Every year, the arrival of the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar, commonly known as Ghost Month, brings a wave of caution.
The gates of the underworld are said to open, allowing wandering spirits to roam the living world. The period peaks with the Hungry Ghost Festival, or Ghost Day, on Aug. 27, 2026.
To ward off misfortune, people observe a long list of taboos. They avoid major milestones such as weddings, delay signing contracts, and steer clear of supposedly ominous acts, from wearing all red to picking up loose coins on the street or staying out past dark.
Resti Santiago
But astrologer and scholar Resti Santiago says much of what modern culture attributes to Ghost Month comes from a mix of folk traditions, calendar confusion, and Western astrological parallels, rather than traditional Feng Shui itself.
“For the clients, Ghost Month is a non-issue,” he says.
That is because Chinese metaphysics and Western astrology operate on very different systems.
Western astrology puts particular weight on cosmic phenomena such as eclipses and major shifts involving the Sun, Moon, and Earth. These are associated with karmic turning points, sudden endings, and major breakthroughs in life.
Chinese metaphysics, meanwhile, works with two distinct calendar systems.
The Solar Calendar begins around February, near the Solar New Year, and is based on the Earth’s position relative to the Sun. Classical Feng Shui relies almost exclusively on the solar calendar.
The Lunar Calendar follows the moon’s cycles, or lunations. That is why the seventh month falls around August, the Ghost Month running from the Aug. 13 new moon to Sept. 10, 2026.
Because classical Feng Shui follows solar timing, the 30-day lunar Ghost Month carries no inherent negative weight in traditional Feng Shui calculations.
In Chinese metaphysics, observing Ghost Month is primarily a cultural and religious tradition practiced by Buddhists and Taoists, Santiago says. It functions much like All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, except that it extends over an entire month. Families honor departed ancestors, offer prayers, and share food.
“It was never meant to evoke a Hollywood horror story, nor does classical Feng Shui write off the entire 30 days as unviable,” he says.
“August is yin, ” he says. In Chinese philosophy, yin represents the passive and receptive force of nature. It is the counterpart of yang, the active and bright force. That makes the seventh month the most yin period of the year.
Starting a business during a heavily yin period can present a psychological or societal hurdle because of public perception. But Santiago says choosing a favorable day within the month, based on personal timing and the energies of that particular day, can still yield positive results.
If Ghost Month carries no strict astrological prohibition against doing business in classical Feng Shui, why do practical taboos such as avoiding contract signings, large purchases, weddings, or new ventures remain so persistent?
Santiago has a theory. The practical taboos of Ghost Month closely resemble Western astrology’s warnings during Mercury retrograde, the period when Mercury appears to move backward in its orbit. Astrologers associate Mercury retrograde with disruptions in communication, travel, and contract negotiations. Misunderstandings, delayed agreements, and business complications are among the problems traditionally blamed on the phenomenon. Mercury retrograde occurs three to four times a year. Because its cycle moves backward through the calendar, it falls in August roughly every two to three years.
The practical taboos of Ghost Month closely resemble Western astrology’s warnings during Mercury retrograde, the period when Mercury appears to move backward in its orbit
Over centuries of cultural crossover, Santiago suggests, disruptions, miscommunication, delays, and failed launches traditionally blamed on Mercury retrograde became intertwined with Ghost Month superstitions.
On the other hand, these cycles can be viewed through the lens of timing and karma rather than urban legends or unavoidable bad luck. Understanding the difference between lunar cultural observance, classical solar Feng Shui, and planetary movements offers a clearer view of the season.
Unlike Mercury retrograde, eclipses carry real weight in astrological forecasting, although their effects are far more specific than popular belief suggests.
Santiago cites two factors that matter most when assessing an eclipse: where it is visible and which zodiac sign it falls in. An eclipse is considered strongest in places where it can actually be seen. Its astrological theme is also shaped by the zodiac sign hosting it.
In August 2026, two eclipses bookend the month.
Aug. 13, Leo – The solar eclipse in Leo puts the spotlight on leadership, personal pride, self-expression, and high-visibility roles.
Aug. 28, Pisces – The lunar eclipse in Pisces shifts the emphasis toward intuition, emotional closure, spiritual resolution, and issues operating beneath the surface.
For people whose birth charts are closely connected to these Leo and Pisces positions, the effects can be more pronounced.
In other words, astrology does not treat an eclipse as a blanket warning that everyone will suffer bad luck. Its impact depends on where the eclipse falls in an individual’s life, career, beliefs, opportunities, resources in their charts.
For Senator Rodante Marcoleta, Santiago connects the August solar eclipse in Leo with a swift political crisis. Hidden issues came to light, followed by his arrest on plunder charges involving ₱75 million in undeclared campaign funds.
Because Leo sits directly opposite Aquarius on the zodiac wheel, a Leo eclipse can also put pressure on people with strong Aquarius placements.
This brings Sen. Loren Legarda and her son, Rep.Leandro Leviste, into the picture. Their charts are heavily anchored in Aquarius. The Ombudsman has been investigating them over allegations of plunder and graft. State investigators accuse Legarda, an Aquarius, of using her Senate position to help Leviste monopolize ₱10 billion in solar contracts that ultimately produced no power. Legarda denies the allegations, calling them baseless political smears.
Astrologically, Saturn is associated with maturity, responsibility, and timing. Leviste has Saturn in Aquarius in his birth chart. From Santiago’s astrological perspective, taking on a multibillion-peso solar venture at age 20 presented a mismatch between the scale of the responsibility and the maturity represented by Saturn. The eclipse, he says, brought that tension to the surface.
The August 28 lunar eclipse falls on the Virgo-Pisces axis. In astrology, an axis simply means two zodiac signs sitting directly opposite each other on the zodiac wheel. Virgo is associated with analysis, scrutiny, work, and practical details. Pisces is linked to intuition, hidden matters, emotions, and the less tangible side of life.
For Representative Leviste, a Pisces, the eclipse falls directly on his Sun sign. In astrological terms, Santiago sees this as a catalyst for issues operating beneath the surface to become more visible, intensifying existing political and economic pressures.
Meanwhile, Mars, the planet astrologers associate with conflict, competition, and confrontation, is adding to internal conflict within the House of Representatives, Santiago says.
Mars, the planet astrologers associate with conflict, competition, and confrontation, is adding to internal conflict within the House of Representatives
For President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., a Virgo, the eclipse does not make a direct hit because its degree does not closely align with his chart. Instead of a devastating crisis, Santiago sees manageable but constructive challenges. These allow Marcos to navigate the political storm without losing control.
The Philippines itself also has a birth chart, based on July 4, 1946. The country has a Cancer Sun, which represents its core identity, and a Virgo Ascendant, which represents how it presents itself to the world. Its Moon, representing the public mood and emotional climate, is in Aries.
Because the eclipse directly activates Virgo, the country’s public face, Santiago says it can expose issues that have been hidden from view. Public attention remains fixed on political drama, from stalled Senate trials to Vice President Sara Duterte’s controversies. But Santiago sees the eclipse as part of a necessary cleansing cycle. It exposes the root causes of failed projects and systemic breakdowns, he says, giving voters a clearer picture before they make their choices in 2028.
Sara Duterte’s Gemini Sun may appear untouched by the eclipse at first glance. But Santiago says the eclipse directly activates important planetary placements in her chart. It affects Saturn, which in astrology represents structure, authority, and accountability, and Mars, which represents conflict, opposition, and adversaries.
Together, Santiago says, these placements release volatile energy that can weaken her political support systems while strengthening her opposition.
Her ruling planet for the year also falls in an area of the chart associated with hidden matters and confinement. With Saturn placing restrictions on this area, her actions and official documents come under intense scrutiny.
Even if polls remain favorable or Senate proceedings are delayed, Santiago sees the cycle pointing to accountability. He believes unavoidable events could weaken her political support and push the investigations toward a final outcome.
The effects are not limited to individual politicians. Santiago also connects the Pisces lunar eclipse to financial pressure on the country, including the Philippine peso weakening toward ₱62 to the US dollar.
He does not see the economic and political turbulence simply as a bad omen. In his reading, the period exposes problems that can no longer be ignored. The political investigations and controversies over infrastructure, including flood-control projects, could force changes in the next two years. The public backlash may also lead to stronger safeguards to prevent the same problems from happening again.
Santiago sees the national astrological cycles pointing toward a stronger trajectory from 2028 to 2029, with the potential for improved leadership, a more capable military, and a more resilient economy over the next 50 years.
The changes do not stop with politics. Santiago also sees a major transition coming to the media landscape, driven by planetary shifts involving Gemini, the planet of communication.
News and information will become increasingly decentralized, he predicts. Independent outlets and podcasts will continue to grow, even as major legacy networks consolidate through strategic mergers. The result could be a very different media landscape, with audiences getting news from a wider range of independent sources. Established networks and newspapers need to adapt to a more fragmented market.
All told, Santiago, points out what distinguishes astrology from pure belief or ghost superstitions. Belief systems based purely on faith begin with belief itself. Astrologers, in contrast, begin with observable planetary positions and use an established system to interpret what those movements might mean for human affairs..
Hence, Ghost Month may be surrounded by stories of wandering spirits and long lists of taboos. But for astrology and Chinese metaphysics, the more interesting question is not whether August is unlucky. It is whether we understand which calendar, which celestial cycle, which karmic consequence, and which personal chart we are talking about.
