The housing market has been a difficult one, but if you're ready to sell or buy, this could be the month where your plan comes together. Or, if you have been anxious to get started on a renovation, either for you and your family to enjoy or to make your home more attractive to perspective buyers or renters, you will be able to begin very soon. You may have had no idea that you would be centering all your attention on your home in August, which makes this all the more surprising and energizing.

The total eclipse of the Sun on August 1 will set things in motion. With the Sun, new moon, the planet of beauty - Venus - and the planet of agreements, contracts, deals, and news - Mercury - in your home sector too, you have a great deal of energy to harness now.

Venus' position is particularly telling, as it will send a golden vibe to Pluto, now in your eighth house of other people's money. This suggests that you can get the money you need. This type of money includes mortgages, refinancing plans, loans, inheritance, income from sales, and windfalls. The August 1 eclipse will put you in a good position for generating money to make your plan happen.

If you aren't selling or renovating your property, you can still get ideas now to make your home much more comfy in an inexpensive way, using paint, fabric, and lots of ingenuity. It's time you allowed your dreams to take flight, dear Taurus, and to allow your home to express the real "you."

Neptune is in a difficult spot in that it will oppose Venus, your ruler, so you do have to watch for possible water damage on any property you live in now, or hope to acquire or lease soon. Make sure you have insurance to protect you against any type of flood, leak, or other water-related loss in the future, not for just now. Eclipses have a much wider time frame than a normal new moon. Have an expert check out your space and find out if you need to take action to protect yourself in the future.

A different way this same Neptune aspect may work is that it may make for a confusing situation - for you or for a new buyer or tenant. You or the client may be unclear about when to move in, what they really need, or the contract may not be written well enough and you inadvertently leave a key point open for interpretation later. If you need to sign papers, do so later in the month rather than near August 1, and have an attorney go over it thoroughly first. I suggest you sign on August 30, if possible.

There is one other way the eclipse may deliver news to you if you are not consumed by changes in your home or other real estate. A packed fourth house of home would put the spotlight on your family, most likely your father, as a total eclipse of the Sun rules males. (We always say father first, but it could be you current husband, ex, landlord, or other prominent male connected with your home.) This person appears to be leaving - "eclipsed out" - creating a change in the dynamic of those left behind in the home. This of course would require adjustment and time to cope.

Eclipses often deliver news within a week of their appearance, but not always. Sometimes they become active one month to the day later (in that case watch September 1), or an eclipse may deliver news months later, which in your case would be at the end of January 2009. See how things work out for you. It seems certain that some sort of change will take place.

If you were born on April 30, you will feel the effects of the eclipse most prominently of any of your friends. This eclipse, although not exactly easy for you, will eventually help you turn a corner and allow you to move forward assertively now that you know the score.

On or within days of August 6, you may hear certain gossip or information about an impending change in your career or status within the company. This is likely to make you upset, but you'll need to contain yourself. Say very little. Your suspicions will be proven correct at the full moon lunar eclipse, August 16. It will be helpful to have that information before others, so keep whatever you hear close to your vest - this is one piece of gossip you don't want to share.

At the month's second eclipse on August 16, your career standing in regard to one matter will be clarified. Eclipses often end things. Perhaps you will reach a long-term goal, but also feel a little bored and want to seek a new mountain to climb.

You may now leave a job or sell your business to move on near August 16. Or, you may get some sort of outstanding honor or publicity very close to this date. At the same time, a VIP may leave management suddenly or if you work with clients, one may now resign the account. If you have been interviewing for a job, you may now get an answer back on whether or not you got the job.

With Neptune also very active at this full moon, there's a danger that you would misunderstand someone's remarks, so ask lots of questions. If you work in a creative field, things look especially bright for you, as Neptune will conjoin this full moon eclipse and increase your imagination. Neptune is always at home with artistic efforts, so any downside to Neptune would be minimized.

Getting back to my original point about Neptune's presence at the lunar eclipse on August 16, regardless what industry you work in, be sure to ask a lot of questions about your new job. You may be under the mistaken impression that things may be one way when in reality you may have completely misunderstood what would be expected of you. By asking a lot of detailed questions you would avoid wasting time or effort.

If you should find that you don't like any of the job opportunities being presented to you in weeks to come, or if you are frustrated because you can't seem to get a straight answer over a certain job you think you want, let it go. I see a fabulous opportunity coming up for you in late January / early February 2009, one of the best you've EVER seen!

Jupiter, the giver of gifts and luck, is currently heading to your tenth house of career honors and fame and will arrive in January 2009. This will be the first time in twelve years that Jupiter has paid a visit to your house of career advancement, so you're sure to notice his arrival. Of course, we always notice the advent of an eclipse too, for they represent some of the most dramatic tools the universe uses to affect change.

What if you take a top position now or just did recently? All the eclipses in a series, such as this one in Aquarius-Leo, will be connected together like pearls on a necklace. Something you discussed back in February of this year will now come up for further development.

Sometimes one eclipse will force you to leave a job or certain assignment, but the new one will help you get a far better one. Until these eclipses are over in August 2009, arriving every six months in pairs, you will be strongly focused on your career and living situation. With each eclipse you will move closer to your goal, and by the last one you will be finished with your transition. Life will feel fully different by then, but in a very good way.

This month has some other planetary aspects happening that we need to look at as well.

The first will be Wednesday, August 6, a difficult day when Mars will reach exact opposition to Uranus in the sky. This is an explosive aspect, for Mars, when in difficult aspect, can be angry, forceful, aggressive, and inflammatory. Uranus is the planet of unexpected actions and will be under attack by Mars. That will make Uranus explosive and volcanic.

This aspect will be operative for more than one day, so you will have to keep your antenna up for a good ten days after it occurs, until August 16 as well as in the days approaching August 6. For you, this aspect cuts across your romance-friendship sectors, so the manifestation of any over-the-top energy would occur in regard to a friendship, social organization (club, group, or charity effort) and in regard to whether you have a lover. If you have children, especially those of teen age, you may have to watch the actions of that child.

This means you will have to keep a close eye on a friend and any romantic sweetheart you are dating for something to come out of left field. Mars will be a heat-seeking missile, but if it finds no target, you won't experience problems.

If you have children, the fifth house that is being strongly lit up for you would govern them, too. You would have to watch the care, actions, and welfare of that child, lest a child do something unpredictable. Kids by their very nature love to dart around because they are energetic and curious, but his month keep them under close watch at all times to keep them safe.

Alternatively, this aspect might have something to do with a creative project you are involved in - someone seems to not agree with you or something may not go exactly right. If it's the latter, you'll need one of the elements fixed, and you can. It may cheer you to know that everyone will likely have problems with this aspect in one way or another.

Still, the reason we study astrology is to make our lives better, so in this case you may have to treat certain people very gently, as if their pockets are filled with explosive nitroglycerin and anything at any moment could set them off.

You need to watch for a possible physical manifestation too, unfortunately. Let's say you are a dancer - be careful when you do your high jumps, careful to land precisely right. Uranus is in Pisces, ruling feet, the area you would feel problems. Mars is in Virgo, ruling your lower stomach, so you may have a fluttery stomach after hearing certain news. These are the areas of the body most likely to be affected by this aspect, if you were to feel a physical outcome. Let's hope you don't!

Saturday, August 23, brings Venus opposed to Uranus and that will make love very unstable, on the same day that Mercury opposes Uranus. Mercury rules your fifth house of true love and as you see, will be under siege by Uranus. August seems to bring unexpected revelations out of left field, which is nerve-wracking. Still, this is often the only way that we find out truth - suddenly, without warning, and sometimes completely by accident. Be glad to know what comes out!

This is a month with a million facets, and as tough as friendship and love may have been at times, the new moon, August 30, will give you a second chance to start again or to find someone new. This new moon will fall in your fifth house of true love, conjunct Saturn - indicating a possibly long-term relationship or a new and stable solution if you decide to stay with your sweetheart. What makes this new moon so intriguing is that the Sun, new moon, and Saturn will all be in perfect agreement with Jupiter in fellow earth sign Capricorn. This is extraordinarily favorable for you! Are you born on or within five days of April 27? This new moon will be doubly great for you!

The best way to rejuvenate a love relationship would be to take a trip together, perhaps to get away from everyday concerns. Jupiter is, after all, the giver of gifts and luck, and currently touring your ninth house of long distance travel. If you are single and not dating, then it appears that you have a good chance of meeting someone who is older than you. If the person is the same age, this person will seem quite mature for his or her age. (By the way, it doesn't matter if you are a male or female - as a society we don't care if the woman is older anymore, thank goodness.) Your new romantic interest may also be from a very different background from yours. It could be your new romantic interest has citizenship from another country or be of a different religion. This new moon says you'll find the different background works, so don't let any self-imposed barriers get in the way.

Your office life will show signs that things are getting busier. Mars will enter your solar sixth house on August 19 and will increase the number of assignments on your desk. If you are out of work or short of cash, you can get freelance jobs now that could help your bottom line. Venus will be there too, so you'll get along well with your co-workers. All will be upbeat. You may be a little disappointed with the amount of overtime pay - you will wish it were more generous - but you seem to enjoy many elements of the project, so go with it.

Your interest in increasing your level of fitness and health will grow, and you'll see much more of this in October. Mars will give you lots of energy, too. If you want to get ready, think about a new sport or new class you can join at the gym. Get a pedometer to see how many steps you can take in a day (it's very motivating - I wear one). Experts suggest you aim for 10,000 steps a day and after a while you'll do even more than that. In a month when certain stresses are almost sure to come up, it will be comforting to have a physical outlet to provide soothing, calming relief.

Summary

Home will be a hub bursting with activity as the month opens. Your ruling planet, Venus, as well as Mercury and a life-changing solar eclipse (new moon) on August 1, will have the power to change your lifestyle dramatically. You may be moving into new quarters on August 1 or you may make such drastic changes within the home that it will feel as though you had moved.

If you aren't moving house, ripping out walls, and or creating a new decor, you may be ready to welcome a new roommate or hear that you are about to see one go. If the latter should occur suddenly, don't be concerned - you'll find a good replacement if you review listings on the Internet immediately.

The same part of your chart that is being lit by the August 1 eclipse also rules your parents. Save a little time to attend to their needs too, should you hear from Mom or Dad. Even if you have siblings, it appears you'll be the one in the family most able to jump in and help Mom and Dad. If this sounds like all too much, don't worry. It is unlikely you will be moving AND helping your family. This would be an either / or situation.

That date, August 16, will be a critical one for your career, for a lunar eclipse will fall in your house of professional standing. It is clear that a main element in your job is about to change dramatically. A female boss may announce a departure, and her departure may concern you if she hired and protected you. An eclipse is known to have the power to change everything from the inside out, whether immediately or over the course of several weeks. If this is the case for you, be philosophical. It's time to find new adventures, for in your case, you have clearly outgrown your old job. Eclipses are very powerful tools that are known to sweep away all that is outdated and of little value to bring something more. You can benefit from all changes, even enforced ones.

Alternatively, you may announce that you're set to leave the firm for a better job, but this would only be the case if you have interviewed for a job earlier. Full moons bring closure to weeks or months of previous activity. This lunar eclipse conjoins Neptune, so if you are in a creative field or if you work directly with artistic people, you'll be in your element and it could be the perfect job for you.

If you are not in a creative field, then Neptune's presence may not have as positive an influence. In this case, Neptune's position may indicate that VIPs may not know precisely what the job they are about to fill entails. If this is the case, you need to slow down until they can better articulate the job description. There is a danger here that the job would be an unintentional trap door for you, so don't be too quick to accept it until the management sounds more sure and solid.

Lunar eclipses such as the one on August 16 bring endings. If you learn that your job has been downsized, be comforted in the knowledge that it will be for the best. In time you will find something far better, because aspects ahead look spectacular. If you are self-employed and learn your long-term piece of business is about to be gone, you can replace that business it you get on the stick immediately. It's alternatively possible that a trusted subordinate will depart and you'll have to do the job of two until a replacement can be hired.

This is sure to be a month rife with touchy feelings, whether with co-workers or with friends or your sweetheart. (Married Taurus will fare better than most.) Handle others' feelings tenderly, careful not to provoke, especially near August 6. When you light a fuse between Mars and Uranus it's due to be volcanic, and you can never predict where the fallout will occur.

The month's second new moon in your house of true love on August 30 will send your social life into full swing. If dating someone seriously, you may be making a long-term pact with your beloved. Discussions about your engagement or future plans for a baby may suddenly arise. Single? You can meet someone new - and the one you meet then would be more mature, sensible, and stable than your old lover. A vacation now would be ideal but admittedly, may not be possible if you are spending large sums on property or home upgrades. If you can go away, do, otherwise plan for a sensational trip abroad to celebrate New Year's Eve.

Focus on a home, family, or property matter: August 1 + 2 weeks

Career brings an ending, but an option for an exciting start, too: August 16

Give love a second chance on the new moon: August 30 + 2 weeks

A freelance job or new assignment comes up: August 30

Everyone, at work and in your personal life, will be touchy: August 6