Your August 2018 Horoscopes

The sun is still aglow in your first house until the 22nd, and then it’ll bless your money house. That means the end of the summer is not a bad time for you to push for that review—just make sure you’ve listed out all your accomplishments. If you quantify it, they will reward it. You’ll have some help early in the month when Venus slides into your house of DMs (I mean, communication) on the 6th, lending some beauty to the way you speak and write this month. This is the time to pen your pièce de résistance to submit for the Iowa Writers’ Workshop or even just your best friend’s wedding toast. The solar eclipse on the 11th will make you think hard about how others perceive you. Do you cringe when you see yourself dancing in your Insta story? You look fine, Leo, just trust it. Meanwhile, Mercury going direct on the 18th will help you think more clearly about self-improvement (20 pushups in the morning becomes 25), whereas Mars on the 27th will finally give you a boost of energy at work (no more 3 p.m. coffees just to keep your eyes open). And with the full moon on the 26th, you will want to have that conversation about that raise I mentioned. Don’t believe your manager if they say they don’t remember. They remember, and deep down, they want to give you this money.

Bask in the warmth of the sun entering your sign on the 22nd, Virgo! ...But not yet. First the solar eclipse on the 11th is going to slow your roll, and you’ll likely want to recharge at home with candles and some Enya. When Mercury (your planet) goes direct on the 18th, you’ll start to get a little better at saying “no” to unnecessary requests (uh, no, Sam, you Google what type of bug Chrissy Teigen is holding). You may love helping others, but you are not a limitless resource (Google, on the other hand, is). Speaking of other people, the full moon on the 26th might cause a wee little blow-up with your husband, wife, confidant or live-in manservant. You’ve got a sharp analytical mind and wit for days, Virgo, so it can be a little intimidating when you go off. Once the heat of the full moon passes, Mars will go direct the next day, motivating you and your partner to smooth things over and address the root of the issues that came bubbling up the day before. 

Libras are popular, this much we know. But this month, you’re the darling of your work #funfacts Slack channel, you’re scheduled to the calendar brink with drink plans and you’re even your parents’ favorite child right now. The solar eclipse on the 11th, with some help from Venus, is gilding you with radiant queen bee energy. Think of yourself as an alternate universe Regina George. Even better, Mercury going direct on the 18th will give you that magical knack for getting feuding friends to talk it out or connecting talented folks (copywriter work friend, meet illustrator friend). But be careful about burning the candle at both ends. The full moon on the 26th will make you adjust the dials between sleeping, socializing and killing it at work. You can do all three, but it’s a delicate dance, Libra.

Luck is on your side, Scorpio, so use that famous scorpion tenacity and strike until you hit gold. Let me explain: The solar eclipse on the 11th will give you a potential career boost—but only if you make the most of it. That means you need to ask for projects you might not think you’re ready for, and call people you think will never get back to you, because hey, they might. If you’ve been holding onto Jessica Alba’s agent’s assistant’s number for awhile, now is the time to use it. As for your love life, well Uranus retrograding on the 7th and the full moon on the 26th will bring, respectively, surprises and endings—possibly intertwined together. While it doesn’t mean your relationship is over, it means you’ll be tackling issues and arguments you didn’t see coming (suddenly everything is about the deleted 14 episodes of Botched you thought he’d already watched!). Communication and honesty will be crucial to getting through this. Don’t feel ashamed if the term “couples therapy” gets thrown around. You will have Mercury back on your side (he’s going direct, friends!) on the 18th, which means if you do the work, you two will feel like one working unit again. Surprise.

Your candor gets you in trouble sometimes, Sagittarius, but after the 6th, you’re in for an almost drama-free summer. One caveat: Uranus, the awakener who surprises us with all kinds of nonsense we didn’t ask for, will go retrograde on the 7th, possibly bringing on tension with a co-worker and an intense sense of exhaustion. Either way, stay hydrated and try not to freak out on Tom for keeping the office at freezing 61 degrees Fahrenheit. Instead, bring your sweater. The solar eclipse on the 11th means you might be taking an international trip (if you’re a student, maybe you’re coming home from studying abroad...sorry). Though the eclipse itself is positive, Mercury retrograde until the 18th will make traveling a freaking nightmare. You have to just accept that there’s no way around it and finally make that appointment to get signed up for TSA pre-check. The full moon on the 26th might make you feel a little unsettled once you get home. Yep, you forgot to order the Swiffer Wet Jet refills. This moon will remind you that a damp Bounty on the hardwood does not a shiny floor make, but it will force you to finally get what you need to make your home feel like home again.

Well, well, well, Capricorn, you’ve been quietly working hard and may finally see some fruit for all of your labor. This month promises a huge focus on finance and career for you, which means if you’ve been putting in the work (and when are you not, Capricorn?), you’re going to reap the glory. On the 6th, Venus will make you extra shiny to the public. Nervous about a presentation? Don’t be. They’ll be asking for an encore following the Q&A section. Then the solar eclipse on the 11th will prompt you to tend to your investments and possibly make a few more (note: I cannot give you financial advice! But you probably already assumed as much. What’s a bear market anyway?). This is all only complemented by Mercury going direct on the 18th, which will add mental and intellectual clarity to getting your fiscal house in order. Finally, the month ends with a full moon on the 26th, hopefully wrapping up some communication snafu that was probably a holdover from Mercury retrograde. If your sister is mad at you that you Instagrammed that baby pic where her diaper looks...uh...full, she’ll probably forgive you once you talk it out. Probably. It was really, really full.

Any weird issues you’ve been having with your apartment will likely re-present themselves when Uranus retrogrades on the 7th (this sounds like bed bugs…I hope it’s not bed bugs.). Retrogrades are opportunities for us to go back and learn lessons we didn’t pick up the first time around, and this is your chance to reevaluate some fundamental questions, like whether or not you’ve outgrown living with roommates (even if your wallet hasn’t), how to be happy on what you can afford (ditto!), if it’s the right time to move in with a significant other and to finally splurge on that bed bug protector. Meanwhile, the solar eclipse on the 11th points to some major commitment with a partner (is he going to Jared?!). Mercury will also go direct on the 18th, helping you and your boo talk and plan about next steps, whatever they may be (it’s a wedding; you’re going to be planning a wedding). Meanwhile, the full moon on the 26th finally delivers those paychecks you’ve been looking for (or bonuses, or gift cards, etc.), while Mars going direct the next day will help you figure out how to spend them (on your wedding). Suddenly you know what you need (no bed bugs), and you know what you want (a betrothment), and you know what? You can afford a little of both!

Pisces don’t get enough credit for how hardworking they are, but then that’s typical, right? Because you’re out there actually getting sh*t done without tooting your own horn. But you are about to get some help in the not-so humblebrag department. The solar eclipse on the 11th will spotlight your contributions at work, while Mercury, going direct on the 18th, will arm you with the tools to effectively communicate your value to upper management. Best of all, Venus, goddess of luxury and money, will enter your financial sector, aka you are a material girl in a material world. That transit will help make sure that whatever recognition you are getting comes with some money, honey, whether that’s a retention bonus or a gift or a straight-up raise. The month wraps up with a full moon on the 26th that makes you realize you’re feeling a little bit smothered in your relationships right now. The cure isn’t to sever ties, but to embrace your independence. Go to the movies by yourself. Travel alone. Get that weird floral ice cream flavor no one else likes but you (they are fools; it is so good). That’s what the moon is telling you to do, and when has she ever been wrong? She’s your mother, after all.

Give into any little qualms with your spouse or business partner, because Venus is moving into your house of partnership on the 6th. This means smooth sailing through the rest of the summer. (We know; we didn’t think it was possible either.) That energy will be supersized by the solar eclipse making everything all romantic and sexy on 11th. If you’re dating and things are going well, this will solidify things. If you’re unattached, never fear, you may channel this into a creative endeavor. Whether that’s designing a book cover or finally sitting down to knit that sweater once and for all, it’s probably going to come out even better than you think. But wait! Don’t start executing on your vision until a little later, after the 18th, because Mercury is going direct that day, and you’ll need him to make the trains run on time—or at all (see: your car still won’t start?). On the 26th, the full moon may make you want to stay home and unplug rather than go out. Take the cue for self-care, Aries, because the very next day, your planet, Mars, is finally going direct [insert round of applause!]. It’ll take awhile until Stella gets her groove back (like, until October, bleh), but when it returns we will all benefit—especially you.

If you’ve been on the grind and waiting for the so-called “summer slowdown,” your workload is about to lighten when Venus enters that realm for you on the 6th. With that pressure lifted, you might want to take a Friday off and head to the beach. Or maybe you’d prefer a little staycation (people still do that, right?). The solar eclipse on the 11th will inspire you to bring the party…to you. You could throw a dinner party or at least a game night, and it’ll be a hit. If you’ve got hopes and dreams for making your place sparkle, now is the time to spring for the deep clean. Later in the month, the full moon on the 26th means things might get a little snippy on your friends’ GroupMe. Bite your tongue, Taurus, because the full moon brings out everyone’s aggressive side. As long as you refrain from texting Jessica how heinous her bridesmaid dress choice is (this is what she does when you let her choose?), things should return to their pleasant status quo, just the way you like it. Who knows? Maybe Jessica will send that monstrosity back from whence it came.

You’ll be extra relieved when Mercury goes direct on the 18th, because not only is he your ruler (and the guardian of your superpowers as a brilliant and witty conversationalist), but he’s currently hanging out in your house of communication, gumming up the works—admit it: lately, you haven’t been able to complete even the Monday New York Times crossword. So it’ll definitely have Mercury back at full mast come October. The solar eclipse on the 11th will reinforce this literary inspiration. Bottle that curiosity or dig into a great read as you wait until after the 18th, when it will truly be your time to write, sell, pitch, travel—all the things Mercury retrograde told you you couldn’t do. Meanwhile, if you’re in a relationship, Venus moving into Libra on the 6th will make everyday interactions with the barista, dog walker and maybe even your mailman filled to the brim with sexual tension. Enjoy it while it lasts. The full moon on the 26th might mean that job you were 100 percent certain you were getting after, like, four interviews winds up going to someone else. But once Mars goes direct (the very next day), your next move will be that much more effective…and informed by some hard-won wisdom.

You’ve been feeling tense at home—roommate consistently putting the toilet paper on the wrong way? But finally, finally, this month will give you some real relief. You may not resolve the issue for good (it should flap over the top, Charlene), but by the end of August, your anxiety will quell. A few things: For you, Venus is gifting you some harmony at home on the 6th, and then Mars, the planet of anger and productive (!) arguments, will finally be moving direct at the end of the month. That retrograde has kept you and your partner fighting the same fights on repeat since May. After August, you will know how to move forward. A consolation prize for your bad mood? Your wallet may see a boost along with the solar eclipse on the 11th. If you’re not up for a raise, you may want to raise your hand for one. Finally, the full moon on the 26th may tempt you to have a big confrontation with your significant other. I suggest you evade that scary energy entirely by sneaking off for a walk or getting an early night’s sleep. You know what they say: Never go to bed angry, or, go to bed before you can get angry!

Kiki O'Keeffe is an astrology writer in Brooklyn. You can follow her newsletter, I don't believe in astrology, or her Twitter and Medium @alexkiki.