Horoscopes by Kerstin Hern from The Mirrored Lantern / Original art for J. Southern Studio by Spirited Animals
Greetings, friends! Most happy solar return wishes to all the Leo suns and early Virgo suns this month! August’s Tarotscopes are here to bring you celestial and archetypal energy guidance for August, the 8th month of the year where we may move into the infinity flow of the number 8’s energy. Also, to those who celebrate in the northern hemisphere, Happy Lammas on August 1st! The moon will be in Taurus on this sabbat, so earthly delights, like good food and sex, will feel especially enjoyable. It’s Leo season most of the month, so feeling an activation of robust energy, both physically and otherwise, is highlighted. This month we really can get into an infinity flow and continue doing the inner work called on by the four current Rx planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Pluto), then Uranus retrograde (inner work around personal freedom and expression) on the 19th, plus asteroid Chiron (childhood trauma and deep psychological wounds), who went retrograde mid-July and stays there through December 19. Leaning into healing these deep wounds and finding wisdom and medicine in this journey (when you are ready) will be rewarded. In the spirit of Leo, let your magnificent light shine all month, inside and out.
Please read your Rising (Ascendent), Sun, and Moon, and if you are experiencing major life shifts, I recommend checking out your North Node, as well. If you don’t know your personal signs, you can generate your natal chart for free at Astrodienst.
Stay tuned for August’s Celestial Insights blog for this month’s notable transits and our New Moon and Blue Full Moon info (succinctly: Blue Moons are a second moon in the same sign, in this case, two Aquarius Full Moons back-to-back), including their symbols, ritual and altar inspiration, and more.
Here are your tarot and moon messages:
ARIES
Tarot Card- Three of Swords (jumper: The Fool): Three of Swords is one of the harder cards to get, I know, but there is useful information in all cards, and none are inherently “bad.” This card symbolizes heartbreak, loss, grief, sometimes around a third party or some other sort of triangulation. If you’ve experienced a loss, or are working through past loss or trauma that is coming back up, remember to be gentle with yourself and that time keeps moving, so exactly how you feel when sitting in this card’s energy will not last forever. Having The Fool jump out is SO wonderful, because this card is saying, “I know you are hurting, and your feelings are valid. Grieve your loss, and when ready, I’m here with a clean slate to start a new journey.” You will grow from this experience, that is for sure. The Fool awaits you with optimism and open arms. Perhaps with a Pisces, as they also got The Fool.
New Moon in Leo: This new moon activates your 5th house of creativity, pleasure, and children. If your loss relates to any of the aforementioned, this is a powerful new moon imbued with courage and help from close-by Mercury to communicate your deepest heart-felt wishes, be it around new beginnings or moving through emotional pain. Set new intentions and creatively express your dreams at this time, knowing that a new journey awaits you!
Blue Full Moon in Aquarius: This is rare re-do energy in your 11th house of friends and social groups. If there is still some lingering difficulty in this social part of your life, maybe a second chance for forgiveness is available to you or by you… This is like ultimate YOLO energy with a window of opportunity open for release/forgiveness/closure in this realm.
Astro Snapshot: Chiron went retrograde in your sign on July 15th, indicating extra healing opportunities around childhood trauma or any deep psychological wounds you may be carrying. You may have more meaning and understanding around these parts of you during this time. Finding patterns and identifying triggers may help bring wisdom and understanding that will help you move through some transformational healing that can be life-changing, Aries friends.
TAURUS
Tarot Card- The Emperor: This card is the Aries tarot card, also the fatherly/patriarchal energy in the deck. With that, we can highlight traditional themes around authority, stability, fierce protection, and leadership. Taurus loves stability, so this may be calling on you to step into a leadership position and take control over some aspect of your life. Likewise, someone with this energy may be a central theme for you this month, so thinking about power and control (Pluto themes) and finding balance in those spaces to move forward with goals. Use logical, rational decision-making skills and remember, whoever is in charge—it’s also their job to serve and assist others, not just tell people what to do.
New Moon in Leo: This New Moon activates your 4th house of family, roots, and ancestry. I feel like some Taurus folks may be working through issues with the father or other patriarchal representation in their lives related to your family of origin. This may be congruent to Chiron Rx inner child healing work… I feel like you can use this courageous New Moon to feel empowered around any deficits you see, changing your perspective to seeing them as strengths you’ve built over your life, Taurus. Planting seeds of intention in feeling more security and empowerment in your chosen family can be rich medicine this moon!
Blue Full Moon in Aquarius: This lunation highlights your 10th house of career and public fame/honors. A blue full moon is a second full moon in the same sign as the previous full moon, so getting a second chance to re-do some sort of work around career, or finishing up releases that were too heavy for one moon to handle, is opportune at this time. Use whatever new information you received between July 23 and now to complete this work. At the peak of the Full Moon, reflect on all of your accomplishments and abundance!
Astro Snapshot: Uranus goes retrograde in your sign on the 19th at 14 degrees and continues Rx in your sign through the beginning of 2022, ending at 10 degrees. Check if you have any planets in Taurus at or between those degrees to get even more info around how this Uranus Rx energy may affect your life. This includes working from the inside out to make changes around where you need more personal freedom and self-expression. It brings fluidity and flexibility to where you are rigid and resisting change.
GEMINI
Tarot Card- Knight of Pentacles: This knight calls on patience and slow and steady movement towards goals. Use your Gemini list-making abilities, planning, and communication to lay out a strong foundation for all of the goals you have in mind, whether in your physical or emotional worlds. Sometimes it’s 2 steps forward, 3 steps back, but that’s ok! You are ensuring a strong and reliable foundation for your future. Be persistent and keep up the good work! This card serves as encouragement, Gemini buds.
New Moon in Leo: This lunation activates your 3rd house of communication. This coincides with the energy of your tarot card in that the busy work associated with long-term goals may include making meticulous lists, running errands, connecting with community/siblings for plans, and other communications. This moon will be an energetic boost of solar energy to power you up. Set intentions around maintaining balance and stamina to start new projects and relationships in communities you love being a part of.
Blue Full Moon in Aquarius: This lunation highlights your 9th house of higher learning, spirituality, and expansion. This is a second chance Full Moon to release overwhelm, blockages, people, or situations. These releases (or possibly forgiveness) may be in scholastic or spiritual spaces where you are part of a collective or group. Align with your core beliefs and the ideas of the person you’ve transformed into over the past couple of years, using new info in the past 4 weeks to advise you.
Astro Snapshot: The North Node in Gemini forms a close trine with Venus and Saturn on the 22nd (and pretty close days before and after), indicating long-term stability and commitment in matters of the heart, money, and beauty—all things Venus. The NN part of the equation means purpose and Karmic lessons are in the mix, so feeling loyalty and love on a deep, fated level is possible.
CANCER
Tarot Card- Three of Wands: You may have been planning something for some time now, and now you are starting to see things get into motion! This card indicates movement and growth, be it in aforementioned plans, or actual travel, expanding horizons, learning something new. Basically, anything that propels you forward while engaging with something you are passionate about and/or that connects you with community.
New Moon in Leo: This lunation activates your 2nd house of personal and financial value and worth. Starting a new business venture, an increase in cashflow, or inner child self-worth work may be budding around this New Moon. Setting intentions for healthy new beginnings around worth and growth (like your tarot card), are auspicious.
Blue Full Moon in Aquarius: This second-chance Full Moon allows you the opportunity to complete any unfinished business around other people’s money and finances, or, your own personal transformation and inner work: your 8th house. Where/whom do you still need to forgive, including yourself? Where are there still some stubborn releases that need to be let go?
Astro Snapshot: No major planets are moving in or out of your sign this month, giving you a breather, Cancers. The moon spends 2-3 days in each sign every month, and your emotional connection time with Luna will be the 4th-6th: the Cancer moon will trine Jupiter on the 4th, bringing growth and expansion to your emotional body, followed by a square to Chiron on the 5th, which may kick up deep-seated emotional debris in that expansive space. This is great healing medicine, and you are growing. Be proud of yourself and your work, dear friends.
LEO
Tarot Card- The Lovers (jumper: King of Cups): The Lovers are the Gemini card, indicating choices we made in partnerships bringing us harmony, connection, and loving communication. This could even speak to partnerships initiated in June of this year… With the New Moon sitting v close to Mercury, speaking what’s on your heart, communicating love, and being courageous yet playful in your communications are highlighted for you this month. The King of Cups, the masculine/yang energy that is compassionate, empathetic, creative, and emotionally supportive wanted to be heard, so this may be you, your partner, or someone coming in this month with whom you may enter some sort of partnership. I feel like I want to say that with both of these cards, I feel like a burden is getting released, too… Enjoy it, Leos, you earned this!
New Moon in Leo: This lunation hits your 1st house, bringing all the playful, fun, confident, and energized facets of Leo that we all know and love to new beginnings and the evolution of your essence. New moons happen when the Sun and Moon conjunct, so your ruling planet, the Sun, is connecting to the emotional, intuitive, and unconscious entity, the Moon. You may be going through personal transformation in appearance and/or inner strength, but either way, this New Moon is all about getting in touch with your heart-center and ego, then enjoying new ways to express yourself from the inside out.
Blue Full Moon in Aquarius: This lunation highlights relationships and partnerships. Again, The Lovers is allllll about both of these… So this is the “once in a blue moon” second chance at releasing blockages around healthy partnership, forgiving a partner, or releasing someone/something that is keeping you in a low vibration that you were trying to move past last month. With that jumper, maybe you are juggling two people, and now is the time to cut someone off, for the highest good (and out of respect) for all parties involved. The King of Cups wanted to be seen, so let that card help you make your choice. ;)
Astro Snapshot: Mercury will remain in your sign until the 11th, adding extra courageous communication during this time, plus an extra boost for the New Moon in your sign. Speak your truths with courage and authenticity, especially in romantic partnerships. Your tarot card also indicates destined partnerships and fated choices that will bring you harmony and the highest vibrations of love. Engage in your love language, Leos!
VIRGO
Tarot Card- Eight of Wands (jumper: Page of Pentacles): This is one of the few cards without any people in the imagery—it is simply eight wooden staffs flying through air. This card is all about swift communication and/or travel, especially around areas of your life where you are creatively or passionately connected to others. If you’ve been sitting on some info or an idea, this is the time to blast those messages out. Likewise, this could indicate a trip of some sort. The Page of Pentacles jumped out, which frequently (to me), indicates learning/education of some sort. This could mean some of you are students or teachers who may travel for/to school, or are engaging in energized communication within school or educational settings.
New Moon in Leo: This lunation activates your 12th house of the unconscious and what is hidden. This may look like using the courage and confidence of Leo to do shadow work in your unconscious realm. Pay attention to dreams and synchronicities for more information. Be sure you rest and get enough alone time to process any emotional work you’ve been doing. Leo is also about children and the “inner child,” so you may be starting new beginnings around working with children or doing important therapeutic inner work on yourself. You got this, Virgo.
Blue Full Moon in Aquarius: This blue moon is your second chance to get fully on-track with new health routines and other 6th house work, such as daily tasks and pets. Don’t be hard on yourself if things didn’t go exactly as you wanted over the past 4-5 weeks, because you have this opportunity to use all of the information you garnered since then to make a more sound plan, decision, or commitment. Similarly, if you were dealing with a health issue, this Full Moon could bring completion to this problem that may have been lingering.
Astro Snapshot: Mercury and Mars form an exact conjunction in your sign on the 18th, so fiery, passionate communication is possible. It could be the fire needed to move forward an idea (hence, Eight of Wands) or stand your ground with integrity, or it could be temper flare-ups. Just be mindful of fiery/passionate in yourself and others around this date. The Sun moves into your sign on the 22nd, though, so your season is here—happy solar returns!
LIBRA
Tarot Card- Knight of Pentacles: Gemini also got this card, so you may be working in some way with a Gemini, but in any case, you are both Air signs, so the grounding vibes of the Knight of Pentacles is highlighting slowing down and moving in an intentional, steady way towards your goals. I feel like with Libras, this is specific to work and money, so if you have put in the energy and time in your work pursuits and you are seeing the results you desire, this card is your encouragement that you are on the right track, you will be seen for your efforts, and this steadiness is setting you up for success in the long-run through hard work. This Knight could also be someone who is reliable and stable that comes in to help you out! Keep your peepers out for a chill Earth sign to save the day, or at least collab with.
New Moon in Leo: This lunation activates your 11th house of friendships and social groups. Working with the info from your tarot card, I’d say setting intentions around bringing in new people in your social spheres could be beneficial in both work and play. Mercury is close to this New Moon, so reaching out to people to connect and communicate creative ideas could create some great new relationships, Libras!
Blue Full Moon in Aquarius: This blue moon is a circle-back from last month in your 5th house of creativity, pleasure, and kids, so whatever you were focusing on releasing or transforming, and/or whatever information has come to light since July 23rd, is ready to be revisited. If a creative endeavor did not work out, revise your work, make necessary edits, scrap what you don’t need, and reap your rewards for your hard work! Likewise, maybe a creative project (or romantic fling) is wrapping up—if you knew it was time to cut the cord last month but didn’t, now you can.
Astro Snapshot: Venus moves into her domicile in your sign on the 16th, bringing harmony, love, romance, and partnership energy to the forefront for all, but especially you, Libras! Mercury also moves into your sign on the 30th, activating chats and messages around partnership, especially communicating needs and finding balance in relationship with others. This is a chatty, social placement, ripe for clearing the air, but the lower vibration could be gossip. So just try to put out positive communication so you are open to receive that in return.
SCORPIO
Tarot Card- Four of Cups: This card indicates someone being stubborn about accepting information within a relationship or emotional communication. It could also highlight you feeling bored with someone or something in your life, and know you need to take action to change that, but are being a stick on the mud. If you don’t want to miss any opportunities, try to find motivation. Likewise, if someone else is apathetic/unmotivated and it’s affecting you, have a conversation about how they’re showing up in your relationship. Don’t get taken for granted, Scorpios! You love and commit deeply, but reciprocity is important.
New Moon in Leo: This lunation activates your 10th house of career and public image, where we are more vulnerable being in the spotlight. Since Leo loves the spotlight, you have a ripe opportunity to shine during this Leo moon. Plant seeds for new beginnings in your career where you are more public, creative, and/or a leader. If your tarot card speaks to you around stubbornness (Scorpio is a fixed sign, after all), try to engage with the passionate fire of Leo to create change. If you are feeling bored per your tarot card, this is the time to set intentions around feeling more alive in the work you do and overall vitality.
Blue Full Moon in Aquarius: This 2nd Full Moon in Aquarius will revisit your 4th house of family, home, and security. If you were trying to get rid of a roommate, trying to move yourself, or do deeper emotional work around family and what security looks like for you, this new moon brings that second chance. What have you learned since July 23rd? Let that info inform how you move forward around home and family now.
Astro Snapshot: On August 10th, the Midheaven (highest point in the chart) moves into Scorpio rulership. This point (Mc or Medium Coeli) represents career, major goals, and monumental life shifts. With the New Leo Moon in your 10th House of career, I’d say career and public image will be big for you this month, Scorpios. If you are settled into a career, having the Midheaven point ruled by your sign at this time could highlight other people’s money in relation to your career, truths getting revealed around your career, or power themes in your career playing out—all Scorpio themes.
SAGITTARIUS
Tarot Card- Nine of Pentacles: This is a lovely message for Leo season, Sag friends… The Nine of Pentacles brings in abundance energy, attunement to your environment, and much-earned stability. This could be getting to a point of financial security where you can relax and spend money more freely, or could look like solo work you’ve been doing is paying off and you are seeing rewards. In any case, you are sustained, stable, and feeling the beauty in life. I want to say I feel like there is some Scorpio energy here, not sure why, but something about working/partnering with Scorpios is important to mention. Sorry to be nebulous… It’ll make sense to someone! Maybe check out Scorpio’s messages, as well, or if you have Scorpio placements.
New Moon in Leo: Another 9! This lunation activates your 9th house of higher education, spiritual pursuits, and travel. Maybe it’s time to spend some of that hard-earned money on a trip abroad, or invest in classes you’ve been wanting to take—especially art or acting classes, since Leo energy highlights creativity and being in the spotlight. In the spirit of Leo (and Roxette), listen to your heart to set intentions around manifesting your biggest dreams and connect with your deepest sense of self. Your sign rules the 9th house, so this New Moon is personal!
Blue Full Moon in Aquarius: This blue moon, as in “once in a blue moon,” is rare energy that allows you to revisit and re-do release or forgiveness work around 3rd house issues. This could be a sibling, neighbors, some connection to community, or even just the way you communicate, in general. Sagittarius folks love speaking the truth and can do so with fiery passion, which is awesome! But maybe the message didn’t get through properly last time… This feels like reconciliation that was not completed, but if that doesn’t resonate, then I would focus on any new information received since July 23rd, and maybe revise how you communicate in that particular space.
Astro Snapshot: There is not too much astro action around your sign, which I’d say has some ease and good flow… Juno (marriage) and the South Node (past lives, areas we feel comfortable) are still traveling together in your fire sign and make a grand fire trine with the Sun conjunct Mercury in Leo and Chiron in Aries on the 1st. This could look like getting more information and awareness around how you define who you are in relation to how or with whom you partner, highlighting deep-rooted family patterns, even past-life comfort you easily regress into. Use Mercury in Leo to express yourself and your authentic feelings when and with whom it feels safe at the beginning of the month.
CAPRICORN
Tarot Card- Ace of Wands: Aces indicate new beginnings and the Wands connect us to our inner fire, passions, creativity, and transformation. The Ace of Wands, therefore, can be seen as a fire staff of initiation into a new sense of enthusiasm for something you love. In the spirit of Leo, this calls on you to bravely follow your heart and inner passion. I want to say don’t hold back in ways you have been, playing it safe. I picture a clutching, tight fist with strained and tired muscles. Maybe even some of your hands’ joints have been sore? If you move into a “fire flow” state, the fist will open, and there will be room for a flame to spark with forward movement.
New Moon in Leo: This lunation activates your 8th house of transformation, power, and money. Your card indicates a new opportunity or inspiration to try something new you are passionate about, so setting intentions on this fire moon around igniting your inner flame, desire, or creativity could help be the spark that helps you transform your relationship to power and/or money.
Blue Full Moon in Aquarius: This is the 2nd Full Aquarius Moon, revisiting your 1st house of self. In conjunction with your tarot card and new moon transformation energy, acknowledge your strengths, abundance, and where you feel sparks of excitement. Then you can see where along your path of transformation you can get rid of certain beliefs about yourself that no longer make sense and do not align with those sparks. July’s moon was in early degrees, so this one is later degrees—this means there is wisdom and experience gained since July 23rd that you can use to inform how you want to keep transforming your sense of self.
Astro Snapshot: Pluto Rx in your sign with your monthly tarot card, and a new moon in the 8th house ruled by Pluto, rings some resonance with reminding Caps that you are in the energy of major transformation. Keep doing inner exploring and psychological work around your relationship to power and where you can experience a rebirth. You are at a precipice throughout this year, and your self-worth and self-empowerment are getting leveled up, if you show up for it.
AQUARIUS
Tarot Card- Five of Swords: If you have had poor communication that lead to conflict with someone, you or they are feeling defeated, and the other person may have made some not-so-cool jabs that “won” this match, but at the cost of their integrity. Remember, you can never take back words, so be careful what you say in the heat of any arguments this month. Likewise, if you are being bullied or feeling aggressive, even hostile, communication from someone, step back and disengage if possible, because they are not coming from a place of principles and morality, and everyone knows it… It’s like a winning-at-all-costs kind of situation that will come back to bite them.
New Moon in Leo: This lunation activates your 7th house of relationships and intimate partnerships of all kinds. Taking your tarot card into account, I’d say bringing the integrity and courage of Leo into all interpersonal interactions will serve you well. New moons are about setting new intentions, initiation, and new beginnings, so if this conflict is already in the past, this could be a fresh start with your person now that some time has passed.
Blue Full Moon in Aquarius: This second chance rare moon highlights your 1st house of self and identity. Where can you release outdated parts of yourself that still don’t align with who you have become/are becoming? Do you still need to forgive yourself for something? Be gentle with your hearts and minds, Aquarius friends… You can use the illumination of this Full Moon to shine light on and locate the stubborn parts still sticking around from July 23rd and finally release them. We are all allowed to change.
Astro Snapshot: All signs, but especially Leo and Aquarius folks, will feel Saturn in Aquarius opposing Mercury in Leo on the 1st and the Sun in Leo on the 2nd. Saturn likes details and rules, so butting heads with fiery, creative (Leo) communication (Mercury) energy may look like being really anal about details, not seeing the bigger picture, insecurity, and a sort of authoritative tone in one-on-one talks, making someone feel small. Try to remain flexible when communicating, and connect with your body to ground yourself when you feel unregulated. Saturn opposing the Sun in Leo can also feel draining and bummery from rules or structures “getting in the way” of how you are expressing yourself. Use Leo courage to face challenges and do self-care/rest to keep your self esteem and energy up. Again, everyone is affected, but Saturn Rx in your sign may feel more personal.
PISCES
Tarot Card- The Fool: Reflecting on your card last month, the Seven of Pentacles, you were asked to employ patience and also reflection on all of your work. Well, now, it looks like the patience is paying off, because a new opportunity, a clean slate/fresh start, or some type of adventure is coming into your life, Pisces friends… A new journey will be available to you if you are ready for it and know where to look. With so many Rx planets, this may not necessarily be in the material realm, so be open and imaginative (your forte) about what adventure, freedom, and optimistic new beginnings may look like.
New Moon in Leo: This lunation activates your 6th house of daily tasks/everyday work, your health, and pets. Where can you bring in more vitality, creativity, or step into the spotlight in these spaces? Think about what kind of exciting new beginnings you can call into your everyday life around work and your health, or new intentions around routine that will bring you joy.
Blue Full Moon in Aquarius: This moon is a second-chance lunation where we revisit the same part of our chart that was highlighted last month. For you, your 12th house of the unconscious, hidden, and where we feel trapped is brought up again. Think about what inner work your unconscious being and subconscious thoughts and dreams were trying to bring your attention since July 23rd… It is in these liminal and shadowed spaces that we can do the deepest and most transformative healing work. Therapy, whether it’s talk or art (and tuning into your intuition), can help you move these energies up to the surface to process out. Healing is happening for you on layered levels, and this Full Moon is an invitation to actively participate in that journey.
Astro Snapshot: All, but especially you, will feel Neptune oppose Venus on the 9th and oppose Mercury on the 24th. On the 9th, the nebulousness and hazy energy of your ruling planet will affect relationships, especially romantic ones, as well as money. Perhaps leave big partnership and money talks and decisions to a few days from now. Some charlatans may take advantage of people that are more spacey, thus, more gullible at this time. Sticking to artistic and creative hangs will be fun and rewarding. On the 24th, your imagination and creativity will flow, and the ability to creatively express will be abundant, but this may cause some confusing communication with fellow Earthlings. A solo art/music day is best at this time, with no major work duties or decision-making around relationships until the haziness clears up.
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Kerstin from The Mirrored Lantern has practiced right hand path magick and tarot for over 28 years and has been a lover and learner of astrology for just as long… She is currently in graduate school for Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Spiritual & Depth Psychology. Follow her on instagram @themirroredlantern for witch tips, occulture, and depth psych tidbits!
Read more on astrology, horoscopes, occultism, magick & ritual on our blog, Esoteric Insights!
Ahhh- the enchanting realm of May Day! A time when flowers bloom in riotous colors, the air vibrates with flickers of summer, ancient traditions stir beneath the surface of the earth, and the promise of new beginnings pulsates around us. From April 28 through May 5, we stand on the threshold between spring's awakening and summer's embrace, Beltane, the spirited celebration also known as May Day. Let us embark on a journey through time to uncover the ancient origins and cultural tapestry of Beltane, from the blazing bonfires of the Celts to the floral splendor of English Flora Day, this magical time of year has a beautifully rich history and diverse multitude of ancient traditions.
