Grace McGrade is an intuitive astrologer and priestess based in Los Angeles. She is the host of the podcast Bitchcraft: Spirituality for Bad People. For more astrology, read her guide to risings signs and moon signs. Read an overview of what 2024 has coming up for us this year here.

Buckle up, because this month is the most theatrical one of the year, packed with non-stop action. As we leave the calm caress of Cancer season behind us, the Sun catwalks into Leo, marking the peak of summer and adding vibrancy to our daily lives. The heart-centric attitude of Leo season spotlights our innermost desires and amplifies our need to express our worth, even if it ruffles feathers. This is a time for strengthening our self-confidence and letting our childish sides run rampant, with intermittent bouts of creativity, clashing personalities and communicative chaos. A Mercury retrograde in Virgo has us revisiting abandoned projects, while Leo’s flair for the fantastical enhances self-expression and artistic impulses. We proudly move through the remainder of summer declaring whatever it is we truly love – even if it results in drama.

With the Sun in its rulership, themes of self-image, confidence and identity are enhanced. Leo season illuminates the truth of who we are, what we truly desire, and how to express it. Social events supply us with a stage for showcasing summer fits and the pace quickens. The Leo New Moon occurs on the 4th, the same day that Mercury stations retrograde, back-tracking through Virgo and Leo until August 28. We can use this time to revise our routines and recommit to self-improvement, harnessing the power of healthy habits. The New Moon pushes us to set intentions for greater self-ownership, while this retrograde sets an introspective tone for much of Leo season.

On August 14, Mars teams up with Jupiter, supplying the momentum to pair our romantic visions with decisive action. Despite a slow-moving Mercury, this marks an important period of change, as we crave variety and stimulus and switch up our routines. Just before the curtains close on Leo season, the Full Moon in Aquarius on August 19 urges us to break free from groupthink and confront fears about the future and how our friends perceive us. This lunar event coincides with Jupiter squaring off with Saturn, sparking restlessness and a sense of dissonance with our leadership systems, along with a collective craving for independence. A sense of stability starts to return when the Sun enters Virgo on the 22nd, making it more of a time to focus on wellness and pay closer attention to life’s little details. 

Less than a week later, on August 28, Mercury retrograde comes to an end, clearing up confusion and mishaps from the past few weeks. As the month wraps up, Venus will make intense aspects to all three outer planets – Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto – prompting deep emotional introspection and the release of control. However, once Venus hits its home sign of Libra on August 29, balance and harmony become easier to find amidst the madness.