Photo: Flowers at Towne's Pass, Death Valley National Park, California, USA, by Ian Parker
Watch video version on YouTube
Written and Narrated by Pam Younghans
Current and previous weeks astrological overviews
Astrological Overview: Aug. 26-Sept. 1, 2024
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 Standard Time. For Eastern Time, add 3 hours; Add 7 hours for Universal Time (UT), but add 8 hours for BST.
Monday: No major aspects are exact today
Tuesday: Venus trine Uranus, Mars sextile Eris
Wednesday: Venus opposite Neptune, Mercury stations direct
Thursday: Venus enters Libra, Venus trine Pluto
Friday: Sun trine Ceres, Sun sesquiquadrate Chiron
Saturday: No major aspects are exact today
Sunday: Uranus stations retrograde, Pluto enters Capricorn
*****
THE LAST DAYS OF AUGUST: The passage of time goes more and more quickly! As we enter the last week of August, we are still integrating the effects of some rather intense astrological events that have occurred in the past two months. At the same time, we are also navigating an increase in the energies associated with Uranus.
This planet, named for the god of the Sky and the Heavens, is especially influential for the next two weeks, due to being at a virtual standstill. Its forward movement is almost imperceptible this week as it prepares to station retrograde next Sunday; its backward motion will then be equally unnoticeable during the first week of September. In essence, sideways-spinning Uranus has set up camp in the middle of the road we are traveling and is therefore very hard to ignore!
In mundane reality, Uranus plays the role of the Radical, the Nonconformist, the Liberator, the Rule Breaker. Its tasks are to help free us from restrictions, to encourage independence, and to break us free from "shoulds" (whether externally or internally imposed).
Like a lightning bolt, Uranus tends to act in surprising and sudden ways. The common astrological advice is to "expect the unexpected" when we are working with its influence. Since the planet is somewhat electrical in its effect, we may experience heightened nervous energy in our bodies, difficulty focusing our minds on one subject for long, and an overall restlessness and impatience with whatever we are ready to be freed from.
I like to use a good assortment of compound words that start with "break" when I describe Uranus' potential effect: breakthrough, breakdown, breakout, breakaway, etc. Currently in steady but sometimes inflexible Taurus, the planet invites us to change our set ways, to break old habits and routines, and to risk stepping beyond the familiar — especially if our comfort zone has actually become a place of stagnation.
TRANSPERSONAL URANUS: On a higher vibrational level, Uranus is the planetary representative of the Universal Mind. It is known as "the higher octave" of the planet Mercury, granting us access to our higher selves and higher consciousness. When Uranus is strong, we may be more open to insights and "downloads." Intuition is strengthened, as is our ability to "think outside the box." Our minds receive, process, and communicate information in new ways.
This can be exciting, of course — but it can also lead to miscommunications or misperceptions of mundane reality. This potential problem is reinforced with Mercury being retrograde and stationing direct this Wednesday.
All of us will be feeling the heightened impact of Uranus to varying degrees over these next two weeks, depending on where we are in our soul's journey and how the planet is affecting our birth charts. With Uranus stationing at 27°15' Taurus, you will likely experience its effects most powerfully if you have planets or points in your natal chart between 25 and 29 degrees of one of the four fixed signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, or Aquarius.
PLUTO RE-ENTERS CAPRICORN: Transformational Pluto continues to dance between Aquarius and Capricorn, re-entering the sign of the Seagoat next Sunday. The powerful dwarf planet first set foot in Aquarius in March 2023, but soon went retrograde and exited the sign in June. It crossed the threshold into Aquarius again in January of this year, but will once again transit Capricorn from September 1 to November 19. At that point, it will enter Aquarius and remain there for the next 20 years or so.
When a planet, by retrograde, dips back into a sign that it once left, we can assume that it has unfinished business to complete, related to the themes of the "old" sign. In this case, Pluto is returning to Capricorn to finish the task of dismantling and purifying areas that are ruled by the sign: politics and governments, economies and social systems, industries and businesses. We can expect some disarray in these arenas over the next few months as rototiller Pluto digs up toxic weeds and prepares the soil for new Aquarian seeds to be planted.
THIS WEEK'S ASPECTS: Here are my brief interpretations of this week's most important planetary aspects, day by day:
Monday
No major aspects are exact today.
Tuesday
Venus trine Uranus: This aspect represents an opportunity to breathe new life into relationships, especially if they have become too routine or predictable. In general, it is easier to allow loved ones their own space and autonomy now.
Mars sextile Eris: Conversations are direct and invigorating, as people are able to courageously express their thoughts and desires.
Wednesday
Venus opposite Neptune: Romantic fantasies can lead to disappointment if a loved one doesn't live up to an ideal. Some may realize that they have been playing the role of rescuer or martyr.
Mercury stations direct: Mercury will gradually pick up speed over the coming weeks, turning our attention to the future and our next creative projects. It is time to implement any insights we've received over the past three weeks, as we've worked with Mercury retrograde.
Thursday
Venus enters Libra: Venus will be in harmony-seeking Libra from August 27 to September 22. During this time, we can tend to choose cooperation and compromise over asserting our personal needs. We value peace and beauty and may feel greatly affected by disruptive situations and abrasive people.
Venus trine Pluto: This aspect encourages honesty and revelation in personal relationships. It provides an opportunity for greater depth and intimacy.
Friday
Sun trine Ceres: We may feel drawn to be of service to others today, especially to those we call "family."
Sun sesquiquadrate Chiron: Self-esteem can falter if we feel criticized or believe that we are inadequate and not living up to a standard.
Saturday
No major aspects are exact today.
Sunday
Uranus stations retrograde: Uranus comes to a standstill today at 27°15' Taurus, bringing changes to areas of life that may have felt routine or have become stagnant.
Pluto enters Capricorn: Pluto will be in Capricorn from September 1 to November 19.
*****
IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS THIS WEEK (August 26-Sept. 1):
You have opportunities to utilize and strengthen your nurturing skills this year. Your heart is especially open and the desire to be of service is strong. You may be drawn to be a caregiver for another person or a pet, and are able to be quite generous in giving of your time and effort. At the same time, it will be important to keep your personal needs in mind, to be aware of when you dip into self-sacrifice or are basing your actions on a belief that it is not OK for you to have your own needs and preferences. If old insecurities and a lack of self-esteem are reactivated, it is a sign that you need to improve and increase your self-care practices, perhaps through some inner child healing work. (Solar Return Sun sesquiquadrate Chiron, trine Ceres)
*****
TRANSLATION and AUDIO/VIDEO VERSION: This weekly Journal is 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.
*****
CLASSES AND WEBINARS by Pam Younghans:
JUST TWO WEEKS AWAY! My webinar covering the last four months of this calendar year is on September 9, only two weeks from now! I hope you can join us for "The Final Four of 2024," whether live or by replay. The class description visit: https://events.humanitix.com/finalfour2024.
DAILY ASTROLOGY: Please check out my daily astrological forecasts ~ including lunar aspects that aren't included in this weekly Journal ~ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamyounghans/
*****
For previous weeks of the Astrological Journal, click here.
*****
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.
