Virgo Season Begins This Week Alongside Mercury Retrograde—Here's Your Horoscope

The Sun settles into Virgo this Wednesday, August 23, turning life into a four-week efficiency mission. After the glitz and glam of Leo season, Virgo’s “keep it simple” ethos is a breath of fresh air.

Squeeze some al fresco exercise into these last weeks of summer: bike rides to the beach, yoga in the park, lap swims in the saltwater pool. Then bring some order to your court. From your storage systems to your project-management software, give everything a proper review.

Also on Wednesday, Mercury hits its third retrograde of 2023, backing up through its home sign of Virgo.

While the finicky planet is retrograde until September 15, review everything on the finest setting possible. Enlist a third and fourth pair of eyes to edit documents before you hit Send. Need to do more research? You’re in luck! This is one of the best times of the year to tumble down the search engine rabbit hole.

Cuffing season is on the horizon, and as lusty Mars blazes into Libra, the zodiac’s partnership sign, the urge to merge will be crazy strong. But don’t let the impatient red planet get you locked into a serious situation before you’re truly ready.

It’s almost too easy to romanticize when Mars blasts into this “love and marriage” zone every other year. If it’s longevity you’re after, aim for a balanced view. Can you accept people for better and for worse?

For couples, Mars in Libra adds a dash of spice, but it can also stir up passive-aggressive bickering, especially if one of you is carrying an unequal share of the load. Mars is in “detriment” in Libra, meaning it’s an uncomfortable place. And it makes sense: Mars is the god of war while Libra is all about peace, love and harmony.

It will take extra effort to keep your emotional equilibrium now.