Grace McGrade is an intuitive astrologer based in Los Angeles. She is the head astrologer of the app “Stars Align”. Her sessions include birth chart readings, transits, energetic clearings and psychic consultations. For more astrology, read her guide to rising signs and moon signs. Read an overview of what 2025 has coming up for us this year here.

After swimming through the sentimental waters of Cancer season, we’re ready to leave our comfort zones, reemerge from our shells, and steal the spotlight. August begins with the Sun sitting in its throne in Leo, reigning over a season of theatrics, shameless self-expression and creativity. Personalities get louder, performances get bigger, and no one seems to have a filter. Thankfully, Mercury stations direct on August 11, helping us think before we speak. This is a romantic, radiant and occasionally dramatic chapter, where the need to express may ruffle feathers, but more often than not, provides us with much-needed entertainment.

When Mars, planet of action, desire and confrontation, enters Libra on August 6, things get complicated. Mars is not exactly at ease in the sign of diplomacy. We want to fight, but we also want to be liked. This can make relationships electric, flirtatious, playful and a little passive-aggressive. With Mars adding fuel to an already social month, August becomes a stage for relational fireworks.

As the month opens, the Sun in Leo opposes Pluto in Aquarius, revealing an undercurrent of tension between personal identity and collective perception. This can bring up feelings of discomfort: Are we shining authentically, or are we afraid of being different? Are our creative efforts coming from the heart, or are we catering to what others expect of us? Answers arrive on the Full Moon in Aquarius on August 9, illuminating the axis between self and society. As Aquarius rules the internet, we may find that we need a digital detox or require room away from screens, trends and the pressure to perform. This Full Moon is a reminder that true originality often requires time offline, where our weirdest and most brilliant ideas are waiting to be heard.

This Full Moon is a reminder that true originality often requires time offline, where our weirdest and most brilliant ideas are waiting to be heard

By August 11, Mercury stations direct in Leo, bringing a renewed sense of clarity around our self-expression. After weeks of creative revisions, delays and communicative mishaps, our thoughts begin to align with our intentions. The same day, Saturn, planet of discipline, forms a sextile to Uranus, planet of awakening. Saturn wants structure; Uranus wants solutions. When they collaborate, we find ways to upgrade the structure of our lives, often resulting in periods of accelerated growth, progress and purpose. Professional risks start to pay off. Concepts that once felt too abstract or ahead of their time may suddenly find the right timing to take root. 

The mood shifts from chaotic to neurotic as the Sun exits flamboyant Leo and enters meticulous Virgo on August 22. The spotlight dims, but our focus sharpens. Suddenly, it’s less about putting on a show and more about being useful. We trade drama for discernment and look for practical ways to better ourselves and our lives. Virgo reminds us that healing happens in the small, consistent choices we make every day. On August 23, the New Moon in Virgo invites us to recalibrate. It’s an ideal time to set intentions around health, habits and productivity. Small steps taken now have longevity.

But it’s not all work and no play, because Venus enters Leo on August 25, reminding us to keep pleasure a priority. Venus in Leo craves recognition and admiration, displaying grand gestures and expecting nothing less in return. We’re moving from our hearts, living boldly and expressively, seldom short of creative inspiration. Just days later, on August 28, a dreamy sextile between Uranus and Neptune amplifies the magic. This outer-planet alignment opens a portal for inspired change and visionary thinking. We’re more attuned to subtle energies, more curious about alternative paths, and more willing to let go of rigid belief systems in favour of direct experience and change. This is a period of time where we feel drawn to the unconventional, the visionary and the slightly surreal. Sudden intuitive hits, flashes of insight, and artistic downloads arrive out of nowhere, guiding us toward answers in unexpected places.

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ARIES//ARIES RISINGIllustration by Gabrielle Rosenstein

ARIES//ARIES RISING

With the Sun radiating in proud Leo, a fellow fire sign, your appetite for play, pleasure and performance is turned all the way up. This is the peak of your astrological summer: an era of expression, flirtation and creative indulgence. But when Mars enters Libra on August 6, you may feel torn between your own desires and the expectations of others. Are interpersonal dynamics getting in the way of your passions? Are you creating for yourself or others? 

Answers arrive on the Full Moon in Aquarius on the 9th. You might find yourself caught between independence and intimacy, craving freedom but pulled into partnership dynamics that require finesse. Mercury starts to straighten things out when it stations direct on the 11th, the very same day that Saturn in your sign sextiles Uranus. This is a breakthrough moment for you, when your ideas and instincts lead you towards building something with longevity. You may be stepping into a new level of responsibility, upleveling professionally, or finding smarter, more sustainable ways to navigate your daily life. 

Jot down any career goals on the New Moon in Virgo on August 23, as intentions can be actualised rapidly. The month ends on a slightly surreal and intuitive note, when Uranus and Neptune inspire out-of-the-blue realisations. 

Aries Beauty Recommendation: Escentric Molecules M+ Mandarin