Headlines
Sacred service and sacred sexuality are among the strongest astrological themes in August, thanks to a Vesta-Jupiter-Pluto Thor’s Hammer and a Vesta-Pluto square.
Feminine assertiveness is made easier by a Venus-Pallas Athena-Uranus Grand Trine, while service and health are highlighted by both Jupiter and the Sun moving into Virgo. August also features a Leo New Moon, Pisces Full Moon and more!
- 8/2. Thor’s Hammer Peaks: Vesta-Jupiter-Pluto
- 8/3. Jupiter Square Saturn
- 8/11. Jupiter Enters Virgo
- 8/12. Pluto Square Vesta
- 8/13. Saturn-Pluto Semisquare
- 8/14. Leo New Moon
- 8/15. Pluto Square Vesta Again!
- 8/22. Juno Opposing Chiron & Quincunx Uranus
- 8/23. Sun Enters Virgo
- 8/27. Grand Trine Peaks: Venus-Pallas Athena-Uranus
- 8/29. Pisces Full Moon
The Story So Far
As August opens, we have eight retrograde planets: Saturn thru 8/2, Pallas Athena thru 8/3, Venus thru 9/6, Ceres thru 9/14, Pluto thru 9/25, Neptune thru 11/18, Chiron thru 11/28 and Uranus thru 12/25! And the pervasive energies of revolutionary transformation (a Uranus-Pluto square), as well as universal love, compassion and spiritual awakening (Neptune in Pisces), remain powerful for years to come!
Thor’s Hammer Peaks: Vesta-Jupiter-Pluto
A Thor’s Hammer featuring Vesta, Jupiter and Pluto peaks on 8/2. This aspect pattern is interwoven with another Thor’s Hammer comprised of Vesta, Jupiter and Saturn. So we’ll consider their combined pattern: a Vesta-Jupiter-Saturn-Pluto Thor’s Hammer Key that continues through 8/17.
Higher service and sacred sexuality are central themes of this aspect pattern. Significantly increased access to your own divine power, proportional to your surrender of everything not in alignment with your higher calling, is another potential benefit of these energies.
To learn more, read my 7/22 forecast.
Jupiter Square Saturn
Expand or contract? See the glass as half-full or half-empty? Dance in ecstatic celebration or inventory your emergency supplies? With Jupiter square Saturn (28°17′ Leo-Scorpio), you might be pulled in both directions.
Jupiter and Saturn came into orb (began to influence each other) on 7/3, make an exact square on 8/3, and part company on 9/10. Be flexible during this time. Sometimes Jupiter, the planet of expansion, optimism and celebration, will lead. Jupiter may also direct you into the areas of philosophy, religion and foreign travel and influences.
At other times Saturn, who embodies seriousness, maturity, boundaries and limitation, will be head honcho. He may call for you to focus on your goals, plan your work and work your plan, and keep your nose to the grindstone.
Leonine Jupiter and Scorpionic Saturn can also work as a team, supporting well-structured leadership and disciplined performance. They can create an amplified container for transformation or bring you joy through focused occult practices.
The flavor of this square changes when Jupiter enters Virgo on 8/11. From then until 9/10, supported combinations include positive transformation of health and assistance in supporting serious personal change.
Jupiter and Saturn will square again February through June of 2016. With Jupiter in Virgo and Saturn newly moved to Sagittarius, the deeper possibilities of their pairing will change once again!
Jupiter Enters Virgo
As noted above, Jupiter enters Virgo on 8/11. He will remain for about 13 months, through 9/9/16. This will provide significantly increased energy for all types of healing and service to others. Virgoan Jupiter can also make it easier to focus on editing, details, systems and polishing projects to perfection.
Pluto Square Vesta
A Pluto-Vesta square (13°24′ Capricorn-Aries) on 8/12 is part of the previously described Thor’s Hammer/Thor’s Hammer Key. Unto themselves, they create these aspect patterns’ core meaning of higher service and sacred sexuality. Even after the Thor’s Hammers end on 8/17, Pluto and Vesta will keep this energy rocking through 9/27.
Saturn-Pluto Semisquare
Which structures in your life need to be built up, and which ones transformed or taken down? Take stock as Saturn and Pluto create a semisquare on 8/13.
While a semi-square is a minor hard aspect, its power is significantly amplified because Saturn and Pluto are in mutual reception (in each other’s signs). This aspect remains active through 9/29.
Leo New Moon
There’s a New Moon on 8/14 at 10:53:22 am EDT (21°30′ Leo). Any Leo New Moon supports new beginnings in the areas of leadership, performance, and play. Speculation, children, and rest and relaxation are also included in Leo’s unusually diverse archetypal meanings.
Aspects
A tight Venus conjunction is this New Moon’s strongest aspect. Artistic Venus in flamboyant Leo is a great combination for strutting your stuff onstage! This Venus conjunction also supports new energy in relationships and finances.
A tight Uranus trine makes it easier for you to show the world the real you, and provides intuitive flashes to guide you. A tight Chiron quincunx indicates that old wounds may be triggered — and then healed if you make the proper adjustment.
Two loose aspects – a Jupiter conjunction and a Saturn square — help create a container in which the previously described energies can play out. They also perform a balancing act: Jupiter catalyzes this astrological alchemy with its energy of expansion, while Saturn’s constraint helps keep it under control.
Sabian Symbol
This New Moon’s Sabian Symbol is, “A carrier pigeon fulfilling its mission.” A carrier pigeon’s mission, of course, is to deliver a message. Is there a message you feel called to share, but that has not yet reached its destination?
Is it simply information meant for one other person? Is it a larger message meant for the world? Given this New Moon’s emphasis on creativity and performance, could your message be in the form of a poem, story, artwork, or performance? If so, what needs to happen so that you, like this Sabian pigeon, can fulfill your mission?
Pluto Square Vesta Again!
Didn’t we just have a Pluto-Vesta square on 8/12? Indeed we did, and here we are having another Pluto-Vesta square (13°21′ Capricorn-Aries) just three days later, with the planets only 1/20 of 1° back from their prior positions!
How is this possible? Vesta turned retrograde in the wee hours of 8/12. Then Pluto, also retrograde, backed past her near the end of that day. As Vesta built up speed, she caught up with Pluto again to form a second square on 8/15. (Vesta will eventually turn direct and square Pluto again on 2/1/16.)
To have two squares so close together can add special power to an aspect. Please see my 8/12 interpretation of the Pluto-Vesta square for what it all means!
Juno Opposing Chiron & Quincunx Uranus
Be alert for challenges in any committed partnership — romantic, platonic or otherwise – as Chiron opposes Juno (20°7′ Pisces-Virgo). This opposition is exact on 8/22 and will be felt through 9/9.
The likelihood that something will get triggered is significantly increased because there’s also a Uranus-Juno quincunx (20°12′ Aries-Virgo) on 8/22 — the same day! This electrifying aspect is much shorter-lived, only lasting through 8/28.
Even in the unlikely event that nothing gets triggered on its own, this is a great energy for proactively healing any unresolved issues in these critical relationships. Do you need to make some paradigm shifts to put the relationship on firmer ground? Even if your partnership is stress-free, can you brainstorm ways to make it even more wonderful by taking it to the next level?
Sun Enters Virgo
The Sun enters Virgo on 8/23 at 6:37 AM EDT. This radiates the energy of service, health, and attention to detail. How can you be helpful to others in a way that lights you up? What life-affirming changes can you make in your diet, exercise habits and work/life balance? And in what areas of your life would benefit from organizing, editing and refining?
Grand Trine: Venus-Pallas Athena-Uranus
Ready to take your feminine assertiveness to the next level? The universe is making it easier for you with a Venus-Pallas Athena-Uranus Grand Trine!
Is your authentic female persona more of a leader or warrior than you’ve allowed her to be? Ready to let your inner Black Widow, Xena the Warrior Princess or Buffy the Vampire Slayer come out to play? These archetypes are the daughters of the warrior goddess Pallas Athena, Venus is your feminine nature, and Uranus is the paradigm shifter that can help you take all this to the next level.
This aspect pattern starts on 8/18, peaks twice on 8/27 and 9/22, and wraps up on 10/5. Make hay while the sun shines!
Pisces Full Moon
A Full Moon (6°6′ Pisces) broadcasts its radiance on 8/29 at 2:35:10 pm EDT. Any Pisces Full Moon is great for evaluating how you’re doing with your spiritual union practices, and how well you’re bringing your creative inspirations into the world. It’s also a time to avoid overdoing mind-altering substances, escapist activities, victim-perpetrator relationship dynamics and aimless drifting.
Aspects
The Moon is tightly conjunct Neptune, the modern ruler of Pisces. This significantly amplifies all the Piscean opportunities and challenges described above. An opposition from Jupiter adds still more fuel to the fire, since Jupiter’s primary effect is to amplify whatever energy it encounters.
If you’ve been hanging out more on the low side of Pisces, the opportunity to paradigm shift your behavior to the high side is available with Uranus semi-square the Moon. Uranus operates like a lightning strike, and can bring change faster than you could have imagined!
Sabian Symbol
This Full Moon’s Sabian Symbol is, “Illuminated by a shaft of light, a large cross lies on rocks surrounded by sea and mist.” I can easily see this as a symbol of embodied divine consciousness. The shaft of light represents divine energy, while the cross represents the unconditional love of Christ consciousness. The cross is on rocks – fallen, perhaps, but still solidly on the earth – while its prone position indicates receptivity.
The shaft of divine light is cutting through the confusion and lack of direction suggested by the sea, and especially by the mist. Because surrender has taken place on the physical level – represented by the cross lying passively on the rocks – the divine energy can embody the physical form.
I highly recommend surrendering to the divine – it’s improved my life more than I ever could have imagined! My simple, free invocations have helped many people awaken to and embody their divine essence – often in a matter of minutes!
Void-of-Course Moons
It’s best to avoid starting important new projects or making major purchases during these times. “Business as usual” is the best strategy for these periods, which occur when the Moon has made its last major Ptolemaic aspect but has not yet moved into the next sign.
- 8/1, 6:02:19 pm – 6:36:09 pm (Pisces)
- 8/3, 4:35:02 pm – 7:23:54 pm (Aries)
- 8/5, 7:29:15 pm – 9:29:18 pm (Taurus)
- 8/8, 12:45:47 am – 1:39:50 am (Gemini)
- 8/10, 7:44:55 am – 8:08:17 am (Cancer)
- 8/12, 1:43:56 pm – 4:52:06 pm (Leo)
- 8/15, 12:36:09 am – 3:45:27 am (Virgo)
- 8/17, 1:16:10 pm – 4:22:26 pm (Libra)
- 8/19, 10:56:22 pm – 8/20, 5:24:05 am (Scorpio)
- 8/22, 3:30:58 pm – 4:40:58 pm (Sagittarius)
- 8/24, 6:03:33 pm – 8/25, 12:21:47 am (Capricorn)
- 8/27, 3:19:41 am – 4:03:25 am (Aquarius)
- 8/29, 3:02:34 am – 4:50:55 am (Pisces)
- 8/31, 2:53:19 am – 4:32:51 am (Aries)
Semimonthly Forecasts
Check back around the 1st and 15th for updated forecasts.
Whatever your Sun Sign, Benjamin’s forecasts can help you make the best use of the current astrological energies.
All dates and times are in the U.S. eastern time zone. Events are most powerful on the dates listed, but their influence will be active for at least several days before and after.
Everyone is affected by these global transits. However, you will be most powerfully impacted when moving planets activate sensitive points in your natal chart.
Hello and thank you for all this wonderful information. What brought me here was a search for the Thor’s Hammer aspect because I noticed that the 4th of August venus/jupiter conjunction will be involved in two thor hammers, which you are speaking about, but in addition to the planets you mention at the moment of the conjunction, the Moon will also conjunct vesta, so we have venus, jupiter, saturn, Pluto, vesta and the Moon forming two connected thor hammers! all at a very tight orb less than half a degree. So I wonder why you left out venus and the Moon? Do you not think their contribution would be significant? I would love to hear your views on this amazing alignment
I don’t include the Moon in my aspect patterns because it’s come and gone in just a few hours. I focus in my forecasts on events that have an impact for at least a few days.