THE ASTROLOGY FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 4–10, 2025
Pressures Build
Wilhelm Dilich (1571–1655) Illustration of pageant knights dressed as allegories of the Sun and Moon.
This week brings tension between urgency and uncertainty. On Wednesday, Mars enters Libra, a sign focused on diplomacy and fairness. Mars is not at ease here. Its drive becomes entangled with negotiation and pleasing others. Mars would rather avoid the whole idea of pleasing others, so when that becomes the way it must function, it may lead to crankiness and frustration. Once in Libra, Mars quickly engages in an Air Grand Trine with Uranus in Gemini and Pluto in Aquarius. Although aggravation may be part of the story, breakthroughs in communication, collaboration, or social structures may be the result.
At the same time, Mars also forms oppositions to Saturn and Neptune. These two planets pull our attention toward longer-term consequences. We want to act, but there is no question that confusion and doubt dog our progress. These are not simple days. If you feel a strong need to act but are too confused to do so, know that you are not alone. If you have not done so, please watch the video about how each sign is experiencing this strangely confusing month of August.
Saturday’s Full Moon in Aquarius brings two cycles into view. It marks the illumination of what was seeded at the Leo New Moon on July 24 which was the same day the Sun opposed Pluto. This lunation also reflects the unfolding of a longer arc that began with the Aquarius New Moon on January 29, just after the current US administration took office. What began in private and public life earlier this year is now visible. The week ends with Mars trine Pluto. If your intentions are clear, forward movement is possible.
At the end of this post, you’ll find a video of Jennie and me talking through the horoscopes for each sign in August.
CLEAR DIRECTION: Monday, August 4, 2025
The Moon moves through Sagittarius today, drawing our emotional attention toward what is expansive and honest. This suggests optimism and a search for a broader perspective on whatever is being contemplated. As the Moon forms a trine to the Sun, there’s an easy flow of energy between what we feel and how we choose to act. Even in fire signs, this may not lead to dramatic decisions or significant changes. Instead, it offers an open understanding of where you are on your path forward.
This trine between the Moon and Sun can feel like catching your breath after a long run. The momentum available is easy and trustworthy. You may feel confident in your own choices, even if they don’t make sense to others. It’s a good day to make sure you are clear in your intentions. Let today’s easy rhythm unfold without pressure. Find a state of peace in the direction you are moving.
Contemplative Questions:
What part of my current path feels steady and true?
Where might I find clarity to emerge?
How can I honor progress?
RESTLESSNESS AND FRICTION: Tuesday, August 5, 2025
The Moon continues in Sagittarius through midday, holding us in a place of forward-leaning energy. As it squares Mars late in the morning, tension may surface. This isn’t the kind of friction that announces itself clearly; it creeps in through impatience, a sharp tone, or the idea that something needs to be done immediately. If you notice yourself rushing, pause before acting. Action isn’t always progress, and momentum that begins in agitation will unlikely lead where you want to go.
By early afternoon, the Moon enters Capricorn and immediately engages with Saturn and Neptune by square. These contacts pull our emotions into places that can feel heavy or uncertain. Saturn may bring up doubts about whether we’re doing enough, while Neptune can blur and confuse the emotional landscape altogether. It’s tempting to override discomfort with busyness or to retreat entirely. Neither is necessary. A better option is to quietly tend to what is right in front of you.
This is a day for slowing down and responding rather than reacting. When clarity feels out of reach, it is important to move with care. Allow what is unsettled to stay that way for now. Clarity will come in time.
What am I reacting to, and is it the real issue?
What responsibility can I meet without emotional overload?
How can I keep moving through confusion instead of trying to fix what I can’t even see clearly?
THE SHAPE OF INTENTION: Wednesday, August 6, 2025
The Moon moves through Capricorn today, encouraging a steady and practical approach to whatever you are tending. Emotional reactions may be quite serious. What matters now is what is practical, what works, what endures, and what is worthy of continued effort.
At 7:23 p.m. EDT, Mars enters Libra, where it will remain until September 22. This marks a shift in how we initiate action and get things done. In Libra, Mars meets discomfort. Libra wants diplomacy, agreement, and to please others. Mars wants to move forward quickly in order to get results. These priorities can pull us in very different directions. We may suddenly find ourselves second-guessing where we want to go as we wait for others to catch up or get on the same page. That alignment may never fully arrive.
Mars’ movement into Libra begins a longer story that will unfold over the coming weeks. Mars is about to engage with influences that pull us in even more directions. This can be a very confusing time. For now, pay attention to where your pace and desire to move forward are changing. If you find yourself delaying a decision, look closely at whether that delay is rooted in discernment or fear. Not every pause is avoidance. Some are a necessary part of acting with integrity.
Where am I hesitating, and why?
How does my desire for fairness shape the way I take action?
What needs to be initiated, even if I do not yet have full agreement from everyone involved?
SETTING THE STAGE: Thursday, August 7, 2025
The Moon moves through Capricorn for most of the day, keeping us oriented toward being accountable for our responsibilities. This is a time for practical focus and dedicated effort. There is quiet strength in meeting the day’s demands without drama.
At 9:18 p.m. EDT, the Moon enters Aquarius and quickly forms an Air grand trine with Mars and Uranus, along with a sextile to Saturn. This is the end of the day, and we may not feel them until tomorrow, but they begin to shift our emotional attention in subtle ways. Something unexpected may begin a change in perspective or a sense that something is in motion.
If a conversation or new idea takes hold this evening, take note of it. It may be a precursor for what is ahead. For now, wait for new insights to arrive in the coming days.
Contemplative Questions:
What have I already committed to that needs my full presence today?
Where can I allow space without needing immediate clarity?
How might insight come if I stop trying to find it?
🎂 INTELLECTUAL CLARITY: Friday, August 8, 2025
Mars forms a trine with Uranus this afternoon, even as it reaches toward a trine with Pluto on August 10. With Mars newly in Libra, Uranus in Gemini, and Pluto in Aquarius, a powerful Air Grand Trine is in motion. Take a moment to notice how this feels in your body and mind. You are being asked to open to a strong current of intellectual clarity and understanding. If you’ve felt helpless or uncertain, you may have avoided seeing what is now coming into focus. Ask yourself what you are willing to change in your life to support your deeper cultural values. Breakthroughs may come where your perspective has already been shifting quietly in the background. You may now see unexpected steps where before there seemed to be none.
Later this evening, Mars opposes Saturn and will move into opposition with Neptune tomorrow. These aspects bring both reality checks and potential confusion. You may feel caught between what you need to do and what still feels uncertain. The tension between freedom and responsibility, clarity and doubt, may be hard to ignore. It may not be the right moment to push forward, but it is important to notice what is pressing in on you.
The Moon moves through Aquarius today, offering enough emotional distance to stay connected without becoming overwhelmed. Hold steady and listen closely to what is shifting in your heart. There may be a small step you can take to support yourself and others.
Contemplative Questions:
Where am I feeling held back, and what can I learn from that resistance?
What change am I being asked to commit to more fully?
How can I move forward with patience rather than force?
CULTURAL ILLUMINATION – AQUARIUS FULL MOON: Saturday, August 9, 2025
The Full Moon in Aquarius occurs at 3:55 a.m. EDT, illuminating 17 degrees of this fixed air sign. This marks the midpoint of the current lunar cycle that began on July 24 with the Leo New Moon. That New Moon held themes of self-expression and the willingness to stand in a leadership role. It also carried the weight of the Sun’s opposition to Pluto, demanding depth and honesty alongside any show of confidence. Whatever was set in motion at that time is now brought to light.
This Full Moon also reflects a longer story. On January 29, the Aquarius New Moon marked the beginning of a new collective era. It was the first New Moon following the start of the current U.S. administration and came with a sense of cultural reset. What was initiated then, whether publicly or privately, now comes into fuller view. Aquarius asks us to clarify what we stand for; not based on personality or preference, but on values that endure.
Mars, having opposed Saturn several days ago, now perfects its opposition to Neptune. Hold steady. The actions required may still feel unclear or just out of reach.
Let this Full Moon help you step back, open your eyes, and observe. What is becoming visible now deserves attention. A response will be needed, but for now, reflection comes first. Something is being revealed about your commitments, what you believe, how you take action, and your place within a larger story. Make no mistake—each of us has a role to play.
Contemplative Questions:
What personal or collective shift began in late January that is now fully revealed?
How have the intentions I set in late July taken form, and where do they need correction?
What does this Full Moon ask me to prepare for, even if I don’t yet know how to respond?
DETERMINATION & COURAGE: Sunday, August 10, 2025
At 8:28 a.m. EDT, Mars forms a trine with Pluto. This perfects the grand trine that has been forming over the past days, involving Mars, Uranus, and Pluto. It also follows Mars’ recent oppositions to Saturn and Neptune. Because Mars is always a trigger planet, the push and pull between momentum and restraint, clarity and confusion, has likely left an indelible mark. If you’ve been willing or able to see what needs to change and acknowledge what is not working, this trine supports meaningful, focused action. It is important to move steadily in the direction of what is most important to you at this time.
This alignment supports sustained work and the ability to follow through on what has already begun. Mars brings the will to act, and Pluto brings the power required. However, there are complications and confusions at play. Take the clear, obvious actions, move quietly and without hesitation. Let progress come through commitment rather than urgency.
The Moon moves through Pisces and forms a square to Uranus. Emotions may feel unpredictable or out of sync with the moment. Stay close to what soothes and centers you, let compassion and kindness guide you. Clarity will come, but not through force.
Contemplative Questions:
What action can I take today that supports long-term change?
Where am I being asked to stay steady instead of rushing ahead?
How can I respond to emotional disruption without abandoning myself?
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