​Leo, August 2015

The month kicks off with Venus retrograde in Leo, creating a party-pooping energy. This does not vibe with your gregarious, generous, and glamorous nature. But just cause the party has pooped doesn't mean Venus retrograde is all bad: It's the time to reevaluate our values and feelings around prosperity and love.

Venus began its retrograde last month, on July 25, in Virgo. Since Virgo is one of the pickiest, most perfection-loving signs in the zodiac, standards are raised super high when Venus is retrograde here! On July 31, Venus reentered Leo, asking us to reconsider what makes us special… how are we unique and important? And do our partners (in all types of relationships--love, work, you name it) get just how special we are?

Often, we think of retrogrades as a time to reflect rather than move forward; this means you should take until September 6 (when Venus goes direct) to examine your baggage and make reconsiderations around the Venusian themes in your life: beauty, love, money, and so on. The last time Venus went retrograde in Virgo and Leo was during the summer of 2007. What themes were you working with then? You may have an older, wiser chance to address those concepts this time around. For example: If you had a breakup in 2007 that didn't go as planned, the lessons you learned from that may come in very handy for a new, similar situation in your life. If you had any social media accounts in the summer of 2007, now's a great time to look back at them. Not only will it help you remember what you were going through, but also Venus retrograde selfies are truly something to behold.

Venus isn't the only planet in Leo--Mercury, which rules expression and communication, has been in Leo since July 23, inspiring you to speak your mind and to love the sound of your voice even more than you already do. The Sun (your planetary ruler) has been in Leo since July 22, wishing you a warm Happy Birthday! and focusing the celestial spotlight on you. Lastly, Jupiter has been in Leo since last August (we'll talk more about that later). That's a lot of focus on you, Leo, but we know you love it!

Saturn goes direct on August 2 in Water sign Scorpio: yay! Saturn first entered Scorpio on October 5, 2012, highlighting a very private and sensitive area of the sky for you. These last two years or so have found you working around obstacles concerning your home, your family, and your safe space. It's also likely that you've been confronting your feelings about the past. Scorpio is a sensitive, psychic water sign that represents the deepest parts of our souls; it encourages us to evolve. Working with this intense energy in such a sensitive area of your life is a deeply transformative experience.

Talking things over with a counselor or therapist is totally a great way to work with this energy: Scorpio likes to go deep, and there's no reason to do that all alone. Now that Saturn's moving forward, you have a great opportunity to leave the past in the past and move on towards a new vision of home and safety. Plus, after it goes direct on August 2, Saturn enters Sagittarius, a fellow Fire sign, on September 17. This will kick off a new, more mature phase in your life. You'll feel inspired to create a strong foundation for your creative efforts; to take on more responsibility; and to learn your limits around romance, partying, and generally having too much fun.

Saturn stirs some drama on August 3 when it squares Jupiter (in your sign!). If you want know how Jupiter behaves in a sign, all you have to do is add the prefix "over-" to any of the keywords related to the sign it's occupying… So, Jupiter in Leo is overly talented and creative, overly loyal and overly radiant. Jupiter has been giving us a lovely vibe to work with over this last year! However, Leo does have some difficult qualities--I know, unbelievable, right?--like being domineering, pretentious or stubborn. Jupiter has added over- to all those words, too, this past year. With a square to Saturn, these difficult characteristics may be challenged or confronted in some way. Saturn likes to follow to rules, so Leo, please try to do so today. It's a "shit hits the fan" sort of energy, but so long as you're responsible, you can get through this day. Be aware: Limits may be imposed on you. Keep a conservative outlook from the start and you should be fine.

Mercury enters Virgo on August 7, saying ta-ta to loud Leo and getting a little more cerebral and precise. Virgo has a down-to-earth kind of vibe, and for you, my lovely Leo, Virgo's energy stimulates your need for material and physical security. Mercury likes to collect information and chat, so this could be a great time to discus financial matters and issues around value or even self-esteem. On August 8, Mars, the Warrior god, enters Leo, giving you a boost in energy and confidence. If you've been feeling a little shy lately (doubtful), Mars will perk you back up. If you're looking for a time to communicate with someone in a clear, logical way while feeling poised and positive, now's a great time to do it.

Jupiter enters Virgo on August 11. We just discussed Virgo's influence on material concerns for you, Leo. With Jupiter (the planet of growth and expansion!) now in this sign, you can expect some expansion (and exaggeration) around themes having to do with money and value. This can be awesome: I'm crossing my fingers that your bank account bloats so much this year that you'll be diving into bathtubs filled with gold coins; however, you may swing the other way, spending way more than you can afford. Jupiter is known as a lucky planet, but Jupiter does love to consume. Check yourself before you wreck your wallet, Leo--use Jupiter in Virgo to explore ways you can indulge your five senses and pamper yourself other than shopping, eating out, or drinking all night. Jupiter will be in Virgo until the end of next summer, September 9, 2016, so this coming year will be all about you meditating on abundance and material comfort. You'll also have some opportunities to expand your talents and generally improve your situation at work.

There's a New Moon in Leo on August 14, bringing a fresh start around how you present yourself. This could be a great day for a makeover--but, considering that Venus is retrograde, a thorough cleaning out of your closet could be a better way to work with the energy. On August 23, your ruling planet, the Sun, enters Virgo (again, highlighting material matters!). A few days later, on August 26, the Sun meets with Jupiter: This is a truly over-the-top combination, and it may yield one of the most fun days of the summer for you, especially since it's likely you'll receive a lot of positive attention, which a Leo's favorite thing.

Chatty Mercury enters relationship-loving Libra on August 27, getting you in the mood to socialize, think, and talk about the partnerships in your life. This combination will also generally sharpen your mental acuity. The Full Moon in Pisces on August 29 brings to light some issues around sharing… are you paying more than your fair share of the dinner bills? Or, on a deeper level, do you feel there is an unbalance in your relationships--is there equality in how you and your loved ones are giving and receiving emotionally? Reflect on these matters: With Mercury, the god of communication, in Libra, the most balanced and cordial sign of the zodiac, together during this Full Moon, you'll find it productive to work out how you want to move in your relationships.

On August 31, your ruling planet, The Sun, which is in realistic Virgo, opposes dreamy Neptune, currently in psychic Pisces. This means that August will certainly end on a whimsical note. While August is a pretty heavy month for you around material and financial matters, this last day of August I want you to put financial concerns aside. Meditate, go to the beach, do some yoga, or spend the day enjoying some A.C. and vision board-ing your heart out. This combination can feel uncertain, and miscommunications are likely; however, if you can balance the Sun in Virgo's feet on the ground, practical vibe with Neptune in Pisces's psychic and imaginative nature, this could be a fantastic end to a very busy month.