Deeper Dive on the Eight Phases of the Moon. Let's Start Now

 

Image from personal Honeycomb almanac

 I have been thinking for a while, that even though I always break down the eight phases in my lunar reports, it might be informative for one month to pull out each phase in real time and give it a little bit more emphasis.   By doing this you can learn to live and breathe the phases in a more focused manner for one month.   Then you will remember to take that knowledge to the future new moons.  So, this has been on mind. On my mind but NOT on my to-do list to start……..until this morning.   

This morning I woke up to a bunch of texts and emails from a variety of folks on a variety of topics and I thought, “How perfectly Crescent Phase.”    Which then inspired me to decide that this is probably the good lunar month to begin our deeper eight phase dives.  

Let’s go for it.  

For general information: The moon forms the following phases:

New

Crescent

First Quarter

Gibbous 

Full 

Disseminating

Last Quarter

Balsamic

Then begins the next new.  

 

Each phase is three and half days long.    

 

In the case of this lunar month, the New moon rolled out on August 22 ,11:06 PM (PDT) at Zero Virgo.     The New lasted until last night, August 27 at 8:44pm PDT.   

 

Please, consider the actions you took during that three- and half-day phase.  What did you do all weekend and most of Monday?  How did you spend your hours?    Why do I ask what you did?  Because as you know, we plant seeds during the new moon.  I always hope you read my reports before the new moon starts so that you can focus your actions supported by the signatures of the new moon sign.    As I wrote in this report, with Virgo  we know that our To-Do lists are important.   The Virgo lunar month puts calendars and schedules front and center.   We benefit when we don’t just sleepwalk and say “Yes, I’ll be there.”   Our daily actions not only take care of our body and our health but also, our daily work helps us accomplish our goals.   So, now reflect on what you started during the last three days?   Does it line up with your goals and what you want in your life?    

 

Now let’s pretend you didn’t read my report, and you are wondering, “Well what did I stir up in the new phase that I am not aware of doing?”   This is when the second phase can be informative.  

 

We are now in Crescent, and it will end on August 30 at 11:25pm PDT.   Crescent is the phase when we get information.    If we were deliberate about a seed we planted, now we may get more data tied to that seed.  For example, let’s say during Virgo New phase you reached out to some people and told them you are looking for a new job.     Now on the Crescent, one of your people texts you back and says, “Hey, there’s nothing over here, but I ran into So&So and they said they are hiring over at their place.”        That is a direct question with a direct answer.  Great.  And you can do from it what you want.   

 

But in Crescent you may also get informed about something that is not exactly so black and white.   Maybe during New you made a budget and really want to cut a couple hundred out of your monthly bills because you are saving money for something important.   Now on Crescent you have lunch with a friend who randomly tells you how they unplugged from cable and are saving a lot of dough.    And lo and behold this is something you have been thinking about doing but still unsure.  You ask a ton of questions of your friend.   You get more informed, and you do with it what you do—this is what Crescent does.  You get informed.   Think of the moon in crescent shape it looks like a cup.   Your cup is filling up with information during Crescent.  

 

Each month has different lessons and signatures per phase.   This Crescent phase launched with the Moon in Libra suggesting some of the information we will receive will be about our partnerships and relationships.   Libra is about being aware of how we ‘respond’.   Maybe someone says something, and you are aware of being angry.   Or maybe someone says something kind, and you get misty. What does that anger or tender mean to you?  Why is it coming up?   Virgo wants to support our values, are these two emotions important in that context?    

 

Additionally, if you have it in you to consider things a bit more way out there, 

perhaps during Crescent, you get a flat tire on your car.    Where in your life is there a metaphorical ‘flat tire’?   What is not rolling the way it should?   How is that not in sync with your goals?   Again, it is a bit more out-there of an approach but still it can be informative.  

Watch what comes up between now and August 30 when we move to the next phase (First Quarter).

 

 

As always, I recommend honeycomb to get your own personalized astrological calendar. 

Astrology Landscape for August 25 - 31

Image:  How Stuff Works 

The first Virgo new moon, yes there are two this year, kicked off on Friday (PDT).    The new phase continues during the beginning of the week.      

 

Look at your calendar right now and ask if you are making the most of your schedule?  What is going on every hour?   How does your calendar reflect your goals?  How can you clean up any messes?   What doctor do you need to see?   What resume needs to be tidied up?    What details have needed a tune up all year?    Virgo is THE lunar month to take care of loose ends. 

The 25-28th have a lot of good juju going on.   Energy may be uplifted.  Make the most of it, folks!   

 

Planetary notes:

8/25: Mercury exits shadow 1:36am PDT (Yeah!) (15 Leo 34) 

8/25: Venus enter Leo (9 :27 am PDT)  Get your love on fire! 

8/25: Venus trine Saturn (00 Aries 25).  Doing good work is easy.  Big goals get the support that they need.  Love is the helper. 

8/26: Venus sextile Uranus (1 Aries 25).  It might be good and fun to say yes to new and different.  Fresh wins the day.  

8/26: Venus trine Neptune (1 Aries 29).  Prayers are strong.  Love is meaningful.  Creativity comes from a divine place.   

 

Crescent Moon Phase

August 26, 2025

8:44pm   

 

 

Focus on: What are you being informed about your relationships?   What are you learning about the power/importance of negotiation?   What knowledge are you gleaning about the way to find balance?   

 

Planetary notes: 

8/26 : Venus Oppose Pluto (1 Aquarius 51) Where is that deep value that needs to be revealed?   What superpower are you sitting on? 

8/28 Uranus sextile Neptune (1 Aries 26) (see separate post) 

 

 

First Quarter Moon 

August 30, 2025

11:25PM 

 

Focus on:   What actions are you taking that expand your world or world view?  What actions are you taking that are based on think globally act locally?   What actions are you taking that are based on bigger philosophy?   What actions are you taking that support the power of story?   What is that super cool, interesting area of your town that you have never visited?   Maybe now is a good time to check it out.  

 

  

 

Planetary Notes:

8/31: Mercury trine Chiron (26 Aries 43). Our thoughts and conversations inspire healing around independence and self-agency. 

 

Uranus sextile Neptune. August 28: Round One of Five

 

Images: Wikipedia

Uranus sextile Neptune 

August 28, 2025 (1 Aries)

November 20, 2025 (29 Taurus)

July 25, 2026 (4 Aries)

January 15, 2027 (1 Aries) 

June 6, 2027 (6 Aries) 

 

 

On August 28 Uranus and Neptune form a sextile.  This is part of the kite aspect earlier in August and this sextile will be in our on-going astrology landscape filled with opportunities.  August 28 is the first of five rounds spread over two years where we should anticipate quick awakenings that speaks to Neptune.   Religion, spirituality, art, mysticism, humanitarian causes along with film, music, oil and anything involving the oceans, rivers and lakes will all have some new beginnings.   With Uranus everything moves quick and new ideas along with new technology.    We go from darkness and then prest-o-change-o, a light is on and we’re off!   Remember how there was life, and we did what we did and then bam, we all got Zoom?    That experience will be repeated from now until the end of the decade in one form or another.   As for this year, a tripwire may get activated around August 28 and by the time we get to November 20 we will see some echoes that go back to now.   Four out of five of the exact dates are colored by Gemini, which is reliant on fresh facts, lots of data, lots of communication and Aries which seeks independence and breaking new ground and tapping the power of self-agency even if it bugs others.   

There is an exact date, which is round two, in November that is not Gemini/Aries.  In November, both planets have retrograded to their former signs at the 29^th degree.   Neptune is finding out what he needs for the last time in Pisces which means tapping the spiritual, metaphysical and unworldly.  Uranus is back in earthy Taurus which focuses on practicality, sustainably and matters that support security and wealth.   It is almost as if the universe has rewarded Uranus and Neptune for their hard work in the last seven years (Uranus) and fourteen years (Neptune) transiting Taurus and Pisces.   Now they get to find the last goodies in Pisces and Taurus and make some good out of them.     For the record, sextiles between Uranus and Neptune do not happen often, the last time they sextiled was 1966-1968 (Virgo & Scorpio).      We should anticipate a lot of happenings going on that could be inspiring and revolutionizing between 2025-27.   For sure a lot of what we look like now in August of 2025 will be very different than what we look like in August of 2026.     

The First Virgo New Moon is August 22

 

                              Virgo, , c. 1475; in the Pierpont Morgan Library, New York City (MS. G.14).

 

Virgo New Moon 

August 22, 2025 

11:06 pm

(00 Virgo 22)

 

Occasionally, there are back-to-back new moons in the same sign. 

Ask the ancient Romans, Babylonians and Egyptians how long is a month, and they would tell you 28 days.  That was the way it was for thousands of years, then with time; royalty, kingdoms, religions, you name the power, decided to construct calendars for their own reasons.  Eventually we ended up with a 30-day month.  This 30-day count causes a gap since the 8-phase cycle of the moon only takes 29.5 days. So, occasionally there will be ‘catch up’ (so to speak) moon at either zero or one degree of a sign which is followed by a new moon at the end degree of the same sign.   Thus, is true for this and next month’s Virgo new moon.  

 

Coming in at the end of summer in the northern hemisphere, Virgo is the sign of the harvester and is often depicted with a sheath of wheat.   Virgo’s nit-picking strength is perfect to separate the wheat from the chaff.   In the southern hemisphere where they are wrapping up winter, Virgo knows the ground will need to be prepared for upcoming seed planting season, again a detailed loving skill Virgo understands.    If you know Virgo energy, then you know they love to put that thing there and that other thing over there and so on and so on and so on….   Every container is ready for Virgo to use.  

 

Virgo is daily habits.   In the Virgo lunar month, we get real with our schedule.   How do we spend our time?   What does every hour of every day say about our life?    Virgo can go through the schedule with a fine-tooth comb and ask, “How am I utilizing every hour to improve my life?”  

 

The chart of this Virgo new moon is interesting.    As we have discussed in previous reports, Pluto, Neptune, Saturn and recently Uranus, have all entered new signs.   These planets will create a landscape of opportunities over the next few years as they form sextiles and trines with each other.   Great.  However, and this speaks to Virgo’s ability for exactitude.  This New Moon at 00 Virgo forms a square with Uranus at 1 Gemini and a quincunx with Saturn & Neptune at 1 Aries and Pluto at 1 Aquarius.Talk about threading the needle, this Virgo new moon got in that perfect place which forms tough aspects with all four planets!  With harsh aspects we can expect the challenging side of Virgo to be present all month.   

 

Virgo’s drive for perfection is legendary.   We get it and benefit by it in many ways.   However, what activates that perfection is a through line of insecurity and anxiety.  “Is this good enough?” or “Am I good enough?”    The square and quincunxes suggest we may have to work for opportunities especially when our insecurities pop up.  Do we just roll over when we get self-doubt?  Or do we pivot and move and figure a way through it all?   

 

Go to LINK for the rest of my article on Virgo New Moon #1 

There is a lot going on this cycle.  

Conscious Luck

 

In honor of yesterday's big ol' Venus Conjunction Jupiter in Cancer I want to offer up something cozy and big.

How about deepening your luck?

I started this book a few days ago. I am liking the process.

Here is a chapter to listen to if you desire.

Astrology Landscape: August 12- 22

 

Image: Llewellyn 

Disseminating

August 12, 2025

12:38pm  

 

     

 

Disseminating: Reflect on what has transpired this lunar month What have you learned?   How can you share some of your knowledge?  What past experiences are you sharing?  Are you in the need to teach?  Or is it find a teacher?   Maybe we find a rabbi or a minister or therapist who gives us more insight.   

 

 

Focus on:   How are you sharing the power in independent actions?   How are you sharing the value in being fiery?   How are you getting knowledge or sharing knowledge that supports actions for self-interest?  

 

 

 

Planetary Notes:

 

8/14: Mars sextile Mercury (5 Leo 05) Actions are clear.   Relationships that need clarifying conversations excel.  

8/15: Venus trine north node (18 Pisces 34).   Tender and misty get a boost from spirit.   Emotions meet the needs of our psyche.   We value space for things that are bigger than us.  

 

Last Quarter Moon Phase

August 15, 2025

10:12pm PDT 

   

 

Last Quarter moon:  Now we do the final adjustments to the seeds we planted on new. The final call, the final letters to send, we follow all the trails that came up that still make sense.  And we let the other parts lay fallow. It is a time of action but wise action.  It is a time for living “The serenity prayer” 

 

God, grant me the Serenity
to accept the things
I cannot change Courage to change the
things I can, and the
Wisdom to know the difference.

 

 

 

Focus on:

What final actions are you taking from anything you started on new moon that benefit by practical actions?   What did you start three weeks ago that you can do now that is concrete and inspires you?   How are you learning about the power of creativity and drama?  What pragmatic action can you take now that speaks to what you have learned.   

 

 

Planetary Notes: 

 

8/17: Mercury sextile Mars (7 Libra 04) The mind and actions are in sync.   Dynamic energy is motivated by clear thinking.   

 

Balsamic Moon Phase

 

August 19, 2025 

8:37am PDT  

 

Balsamic:   We let go.  By releasing we can prepare for the new.  

 

 

Focus on:  What does it mean to let go of emotions, feelings and moods?   What is it like to release all of it?   

 

Planetary Notes:

 

 

8/19: Sun trine Chiron (26 Aries 59) Healing around being bold about independence.   

8/22 : Sun enters Virgo 

8/22: Venus square Chiron (26 Aries 55) Being too emotional deflates self-agency. 

 

 

Virgo New Moon August 22, 2025 11:06pm PDT (00 Virgo 23)

Mercury Direct: August 11. Can You Roar with Confidence?

 

Image: Lion Landscapes.   

Mercury Retrograde 

6/29: Mercury shadow (4 Leo14)

7/17: Mercury station retrograde (15 Leo 34)

7/31:  Sun conjunction (inferior) Mercury (9 Leo) 

8/11: Mercury station direct (4 Leo14)

8/25: Mercury exits shadow (15 Leo34)

 

 

At 12:29am PDT on August 11, Mercury stations direct.   I see you nodding your head saying, “Thank God.”   I know.  I feel the same.  

 

Mercury retrograde started on July 17 which feels about eight lightyears ago (ask the couple on the Coldplay Jumbotron).    

It has been a big ol’ bold experience for all of us as Mercury went from 15 to 4 degrees of Leo.    In these last three weeks what have we learned about our vitality?  As Mercury unwinds, we can continue good practices that we learned during the retrograde that uplift our ability to be bold.  Where have we stepped up and exhibited Leo strength?   How have we tapped our generosity?  How have we shown courage?  Where have we shown self-confidence?    What have we done to utilize our god given skills?   How have we tapped our self-respect?    

 

Our unwinding period lasts until August 25, when Mercury finally exits the shadow period which began June 29.  We may revisit people, places, experiences that came up since the end of June and now we bring a new self confidence that honor our gifts, skills and strengths.    Marvel on all you have experienced and where you did a major job of ‘showing up’.   And if you didn't,  now see if you can do it.  Great.   Hold all of it close to your heart just the way Leo likes it.   Also do yourself a favor and

learn why Lions roar    Then give yourself a gentle prideful roar.  

Astrology for August 5 - 11. An Attention Grabbing Week.

 

The major astrological configuration of the month and arguably the year takes place this week (the kite).    There is also the perfection of an outer planet sextile and the Aquarius full moon perfects.   This is a big week.  

In terms of moon phases, we start the week in First Quarter Moon that launched August 1 where we continue to act on ‘letting go’……

 

 

Focus on:   What actions are you taking that release the dead?  How are you removing dead ends?   What actions can you take now that speak to letting go?   How can you be replenished and tap your creativity?  How are you acting when you know you have no control?  How are you inspired by releasing? 

 

  

 

Gibbous Moon

August 5, 2025

7:00am PDT  

 

 

Gibbous:

We refine our information.  We pick and choose, we discriminate, and we organize to be ‘Virgo’ like.  We sort through details.  Have we missed something?  How are we sifting through the information?  Go back and make sure something hasn’t been neglected.  Refine our actions.   How are we perfecting our goals? 

 

Focus on:

How are you sorting through your opinions?   How do your opinions line up with your daily life?  Are they in sync?   What do you broadcast about ‘who you are’?   Are they in sync?   What is your spiritual practices and are they in alignment with your daily actions?   Are you walking your talk? 

 

Please read KITE aspect --the energy is starting to pull together.  

 

8/6: Mars enter Libra.  This will be a six-week journey with a lot of thrills and spills as we negotiate our relationships in ease and stress. 

8/8: Mars trine Uranus (1 Gemini 07) Actions that are inspired and maybe come from out of the blue.   Relationships get a boost. 

8/8: Mars opposition Saturn (1Aries 20) Tough aspect.   Cold reality around rough actions.   Tough aspect in general and then followed by a full moon could animate this in a complicated manner.   

 

Planetary Notes:  

 

August 9, 2025

Full Moon – Aquarius 

12:55am PDT 

16 Aquarius 59 

 

 

Focus on:   What do you see is your role in your friendships?  What is your role in your groups?   Do your groups that you belong inspire you?  How are you showing up for others?   Is it a fresh experience for you?  Or has it become stale?  Is it group thought?  Is that working for you?  

 

Read separate post. 

 

  

Planetary Notes:  

 

8/9: Mars oppose Neptune (1 Aries 50) Actions and energy melt around relationships.  

8/10: Mars trine Pluto (2 Aquarius 12) Actions and energy with groups and friends refresh relationships. 

8/11: Mercury station direct (4 Leo 14)  (separate post to come) 

8/11: Saturn sextile Uranus (1 Gemini 12) (see separate post) 

8/11: Venus conjunct Jupiter (14 Cancer 03) (see separate post) Love and joy and big and abundance, and lots of flowing emotions.  

 

August 9: Aquarius Full Moon

 

                       Aquarius , watercolor, Germany, c. 1464; in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

 

Aquarius full moon

August 9, 2025

12:55am PDT

(16 Aquarius 59)  

 

In this weird week, in an unusual month in a cuckoo year, the Aquarius Full moon rolls out on August 9.  If this was any other year, month and week, where the astrological landscape was average, teasing out the Aquarius full moon would be a bit, shall we say, easier. 

 

Instead, we have this moon doing whatever it is going to do in a very juiced up astrological environment.     Mars, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus and Pluto have got their own thing going on in this week's  KITE aspect, rife with both stress and opportunities.   At the same time, the full moon has zero aspects with any of the KITE planets.  So, while all that big astro theater is playing out, the Aquarius moon is having its own adventure.   It’s as if the Aquarius moon opposing Leo sun is its own theater in the middle of another play.    Kind of like a planetary  Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” is happening in the KITE while the full moon is Tom Stoppard’s “Rosencrantz and Guidenstern Are Dead”      How will the kite and the full moon speak to each other?   Unclear. 

What we do know is that the Aquarius full moon is always the halfway point of the Leo lunar month.   Whatever energy that was launched July 24 on the new moon, full of Leo bigness, boldness, heroism and heart driven enthusiasm can hit pause at the Aquarius full moon where some of us will be reminded that we are not the only person on this planet.    Egos can get checked.   Or at the Aquarius full moon there can be a feeling for some of us that we are paying a price by sitting on gifts, skills and talents out of fear of not being good enough or believing we don’t add any value to a situation.    This is the conundrum of Aquarius/Leo energy.  Not honoring a skill by not bringing it to a community, piques the shadow of both Aquarius and Leo.  Is the group not worthy enough to put personal fear and judgy aside?   Or is the group so intimidating it suppresses those with heart driven impulses and talents?   Us versus me.   Me versus us.   Us versus us.  Me versus me.   That’s a lot going on in a simple lunar month.  Putting that in our current astro steroid world is harder to navigate. 

Luckily, there is one aspect that the full moon is making that may offer some insight.  Even if it is a bit janky.    In January the lunar nodes moved into Pisces and Virgo bringing in new lesson plans with the eclipses of 2025.   Over at Chani.com there is a super smart write up on the nodal work of Pisces and Virgo(  I recommend going to the link for the full read for greater depth) here's a snippet:  

The ancients conceptualized the North Node as the head of a hungry dragon, activating a ravenous appetite wherever it shows up. With the North Node in Pisces for the next 18 months, we’ll experience an upsurge of creativity, empathy, and broad-minded, bighearted imagination in this part of our charts. By contrast, the South Node is the dragon’s tail; it represents releasing, letting go, and catharsis. In Virgo, the South Node will help us ditch any unproductive habits or overanalytical, perfectionist tendencies hemming in our lives.

The first eclipse to highlight the lessons of Pisces/Virgo was the lunar eclipse of March 14.  Now, this Aquarius full moon is in quincunx aspect with the nodes.   It is a smaller aspect but still it has some punch.   The quincunx is like putting on a pair of pants or a jacket and it feels ‘off’.   Astrologically, Leo’s vibrant energy and Aquarius accent on groups can both feel disconnected to Pisces faith and Virgo’s almighty facts-on-the-ground.  Question:  Did anything come up around March 14 that now seems pertinent and has you wondering about community & humanity?   And your place in both?  Did something start talking to you then that did not make sense on one level but now is more meaningful in context to your heart desired and God-given skills and your groups? 

During the full moon, we may look around at friendships or groups and feel a need to shift patterns.  Are we quieter than usual with friends and groups?  Or are we bolder?   Do we still fit with our peeps?  Are we feeling we have gone the distance with friends or a group?  Or perhaps we are feeling we need to change our approach?    Or maybe we don’t have a real handle on it, but we are just vibing something is changing that is unknown.   Saturn and Uranus who both rule Aquarius will be sextile on August 11.  These two planets are working on something new that is bold and productive and inspiring and perhaps any shift in awareness at the full moon is important to whatever the work being done by Uranus and Saturn.    Additionally, Neptune which rules Pisces and the landlord of the north node for next year is conjoined with Saturn.   We may have or see a practical application to synchronicity.  

Synchronicity is the simultaneous occurrence of events which appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection.

Maybe this full moon will highlight a lot of synchronistic moments.   “Oh, wow, I was just thinking, talking, remembering ___(fill in the blank) __ “

It is worth noting that if there are any bumps in this full moon we have Venus conjunction Jupiter on the 11^th that may offer some kindness.