We’re starting to come down from the high of the Aquarius supermoon, and this week the Lion’s Gate Portal occurs on 8/8/2023, a powerful date in numerology. This occurs when Earth, the Orion constellation, and the fixed star Sirius all align in the sky. The number eight represents cosmic abundance and regeneration, similar to a snake shedding its skin. Stepping into a new level of awareness and consciousness is what this week is about, for all zodiac signs.
This week the moon spends time in the signs of Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and Cancer, which means we’re going to flow through the themes of independence, groundedness, communication, and sensitivity. It may feel like a bit of a cosmic rollercoaster as we traverse the energies of the first four signs of the zodiac, but it can also be a reminder of the constantly changing nature of life.
If there’s one thing this retrograde season is teaching us, it’s that nothing is truly within our control. The only thing we can control is how we react to our given circumstances. So let that be your guiding point during this Ascension Portal week. Focus on being intentional about your actions, reflections, and reactions, so that you can find stillness and confidence even amidst the unknown.
Read your horoscopes for your Sun and Rising signs for the most in-depth forecast.
DashDividers_1_500x100Aries Sun & Rising:
The moon is in your sign as the week begins, Aries, encouraging you to shoot your shot and be bold about what you want to change in your life. However, since your planetary ruler, Mars, is currently in Virgo, you may also have to be extra strategic about the approach you take to get what you want this week, especially once the moon leaves your sign and enters Taurus Monday morning.
The Taurus moon shifts your attention to money matters. We’re already starting to feel the pre-shadow period of Uranus’ retrograde in Taurus, which begins at the end of this month. With Venus currently retrograde in Leo, this week would be an ideal time to review your financial decisions from the start of the year until now, and make necessary adjustments to make sure you’re managing your money sustainably.
This weekend’s Cancer moon activates your domestic sector and amps up your homebody nature. Keep your schedule light this weekend, as you’ll be more in the mood to chill, meditate, and take in the regenerative vibes of the Lion’s Gate portal rather than go out and party.
Taurus Sun & Rising:
For you, Taurus, this week’s energy is about self-reflection and self-assertion, particularly when it comes to cultivating an abundance mindset and confidently communicating your true feelings. The energy of the 8/8 Ascension Portal can help you release the insecurities or limiting beliefs you may have held on to, and this release will change the course of the rest of the year for you.
Forgive yourself for moments when you let grudges or resentment stop you from feeling genuinely happy with your present circumstances. That was then, this was now.
The moon’s presence in your sign Monday through Wednesday helps ground you in the present moment, making it an ideal time to pitch a proposal at work or have a heart-to-heart with a loved one, particularly since your ruler Venus is retrograde and encouraging you to re-evaluate the way you tend to act and react in your most intimate relationships. This week, ask yourself what ways you can use your past experiences as stepping stones for your evolution as a human, lover, coworker, family member, and friend.
Gemini Sun & Rising:
Gemini, now that your planetary ruler Mercury is in Virgo for an extended stay, you’re paying attention to the small details that you usually tend to miss or bypass. This includes your own behavioral patterns — you’re much more aware of ways that you may contradict yourself or where you have plenty of double standards.
The Taurus moon Monday through Wednesday serves as a wake up call of sorts. If you’re able to acknowledge your shadows, then they won’t have as much power over you. Use the 8/8 Ascension Portal to be honest with yourself and others about your shortcomings. This will humanize you and allow others to be honest with you about theirs, too.
Mid-week, the moon enters your sign and remains there until Friday. These are your prime days for putting yourself out there and taking a leap of faith (or several). What have you been meaning to do this year, or this month, that you can’t stop thinking about? It may be retrograde season, but you have the green light to commit to passion projects that you previously left incomplete. You’ll feel more driven than ever to see the project through.
Cancer Sun & Rising:
Cancer, this week you’ll feel more grounded and centered after the intensity of last week’s full moon. The Taurus moon Monday through Wednesday helps you express gratitude for friendships in your life that feel fulfilling and mutually beneficial.
You may have recently had to mourn the end of one-sided connections, but with the Leo Sun activating your sector of security and self-esteem, know that you’re about to receive an abundance of attention and love, most likely when you least expect it (due to Venus’ retrograde through that sector of your chart).
The moon shifts into your sign as the weekend begins, so schedule self-care activities for yourself if possible, especially if you’ve taken on a lot on your plate since the month of August began. Give yourself permission to do less and simply be. By intentionally slowing down you’ll have a better idea of what’s actually essential for you to give your time, energy, and attention to, and what’s not.
Leo Sun & Rising:
Leo, your birthday season keeps going strong, and this week kicks it up a notch thanks to the 8/8 Lion’s Gate Portal occurring this Tuesday. This is peak manifestation energy, so get clear about
what you’re ready to release and what you’re ready to bring forth in your life. Consider this a sneak peek of what next week’s Leo new moon (occurring August 16th) has in store for you.
Mid-week, the Gemini moon increases your social side since it activates your friendship sector. Allow yourself to take a breather from practical or professional affairs and indulge in a happy hour with your day ones, or host a get together at your place. You can still be the life of the party, even if it’s retrograde season, Leo. People will feel drawn to your passionate nature and sunny aura. Just make sure you’re not overextending yourself socially — only say yes to what feels amazing.
Things shift this weekend, as the moon’s presence in Cancer lights up your sector of spirituality and closure. When you combine this energy with Venus’ current retrograde through your sign, you’re likely to feel waves of nostalgia and sentimentality creeping up. Get curious about what your feelings are trying to teach or remind you, but don’t necessarily take immediate action on them.
Virgo Sun & Rising:
Virgo, you’re feeling the effects of your planetary ruler Mercury’s upcoming retrograde through your sign (which will begin August 23rd). Mercury retrograde can be a trippy experience, and that’s absolutely awesome, if you allow it to be. Think about it Virgo, what would it look and feel like for you to lean into this retrograde season with a spirit of openness and curiosity rather than suspicion or intense self-protection?
Monday through Wednesday, the Taurus moon helps you reimagine, while also taking practical steps to change aspects of your life you’ve become dissatisfied with. The only way your life will change is if you give yourself permission to change, so get clear on what those changes will be.
Then this weekend, the Cancer moon encourages you to take a look at who you keep in and out of your life, and ensure that the boundaries you uphold have a malleability to them that takes into account the evolutionary nature of humanity. That means that just like you have the ability to evolve and transform, those around you do too. Give yourself and others grace, and practice patience as you all grow like fertile plants.
Libra Sun & Rising:
Libra, this Venus retrograde cycle has been putting you through it, and you’ve been such a trooper. Fortunately, this week’s 8/8 ascension portal serves as a respite after a tumultuous past few weeks. Instead of stressing about the way some of your relationships have seemingly gone haywire during the retrograde, use this ascension portal week to specifically visualize how you’d like your closest relationships to evolve — envision the best case scenario, and be open to receiving even better.
This weekend’s Cancer moon encourages you to incorporate more meditative practices into your daily routine, especially if you’ve been consciously or unconsciously tending to other people’s needs and feelings above your own. What would it look like for you to reorient all the energy you tend to externalize, and instead direct it toward yourself? Spend the weekend journaling, dancing, singing, or meditating next to your favorite body of water, or indulge in a purifying bath. Recenter yourself within yours being, re-engaging with the outside world.
Scorpio Sun & Rising:
Scorpio, with your planetary ruler Mars continuing its transit through the grounded sign of Virgo, routine, discipline, and consistency will be your friend this week. But this doesn’t mean you have to work on overdrive and juggle a bunch of projects — quite the opposite. Try to focus on one or two projects at a time, and put everything else on pause. Multitasking is more distracting than it is helpful, at least during this season of your life.
We’re in the midst of a powerful retrograde season, and on Tuesday we’re also experiencing the 8/8 ascension portal. You’re the eighth sign of the zodiac, and as the sign of transformation you’re likely to feel the influence of this numerological date more than most. Give yourself plenty of time to chill and do your own thing this week, particularly while the moon is in Gemini Wednesday through Friday, in your sector of depth, intimacy, and mergers. The main person you’ll be in the mood to merge with is yourself.
This weekend’s Cancer moon may bring out more of your social side because your sector of travel and expansion will be activated. If you have outings to plan or trips to go on, schedule them for the final days of the week, as you’ll be in a more vibrant, yet still highly sensitive and imaginative, mood.
Sagittarius Sun & Rising:
Sag, with Leo season’s energy highlighting your sector of travel and long journeys, you may find yourself daydreaming of foreign lands and cultures this week. It’s a good time to plan a trip to a place you’ve been wanting to go to for a while, or to a place that feels like home. The Ascension Portal on August 8th can help bring those visions to life sooner than you’d think, so keep an eye out for an auspicious email or opportunity that arrives in your inbox or DMs this week.
Venus’ retrograde in Leo may also serve as motivation for you to go back to school in the coming months or to take online courses or workshops about a topic that stimulates you mentally and spiritually. You may even be interested in teaching your own workshop. The possibilities are endless, so allow yourself to brainstorm ways to add more excitement and passion to your life.
The moon’s presence in Cancer this weekend can help you be more in tune with your intuition, especially if the fiery energy of Leo season has had you focused on action more than reflection.
Capricorn Sun & Rising:
Capricorn, with your ruler Saturn continuing its retrograde through Pisces, and Venus still retrograde in Leo for another month, you’re taking the slow and steady approach to connecting with people, and this can minimize drama in your life.
Your mission this week, however, is to ensure you’re not pushing everyone away, especially people who have good intentions and are trying to get closer to you. Use your own discernment to find a balance between being self-protective and being open to novelty.
This weekend’s Cancer moon will help you do so, as it activates your sector of marriage and partnership and encourages you to lean into vulnerability, especially during retrograde season,
so that you put an end to karmic cycles and lessons that keep resurfacing in your life. Ignoring someone won’t make the lesson you’re supposed to learn from them disappear — instead, the lesson will show up again in a different relationship. So it’s best to face the truth and have uncomfortable conversations this week, because Mercury retrograde is just around the corner. Get clarity while you can.
Aquarius Sun & Rising:
Aquarius, you’re just starting to come down from the supermoon in your sign that took place at the start of the month. This week is therefore about grounding yourself in the present moment and finding ways to simplify your lifestyle and your objectives. The Taurus moon Monday through Wednesday will help you do so. The more connected you are to nature, and to your body, the more clarity you’ll feel.
The 8/8 Ascension Portal serves as a blessing for your closest relationships, as the Sun and Venus in Leo are both in your sector of marriage and partnership. This doesn’t mean you have to be making huge commitments right now, but rather holding yourself accountable for the commitments you’ve already made. Check in with your partners, be they romantic or platonic, and find out if they feel fulfilled in their connection with you. Be open to their feedback, and also share your truth about what your needs are.
By the time the moon enters Cancer this weekend, you’ll feel proud of yourself for revealing your true feelings and focusing on your evolution.
Pisces Sun & Rising:
Pisces, Saturn and Neptune’s retrogrades through your sign have made you feel more at ease behind the scenes, but this week’s Ascension Portal on 8/8 is likely to provide you with an opportunity to be up front and center. Deep down, this is something you’re ready for, but your subconscious mind may try to convince you to stay in the background and keep things safe.
Use the energy of the Taurus moon Monday through Wednesday to take baby steps towards fully embracing the limelight — there’s no need to rush, but there’s also no need to be stagnant. Let yourself be seen, heard, rewarded, and celebrated for the person you are and the work you do.
This weekend’s Cancer moon lights up your sector of fate, true love, and creativity, making it a prime time to go on a date or take yourself on one. Just keep in mind that Venus is currently retrograde in Leo, so you have to be extra selective about who you give your time, energy, and attention to. Beware of sweet talkers who just want you to flatter their ego. Instead, connect with friends and partners whose actions actually match their words, and hold yourself accountable for doing the same.
