You may have been giving thought to what you’d like to see happen next in the coming twelve months, having just celebrated your birthday recently. It is a perfect time to think about that, and this month you can continue planning. What is different about August is that the old wooden horoscope wheel will now turn to the second gestation of the cycle you started last month, to focus you on money and to build a strong sense of financial security.

August will be a peach of a month, sweet and juicy with opportunity in almost every corner you look. You’ve seen many positive aspects lined up, and they will come toward you quickly, one right after another. It will be up to you to decide how to use this cornucopia the universe will lay out for you. The way astrology works best is to realize you will be a big part of the process of the success you seek. You must supply the energy, intention, and cheerful attitude, and it seems you are ready for that, in spades. I can’t wait to show you all the dazzling aspects that will be showing up!

On August 1, the Sun and Saturn will work together in an outstanding way, and it seems you will have a chance to make more money, thanks to a job you will do or have been doing lately that will pay you soon. On the same day, Venus and Uranus will be in sync, and because Venus is also in your earned income second house, and receiving signals from Uranus in your house of fame and honors, it’s clear that the money coming to you will be tied to your rising status. It’s also evident you will be surprised by the money offered you this month, especially in the first half.

The following day, August 2, will be even more important to you, for it will bring the powerful new moon in Leo to light your earned income sector. Again, Uranus in your house of fame will be called to action, and when Uranus shows up, surprises do, too. It seems that a new title or status is about to be accorded to you, and it appears to be quite exciting when it happens so unexpectedly. This is your best chance of 2016 to ask for a raise, and you have a superb chance of getting a yes. If you are self-employed, you can bring in new clients and find ways to generate more work from long-term clients. Saturn will be beautifully angled to his new moon too, so the actions you make now to increase your income will certainly work to make you feel more settled and secure. Be sure to have financial talks while Venus is still in your workaday sector, from August 1 to 4. Among other things, Venus brings money, and with Uranus involved, the money you see won’t be expected, doubling your happiness and excitement.

The conversations and opportunities to reel in more money seem to keep on coming for you in this remarkable month. On August 16, a Tuesday, the mighty Sun in Leo in your house of earned income, will receive a powerful signal from Uranus. Use this day for an important presentation, interview, or face-to-face meeting with a client, or to underscore your growing stature in the industry by serving on a panel as a judge or by giving a speech. This is a golden day, and almost all the results again will be unexpected and make you very happy!

All the aspects I have mentioned until now, above, are related to your ability to earn quite a bit of money this month, or to get a raise. All of those aspects will relate to your earned income. That will change at the full moon, August 18, where the money you think about will emanate from a different source. Here is what I mean:

On August 18, the full moon in Aquarius 26 degrees will shine in a financial house (you have two houses governing money, and both are equal in importance). The type of money you will focus on at the full moon will be different. Instead of salary and fees for your services, you will think about other people’s money. For example, you may hear from your bank that the application or a loan or mortgage you filled out earlier has been approved, with very attractive terms. Or, you may hear final word from your insurance company about a claim payout, or that the tax you paid was more than you owed and that you are due for a refund. Again, Uranus will be creating unexpectedly happy news.

You may receive a commission, bonus, cash advance, or licensing fee, or it may be about a scholarship or university financial aid. The eighth house, so lit up at the full moon near August 18, rules not money you would earn as salary, but money you hold with a business partner or spouse, so your partner may be behind the good financial news – that is possible, Still, it seems more likely that your package of cash will come through your own efforts, and that those efforts are about to pay off now.

Mars, in the meantime, will re-enter Sagittarius this month on August 2 and will remain in there until September 27. You’ve hosted Mars, the ruler of your fame sector, in this same sign, Sagittarius, since last March, but because Mars was in weak form in March, and finally shut down in retrograde April 17 to June 29, you may have had to wait to see the fruits of your labors. You may have worked very hard but might have been frustrated because you didn’t have a lot of progress to report. Now, all that will change and you will be pleased with the change. Indeed, everything will move quickly this month. You are coming out into the light, dear Cancer. Now that Mars is moving direct, you will start to get the recognition you have been craving all along. When it happens, you’ll be amazed at the difference, and it will motivate you to do even more.

Mars will keep you very busy in August and September, so to avoid temporary burnout, you will need to plan to take little weekend jaunts. I have good news on that score too, but before I get to discuss travel for you, I want you to be careful on August 24, when Mars and Saturn will conjoin. This is an aspect that can create possible mishaps, so be sure to watch where you are walking or driving. Don’t go into places that are not well lit. I did that once, when I was at a friend of a friends’ house, looking for the ladies room. She kept pointing to a door in an odd place and walked away and told me the rest room was there. I opened the door and it was pitch black, but figured the light switch was on the wall, a bit inside. I took one step forward and tumbled down an entire flight of stairs in the complete darkness. This was due to this lady’s inability to tell me there was a staircase behind the door she pointed toward. I broke my shoulder and all five metatarsals in my foot. She never called me or sent a greeting card to find out how I was doing when I got back to New York, and I needed months of physical therapy. Let’s just say, she is not on my good list. My trip with Little Mom was ruined with that mishap. I had the same aspect you do now, and I could have avoided problems had I known Mars conjunct Saturn is an aspect that warns to protect one’s bones and teeth – and not to venture into dark places!

Now let’s turn to the glowing aspects you have at the end of August. Dear Cancer, the best is yet to come! Two superb aspects are coming up as the month progresses. Let me preface this news that both aspects include a big role for Jupiter, giver of gifts and luck, so you know you are going to love what comes. Both dates I will tell you about will take place in your third house of communication, so you’ll be on email, the phone, fax, and scanner – the works – with a whirlwind of activity. With plenty of meetings, and travel too, you will need to keep a list of all you have to do, even if you never write lists! Jupiter is currently packing his bags to get ready to leave Virgo and move to Libra in September, and for the first time in twelve years this planet of good fortune will fill your house of home for the coming thirteen months. (As a Cancer, you put a high priority on having a loving, nurturing home life, so you will especially love this coming phase. Jupiter will work hard for you in coming months to allow you to make your castle.)

In late August, the planets are planning a going-away party for Jupiter. Venus and Mercury have already arrived in your third house to greet Jupiter there, too. The Sun will join those two planets on August 22 to greet the other guests (Venus, Mercury, and guest of honor, Jupiter). The most distinguished guest will be still to come – the magnificent new moon solar eclipse in Virgo – due September 1. All these heavenly bodies will give Jupiter a proper celebratory sendoff, complete with brilliant fireworks and champagne. While in your third house, ruling travel and communication, the planets will interact with each other, and that’s what is so special and rare.

On August 21-22 (depending on your time zone, but both days will be quite dazzling), you should make every effort to travel. You need not go far – even a short distance trip would bring great joy. Jupiter will conjoin Mercury in the sign of Virgo on this day for the first time in twelve years, and it will be at least that length of time again until these two planets choose the Virgo constellation to meet again. If you take a jaunt, you would have beautiful accommodations, and you would be thrilled with your entire time away.

August 21-22 would be the best day of the year for signing important papers. This would also be the time to send in your manuscript for publication, hand in your magazine cover story to your editor, or finish your broadcast segment. Unveil your new website or app, or change your social media page.

August 22 will be very important for another reason. Mars was retrograde for a long time and finally turned direct June 29. Everyone, of every sign, was happy to see Mars awaken, for Mars when weak tends to make projects proceed very slowly. It must have seemed that you were being forced to watch paint dry. Mars retrograde can be maddening. On August 22, the same day as Mercury’s alignment with Jupiter, Mars will be back (mathematically) to former strength, to the place Mars was occupying before the retrograde started back in April.

Your other stellar day will come over the weekend of August 27, when Venus and Jupiter will combine forces. This will be a divine time to fall in love or to meet someone new, and travel to a location away from your usual base (not too far away) seems to be an important ingredient in the mix. The third house, where Venus will at this time be arm-in-arm with Jupiter, also rules texts, email, phone calls, and other ways that messages come to you. You may, on this day, receive a magical communication from someone special that has your heart beating double time. Another bonus of the day is that the third house rules siblings, so you may benefit in some way from your sister or brother, or your sibling may have good news to share. You may want to check in and find out what’s going on.

Venus may be IN your third house, but it RULES two of your houses of your horoscope, and one of those two is your eleventh house of hopes and wishes, friendships and parties. This suggests you may be going to an enchanting celebration party (possibly a wedding) that weekend, and it will be so beautiful, it will be clear that no expense was spared. It will likely be a dress-up affair, with very interesting, successful people like you.

Venus is also the natural ruler of your house of home, so you may get an early breakthrough regarding a home, property, or family matter. If you regularly rent out your home with a company like Airbnb, you may get a tenant all that will prove to be very lucrative for you, or if you seek a roommate, on August 27 you would likely find the right person to share the rent. Of course, always check references and have your lawyer draw up a simple contract with a roommate or tenant, but it does look positive for you to choose someone that weekend. If you need a piece of furniture, by all means go browsing over the weekend of August 27, for you are likely to find the ideal solution, and it might be on sale.

Be as productive as you can be early in August. Mercury will go retrograde from August 30 to September 21 in Virgo. You may have to go over written work you assumed was finished and give it another look to polish it up. You will be thinking about your home, so be sure to buy your electronic computer, smart phone, smart TV, or kitchen appliances before then.

Money will be on your mind throughout the month. A warm and friendly new moon, August 2, will give you a rare chance to ask for a raise in the days that quickly follow that new moon. If you are self-employed, you will find lucrative ways to bring in more business. Start working on your goal to increase your cash flow the moment the new moon arrives, and gather up the courage to ask for an increase. Saturn will be friendly to that new moon and will give you a comforting feeling of job security once you get an affirmative yes, which seems very likely. Mars will be in good angle to the new moon (although admittedly, a bit wide in orbit, mathematically), but nevertheless I feel you’ll want to act, and because Mars rules your house of fame and honors, you may get a promotion to boot. Speak up!

More talks about money will come up at the full moon of August 18. These talks will be even more intense, and will center on your salary but rather on money you owe others, as well as money they owe you. If you made an application for funds you need to work on a goal, such as to start your own business, go to college, or buy a house (among many possibilities), you will hear an answer back – you should get an exciting approval. Depending on how things have been going in your life, the full moon may have you thinking about taxes, credit cards, or student loans. This full moon will be emotional but could bring sudden good news thanks to Uranus, planet of surprise. This full moon seems to center you on your career too, so you may, alternatively, be negotiating a benefits package (health care, vacation days, and so forth) to go with your salary. Something about what happens financially near August 18 will surprise you in a positive way.

Be careful of falls or an injury to a bone or tooth when Mars conjoins Saturn on August 24 – it would not be the time to climb up on your roof to fix a tile or to parachute out of an airplane. Extreme activities are not wise on this day!

Mars recently went direct July 28, and by August 22 will be back to former strength. Watch August 22 for news that you may be propelled into a lot of exciting work at the office and a growing to-do-list at home. Events this month will move very quickly – Mars is in a fire sign, and fire is fast! You will be too busy to go on your vacation for this month, but be confident that the eclipses in September will bring you fun opportunities to pack and go.

August 22 will be a special time to travel for any reason, fun or business. Love seems to flourish on trips, so if you have someone special, see if you can plan a long weekend getaway from August 20 to 22, to get time to unwind and relax from the pressures of deadlines at work.

You will be able to take weekend trips, with August 27-28 your very best time. The love-me planet Venus will conjoin happiness planet Jupiter, making for a divine overnight holiday. The transiting moon will cooperate by transiting in Cancer. This is a weekend where everything goes your way. Alternatively, rather than travel, you can give a gathering at home – throw a barbecue, sit-down dinner, or ask friends in for cocktails, for over this weekend, all will enjoy the party to the fullest.

Mercury will go retrograde on August 30 to September 22. Any appliance, camera, computer item, or other electronic you own may bring problems, so you may have to run off to the repair shop at a moment’s notice. Back up your data as you work and you will stay happy. Avoid buying new electronics now, and appliances or a car, too.