As I sit to write this, we have just experienced the station retrograde of Uranus in Aries. It was a strong way to begin the month of August. Outer planet stations always shake up our perceptions of our current life and world circumstances. When we have the beginning of a retrograde, we find it’s time to go within for the next few months and resolve old conflicts, recollect what has happened in the last several months and work with the internal chaos. Anxiety is very common with Uranus and if you are having any such reactions, it’s probably the feelings of being out of control that Uranus can bring with its change of direction. It doesn’t actually mean that you or your life is out of control, but it does give an underlying feeling of instability. It could be just your perception of how life is playing out at this moment.

Meanwhile, Jupiter in Libra squares Pluto in Capricorn for the last time and it’s best to avoid power struggles, take the high road and use that Jupiterian wisdom to guide you. Sometimes the ego wants to win at any cost and can step on anything or anyone who gets in the way. That can be you getting stepped on as well as doing the stepping, so don’t think you can just get away with anything, as Jupiter can often convince us.

On August 7th we have the first of two eclipses this month, with the Lunar Eclipse at 15° Leo Sun and Aquarius Moon. As I’ve written before, eclipses always bring the local emotional story to the table. Whatever you’ve been experiencing in these weeks leading up to the eclipse will come up for review and you will understand the deeper reason for these emotions and events you have been experiencing. Since it is a Lunar Eclipse, Full Moons tend to be more emotional and you may experience a wide array of feelings with this eclipse. With the Moon in Aquarius, the theme is about truly asserting one’s freedom and independence. Wherever it falls in the chart gives us the arena in which we may feel we need to exercise more independence. Jupiter in Libra will make a wonderful aspect to this eclipse, bringing opportunities and good fortune to whatever area it touches. Perhaps Jupiter’s influence will get us through the uneven waters of the eclipse and guide us through to a better understanding of our emotions.

The second eclipse is a total Solar Eclipse at just about 29° Leo. This is a very powerful eclipse as it aligns with the fixed star Regulus – the King – and is close to the Nodes of Fate. It also partakes in a Grand Fire Trine between Saturn in Sagittarius and Uranus in Aries. This is about action and initiative. It is being called “The Great American Eclipse” because its path travels only in the USA. Solar Eclipses are not usually as emotional as Lunar, but instead they involve our life path and our life force.

Since these eclipses occur very firmly in the sign of Leo, we are confronting parts of ourselves that are needing and wanting to be at center stage. Where in your life is it time to shine? Let’s take a quick zip around the zodiac for each sign and find out (read Rising Sign as well):

Aries: love and children

Taurus: family and home

Gemini: communication and siblings

Cancer: money and self value

Leo: your persona and your talent

Virgo: healing and dreams

Libra: friends and community

Scorpio: career and reputation

Sagittarius: education and foreign lands

Capricorn: joint finances and passion

Aquarius: partners and relationships

Pisces: health and work

With all this planetary activity, there is a lot of emotional work to be done now and each of us can be dreaming intensely at night or awakening in the morning with a million questions. Everyone is processing emotions, it would be hard to find someone who is not going through something intense, rough, life changing or powerful. Where in your life do you feel the most challenged? What is consuming your energy?

Mars is following the Sun in Leo, a fiery eclipse for sure. And then Mars will visit each eclipse point along its path. On August 12th, Mars will land on the first eclipse point re-triggering everything we experienced, giving us another layer of emotion to work with. Then Mars will reach the point of the second eclipse on Sept 1 and 2 and again we will feel another layer of experience. Mars always adds a vitamin shot to the mix, so whatever we experience during the eclipse moments, we can review and take more action when Mars hits the eclipse points.

Mercury stations on the 12th, turning retrograde in its own sign of Virgo. Mercury retro while having eclipses is a wild ride! As always, keep aware of communications and try to make them run as smoothly as possible.

The energies this month are definitely topsy turvy, between eclipses, Uranus changing direction and Mercury going retro. For this eclipse period I would suggest take very good care of yourself because this is exhausting energy. Take extra time to complete your tasks, get some extra rest – naps are a great idea. And meditation is a wonderful way to remain calm and soothe those anxious vibes when they come up. The time of Leo is one of creativity and fun, so please be sure to enjoy some of that as well!

AUGUST ECLIPSES