Date Posted: July 31, 2025

A three to four month long once in 35 years Saturn-Neptune conjunction in sidereal Pisces continues to be the significant planetary event for the month of August.

While this period is likely to be financially, physically, emotionally and psychologically challenging on a personal level, at the collective level it is far more devastating and deadly. The ongoing wars and conflicts in Ukraine-Russia and the Middle East Gaza humanitarian crises are expected to further accelerate, creating increased instability, upheaval, and destruction in those regions.

What’s particularly significant is that Neptune and Saturn turned retrograde on July 5 and July 13, respectively. This retrograde motion is expected to further stall progress and prolong the chaotic atmosphere in the affected war zones—at least until the end of September.

Additionally, the secretive nature of Saturn, when combined with Neptune’s capacity for deception, is likely to trigger covert operations at an astonishing pace across the globe—especially involving nations such as the United States, Russia, China, Israel, and countries in the Middle East. The full scope of these operations may remain unknown for a long time, possibly not becoming evident until well after their intended outcomes have unfolded.

Furthermore, environments such as war zones, hospitals, prisons, asylums, secluded places, sanatoriums, and assisted living facilities are expected to face profound psychological and emotional challenges. These settings are likely to undergo painful and/or deceptive experiences under the influence of this conjunction.

In addition, Mars will be opposing both Saturn and Neptune the same time within a degree during August 8-10. This short period may turn out to be deadly for those who have unfavorable placing of Mars with respect to Neptune and/or Saturn in their natal charts. Neptune’s subtle energy with this opposition is usually reflected in deception while Saturn’s karmic energy is reflected in a perfectly normal and healthy situation, for no apparent reason, turning into the one with a severe tension and friction.

On a collective level, covert activities will be at their peak. China and Russia are likely to experience some very drastic changes in the political arena, and those changes will influence the psyche of those nations at a deeper level. A short term but very intensive friction between India and Pakistan is likely. Terrorism and violence, especially in Middle East will be on rise. Outbreak of an undesirable happening and strong occurrences of both natural and man-made calamities are real possibilities.

Recent global developments already reflect these astrological shifts, reinforcing themes of instability, deception, upheaval, and unpredictability. The ongoing legal and political turmoil surrounding Donald Trump mirrors the deceptive and ambiguous nature of the Saturn-Neptune conjunction.

On a more positive note, both Saturn and Neptune resonate deeply with the spiritual water sign Pisces. In this placement, Saturn’s wisdom merges with Neptune’s ideal of universal love and compassion, setting the stage for a harmonious spiritual evolution. Philosophers, philanthropists, social reformers, and spiritually driven scientists and entrepreneurs are likely to emerge as key influencers, shaping a more compassionate and mindful global landscape.

Despite the current turmoil, the long-term alignments of Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto suggest that these material and societal challenges are part of a broader evolutionary process. These transformative shifts could redefine leadership, governance, and financial systems for decades to come—marking the beginning of a profound global metamorphosis.

Retrograde Mercury (July 18 – August 11) 

On July 18, the planet Mercury turned retrograde in sidereal Cancer. It will stay retrograde in Cancer until it becomes direct on August 11.

Typically retrograde Mercury means anxieties, communication breakdowns, unexpected delays, frustrations, missing deadlines, unforeseen obstacles and disappointment in daily chores.

Retrograde Mercury in Cancer means frustrating periods for children, mothers, caregivers, psychologists, hospital nurses, dairy farmers, charities and none-profit organizations.

This is not a good time to start a new project or venture, but rather reflect on what’s been done so far. Also, this is the best time to cleanup that closet and do other chores that you have been postponing due to lack of time. 

In addition, if you have dominating Mercury in your birth chart and if Mercury is currently as your active planet then you are more likely to experience the pronounced effects of retrograde Mercury during this period with respect to matters signified by the house it’s currently transiting through in your Gochar (transit) chart. 

Retrograde Saturn (July 13 – Nov 28)

Saturn turned retrograde on July 13 and will remain retrograde until November 28. If Saturn is well-placed in your birth chart and currently active in your transit chart you are likely to experience slower progress rather than setbacks. The best way to deal with retrograde Saturn is to put more energy and focus into whatever you’re doing to work steadily toward your goals.

However, if Saturn is not well-placed in your birth chart and is currently active in your transit chart, this period is likely to be particularly challenging—especially in the areas of life signified by the house Saturn occupies in your birth chart.

On the global stage, projects involving expansion are generally expected to either be put on hold or experience sluggish progress. In the religious world, developments are likely to proceed at a frustratingly slow pace. In the political arena, what initially appears to be progress may eventually turn out to be a misstep or even a disaster.

Saturn-Neptune Conjunction (May 4 – Oct 5)

Just about five weeks after entering sidereal Pisces (March 28, 2025), Saturn comes within three degrees of Neptune, forming a close conjunction. Because both are slow-moving planets, and with both becoming retrograde in the following months, this conjunction will last until October 5, 2025. Furthermore, the most intensive phase of this conjunction—when they are within one degree of each other—will occur between June 10 and August 23.

Both Saturn and Neptune are well-aligned with the spiritual water sign Pisces, where Saturn’s wisdom merges with Neptune’s ideal of universal love and compassion. This alignment suggests the potential for a harmonious spiritual evolution. Philosophers, philanthropists, social reformers, and spiritually driven scientists and entrepreneurs are likely to emerge as key influencers, shaping a more compassionate and mindful global landscape.

On a global level, regarding capitalistic and communistic societies, Saturn, with its traditional and conservative worldview, aligns more closely with capitalist structures. In contrast, Neptune’s idealistic and compassionate nature inspired Karl Marx’s vision of a pure and ideal society—later known as communism. However, in practice, communism has struggled to thrive due to the unrealistic expectation that everyone behaves according to Neptune’s idealistic standards. Instead, it often morphs into authoritarian regimes ruled by power-hungry dictators who concentrate power in the hands of a few. This is precisely the negative side of Neptune’s energy, which tends to manifest when Neptune is in detrimental signs such as fire or earth signs.

However, when Neptune is in its most favorable sign, Pisces, authoritarian regimes come under tremendous pressure. Neptune in Pisces strongly counters authoritarian principles. At the material level, Saturn’s structured and grounded energy challenges Neptune’s free-spirited ideals, underscoring the ongoing friction between capitalism and communism—especially in its current authoritarian forms.

As previously mentioned, until the end of May, the north lunar node Rahu was in the unfavorable sign of Pisces, counteracting Neptune’s positive energy. With Rahu’s departure from Pisces, Russian President Vladimir Putin may begin to see his grip on power gradually weaken, especially under mounting pressures from war and internal unrest. Now, with Saturn in Pisces and forming a close conjunction with Neptune, global conflict is likely to escalate further—particularly in nations already embroiled in war or experiencing high geopolitical tension. Specifically, the Ukraine-Russia conflict may intensify and enter a more volatile phase.

On an individual level, this conjunction could prove challenging for those with poorly placed Saturn and Neptune in their natal charts. The severity of the challenges will depend on the zodiac signs and houses these planets occupy. It is expected to be an emotionally and psychologically difficult period, particularly for those involved in hospitals, prisons, asylums, secluded places, sanatoriums, and assisted living facilities, where more painful or deceptive experiences may occur. On the other hand, if Saturn and Neptune are favorably placed in one’s natal chart, this period could mark a deeply rewarding spiritual journey and transformative experiences.

Russian-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas/Gaza war and senseless killings

According to 2020 predictions, “This era of Pluto in sidereal Capricorn (spanning the next 19 to 20 years) will be remembered as a time of material destruction and transformation into a new, different way of living that aligns with human evolution.”

More than two year old conflict continues, further escalating between Ukraine and Russia. Although, the forces of Hamas has been significantly reduced, the crises in Gaza underscores senseless killings and suffering of Gazan civilians seem to be part of this material destruction, driven by Pluto’s transformative influence in sidereal Capricorn.

The intensity of war between Ukraine and Russia with recent fallout between Putin and Donald Trump has been escalating and continues to persist, resulting in substantial human casualties and economic devastation.

Saturn and Neptune’s ongoing retrograde motion in Pisces suggests that Russia will undergo significant internal changes, with increasing power struggles and political unrest. This could mark the beginning of a gradual weakening of President Putin’s autocratic control. Despite these challenges, Ukraine is likely to make further advancements in the conflict.

In the Israel-Hamas conflict, violence still remains intense. Gaza is facing severe shortages of essential supplies, worsening the ongoing humanitarian crisis. While short-term developments may offer temporary relief, this decades old perpetual conflict is expected to continue unless a profound spiritual awakening transcends religious divisions and leads to reconciliation in the region.

Global Insights……..

The important challenging planetary configurations for August include: Saturn-Mars (Aug 8-10) and Neptune-Mars (Aug 8-10) oppositions, Neptune-Saturn (June 10 – Aug 23) conjunction.

Saturn-Mars (Aug 8-10) opposition: A short term but very intensive friction between India and Pakistan is likely. Terrorism and violence, especially in Middle East will be on rise. Outbreak of an undesirable happening and strong occurrences of both natural and man-made calamities are real possibilities.

Neptune-Mars (Aug 8-10) opposition: Covert activities among leading nations will be at their peak. China and Russia are likely to experience some very drastic changes in the political arena, and those changes will influence the psyche of those nations at a deeper level.

Neptune-Saturn (June 10 – Aug 23) conjunction:  Worldwide rise in covert activities and natural as well as man-made calamities are very likely. Places like Russia and China are likely to experience political and social turmoil. Non-democratic countries are likely to see shift of power from one faction (or dictator) to another. Religious activities around the world will likely to appear more secretive than open. 

The important auspicious planetary configurations for August include Pluto-Neptune (July 1 – Oct 7), Pluto-Saturn (July 11 – Aug 12), Uranus-Saturn (July 27 – Aug 25), Neptune-Uranus (Aug 2 – Dec 7) sextiles.

Pluto-Neptune (July 1 – Oct 7): Terrorism is likely to be under control, potentially even dismantling major terrorist cells through covert operations. Furthermore, this period may turn out to be positive for China and to a lesser extent for Russia. Expect positive breakthroughs in the fields of medicine, high technology, and biotechnology on the technological front.

Pluto-Saturn (July 11 – Aug 12): Good for European economies.  Expect progress in technical fields, including new innovations and discoveries.  Additionally, more opportunities are likely for religious reconciliation during this time. Overall, expect favorable developments and progress.

Uranus-Saturn (July 27 – Aug 25): Religious activities are expected to grow with renewed vigor and energy. Conservatives and liberals may find common ground on contentious issues, and Democrats and Republicans are likely to agree on more matters than they disagree. This could be a favorable time for passing lingering bills in the U.S. Congress and Senate. However, China and Russia might face mild setbacks in their foreign policies, particularly in their dealings with the United States.

Neptune-Uranus (Aug 2 – Dec 7) sextile: An extraordinary time for collective spiritual growth, technological discoveries and inventions.  Expect some new important technological breakthroughs during this month. For the United States, technological growth viewpoint, it’s going to be a remarkable and very successful period.

The countries that are more likely to be affected during this month are:  the Ukraine, Russia, United States, China, India-Pakistan and Middle-East–especially Iran, the Palestinian-Israel region and Syria.

Natural and Man-made Calamities……..

The natural calamities like extreme weather conditions, wildfires, hurricanes, heavy rains, snow storms, air crashes as well as manmade accidents are likely to occur during August 1-23.

Earthquakes:Based on a new Earthquake prediction model (the work is still in progress), the earthquake(s) of magnitude 6.9 or higher, if occur, are likely to occur on following dates and Times and possible locations: Earthquake Predictions 2025.  Please note that these hourly predictions refer to the Universal time (GMT).

While man-made calamities may manifest themselves in terrorism, unrest, violence, accidents, and air crashes, the natural calamities are likely to include extreme weather conditions such as severe cold winters, and equally intensive droughts, hurricanes or typhoons, thunderstorms, earthquakes and fires