Rick Levine's August 2023 Astrology Forecast: Betwixt and Between

Change is in the air, but it seems as if we are temporarily caught in a trap between the past and the future. The past is over but we are unable to completely let it go with Venus backpedaling the entire month while Mercury enters its retroshade on August 3 and stations retrograde on August 23. Meanwhile, Uranus is crawling to a halt, making its retrograde station on August 28 and Jupiter is slowing down to reverse direction on September 4. All the other planets except Mars are already traveling backward through their respective shadows, preventing us from seeing what’s around this cosmic corner. Nevertheless, while the other planets are not making any progress, energetic Mars is powering its way into new territory as it marches through analytical Virgo. Swinging into action comes naturally when Mars forms flowing trines with opportunistic Jupiter on August 1, wildcard Uranus on August 16, and evolutionary Pluto on August 24. However, uncertainty reigns when Mars opposes nebulous Neptune on August 22. We are eager to transform our drive for perfection into a crusade for justice when Mars enters diplomatic Libra on August 27.

This month features three lunations. The global-thinking Aquarius Full Moon at 11:31 am PDT on August 1 encourages conceptual thinking while a Mercury-Saturn opposition restricts our communication to the material world. Even with a confident Mars-Jupiter trine in play, caution and integrity will bring more success than impulsive actions. The Leo New Moon at 2:38 am PDT on August 16 is electrified by its close square to irrepressible Uranus. There is an “anything goes” feeling to the day, especially since Mars is also forming a superconductive trine to Uranus. The second Full Moon this month (sometimes called a “Blue Moon”) is a Pisces Full Moon at 6:35 pm PDT on August 30. The Virgo Sun requires that we meticulously attend to all the details, but the imaginative Pisces Moon inspires us to daydream. We are caught between the very small and the very large. Dissatisfaction lingers as retrograde Mercury forms an annoying quincunx to Chiron, making it difficult to break out of old patterns or to teach new ones to others.

The Sun’s shift into practical Virgo on August 23 is a reminder that Autumn (in the Northern Hemisphere) is only one month away and that we should, like the bees, get busy to prepare for the change of seasons. We are wise to take our responsibilities seriously when the early Virgo Sun opposes taskmaster Saturn on August 27. A highlight of August is the retrograde Venus Cazimi on August 13 when the Goddess of Love and Pleasure passes through the Heart of the Sun. Rather than being overpowered by the brilliance of its proximity to the Sun, it’s as if Venus temporarily gains superpowers from the direct solar contact. Although setting positive intentions makes sense at this time, manifestation won’t occur overnight. Thankfully, feelings of frustration and uncertainty become more manageable when we reconsider long-term goals. We improve our chances for success when we focus on practical plans instead of unrealistic fantasies. The retrograde energy can delay us from finding finality or reaching resolution on complex issues and projects with loose ends until Mercury and Venus leave their shadows on September 29 and October 7, respectively. Showing up ready to do the work is less arduous when we trust the process. Persistence and patience are our allies at this time.

Think cosmically. Act locally.
~Rick Levine