What You Need To Know About The Opening Of The Lion's Gate Portal On August 8

If you've noticed a vibe shift since the July 28 new moon in Leo, there's a good reason: The Lion's Gate Portal has begun to open. The Portal begins to open around July 28 every year and remains open until August 12, according to AstroStyle. But if you want to work with the energy the portal ushers in then August 8 is the day of the "official activation."

The portal opens when the sun is in zodiac sign Leo and aligns with the star Sirius, constellation Orion, and Earth, astrologist Miriam Lapp explained to The List via email. The sun, Sirius, and Orion's alignment with Earth create a portal that essentially showers our planet with an abundance of potential for creativity and growth. "This transit is where the term 'the dog days of summer' comes from because everything is heating up," Lapp added.

The star Sirius, sometimes also known as the "spiritual sun," is a major reason why the Lion's Gate Portal activation on August 8 is so powerful, per Forever Conscious. Where the sun provides physical nourishment, Sirius is believed to breathe life into our "spiritual bodies."

We're not the first to track or tap into the power of the Lion's Gate Portal, according to Bustle. There is evidence that the Dogon tribe of Africa, and other ancient cultures all followed this alignment. But the power of August 8 goes deeper than star and planetary alignment.

The power of the Lion's Gate Portal also comes from numerology, holistic psychiatrist Kayse Budd, M.D, told mind body green. In astrology, both the eighth house and eighth sign are Scorpio, whose traits are often associated with "power, transformation, energy, passion, and sexuality," Budd explained.

When we asked astrologer and tarot reader Miriam Lapp about the power and significance behind August 8, she explained that the energy the number "8" carries with it only supports what the universe will already be delivering when the Lion's Gate Portal activates. This is an especially potent time for manifestation because of the number's connection to "wealth, abundance, achievement," and "prosperity." She added that the number also helps support a readiness to make these big life changes you're feeling inspired to pursue.

Just putting a goal out into the universe isn't enough, though; you need to play an active role in improving your life. But the hard work will pay off, astrology Amy Zerner told Well and Good. "A double eight, as in 88, is said to bring double joy," she explained, adding that the number's symmetrical shape is another reason the number is thought to be so lucky: It "lends itself to perfect balance" and renewal.

August 8, the day the Lion's Gate Portal is at the height of its power, is a day for beginning again. Whether that change is big or small is up to you and the work you're willing to do.

You don't have to be born during Leo season to take advantage of everything the Lion's Gate Portal has to offer. "When the sun is in Leo, the entire world benefits from an infusion of [Leo's] energies," Kayse Budd, M.D, told mind body green. Courage, expression, and strength — all major themes of Leo's power, per AstroStyle — serve as a solid energetic foundation to rebuild yourself on.

August 8, and the days surrounding the Lion's Gate Portal activation, is when you're going to want to spend time looking inward. Where are you spending your power, and how is that serving you? "This portal is sweeping all of humanity into our next phase" and leaving behind "whatever isn't serving our highest and best evolution," according to AstroStyle.

Ascension guide and intuitive healer Laura Brown told Bustle that doing an eight-minute intention-setting ritual is a great way to work with the Lion's Gate Portal energy. After, Brown suggests writing down your goals and then eight actions you can take to start the process.

This is a time you're going to want to be especially patient with yourself, AstroStyle warned. Be sure you're staying hydrated and rested and keeping away from doing things or being around people that are especially superficial and draining. "It's almost as if we are [experiencing] a severe and dramatic drop in barometric pressure," AstroStyle said of the Lion's Gate Portal energy. Make sure you're taking care of your body, too.