but there's no need to do anything but take it one step at a time. (Related: The Best Sex Position for Every Zodiac Sign)

Pisces (February 19–March 20)

Your weekly highlights: Sex 🔥 and Wellness 🍏

While romantic Venus moves through your eighth house of emotional bonds from Monday, August 16 to Friday, September 10, you'll be especially inspired to wear your heart on your sleeve with someone special. Talking through some of your most deep-rooted emotions helps you feel connected on a whole new level, which, in turn, can intensify your intimate bond — and ultimately make for seriously steamy moments behind closed doors. And on Thursday, August 19, the confident sun in your sixth house of daily routine opposes fortunate Jupiter in your twelfth house of spirituality, offering you a sunny perspective and potentially inspiring you to dive into a more ambitious self-care plan. Whether you want to sign up for a new strength training program or make swimming or meditation a more regular part of your fitness approach, now can be a wonderful moment to trust and follow your heart.

Maressa Brown is a writer and astrologer with more than 15 years of experience. In addition to being Shape's resident astrologer, she contributes to InStyle, Parents, Astrology.com and more. Follow her Instagram and Twitter at @MaressaSylvie.