TRANSCRIPT Ep. 302 | Aquarius Full Moon: Find Your People!

TRANSCRIPT Ep. 302 (8.4.25)
Aquarius Full Moon: Find Your People!

Hello, Invisible Friend, April here, and the date today is August 4th, 2025. Welcome to Episode 302 of the Big Sky Astrology Podcast.

This week, Mars enters the diplomatic sign of Libra and is involved in every single aspect of the week – trine Uranus and Pluto and opposed Saturn and Neptune. The Aquarius Full Moon calls for a review of social alliances and our Leo New Moon goals. And in the spirit of this very Mars-oriented week, I answer a listener question about the Mars return.

Mars enters Libra (Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, 4:23 pm)

Mars enters Libra on Wednesday, August 6th at 4:23 PM Pacific Time. It’s in this sign through September 22nd, and it’s not exactly its favorite sign to be in. Mars is traditionally considered in its detriment in Libra, which is just a term that means it’s not operating at full power. Mars naturally rules Aries, a sign of bold action, independence, and following your instincts.

But Libra, on the other hand, is ruled by Venus. It’s diplomatic, relationship-focused, and is always trying to weigh both sides of a situation.

So, what happens when Mars is in Libra? Mars can sometimes hesitate in this sign. It second-guesses itself. It wants to take action because that’s Mars’ job, but not at the expense of harmony.

And when it does act, it might veer into being passive-aggressive one minute and full-blown, aggressive-aggressive the next. It will fight, but usually on behalf of fairness and justice. So, it’s more about defending the underdog, say, than charging into battle.

This week, Mars is making aspects to planets that are in the early degrees of their signs. So that really puts Mars right in the spotlight. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself feeling that internal tug of war, trying to act with integrity, do what’s right, but maybe struggling a bit with how to go about it. The themes here are about balancing action with ideals and making sure that what you do reflects what you believe, especially when it comes to fairness, justice, or the people that you care about.

Mars trine Uranus (Fri. Aug. 8, 2025, 11:45 pm)

Mars trines Uranus on Friday, August 8th at 11:45 AM Pacific time, at 01º07’ Libra and Gemini. Mars is, of course, the action planet, and it rules drive, ambition, physical energy, sexuality. And Uranus is the planet of shakeups and sudden development, sudden insights. So, when these two planets get together in a trine, which is a harmonious aspect, it can spark all kinds of breakthroughs, especially in how we assert ourselves and go after what we want.

You might feel a powerful urge towards self-preservation this week, like it’s suddenly very clear what you need to do to protect your time, your energy, your sanity. This is a great aspect for using both technological and interpersonal skills, especially in your career. The moves that you make now could shift your whole trajectory of work in some exciting ways.

Now, a word of caution. This is a transit that can bring some impulsiveness and recklessness. It’s great for spontaneity, but not so great for, say, rushing down a flight of stairs while you’re texting. So just be mindful of your movements. And sometimes we just need to get good and angry before we are willing to change.

This Mars-Uranus combination can give us that spark that says, “Enough, I’m ready to change and do things differently.” Just make sure you’re moving towards something that is actually better and not just reacting in the moment.

Mars opposed Saturn (Fri. August 8, 2025, 7:52 pm PDT)

Also on Friday, August 8, Mars opposes Saturn at 7:52 PM Pacific Time. This is a real tug of war. Mars, of course, wants action. It wants what it wants, and it wants it now! I have a couple of cats like that. But Saturn, Saturn is the planet of limits, structure and authority. So, when these two are facing off across the horoscope, it can feel like slamming your foot on the gas while the parking brake is still on.

This combination can bring serious frustration, and this is especially true if you’re butting heads with authority figures or dealing with those who are blocking your forward motion. You might find yourself overreacting, whether it’s to a boss, a parent, a partner, whatever it is that is trying to restrain you, and that tension can also turn inward.

You might start beating yourself up for every little thing you haven’t accomplished yet, or for flaws that feel a lot bigger and more serious than they actually are. But here’s the thing: This is not a signal to give up. It actually is a powerful time to take all of that Mars energy and channel it into something productive.

What in your life needs to be better organized? What’s really standing between you and your long-term goals? Use this aspect to take one small strategic action that can help move you forward. Mars and Libra can activate your inner guard dog, the part of you that’s ready to protect what matters. But Saturn will always outlast Mars in a battle of endurance. So, this isn’t about making a big dramatic move. It’s about doing the thing that is hard but necessary. The thing that builds real strength over time. So, slow and steady wins this round. Let Saturn set your pace, and let Mars bring the energy and the muscle.

Aquarius Full Moon (Sat. August 9, 2025, 12:55 am PDT)

And now it’s time for the Moon report. And we begin as always, with the week’s major lunation. This week, it’s the Aquarius Full Moon on Saturday, August 9th at 12:55 AM Pacific Time, at 16º59’ Aquarius and Leo.

Aquarius is such an interesting sign. It is full of contradictions. It is the sign of the outcast and the rebel. And yet it is also, in traditional astrology, ruled by Saturn, and it is the sign of really distinguishing yourself in things like sports or politics or local organizations. The world needs its Aquarian people because without them, things don’t tend to change.

At its best, Aquarius leadership is not about dominating the conversation. It’s about elevating it, about pushing the collective out of its comfort zone and toward real progress. While the Full Moon is in Aquarius, ask yourself how you can influence the world in a meaningful way. This is a good time in the month to gather with those who share your ideals so that you can walk toward the future together and united.

This is a Full Moon for connecting with your people, your community, your cause, your fellow travelers. At the Aquarius Full Moon, what we want is a sense of belonging. We’re looking for friends and community and something that’s exciting or unexpected. As scary as it can be sometimes to do new things, it’s what can really energize us. Most of all, we want to really feel as though what we’re doing will still matters long after we’re gone.

This Full Moon is the response to the Leo New Moon on July 24th, and at the Leo New Moon, we tend to formulate goals and intentions that have to do with our personal creativity, the things that we want to achieve on our own.

The Full Moon in Aquarius is a moment to get together with others, to create things that we cannot do completely on our own, that takes a group to make them happen.

The Sabian symbol for this Full Moon at 16º59’ Aquarius is 17 Aquarius, A watchdog standing guard. It’s about protection, about keeping ourselves safe from harm or loss, being vigilant. And the Sun is on the symbol 17 Leo, A non-vested church choir, and this talks about dedication to a shared ideal. It’s about finding harmony, raising your voice for something sacred, but importantly, doing that with a sense of communion with others.

So, this Full Moon in Aquarius is asking us to protect what’s important, but not so much that we let ourselves become isolated, because you need to be visible in order to connect with others who share your view and your vision. And that’s what this Aquarius Full Moon is really about: Finding your people, raising your voice, and shaping the future together.

Lunar Phase Family Cycle

This is the Full Moon in a lunar phase family cycle that began with the New Moon on February 9th, 2024, at 20º40’ Aquarius. And the lunar phase family cycle extends each New Moon out for three years. Every nine months, there is a major lunation at roughly the same point as that New Moon. So, nine months after that New Moon, there was a First Quarter Moon on November 8th, 2024, at 17º19’ Aquarius, within a few degrees of that New Moon. That is usually the phase when we start to see some movement forward toward our New Moon goals.

Nine months after the First Quarter finds us here at this Full Moon, at 16º59’ Aquarius, and this is when we hopefully have a little more perspective on what it was that we really initiated at that New Moon in February, 2024, and what we need to do in the next year and a half to make those goals a reality.

Nine months from now, there’s a Last Quarter Moon on May 9th, 2026, at 19º14’ Aquarius. And that is the final action point in this lunar phase family cycle and the opportunity to make one more big action or push toward those original New Moon in Aquarius goals from 2024.

Void-of-Course Moon periods

Let’s look at the Void-of-Course Moon periods for this week.

The Moon becomes Void-of-Course when it’s completed its last major aspect to another planet before it changes signs. And because it denotes a time when the Moon is not approaching any aspects to any other planets, things that we begin on a Void-of-Course Moon period can just keep going. They’re not encountering anything that will change the trajectory in any real way. That’s why I consider Void-of-Course Moon periods really good times for establishing new, healthy habits.

On Tuesday, August 5th, the Moon in Sagittarius squares Mars at 8:29 AM Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for one hour, 35 minutes, and then enters Capricorn at 10:04 AM. When the Moon is in Sagittarius, we tend to want to speak our truth and aren’t necessarily very diplomatic or delicate in the way we do. So, this could be especially true because Mercury is retrograde now, too. As we’re coming off a square from the Moon to Mars, it can mean that there’s a disconnect between what we actually feel and what we do about it. It would be good to initiate a new habit of thinking a little bit before we speak, to kind of prevent ruffled feathers.

On Wednesday, August 6th, the Moon in Capricorn opposes Jupiter at 10:40 AM Pacific time. This is a very long Void-of-Course period for one day, seven hours, and 38 minutes, before it enters Aquarius on August 7th at 6:18 PM.

The Moon making an opposition to another planet as it goes Void-of-Course, especially for this very long Void-of-Course period, shows an opportunity for awareness and insight. When a planet in Capricorn makes an opposition to a planet in Cancer, which is what is happening in this case, there can be a realization that comes up about how we soothe ourselves.

The world can be a harsh place and life can be hard. Capricorn knows this, but how do you deal with that? Do you find yourself reaching for sugary treats or do you double down and get even harder on yourself? Somewhere between these two is the good balance, because when things get hard, yes, it’s productive to then turn around and just work harder to get past it.

But sometimes we’ve encountered things that are emotionally difficult and we need a minute or two to adjust to that to deal with it. So, I think at this Void-of-Course Moon, it is about really watching what you do. This is, again, a full day and then some, and to just be monitoring your awareness as you go through the days when things feel harder, you run into obstacles or blockages. How do you deal with that? And are there any ways that you could deal with it that would be a little more effective in the long run?

And on Saturday, August 9th, the Moon in Aquarius opposes the Sun. This is basically the Full Moon, and this happens at 12:55 AM Pacific time. It’s Void-of-Course for 22 hours and 55 minutes. So, another good, long Void-of-Course period. Then the Moon enters Pisces at 11:50 PM.

So, this is another Void-of-Course Moon that begins with the promise of awareness. And this can be about what you want versus what society wants, or your personal network. The Moon is in Aquarius, so it’s ruled by Saturn in Aries, which is in a conjunction with Neptune, and both Saturn and Neptune are opposed by Mars and Libra. Making decisions could be difficult due to not knowing what you want. I think during this Void-of-Course Moon period, it’s good to get in the habit of considering how your desires and needs can affect the others around you and also help you clarify what it is that you really want.

Mars opposes Neptune (Aug. 9, 2025, 3:13 pm PDT)

Mars opposes Neptune on Saturday, August 9th at 3:13 PM Pacific Time, and this is not your typical high-powered Mars transit. It’s not only in Libra, where it tends to temper its ferocity somewhat, but also opposed dreamy Neptune. Instead of charging ahead full steam, this is an opposition that asks us to slow down, to soften our approach a little bit and consider how we can use our Mars energy to be of service to others.

This is a really beautiful time to put those Mars skills, your drive, your initiative to work for greater good. Use your strength to stand up for someone who cannot stand up for themselves.

It’s also a great aspect for bringing a spiritual, artistic, or compassionate influence into your daily routines or your physical pursuits. Dance, paint, meditate. Take long walks by the ocean, whatever it is that helps you take action with inspiration.

On the other hand, this is not the best transit for focusing intently on specific outcomes for ambitious career moves or for solo accomplishments. If you push too hard for personal gain during an aspect like this, you can find yourself spinning your wheels or facing disillusionment or even failure. So instead, let’s use this time to be flexible to step back when we need to rest, reflect, connect, think less about how you can achieve something and more about contributing something, whether it’s to your community or a cause, or even the emotional or spiritual wellbeing of somebody close to you.

And be mindful of anger, as we’re saying all this week, as Mars is so busy. With Mars and Neptune involved, unchecked frustration can lead, especially to self-defeating behavior, acting out or just giving up. Channel that energy into something creative, something healing, something meaningful.

Mars trine Pluto (Aug. 10, 2025, 5:29 am PDT)

And on Sunday, August 10th at 5:29 AM Pacific Time, Mars trines Pluto at 02º12’ Libra and Aquarius. This is a powerful aspect for pushing through limits, especially in the areas of partnership, justice and progress. Mars in Libra is most energized and assertive when it comes to fairness and equality, and when it connects with Pluto in Aquarius, we get this incredible surge of willpower and determination, especially around relationships or societal change, even technology.

But here’s where it gets really interesting. Uranus in Gemini also interacts with Mars and Pluto at this time, forming a Grand Trine configuration in Air signs. A Grand Trine happens when you have a planet in each sign of an element, in this case, Air, and in aspect with each other. This brings breakthroughs in science and communication and the way we relate to each other. If you’ve been feeling stuck in any of these areas, this is a configuration that can break up the impasse and create some movement.

There is a darker side to this one, though; you may feel an urge to power through anything or anyone that stands in your way. And this is the downside, potentially, of Mars with Pluto: if your efforts don’t seem to make a difference, you can be tempted to just check out altogether.

This is an aspect that can indicate career shakeups. This is, especially if you’re dealing with a boss or a workplace that is completely intolerable, but the message here isn’t about just powering through. It’s about recognizing that there are some things that are beyond your control and choosing how to respond to that. What matters most at this aspect is always about how you handle your weakness, your anger, and your frustration.

Listener Question: The Mars Return

In this week’s listener question, Listener Emily writes, “Hi April. I’m curious what you might have to say about the Mars return. How is it similar to other kind of return charts like the Solar Return or the Saturn Return, and what makes it distinctive?”

Well, thank you, Emily. And this actually is a really great question. We talk a lot about the Solar Return and a lot about the Saturn Return and not so much about the Mars Return.

So first of all, when we talk about a return in astrology, we’re talking about the moment when a planet comes back to the exact degree and sign that it occupied at the time of your birth. So, a Solar Return is when the Sun returns to its natal position, roughly your birthday. The Saturn Return happens about every 29 years. And then we’ve got Mars, which takes about two years to go around the Zodiac. So, you will have a Mars return roughly every 22 to 24 months.

So, what does that mean? Well, we can think of your Mars Return as a kind of a personal reboot about how you take action in the world. Mars is about your drive, your motivation, your physical energy, your anger, your sexuality. It’s how you go after what you want. So, when Mars returns to its natal position, it is the beginning of a new two-year Mars cycle. And it’s a moment to check in with all of your Mars energy. Are you still fighting for the things you believe in? Are you using your energy wisely, or are you scattered and burned out and working against your own instincts?

In terms of how it compares to something like a Solar Return, that is more of a broad-strokes, year-ahead kind of chart. The Mars Return is a little more targeted. It’s less about the entire landscape of your life and more about your personal engine – what is fueling it, how well it’s running, and where you are pointing it.

And if you compare it to something like the Saturn return, well, that’s a whole different animal. Saturn Returns are long-haul, foundational life shifts. They ask us to grow up, take responsibility, build something that lasts.

But Mars Returns are more immediate. They’re more dynamic. They are about your next move, your next battle, your next burst of passion.

With the Mars Return, just like a Solar Return or a Saturn Return, you can cast a chart for the exact moment that Mars returns to its natal position. That chart can give us a blueprint about how you’ll be using Mars over the next couple of years.

Where is the return chart’s Mars located by house? What aspects to other planets is it making? For example, if you have Mars in early Libra this week, you will have your Mars return, and we know that it will be making aspects to all of the planets we talked about in this episode, and that means you get to carry all of these aspects ahead with you through the next two years.

So, this chart shows details about how you will be navigating these planetary energies over the next two years, and what kinds of challenges or opportunities you’ll be working with.

So, in short, we don’t tend to talk about the Mars Return quite as much as some others. But it is a really powerful checkpoint, and especially for your work and career, it’s your cue to pause and ask, am I still fighting the good fight? Where do I need to step up, and where do I need to settle down a little bit? Because Mars doesn’t want you to just sit there and think about it, it wants you to do something. And the Mars return is the moment we recalibrate and move forward with purpose.

I hope that helps. Thank you, Emily, so much for the question!

And if you have a question you would like me to answer on a future episode, just leave a voicemail of one minute or less at speakpipe.com/bigskyastrology podcast. Or send me an email at april (at) bigskyastrology (dot) com and be sure to put “Podcast Question” in the subject line.

Donor Thanks

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That is it for this episode. Join me again, bright and early next Monday. And until then, keep your feet on the ground and your eyes on the stars!