Monthly Horoscope: Taurus, August 2023

Leo season finds you reflecting on where you’ve come from, while the full moon in Aquarius asks where you are going. On a practical level, this full moon can invite you to create a better work-life balance, or ask you to consider the line between your public and personal lives. Career achievements can take place, and a metaphorical mountain you have been climbing could be conquered…and now that you’re at the top, you’re wondering what’s next! 

August 1 also finds Mars in fellow earth sign Virgo connecting with Jupiter in your sign, Taurus, and Mercury in Virgo opposing Saturn in Pisces. Mars’s alignment with Jupiter can find you feeling especially confident, competent, and competitive. If there’s something (or someone!) you want, this can be an exciting time to go after it! However, communications might move slowly as Mercury opposes Saturn. People in your social circle could be a bit grumpy, too.  

Mercury enters its pre-retrograde shadow in Virgo on August 3: The pre-retrograde period is often regarded foreshadowing, so notice the discussions and plans that take place between now and when the retrograde begins on August 23, as those topics may be revisited and reworked during the retrograde. For you, Taurus, this retrograde highlights themes like your love life and creative pursuits, so take note of who you meet, the discussions you have, and what inspires you over the coming weeks.

The sun squares off with Jupiter on August 6, marking an exciting period of expansion in your life. You could be venturing out beyond your usual routine in some significant way. You might also be moving to a new location or renovating your space. Your ruling planet Venus is retrograde in Leo and it squares off with Uranus in Taurus, and Mercury in Virgo aligns with Jupiter on August 9, which can also find you breaking out of your routine. A paradigm within your family or close relationships could radically transform. On a mundane level, you may be redecorating your home in a way that’s surprising to everyone, even yourself, and emotionally, you’re breaking free from an old way of relating to your past, home, and family. Mercury’s connection with Jupiter bodes well for open, easy communications, and might also bring some good news. 

The sun meets Venus retrograde on August 13, marking the start of a new chapter in your home and family life. Again, you could be moving or rearranging your space in a new way. You may reconnect with family, or reconsider who you count as your inner circle. Venus retrograde in Leo asks all of us to get clear about who and what is dear to our hearts. Leo is the zodiac sign that rules the heart, and if we’re engaging with people, projects, or situations that don’t align with who we are and what we’re passionate about, the sun’s meeting with Venus invites us to turn away and allow space for something new to enter our lives. 

Your home and living situation in particular could be highlighted at this time, and having people you don’t truly love in your personal space, or living somewhere you don’t really feel at home, could be issues you’re working on. If you’ve grown close to someone who isn’t “the one” or settled down somewhere that’s not right for you, it might be difficult to change the dynamic. However, the sun squares off with Uranus on August 15, which can find you ready to make a radical change in your life, even if it causes a big stir. 

A fresh start regarding all these themes of home, family, and close relationships arrives on August 16 with the new moon in Leo. New moons are all about fresh starts, and the sun joining Venus retrograde also spells a new beginning, making this a powerful time for change. Emotionally, you’re relating to the past in a new way. Practically speaking, it’s an excellent new moon for cleaning up your apartment and donating items you no longer need. Leo is all about luxury, so this could be an opportunity to treat yourself to something special. Mars mingles with Uranus during this new moon, again bringing you a boost of courage and confidence to make big, wild changes. Passion is in the air, and big surprises could arise.

Venus retrograde squares off with Jupiter and Mars opposes Neptune in Pisces on August 22, which could make for a confusing atmosphere. Venus’s square with Jupiter inspires fun, but do be careful not to over-indulge. Mars’s opposition to your ruling planet Neptune could stir drama in your social life and find people feeling unsure about what they want. People may be especially weepy and sentimental. People might also be passive aggressive! We may feel strong desires, but unsure whether we really want to act on them.

Venus and Jupiter’s square is all about maximizing pleasure, but Mars’s opposition with Neptune is a bit lazy. So if you throw a big party, be aware that people might spend the whole time moping! The best way to work with this energy is to spend time with people who have a good sense of humor and who don’t indulge in drama. This can also be a great time to experiment with a creative technique or spend time alone at your favorite museum. 

The sun enters Virgo, inspiring romance and creativity, and Mercury begins its retrograde in Virgo on August 23, which could find you connecting with an old crush or revisiting discussions with a current lover. This may be a sentimental Mercury retrograde as you revisit people, places, and things that once brought you joy. Perhaps it’s time to invite them back into your life again! Mercury retrograde can spell miscommunications and delays, but it can also be an excellent time to pick up a project you had to put on the back burner, and this Mercury retrograde could be an especially productive one to return to a creative project you had to set aside. You might finally finish that painting or song! Mercury retrograde ends on September 15, and the post-retrograde shadow ends on September 30: During this time, conversations that were confused or delayed begin to clear up!

Mars aligns with Pluto in Capricorn on August 24, inspiring a hugely passionate atmosphere! This can be a particularly thrilling moment in your love life. You might also feel unusually competitive, and an exciting triumph could take place. You may be showing off a skill or taking an exciting trip. Just don’t slack on your responsibilities on August 27 as the sun opposes taskmaster Saturn: The consequences of laziness or immaturity could be especially frustrating at this time. That said, if you’ve been hard at work, an exciting achievement can take place. Also on August 27, Mars enters Libra, which could bode well for tackling your to-do list, reorganizing your workspace, and generally being productive! You might feel energized to take on a new fitness or wellness routine, too.

Uranus retrograde begins in your sign, Taurus, on August 28, which can find you in a restless mood! Uranus is a wildcard, the planet of unpredictability, so you might behave in ways that surprise yourself and others at this time. You could be in the mood to experiment and try something totally random. Astrologers often describe Taurus as risk averse, but you’re inviting adventure in!

A blue moon, which is the second full moon of the month, takes place in Pisces on August 30. If drama has been brewing in your social life, this is when it could reach a climax! Big shifts could be taking place in your social scene. Pisces is an emotional water sign, and this full moon could also find you and your partners connecting in a deep and spiritual way. Deep discussions about values, goals, and wishes for the future could take place. 

Good luck this month, Taurus, and see you in September!