Key dates

Aug. 1 Full Moon in Aquarius

Aug. 8 Lion’s Gate Portal

Aug. 16 New Moon in Leo

Aug. 23 Sun enters Virgo

Aug. 23 Mercury goes retrograde in Virgo

Aug. 27 Mars enters Libra

Aug. 28 Uranus goes retrograde in Taurus

Aug. 30 Full Moon in Pisces

Summer is wrapping up, and with August heralding two full moons and two retrogrades, this month is full of twists and turns. For starters, the full moon in Uranus-ruled Aquarius on Aug. 1 stokes our inner rebel and pushes us to demand change in our lives as we see fit. It’s also ripe for social gatherings, community building, and altruism. During Leo season, this lunation asks us to reflect on our role in society and aim to make a difference.

Your major goals and ambitions come to center stage on Aug. 8 during the annual lion’s gate portal — an auspicious time that helps supercharge our manifestations. Setting intentions is a great way to get clear on the kind of energy and luck you want to attract. Once you have an idea of what you want to manifest, get to work! Implement scripting, verbal affirmations, and visualization as part of your routine, and watch how the magic unfolds now and into the end of the year.

Virgo season officially starts on Aug. 23, pushing us to organize our commitments, declutter our spaces, and focus on improving our overall well-being. Virgo is the sign of communication, efficiency, and problem- solving. And there will be plenty of problems to solve, especially with Virgo season heralding a pesky Mercury retrograde, which arrives on Aug. 23. Throwing a wrench in our strict schedules and making us scramble for backup plans in its native sign, Virgo, Mercury retrograde tends to disrupt our efficiency and communication skills, creating a foundation for misunderstandings and tension. This period also affects our wellness routine, like scheduling conflicts, missing your routine workouts, or rescheduled appointments.

Uranus, the planet of shock and innovation, enters retrograde in Taurus on Aug. 28. Good news is, this transit is a slow burn, bringing necessary change over time. It’s a time for us to examine what kind of adjustments need to be made in terms of our finances, relationships, and self-value.

The second and final full moon arrives on Aug. 30 in Pisces and brings along with it a sense of wonder and optimism. This lunation helps us break through the barriers and restrictive thinking that might set us back from fulfilling our manifestations. Pisces is the sign of magic and the supernatural world, so it’s a great time to pull into your inner world and lean deeper into your sense of intuition.

By Brittany Beringer