Most of August will be perfect for socializing. With a crowd of planets, all in fun-loving, indulgent Leo, brightening your house of people / places / events, you'll be eager to break free of obligations and enjoy time to kick back with friends. Over the past two months you were surrounded with lots of financial duties and details, but that all changes in August. You won't miss pounding the calculator, that's for sure!

It appears you'll be traveling much more than usual in weeks ahead, for two reasons. One, Jupiter will turn from retrograde to direct motion on August 6. In early April, Jupiter went retrograde and began to withhold his most benefic powers. As soon as Jupiter bolts forward, you'll begin to enjoy newfound freedom. It looks like you may opt for places that will take you to the great outdoors, locales with big sky and wide panoramas.

Not only will you get to travel more, but the accommodations you book will be more pampering and luxurious, too. Your very best days to take a trip this month will be August 1 - 5, 9, and the weekend of August 11 - 12.

The other reason you will be traveling more is that you will be receiving more invitations from friends, thanks to Mars, which will begin to energize your friendship sector from August 7 onward. Both Jupiter and Mars will work together to make this part of the season lots more fun.

With Jupiter so strong in your third house, August would be a superb month to buy a car, computer, or other high-ticket electronic appliance or machine. Additionally, since Saturn will be making strong aspects to a number of planets, the item you buy will likely last a long time. Your third house rules communication, commerce, and machines with moving parts, all under excellent vibes. Act now before Mercury goes retrograde again in October.

This month, consider taking a vacation or long weekend away. Once Mars leaves Gemini on September 28, a new theme will emerge, one that will have you focused strongly on your career. Mars will set up an unusually long and powerful trend, one that will last through mid-May. Knowing that you will be consumed with advancing your career later in the year behooves you to take time off now. If you don't get away now, you may not get another chance until May 2008!

If you really don't want to travel this month or next, you can harness Mars' energy by going back to the classroom for an advanced degree, or for seminars on your profession or a subject you've been interested in learning more about. With mars in Gemini, your mind will be yearning for more intellectual stimulation. If classes seem out of the question, perhaps you can attend a book signing lecture or a club event. You can also successfully pursue new projects in publishing and broadcasting now - interesting possibilities should come up.

From the new moon, August 12, onward the emphasis on friendship is about to become a larger focal point. One friend may need your presence and advice because she or he will go through a difficult time, or a friend may disappoint you in some way and you may even have a falling out. I say this because the new moon will be joined with the Sun, Venus, Mercury, and Saturn, quite a lot of planetary energy to be squeezed into one house. Saturn's orbit so close to the Sun suggests a weighty, heavy time is due, one where you will either be sad about a friend's problems and want to help, or be disillusioned by a friend's behavior and need to distance yourself from this person.

If you sense a detractor is spreading rumors about you, talk to another friend to find out if she or he's heard anything negative about you. You will want to squash any gossip that isn't true. You may also want to confront the person who is spreading these rumors. Also, because of the rather heavy aspects circulating this month, you'd be wise to keep your romantic life separate from your public life, so resist sharing any private details about your love life with friends.

There is one other way you may use the energies of the new moon, and that would be to get more involved in a club you belong to now. You may run for office, or take on the leadership of a major committee. This would be a great way to use the energies of the new moon, for you would be testing your skills in a safe way that you could later use in your career.

Your ruling planet, Venus, will be retrograde throughout August, for it will not go direct until September 8. Don't expect to see too much progress on any level until Venus is running at full speed. One's ruling planet is the engine that runs one's chart. When that planet is napping as Venus is doing now, it is like having a car with a motor that sputters and refuses to go, let alone go quickly.

Still, that may be perfectly agreeable to you this month, because you may travel or study and generally give yourself a little break to catch your breath. You can also use the extra time while Venus naps to strategize about an important plan or project that you will want to push forward next month. Venus retrograde will also allow you to look back and correct any situation or relationship you feel has come off course.

The full moon lunar eclipse in Pisces will occur on August 28, proving that the last week in August isn't always the sleepy time. The whole mood of the month will suddenly change, and news will come on suddenly and take you by surprise.

In the media, there could be reports of very bad weather, including rain, flooding, and/or hurricanes and the like during this last week of the month, for the lunar eclipse will be in Pisces, the sign of water. This eclipse has a lot of difficult aspects associated with it, so you need to keep your schedule light.

There are two different ways you may feel the coming lunar eclipse August 28, plus or minus five days.

In this scenario, your day-to-day work routine will change in some significant way. You may see a trusted coworker or subordinate suddenly depart, requiring you to stay late and do some of his or her work. You may find out that you are going to be switched to another department, or that management plans to relocate the company to another address. New computer equipment may be purchased that you will be expected to learn, or management will announce new procedures or standards that you'll have to live up to. New assignments may come up, or a major change in direction may be made in an existing assignment.

Normally an eclipse in the sixth house would ONLY affect your day-to-day work experience, but this is a lunar eclipse, putting extra emphasis on the moon. The moon is the natural ruler of your tenth house of your status in the industry and your overall reputation. At this troublesome eclipse, you will need to keep your work above reproach. Don't give any detractors any reason to point to any of your work or your character as less than sterling. There appears to be a highly competitive political situation being stirred up at month's end, so you'd be wise to batten down the hatches.

In the second scenario, you may be focused instead on a health concern. (You could be focused on one or the other, or less likely, both.) Since the eclipse will fall in Pisces, you may decide to have foot surgery, for example, for Pisces rules the feet. Of course, there are many possibilities, but the point is that you should keep your antenna up and see a doctor if something does not feel quite right. If you decide to have an operation or to go in for medical tests, you are likely to decide this at the last minute, perhaps because end-of-summer is usually a good time to do so, when so many people are on vacation.

There is an equal possibility, however, that you won't plan a procedure, but need to attend to a surprise medical or dental situation that comes up. If so, just go with the flow, as the eclipse will help you see what needs to be done. On a full moon eclipse, there is an ending - in this case, it could be an end to a problem that made you suffer. The good part is full moons bring plenty of energy and the problem is usually over just as quickly.

Make sure you get extra rest on a day that is almost sure to be draining, August 21. On that day Saturn will conjoin the Sun and bring you to a low point. You don't want to get a cold, so this month, to feel your best, you need to take it easy. During the whole last tier of the month, from August 21 through August 31, you will require extra rest. Treat yourself!

With Uranus opposed to Mercury at month's end, romance is not likely to be too fulfilling. You may learn a piece of information about a lover that distresses you, or, if you have children, hear something about an older child that may give you pause. See how you feel. You will know the steps to take.

Also at month's end, on August 25, Venus will receive an opposition from Neptune, so you may learn the hard way that all that glitters is not gold. It's a day your perceptions will be off, so be careful. It's a topsy-turvy month for many people. Center your socializing at the start of the month, when it's due to be best.

Best romantic days: August 2, 3, 11 - 12, and 15

Summary

One friend will take all your attention at mid-month, whether for positive reasons (she needs your help) or not so positive reasons (she has been disloyal to you.) With five planets crowded into your house of friendship, you are likely to react in a strong emotional way to news. Depending on what you hear, you will either bond closer or part; there will be no middle course.

A group or fundraising event may be on your mind too, and in this regard, the new moon August 12 will set this in motion. You may join a new group, accept a post on a committee, or be elected to a prestigious position in the club by other members. If you do accept a new voluntary position, with Saturn close to the Sun, you will work very hard, but you will gain much in the way of respect and personal growth.

Saturn teaches that nothing of value in life is given for free. The experience you will gain by giving your time will be invaluable, and skills will be fully transferable to your career. If you have an idea to help a humanitarian cause, you could outdo yourself now - your actions may be life changing to yourself and others.

Against this background, Mars, the energy planet, will be focusing you on big ideas and future plans. You may feel, as you look back over past months, that your perspective was too narrow and that now you need to open your mind to new influences and applications to your energies. Mars will see to it that this happens from August 7 onward for seven weeks, an influence you'll find refreshing. In an effort to get you to open your eyes to bigger things, Mars may see to it that you travel, study, or do special research (whether for a future publishing project or for a grant), as a few examples. See if you can take even a short holiday, for it will help you manage stress. Best days to go this month: August 1 - 5 or on or near August 9.

Your office will become a hub of activity at the most unlikely time - the very last week of August, so plan to be back from any trips by then. Due to a rather feisty, difficult lunar eclipse on August 28 - also a full moon - you will experience radical changes at the office. A coworker or subordinate may suddenly quit, or management may announce they've restructured the firm's organizational tree. Equipment and software may be upgraded, too, so you may need to learn how to use it. No matter what is on your agenda, it will call for a not-too-easy adjustment.

Ordinarily this kind of eclipse would only affect certain day-to-day work, but a lunar eclipse also will affect your reputation and status in the industry, too. You'll need to give your full attention to whatever is going on at work. If you feel unhappy about what will be expected, you may decide to seek work elsewhere or make other radical, unexpected changes in coming weeks. No need to decide now - you'll be able to make that decision later, when you see "what's what."

Protect your health near the day when Saturn conjoins the Sun, August 21, and also on the full moon eclipse, August 28. You may find you're more tired than usual, so be sure to get enough rest. If you feel fine, you will benefit from the stress relief that sports bring - keep your sneakers out!

Remember, care for your health: August 21, and in days near 28.

Take on a post or position in a club: August 12 - 19