Your August 2024 Horoscope: Travel Mishaps May Occur This Month
Your August 2024 horoscope is finally out. However, if you were hoping for a peaceful, serene, and emotionally stable end to the summer, astrology may surprise you. Indeed, August is when things start to unravel somewhat. Chaos in the mutable signs will lead to a scattered and unfocused mood, perhaps due to an overload of work during the more enthusiastic periods of early summer. Mercury begins its retrograde in Virgo on August 4, and a T-square between Venus in Virgo, Mars, and Jupiter in Gemini, and Saturn in Pisces seems like a recipe for “doing everything but enjoying the process.”
This month may remind us that there is no real vacation from the demands of life or escape from a world in crisis. Climate emergencies have become something of an annual occurrence in the height of summer, and this month’s astrology predicts an up-close experience of the decay and dysfunction that can accompany environmental chaos, overtourism, and inflation. While this month is not ideal for visiting places known for large crowds, it is also ripe for internal breakthroughs and the flexibility to change one’s mind.
This could mean changing your consumption habits after seeing their impact or avoiding travel to places where infrastructure is already strained. It could also mean seeing where things have become unsustainable in your own life and changing accordingly.
If your main goal this month is simply to keep your situation stable, the good news is that things start to improve in late August. Stress will peak between August 14 and 22, a time when we may feel like we’re juggling too many responsibilities while things seem to be falling apart around us (or more literally, dealing with transportation disruptions).
Some relief will come at the end of the month, when Mercury turns direct on August 28 and Venus enters Libra the following day. This will promote repair and reconnection, ending the period of tension caused by Venus in Virgo.
For the sake of accuracy, we refer to your signs as your “rising signs.” Horoscopes are most accurate when read this way, using your time and place of birth. Read on to find out your full August 2024 horoscope, based on your Sun sign and/or rising sign.
Aries and Aries ascendant
For better or worse, you’ll likely get a lot done this month, but at what cost? The demands on your time are also taking a toll on your mental health, especially right now. The good news is that as you struggle to meet deadlines, take on multiple responsibilities, and manage an often crowded schedule, you’ll eventually reach your limit. At that point, it’ll be necessary to change the way you work, which is a good thing if it helps you avoid creating this type of schedule in the future.
August 14 and 16 will be particularly challenging and could present you with ultimatums from the universe, forcing you to find other solutions to overcome obstacles. If you are traveling during this period, it could mean looking for an alternative route, but it is more likely that you will have to face the limits of your time and your ability to “do it all.”
Some of your loved ones may also add to the stress by showing displeasure at your refusal to go out with friends or siblings; you may also sense a bad attitude among your co-workers, especially around August 22.
With Mercury retrograde in your sixth house of work starting August 5, it’s normal for your mind to be occupied with the mundane matters of planning, rescheduling, managing your calendar, and renegotiating your workload. If you have children, this retrograde could involve juggling their appointments and activities, and perhaps finding a new babysitter. Otherwise, expect to have to incorporate your creative hobbies and pastimes into the equation. You’ll need to overhaul your life to balance work and play if you truly want to avoid the burnout you’re likely feeling right now.
Taurus and Taurus ascendant
This month, you may discover the hard way that even doing what you love can be challenging. Paradoxically, too much of a good thing can diminish your enjoyment. Is it possible to travel too much? Maybe.
From August 4 to 29, your ruling planet Venus transits Virgo. This is typically a time of year when you meticulously devote yourself to the art of pleasure and artistic work, whether it’s planning the perfect party or perfecting every detail on your canvas. However, this year, several influences interfered with Venus. Mars and Saturn gang up against her, creating tensions.
Around August 16, you may feel this pressure, likely in the form of out-of-control spending and unmanageable crowds. If you’re trying to plan something fun with your friends, be vigilant about social pressure and avoid finding yourself in the thankless role of a party planner. If there are income disparities that could disrupt a group trip, address the issue early on and plan a program that makes everyone feel included and cared for.
If you’re creative, you might be put off by your audience’s reaction and the challenges that come with it. With Mercury retrograde in this same part of the sky starting August 5, expect to have to make some revisions. Don’t get too attached to your first draft; the second one might be better.
The full moon in Aquarius on August 19th will be a turning point for you. You may decide to make a bold statement or stand out, whether professionally or elsewhere where everyone can see you. Amid these experiments, you may discover your next big pivot or decide to change direction. In trying to make everyone happy but yourself, you may realize the importance of the roles you play and determine whether you want to continue to play them. Live your truth without waiting for everyone to understand.
Gemini and Gemini ascendant
This month, you will experience intense moments, similar to the feeling of being caught in a wind turbine. Amid everything that is happening, you may feel the need to courageously take on new challenges, debate your detractors, or stand firm for your principles. For one reason or another, you will feel somewhat besieged in August, but you are not ready to let others see your weaknesses.
On August 14, Mars and Jupiter form a conjunction in Gemini, followed by Mars’ square with Saturn two days later. You’re under intense pressure to perform, meet impossible demands, or satisfy a relentless authority figure who gives you little respite. When this tension reaches its peak in mid-August, you may feel defeated or discouraged by others’ reactions.
While it may feel overwhelming at the moment, these experiences will provide you with valuable insights to adjust your trajectory. Changing course will be a central theme of your August, as your ruling planet, Mercury, will spend much of the month retrograde: Starting August 5, Mercury will be retrograde in the home and family part of your chart, where Venus also transits for most of the month.
Don’t be surprised if tensions spill over into your home life, forcing you to revisit conversations you thought were already settled. You have big challenges ahead, but ultimately, it’s those around you who will be there to celebrate your victories. Make sure you don’t neglect them. On August 14,
Mercury retrograde in Leo, coinciding with the exact conjunction of Mars and Jupiter. Even if you’re moving through a traffic jam, all that misplaced energy will likely find a way around the obstacles, and you’ll manage to adapt rather than break down. By revisiting old tweets, emails, or saved Google Maps destinations, you might find helpful insights to move forward. An unexpected message, idea, or event on August 18 could light your way.
Cancer and Cancer ascendant
This month, while not all who wander are lost, you’re more likely to find yourself in a difficult situation or experience a mini-spiritual crisis. Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn create an abstract traffic jam for you in August, contributing to a mood of existential neglect or a profound lack of clarity. Imagine the worst case of culture shock you’ve ever experienced or a time when you felt particularly uncomfortable as a foreigner in another country. You might feel like a stranger in your reality this month, even without traveling.
Astrology reminds us that this too shall pass. Your disorientation has important lessons to teach you: What did you think you knew about the world, and can you still find a sense of belonging in a world that reminds you of how much you don’t know? Expect your discomfort to peak in mid-August, then begin to ease as you discover new ways to navigate.
Your attention will also be on your finances this month, with a New Moon in Leo initiating a new financial cycle on August 4 and Mercury retrograde ending its tour in this same part of the sky between August 14 and 28. Major transactions could occur, terms could be rewritten, assets could change hands, or money transferred between accounts.
The Full Moon in Aquarius on August 19 seems to conclude these actions, leading to the finalization of a deal or the removal of something from your hands. All of this could unfold more quickly than expected, contributing to your current sense of turbulence. All you can do is what you’ve always done: trust the process and remain open to what presents itself.
Leo and Leo’s ascendant
August is often a time of rebirth for you, but this year you’ll be fully committed to the work of redefining yourself. Mercury will complete its retrograde in Leo from August 14-28, receiving stimulating influences from Uranus, the great awakener. Even if you think you already know who you are and what you want out of life, this is not the time to hold on to old stories. Prepare to change roles quickly, like an awards show host who switches from one outfit to the next to stay on top of things.
There’s a lot of tension in the air this month, and you won’t be immune. Some of this pressure comes from feeling underappreciated or underfunded in your industry, community, or networks. You may see your peers thriving professionally and closing big sales, while you seem to be stagnating. The incessant noise of everyone promoting themselves online can also be overwhelming. Rather than letting competition discourage you, let it motivate you to raise your game.
Your creativity will be at its peak around August 18-19, marked by a Mercury cazimi and a full moon in Aquarius, both in a square with Uranus. Keep a notebook handy and stay open to invitations and opportunities. If you’re traveling, accept that dinner invitation from a new friend or go on an impromptu weekend getaway.
An important partnership or collaboration could come to fruition, or a shake-up in an existing relationship could reignite the dynamic. When Mercury turns direct on August 28, you’ll have a clearer idea of what’s next.
Virgo and Virgo ascendant
It may be time to question yourself, as this seems like a time for flexibility and embracing the unknown. The seeds of doubt or introspection planted last month are now ripe for harvest, as you set out again in search of the vital parts of yourself that were lost along the way. This month, there is a real risk of becoming overwhelmed by work, distracting you from the deeper questions that seek to pull you off autopilot. Take the time to listen to them.
Your August will be marked by the tension between the needs of your partner and the demands of your professional growth. A lot of people seem to need you right now, and in the midst of it all, you’re not feeling the love. When Venus enters Virgo on August 4 and Mercury retrogrades in the same sign on August 5, you’ll likely start to question some of those unspoken arrangements, the roles you have or haven’t accepted, and where your wants and needs fit into the equation.
Much of this inner restlessness will likely stem from feelings of being underappreciated as if you are having trouble connecting with others amidst your struggles. However, this introspective journey may well be one of “finding yourself” or simply changing your mind.
Many revelations await you in the second half of August when Mercury retrogrades in Leo on the 14th and an eventful full moon occurs on August 19, coinciding with a Mercury cazimi in a square with Uranus on the 18th. The impasse you feel will likely reach a fever pitch during this period, but consider it an opportunity to free yourself mentally and emotionally.
This will be the time to confront the disturbing truths that could upset some of your plans. Travel often has the gift of bringing these realizations to the surface.
Libra and Libra ascendant
This month, your discontentment is an important indicator. While you would prefer to quickly get over this difficult period and return to more exciting times, you have likely gotten all you can out of the current situation. A few weeks of discomfort may be necessary to move you toward a more lasting source of satisfaction.
This could be related to the big travel plans and academic programs you’ve been eagerly committing to since the beginning of the summer. You might start to wonder if you’ve been aiming too high, especially if it’s affecting your job or health. Staying disciplined while traveling and maintaining a consistent schedule as a nomad is a challenge.
It’s also hard to take care of your body when you’re immersed in revising your thesis. After Venus enters Virgo on August 4, it’s important to prioritize your physical and mental well-being for the next two weeks. Avoid repeated junk food dinners and don’t overexert yourself with too much reading.
Healthy habits are just a hedge against deeper issues. You may feel some spiritual fatigue and disorientation this month, or simply be more irritable in dealing with what isn’t working in your current approach. You’ll likely feel these limitations most strongly around August 16, when Mars squares Saturn.
Maybe your visa will be denied, or your advisor will ask you to completely rework your thesis. Maybe the philosophical problems you’re trying to solve will be enough to temporarily derail an entire project. With Mercury retrograde, it’s a great time to revise, redo, or change your mind about an existing effort. And for some hope, you’ll feel much better after Venus enters Libra on August 29.
Scorpio and Scorpio ascendant
This month, you are doing your best to successfully establish a collaboration, overcome financial obstacles, or handle the role of treasurer of a group trip. Don’t be surprised if the reception is mixed or if the atmosphere is not what you expected. For one reason or another, not everyone seems enthusiastic or fully enjoying the party. You could find yourself in frustrating situations with other people.
Even though you may have to deal with some frustrations in August, stay persistent. You are solving problems that will allow you to correct course on an important professional issue, requiring a good team and the resolution of some financial problems that are holding you back. For parents, childcare issues or saving for your children’s future could also occupy your attention this month.
Things are likely to get complicated between August 14 and 19, when Mercury retrogrades in your 10th house of career and public status, many difficult aspects come to fruition, and a full moon appears at the base of your chart. You may be surprised by unexpected events, but strangely relieved to be able to react effectively.
Some work decisions could also impact the family balance, such as swapping breadwinner roles with your partner. Make sure this arrangement works for you, if possible. These last-minute changes could become bigger sticking points in the fall and winter, and they could even interfere with your travel plans.
Sagittarius and Sagittarius ascendant
You feel like this is your time to shine until an unexpected distraction steals the spotlight at the crucial moment. Much of this August will be spent balancing your personal and professional life, and perhaps reconsidering some of your current commitments, as family responsibilities could be calling. If you’re in a relationship, your partner may need more support this month to complete a big project. Otherwise, you may have to deal with criticism or unpleasant comments about your work.
This month, it would be wise not to feed the trolls and let others wear themselves out in fruitless discussions. You will probably be tempted to respond, but try to take a moment to reflect on the importance of other people’s opinions.
In some cases, this may count, but it is more likely that engaging with those who criticize you in bad faith will only distract and exhaust you. This dynamic will peak around August 14, when Mars conjuncts Jupiter, and again on August 22, when Venus squares Mars. However, on August 16, when the Mars-Saturn square forms, potential issues at home requiring your attention could also arise.
You may also need to reconsider your travel plans this month or change your itinerary in some way. Mercury will be retrograde for much of the month, moving backward through your ninth house of travel from August 14 to 28.
This will happen after the New Moon in Leo, in the same part of your chart, initiated a new cycle around travel, education, and spirituality on August 4. You may be especially prone to airport hassles this month if you have any travel plans planned, so stay flexible and be prepared to adjust your plans as new information arises.
Capricorn and Capricorn ascendant
If you’re planning to travel this month, “enjoying your vacation” could be a challenge. You’ll do your best to pull yourself together and have a good time, but time constraints and health concerns may make the experience less smooth. You may have to put out fires at work, meet unavoidable deadlines, or experience physical strain from overwork and a hectic schedule.
If you are traveling with your close friends or siblings, friction may also arise. Whatever happens, this may be a good time to become the master of your own experience. If others do not want to accompany you to see a Caravaggio, go alone and meet them later.
Don’t expect to follow your original route. Mercury moves retrograde in your travel and education sector from August 5-14, which could disrupt some of your plans or prompt you to revisit old academic notes. On August 7, the Mercury-Venus conjunction could provide a nice opportunity to reconnect with old acquaintances in a faraway land or discuss a pre-existing philosophical dilemma.
The biggest challenge this month will likely be the Mars-Saturn square on August 16. A work impasse, a busy schedule, and the pressure of too many tasks to accomplish could leave you feeling exhausted. Be careful of burnout. This is the time when the daily practices you’ve established will be most helpful.
When life is at its most stressful and chaotic, it’s crucial to be extra disciplined about maintaining your habits, whether it’s your morning pages, meditation, daily walks, or whatever else you need to stay balanced.
Aquarius and Aquarius ascendant
This month, while trying to keep your life afloat, you’ll realize what it takes to live in alignment with your core values. It’s easy to ignore certain existential concerns when you’re consumed by urgent matters like paying rent or repaying a mortgage, but August will ask you to move beyond survival mode, which distracts you from the tough questions you’ve been avoiding.
To be honest, you may be feeling more financial stress than usual this month. Venus and Saturn oppose each other in your money houses, and Mercury retrograde in your houses of resources and shared relationships from August 5 to 28. If you have back taxes, unpaid alimony, or unresolved debts, now is the time to address them.
Larger issues may also arise, such as aligning your goals with those of loved ones, travel partners, or business associates. You may also spend this time renegotiating the terms of a major contract. Reaching a mutually satisfactory agreement will not be easy, and someone may come out on the losing end.
August 18-19 will be pivotal days for you, with a full moon in Aquarius on the 19th coinciding with a Mercury cazimi and a square to Uranus. Major realizations will arise, perhaps pushing you to make radical changes, especially regarding a key partnership.
This follows the Mars-Saturn square on August 16, a frustrating but revealing configuration of what isn’t working and can’t continue, especially when it comes to your current financial limitations. Even though money may seem like the trigger, ultimately you’re in the driver’s seat. What happens when you’re fully consciously in the driver’s seat of your life?
Pisces and Pisces ascendant
This month, you may find it difficult to connect with others, which could cause significant strain in your relationships, especially if you are traveling in a group. This could also lead to a breakdown in trust or intimacy, especially if you are preoccupied with domestic or family matters.
The major astrological aspect of this month concerns the clash between Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn in your angular houses. You could be busy with a moving, renovation, or home improvement project, or face a family crisis that requires your full attention.
This could explain why you feel less emotionally available to meet new people, or why you’re not “in the mood” when your partner tries to take the initiative. There may be very legitimate reasons for this, such as your partner not being supportive enough during a stressful time. However, try to avoid suffering in silence or withdrawing when others are making sincere efforts to reach out to you.
You will likely reach the peak of your frustration between August 14 and 16. However, don’t think that there is no solution or that everything is set in stone. Important discussions can be revisited if they were not fruitful the first time, and aspects of your work could be readjusted, offering an opportunity to renegotiate your workload or daily tasks.
Tensions could persist until August 22, although you’ll likely have to weather some relationship storms first at this time. You’ll make things easier by not trying to avoid the confrontation that seems inevitable earlier in the month. There will be plenty of things demanding your attention this month, but be careful not to neglect the most important people in your life.
