Pisces Horoscope for August 2017

This is a significant month for you, Pisces, when you will be further refining your understanding of yourself. The eclipses of August take place in your sector of service, and to your discipleship to your higher Self, so that you are engaged in finding your point of interaction with the world, in line with those values to which you most deeply aspire. Moreover, the Mercury Retrograde of August 12th affects you strongly because prominent in your chart, and directly opposed to your ruler, Neptune, located in your first or identity sector. Over the last half of the month, punctuated by the solar eclipse New Moon of August 21st in your opposite sign, you may come to some startling conclusions regarding your true calling and the way that this manifests in your work in the world. As C. G. Jung once wrote, “It is not the children of the flesh but the children of the spirit that know freedom.”

The following was written by this month's guest columnist Adam Elenbaas of The Nightlight Astrology School:


Despite two eclipses happening this month, the biggest transit of the August for you, Pisces, may very well involve Mercury and Neptune. This month we’ll focus on these two planets first, but we’ll also take a closer look at both eclipses.

The month begins with Mercury in Virgo in your seventh house of love and relationships moving into an opposition with Neptune in Pisces in your first house. Mercury will move to within approximately two degrees of a perfect opposition to Neptune by August 10th and will then retrograde on August 12th. Mercury will then stay in Virgo by its retrograde until August 31st, the last day of the month, at which point it will retrograde back into Leo. The simple point is this: all month Mercury is working through an opposition to Neptune across two of the most powerful houses of your solar chart.

So, what can you expect from this' Well, the opposition between Mercury and Neptune across your first and seventh house axis will focus on truth, perception, communication, delusion, honesty, romance, emotion, critical thinking, and sensitivity vs objectivity training between yourself and others. This is a transit that can bring deep spiritual and emotional awakening within your relationships, perhaps especially pertaining to communication patterns. Just remember, honesty comes with true love, and sensitivity can be lovingly blended with objectivity or even criticism. When Mercury Retrogrades in your seventh house on August 12th, you may find that your relationships are changing dramatically as people you know or love are sharing the truth with you where perhaps it has otherwise been hidden or too difficult to speak. On the other hand, you may find that agreements or negotiations in business partnerships are taking place, in which case it’s very important to be clear about expectations and the fine print.

In addition to this month-long Mercury/Neptune transit, there are two eclipses taking place this month. The first eclipse is a lunar eclipse (lunar eclipses always take place at Full Moons) on August 7th, and it takes place in the sign of Aquarius in your twelfth house. The second eclipse is a solar eclipse (solar eclipses take place at New Moons) on August 21st, and it takes place in the sign of Leo in your sixth house. Eclipses in these two houses are some of the more challenging eclipses we encounter in solar astrology. Both houses involve suffering; the twelfth was traditionally related to spiritual suffering whereas the sixth house was related to material suffering, also the path of service. When eclipses fall into these houses, we may find ourselves burning off some difficult karma or that we’re very sensitive to the pain of others or of the world in general. While this might sound bleak, it’s not a coincidence that all Indic moksa (liberation) traditions (like the paths of Yoga and Buddhism) begin with the recognition that life is full of all different kinds of suffering. Once we recognize the reality of suffering there is always an opportunity to cultivate a spiritual life, which can provide us with freedom and happiness even amidst the suffering present in the world. The sixth house may also be termed “the discipleship to your higher Self.” Eclipses happening in the twelfth and sixth houses, for as personally painful as they sometimes are, are also known for accelerating our spiritual lives, tuning us into the reality of the divine, and increasing our empathy for others and our desire to serve others or the world at large. Given the presence of Mercury and Neptune in your first and seventh houses this month, it’s very possible that the opportunities for spiritual growth you encounter this eclipse season will come through relationships and partnerships, especially focusing on communication, honesty, and empathy. As a Pisces, you are already profoundly sensitive and aware of the subtler aspects of reality. You were born for experiences like these, so trust in your heart, keep joy as your constant companion, and remember if things get difficult, that this too shall pass. Stay in the good flow, Pisces. Good luck!