August 2019: Fire Trine Trifecta
The Leo New Moon on July 31, ushered in a renewed sense of hope and pride, and with Mercury stationing direct on the same day, the tides are shifting towards sunnier shores. August begins with both luminaries in the Sun's home sign of the Lion, and with Venus, Mars, and Juno co-present, we can expect temperatures to rise and things to get hotttt. Leos are the performers of the zodiac. This is the time to see and be seen, shake off any residual sogginess from the deluge of Cancer Season, and step into the spotlight that’s been waiting for you. The trifecta of fire trines are going to light up your life in ways you never expected so get out your sunscreen, bbs.
The Wiccan holiday of Lammas (or Lughnasadh) on August 2, is cosmically highlighted by a square between Venus in Leo to Uranus in her home earth sign of Taurus. There is great symbolism in this alignment because Lammas is a celebration of the first harvest when crops are brought in, new livestock slaughtered, and the first bread is baked. These loaves were regarded as sacred sacrament, containing the full potency of Gaia. Lammas comes from the Old English meaning Loaf Mass. One of the expected changes of Uranus in Taurus is a radical revisioning of human relationship with food production and ecological resources. The bounty of the earth was seen by ancient peoples as a blessing of the union between the Goddess and the God. The Green God gave his potency at Beltane, on May 1, and Gaia exploded in fecundity. The Solar God peaked at the Summer Solstice, Litha, at June 21, and immediately began to wane. The spirit of Lammas is one of giving thanks and thithing in appreciation. Revisit the intentions set at Litha and to consider your relationship to sacrifice, labor, and gratitude.
The coinciding of this astrological aspect with a Wiccan day of power is an unmistakable magical directive. The Sun is moving into a trine with Jupiter indicating strong support for the food justice plans of Venus and Uranus. We must reconnect with the wisdom of our ancestors and the cycles of the earth to restore balance, harmony, and sustainability for future generations to thrive. The Goddess provides an abundance; no one should ever lack nourishment. Nature’s technology is unsurpassed, divine design, there’s no need for poison. Everyone deserves access to fresh, healthy food, and by working to protect the sacred we rediscover the preciousness of our own humanity in the web of creation. The personal planets will all trine Uranus once they move into Virgo at the end of the month, so we’re building towards greater solutions. This is the beginning of a conversation that will last for 7 years.
August 7 and 8 are wonderful days, some of the best of the year, as the Sun and then Venus in Leo trines Jupiter in Sagittarius. After the last two months, these transits feel like actual miracles, and, indeed, they contain the essence of what makes life joyful and fun. Luck is in the air so be sure to play. You’ll feel positive about yourself and kindly towards others. A sense of buoyancy and enthusiasm will prevail. These are great days for both romance and business, so go towards what moves you. Financial matters are favored, just beware of your tendencies towards shopping sprees. If you’ve been putting off going on vacation, this is the best week of the summer for a getaway. You may see the fulfillment of patterns completed during the Leo Full Moon total lunar eclipse on January 21. Jupiter stations direct on August 11, at 14 Sagittarius, which is good news for people who like good news. The greater benefic in his home sign brings gifts and blessings all the time, but when he’s retrograde it’s more likely to be a feeling or a mood. He stationed retrograde at 24 degrees on April 10, so for the past four months we’ve had but a trickle. Now he’s going back to full Santa Claus mode for the next 4 months. Jupiter entered Sag on November 8, 2018, and began expanding this area of life with grand designs and lust for adventure. He’ll be there until December 3, 2019, and this week you’ll start to get wind of his plan for the final phase of the journey.
Additionally on August 11, Mercury enters Leo and Uranus goes retrograde. Mercury’s departure from Cancer signals the wrap up of the long sad song we sang from June-July. Mercury entered Leo on June 28, and will finally clear their shadow on August 15. With the winged messenger finally flying free, we won’t have to worry about another Mercury Rx until October.
Love is in the air and passions run high on August 14, when the Sun, Venus, and Juno meet in Leo. This is the moment of Venus’ superior conjunction when she’s farthest from Earth. This vantage point grants the ability to see clearly what has changed in our romantic lives since the Venus retrograde in Scorpio in October-November 2018. We’ll be sensitized to our dynamics with others, and encouraged to peer inward to hear what the heart has to speak. The presence of Mars and Juno indicates that it will not do to settle for less. We must have the love we crave or nothing at all. This fervent moment adds a bit of heat to an otherwise cool Aquarius Full Moon on August 15. This Moon, in a square to Uranus in Taurus, is illuminating what has started to shift in the previously stable areas of life that have begun to undergo radical revision this year. Hosted by an empowered Saturn, this Moon evokes some themes of relationship between collective good and individual needs from last summer.
The energy begins to tilt towards earth when Mars enters Virgo on August 18. Messiness simply will not do with Mars in this mutable sign, and we’ll be motivated to organize, prioritize, and act. We’re able to blast through mental blocks and overcome barriers to health with new found determination during his transit until October 4.
Mercury in Leo makes a blessed trine to Jupiter on August 21, enlivening our minds with possibilities and inspiring grand thoughts. This is a great day to plan for the future and innovate systems. Business and legal actions are favored, and you should be able to turn deals to your advantage. The Sun is conjunct Juno as Venus enters Virgo on August 21. Venus wants to make beauty wherever she goes, but in Virgo she feels compelled to get everything right the first time. Venus will be in Virgo until September 15, so remember to be gentle when encountering imperfections in yourself and others for those three weeks.
The Sun moves into Virgo, the final sign of Summer, on August 23. Virgo Season is a time of looking both forwards and back, when we account for what has come, and plan for what is to be. The earth begins to scatter her seeds and we come to know the quality of the harvest bounty. Things get exciting when Mars and Venus form a conjunction on August 24 at 4 degrees Virgo. This is a wonderful time to plan a date or work on a creative project. The last time these lovers met was at 19 degrees Virgo on October 5, 2017. Think back to that time for an indication of what process was initiated around love, romance, or the arts. A new cycle is beginning now. Venus and Mars move together and mimic each other for the remainder of the month. Enjoy this happy partnership and see what greater synthesis can be achieved through their union.
Earthshaker Uranus begins and ends August with big moves. We’re coming to know what the rebel of the zodiac is aiming for in the Taurus area of our lives. There’s energetic support to work on these projects the week of August 26 when Venus, Mars, the Sun, and Mercury make trines to Uranus in Taurus amplifying raw material power. A lot of inspiration and enthusiasm is coming through and the drive to take action right away will be strong. A spontaneous trip could be fun because you’ll surely be bored sticking to the same old routine. Let adventure be your guide and experiment with innovative forms of self-expression. Most importantly, give yourself permission to be beautifully, weirdly, and unabashedly you.
The New Moon in Virgo on August 30, is seeding this earth stellium with trines from Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn and Uranus in Taurus. There’s a confrontation with fantasy from the opposition with Neptune in Pisces, but enough magic to turn at least some of your dreams into reality with the t-square from Jupiter in Sagittarius. The power is potent so mental clarity is key because the universe will magnetize to whatever you give the most attention.
September is going to carry us towards Fall, but there’s still plenty of Summer left. Enjoy yourselves this month because you've earned it, and please let me know how the stars align for you.
Mother Goddess by Wendy Andrew