Horoscope For Today: Friday, August 16, 2024

Historically, two major events happened on August 16 that signal it’s a day for global communication and unity:

• 1858: The first-ever transatlantic telegraph cable, a distant precursor to a text message, was sent from England to America. Queen Victoria told President James Buchanan: “Europe and America are united by telegraphic communication. Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, goodwill to men.”
• 1987: A two-day worldwide event known as the “Harmonic Convergence,” described as “the world’s first synchronized peace meditation,” began. The dates were chosen because of an astrological alignment—from Earth’s vantagepoint, the Sun, Moon, and six planets formed a triangular “grand trine” during August 16 and 17.

Famous people born on August 16 are known for their creativity rather than achieving any milestones in science or politics:

• Canadian filmmaker James Cameron (b. 1954), who became one of the most successful directors in history with blockbusters such as The Terminator, Titanic, and Avatar.
• Singer Madonna (b. 1958), who set several world records as a recording artist due to her unabashed sexuality and entrepreneurial savvy.
• Actor and comedian Steve Carell (b. 1962), star of TV sitcom The Office and movie The 40-Year-Old Virgin.
• Atlanta-based Grammy-winning rapper Young Thug (b. 1991), hailed as one of the founders of “mumble rap.”

Astrological Happenings For August 16

 Today will be horrible for work but fantastic for play. You should eagerly pursue creative and romantic endeavors but avoid anything involving effort or reaching your goals. This is because two celestial aspects will exert strong cosmic forces that combine to push us away from discipline and toward self-indulgence:

Mars Square Saturn

The warrior planet Mars finds its rogue spirit dampened by the harsh taskmaster Saturn. If you try to get anything done today, you may encounter one frustrating roadblock after the other. Don’t try to finish—hell, don’t even try to start—any task or project, because there’s a huge chance that Saturn is lying in wait to stifle it. You may face special resistance, and even insulting behavior, from those who wield authority over you. If it’s at all possible, take a break today. Take a mini vacation. Take a “me” day. Recharge your batteries.

Moon Trine Venus

Harmony between the maternal moon and the sensuous planet Venus will make everything seem a little more colorful than usual. Everything will taste better, too. It’s time for fun, relaxation, and creativity. The blending of lunar and Venusian aspects make today ideal for sex and romance, so give yourself the gift of pleasure.

Aries

Even though you are a hotheaded fire sign ruled by Mars—the MMA cage fighter of planets—today your feisty side will be held in check as if Saturn were a cop handcuffing someone for disorderly conduct. You’re a natural-born leader, but let’s face facts: You’re not the president nor the pope, so you should be extra wary of offending those who have authority over you. Your outer veneer of confidence is often a cover for some deep-seated insecurities, so be careful not to get too cocky with someone who has the power to cut you down to size.

Taurus

Your planetary goddess Venus has molded your personality so that you crave luxury, excess, and all things beautiful. But just as charity begins at home, so does beauty. Take some time to work on your appearance so that you can be equally as attractive to the people you seek to attract. The plain truth is that we feel better when we look better. So keep in shape and look your best. Don’t worry—this isn’t to say you don’t look fine now, but we can all look better.

Gemini

Listen to your heart over your brain. Focus on feelings rather than facts. Let the Emotional Twin grab the reins and tell the Logical Twin to take a long and much-needed nap. Learn a lesson from what happened with that transatlantic cable from August 18, 1858, and use your world-class communication skills to reconnect with someone who is either physically or emotionally distant from you. The worst that could happen is that they screen your call.

Cancer

You are widely regarded as the most emotional sign of them all, but today the Mars Square Saturn aspect will give you a much-needed lesson in learning how to handle frustration. We all know that life is neither a bowl of cherries nor a box of chocolates, but you tend take bad news, rejection, and disappointment far more personally than other signs do. It would help your emotional state immensely if you learned how not to take a bad situation and find a way to make it worse. Also, your ruler the Moon in Trine with Venus suggests that you should stay close to home enjoy some simple pleasures. 

Leo

As a scorching-hot summer nears its end, cooler temps lurk right around the bend. (Hey, that rhymed! I’m a poet, and I didn’t even know it.) So press “pause” on your business and career plans. Since it’s Friday, make it a three-day weekend if you can. It won’t stay warm and sunny forever, so head out to the beach, or up into the mountains, or out into the rural wilderness, and bask in the waning days of Leo’s mid-to-late summer reign. Take advantage of the summer activities that won’t be available once the nights grow longer and the air gets chilly.

Virgo

Your perfectionistic streak can be a virtue, but it can also be a liability. If you drive yourself too hard, the irony is that you wind up so exhausted that you may not perform at top level. It’s healthy to recuperate every so often. Step away from that project, at least for today. It will still be waiting for you tomorrow, and you’ll be in better shape to complete it to your satisfaction. And if you’re still literally a virgin, Moon Trine Venus demands that you resolve that problem.

Libra

Take a tip from August 16, 1987’s “Harmonic Convergence” and seek balance today through meditation and reflection. You are the zodiac’s great peacemaker and are fantastic at resolving conflicts between people, but this often means you wind up shortchanging yourself. You need to balance that out and think softly and calmly about how you could be treating yourself better. Do you feel healthy? Are you happy with your social life? What about your romantic life? Are there ways where you could meet your financial needs without feeling so worn-out and anxious all the time?

Scorpio

Being an emotionally fragile water sign ruled by the ever-combative Mars means you often launch into destructive feuds and spats at the slightest hint of being disrespected. But would it kill you to go a day without all that high-pitched squealing drama? We all know that you have a sex drive that could repopulate the planet, so your assignment is to focus on your lustful side and quit being so touchy about what others think or say about you. 

Sagittarius

You are a searcher and a seeker and an explorer, the most naturally curious and adventurous sign of them all. Jupiter, the planet of luck and abundance, is your ruler. But today, don’t press your luck. Play it a little safer than usual. Don’t venture brazenly out into this big scary solar system that’s filled with all sorts of perils. Look inside yourself and get ready for the biggest adventure of them all. You will find dark and unfamiliar pockets. Shine a light on them. Once you’ve conquered and mapped out every inch of your inner space, then you can go plant a flag on Jupiter.

Capricorn

The hardest-working Goat in the biz needs take a deep breath, exhale, and listen closely to what I’m about to say. Do you think that just maybe you sometimes work yourself into a tizzy because you seek approval and feel you aren’t good enough just the way you are? Well, if you feel that way, I’m here to tell you that you’re wrong. You are a beautiful, fantastic soul, and if anything, others should be clamoring for your approval. Don’t be so hard on yourself.

Aquarius

Sometimes in life, the things that make the greatest difference aren’t the giant triumphs or the harrowing failures—it’s the small pleasures. Things such as the condensation on a Mason jar filled with homemade iced tea as you sit out on a patio on a sweltering August day. Watching a litter of newborn puppies ambling around clumsily. A kind word from a stranger at just the right time. The stars and planets aren’t aligning today so that you can succeed or fail spectacularly. But if you are mindful, you will find a treasure trove of small pleasures.

Pisces

Your symbol is two fish tethered together and swimming in opposite directions, which represents your eternal spiritual struggle. Lucky for you, you’re also a water sign, because two fish wouldn’t last very long on land, in the air, or especially in fire. But just for today, figure out how you can untie the two fish and dive as deep into the water as you can. Have them swim together rather than against each other. Learn how to resolve your inner conflicts.