Rick Levine's August 2024 Forecast: COSMIC WHIPLASH!

“World in motion -- speed your changes
Close your distances, drive your angels
Lose your fears and meet your dangers
World in motion”
~Jackson Browne
• World in Motion
The summer of 2024 will be long remembered for the dynamic events that shocked and rocked the status quo. Although July had well over its fair share of surprises, the astrological outlook for August suggests the unexpected twists and turns are far from over. Energetic patterns that were set up in July will continue to unfold in August, reminding us that we can’t know what the future holds. The cosmos still has a few tricks up its sleeves and some of them will become apparent this month.
The cosmic bass note for August is being played by the two slowest moving planets visible to the naked eye. For millennia, expansive Jupiter and contractive Saturn were considered the regulators of cultural and political change. Their twenty-year cycle is readily observable and was most recently reset in December 2020 when they joined in the futuristic sign of Aquarius. On August 19, these two gassy giants perfect the first of three squares that will culminate on June 15, 2025. But this square is in play throughout the entire month, contributing to the underlying conflict between embracing change and resisting it. Jupiter pushes us outward and encourages new growth while Saturn sets obstacles in our path that require hard work and discipline before allowing us to pass. The Jupiter-Saturn square can present a crisis in action, testing our ability to resolve current dilemmas and strengthening our determination.
However, wildcard Uranus also plays a significant role this month. A disruptive yet exciting Venus-Uranus square on August 2 tempts us to reach beyond our normal boundaries to find pleasure or satisfaction. Messenger Mercury turns retrograde on August 4, kicking up mental madness. The Leo New Moon occurs on the same day at 4:13 am PDT. This lunation looks promising at first glance since it prompts us to plant seeds of playful self-expression. Luckily, supportive sextiles from physical Mars and powerhouse Jupiter bring an energetic boost. But all is not rosy, for resourceful Venus forms irritating quincunxes to both Neptune and Pluto on August 4-5 as it enters responsible Virgo, pitting our own desires against others with strong intentions and possibly hidden motives. Venus remains in Virgo for most of the month, slipping into her home sign of Libra on August 29.
Meanwhile, trickster Mercury backs into a square to temperamental Uranus on August 18, repeating the previous square it made to Uranus on July 21-the date of President Biden’s exit speech. The Full Moon in Aquarius on August 19 at 11:25 am PDT squares rebellious Uranus within a couple of hours of the Sun doing the same. The period between the overconfident Mars-Jupiter conjunction on August 14 and the cosmic pile-up on August 19 could bring a rapid series of events that leave our heads spinning. If these days live up to the astrological expectations, it’s important to practice patience and consider the long game, rather than impulsively reacting to energy that is out of balance.
Thankfully, there is a bit of a reprieve toward the end of the month as Mercury, Chiron, and Mars form flowing and cooperative aspects with one another on August 23-24. Our words (Mercury) are charged with urgency (Mars) and, if used wisely, can result in healing old wounds (Chiron). Resourceful Venus harmoniously trines Uranus, opposes Neptune, and trines Pluto on August 27, 28, and 29, respectively. Although we need to be cautious about getting swept up in the moment, inaction is not the answer. Our high ideals, coupled with a desire to make radical and lasting changes, present us with an opportunity to directly impact our future in a positive manner.
Think cosmically, act locally,
~ Rick Levine