This month there are fewer planetary transits and aspects than usual, so I’m able to focus on the exciting phenomenon of the Lions Gate which we experience every year. This year the Lions Gate gives us an added extra bonus of a New Moon on August 8^th which signals the start of an exciting creative new beginning! The Lions Gate 8/8 Portal is activated by the numerology of 8/8, the Sun in Leo and the rising of the star, Sirius. This combination of energy opens a galactic portal that allows high vibrational energy to be sent to Earth, which we can all tune in to and connect with.

Each year, the Lions Gate 88 Portal peaks on the 8th day of the 8th month invoking the energy of the double infinity symbol. Regardless of your location on the planet, we will all feel the current of its energy most strongly between Saturday, August 7^th through Wednesday, August 11^th. This year there will be a New Moon in Leo on Sunday, August 8^th at 9:50 a.m. EDT. And this year the helical rise of Sirius on the Eastern horizon will occur August 11^th shortly before dawn at about 5:30 a.m. EDT.

The number 8 represents infinity – the infinite soul that we are as individuals and the infinite journey that we are taking together in this life. It represents the “forever conscious” part of our soul; the soul that has lived and will continue to live long after this incarnation. The number 8 is also the number associated with DNA activation, abundance, power, and higher realms of consciousness. This makes 8/8 a super potent time to charge and clear our energy for receiving and giving Love.

The Lions Gate in astrology, involves the Sun in its ruling sign of Leo and the rising of the star Sirius. Author, Walter Cruttenden, in his book, Lost Star of Myth and Time, shows that the fixed royal star Sirius and its companion Sirius B combine to form a binary star which our own Sun and solar system revolve around. Together with Sirius, our Sun and solar system also revolve around the Galactic Center Black Hole. So, in the view of Cruttenden, and other researchers, the star Sirius is “the Sun of our Sun” or as others have called it “our Spiritual Sun.” In esoteric belief systems, our earthly Sun illuminates our physical world, whereas Sirius, our Spiritual Sun, illuminates the true nature of our timeless soul. The ancient Egyptians were very in tune with the star Sirius. They believed it was the gateway to heaven and the home of higher vibrational beings. They believed the energy of Sirius carried highly advanced wisdom that we could tap into and utilize whenever Sirius was prominently placed in the sky, such as at its rising in July in ancient times and now in August.

In Ancient Egypt the heliacal rising of Sirius each year in July, marked the start of the new year. The inundation of the agricultural fields happened as if by clockwork each year (before the building of the Aswan Dam, built between 1960 and 1970.) Before the dam, the rich black silt of the River Nile brought nutrients to the Nile-side agricultural fields. Because the Nile is the only major river in the world that flows south to north, the waters flowed from Lake Victoria and the Ethiopian mountains to fertilize the Egyptian fields. The Ancient Egyptians viewed this yearly flood as a gift of prosperity and fertility which they associated with the Goddess Isis, sister and wife to Osiris, the first pharaoh. It is truly a shame that this beautiful natural cycle has been disrupted.

There are those who believe that the Great Pyramids of Giza act as transmitters, helping to amplify the energy of the royal stars of Sirius in Canis Major, Alnilam in Orion and Deneb in Cygnus in order to allow us to channel and download their messages with greater intensity. The Great Sphinx also aligns with the Leo zodiac during this time of year. This alignment is believed to aid in the receiving of Divine messages from both Isis and Anubis, the Gods connected to Sirius.

The veneration of Sirius by the Ancient Egyptians was not unique. Reverence of Sirius has been found around the world, from the Mayans and Aztecs to the Sumerians, Babylonians, and the Dogon tribe of Mali. In all of these places, there is a tradition of worship of this brightest star in our Galaxy. And while our Sun is responsible for beaming down life for our physical bodies, Sirius is responsible for beaming down life for our spiritual bodies. This is why, at this time each year, the opening of the Lions Gate Portal and the heliacal rise of Sirius (its first appearance in the sky for the year after 70 days below the horizon) brings awakenings and lifts our spirits and our consciousness to new heights.

Here are a few things we can set as an intention to experience under the Lions Gate transit as outlined on the site foreverconscious.com:

• Heart healings: the Lionsgate portal activates the Leo-ruled heart chakra. Old or even current wounds of the heart may rise up for healing. We may finally feel free from any grief or sadness that has burdened our hearts.
• Third eye awakenings: the Lionsgate portal activates the third eye chakra. We may feel more intuitive or learn something new that helps us understand how our intuition speaks to us. Our intuition is likely to be strong at this time and if this is something we want to work with more, the Lionsgate portal is a great time to begin.
• Higher Chakra Openings: while we have seven main chakras or energy centers in our body, we also have hundreds of smaller, chakras that can be activated and awakened during the Lionsgate Portal. This helps us to tap into new wisdom and high spiritual knowledge.
• Psychic downloads: with the high vibrational energy from Sirius beaming our way, we are more likely to receive psychic downloads. These can come through our dreams, visions, spirit guides and angels, or through simply hearing things while in a state of relaxation. Meditation and automatic writing are great ways to open to this energy and to receive guidance.
• Visitations: the ancients believed that Sirius was home to heaven, angels, and other worldly beings. Under the Lionsgate Portal energy, we are more likely to receive messages, dreams, signs and visits from our loved ones who have passed and from our spirit guides and guardian angels. Encountering alien beings may also be more likely too.
• Freedom: one of the strongest vibrations from Sirius is this energy of freedom and revolution. The idea is that our earthly Sun illuminates this physical world, which is an illusion. But Sirius illuminates our soul and spiritual bodies, which is the truth. By understanding this, we gain a sense of freedom.
• Peace: Sirius has very peaceful vibrations too, so spending time in nature and meditation is a great way to tap into this peaceful energy and use it for healing and restoring your mind, body, and soul.
• Technology: Sirius is also associated with highly advanced technology. If you have a new tech innovation or would like to start a website, blog, app, or anything else related to technology, this would be great energy to use to your advantage.
• Creativity: Lionsgate is also a highly creative time and the perfect opportunity to try a new creative project or to take action on a creative project you have been looking to get off the ground.

Tune in to the energy of the Lions Gate and create a sacred ritual for Sunday, August 8^th this year and again for Wednesday, August 11^th with the early morning rise of Sirius. Tune in to this very important energy alone or in a group on the 8^th indoors or even better outdoors at 9:50 am EDT when the New Moon is exact. On August 11^th this year, I will personally make a point of getting up around 5 and at 5:30 a.m. EDT I’ll drive out as far East as I can in the country to view the first heliacal rising of Sirius for the year. I will be looking for the three “belt stars” of the constellation of Orion the Hunter and then continuing that line of sight to the south to find Sirius in the constellation of Canis Major (the Dog) companion of Orion the Hunter. The bright scintillating twinkle of Sirius and its rainbow of colors is mesmerizing and fills my heart with excitement to know I am connecting with the “Sun of our Sun.” On the Lions Gate of 8/8 this year, set an intention of how you wish to use this joyful and inspired energy in the coming year between today and 8/8 next year. We are Spirit Lions! Create a ritual that allows you to harness and work with this uplifting energy each month on the New Moon.

On Thursday, August 19^th, Uranus will join the Retrograde Outer Planet Party with Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Pluto (that went retrograde in April, May and June.) Uranus will remain in retrograde (slowed motion as compared to the faster motion of the Earth) until January 14^th, 2022. During this time, scientific discoveries will be in final stages of completion. A new version of Covid called the Delta Plus Variant, also known as B.1.617.2.1, has led to a tragic increase in cases in India. It has also been widely detected in the U.S., U.K., China, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, and Switzerland. According to the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) the Delta strain appears to be more transmissible, better able to attack lung cells, and less responsive to antibodies. As we speak, scientists are feverishly working to come up with a booster or even a new vaccine to combat the new mutations of Covid that are coming out monthly now it seems.

At the start of the Uranus Retrograde, at 14 degrees Taurus, there are likely to be major changes in life that we would like to initiate but nothing has moved forward yet. Over the next 5 months, transiting Uranus retrograde will help us to internalize the internal changes in attitude or behavior that are necessary to make the desired changes possible. Many of the changes we seek relate to creating more personal freedom or toward streamlining our online presence and increasing our knowledge of science and technology. In general we are looking to “upgrade” our knowledge (Aquarius and Uranus) and financial status (Taurus) in a particular area. These next 5 months give us the opportunity to process the changes we want to make internally before the time comes between January 14^th 2022 and late August of 2022 to manifest the external changes. These can effectively be made once Uranus turns direct at 10 degrees Taurus. Located the degrees of 14 to 10 Taurus in your astrological chart. The astrological house these degrees fall into will tell you where you can make these major upgrades and improvements.

Happy Birthday Virgo! The Sun slips into the subtle and refined sign of Virgo on Sunday, August 22^nd on the same day as the Full Moon in Aquarius, which waxes full at 8:02 a.m. EDT. Virgo Sun Sign people are the craftspeople and analysts of the astrological universe. The analysis of information and its refinement into a specific path is something that Virgo natives do better than the rest of us. It is worthwhile to take the advice of a Virgo native when considering an investment, a remodeling job, a career path and many other paths in life. After the excitement of the zodiac sign of Leo, its joyful expression and leadership, the humbleness of Virgo is refreshing. Whatever Leo proclaims from the rooftop can be refined and improved through the skill of the Goddess of the Harvest. The Full Moon on Sunday the 22^nd takes place at 8:02 a.m. EDT. This Full Moon occurs at the exact degree opposing Regulus the fixed star at the heart of the constellation of Leo. This lion star is known as “the Lion King” located at 29 degrees Leo/0 degrees Virgo! Accompanying the Full Moon, Jupiter at 27 degrees Aquarius causes this Full Moon to be even more inspiring! Locate 29 degrees Aquarius/0 degrees Pisces in your birth chart to know which area of your life holds the potential for inspiration and heart-centered action.

On Monday, August 30^th Mercury will exit careful and analytical Virgo and enter the diplomatic and artistic sign of Libra. I hope that we all made some plans for the fall and into the new year with Mercury in Virgo? The Mercury-ruled sign of Virgo helps us to anticipate future trends and interests. At best, the months of July and August help us set our sights on important goals of all types. Now as Mercury moves into Libra, we experience the influx of social energy that happens at this time each year as we return to work and young people return to school. All systems are GO! now to promote our sports, our clubs, our personal work and our creative projects. Make the most of this period from August 30^th through November 5^th with the planet of communications in Libra. A Mercury retrograde which starts September 27^th and runs through October 17^th will cause Mercury to stay in the sign of the Scales for a full 3 months. Mind your p’s and q’s everyone! Diplomacy and the social graces are the name of the game. People who are not acting justly may experience serious consequences during this 3-month period as well. The investigation into the January government insurgency may well expose significant information about the former U.S. president’s involvement.

Now let’s take a look at the year ahead for our Leo Sun sign natives. Each year we take a look at the aspects the Leo Sun makes to inner and outer planets to determine some of the characteristics the year ahead will bring. Please note: don’t be disappointed if you don’t see your birthday included here. This means that you are blessed to experience a year in the essence of Leo ahead. A Leo-influenced year is a year in which to become a creative leader and a joyful participant in life! Leos born between the 28^th of July and the 4^th of August will experience a year in which their Sun is conjunct (strengthened) by Mercury. This is a year in which you have a lot to say and there are many ready to listen! If you have a product, a business a service or an artform to share, hang your shingle out now. Attend marketing events and use your website and or other online media to promote your work. It’s a good idea to keep a journal or record memos to your phone of ideas that come to you daily. You will want to keep track of these for the future! Lions born between the 29^th of July and the 5^th of August will experience a year in which their Sun opposes (balances with) Saturn. This year will be a mixture of creative inspiration and painstaking detail work. You will learn the meaning of self-discipline if you try as hard to refine your work as you do creating it. Stay on “the straight and narrow” this year and you will be impressed with the excellent work you have created within a year’s time. Recognition of your work is forthcoming if you can follow through and stay the course. Leo natives born between the 3^rd of August and the 9^th of August will experience a year in which their Sun makes a challenging square to Uranus. This is a year in which you will want to buck the system. You won’t easily tolerate restrictions to your self-expression this year. The key is to produce work of such quality that your higher-ups will give in and give you carte blanche. It is not worthwhile to rebel for the sake of rebellion this year. Bide your time and create something of lasting value. You will be re-setting the standard of excellence if you rise to the challenge. Lucky Leos born on August 8^th and 9^th will experience a year in which their Sun will be conjunct (strengthened by) the Moon. This is a year of new beginnings. You are ready to strike out in a new direction and you have the energy and conviction to do it! New creative projects are blessed with dynamic energy that will catch the attention of those you want to impress. So, get ready to Shine! Finally, Leo folks born between the 16^th and the 21^st of August will experience a year in which their Sun will oppose Jupiter. This is a year in which your Leonine courage shines! You are feeling good and the sky is the limit! Avoid promising more than you can deliver and you will accomplish very satisfying results in your work. There are ups and downs in relationships, finances (with overspending) and at work this year depending upon your ability to stay humble, --or not! If you can avoid tooting your own horn too much, you’ll be making great strides. The effort put in this year will yield improved financial results starting in July and August of next year. Go for it!

Kari Noren-Hoshal is an evolutionary astrologer and director of astronomy and astrology for the Sacred World Peace Church and Alliance. To schedule a reading with Kari email her at karinorenhoshal@aol.com and mention this article to receive a $20 discount on an hour’s reading with recording, chart and Soul Mission Card.