Okay, this August is special. Not just because it marks the entry into Virgo season (aka back-to-school time, aka the Monday of the second half of the year, aka still brutally hot out but now we work harder), but because it starts with a full moon and ends with a new moon.
Usually itās the other way around, but last month ended with a new moon in Leo, which for me manifested in a lot of fun and bonding, but was emotionally expensive. Iām broke, feelings-wise.
So with a new moon recently behind us, it means we have another stressful full moon ahead of usā¦
The Sturgeon Full Moon on August 15
The āSturgeon Moonā occurs at the time of year when sturgeon fish are naturally abundant, which is almost always in August. It sounds a little intense and scary, I guess because the word āsturgeonā seems like a combination of āsternā and āsurgeon.ā Might be life-saving, but probably completely unpleasant, if not downright painful. But itās just fish, so thereās nothing to fearā¦
Except that this Sturgeon Moon happens to be terrifying. First, itās in cold-ass Aquarius, which is a sign dear to my heart but can be ruthless, dogmatic, and extreme.
Second, this moon is opposed to not only the sun, but Venus and Mars as well.
Let me reiterate:
The moon, our emotions and intuition,
is in opposition toāas in, nemesesā
the sun, our will and character and ego and soul,
and Venus, our love, diplomacy, and good taste,
and Mars, our drive and motivation to LIVE.
Cool.
All full moons are sun vs. moon, so thatās nothing new, but this one is going to be especially tense for individual attachments, love, marriage, partnerships, and creative expression. Even if you feel it at work or through broader social forces (the decay of our environment and social infrastructure, perhaps?), it will feel very specific to you and your memories and the things you love. In other words, itās personal.
The way to deal with full moons is to let go when you feel their pressure. Hanging on only makes it worse. But we have 10 days until the next oneāplenty of time to prepare. Full moons always build their case slowly, so you will see it coming by the time you need to duck.
Some horoscopes for this week
A few notes. One, all times are Eastern, and two, some of these aspects have already occurred by the time I got this newsletter out (sorry!). But I include them because all aspects linger a little after their peak, so their effects may still be relevant. They wonāt be as strong, but you may feel their influence. I wanted you to know what was up just in case.
Monday 8/5: The moon is in harmonious, airy Libra. Probably a nice day for socializing. Itās getting along with Venus (2 a.m.), the sun (6:25 a.m.), and Jupiter (9:27 a.m.), and then later (10:26 p.m.) with Mars. This bodes well for connected, easy-breezy personal dynamicsāmaybe even with people you have to see every day but donāt necessarily get along with. But then the moon will form a hard square (all squares are hard, actually) to taskmaster Saturn (10:46 a.m.) and power-broker Pluto (8:50 p.m.), so you may feel down on yourself for not completing assignments or perhaps overwhelmed with all the work you have ahead of you. The way out of a difficult Saturn square is to practice progress, not perfection. It doesnāt matter how little you do; anything will make a larger dent than you will realize at the time. As for Pluto, well, he can be a mean fucker and hopefully you can avoid potential arguments and power struggles. Shut down your computer and take out a book, if possible. ššµ
Tuesday 8/6: Moon is void of course from 3:36 a.m. until 11:31, when it enters dark and sexy Scorpio. Fine. A morning for completing things that were on your to-do list from yesterday. But at 10:55 p.m., the moon is fully opposed to Uranus, which means we can get easily pricked by insensitive, asinine comments. Or that others could easily misunderstand your sense of humor as insensitive or asinine. Itās not a good day for connecting. Great for alone time, though. šš
Wednesday 8/7: I donāt want to say this is a fucked up day, because thereās a lot of energy working for us. The moon and lucky Jupiter are enjoying each otherās company early in the morning (3:31 a.m.), which functions like an infusion of hope and optimism for the day. So thatās very good. But then we have some tough squares with the moon and Venus (10:01 a.m.) and the sun (1:31 p.m.), so I wouldnāt go near fights with significant others or communications with exes. Avoid the whole category of romantic love and youāll be fine. As if to reinforce the point, the day continues with the moon in harmony with Saturn (2:02 p.m.), Neptune (7:16 p.m.), and Pluto (12:52 a.m. the next day), which are outer, non-personal planets governing bigger shifts. Saturn is about the structures and hierarchies that limit us, Neptune is about our imagination beyond the realm of reality, and Pluto is about things we desire so hard we will them into existence. So donāt worry about any individuals rankling your mood. Just keep your head down and your dreams big. š¤š
Thursday 8/8: The moon is void of course from 10:58 a.m. to 4:35 p.m., so again, itās more about getting things done than brainstorming anew. The moon is squaring Mars (physical action) at 5:16 a.m., so maybe not the right time to go for a morning run. Focus on mental exercise instead. But the day gets way better, with with the moon and chatty, articulate Mercury getting along (10:58 a.m.), and beautiful Venus and lucky Jupiter also seeing eye to eye (4:27 p.m.). Not only will you be able to give voice to some deep emotions, youāre likely to find yourself in an environment where they are heard and received well. Hard not to be charming and gregarious (and FUNNY) with these aspects in play. š¤£š¤£
Friday 8/9: This is a chill, pleasant Friday with a Sagittarius moon. Get outside if you can, because the moon is hanging out with Jupiter (cozy in its home sign) at 7:25 p.m. and then relaxing with Venus (love and money) at 10:19 p.m. Couldnāt be a better day for good luck with money, friends, lovers, or artistic pursuits. Or all of the above. ššµ
Saturday 8/10: Moon is friendly with the sun (your very soul) at 12:39 a.m., but then grumpy with Neptune (intuition and deep creative power) at 2:12 a.m., but then grooving with Mars (energy and sexual drive) at 3:50 p.m., so this day is less about deeper, contemplative truths and more about moving your body and having some uncomplicated fun. šš
And then thereās Sunday 8/11ā¦ š±š»
Look. Sunday is a day of change. A lot is going on simultaneously:
Jupiter will station direct for the rest of the year,
Uranus will go retrograde for the rest of the year,
and Mercury enters Leo.
Jupiter has been retrograde since April 10, so weāll enjoy a nice momentum boost when it comes to travels, philosophical breakthroughs, writing and publishing, and higher education. Jupiter helps us along, reminding us that the mistakes we make are never ultimately deal-breaking. What we cannot forgo is confidence, hope, and optimism. Plus itās the planet of luck, so wherever he is in your chartānatal or solarāyouāre likely to see some kind of windfall. Good!
Uranus is a disruptive weirdo hanging out in earthy, immovable Taurus until 2026. His plans for innovating in this space will be delayed and under review, so think about some of the major changes in your life that have taken place in the last year. You wonāt necessarily change course, but youāll be given a moment (or the rest of the year) to keep adjusting. That can definitely be a good thing. Aquarians and Aquarius risings (like me!) will feel this slow-down most acutely, so prepare to be a little disoriented!
Mercury! We love a non-retrograde Mercury, and now heās emerging from watery, serious Cancer to enter loud, performative Leo. Party! š Mercury rules how we think and talk, so in Leo, expect a lot of big talk and then BACKING IT UP. People will expect a high degree of commitment and loyaltyāafter all, weāre all worth it. Strut like you own everything because a Leo thinks they already do.
Believing in astrology is ridiculous, and yet here we are. Until next week, when I am no less invested! š„ āØ