August is ending with an unusual combination in Western astrology. On August 27, Mercury reaches cazimi in Virgo, followed closely by a partial lunar eclipse in Pisces on August 28. Both events fall along the Virgo-Pisces axis, giving astrologers a lot to interpret as eclipse season comes to a close.
For you, this can feel like a push-and-pull between wanting clear answers and accepting that some things cannot be neatly explained. Astrologers are reading the pairing through themes of clarity, reflection, release and change.
The word cazimi comes from traditional astrology and refers to a planet being very close to the Sun. On August 27, Mercury reaches cazimi at about 4 degrees Virgo, according to astrologer Juliana McCarthy's August forecast.
Astrologers believe, Mercury is linked with communication, thinking, information and decision-making in Western astrology. Virgo, meanwhile, is linked with details, organisation and practical matters.
That combination gives this transit an easy theme to understand. You may find yourself wanting to sort through a confusing situation, finish an unfinished conversation or finally make sense of something that has been bothering you.
Astrologer Juliana McCarthy describes Mercury during this cazimi as being "clear-sighted" and places it directly against the emotional tone of the Pisces lunar eclipse that follows.
On August 28, the Moon reaches full phase in Pisces while the Sun remains in Virgo, creating a partial lunar eclipse. More than 96% of the Moon will pass through Earth's darkest shadow, making it a deep partial eclipse.
An astrologer of Nebula has earlier mentioned that the eclipse will be on the Virgo-Pisces axis as a meeting point between "reason and faith, order and surrender."
The August 28 eclipse is also part of a longer Virgo-Pisces eclipse cycle that began in 2024 and continues into 2027. That makes this event more than a standalone date for astrologers who follow eclipse cycles.
You can use the timing as a prompt to reflect on what has changed over the past two years. Have your priorities shifted? Are you still following a routine that no longer works? Is there something you understand now that once felt confusing?
The sky offers no simple answer to those questions. But that may be the point of this unusual astrological pairing.
Mercury in Virgo asks you to look closely. The Pisces eclipse asks you to loosen your grip. Between the two, you may find that moving forward does not always require having all the answers first.
Soumi Pyne is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with four years of work experience. She started her career as a digital journalist with HT after completing her master's in media and communication from NSHM Kolkata. She covers topics in astrology, manifesting, and tarot readings, and also interviews astrologers to share their stories. In 2022, she interviewed the young indigo pilot who had saved Indian students from Ukraine. She has also covered stories about the Dhoomimal Art Gallery and a few lifestyle stories. She is now a fervent reader of astrology, but before working full-time on the Astrology beat, she coordinated and published think tank stories in the HT insight section. Additionally, produced Live Mint and HT newsletters, during which she had the scope to publish news articles by HT's editor-in-chief, Sukumar Ranganathan. She puts in her best effort to make her readers justify the statement "Astrology is a pseudoscience". While she believes that Astrology is not intertwined with Science, she aims to help her readers understand that the human body can be influenced by planetary alignments, drawing on insights from Indian and USA astrologers. Outside her professional sphere, she enjoys a healthy lifestyle through yoga, journaling, meditation, running, and cooking gluten-free meals. She is an avid documentary enthusiast who loves watching BBC, Discovery, and other channels, with a focus on ancient history, space, art, and culture. Also, you'll often find her taking her pooch to new cafes and often taking short trips with her girls or her family to offbeat places.Read More
