Important astrological energies for the month of August 2015:

• Saturn in Scorpio turns stationary direct on August 2, 2015. Saturn turned stationary retrograde on March 14, 2015 when it was in the sign of Sagittarius. Saturn retrograde re-entered the sign of Scorpio on June 14, 2015.
• Jupiter in Leo forms a square to Saturn in Scorpio on August 3, 2015. While this is a series of three squares between Jupiter and Saturn, the squares will be different. When Jupiter forms two more squares to Saturn on March 23, 2016 and May 26, 2016, Jupiter will be in Virgo and Saturn will be in Sagittarius.
• Jupiter enters Virgo on August 11, 2015. It will be in Virgo until September 9, 2016 when it enters the sign of Libra.
• New Moon with Sun and Moon in Leo occurs on August 14, 2015.
• Full Moon with Sun in Virgo and Moon in Pisces occurs on August 29, 2015.

Your Financial and Physical Needs Are Important

By Misty Kuceris ©2015

During the month of August, it’s important to understand your financial and physical needs. This is a month to focus on developing plans which improve both your financial and physical well-being. With Saturn turning stationary direct on August 2^nd, you’ll begin to understand why this focus is so important. It’s important to note that Saturn turning direct isn’t usually very important. You just feel as if any heaviness in the world is coming to an end and you can finally move forward with your life. However, since Saturn is nearing the end period of being in the sign of Scorpio at this time, this change of direction is very important. Saturn entered the sign of Sagittarius on December 23, 2014 and remained there until it re-entered the sign of Scorpio in retrograde motion on June 14, 2015.

During the time period that Saturn was retrograde, you had the opportunity to review your financial situation and correct any problems, especially those dealing with monies owed to others. It was important to find ways to pay down your debt. If you didn’t achieve that during the retrograde period, you will have to address it now that Saturn is direct in Scorpio.

Another area of concern during the retrograde period involved your relationships with other people. If you were involved with individuals that tried to control your life by ignoring your value systems, you’ll find that you can no longer tolerate the relationships. Either you will let them slide out of your life or you will end your interactions with them. If you were involved in situations where the other person expected you to take care of all the responsibilities, you will no longer accept that expectation. Now you will demand that other people live up to their responsibilities and also accept you for whom you are.

As Mercury forms a trine to Uranus retrograde and a quincunx to Chiron retrograde later in the day, you’ll find it easier to move on with your life. You’ll feel more compassionate towards people who are willing to accept you even if there are still some problems in the relationship. You’ll also develop plans in your life to correct any negative situations without setting yourself or others up for failure.

On August 3^rd, Jupiter forms its first square to Saturn. This is a sequence that usually occurs in a series of three. While it will occur in a series of three in this cycle, the energy won’t be quite the same. Today, Jupiter is in Leo and Saturn is in Scorpio. When the square occurs again on March 23, 2016 and May 26, 2016, Jupiter will be in Virgo and Saturn will be in Sagittarius. There are slightly different messages to learn from this cycle.

With Jupiter in Leo not only do you feel you can achieve anything, but you also feel that you deserve to achieve everything. You want to soar to success. But, with Saturn in Scorpio, you need to understand how to get rid of waste and not get stuck in situations where the price of your actions is too high. You need to move very cautiously. So, you may feel this tension: To move forward or hold back. Actually, Saturn represents structure. In Scorpio this structure focuses on financial obligations and societal rules. Jupiter represents moving into the future so you can achieve your goals, especially when in Leo. So the best way to do this is to understand the rules, especially those related to financial obligations, and move in harmony with those rules. When the other two squares occur in 2016, you’ll need to review your actions to make certain they are in harmony with your societal expectations. If not, you’ll need to correct the direction you’re taking around March 23, 2016 and May 26, 2016 when this square occurs again.

Later in the day, Ceres re-enters the sign of Capricorn. It initially entered the sign of Capricorn between January 8, 2015 and April 3, 2015. It moved into the sign of Aquarius and went stationary retrograde in that sign on June 3, 2015.

When Ceres is in Capricorn, responsibilities are very important. Those responsibilities may involve either your personal or professional life. You feel as if you need to put other people or situations first. But, the real lesson to learn when Ceres is in Capricorn is that you need to integrate both family and work into your life in order to create a balance. You don’t want to alienate yourself from other people. Perhaps when Ceres was in Capricorn earlier in the year, you didn’t pay attention to integrating this balance. If you didn’t, now is the time that you’ll find opportunities that let you create a balance. If you did have that balance in your life, now is the time that you’ll see rewards for your actions.

When Venus retrograde forms a conjunction to Jupiter on August 4^th, you feel good about your achievements and goals. This is actually the second time that Venus forms a conjunction to Jupiter in Leo this year. The first time it occurred was on July 1, 2015. Venus will form another conjunction to Jupiter on October 25, 2015. But at that time both Venus and Jupiter will be in the sign of Virgo.

You may find that many actions you started around the beginning of July 2015 are coming to fruition today. Or, you may decide, since Venus is in retrograde motion, to re-evaluate some of your plans. You may even decide that it’s better to just start over. What is important is that you consider the costs of achieving your goals to make sure the price is not too high. You want to look at the spiritual, emotional, physical, and financial fees.

With Venus in retrograde motion, you may find some money that you didn’t know you had or was owed you. Or, you may even encounter an old friend or lover who can bring joy into your life by re-entering it.

Venus retrograde is forming a second square to Saturn on August 5^th. The first square it formed to Saturn was on July 14, 2015 when it was in direct motion. Venus will form a third square to Saturn, but that will occur on October 10, 2015 when Venus is in Virgo and Saturn is in Sagittarius.

When Venus retrograde forms a square to Saturn on August 5^th, you need to re-evaluate your personal boundaries. Are they helping or hindering your actions? You want to move slowly, just as you did on July 14, 2015, the first time this square occurred. It’s important that you don’t criticize your actions to the point that you don’t take any actions. At the same time, it’s important that you also understand the rules so you can play the game and win.

Be careful in relationships since other people may want to tell you what to do. If that’s the case, you need to pull back and evaluate whether those people are really individuals you want in your life.

Mars forms a trine to Saturn at 4:01 pm EDT on August 6^th and Mercury forms a square to Saturn at 4:07 pm EDT. Since these aspects occur so close to each other, it’s as if they are working in tandem even if one aspect is beneficial and the other not so.

When Mars forms a trine to Saturn, you have the ability to focus on your goals and understand just what you need to do. You don’t waste or scatter your energy. But with Mercury forming the square to Saturn you may second guess your actions and not move forward with achieving those goals. Another way that this energy could play out is that you have no difficultly in focusing on your actions. You may just appear cold and distant to other people who don’t understand why the goals are so important. If that begins to occur, take the time to communicate with people in your environment so they don’t feel as if you’re ignoring them.

On August 7^th, Mercury in Leo forms a conjunction to Jupiter and enters the sign of Virgo later in the day. A few minutes after Mercury enters the sign of Virgo, Ceres retrograde forms a quincunx to Jupiter. With all this energy occurring, you find yourself vacillating between believing that you can accomplish anything and feeling regrets for not doing enough to help family members. While you really believe you can do anything, it’s important to temper that belief with realism. Take a look and determine what you can and can’t do. See if other people are trying to take advantage of you or if they really need your help. Use your communication skills to listen to what others are saying. After you’ve heard them, you can determine how you can help. Perhaps they just needed someone to listen so they could solve their own problems. Or, perhaps they really needed you to take charge and give them some direction.

Mars enters the sign of Leo on August 8^th. It likes being in the sign of Leo because there is a lot of energy that can be fun and exciting. At the same time, there’s a tendency to be over dramatic in life. You’re willing to take risks. You may even be willing to forgo some important projects because you’d rather have fun. But be a little careful: Being over dramatic could make a tense situation more difficult. Forgoing important projects may lead to difficulties at a later date. If possible, work on your projects and find a way to make them fun by involving other people.

August 11^th is an important date because Jupiter enters the sign of Virgo. It will remain in Virgo until September 9, 2016 when it enters the sign of Libra. Jupiter represents a 12-year cycle and remains in the sign for approximately 13 months. The last time that Jupiter was in Virgo was between August 27, 2003 and September 25, 2004.

When Jupiter was in Leo, you were willing to take risks that enabled you to move forward with your life. Now that Jupiter is moving into the sign of Virgo, you are more cautious with your finances and lifestyle. You want to focus on your health, both physical and spiritual. During this time period, it’s important that you create a sense of financial security in your life. You need to pay down loans and minimize your bills as much as possible.

You’ll also find that the world is more concerned with food and product safety. Because the emphasis is on health, you’ll find it easier to shop for organic or locally-grown foods. You’ll even find the government involved in requiring more accurate labeling of products.

Home will be very important and while the housing market may seem to slow down, you’ll find that it is better for the buyer than the seller. Just be careful not to get involved in some sort of mortgage program that is not sustainable. And, with individuals getting older there will be more information on reverse mortgages which might generate cash flow.

Human rights will be important and you’ll continue to see individuals being concerned with various aspects of life which they feel as demeaning and detrimental. There will be increased concern over sexual problems in the military and also colleges and universities. There will also be increased concern in the use of symbols which are found to be racists and not universal.

As long as you continue to live a balanced life, watching your finances and your health, you’ll find that Jupiter in Virgo will put you back on track for living life the way that you want to.

Paying attention to your environment is very important on August 12^th as Ceres retrograde forms a sextile to Saturn early in the morning hours EDT and Mercury forms an opposition to Neptune later in the evening EDT.

When Ceres retrograde forms the sextile to Saturn, you look at your life and the boundaries you’ve created to ensure your personal security. You consider what you need to cultivate in order for personal growth to continue. You even review your relationships with others to make certain that you’re living life the way you want to live it, not the way others are telling you to live it. As Mercury moves into the opposition with Neptune, you may feel a little concern that the boundaries you created are now making it more difficult for you to feel compassion for other people. It’s not bad to feel concerned about others. But, you also need to be careful that you’re not taken advantage of by other people. If other people are telling you there is no compassion, question their words. However, if you feel you lack compassion, meditate on your feelings. You may need to find a better balance between creating a secure space while also letting the right people into your space.

With the new Moon occurring on August 14^th, both the Sun and Moon are in Leo and you may feel as if you just want to go out and play. The Moon forms a conjunction to Venus retrograde and a trine to Uranus indicating that you’ll encounter people from your past. This can be an exciting day for you as you also find yourself open to new concepts and ideas. Just don’t get so excited about things that you take unwarranted risks since the new Moon will also be quincunx to Chiron retrograde and you could find yourself in an accident.

Mercury forming a trine to Pluto retrograde on August 15^th can either be a blessing or curse, depending on how you use the energy. You will definitely be focused in your approach to life. You’ll feel driven to achieve. The blessing is that you use this focus to achieve your goals. Unfortunately, the curse can be that you’re so focused on your goals that you don’t take other people into consideration. You forget to listen. And, those other people may tell you important things about your goals. So, don’t shut out others as you set your mind to achieve your goals. Listen to their input and appreciate what they have to say.

Venus retrograde forms a trine to Uranus retrograde and a quincunx to Chiron retrograde at the same time on August 19^th. So, these three planets are actually operating as one. With Venus retrograde forming a trine to Uranus retrograde, you feel good about yourself. You feel as if you can achieve anything. You’re open to meeting new people and trying new things.

But that feeling won’t last since Venus also forms the quincunx to Chiron retrograde. You’ll wonder if you need to pull back from trying new things. You’ll be concerned that your actions can bring more harm than good. What’s actually good about Venus retrograde forming aspects to both Uranus retrograde and Chiron retrograde at the same time is that you’ll find the balance between trying new things and being cautious.

As with the day before, both Chiron retrograde and Uranus retrograde are involved in an aspect to one personal planet just minutes apart from each other. In this case, the planet is Mercury. So, with Mercury forming an opposition to Chiron retrograde and a quincunx to Uranus retrograde just 17 minutes apart, it’s as if these two aspects are working as one on August 20^th.

When Mercury forms the opposition to Chiron retrograde, you want to make certain that you don’t say anything that brings harm or injury to you. At the same time, you’re trying so hard not to distress other people that you feel frustrated when Mercury forms the quincunx to Uranus retrograde. You just can’t seem to express your thoughts in a way that makes sense. What you need to do is look for the verbal and visual clues people give off when they appear to be listening. If the clues indicate they really aren’t engaged in your conversation, just move onto another topic and don’t try to explain. You can always attempt discussing this topic at a later date.

The need to discuss any important topics until a later date continues on August 22^nd as Mars forms a quincunx to Neptune retrograde. If you’re not careful, other people will tell you they want to help but they don’t come through. Or, you may try to start some new venture and you don’t have all the right information. Don’t be surprised if you feel a little out of sorts and can’t explain why. There are energies floating around you that are based on fears other people have. They don’t even understand those fears. It’s best if you don’t initiate any actions today. Rather take the time to relax and heal yourself.

As the Sun enters Virgo on August 23^rd, you have a better understanding of what it meant when Jupiter entered the sign of Virgo on August 11^th. You understand the importance of being fiscally prudent. You also understand just what you need to do in life to be healthy and take care of important aspects of your life.

The need to improve your environment continues on August 24^th as Mercury forms a trine to Ceres retrograde. Not only is it important to implement some great lifestyle choices, but it’s also important to incorporate these choices on a daily basis by communicating your decisions with family members. People will actually understand what you’re saying. They’ll be willing to lend their support to your decisions. They’ll actually praise you for your new outlook in life.

August 26^th continues to be another great day for communicating your choices as Mercury forms a sextile to Saturn. You’ll find that you have more focus. You know what you need to do in order to proceed with any actions. And, you’ll be aware of the important boundaries in your life. If you need to discuss any matters with other people, you’ll be able to focus on the important details. If other people want to discuss any situations with you, you’ll be able to provide some important insight in solving the problem. This will continue into August 27^th as Mercury enters the sign of Libra.

The day after Mercury enters the sign of Libra, it forms a conjunction to the Moon’s North Node on August 28^th. Not only are you able to communicate your needs to other people, but you are also able to understand how important those needs are to your future growth. This is a great day to let go of fears that prevent you from moving forward in your life. It’s also a day where you can understand just how important your future plans are.

As the month of August draws to a close, the full Moon occurs on August 29^th at 2:35 pm EDT. But before it happens, Mars forms a quincunx to Pluto retrograde around 6:25 am EDT. This energy will remain part of the full Moon.

When Mars forms a quincunx to Pluto retrograde, you need to deal with any issues that created frustration or anger in your life. You can’t put off those matters or they’ll gnaw at you. You may even find that old situations are causing you frustration and need to be dealt with now. The key to using this energy in a positive manner is to look at what’s causing you anger and frustration and just releasing that energy from your life. Take a different approach. You’ll be surprised because it will work.

When the full Moon occurs on August 29^th, the Sun in Virgo is separating from a conjunction to Jupiter while the Moon in Pisces is separating from an opposition to Jupiter and moving into a conjunction with Neptune retrograde. Throughout the month you have experienced an emphasis on improving your financial and physical well-being. When this full Moon occurs, you find that it’s easier to create plans of action that improve your well-being. You’ll also find that it’s easier to release old habits which stand in the way of your well-being. Since the quincunx between Mars and Pluto retrograde are still in operation, you may feel frustrated that you can’t move faster with your plans or that it takes longer to let go of negative behavior. But, this is the time for a new approach in life that can work. You just need to believe in yourself. With Neptune operating so strongly in this chart, you may feel as if other people don’t want you to succeed. If that’s the case, don’t share your dreams with them. Let them find out as you implement your plans. The key is to believe in what you can achieve: By doing that, you will accomplish your goals to improve your financial and physical well-being.