August 2023 - A Month of Soul Searching

August 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. 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 flowThis passive state is not powerless, in fact, it is highly empowering, and this is even doubly so when retrograde energies are flowing.

The month begins with a healing Full Moon on August 1. 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.

On August 16, 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.

Virgo Season which begins on August 23, 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. On this same day, Mercury enters retrograde in its ruling sign of Virgo, this means the effects of this retrograde will be felt a little more strongly, especially those of you who are Gemini and Vigo sun signs. 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.

Fiery Mars moves into balanced Libra on August 27. 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.

Uranus joins Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Neptune, and Pluto as it enters its retrograde journey on August 28. 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.

It only happens once in a Blue Moon! This super rare Blue Full Moon falls in the sign of Pisces on August 30, 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.

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