Whilst the Sun remains in Leo it will focus its energies into the shared resources and financial investment sector of your horoscope. You will find concentration on this area now will be well spent. The New Moon Eclipse on 1st falls in this sector and that can bring an intensive 4 week phase into your life to look at what money is coming in to you, and when you do with it when you either put it in a bank or invest it.

With Venus moving into Virgo on 5th and Mercury on 10th and both moving up and over Saturn from 13-15 these conditions are excellent for you in all practical or business discussions. You may even receive acknowledgement through your superiors as to the standard of your work. It can be at a high level now.

The Sun enters Virgo on 23rd and you are likely to feel the change in the main focus of your life. This takes place on a Saturday where there are other exciting planetary aspects that can bring you into a `party' atmosphere. It can bring a new friend or even a romance into your life for those looking.

Your work and reputation become very important as the month progresses.

The Sun will remain in the fixed fire sign of Leo until 4.02 am on 23rd. On 1 August at 8.14 pm a Total Solar (New Moon) Eclipse takes place, and on 17 August at 7.18 am a Lunar (Full Moon) Eclipse occurs. August is going to be a memorable month as we begin with a Total Solar Eclipse. Leo is an upfront and generally positive sign, and is the ideal time of year to bring the `actor' out in people. Matters of the heart feature strongly, issues involving children can be prominent (hopefully for all the right reasons), and adopting a sunny disposition can all enhance the chance of the self-creative person.

This Eclipse has a powerful effect on people who have planets at 9-10º Leo-Scorpio-Aquarius or Taurus, could also influence those with their Ascendant or Moon on this degree - or are born 2-3 November, 29/30 January, 30 April/1 May or 31 July - 2 August of any year, if any of these dates mean you, since February 08 and continuing until February 09 your life has been going through change. This Eclipse is part of a longer cycle of eclipses that have been occurring since 1179 AD, so what occurs now is part of a process that you are connected to. This same eclipse last took place in 1991, so both this year and back then are also connected. All Eclipses have a deeper meaning and this Eclipse is referred to as Saros 10 South and concerns itself with breaking out of a negative situation to a more positive space. This space has more options and some hope. There is also an indication you need to action this without delay. You may relate to this already having occurred, in the process of change, or if not, planning to do by early next year.

As an interesting aside, the most powerful path of this Eclipse runs right through China. In 7 days from this event the Olympic Games will begin. Eclipses can bring intense energy to bear on the country that experiences this powerful path. China has already been in the news twice before in this same year - both generating quite a bit of emotion from outside of its borders, and affecting many people within its borders. It certainly appears to be an `auspicious' year for the Chinese people as they are under the spotlight.

On a general level August contains 15 exact cosmic aspects, 5 of which fall in the easy category, while the other 10 are classified as challenging. 5 of these are `oppositions'. An opposition aspect occurs when two planets sit in signs which sits opposite each other on the zodiac wheel, can will either bring co-operation between people or conflict, and you can probably expect both at some point.

The Sun enters mutable Earth Virgo at 4.03 am on 23rd and remains in this sign until 23 September. The New Virgo Moon falls at 5.59 am on Sunday 31st. Virgo is the sign of service to others, health and healing issues are more prominent and so is the need to work methodically on whatever you attempt.

The month begins and ends with a New Moon and this month will see many people embarking on a new course in their lives.