Welcome to Indy Maven’s August astrology column coming by way of Kelli Jenkins and Hayley Trussell, better known around Indy as the Spellsisters. Check out their website and Instagram feed for even more info from the world of horoscopes and tarot, or to book a private reading.
AUGUST 2022 OVERVIEW
August is a confusing time chock full of random bolts from the blue. Even as a personal vision or brand change seems to be coming together in Leo season, the vibe feels more than just a little “off.” The month starts off with a surprising event that makes you start to question your reality. With Uranus and Mars in a tense aspect to each other from August 1st-3rd, the pieces suddenly click together but the picture still isn’t yet clear. You’re starting to have the suspicion that nothing is as it seems, even though you’re being given all the information. On top of the strange feeling that you’re being tricked, people close to you seem to be acting shady if not downright feral, and you don’t know which reality to trust. This might be paranoia, but you can’t be entirely sure.
Since the end of June, Neptune (planet of dreams and illusions), has been retrograde in Virgo, where it will stay until the beginning of December. It’s been whispering in the background, urging you to pay attention to where you’re going. This little whisper is going to get increasingly louder as the year goes on, but it’s for your highest good. The things you take for granted about your current reality may need to be investigated. Notice how you’ve tricked yourself into believing in your own neuroses. Are you working hard to feed your anxieties, in the name of staying ever increasingly informed? August might be the time you start setting boundaries with your phone and nix the doom scroll.
On the flipside, perhaps you’ve been extra indulgent in fantasizing about your life recently, but reality hits this month. Unfortunately, denial doesn’t change the truth and it takes work to dig yourself out of the hole you’re hiding in. That being said, there is nothing wrong with enjoying life, indulging, and having a positive outlook, but you may have gotten carried away lately. Don’t worry — Virgo is about to put the smack down and bring you back down to earth. On the 4th, Mercury joins Neptune in Virgo, setting you up for clear communication and maybe a harsh reality check. The issues that Neptune is bringing to the forefront of your awareness are coming into increasingly sharper focus so that you can develop a plan.
Right now, it might seem like things are off course. If you’re feeling blindsided this month, the ruler of our subconscious, Neptune, has been steadily dropping hints left and right about what you should be doing and where you should be focusing the bulk of your effort. Now, under Virgo’s influence, there is potential for all these things that feel out of place when they finally land where they’re supposed to. Your thinking is clear right now — it’s time to rearrange your reality to fit the vision.
It’s never too late for a little light personal renaissance, and everything you’ve been stressing about really is starting to fall into place. By the time the SuperMoon™ in Aquarius hits on the 11th, that clarity magnifies and extends outward, and those sinking feelings of confusion and paranoia start to recede into the background. You’re beginning to understand what it takes to achieve your vision, and it probably includes connecting with groups of others trying to achieve the same outcome. This Full Moon will illuminate those areas you have neglected but which have the potential to align your interests with the collective: your social connections, clubs, and organizations. All the institutions you subscribe to will come into stark relief this month. This Leo season, the focus on self-actualization is impacted by the company you keep. You can’t push your agenda if you don’t have an audience.
Even though the themes of attention, impact, and self-fulfillment arise during Leo season, the many planets in Virgo have you focusing on the microcosmic ways of refining your image and perfecting the things you love to do. Virgo is the teacher’s pet. This sign focuses on what needs to be done, and they’re driven to do the work necessary to finalize all the tiny details. When the Sun connects with its friends in Virgo on the 22nd, it’s about making good on the promises you make to yourself and others. This month, expect to feel even more determined to put your head down and diligently work towards your goals. Sometimes you have to work harder to make any real progress and right now, the overall sentiment is that if you work now, you can play later. Although you’re ready, willing, and able to get your hands dirty to get what you want — what are you willing to change to keep it? At month’s end, one last planet enters the Virgo chat this month: the New Moon in Virgo on the 27th. Keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel as your routines and habits get a huge facelift.
BIRTHDAY SPOTLIGHT: LEO (JULY 23 — AUGUST 22):
It’s finally your time to shine, Leo. This is the moment we’ve (you’ve) been waiting for all year. It’s high summer, you’re vibing, and it’s your birthday month. We hope you wished for tons because you’re getting exactly what you wished for in August — whether that’s jetsetting vacays, lots of new followers, or pure and simple peace and quiet away from your royal subjects. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves though; you’re dealing with an internal identity crisis even as everything starts to shift quietly in your favor. August is troublesome for most signs, but for you the pressure is idling over how you make your mark on the world. It feels like you’ve been letting yourself down lately and not applying yourself in the ways that push your life out of mediocrity. That’s about to change though: Your priorities are shifting toward making a name for yourself and entering the spotlight, even if this stirs up a bunch of drama in your inner circle. Whereas other years have had you focused on self-care or honing skills, now is the time to showcase what you learned and who you’ve become. A couple things need tweaking and restructuring, but overall, your focus in August is on living your passion and taking risks. You may notice you’re spending a lot of time at home this month in preparation for a big adventure in the second half of the year. This month is about finding the balance between fulfilling your dreams and still paying the bills. Particularly in regard to a relationship matter, the Full Moon on the 11th has you considering where you want to be years from now. Even if you’d like to do it on your own, you feel most comfortable with a partner behind the scenes stoking the home fires. If you’re not in a relationship, a person who is super important to your life narrative may re-enter just in time to make a poignant cameo, with all the drama that creates. This month is magical but highly up and down — thankfully, you probably wouldn’t have it any other way. The highs are brighter when you’ve been through the darkest lows. August has the power to give you a renewed faith in life and love — and to see the darkness of your past as the perfect backdrop to your villain era.
Key dates: the whole month, baby
Famous Leo: Jennifer Lopez
Local Leo: Christian Resiak, owner and crafter of local leather goods at Howl and Hide
Howl and Hide | 1046 Virginia Avenue | @howlandhide |howlandhidesupply.com
Tarotscopes | 3 of Wands | The progress you’re seeing is meant to be encouragement. You’re heading in a bright direction.
NOW FOR THE REST OF YOU...
Virgo (August 23 – September 22):
You are out of your depth and feeling a *little* out of place at the start of August, dear Virgo. Part of this has to do with Leo season forming a direct hit on your life sector of self-undoing and mental health. You’re feeling weirdly all alone, even if you’re surrounded by people. This time isn’t meant to shake you, but to deepen your understanding of why you do what you do and what holds you back. Your spirituality is coming into focus, but until you get a handle on this weightlessness, expect to feel tired, retiring, and a little lost. What you don’t know is that this restful reset period is the preparation for the second half of August, where you will actually feel a lot more energized, organized, and aligned with your purpose. The Sun enters Virgo on the 22nd and has you immediately switching gears and channeling all your energy into setting up routines that honor your real priorities. You make up for lost time after the Full Moon in Aquarius on the 11th, when you unexpectedly blow through your task list and somehow also that of your friends and coworkers. If pets or kids are having issues at this time, you’re the perfect nursemaid. If someone quits at work, you’ve got everybody’s back in the meantime. You’re a tireless servant of humanity babe, but don’t let everybody make their poor planning your emergency. Actually, just the opposite, focus on your goals this month and don’t get so caught up in fixing everyone else.
Tarotscopes | The Hierophant | Do not — we repeat: do not say, “I told you so.”
Key Dates: Aug. 3, 13, 27-29, 31
Libra (September 23 – October 22):
You just wanna be adored and, while sometimes you feel guilty for wanting to be worshipped, there’s actually truly nothing wrong with it. This month, you’re looking for a safe place to settle down. You need one that will let you rake in your gold stars without shame, and rightfully so; you (more than) deserve to feel worthy of the adoration you seek. Libra, bb, you are so often helping strangers put their oxygen masks on that you aren’t saving any for yourself. When Mercury moves into Virgo on the 4th, you may feel like you’re stretched so thin you’re about to snap, and honestly, you might, if the wrong conflicts arise. Everyone (and everything) is reaching a roiling boil, and your propensity for lightening the mood makes you even more sought after than normal. The thing is, though, shouldn’t you expect to have the compassion that you so freely hand out returned? That’s the bare minimum, tbh! On the 11th, the Aquarius Full Moon is giving you a chance to straighten up and stop coasting on your personal damage control setting. Everyone seems to want something from you, and you simply can’t be bothered to wait around for them to return the favor and be loyal to you. You’re seeing people’s true colors and will have a lot more clarity when Mercury enters Libra on the 25th. This month’s bringing you freedom and space to find solutions to your toughest challenges. But you won’t notice them if you’re too busy mitigating the unpleasant to recognize what has been easy instead.
Tarotscopes | 7 of Wands | Is it self-defense or is it just defensiveness?
Key Dates: Aug. 4, 11, 25
Scorpio (October 23 – November 21):
You’re no stranger to hauntings. This month, something triggering is resurfacing something you thought was long gone and way over. On the 11th, Venus enters Leo and the Moon is full in Aquarius, forcing a purge in an unexpected way. In the moment, it feels like it could either be a breakthrough or a breakdown. Whether this is about that job you were fired from ten years ago, your breakup three weeks ago, your grandma who died when you were eight, or just finding out your bestie is moving to another country … expect to be stricken with its impact on your life. You may not have realized how it affected you when it happened, but now, suddenly you realize it was major and that you’ve been storing it deep within your bones. The emotions you haven’t yet allowed yourself to feel are haunting. The single most important thing you can do right now is let yourself process whatever it is rather than re-burying it alive. On the 24th, when Uranus begins its retrograde in Taurus, it feels like it’ll never end. Isn’t it exhausting trying to keep the skeletons packed within an over-full inner closet? This is your chance (potentially long-awaited) to truly move on and lay your own personal skeletons to rest. And don’t worry, because while Uranus is digging up the past, the next day, the New Moon in Virgo on the 25th is bringing an air of clarity and a breath of fresh air. This New Moon has some seriously refreshing energy. Now, blessedly, you can finally truly set your sights on your goals. Your focus should be on achieving your dreams now, not on how you deserve to feel angry because so-and-so did or said such-and-such four months ago, or however long and whatever the case. Let yourself finally let that shit go entirely. Who cares what happened in the past? (It’s you. You care). We’d love to see you get your revenge, but honestly your real victory will be in getting what you actually want now. And it’s closer than you think.
Tarotscopes | The Devil | You’ve received an invitation. The choice is yours: indulge in toxicity, or nurture the purity?
Key Dates: Aug. 11, 24, 26
Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21):
If nobody else has said it recently, we’ll be the ones to say it: we see you. You’ve been truly working on yourself and you’re ready for some damn action. You might have felt discouraged recently, like your efforts have possibly been unseen or scarcely recognized. On the 4th, when Mercury enters Virgo, it’s clear that they have made a huge impact, nonetheless. And behind the scenes, you’ve been conquering some inner demons. Now that you’ve gotten some distance from your inner demon, you can easily recognize just how silly she is. While you’ve been contorting yourself to try and fit into situations that don’t serve you, she was the devil on your shoulder playing the starring role of an angel. This month’s Full Moon in Aquarius on the 11th is bringing you back to life a little bit. You have spent months trying to convince yourself that it’s good of you to do something you deeply do not want to do. But, no more! Because, Sadge, you are not doing anyone any favors by showing up half-heartedly and masking your true emotions. The mask is more transparent than you think. More importantly, there is absolutely no merit in sacrificing yourself to fit a mold. What’s that doing for you? If nobody is noticing while you’re breaking your back, what’s the point? There is no reward for martyring or punishing yourself for not wanting what you think you should want. Listen, molds are not one size fits all! The bigger picture has been where your head’s at, because you’ve been thinking that if you could just focus on making this one small piece fit, it would be all good in the scheme of everything else. On the 22nd, when the Sun enters Virgo, you’ll realize that the bigger impact lies in putting one step in front of the other and focusing on the immediate task at hand. The outcome is unknown, but you know what you’re doing right now. What’s stopping you from being yourself?
Tarotscopes |10 of Pentacles | No tricks, it really is as good as it seems. Don’t question it.
Key Dates: Aug. 4, 11, 22
Capricorn (December 22 – January 19):
In a shocking plot twist, it might occur to you that you don’t have to work so hard or do it all by yourself. In the past, your hesitation to accept the offered hand may have inspired its revocation. In other words, whenever you fail to be grateful for the support you receive, you lose that support. If you don’t accept help right when you need it, you may find yourself sitting alone at the table. The rejected rarely offer themselves up repeatedly. You have a tendency to come off like you’re okay when you’re not. You know what happens when you act like you don’t need anyone? Duh, they think you don’t need them and they’ll leave you alone. But you don’t really want to rebuff your support system or allow indecision to make it seem like you aren’t grateful. Mercury entering Virgo on the 4th may plague you with a sense of pride that eventually will leave you to fix it yourself. Why are you leaving yourself out to dry? It’s possible that your actions during the first half of the month will make you deeply regret denying yourself the vulnerability in the second half. You’re perceived as action-oriented, but at what cost? And what is the action? Especially around the 20th, when Mars enters Gemini, consider whether you’re prioritizing “action,” like tasks on your to-do list, over action. Like, telling someone you care about them, opening yourself to a potential change even if it involves a major risk, or going somewhere you’ve never been. The things that have the most value in the long run are the ones that require vulnerability. You have so much energy and feel so motivated to accomplish your goals this month, and this is especially true on the 22nd when the Sun enters Virgo. Sure, you’ve got to complete your mundane tasks, too, but at the end of the day, if you’re acting like your time is not measured, you’re missing out. Your life is not meant to be about charging forward and getting shit done. You’re way more likely to see your goals come to life if you sprinkle in some softness.
Tarotscopes |Judgement | Are you going to regret not taking action?
Key Dates: Aug. 4, 20, 22, 28
Aquarius (January 20 – February 18):
You deeply, deeply, deeply need to express your gratitude this month for those who have been supportive of you. You have been encouraged to show someone who you really are and they have offered you an incredibly safe space for vulnerability. This month, they need you to tell them how much it means for them to see you. Upfront, face-to-face, with words and not just with actions. You are an excellent writer, I’m sure, but a letter does not suffice in this situation (nothing’s stopping you from writing it out on paper, but you have to say it, out loud, too). You’re not like other ghouls — you’re way more uncomfortable being a human. Somehow, showing someone your lizard skin and being super, freakishly weird comes to you more naturally than saying the actual words. It’s not that you’re uncomfortable with vulnerability. Mars in Gemini on the 20th is going to rip off the Band-Aid. You can be so vulnerable … in action. But perhaps the hardest thing in the world for you is vulnerable expression. You’re so ethereal that it seems stupid to have to actually say what you mean with words; isn’t it obvious? To you, yes. This month, you have to say thank you, that you’re sorry, that you love someone. When Virgo season starts on the 22nd, your task is destruction of your walls. Sometimes, to the humans, your otherworldliness can be striking and make you appear to be harder than you really are. It’s just that your edges are hard, but at your core, you’re softer, kind of like a brownie. People don’t always get it when they only see the hard parts.
Tarotscopes |Page of Pentacles | You need more. You do not have to wait until you see it until you believe it because if it’s not there you can just build it.
Key Dates: Aug. 3, 14, 20, 22
Pisces (February 19 – March 20):
Is it you? Are you the drama? Oops! Upon reflection, you might realize that you actually had a strong hand in it. You totally didn’t realize it at the time, but you might have accidentally, possibly made things a little more dramatic than they needed to be and you’ve been hanging on ever since. On the 24th, Uranus goes retrograde in Taurus, and we predict this dumb situation will rear its ugly head again. Perhaps a new person-of-interest enters your life and helps you see that it’s a truly stupid situation that could almost be comical to an unaffected stranger. Think back a few months. Whatever is causing your current stress has its roots there, or at the very least is related to your reaction. You’ve been acting one of two ways for the past few months (since eclipse season ended). One: You refuse to own up and admit your real feelings. Two: You are so committed to expressing your feelings. Either way, now you’re just being stubborn. Unfortunately/fortunately, this month is bringing you some perspective, and you’ll probably realize that the drama was stupid, and as a reesult, you’ve probably been holding onto a grudge for way longer than necessary. Maybe, in the moment, you simply downplayed your reaction to a stressful, emotionally charged ~situation~ or confrontation only to bring it back up later when it no longer mattered. What you didn’t realize is that this ultimately made the situation way more toxic, dragging on for way too long, and now you’re sitting here feeling kinda dumb because your grudge is stupid and your enemy is harmless. And just think, all this time you thought you had been the one who was wronged!!! Honestly, you probably were. It was never just you, but is it really that deep? You could have just sat there and eaten your food! Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled revival of this situation! Now that you’re feeling thoroughly dumb, let it go and let this be a lesson to you. You literally don’t have to throw your hat into the ring just to be a player.
Tarotscopes | Temperance | Everything in moderation. Even grudges.
Key Dates: Aug. 3, 4, 11, 20
Aries (March 21 – April 19):
Last chance to feel something. Or that’s at least the motto you carry with you as you enter the pressure cooker that is Leo season for you. You’re bracing yourself for change this month but there’s really nothing to worry about. You’ve already done all the work — you just need to hold steady and continue the pattern. While this beneficial configuration between fire signs (like you) at the start of August speeds up the pace, it also forces you to make hairpin turns decisively and with maturity. We know it can be difficult for you to finish what you start, but it’s paramount right now that you try to maintain your routines as the landscape shifts effervescently around you. Most Aries are being freed from the binds of a long Pluto transit this year, but not without a fight. August is the warpath; you will only feel like you came out ahead if you continue to commit to the path you’ve chosen like your life depends on it. You might feel rushed to decide on a matter related to a friendship at the Full Moon on the 11th. This friend will make you question who you are and what you’re doing with your life. It might sound threatening, but this is the test you needed in order to move forward without hesitation.
Tarotscopes | Strength | You’re ready for whatever and it’s not for nothing. You didn’t just snap your fingers to make all that progress. You should be proud of yourself.
Key Dates: Aug. 1-4, 6-8, 11, 31
Taurus (April 20 – May 20):
Your soft side is emerging and you’re feeling oddly tender in situations that usually don’t rile you up. Blame it on Leo season and the telenovela of emotion that fire sign energy inspires. Your feelings are on stage this month and it may feel like you’ve entered a real-life soap opera. While your earth sign isn’t always the most comfortable letting others in, you’re feeling nurturing toward every living thing you encounter this month (ahem … plantmom™, dogmom™ and babywhisperer™ are ready to party). With so many zodiac signs in Leo and Cancer (mom and dad signs), you’re being pushed to engage in the drama of other people’s lives more than usual, particularly at work, and particularly in the days leading up to the Full Moon on the 11th. Expect a lot of office/client drama this month, with you playing the role of expert counselor (and possibly counterpart for a colleague that leaves or otherwise shakes things up). Even though it’s high tension and you’re feeling overwhelmed, by the New Moon in fellow earth sign Virgo at month’s end, a lot of the loose ends are tied up and you’re no longer crying at commercials. Take some time to cool down before the pace picks back up in September.
Tarotscopes | Queen of Cups | While you’d prefer it if the universe would work with a lighter hand, that’s not going to be an option. Hold tight.
Key Dates: Aug. 2, 4, 11, 22
Gemini (May 21 – June 20):
You’re feeling mega-critical of yourself, Gem. Don’t force yourself to fit into a box if you hate it! Conforming to fit is only worth it if you’re interested in actually growing in the direction you’re forcing your energy. This is not one of those times. August is a battleground in your own mind — you have trouble getting over something you did or said that is really not that bad, but which you’ve sadly blown far out of proportion. Your brain is such a steel trap most of the time that getting over things can be difficult, particularly if you’re the one who dealt the blow. The Full Moon in Aquarius on the 11th has you focused on what you need to learn from a situation that was outside your control. It’s best to take a vacation from your own fear mongering and literally get out of town if you can. It’s important to feel your feelings, but find ways to get out of your head if you can. If you made a mistake, it was oddly prescient. On some level you prevented worse from happening. This month is frenetic and filled with a lot of nervous energy that you’ll have to control if you’re going to get any sleep. Even the New Moon in Virgo on the 27th urges you to add meditation or prayer to your routine if you can. This isn’t forever but August is rough and raw.
Tarotscopes |9 of Swords | The situation that’s giving you nightmares is entirely fabricated by your imagination. You’re worrying about things that have not happened and you can just decide to stop dwelling on it.
Key Dates: Aug. 1, 11-14, 24-27
Cancer (June 21 – July 22):
You can’t get there from here and in August, it seems you can’t get there from anywhere. This is a sit-still month that forces you to deal with your limitations, even as you feel the urge to act more than ever. This month is super frustrating from the jump, with the New Moon in Leo from July emphasizing your chart area of earned income and the Full Moon in August shining a light on the area of your own deepest fears. What’s funny about your fears is that they’re totally rational — they’re just misplaced right now. An opportunity to make a serious investment and grow financially at the end of July may bring up flat-out terror on August 11th, when it comes time to actually pull the trigger. Your assets may be tied up with a partner who has their own agenda, or you may in some way be dealing with an old debt that needs attention. Whatever it is, take no action until September. Realize that there is no amount of energy you can put into the situation that will move the needle right now, even if you make the perfect decision. A third option will reveal itself by months’ end and you should get a welcome reprieve from trying to micromanage a situation that wasn’t ever going to budge. Bad timing can be worked with, but what you’ve got going on is nothing short of fate: just breathe.
Tarotscopes |The Hanged Man | You need a moment to gather yourself and celebrate your wins before you move on to the next big thing.
Key Dates: Aug. 1-3, 16, 28-29
RELATED: YOUR JULY 2022 HOROSCOPES WITH THE SPELLSISTERS
Photo of the Spellsisters by Schwebach Photography.
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