Horoscopes for August 2011

by Eric Francis Coppolino, July 27, 2011

Leo (July 22-August 23)
We all have those moments when an idea seems to manifest instantly into reality, and for many people they seem to be coming closer together. This is likely to be true for you during the next few weeks. We may not know how this process works, but it may be enough to say that thought is creative on many different levels. The first thing to do is to create a space within your mind and your emotions where you feel safe. You can give yourself reasons, or you can stretch into an inner spot that requires no particular rationales. Once you know you’re safe, then fear is a moot point. And from there, it’s possible to apply an abundance of newly liberated energy into creative ideas. I don’t just mean art; I mean ideas for creating the world around you that works for you and your family or loved ones. Every situation you encounter has a positive solution, and is an opportunity for expanding your consciousness. Notice how every one of those encounters is a passing phase, but the thing that remains consistent is you exploring the flow of existence. The world is full of threats; we all know this. And I don’t think there is a person walking the face of the planet who has not noticed how powerful love is, and I mean by the results they got at least once. Yet the mental balance between love and fear can be a delicate balance; we decide which way to go from thought to thought, and moment to moment.

Virgo (August 23-September 22)
The human psyche seems to be arranged in layers. Those who have endeavored to address any significant personal issue have observed something like this. When you go into one layer and explore in a sincere way, you eventually come to another layer, and another. All healing processes work like this: the different attributes of a situation can be experienced as some form of physical, then emotional, then spiritual, which are arranged like the skins of an onion. The deeper we go, the more we can experience this elusive thing we call self-awareness. Mercury beginning its retrograde in your sign on August 2 will take you deeper into yourself than you’ve gone in a while. You will have the opportunity to go past the surface layer of your ideas about yourself, closer into the core material. You have an invitation to challenge every stereotype about Virgo, whether it’s true or not. When you journey toward your own core, past the busy, questioning layer of your mind, you experience something akin to pure heat. When you get to this layer, you might recognize that everything you were told about yourself as a kid was true but only so far. It would seem that your primary impulse is creative rather than service, expressive rather than passive, passionate rather than intellectual. As Mercury retrogrades into Leo through most of August, you will have access to that original core of your psyche—the vibrant, fearless child. While you’re there, light the fire of your adult mind. Don’t just remember what you learn; become that person you once were and in truth always were.

Libra (September 22-October 23)
The planets say that this is truly an extraordinary month for you on two accounts, which are closely related. One is an opportunity to be the vibrant socialite we know you are. Libra is one of the most laidback signs, but you’re turning into an honorary redhead with a shock of vibrant hair and an aura to match. The second is that you get to make some wishes with the actual prospect of them coming true. Perhaps wishes is a little too passive of a word, but “goals” is a little too business-like. What I mean is discovering in your heart what you want, feeling the pleasure of that and knowing that you’re creating it in that moment. Make contact with your most cherished desires. Most of those involve the pleasure of developing your talent and expressing your brilliance. You have the opportunity to let go of many negative messages from your past; indeed, to transcend nearly all of the typical childhood conditioning about being “less than,” or needing to tone it down so you would not threaten your early caregivers. By now you’re familiar with what some of those messages were and how they have influenced you. You’re also familiar with the potency in you that burns karma, turning it into creative fire. I often describe Libra as the human blow torch. If there was ever a moment when that was true, that would be now. Though I rarely give dates in my horoscopes, I’m looking at an amazing chart that says pay attention on August 16 and the few days surrounding it.

Scorpio (October 23-November 22)
You’re embarking on an odyssey this month. This may involve actual travel to an exotic place that feels like your spiritual home, or the astrology may be referring to an emotional and spiritual journey into some extraordinary inner territory. A third possibility is that you’re taking a ride in a time machine that is giving you a hint what the next three to five years will be about. Whether one or more of these is true, or something else entirely, there are profound encounters in your chart that promise to stretch your capabilities, including your ability to relate to people. There is an element of mastery that will be required from you, however. You are in the zone where your desires directly influence and indeed have an impact on the spheres of others. Some people will be engaging and welcoming. Others will be less thrilled that you’re so confident in yourself. One vital lesson from what you experience is not taking the responses of others so personally. That said, if you notice (as objectively as you can) what those responses are, you will be able to determine your best, most creative points of contact. Another lesson is being bold enough to really, truly understand in your heart and soul that you are loved. This is not something to take advantage of, in the negative sense, but rather to remember, and feel, and work with in the most creative ways you can. People can see you for who you are, at the same time you’re able to bring forth the best of who you are.

Sagitarius (November 22-December 22)
Someone needs to point out how much energy is consumed when we have to deal with the insecurity of others. Even if you only count the direct results of those who make every move based on their lack of confidence in themselves, that’s a lot of energy. Then there are people who build empires based on their lack of faith in themselves, who become petty tyrants, who spend their lives judging others, and far worse. You may need a strategy for such people this month, and the first element in that plan would be recognizing the phenomenon when you see it. The first sign is when you notice difficulty—in any communication process, in negotiations, in the flow of events. This may not be mere circumstance, and though you may not be experiencing intentional acts of disruption, check this factor of insecurity in those you’re addressing. Once you’ve figured out that someone is coming from a weak place and therefore overcompensating by being disruptive or exerting unnecessary authority, the key is to not get caught up in it. At the worst, the phase will pass, as long as you don’t complicate the issue in any way. For the most part, you can feel confident going about your business on the policy that you don’t need permission from others to live your life. You may think you’re pretty good at that one and usually you are, but not always. So this month, you will get to master a new level of the game of independence and freedom.

Capricorn (December 22-January 20)
I read recently that Ray Bradbury wrote the original draft of Fahrenheit 451 on public typewriters that cost a dime for every half hour. He didn’t have a lot of money and had to work swiftly, even a bit furiously. He invested a little over $9 in dimes to write the original 25,000-word manuscript. The result became one of the most enduring works of 20th-century science fiction. Your astrology has this feeling to it this month. You seem to be in line for some kind of creative or professional project that you do under adverse conditions but which benefit from the challenges and the pressure. These situations are not always comfortable at the time; there are some deadline junkies who love those conditions, and I don’t think there’s anyone who hasn’t noticed that constraints around time, space, or resources can have a positive effect on the outcome. Therefore, I suggest you not complain about the demands of whatever you have to do or how much time you have, or be especially fretful if things don’t work out as planned. Rather, apply yourself to the goal and, more importantly, to the process, and get to work. Count on extending your talent right out to the edge of whatever boundary you’re in. Stay close to your purpose and remember, a committee of one gets things done. One other point: Mercury is retrograde (or close to it) just about clear through August. That suggests that you will need to think differently, think your way, and count on the odd chance.