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Written and Narrated by Pam Younghans.
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Astrological Overview: August 14 - 20, 2023
Astrologer Pam Younghans writes this weekly astrological journal based on planetary influences, and offers perspectives and insights to assist you in making the best use of current energies. This column is not intended as prediction. Your own experience will be more specifically defined by transits to your personal chart.
Aspects of Note this Week:
All times listed are Pacific Daylight Time. For Eastern Time, add 3 hours; For Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), add 7 hours.
Monday: Venus trine Chiron, Saturn semisquare Chiron
Tuesday: Sun square Uranus
Wednesday: New Moon 2:37 a.m. PDT, Mars trine Uranus, Mercury quincunx Chiron
Thursday: No major aspects are exact today
Friday: Sun trine Eris
Saturday: No major aspects are exact today
Sunday: Sun quincunx Neptune
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LEO NEW MOON: Our second (of three) lunations this month is a dramatic New Moon that occurs this Wednesday, August 16. The Sun and Moon will align at 2:37 a.m. PDT on that day, when the two Lights are at 23°27´ Leo.
This New Moon and the new lunar cycle that begins on Wednesday are likely to bring surprising twists and turns, and many sudden changes that test our adaptability. The excitement is due to a tight square between the New Moon and radical Uranus, at the same time that the sideways-spinning planet is strongly activated by a trine to energizing Mars (also exact on Wednesday).
THE VENUS AND CHIRON FACTORS: Retrograde Venus is also strongly involved in the New Moon, which occurs within five degrees of the planet. With the goddess of Love and Beauty square both changeable Uranus and the Great Planet Jupiter, there may be either major breakthroughs or breakdowns in the Venus-ruled areas of relationships, values, the arts, and financial matters.
Offering assistance as we work with these variable energies is Wounded Healer Chiron, which is trine Venus and the New Moon. The Centaur's presence indicates that improvements are possible in the areas ruled by Venus, if we take the time to get clarity on what we truly want and value. However, Chiron is also inconjunct both Mercury and Mars in perfectionist Virgo; these aspects mean that impatience, blame, or a lack of self-worth could distract us from getting to the heart of the questions we are asking ourselves.
DAILY ASPECTS: Here are this week's most important planetary aspects, with my brief interpretations.
Monday
Venus trine Chiron, Saturn semisquare Chiron: Repairing what is broken is a strong priority today, but we may be feeling inner resistance, especially if it seems that we have always been the one to step up to the plate and make things right.
Tuesday
Sun square Uranus: Restlessness and a nervous energy are very strong with this aspect. We are already feeling the effects of tomorrow's dynamic New Moon. This could be a good day to take some time alone, to get in touch with what is at the heart of our impatience. How can we better honor the new person we are becoming? Are new creative impulses calling us forward? Are small adjustments enough, or is a major change needed?
Wednesday
New Moon: The New Moon perfects at 2:37 a.m. PDT.
Mars trine Uranus: We feel energized and willing to take inspired risks, to step into unknown territory. This is a very enterprising influence, assisting us in taking the lead. It supports activities that some might judge as "strange" or "selfish."
Mercury quincunx Chiron: We might second-guess ourselves with this aspect, or be overly critical of our ideas or our ability to take the initiative. This is an opportunity to spend some quality self-care time, since the inner child aspect of our being may be feeling insecure with all the changes occurring.
Thursday
No major aspects are exact today.
Friday
Sun trine Eris: The inner warrior is empowered with this aspect. The need for self-expression is strong.
Saturday
No major aspects are exact today.
Sunday
Sun quincunx Neptune: There may be a sense of discomfort or disillusionment today if our expectations have not been met in a creative endeavor. We may fear that we have been too idealistic or acted before we were really clear on our vision. This aspect indicates a need to ground our dreams in reality, based in a clearer understanding of our own capabilities.
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IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS THIS WEEK: ?Relationships, finances, and values are central themes for you this year. There is an opportunity to get in touch with what you truly want and need to feel fulfilled in your life. Along the way, you may surprise others as well as yourself with the choices you make. A part of the process this year will be allowing yourself to experiment with a variety of creative outlets; both literally and figuratively, it may be best to "date a lot of people but not necessarily get married." It is important that you feel more clear on the new "you" that is being birthed now, before making long-term commitments, since your self-concept is undergoing continuing changes. (Solar Return Sun conjunct retrograde Venus, trine Chiron, square Uranus, quincunx Neptune)
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CLASS & WEBINAR: If you registered for this week's Solar Month class, please watch your inbox this week. I will be sending out an email with the Zoom link and passcode on Tuesday. I'm excited to see you all on Thursday!
And, as promised, the announcement for my next webinar, "A Cosmic Initiation," is included on this page. I hope you can join us in early September as I explore the energies we'll be working with during the rest of 2023. With Jupiter conjunct the Taurus Point of Avatar, two eclipses, and other significant planetary events, there are some exciting possibilities in store! (To register, visit: https://pam-sept-dec2023.eventbrite.com)
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TRANSLATION and AUDIO/VIDEO VERSION: This weekly Journal is now recorded (in English) AND the text is transcribed into 30 languages! You'll see a row of flags under "Available Languages" in the upper right. And, there are options to listen to the audio (in English) or watch a video directly beneath the photo (see top of page).
The Journal entry is usually updated by Sunday evening, with the recordings appearing late Sunday or by Monday depending on your time zone. Please share this information with those who might benefit.
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For previous weeks of the Astrological Journal, click here.
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About the Author
Pam Younghans is a professional astrologer, editor, and writer. She lives in a log home northeast of Seattle, Washington with her beloved animal companions. She has been interpreting charts professionally for over 25 years. If you are interested in an astrology reading, e-mail
For more information about NorthPoint Astrology offerings, please visit northpointastrology.com or visit her Facebook page.
