No matter what you knew about your life, or what you thought was likely to come up in the months to come, think again. The eclipses are back, and this time they are centering their main attention on you. Over the past two years the series of eclipses have been in Virgo and Pisces, but that series is over and the new one starting up is in Leo-Aquarius.

Eclipses always change our direction, bring surprising events, and change priorities - all in the blink of an eye. The purpose of an eclipse is to shake you out of your rut, illuminate certain circumstances that were hidden from view, or bring sudden opportunity that you have to seize to take full advantage. When an eclipse arrives in your own sign, that's news, and if the eclipse falls within four days of your birthday, that's even bigger news. If you were born on August 1 or 16, or close to that date, your entire year to come will be very different from any one you had experienced previously. Not born near those dates? You STILL will see shifts.

Because it is always best to react rather than initiate during eclipse time, you might as well sit back and simply wait to see what flies in the window this month. I always advise never to initiate on an eclipse if you can help it - respond to others' decisions quickly if necessary, but try not to be the one calling the shots. Whenever we make a big decision on an eclipse (within a week of its appearance) things tend not to work out precisely as anticipated. Sometimes an initiation around this time can't be helped, because eclipses are known to bring news of big life events, and you will see this at play - not only you but friends and family. You will see a flurry of activity around you. News of new job engagements, marriages, births, move of residence, the start of one's own business - that sort of big life news happens around eclipse time.

While most eclipses deliver their news immediately (within days of when the eclipse appears), others don't. Many wait one month to the day later, plus or minus five days. (If this will be the case for you, watch the time near September 1 and 16.) Still other eclipses don't bring news until Mars moves over the mathematical degree of the eclipse, which will happen this coming February. If this is the case for you, you will probably still get some sort of subtle news now, so keep watch over the conversations that come up, even very casual ones. As you see, although eclipses fall on new moons and full moons, they have a much wider time frame over normal new moons and full moons.

The total eclipse of the Sun - a solar eclipse - will come up first, August 1. At that time the Sun, new moon, Venus, and Mercury will all line up in Leo, putting you in the spotlight. Sudden opportunities are sure to arise, some quite creative and exciting, that you will want to investigate. Many planets will be in Leo this month, so it's time to think about what YOU want to do. Don't worry too much about whether or not others will go along with your plans or ideas. You need to present a vision, and it appears you will, in a vivid, passionate way.

On this eclipse, something will end but as it does, something else will begin. A relationship may end, or it may be that a long-term condition will end. The two don't always dovetail at precisely the same time, but be patient - not all will be revealed at once.

Others around you will be all ears about what you have to say, so make sure when you do speak or send a document, it's cohesive, intelligent, and accurate. Others will later be picking apart what you say and do, for that always happens when you have a high profile. This shouldn't stop you - this only means that you will have the floor, and it's time for you to indicate your direction.

I say that you must be sure about the accuracy of the facts you are depending on this month because Neptune will oppose Venus precisely at eclipse time. Venus is the natural ruler of your sector of career, and Neptune may fog some of the facts you will need to make professional decisions. If those facts are not accurate, the direction you take won't be either, and people both inside and outside your organization may criticize you. This month it is worth going the extra mile to check both your data and your assumptions.

It will also be important to know all about the people you partner closely with now and in future months. There is some indication that you are about to make a serious commitment to a business or romantic partner later in the month. In a business situation, asking for references and doing background checks should be part of the plan if you don't know the person all that well. I am not saying you will find anything wrong, just that it would be a good idea to make sure you aren't getting a little too carried away with enthusiasm that could bubble up this month.

Having said that, Venus' position across the sky from Neptune may indicate that a highly creative project that you devised is being put into motion this month, and if so, that would be very favorable. Neptune rules creativity, and its position bodes well for the success of your project. In fact, you may be partnering with another individual as you move forward to make it happen, and that too would be a positive manifestation of this eclipse. Planets in Leo point to work in the entertainment industry, to the development or marketing of luxury goods, or to industries that cater to the needs of children. All these areas shine especially brightly for you.

I should also mention that at a total eclipse of the Sun, a prominent male might now leave for any number of reasons. (I say male because the "Sun" is considered male.) An eclipse will "eclipse out" that person from your life. For example, you may hear that your father has decided to buy a house in a sunny location and vacate the one you grew up in. In that case, for example, your parent may leave your vicinity and you won't be seeing one another as much in person. Or, it may be that your boss will quit and go to another company quite out of the blue, and since this person hired you and protected you, you may be sorry to see him go.

You are ruled by the Sun, so you will feel the August 1 solar eclipse more powerfully than the lunar eclipse, August 16, a full moon.

If you were born on August 1, or close to that date, your whole life will change in the year to come, but I feel in a way that will please you.

Whenever one has an eclipse in one's own sign, it's always wise to get a medical checkup. An eclipse will sometimes highlight a medical irregularity that needs to be fixed. If nothing is wrong, nothing will come up and that will be the case for a vast majority of Leo this month. However if the eclipse brings up some sort of health or dental issue, you should go for advice to nip it in the bud. You are fortunate in that you have Jupiter, the great benefactor and giver of gifts and luck, moving through your sixth house of health now, a big advantage! It shows you'd get the very best doctor or dentist - someone you can rely on to keep you feeling tip top.

At the August 16 eclipse, your partner will have a chance to voice his or her opinions after having listened to your thoughts and announcements. Yet with Neptune prominent, this person may not know what he or she wants, and will be hard to satisfy. If your partner seems confused, your job will be to gently help sort out options. If your partner seems a bit unrealistic or working more with fantasy than facts, you will need to bring him or her back to earth. Have patience.

If your partner is prone to substance abuse, this August 16 eclipse may make it clear it's time to get professional help for this person. Of course, the eclipse may not bring out a situation this extreme, only if there is that propensity to begin with! Do realize that eclipses in one's opposite sign, as you will have in Aquarius on August 16, often will reveal a side of character that you never saw before. Eclipses are very illuminating, and although they can be disillusioning sometimes, any information that you are presented will be information you need. Let's hope the side you see is a side you are happy to discover, for that is possible, too.

Conversely, if you are the one in the relationship who has idealized a partner a little too much, you may discover that now and need to make a bit of a correction. In this case, it would not be your partner's fault - that was simply your imagination gone wild. We all do that from time to time (especially if the relationship is a romantic one), so if you do get a different perspective now due to a revealing incident, you will need to refocus on what "is" - not what you imagined.

Staying positive, one last possible interpretation of this trend may be that your partner may deeply inspire you though his or her belief in you. An eclipse in the seventh house could bring on an impending engagement or marriage, and if so, that would be happy news. In a business sense, you may form a close relationship to work on an artistic project together that would show really encouraging results from the very start.

If you were born on August 16, your life will center heavily on partnership issues in the coming year, and it appears one, whether in business or in your personal life, will leave.

Financially, you need to brace for an untoward surprise that could come up on August 6 when Mars opposes Uranus. Whatever it is, it will be difficult news that will need your speedy decision and action. When Mars reaches out to Uranus, the result is usually aggressive, angry, hot, or inflammatory. Uranus creates explosive, volcanic situations that are completely unexpected.

This is a tough aspect that comes once every two years, and this time will bring shocks to everyone, of any sign. Your focus from this aspect will be purely financial and it may trigger an argument. The problem with this aspect is that you have to keep your antenna up for a full ten days after it arrives, which can seem like a very long time. With Uranus, you may see absolutely nothing until one moment, quite by accident, something you say triggers quite a reaction.

You may have been beset with high expenses since last month, so you may already be trying to slash spending as best you can. You'll be pleased to know that your outlook is really good for seeing those expenses drop later this month. Once Mars moves into Libra on August 19, a far more compatible sign, you should feel that you are able to bring money matters under control.

Also, a very positive new moon, August 30, will help you fix your financial situation. You may see a rise in income in the days that follow that new moon, so it would be worth investigating possibilities. You may get a new job or side jobs (Jupiter would make it easier for you to get freelance work, so this is a good area.) Saturn will be active at that new moon, so you seem very realistic, centered, and determined to make things right again because by this point, you've probably had enough of these monetary wrangles.

Saturn tends to constrict what it touches, however, so if you do ask for a raise, you may hear that your boss can't give you quite as much of a raise as you had hoped. Take what you can. We can't always get all that we need, but something may be better than nothing. If you want to change jobs, you may be able to do so in October or November, as your aspects are truly bright for a job switch or for winning a promotion.

Once Mars moves into Libra, Mars will bring you small but beautiful opportunities to travel to nearby towns, resorts, and cities. By then you'll need a change in scene, so take up any invitations to be in a different setting.

Romantically, so much will depend on how your relationship has been going all along. Often an eclipse will crystallize feelings quite suddenly. If you are single and not dating, you won't feel the August 16 eclipse because you don't have a partner in your life. In your case, travel will help you meet people, especially if you have a summer share in a weekend house where you can meet new people easily, or if friends invite you to their houses.

This month your sweetest romantic evenings will be: August 1, 9, 10, 23-24, 28, and 29. The full moon eclipse August 16 may bring a fateful meeting - it's a wild card! With Jupiter and Venus at gorgeous angles on that day, that's very possible!

Summary

Events that occur as a result of the solar eclipse in Leo (a new moon) on August 1 will be so vital that you may say later that the developments that came up were positively life altering.

This total eclipse will help you decide how you'd like to shape your future. In early August, think about yourself, not others. Later you can extend your scope, but in birthday month, and with this important eclipse, you will be given a chance to see down the road and make plans for a better life. You are the star of this eclipse, and as such, you will be given the opportunity to make your life close to the vision you have in your head. So important will this total eclipse be that the decisions you make this month and in the weeks and months ahead will affect you now through 2017 or possibly forever!

Keep your health up to par at this total solar eclipse, as sometimes, when the Sun's light is blocked, you may feel less energetic or a health concern that has been going on, unbeknownst to you, needs attention. If you notice something is "off" medically, get it checked immediately.

The closer your birthday falls to August 1, the more powerfully you'll feel the coming shifts. All eclipses reveal certain truths, and this eclipse won't be any exception. Yet with the Sun, new moon, Mercury, and Venus in Leo, you'll have the upper hand, and with just a bit of effort you'll soon see that you can maneuver events to your favor.

The lunar eclipse, August 16, will help you go a step further to see a partner in an accurate light, too. You may have idealized this person, but if so, now the eclipse will bring a more focused, true picture. If your relationship is flawed, you'll know it, but if it is strong and sturdy, you will know that, too. If your partner is prone to escapist tendencies or relies on alcohol or drugs to get through hard times, you may need to get your partner help, but in that case, it's good, and he or she will thank you for that later.

The closer your birthday falls to August 16, the more this lunar eclipse will affect you.

Finances also will be a topic of meditation. On August 6, Mars, currently in your house of personal income and wealth, will oppose Uranus in your eighth house of credit, debt, and large financial obligations. This eighth house also rules money others may give you or owe you, say for child support, or funds due you as a result of an insurance claim or commission, as a few examples. Near this date you may get a revelation concerning money, and it's not likely to be the type of surprise you'd want.

Should you have an altercation over money with a close partner, you may have to document your case in great detail, with all kinds of backup documentation. The short-term solution may be to get a side job until this matter is cleared up. With Jupiter, giver of gifts and luck, in your work sector all year, you will able to find side work rather easily if you look for it.

The new moon on August 30 will usher in a new phase where earning more money will be very possible for you as long as you speak up. Saturn is close to that moon, so it appears your employer doesn't have a large budget to draw on. Still, some money is better than none, so once this new moon arrives, it would be worth asking for a raise.

Romantically, a great deal depends on how things have been going all along. You may have to make an adjustment in how you see your partner, and that may require a bit of effort. If you are single, your best romantic prospects will occur while traveling, so pack those bags and go. You will need a break, and it looks like Mars from August 19 onward will help you get just that. Watch the person you meet near the eclipse August 16, as this person could be a soul mate. With Jupiter and Venus bubbling up fun, you never know! Eclipses bring big developments and this would be just the kind of twist to your life's plot that you would welcome!