Astrological Forecast for August 2007

August provides different things to different people, which is a diplomatic way of saying that the month holds mixed energies. Don’t pack your schedule too tightly, allowing yourself room to move as the world shifts below your feet. The overall theme advises you to make room for play, in spite of forces that want you to do anything but take downtime.

Relationship planet Venus started her re-visioning retrograde period on July 27th and continues until September 8th. All types of relationships, ranging from love (or lack thereof), family and business are shifting. Just keep telling yourself, "This is a good thing." Your values surrounding how, and with whom, you are spending your valuable time is going to the next level during the remainder of 2007.

August 2nd-4th is harmonious and flowing. Take a short trip under the quick influence of encouraging Mercury activations. Communicate relationship needs while you ‘walk and talk’ makes it easier to speak from the heart this weekend. There is something about being in movement during Mercury aspects that supports you in getting difficult thoughts into open air.

Stress increases early in the week of August 5th-7th. Gigantic Jupiter appears to stop in the sky, ending its retrograde period. Projects on the back burner since April start moving forward in the weeks ahead.

Also on the evening of the 6th, impatient Mars moves into ‘hurry-up’ Gemini for an unusually long time (on and off until early March 2008). Be prepared to multi-task and shift your energies on a moment's notice. This is followed by a temporary relationship challenge between your values and actions, begging the question ‘are you doing things in life that are in alignment with your philosophy, or doing what you think you need to do to please others?’

Perhaps the best advice is to keep a low profile for a few days. Postpone big decisions and important conversations until there are favorable planetary aspects August 9th-11th.

The New Moon in Leo arrives on the 12th providing a dark sky for the annual Perseids meteor shower. A sacred Sabian Symbol for the next month is "Zuni Indian perform a ritual to the sun." This esoteric symbol suggests that it is time to get out of the house and open to the creative life force during the coming month. Express gratitude for your life, and for those who have chosen to share it with you.

The week of the 13th is quickly paced. Allow extra time in your schedule so that you do not need to rush this week. Be clear in your communications all week, and doubly so on Tuesday the 14th. There is a tendency to promise too much now, so avoid commitments that will tax your energy too heavily.

In fact, that is good advice for the second half of August as energy builds to the total eclipse of the moon on the 28th. It begins with numerous, small emotional challenges on the 20th. Make room for emotional-balancing activities, such as meditation and mental health days off as August winds down.

Excessive expectations find clarity after the Sun enters purifying Virgo on the 23rd. Impatient Mars is on the opposite side of the sky from expansive Jupiter on the same morning. Expectations often crash during this planetary combination. The good result is that you realign your actions and philosophy to aid your ambition in moving forward at an appropriate pace.

Meet new people on the weekend of the 25th/26th with the Moon in eclectic Aquarius. It is the perfect energy for exploration, and especially for introspective vision quests during the build-up to the lunar eclipse.

The total lunar eclipse is exact on Tuesday morning, and is easily seen by western USA early birds. This is the final eclipse in Pisces until 2015. For the past 1½ year, you have been re-visioning your life to bring your spiritual vision into use in the mundane world. The up and down emotions associated with this lunar eclipse help you to finalize this illusion-bursting process by December.

August ends on a sensual note with the Moon in gentle Taurus. Indulge your fantasies! Have some fun over the Labor Day holiday weekend because the world is going to take a turn for the serious when disciplinary Saturn enters worker Virgo in September. Check back for details.