Monthly Horoscope: Pisces, August 2018

You might be feeling like your efforts are going nowhere…but here’s the thing: Mars is currently retrograde, and being that Mars is the action planet of the zodiac, its retrograde is an especially frustrating time when it comes to getting things done, expressing anger, or feeling energized. This retrograde is also activating a very private, sensitive sector of your chart—messing with your sleep schedule and finding you feeling at a loss about how to best use your energy. A shift will take place on August 12, when Mars will reenter Capricorn to activate the sector of your chart that rules your social life. An argument from last spring will come back up for you to deal with!

The general lesson of this retrograde for you is that it’s important to be smart about which groups you invest your time and energy in, which causes you fight for, and equally importantly—how you treat yourself to rest, relaxation, and down time. Additionally, it’s important for you to be smart about hidden foes! An immature Pisces will be paranoid about everyone when they’re at home alone, but desperate to be everyone’s friend when they’re out. Don’t be that immature Pisces. Use your phenomenal intuition to suss people out, and if something doesn’t feel right, trust yourself.

Don’t worry—Mars retrograde won’t last much longer, it will end on August 27—at which point, a boost in energy will arrive. But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves: Mars retrograde is already busy shaking things up in your life on August 1, when it squares off with Uranus to bring you shocking news. Expect surprising information to keep coming your way as Uranus begins its retrograde on August 7.

August 6 is busy, with sweet, sexy Venus entering air sign Libra and lighting up a very intimate sector of your chart, bringing blessings to your sex life and inspiring you to ask for help or even financial support. The Sun clashes with one of your ruling planets, Jupiter, also on August 6, bringing some exciting adventures your way—this is a fantastic time to branch out beyond your usual routine and explore new places and ideas. August 7 brings more good vibes as Venus and Mars meet, creating a social energy that finds you connecting deeply with people. Do watch out for heavy energy on August 9—things won’t feel so flirty today, as Venus clashes with taskmaster Saturn, to create a mood of rejection in the air.

The solar eclipse in Leo arrives on August 11, bringing a big shift to your life—it especially concerns your day job, but also affects your relationship to yourself. There's a bad habit you're finally ready to kick. Eclipses are heavy, emotional, and tiring—so please don’t over-book yourself. A shocking wake-up call may arrive now as you’re finally seeing some crucial things in a new light…or, you might feel like you’re not seeing anything clearly at all! That’s the thing about eclipses: so much new information is coming in that you might not know how to make sense of it.

Because this eclipse is hitting a part of your chart that rules your routines and rituals, you might feel like the everyday things you lean on to give you strength—your morning coffee, daily walk with your dog, yoga class, whatever it is—aren’t there for you any more, or that it’s somehow not the same. Things are changing, Pisces!

This is a very busy eclipse with plenty of talk in the air, thanks to chatty Mercury (which is currently retrograde in Leo, and finding you reworking many of the projects, tasks, and chores you thought you had already checked off your to-do list earlier this summer) squaring off with your ruling planet, Jupiter. The conversations you are having during this eclipse won’t end just yet—they’ll come up once more when Mercury and Jupiter square off again on August 28.

August 19 is certainly a day to circle on your calendar, as both of your ruling planets connect in the sky—exciting! Lucky Jupiter and dreamy Neptune come together to bring you plenty of romance and creative inspiration—a whimsical, sweep-you-off-your-feet adventure is likely to come your way. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with people on a soul-level. This will also be a deeply nourishing time, so make time for meditation and your spiritual practice, if you have one (and if you don’t, this is a great time to experiment)!

Virgo season officially starts on August 23, finding the Sun illuminating the relationship sector of your chart. August 25 is certainly a day to watch around partnerships and your social life. Exciting conversations take place as the Sun connects with wildcard Uranus, but a grounding energy is also in the air as the Sun connects with the planet of commitment and longevity, Saturn. Fun and excitement are in the air, but so is a sense of security and responsibility.

A full moon in your sign, Pisces, arrives on August 26, and it's a crucial time for you to release old patterns around relationships—and not just romantic ones. Any of your needs that you've been ignoring are now coming to light. Emotions swell, so expect everyone to be a bit weepy at this time. If a situation has been building between you and someone special, this eclipse is sure to bring a crucial turning point. But be mindful of manipulation or power struggles: Sweet Venus squares off with the lord of the underworld, Pluto, and while this can make for some incredibly kinky sex, it’s important to make sure that you and the people you’re intimate with are on the same page. Venus is all about feeling good and enjoying oneself; however, Pluto can be shady about asking for what it actually wants, as it’s the planet of hidden things and secrets! This is an intense day to have the "what are we" conversation, and again, it’s a full moon in your sign—a water sign, so tears may end up flowing. But manipulation has no place in a healthy relationship, so if you want something, whether it be "the one" or a fuck buddy, ask for it, and ask your partners to do the same!

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