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Overview of August

We're going from a powerful July to an equally eventful August.  The biggest news of the month is the eclipse season, but there is more.  The first of the awesome Jupiter-Saturn trines arrives this month!

The planets are on the move, too:

• Venus => Libra (August 6)
• Mercury => Leo (August 9)
• Mars => Cancer (August 11)
• Sun => Virgo (August 22)
• Mercury => Virgo (August 25).

Yes, Mercury changes signs twice!

It's a busy, active, unsettled month.

Why Are There So Many Cautions in This Month's Astro-Planner?

They represent the eclipse season + a few challenging aspects the planets make throughout the month.

We are all affected by an eclipse to a degree. If you find yourself edgier than usual, and your decision-making not as reliable, it's because eclipses pack a powerful punch of de-stabilizing energy.

In fact, common astrological wisdom is to avoid making major decisions the week before and after an eclipse. New information might come to light after, that would change the course you're on.

If you have important decisions to make, take advantage of the favourable astro-weather the last week of July.  Or save them for September.

As always, this post is about the big picture of the month + I provide a quick synopsis of each week. You can find my detailed weekly forecasts here, published every Thursday.

A Note for Leo:

If you're a Leo, it's time to book your Solar Return reading. There is a lot going on for your sign! Jupiter is in Leo, the upcoming Solar Eclipse is in Leo, and the helpful Jupiter-Saturn trine is building.  It could be a very positive 12 months for you.  And If the eclipses hit your chart, it can also be an eventful 12 months, with some unexpected surprises!

This reading will give you the astro-intel you need to make the most of your year ahead.

OK, back to August. Let's talk about the big astro-happenings first:

Eclipse Season

Two eclipses arrive this August, and they're the dominant energy of the month.

The dates:

• August 12, 2026: Solar Eclipse at 20° Leo
• August 27, 2026: Lunar Eclipse at 4° Pisces

Eclipses are wild cards. They shake things up — personally and collectively — and the sign they fall into gives us accurate clues about where the disruptions will land.

The Leo-Aquarius eclipse series continues. This series began with the February 2026 eclipse, and the August 12 Solar Eclipse is the next chapter. My earlier prediction was that the February eclipse would be particularly impactful for the USA — and on February 28, the USA together with Israel initiated a war against Iran. You can read my full analysis of what the Leo-Aquarius eclipses have in store here.

But, the Pisces-Virgo eclipse series isn't quite finished with us. The August 27 Lunar Eclipse is one of the last two eclipses in this cycle. The themes we've been living through — employment shocks, healthcare, borders, oil — are still in play. And oh my goodness, so much of what the eclipses foretold us played out.  You can read my full deep-dive on the Pisces-Virgo eclipses here.

My mini-course, Eclipses for the Savvy Seeker, will help you learn how to decode the impacts of eclipses on your country and your own personal chart.

✨✨ People Say:

I'm new to understanding my natal chart and applying astrological transits to my placements. Daria's approach aligns with my life values. I appreciate that she is a self-proclaimed "eternal optimist." I am too! The name "teaching webinar" fits as I learned so much from Daria.

Jupiter-Saturn Trines

Jupiter, now in Leo, will make a series of supportive trines to Saturn in Aries. If this trine aligns with your natal chart, it can be so much more beneficial than a Jupiter transit on its own!

Jupiter brings opportunities, but they don't always deliver — Saturn, on the other hand, turns them into reality.

The first trine blooms this August. We'll feel it from August 14 to September 22, but it will be at its peak — most powerful on August 31, at 13° Aries/Leo.

OK, let's take a quick look at each week, to help you plan your month ahead.

August 1–9:

The month starts with a mellow Moon in Pisces (August 1).  Spend some time unplugging, with a good book or a movie. Or book a Tarot reading.  Pay attention to your dreams — the Moon in Pisces gives a subtle boost to your intuition.  Rest up — the energies are going to pick up big time before too long.

On August 3, the Moon in Aries aligns with Jupiter and the Sun in a fiery trine.  Courage, initiative, and the go-getter spirit all get a big boost.

Venus enters her own sign, Libra, on August 6.  Nice!  Venus is strong in Libra, but unfortunately many of the planetary connections it makes are later in the month and too close to the eclipses.  The energy is too unpredictable.

Also on August 6, the Sun trines Saturn.  Career and business matters get a boost.

On August 9, Mercury moves into optimistic Leo.  Let your personality shine through everything you say and write! Be generous with praise and acknowledgement, and don't forget to toot your own horn a little 😉

Mercury will stay in Leo until August 25.

The Moon turns Balsamic on August 9 at 10:37 a.m. PDT. It's a great time to finish up projects, tie up loose ends, and — my favourite — do some digital or physical decluttering. Balsamic Moon is inauspicious for new beginnings, and I wouldn't recommend any big bold starts so close to the eclipse anyway.

August 10–16:

This is the week when the eclipse season kicks in, in earnest.  Eclipse energy is both energizing and destabilizing.  You may have trouble sleeping. People around you might become edgy.  Work with dark crystals, such as obsidian or black tourmaline, to feel more grounded.

Mars enters Cancer on August 11.  The fiery red planet is not comfortable in the water element.  Mars will stay in Cancer until September 27 — don't react when triggered emotionally.  Consciously respond instead.

August 11 is an exceptionally busy day in the skies.  Mercury makes many aspects leading into the eclipse.  There may be lots of new developments and unexpected twists and turns in the news.

Venus also trines Uranus.  If you meet someone new this week, it may be a fated, magnetic encounter that shakes you to the core.  If the relationship lasts, it's truly meant to be.  It's coming under the eclipse energy!

And then the Solar Eclipse arrives on August 12, at 10:37 a.m. PDT.

If you're a risk-taker and don't mind unpredictability, August 14 is a good day for contracts, negotiations, and presentations — Mercury and Jupiter come together in a conjunction.  Results may be super-charged, but because it's so close to the eclipse, they can also come about with some twists and turns.

August 17–23:

This week is a nice break between the two eclipses.

August 17 is another good day for contracts, negotiations, and presentations — and a calmer day, too (Mercury trines Saturn).  And Venus in Libra makes a lovely sextile to Jupiter! It's another of the year's most positive days for dating and romance.

August brings just two Opportunity Periods, and the first one arrives this week.  And it's a nice, long one: August 20, 12:33 p.m. to August 22, 1:31 p.m. PDT.  It's best suited for career and business matters, publishing, and travel. Venus opposes Saturn during this Opportunity Period, so it's not as great for romantic or financial matters — unless your romantic interest is older or younger than you are!

And, the Sun enters Virgo on August 22.  Happy Birthday to my Virgo readers! ♍🎉

August 24–31:

Mercury changes signs again this week! It moves into practical, detail-oriented Virgo on August 25.  It's our celestial nudge to focus on the useful and practical, and to make good use of checklists and organizers.  Business owners, this is a good time of the year to review and analyze your business data.

Mercury will stay in Virgo until September 10.

Eclipse energies pick up again, leading to the Lunar Eclipse in Pisces on August 27 at 9:18 p.m. PDT.  Uranus is very active at the time of the eclipse, squaring the Sun, the Moon, and Mercury — yet again, your news feed will be buzzing with all kinds of unexpected developments.

Since a Lunar Eclipse is a supercharged Full Moon, emotions can run high this week.

There is also an Opportunity Period on August 26, 2:32 a.m. to 2:59 p.m. PDT.  It's good for social and community activities.  But it's so close to the eclipse — and it's a tense eclipse.  Initiate anything new only if you're prepared for a wild ride.

Work With Me This August

Knowing what the planets are up to is a great start — but the more powerful question is: what does it mean for you? The real magic happens when you look at how these transits interact with your natal chart. If you're ready to get the full benefit of what astrology can offer, I'd love to work with you.

Not sure which reading is right for you? If you want clarity on your next 12 months and have burning questions, book the Live Reading. If you're ready to build a map toward your bigger goals in life, book the Timing Edge.