August 2023 starts and ends with a Full Moon. On August 1st, we have the Aquarius Super Full Moon, and on August 30th, we have the Pisces Super Blue Full Moon.
Having two Full Moons in the same calendar month means August will be a time for releasing, clearing, and letting go. All that is no longer resonant with our being will be up for release, and once we reach the month’s end, we will likely find ourselves wading through some empty spaces.
From August 23rd, both Venus and Mercury will be in retrograde. In fact, we will have a total of six major cosmic players in retrograde throughout August, with Venus and Mercury being the strongest.
All of this retrograde energy could create a sluggish feeling. We may feel like we are moving in circles, or perhaps having to go back over things we thought we had already dealt with. Our patience may be wearing thin, but there will not be a lot we can do to make things move any faster.
When we have a large amount of retrograde energy coursing through the cosmic skies, it is almost in our best interest to move slowly and with deliberate intention.
Don’t be in a rush to finalize things this month. Instead, go with the pace of how the Universe wants you to flow. If you keep hitting brick walls, you don’t have to push through, instead, you can take a few steps back, admire the view, sit in anything that is uncomfortable, and then wait for the right next action to find you. This passive state is not powerless, in fact, it is highly empowering, and this is even doubly so when retrograde energies are flowing.
August 2023 also brings some power days where we are likely to feel energized and uplifted. The Lionsgate 88 Portal on August 8, the Venus Star Point on August 13, plus the meeting of the Sun and Regulus on August 21-23, are three power times in the month where we can harness some high vibrational energy. These are also days we can connect with some lightness and ease and perhaps feel some respite from the heaviness of the retrogrades.
Let’s take a closer look into some of the main astrological events of the month and how you can work with the energies-
August 1: Aquarius Super Full Moon
The month begins with a healing Full Moon. While the energies of the month hold some intensity, this Full Moon feels to be a gentle, guiding force, taking our hand and revealing to us all that is just no longer a fit for our highest well-being. Soak up the healing energy that is circulating and channel it into your being, especially if you are feeling dysregulated or are called to let go of something meaningful. Aquarius is an air sign, which means we may feel a lot of energy and emotions centered around our heads. It will be important to avoid the mental clutter and instead, bring ourselves into a state of balance. As this is one of two Full Moons for the month, whatever is stirred under this Full Moon may only be part of the story, more of the story is likely to be revealed at the end of the month under the Blue Moon. You can get your full forecast for the Aquarius Full Moon here.
August 4- Mercury enters Shadow Phase
Mercury will begin slowing down in preparation for its retrograde later in the month. Mercury is the planet of communication, and when it enters retrograde, it tends to reveal where we haven’t been truly listening. During the shadow phase, we can start to get little clues as to what we have been ignoring, putting off, or refusing to pay attention to.
August 8: Lionsgate 88 Portal
The Lionsgate Portal honors the rising of Sirius, our Spiritual Sun. As Sirius rises, it is reborn, and we too, can feel the rebirth of our own Spirit energy. This rebirth of our Spirit energy is enhanced by the numerology of 88. The Number 8 represents infinite potential, and meditating and working with the number is believed to activate our DNA. We can take the incredible, uplifting energies of Sirius and merge them with the numerology of the number 8 to fully harness the potential of this portal. The Lionsgate Portal also has ties to the Sphinx in Egypt and the lost city of Atlantis. You can read more on this here.
August 9: Venus Retrograde in Leo Square Uranus in Taurus
Venus Retrograde and Uranus will be in a volatile angle with each other. There could be some surprising news on this day around a relationship in your life. Some information may come out of the blue that can shake and rattle things. While the energy will be strongest on this day, we will feel it for at least a week around this date. If anything surprising does come into your life under this alignment, have some faith that you are being guided to awaken in a new way. Uranus is the planet of awakening, and while it is an expert in shaking things up, it does this so we can open our eyes to a new way of being. Uranus lets us see the world from a new vantage point, and even though change can be difficult at first, there is the potential to find ourselves in a better place than where we started.
August 13: Sun Conjunct Venus – Venus Starpoint
This is a power day for the energy of Venus. When Venus aligns with the Sun, we have the Venus Star Point. Venus is the planet of love, beauty, relationships, money, and the things we value. When it aligns with the Sun, it can bring ah-ha or awakening moments around these areas of our lives. We can gain new clarity, reach a new point of forgiveness, or find ourselves opening to a deeper love. Whatever issues Venus Retrograde has been stirring in your life are likely to feel a little clearer at this point.
August 16: Leo New Moon
The Leo New Moon will continue to activate the Venus Retrograde energies. Venus Retrograde can reveal to us where we may be lacking in self-worth, where we are not living up to our values, and where we are not loving ourselves enough. Under this New Moon, we are given the opportunity to start making changes or to start thinking about how we wish to show up in the world around matters of the heart. This will be an important point in the month when we are offered the chance to do things over, wipe the slate clean, and begin again. Fresh energy will begin flowing in under this New Moon too, helping us to break free from any sluggish energies from the past.
August 21-23: Sun and Regulus Align
Regulus is the star of royalty. It is associated with riches, fame, success, and honors, and on this day, the Sun aligns with it, activating a portal of energy. We can use Regulus energy to bring success to our ventures, to open to abundance, and to activate and align our crown chakras. Regulus holds the energy of opportunity, so set an intention around whatever opportunities you would like to create for yourself and know they are all possible. This is a fantastic, high-energy portal that we can also use to bring more joy, happiness, and health into our lives. You can read more on this here.
August 23- Sun in Virgo
Virgo Season begins as the Sun moves out of its home zodiac, Leo. Virgo Season is a time to organize, consolidate, and get back on schedule. We may feel inspired to clear out the closets or create more structure within our surroundings. It is also a great time of the year to bring attention to our health and how we can create more well-being in all areas of our lives.
August 23- Mercury Retrograde in Virgo
Mercury enters retrograde in its ruling sign of Virgo, this means the effects of this retrograde will be felt a little more strongly. Mercury is the messenger planet. In mythology, it was considered the messenger of the gods. Mercury helps us to think clearly and communicate concisely. It also rules over technology, transport, and all forms of media. When Mercury enters retrograde, its energy moves to more of an internal state rather than an external one. Mercury Retrograde is a time to communicate with ourselves first and to get clear about how we think and feel before we express this to others. Mercury Retrograde can also reveal information or insights that were hiding, or that were not in our conscious awareness. For this reason, it is always best to wait before Mercury emerges from its retrograde journey to have important conversations, sign contracts, and book travel. Of course, life doesn’t always go to plan, so if it’s not possible to wait, trust in the timing of the Universe.
August 27: Mars enters Libra
Fiery Mars moves into balanced Libra. Mars in Libra encourages us to get balanced, especially when it comes to where we are putting our time and attention. With Mars in Libra, we may also feel more passionate about issues relating to justice, equality, and fairness.
August 28: Uranus Retrograde
Uranus joins Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Neptune, and Pluto as it enters its retrograde journey. We now have a total of six planets in retrograde, which may make the weeks to follow feel a little more sluggish. Time may feel like it’s moving slowly or fast, or perhaps both! Uranus is the planet of change and awakening, and when it travels retrograde, we are usually invited to go over the changes we have recently experienced and if there are any adjustments we need to make.
August 30: Pisces Blue Super Full Moon
It only happens once in a Blue Moon! This super rare Blue Full Moon falls in the sign of Pisces and brings a soft, sensitive vibration. It is also a Super Moon, which means it will be close to Earth, allowing us to feel its vibrations more strongly. The Pisces Full Moon has a dreamy, ethereal quality to it. It may be hard for us to think with our logical minds and easier for us to get swept up in our emotions. While being close to our emotions can be a valuable thing, we may have to be mindful of allowing our emotions to overwhelm us. This Full Moon also has strong purge energy, so we may find ourselves guided to release and let go of toxic situations. Saturn, the Master Teacher planet, is also active under this Full Moon, so we may find ourselves on the receiving end of some tough lessons. More to come on this soon!