This Month in Astrology – August 2023

August 2023 Monthly Horoscope Overview for Aries:

A Full Moon in your social sector begins the month, dear Aries. Whatever comes to light now provides valuable insight into brewing issues, likely friend-related, and you can feel purged and empowered as a result. True feelings about a person, relationship, or project can emerge, or light shines on your hopes and wishes. These revelations can lead to meaningful changes and improvements. While you've been entirely engrossed in your personal life and doing things on your own, this can be a time when you recognize the usefulness of collaboration.

Certainly, a larger focus of the month is about pleasure, recreation, and self-expression. You are motivated to express yourself in unique ways, and you may be paying more attention to personal hobbies, dating, or entertainment. A stronger urge is with you to create, put your talents to use, show others what you can do, and share your love. Even so, Venus remains retrograde all month, and it's not always straightforward, but you're learning a lot.

Even with all this attention to play, you have a strong showing of planetary activity in your work and health sector. Mercury retrogrades in this area of your solar chart from the 23rd forward, and you may need to backtrack and review what needs special attention or editing. It might feel as if things are stalling or even moving backward sometimes, but the refinements you make during this cycle can be most beneficial.

Plus, Mars spends most of the month (to the 27th) revving you up about your routines, health, and duties. You're enthusiastic about getting things in order. It's a powerful time for activities that promote physical and emotional healing. Your motivation to improve or bring abundance to your life is marked. It's a good time to work on projects with long-term appeal. You are motivated to resolve ongoing problems, and your enterprising nature is alive and well.

With Venus retrograde this month (until September 3rd), you're learning about what you truly enjoy and love, and as you do, you build your appreciation. Finding people, projects, and pastimes that truly fit you becomes easier. You might reevaluate critical areas of your life, mainly related to creativity, hobbies, romance, and friendship, in terms of whether or not they genuinely fulfill you. You might reconnect with an old love, project, or friend or learn something new about a previous relationship. Questioning current attachments is possible, and it can be a helpful process, either serving to strengthen your commitments or alerting you to stale areas of your life.

The Sun enters your work and health sector on the 23rd--on the same day that Mercury turns retrograde in the same house of your solar chart. It's complicated, but you're pouring more heart into pursuing your health and work goals while also fixing errors and facing a few delays. At this time of year, you're paying more attention to detail and getting your daily affairs in order.

Mars enters your partnership sector on the 27th, enlivening your relationships with others, sometimes stimulating conflicts but also generating excitement, passion, and activity.

With transits in the last few days of August and the Full Moon on the 30th, wrapping up projects, editing and organizing work, and managing finances are in focus--and in favor. Factoring in your need for self-renewal and downtime helps you in all areas of life.

August 2023 Monthly Horoscope Overview for Taurus:

The month begins with a Full Moon at the top of your solar chart, dear Taurus, prompting you to attend to your ambitions, reputation, and responsibilities to the outside world. Coming during a period when your home, family, and personal life are in sharp focus, it reminds you to pull yourself out of your shell from time to time. It can be a good time for recognition or when you visualize a path you'd like to take in the future.

The larger themes of the month revolve around your personal life, however. There's an emphasis on home and family, and you're in good shape to improve your sense of safety, security, and comfort. You're bringing healing and wholeness to your domestic world, in addition to some refinement and organization. It's an important period for anchoring on a psychological level.

Mars continues to rev you up as it transits in harmony with your sign until the 27th. You want to pursue your desires, but Venus, your planetary ruler, is retrograde all month, and August doesn't always allow you to push forward. Further, Mercury turns retrograde on the 23rd, and so does Uranus, currently transiting your sign, on the 28th! As such, it shapes up to be a go-slow month, and pacing yourself makes the most sense. Some delays are to be expected.

With Venus retrograde all month and Mars in your love sector much of August, you may come across insensitively at times. It's a good idea to soften your approach just a little, or you could unwittingly make more problems for yourself than are necessary. However, you're redefining and refining what you find valuable and worthwhile. It's a fine time to look at things from an entirely different perspective, particularly family relationships, home life, living conditions, and daily routines. You could be working on problems with family or in the home, or you're making solid plans to improve things. These things should be easier and more natural from the 13th forward--after the Sun aligns with retrograde Venus.

You're often focusing on bringing harmony, comfort, balance, and peace to your home life and family dynamics in August. There can be resurfacing problems to manage, but you are looking at these matters in new ways.

You can feel somewhat torn between sticking with what's comfortable and taking a risk at times in August. You may be itching to do something productive, but you can quickly become frustrated if things are not happening soon enough. It may be best to avoid fretting by seeking the positive in what's in front of you.

Fortunately, you're in great shape for romantic attention and opportunities to expand your horizons, perhaps through learning. You're opening up to new interests, channels for expression, and different feelings or pleasures. Creative enthusiasm is with you, and there can be high energy or improvements surrounding hobbies and recreation. You're focusing on what you can update and upgrade.

The Sun heads into your sector of joy on the 23rd on the same day Mercury turns retrograde. You're pouring more heart and attention into your personal life.

Mars enters your work and health sector on the 27th, introducing a practical theme. Focused energy and determination can help you get your daily life and routines in order.

Around the Full Moon on the 30th, your heart opens to the need for true friendship. Unacknowledged feelings can emerge now, and these emotions may be about someone or can serve to rekindle an interest in a project you haven't yet fully pursued. While emotionally intense, you feel more grounded than usual There can be a stronger sense of accomplishment and joy as you simplify your social life and meet your responsibilities.

August 2023 Monthly Horoscope Overview for Gemini:

August begins with an eye-opening Full Moon in your spirit sector, dear Gemini, ushering in new information that changes your perspective. A project or pursuit can blossom now, or you may recognize the need to get away from it all and take a break from the usual routine. Even so, the prominent themes in your chart for August tend to keep you closer to home. A strong focus on the solar third house suggests extra attention to your daily affairs, current projects, people close to you, and studies. Additionally, home and family life grab more and more of your attention.

You have a special interest in learning, connecting, communicating, and branching out. There are better times for focused concentration, but you're in great shape to explore your options and learn new information. August is excellent for studies, particularly self-taught or home-learning endeavors.

Mars continues to transit your home and family sector until the 27th, energizing your domestic world. It's a time of higher energy and perhaps some commotion or agitation in your personal life or family unit. Directing energy into household projects and family activities can be constructive and satisfying.

Venus is retrograde all month, and your ruler, Mercury, is retrograde from the 23rd forward. As you see past relationships and expectations in a different light, you naturally redefine what you now want and need from your connections and projects. Further information can surface that shines a light on a past issue, or there can be a connection made with someone from your past. Either way, you can feel as if you're starting fresh, but it's important to note that there will be more to the story after Venus turns direct in early September.

August can bring a chance to redo a significant project or to return to a project or research that once seemed to be a lost cause. Instead, you could recognize a line of study, personal interest, or calling that fits you better.

You can be quite focused on bringing more harmony to your communications, daily life, and relationships in August. You might concern yourself with understanding matters from the past, mainly related to your relationships and projects, and you may be returning to old conversations, ideas, or studies. From the 13th forward, you're processing these new insights. Later, when Venus turns direct on September 3rd, you'll start applying them.

Aim to keep your cool and take your time with important decisions. You may need to fix some problems or deal with delays. However, it's a time of great ideas and increased enjoyment of your domestic life. Positive action or support can come from behind the scenes or unexpected sources. You could consider reviving an old relationship or discover a secret attraction. Opportunities to bring your work home with you are possible now, or you could work especially well in solitude or privacy. You might choose to focus your energy on a pet project or something genuinely worth pursuing. It can be an excellent time to break through an emotional barrier or resolve a home-related problem.

The Sun moves into your home and family sector on the 23rd, and you're bringing more heart to your personal life. Mars moves harmoniously with your sign from the 27th, lightening your load and boosting your confidence.

Working on fine-tuning, editing, and refining projects can be helpful and satisfying. In the last days of August, there can be a turning point for a career or life path matter. You might attract attention for positive efforts or a good deed. Pacing yourself comes more naturally to you now. Your ability to mediate, negotiate, and treat others fairly is in strong focus today, and the people around you especially appreciate you.

August 2023 Monthly Horoscope Overview for Cancer:

You're establishing yourself, making connections, learning, and commuting this month, dear Cancer. The Full Moon on the first of August, however, pulls your attention away from your own needs toward matters of sharing and support. Emotions escalate surrounding money and ownership issues and your intimate life. It can be a time for recognizing your need for others or for dealing with issues of support that need sorting.

But as the month advances, settling in, taking care of your things and comfort levels, and learning new things can be your larger focus. Your valuables, finances, and material affairs gain more attention.

Another theme threading through the month revolves around communicating and connecting. You might find a confidant or enjoy more interesting perspectives and ideas. Mercury's retrograde from the 23rd forward can signal the need to review how you communicate and get around. Minor repairs may be necessary with computers and transportation, for example.

August is also a month for developing your natural talents. You're taking stock of what you have and building your feelings of abundance and comfort with yourself. Activities that act to ground you can be instrumental now.

Energy levels are decent with Mars transiting in harmony with your sign for most of the month (until the 27th). But Venus is retrograde all month, and Mercury is retrograde from the 23rd forward, and there can be some slowdowns or obstacles to manage. You might take a new look at a project, purchase, or relationship. It can be easier than usual to let go of personal possessions or other attachments that are cluttering your life, both literally and figuratively. A bit of detachment can help you understand what you truly value and need, and with this new information, you're setting out on a new path.

August can bring a focus on balancing your checkbook, upkeeping your valuables, or attending to your personal comfort. You may be reviewing these things and looking at them from a different perspective, and it's a good time to find lost objects, money, or areas of weakness in a budget. A delayed payment, gift, or bonus may come through next month when Venus ends its retrograde. If you've been dissatisfied with your income or business matters, now is a time to explore your options.
This can be a time for finding or renewing a passion.

Friends or associates can be a source of opportunity to expand your knowledge and experience this month. You might team up to get something done with great success, or personal enjoyment and excitement with a friend or special project can figure strongly. You might move a communications project forward or feel enthusiastic about your current interests. You're passionate and interested in learning and doing new things. Exciting ideas can come to you, and the hatching process can be refreshing. Efforts to learn or develop skills are favored. Breakthrough thinking or sudden, positive discoveries can be notable in August.

The Sun heads into your communications sector on the 23rd, the same day Mercury turns retrograde, and you're expressing yourself in new ways or through different channels. Take your time with decisions now. Shifts and changes of direction can fog up your vision temporarily.

Mars enters your home and family sector on the 27th, and your energy levels can be lower or they can fluctuate. However, this transit signals a busy domestic life. Used well, you can get a whole lot done around the home.

You have more self-discipline as you close out the month, and getting organized helps you. The Full Moon on the 30th (the second Full Moon of the month!) reminds you of the importance of emotional or mental refreshment. You can experience a sudden desire to depart from your usual routine or do/learn something meaningful and life-affirming. It becomes apparent you need to find the time to fit extracurricular activities into your life. Your confidence comes from realistic dreams and pursuits. Successes are far more likely through patience and concerted efforts.

August 2023 Monthly Horoscope Overview for Leo:

The spotlight is on your personality, needs, and plans this month, dear Leo. Healthy self-focus is appropriate in August, and others take notice of you more than usual.

At the same time, Venus is retrograde in your sign all month, pointing to chances to reflect and look back before pushing forward. You're also enjoying more ambition regarding your resources and talents.

August is a dynamic period that may challenge you at times but can also be invigorating and refreshing.

The month begins with a Full Moon in your opposite sign, prompting an exploration of partnering and independence. Epiphanies about your feelings or a close relationship can figure strongly now. If discontent magnifies, it helps motivate you to make improvements. Recognition for your efforts and talents is possible. With some creativity, you are also in a position to improve your financial state.

At the same time, Venus remains retrograde in your sign all month, only turning direct in early September, and it's an important time for reviewing matters of the heart, pleasure, and satisfaction. You see yourself, your relationships, and your experiences in a new light, and you're redefining what you want and need from your relationships.

Still, aim to let time tell the truth of a matter since August is not always a good month for direct answers. A waiting game is likely.

The New Moon on the 16th is in your sign, bringing discoveries and a feeling of newness to your life. Still, take your time before moving forward. You see things differently related to your personality, image, attitude to new beginnings, initiating qualities, immediate responses to stress, self-identity, and personal presentation. This new insight is coming gradually, slowly but surely, informing your decisions.

Juno entering your sign mid-month is another boost and prompt to connect with your personal power. More than usual, you are seeking ways to distinguish yourself and make your mark.

Mercury turns retrograde on the 23rd, making a review necessary before moving forward, particularly regarding your finances. While there can be some communication breakdowns, rich opportunities are emerging in this period. Further, Uranus begins its yearly five-month retrograde cycle this month, inspiring you to examine your long-term goals, career, or reputation. You've been reshaping your reputation and carving out a unique identity, mainly through your status or profession. Now it's time to analyze, plan, and reassess.

The Sun's move into your resources sector on the same day ramps up a focus on building, developing, and enjoying yourself. You want to get comfortable! The last week of August is also strong for finding lost items or repurposing things to make them like-new.

On the 27th, Mars moves into harmony with your sign--a move that will help you greatly when Venus turns direct on September 3rd. With this transit, your drive and energy levels are on the upswing. It's becoming an easier time to reach out and organize activities. Your social life is likely to be more animated.

Finally, the Full Moon on the 30th brings to light your attachments. You might awaken to feelings for someone or a passion for a particular project that become undeniable. It may also be a time to reorganize your financial obligations.

August 2023 Monthly Horoscope Overview for Virgo:

Your inner world is animated this month, dear Virgo, but even with a stronger focus on musing, healing, and renewal, you're very often quite active and involved. It's not a time to push ahead in many ways due to the month's retrogrades and a focus on your privacy sector, but you're motivated and at the ready.

While there's a stronger focus on mental and emotional health and decompressing in August, the first day of the month reminds you to balance this mission with special attention to work and routines. There can be a bit of a scramble to get your life into better working order, and the benefits of doing so are great.

August is an important month for reflection and rest. You'll find that you're often thinking about the past, assessing individual projects (and, on occasion, for some of you, relationships) for their viability, and dealing with culminations. You could find you're playing a waiting game often enough this month.

This doesn't always jibe well with Mars in your sign (until the 27th), which can stir you up and lead to some impatience. However, activities that repair and heal your spirit and help you renew your energy stores are particularly appropriate and beneficial. You're not in the best position to move your projects forward, but it's an excellent time for getting your bearings. Keeping things low-profile seems appropriate in many life departments, including money and communication projects.

Mars in your sign until the 27th finds you more naturally assertive. You're less inclined to pass up opportunities to pursue your goals. Energy and confidence run higher than they usually do in the weeks before your birthday. You believe in your dreams! While looking forward, you can also want to work independently or at your own pace. Making positive changes and breaking free from limitations are themes.

Indeed, Mercury spends all of the month in your sign and some of it retrograde (from the 23rd forward). Minor problems will likely crop up, but with Mars in your corner, you mostly feel ready to take charge and on top of things. You could feel strongly attracted to a new or different pursuit or an unexpected person. You can also feel more courage to assert your needs or intentions.

Venus turned retrograde last month and remains retrograde all of August. It's tucked away in your solar chart, out of sight. More information may surface about a private or past issue that will help you make better plans and future decisions. From September 3rd forward, you'll begin to feel clearer in these areas. Slowly but surely, life should feel more straightforward in love and with pleasure and comfort, but it's best to process and digest things rather than finalize them for now.

On the day the Sun enters your sign (the 23rd), your planetary ruler turns retrograde, complicating things. Part of you is ready to start fresh, but circumstances seem to slow you down frequently. While sometimes frustrating, this process can help you make valuable edits.

Mars moves out of your sign and into your resources sector on the 27th, and you tap into a stronger desire to build on your ideas rather than a need to pioneer. It's now time to take care of business and attend to your money, things, and comfort levels. You want better for yourself in these areas.

It's a fine time to pursue endeavors that don't have immediate rewards and results but will produce for you over the long term. The Full Moon on the 30th turns your strong attention to close relationships and your relationship needs or goals. It comes at the time of a boosting Jupiter-Saturn transit that encourages more creative relating and interacting.

August 2023 Monthly Horoscope Overview for Libra:

In strong focus in August are your happiness goals and pursuits, dear Libra. The emphasis is on what makes you happy and fulfilled, and contributing and sharing are themes. Connections with friends and colleagues assume more importance. In some ways, you may be reinvigorating your social life or focusing more intensively on plans, projects, and happiness goals. Involvement with your community, networks, or friends can be in the spotlight. However, with Venus retrograde all month, there can be some related problems to iron out.

There can be a distinct focus on matters of the past with projects, friends, or lovers in August. As problem areas magnify, you might formulate a new approach to friendship matters, group connections, or long-term happiness goals and projects. As you recognize what's tripped you up in the past, you get on the path toward improving these life departments.

The first day of August features a Full Moon, and you can experience a romantic revelation or a powerful desire to create something unique. Your personal life and projects deserve some special attention. Feelings are full, rich, and hard to ignore! Letting something go can make room for a rush of new creativity. Don't speed ahead just yet, but don't ignore the calling to explore your needs and feelings.

You're often inclined to look within, and you can learn a lot about yourself this month. You may break out of a rut or find a release from an old obligation, and it feels good to do so. You're discovering new feelings and desires, and the motivation to enjoy them runs high.

August holds good energy for discovering or throwing yourself into a passion project, research, investigation, or mystery. But because it's a slow-moving month at times, it's best to channel excess energy positively. Waiting games are likely with your ruler, Venus, retrograde all month and Mercury turning retrograde on the 23rd, and it's best to enjoy yourself along the way.

The Sun heads into your privacy sector on the 23rd (the same day Mercury turns retrograde), and a cycle of rest and replenishment is upon you. It's a period of letting go, reviewing, and recharging yourself physically and spiritually. You could find more personal fulfillment through compassion and service, or you find it natural to withdraw or retreat a little to do some soul-searching. You may feel you've done the rounds and now need more time to yourself--or with yourself!

Yet Mars enters your sign on the 27th, stirring you up. You crave more action or involvement with this transit that will last until October 12th. Because this transit starts during a general go-slow period, there can be some impatience or restlessness until you find ways to pace yourself. It's not yet "all systems go" with Mercury's retrograde, a focus on your privacy sector, and Venus still retrograde. However, your spirits are rising. Allow your mind to catch up with your heart before pushing ahead, and you'll be in good shape now.

The second Full Moon of the month occurs on the 30th, opening your eyes to your feelings regarding your work endeavors, health programs, and routines. It's a time for new information or revelations that redirect you.

August 2023 Monthly Horoscope Overview for Scorpio:

You're goal-oriented this month, dear Scorpio, but you're approaching your objectives differently. It's a powerful time to get in touch with your ambitions, and the New Moon on the 16th can tie everything together. While there's a strong emphasis on your responsibilities, duties, and performance continuing this month, your social life and relationships are also a big focus.

You're more personally invested in your accomplishments this month and might be in higher demand than usual. At the same time, areas of discontent with your responsibilities, career, or reputation and image can magnify with Venus retrograde all month. You're considering your satisfaction levels more, and a plan for making improvements can develop. You could be reevaluating some of your projects and goals and looking behind you before moving ahead.

The Full Moon on the 1st is, in fact, the first of two Full Moons in August. It stirs up strong feelings about your living conditions or arrangements, personal life, emotional world, home, or family. It's a time to find a better balance between your professional and personal life. It's also a time for fruitful, exciting connections.

This month, there can also be a focus on past relationships but with a new perspective. You see things differently during the Venus retrograde (until September 3rd), and revelations around August 12-13 can motivate you to approach things differently, particularly with love, business, career, professional matters, or public image and reputation. You may go back over old ground to correct and refine things before moving forward. In the process, you gain valuable insight into your working relationships, reputation, and satisfaction with your current projects or long-term goals. Even though it may feel slow for now, the edits you do now can be instrumental.

However, you're often taking charge on a social level, especially mid-month. Putting a problem behind you can leave you feeling lighter and freer. Teamwork or group and networking activities can lead to exciting opportunities, and you're more motivated than usual to make satisfying connections. You stand out for your unique approach to others.

Mercury begins its retrograde on the 23rd, suggesting it's time to review your situation with friends, groups, and networks. On the same day, the Sun heads into your social sector, and it's complicated! You're pouring more heart into your happiness goals and friendships, but these things aren't always straightforward. While Mercury is retrograde, you may return to old problems or review recent decisions. Misunderstandings and delays are possible, but you also get to see new layers to a situation.

Mars begins working behind the scenes in your solar chart from the 27th forward, so that while you're noticeable and in demand, there is part of you that begins to need some space and time to rest. You benefit from mingling, putting yourself out there, and enjoying contact, but also reserving judgment and conclusions for a later date.

The second Full Moon in August occurs on the 30th, lighting up the last days of the month. You're discovering things about a relationship with a friend or lover. Your feelings become hard to ignore! This lunation can bring affection and creativity to full bloom. The route to fulfillment may not be immediately apparent, but the first step is acknowledging what you want, which is the "work" of this Full Moon.

August 2023 Monthly Horoscope Overview for Sagittarius:

The Full Moon on the first day of August occurs in your communications sector, dear Sagittarius, and starts the month off on a busy note. It's a time of special attention to your daily affairs, studies, and goings-on in your neighborhood. Even so, this month's larger themes encourage you to reach out beyond your routine to explore new ideas, concepts, places, and activities. You more often seek richer experiences and more mental stimulation in August.

Still, Venus continues in retrograde motion all month in the same emphasized area of your solar chart, complicating things. While you're more invested, you're also gaining a new perspective and might redefine some of your beliefs, ideals, goals, and dreams. You might also more clearly see which approaches or expectations you had in the past that sent you along the wrong path. It's an excellent time to set up new intentions, particularly related to vitality, beliefs, studies, friendships, love, passion projects, and interests. There can be a sense of emotional renewal and a fresh start or a new beginning based on revelations about what you love and value the most from the 12th-13th forward.

It's a good idea to watch for processing too much information or for sensory overload — be discriminating with what you take in. You could experience some restlessness as your desire to improve your daily affairs sometimes competes with the need to break the routine.

Mercury turns retrograde on the 23rd, highlighting the need to rethink longer-term goals. You may need to backtrack over work you thought was complete. This eventually works to your advantage, as you'll be better prepared to take advantage of the opportunities that come your way, knowing what you want.

Despite retrogrades and shifts slowing things down in August, some of your plans come together well. Channeling your energy into constructive projects can be satisfying, for instance. Your attitude towards your work and goals is especially positive, and you're ready to take on a challenge. Ideas and methods for work, business, and health are in top shape. Most importantly, you feel equipped to solve problems. Working at your own pace makes it easier to follow your intuition and hunches.

The Sun reaches the top of your solar chart on the 23rd, the same day Mercury retrogrades. You're approaching your career, business plans and goals, or general life direction differently--with more heart and pride but also from a new perspective. There can be a pleasant feeling of reinvigoration regarding your life path goals. You can experience some shifts with focus, reputation, leadership, or management.

You can experience a strong desire to put things into order and make sense of things at this time, determined to make improvements that go deep. More structured approaches to your home life can help you give more to your work, responsibilities, and wellness pursuits. At the same time, Mars moves to your social sector on the 27th, boosting your mood and stirring your desire to pursue happiness goals. It can come as a refreshing mindset change as you close out the month.

The Full Moon on the 30th is the second one of the month, but this one occurs in your sector of home and family and is quite different than the lunation at the beginning of August. Instead of stirring you to action, it reminds you to connect with your comfort, familiarity, safety, and nurturing needs.

August 2023 Monthly Horoscope Overview for Capricorn:

August begins with a Full Moon and a call to manage your money, resources, and talents, dear Capricorn. While emotions run high around the time of a Full Moon, they can motivate new plans to improve these areas of your life. If you've been undervaluing your contributions, whether to work or a relationship, this is a time for recognizing and affirming your worth, value, and capabilities.

Still, a bigger theme of the month is about developing and enriching your deeper connections, whether to a special person or project. Your intimacy sector is active, and transits encourage you to work on power dynamics and sharing. Of course, getting to know your own capabilities, limits, and worth is a healthy part of any exploration of dependencies on others or outside sources, and this is the "work" you're doing now.

You're seeking more depth or intimacy from your experiences this month. Venus (all month) and the Sun (until the 23rd) move through this zone of your solar chart, which rules regeneration, transformation, other people's resources (that affect you), and debts, both spiritual or emotional and material ones. There can be a more defined need for profound, rich, and meaningful experiences, more attention to a relationship's power dynamics and intimacy level, and a focus on your needs for change, evolution, and self-mastery.

Still, Venus is retrograde all month, and you can see your past in new ways. This process eventually helps you with choices and decisions about the future, even if it sometimes feels complicated. While you may have felt in the dark about your feelings recently, new awareness and the beginnings of a plan of action will likely emerge from the 13th forward. You are redefining what you want and need from others and what you expect from yourself.

Even with this inward-turned energy, Mars continues to bring dynamic energy to your spirit sector until the 27th. Life shouldn't be dull with this transit that supports you energetically and encourages the pursuit of your desires. You're making plans, seeing the bigger picture, and expressing your ideas and creative visions with others. Your powers of attraction skyrocket, and in focus are competitive activities, exams, learning, and creative activities. The physical expression of your happy feelings may be particularly appealing since you crave spirited action. You can feel excited about exploring a new path. This transit encourages taking action to move an area of your life ahead, which can happen through freeing yourself from a problem or burden or from actively pursuing a desire or goal.

Mercury turns retrograde on the 23rd, and there can be some delays to manage, this time with information, which can feel clogged. You have a strong interest in broadening your mental experiences this month, but getting to where you want to go becomes less straightforward.

The Sun enters your spirit sector on the same day, and you're putting more heart into your efforts to grow, explore, and expand beyond your usual experiences. You can experience more passion about an idea, ideal, or course of study, and you can feel compelled to share your thoughts. Exploring past studies, ideas, destinations, and topics of interest can be more attractive.

But just four days later, Mars moves on from this busy area of your solar chart, bringing on a new theme from the 27th: it heads to the top of your chart, stirring your ambitions regarding your career, reputation, or status.

While things are still moving rather slowly, concentration and commitment help you get a leg up on things as you close out the month. Your realism and willingness to take the bad with the good help you succeed. The Full Moon on the 30th prompts discoveries related to ideas, learning, communications, transportation, and relatives, which in turn motivate you to make changes and improvements.

August 2023 Monthly Horoscope Overview for Aquarius:

August begins on an emotionally-charged and motivating note with the Full Moon in your sign, dear Aquarius. It marks a time of self-discovery and recognition of feelings and needs you may have held at bay or brushed to the side. It comes at a highly relationship-focused time with an active partnership sector in your solar chart. After all, recognizing your feelings and needs is vital as you explore your partnerships, dependencies, and relationship needs.

Still, with Venus retrograde all month in the very same sector, your connections and relationships can sometimes be complicated. Take your time before taking on new investments and loans this month, not only with Venus retrograde but also because Mercury is retrograde in your solar eighth house from the 23rd forward.

Negotiations and agreements can figure strongly this month. There could be some emotional distance or a stronger focus on the past with Venus retrograde. Old relationships or past problems may resurface. You have much to learn about yourself through your interactions, as complex as they may be at times, and much to discover about significant others.

Directing energy into special projects and pursuits can be satisfying in August. Conflicts may be valuable, too, if they serve to renew and revive your relationships, but some can be unnecessary or unhealthy. There can also be strong opportunities for expanding your family, personal, or domestic experiences. Strengthening ties and finding peace with your past can be in focus, and you have improvement and growth in mind. You could feel more empowered, optimistic, and hopeful about an intimate or family matter. You strongly desire to be productive, and knowing your heart is the key to your confidence now. Most importantly, you're willing to be brave and honest with yourself.

Venus continuing its retrograde all month (until September 3rd) suggests you're arriving at a new understanding of your relationship needs. Certainly, there can be a focus on whether or not you're receiving satisfaction from a relationship. Or, there can be a feeling of limbo during this review period, after which you can start to put all of the pieces together and feel more confident about making changes. Through revelations this month, especially around the 12th-13th, you gain further insight into an old problem, or you might reconnect with someone from your past, sparking a new approach. It's a time to set intentions and goals that better reflect your redefined wants and needs or your expectations of others.

While the month often asks you to wait, observe, and slow down, it holds some easy energy for certain home and family-related projects. You keep your determination and enthusiasm. It's easier to see that waiting for information or clarity can help you see things in new ways and make valuable edits. Finding release through music, writing, or discussion can be most healing.

The Sun enters your intimacy sector on the 23rd, and while you may experience a delay or a feeling of discontent before you turn things around, it's a time to consider a lifestyle change or ending an unhealthy dependency. On the other hand, opportunities to pool your resources with someone can emerge.

Even with this deep, inward turn, Mars moves into harmony with your sign on the 27th, boosting your confidence, spirits, and involvement. Energy and enthusiasm build. The Full Moon on the 30th reminds you of the value of special attention to finances and resources. Measures to structure and discipline yourself, especially with money and personal belongings, are satisfying, helping you in many different life departments.

August 2023 Monthly Horoscope Overview for Pisces:

August begins with a Full Moon in the sign behind yours, dear Pisces. This can manifest as a strong message from your intuition and a sudden need to attend to personal matters or to get extra rest. This prompt comes at a time of much activity related to work, health, and routines in your chart, and it's meant to help you reach a balance if you've ignored your emotional needs. Indeed, a larger theme of the month involves special and necessary attention to work, physical health, and getting your daily affairs into order. This Full Moon simply asks you to find a balance.

August can be a busy month: you're taking charge of your work and health routines, and it's rewarding as you experience a need to lead a more organized, productive, and healthier lifestyle. This month, there is a significant emphasis on chores, work, health, routines, services, daily affairs, diet, and habits. While you may be managing and improving any of these things, it can also be a time of some dissatisfaction and need for review, motivating these adjustments.

With Venus retrograde all month, you could be reworking projects or returning to old jobs that need attention. You'll likely learn new things about past problems related to work, health, and relationships. Seeing where you may have been tripping up or chasing the wrong things in the past can lead to better decisions now and in the future.

Mars continues its transit of your partnership sector until the 27th, animating your close relationships. Someone or a relationship can stir or motivate you to action. People seem to rile you up more often, frustrating you at times and motivating you at other times. Some "push and pull" can eventually get you to a better feeling of balance or equality. Mercury turns retrograde on the 23rd in this same sector, and there can be some communication challenges, but you remain quite confident and enthusiastic that you can handle problems with Mars in your seventh house to the 27th and the Sun there from the 23rd onward.

There's undoubtedly go-slow energy in August. It's not a great time to push ahead in a general sense. Still, you can be determined to make improvements or changes. Your good cheer and optimism can help strengthen close relationships. Activities with a partner can be satisfying, or pairing up can be particularly productive. Studies or projects can show signs of progress or motivate you to do something new and bold.

Mars moves into your solar eighth house on the 27th, and on-the-surface heat in relationships can lessen, but some deeper issues may emerge. This cycle animates and energizes your private world. You may put considerable energy into your relationships or self-understanding.

The Full Moon on the 30th is in your sign, and emotions and excitement build in the last week of August. The Full Moon itself brings feelings to a head and can stir powerful epiphanies. How you feel about a matter (or person) becomes undeniable, which can lead to incredible changes in your life. Fortunately, transits now encourage self-discipline and more order in your life. There can be more respect for your ideas and pursuits, and it's a fine time for happy productivity.