Here's How The August Full Moon Will Affect Your Love Life

Remember that episode of Dawson's Creek where the full moon turns everything weird and wavy? Wires cross on a wonky first date; dinner parties run off the rails once crashed by unwelcome guests; co-workers find their faces thrust together in the convenient darkness of a power outage; a teen and a 20-something narrowly avoid an illegal sexual encounter; in short, the melodramatic little world of Capeside finds itself at the mercy of a cosmic event that, to quote Joey, "turns everything off-kilter ... upside down." Remember? No? Me neither, but the larger point here is that the moon — widely viewed as "the state flower for romance," to once again quote a very precocious Joey — plunges all of us into chaos when it waxes to completion. At least according to astrology. And if you happen to subscribe to that kind of thing, buckle up, because there's a full moon rising. On August 26, in fact, we will be blessed with our ninth full moon of 2018 (the Sturgeon Moon, as it happens) and all the chaos it purportedly brings. And because you obviously did get that extended Dawson's Creek reference, I am confident that the single most distracting question you'd like answered will be: How will August's full moon affect my love life?

So glad you asked! The full moon lands in a different sign every month, when the moon and sun oppose one another, astrologer Linda Furiate tells Bustle. "In astrology, the full moon represents a time of relating to another," she says. "The moon is fully illuminated by the sun, offering us insight into self through our relationships. This is the perfect time to go within."

"Basically, the Sun and the Moon are having a conversation about you, but it's up to you to listen."

As Jess Domain from GiftedAstrology.com tells Bustle, "Every Full Moon carries specific energies. When a Full Moon is in your sign it can be a little more intense, because the moon is holding the energies of the sun sign that you were born under. Basically, the Sun and the Moon are having a conversation about you, but it's up to you to listen."

The Full Moon On August 26, 2018 Lands In Pisces

Whom among us are our star and satellite gossiping about this month? Pisces (the Sturgeon Moon after all), "the sign of increased awareness, balance, feelings, spirituality, creativity and following your heart," as Domain puts it. What does it mean to have a full moon waltz into this dreamy, self-reflective house?

"Romantically, this Pisces Full Moon will shine more light and show us where we have conflict going on in ourselves and gently prod us to resolve it internally and find the courage to finally take action in love," says Domain. "What’s going on behind the scenes in your heart that you haven’t shared with anyone yet?

"If anyone out there is looking for love or wants to deepen the bond they already have, this full moon will really be helpful in making those dreams come true."

According to Domain, the August 2018 full moon may inspire some of us to take more responsibility in relationships, or to finally broach the subject that's been gnawing at our insides. "Ultimately, it will clear a path towards deeper commitments, to the Self and others," she says. Which may mean, for those of you who've balked at settling in with just one partner, that your various sex friends take a moment to consider what they want and decide they need a different arrangement. According to Furiate, "Less grounded or uncertain romantic connections may find that they are confused about the direction of a relationship." Don't overthink things, she emphasizes.

If You're In A Relationship

For the coupled-up among you, congrats: The full moon in Pisces may afford you an excellent opportunity to "stay home, cuddle, listen to soothing music and to sense a depth of love and compassion for each other," Furiate says, thanks to the spiritual vibes that foster "a deeper connection to our partner." Which is to say, the Pisces full moon may ask us to look closely at romantic foundations. If yours is solid, this may be a warm and fuzzy time; if it's not, well, you'll soon find out — but that's also for the best.

If You're Single & Looking

Not in a partnership of any kind, but maybe kind of want to be? "If anyone out there is looking for love or wants to deepen the bond they already have, this full moon will really be helpful in making those dreams come true," Bustle astrologer Mecca Woods says. "The moon will be getting some support from an auspicious meeting between Saturn in Capricorn, Uranus in Taurus, and the Sun in Virgo. With this kind of earthy planetary trifecta, this full moon is saying that if we've been putting in the effort, we can actually get what we've been asking for; that our dreams can become real."

In other words, you'll reap what you've sown. It sounds ominous, but really this sounds like a pretty positive moon — a far more subtle chaos agent than the one described on Dawson's Creek. Really, it sounds like a catalyst to encourage relationships' movement along their natural and correct course.

Which Signs Will The August 2018 Full Moon Affect?

All signs will feel the effects of the full moon, but some get more heat than others. Pisces are in for the most intense experience, because all of this goes down in their house, but Mecca says Virgo, Scorpio, and Leo can also expect a more concentrated lunar experience. And then, there's Cancer, a water sign ruled by the moon and also its feelings. Crabs may expect lightbulb moments and deep, cathartic, long-time-coming conversations.

Luckily, Domain says, "Mars moves out of retrograde and goes direct the following day, so the courage and action energy will be there to support your changes." Any way you slice it, though, the August 2018 full moon seems primed to push us all inward for an honest self-assessment.