The astrology for this week of August 14th through the 20th of 2023 is highlighted by the Leo New Moon on Wednesday with its influence up through the 30th providing an effective balancing act of good times and productive efforts.
While curveballs can keep us on our toes, any unexpected incidents allow us to reorient, change our trajectory, and streamline our operations. We just need to stay out of our own way, be adaptable to unexpected developments, and turn any lemons into sweet lemonade.
The week might start with us attending to home and family matters, but soon after we are likely feeling our oats and looking for venues in which to express our talents and make our voice heard.
No shrinking violets are we this week. On the contrary, we might have a second wind and be highly adept at surfing the crests, even on tsunami-like waves.
Experience develops skills, and we all have experienced various curveballs over the past few years to enhance our skill set and prove our ability to successfully navigate the twists and turns of these tumultuous, disruptive times.
The latter part of the week gives us the thrust to be more effective with less expenditure of energy, using streamlined techniques and innovative means to get things done expeditiously.
It would be wise for us to use the latter part of the week to attend to any significant matters, since next week has the beginning of another three-week Mercury retrograde, this one, like the one back in April – May, liable to raise issues with our health, our structures and our finances, and of course instituting Murphy’s Law of ‘whatever can go wrong could go wrong’.
Although the powers-that-be may tout their handle on various issues, perhaps we have begun to realize that events seem more like a runaway train with no conductor and little, if any, conscious course of action. We might realize that we need to take matters in hand, accept responsibility for our own actions, and like a spiritual warrior carve our own way through the turbulence of this paradigm shift.
The weekend provides a pleasant respite from the push – pulls between fun activities and returning to routine situations. Quality time with a special someone, or the special people in our life, reenforces the blessings that each of us has in our individual lives.
Monday, August 14th – One Foot In, One Foot Out – Neptune, Pluto, Moon Void-of-Course. Monday begins this week with the Cancer Moon trine Neptune, and the Moon opposed Pluto. The Moon then goes Void-of-Course for almost three hours with the Moon making no further connections to the planets as the Moon completes its transit of Cancer and before the Moon enters Leo as we begin our day. We may have certain family or home matters that we need to attend to, but we are more likely to put them aside than fully engage them. The last gasps of the summer season may have us engaging summertime activities on this Monday through Wednesday. We are on the ‘dark side’ of the Moon prior to Wednesday morning’s New Moon, so there is not a great deal of energy to initiate or start up significant projects. On the contrary, this Monday could seem more geared to enjoying ourselves, taking it easy and not feeling pushed no matter what needs are beckoning us. This is one of those days when, if we can put off pressing demands and do so until Thursday, we are likely to do so. With the waning of the summer season, we can have one foot in our summertime activities and the other foot in getting back into our regular routine and our autumn schedule.
Tuesday, August 15th – Live for Today – Jupiter, Venus, Sun, Uranus. Tuesday continues with the Leo Moon with the Moon today square Jupiter and the Moon conjunct Venus. The two ‘good guys’ of the planetary realm, Venus and Jupiter, are engaged. The Sun squares Uranus as a prelude to tomorrow’s New Moon with the Sun Moon conjunction square Uranus. Similar to yesterday, we are on the ‘dark side’ of the Moon prior to tomorrow’s New Moon. Our focus may be more treating ourselves today than trying to accomplish anything significant. We do have to be wary of expenses, although already people in the US have been drawing upon their credit cards for various purchases with Americans’ credit card debt totaling a record $1 trillion. Many people are feeling pushed to the wall by the rising expenses of their basic necessities and their additional expenditures. On this Tuesday, we might consider such a concern to be something to address at a later date. Today, we are likely to be more interested in being in the moment and living for today. This Tuesday is a good day to enjoy oneself but with a watchful eye on finances. We can spend more today than would be wise with a liability of succumbing to instant gratification.
Wednesday, August 16th – Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge – Uranus, Leo New Moon, Sun, Moon Void-of-Course, Mars. Wednesday has the Leo Moon square Uranus shortly before the Leo New Moon when the Moon conjuncts the Sun [5:38 AM EDT]. The Moon then goes Void-of-Course for almost fourteen hours with the Moon making no further connections to the planets as the Moon finishes its transit of Leo and before the Moon enters Virgo late in the day. Mars trines Uranus. The New Moon impacts the next two weeks up to the Full Moon on the 30th. With the New Moon square Uranus, this two-week period can be one of unexpected incidents occurring and demanding that we be highly attentive to shifting sands and tone down our self-importance or any assumptions of our ruling our world. Any arrogance can inflict my oft-suggested warning that the universe often taps us on the shoulder, and if we don’t get what the subtle tap indicates, the universe taps a little harder, and if we still don’t get the indication, we are liable to get a lateral lobotomy or whack on the side of the head. If we maintain humility and are willing to work effectively with the dodgeballs thrown our way, these two weeks can be a highly productive period even despite next week’s beginning of the Mercury retrograde. Interesting to note that this Leo New Moon with the Uranus square impacts by orb three of Joe Biden’s Scorpio planets in a Fixed Sign T-Square with those three Scorpio planets being in his 12th House of Karma [a.k.a. what goes around comes around].
Thursday, August 17th – Wake Up, Sleepy Head – Saturn. Thursday has the Virgo Moon opposed Saturn in the early morning hours. Either our sleep is less than restful, or we are likely to be awake early in the morning. Our emotions can be raw as we start this day, and it may take some doing to get up and going. Not that staying in bed would seem a welcome option. We could be feeling anxious, concerned, weighted down by everything we feel we should attend to. If we could get our emotions out of the way, strategize our plans for the day, and focus on taking things step by step, we could accomplish a great deal. It might seem like busy work, but it is important that we get done what needs to get done. We don’t want to play catch up over the next three weeks while Mercury is retrograde. The summer season might seem slipping away, and a summer that may not have lived up to expectations, but no need whining or grousing about it. This is a day to put our emotions aside and determine to be productive. By devising our ‘to do’ list and prioritizing the most significant items to take care of, Thursday and Friday could prove highly productive days when we are truly effective. We just need to get up and running on Thursday, draw upon our expertise developed by our experience, and be willing to adjust our methods by utilized streamlined methods and time-saving technologies.
Friday, August 18th – Help When Needed – Jupiter, Mercury, Uranus, Mars. Friday has the Virgo Moon conjunct both Mercury and Mars, and the Moon trine both Jupiter and Uranus both in Taurus. Things can fit neatly together today. Not only is our mind sharp and insightful. We have an uncanny ability of being in the right place at the right time. If we are going shopping today, we could find incredible bargains on quality merchandise. We are able to think outside the box, come up with the most innovative means to accomplish our goals, and get more done today than we might imagine. This is a primo day to take care of what needs to get done. It is far better for us to focus on our mundane matters and long-term goals than blowing off the day for a long weekend. Let’s keep in mind that Mercury is turning retrograde next week. The Earth Grand Trine with all Earth Signs occupied talks about manifestation and with some of the players involved today things can occur suddenly and almost unexpectedly. We do need to have our antennae up, be open to receive, and when prompted to go for the gold. Our perseverance with a little help from the universe can have us operating on greased wheels today. Not a day to be missed or to be sloughed off. The energy shifts tomorrow, and we may be more interested in lazing about or hanging out with friends, so let’s use this day wisely and productively to get things done.
Saturday, August 19th – Lazy Day – Neptune, Pluto, Moon Void-of-Course. The early morning hours of this Saturday has the Virgo Moon opposed Neptune and the Moon trine Pluto. The Moon then goes Void-of-Course for three hours with the Moon making no further connections to the planets as the Moon finishes its transit of Virgo and before the Moon enters Libra as we wake up in the morning. The Libra Moon today makes no connections to the planets. Hopefully, we got a lot done over the past 2-3 days. This day and tomorrow would allow us to spend time with that special someone, or those special people, who light up our life. We’re not interested in pushing hard on this weekend. On the contrary, we might prefer just lazing about, enjoying ourselves and engaging the company of others. A leisurely lunch could be fun. Anything that makes us feel good about life and our living is encouraged on this Saturday and Sunday. We’re not interested in discord or disharmony but would rather prefer the placid and serene. Personal makeovers of our appearance or shopping can go well on this Saturday. We may enjoy being pampered today. Both today and tomorrow encourage us to being good to ourselves, enjoying fun events and getting together with friends.
Sunday, August 20th – One More Time – Venus. Sunday continues the soft, upbeat vibe of yesterday as the Moon continues its transit of Libra and with the Libra Moon sextile Venus later in the day. Neither Saturday nor Sunday has a great thrust of energy. Instead, there is a lilting quality to both days, an opportunity for us to take it easy, such a rarity during these fast-paced, turbulent times of this paradigm shift. But let’s take it when we get it. This weekend is highlighted by a peaceful easy feeling, and a time when we can recharge our batteries, reinvigorate ourselves and appreciate the utopia of present living rather than the focus by the powers-that-be on a dystopian present and future with all its soul-sucking negativity of everything wrong, nothing being right. Perhaps this weekend allows us to fully embrace the sentiment ‘be the change you wish to see in the world’. By changing attitude and seeing the half glass of water as half full rather than half empty, we can emphasize the reality that ‘life is good’. No matter what is going on in our world or in the world-at-large, this weekend provides us the opportunity to see the beauty and many blessings each of us has in our lives. Let’s en-joy this weekend, for it will give us a bolster to get through any subsequent challenging times.
