The Scrutiny of Delusions: Astrology Forecast August 23rd – 29th, 2021

By Nikki Harper | Guest Writer

In this week of two halves, we are being asked to see what stands up to a reality test and what does not. The answer to this could prove painful for many, as dearly held beliefs are shown to be delusions. The challenge is whether you can pick up the pieces, re-collect your thoughts, and move ahead on a firmer footing, once you understand where truth lies. Not everyone will – some will retreat further into delusion-land, portraying themselves as victims and crying foul because someone has pointed out that the Emperor has no clothes.

Tuesday’s Mercury-Neptune opposition kicks off this vibe, egged on by a Pisces Moon whose grasp of the truth is best described as ‘tenuous’ even on a good day. When Mercury opposes Neptune, reasoned thought and rationality go out of the window. Even the most logical and analytical of people will find themselves swayed by imagination, illusion, mystery and ethereal possibilities. Nothing wrong with a good dose of imagination and this aspect can be useful for those in the creative industries, or for anyone seeking some gentle escapism. The problem occurs when we stop taking an imaginary detour simply for our own pleasure and start insisting that what we’ve made up is actually the truth.

Anyone insisting on riding the delusion train will be in for a rude awakening on Thursday, when Mercury trines authoritarian Pluto and a reality check brings illusions crashing down. Nobody likes discovering that they have been wrong, and it’s the nature of humanity that most people will think this applies to someone else, not to them. However, we all harbour our own views on where truth lies, and most of us are wrong at least some of the time. Being big enough to admit that you’ve been wrong this time will distinguish those who have a good week from those who feel victimised and put upon.

Aries

You’re confused about how best to maximise your wellbeing. Your focus so far has been on improving your physical health, but events this week will highlight how really, it’s your mental health which needs your attention. Don’t be misled into thinking that because you’re hale and hearty externally, you’re OK internally. It doesn’t work like that. Be strong enough to admit that you may need some help with counselling or therapy, or simply some time spent working on your self-esteem or your self-worth.

Taurus

Your conflict this week concerns what is best for you versus what is best for your wider group of friends and associates, or your community. Your desire to pursue selfish goals isn’t unreasonable, and you look are right to look around and see that most other people are doing exactly that. However, you have a higher calling, and you intuitively understand the need for society to be grounded in kindness, humanity and collective efforts. If in doubt, for this week only, put your community first. You will have time later to refocus on your own personal priorities.

Gemini

Your reality check involves your on-going delusion about having it all. You’ve tried so hard to get the best of all worlds, pursing your career as well as maintaining a happy relationship and family life – but this week, reality bites, and you realise (again, this is not new to you) that something has to give. It simply is not possible to give equal weight to both areas of your life right now. Sometimes, you briefly get away with it, but this is not one of those weeks. You will need to make a decision about where to focus your energy. Choose wisely, because your decision will have repercussions.

Cancer

Find a sense of awe this week, however you can. You have become seriously caught up in the details and intricacies of everyday living, but this has dimmed your sense of wonder and your connection to the collective consciousness. Your reality check this week involves the sudden and perhaps quite drastic realisation that there is more to life than merely existing. Make it a priority to seek out things, people or places which make you gasp with open-mouthed wonder, and which help you to regain your sense of connection, via your own inner divine spark.

Leo

You’re slowly starting to realise this week that no, you are not an island, and no, you cannot do this alone. Your pride and your occasional arrogance have long led you to believe that you don’t need anyone else’s help, whether at work or in your personal life. This week’s events will prove that teamwork matters. Don’t delude yourself that you alone can carry out your responsibilities. Share them. Delegate, and expect others to take their fair share of the weight. You didn’t create this situation alone, so you do not have to solve it alone either.

Virgo

Your ruler Mercury is in your sign, but opposing Neptune in your love zone. This is a recipe for romantic confusion, illusion or even deception. Quite who is deceiving who is not altogether clear – what is clear, however, is that somewhere within your closest relationship, or with someone you trust implicitly, someone is not being completely honest. Finding this out will hurt, but try to look at it another way. Wouldn’t you rather know than not know? And once you know, healing and reconciliation is possible, if that is what you want.

Libra

You’ve worked so hard to get things in order recently, and to establish order out of chaos. And yet, chaos keeps nipping at your heels. This week, you are invited to embrace that chaos, and to understand that not everything in life can be – or should be – controlled. Your challenge is to simply go with the flow and to allow these energies to unfurl, without trying to direct them, molde them, force them into something they’re not or command them to change at will. You are not in control right now, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Scorpio

Friendships are in the spotlight this week, and you may find that you’ve been deluding yourself over who is truly on your side. As the week unfurls, someone may betray you, or you may find that you’re not as welcome in a social group as you thought you were. None of this is pleasant, but getting to grips with this reality does have an unexpected bonus: the more you step away from the social scene, the stronger your own identity as an individual becomes. You may have deluded yourself over this particular tribe, but there are many others out there who will be honoured to have you join them.

Sagittarius

Your delusion this week concerns your status in life, and how much that matters to you. You’ve bought into the myth that it maters how much money you earn, where you live, what car you drive and what labels you wear. You’ve been seduced by materialism recently, against your better nature, and a wakeup call this week points out starkly how little these things actually matter in the grander scheme of life. Go back to your core being and focus on developing who you are and how you can benefit the world, rather than developing your level of material wealth.

Capricorn

This week’s energies are more positive for you than for many, because your delusion has been about limiting your own importance. You are passionate about something, but you have believed that you cannot make a difference, that nobody is interested in what you have to say. You’re wrong, and events this week will show you how your voice does matter. It’s time to start speaking up. The reality is that you have a job to do in this regard. That brings its own responsibilities and tribulations, but it’s a whole lot better than thinking that nobody’s listening.

Aquarius

Stop looking for security from an external source, and start understanding that you build your own emotional and psychological security from within. Your delusion has been about money, financial security or financial stability; you have believed that in order to feel safe and grounded, you must earn a certain amount. The truth is that while everyone enjoys money, it’s not as necessary as you think. You have the power to make yourself feel safe, regardless of your financial situation. Your own belief in yourself is where this begins, and until that is in place, you will remain at the mercy of financial fluctuations.

Pisces

Your reality check this week involves understanding that you don’t need anyone else in order to be happy. If you’re in love, that’s great, but you can stand on your own two feet too. If you’re single, stop deluding yourself that you need a partner right now and that anyone is better than nobody. Nothing could be further from the truth. You are a strong individual in your own right, and you can stand head and shoulders above the crowed on your own. Losing your neediness when it comes to love will help you attract the right kind of person, eventually, rather than those you’ve been stuck with this far.

About the Author

Nikki Harper is a spiritualist writer, astrologer, and Wake Up World’s editor.