July begins with an upbeat, exuberant, ‘feel good’ attitude.
On the 1st of July, Venus conjuncts Jupiter, the Sun trines Neptune and there is the Capricorn Full Moon. Whatever we want, we can easily convince ourselves that not only do we deserve it but that we can have it no matter the expense. We can be in something of a reverie, tuning out the world and seeking an idyllic, happy and safe place for ourselves. Lurking below the surface may be some concern that not all is right in the world, even if we do evade it by concentrating on our own personal realm.
The early part of July continues with some fun times with that special someone, or those special people in our lives. In the US, we could be enjoying a long extended July 4th weekend, a weekend that for many of us epitomizes the height of summertime.
Mercury in Gemini is highly active during this time of the Independence Day weekend. On the 2nd, Mercury sextiles Uranus followed by Mercury sextile Jupiter on the 3rd and culminating with Mercury sextile Venus on the 5th. We may have many irons in the fire, talking about this, getting involved in that, and possibly going briefly from one thing to another to another.
Conversations may be many with discussions about possibilities we might not have even considered before. We may be traveling literally or figuratively with some of us taking off for distant horizons, others of us broadening our perspective into areas of investigation unfamiliar to us. This can be a fun time and some of the excitement may be as a result of serendipitous encounters of being in the right place at the right time.
Some of what transpires during this early part of July can light a fire under us regarding making dramatic changes to our lives. Although we might have felt uncomfortable in our own skin and no longer satisfied with certain aspects of our lives, these early days of July may also provide us options and alternatives to the ways things have been.
On the 6th, the Sun opposes Pluto. The Uranus Pluto square with which we have all been acquainted over the past few years is engaged once again, first with the Sun opposed Pluto on the 6th and the Sun square Uranus on the 12th. The itch to make changes can first have us considering what we need to be rid of in order to provide space for the new and the different. Some of our changes can be on the home front initially.
With Mercury moving out of Gemini on the 8th and into Cancer, there is now a Stellium of three planets in the Cardinal Water Sign as Mercury joins Mars and the Sun in Cancer. On the 8th, Mars trines Neptune in Pisces.
A great deal of activity can be going on regarding home and family matters. As part of our changes, we might be looking at fixing things up around the foundations of our lives. They may be mere cosmetic changes, but let’s keep in mind that even subtle changes can trigger larger changes. I often refer to change as a snowball going down the mountain gaining momentum and becoming an avalanche. Minimal changes are often the easiest to engage and then provide the lubricant for even greater changes.
The 12th of July has the Sun square Uranus and precedes a week that could be quite intense, especially as we come to ‘hump’ day on Wednesday, July 15th. This may not be so much a hump as a high volcanic mountain percolating, even ready to blow.
The Sun square Uranus could put a rein on some of our new intentions, some of our initiations. We might feel restricted by our past, but we also have the opportunity for us to see what we have let go of over the past few years and also what presently holds us back from a dramatic great leap forward.
The 13th has Mercury trine Neptune. Our intuitive sense may be heightened and we might sense that no matter what the impediments might be our creative visualization and imagination will find a way for us to get to our nirvana land. Let’s keep in mind that concepts are far easier realized in our mind’s eye than in true reality. It would be important for us not to tune out to the conditions and circumstances operating around us and occurring in the world at large. If we escape into our world of prospects and possibilities, have our head in the clouds with our feet barely touching the ground, we could be in for a rude awakening.
The 14th has Venus square Saturn. We might feel as though our ‘best laid plans’ are being adversely affected by limited resources or by someone standing in the way of their execution. We could reconnect with someone from our past. A recapitulation or walk down Memory Lane may feel more like a bramble path than a walk through a meadow. We can also become concerned that what has been presented to us on the big screen of macro events is little more than a house of cards constructed by smoke and mirrors.
The New Moon on the 15th impacts the next fortnight up through the Full Moon on the 31st of July. This Cancer New Moon could prove intense. The Sun Moon conjunction squares Uranus, and both Mercury and Mars [exact in their conjunction on the 16th] oppose Pluto. Communications and actions can be severe and trigger ill-conceived reactions based upon feelings and assumed slights. This is definitely a time to count to ten before any response and not allow for knee-jerk reactions.
While this New Moon impacts us individually, it also impacts us collectively. There can be some catastrophic episodes both in nature and manmade. The liability to geophysical activity in the form of earthquakes and volcanoes is increased severalfold. [Years ago on a Washington, D.C. radio station, I was credited with an on-air prediction of the eruption of Mount St. Helens. I based my forecast on the lunar activity and astrological configurations of that time]. The liability of saber-rattling deteriorating into combative incidents is also heightened.
This day of the July 15th New Moon is one when we need to tread lightly and be fully aware of what is happening around us. People can be lashing out, and discussions can turn heated to the point of violence. Things could be swept away in a matter of minutes.
July has much of the Uranus Pluto square engaged. We experience the Uranus Pluto configuration with the Cancer transiting planets, first with the Sun as the Sun opposes Pluto on the 6th and the Sun squares Uranus on the 12th.
The Uranus Pluto square is intensified with the New Moon on the 15th with both Mercury and Mars opposed Pluto on the 15th, followed later in the month with Mercury square Uranus on the 18th and Mars square Uranus on the 25th.
The 18th has Venus exiting Leo to enter Virgo and the Mercury square Uranus. As I have written before, the Mercury Uranus square is my least favorite energy configuration for air travel, and I always try to avoid flying when there is a Mercury Uranus square. Communications can be off and high technology disrupted. This is a day for us to be careful about what we say and to whom we say it, for the liability to putting foot in mouth can create issues with our relationships, an area that might be highly sensitive with Venus moving into Virgo for the next two weeks.
During this mid-month period of July, we truly have to watch how we handle our interactions with other people. People’s level of frustration and their response to some crazy situations can have everyone on edge and ready to see the half glass of water as being more half empty rather than half full. Someone might be highly critical and judgmental and all too willing to use another person as a piñata with various verbal whacks at them.
Even if we fly off the handle in the mid-month of July or someone throws a skillet at us, we can sort things out over the 21st and 22nd of July when the Sun trines Saturn on the 21st, followed by Mercury trine Saturn on the 22nd. The 22nd has the Sun exiting Cancer to enter Leo, followed the next day by Mercury exiting Cancer on the 23rd to enter Leo and the Sun Mercury conjunction in Leo also on the 23rd.
Tying up loose ends, bringing closure to past issues and being less sensitive to supposed slights can open the door for more fun summertime activities with the Leo Stellium of the Sun, Mercury and Jupiter in the Fixed Fire Sign.
The weekend of July 25th – 25th could be a little disorienting. We have to be very careful at this time, especially with the expenditure of energy. Accidents could occur and we have shifting energies that may force us to reconfigure what we are doing and how we are doing it.
Mars squares Uranus on the 25th. Actions may be impulsive, impetuous and liable to accident-prone. This is a time for us to cool our jets, slow down our pace and not engage in extreme sports. The 25th also has Venus turning retrograde and the 26th has Uranus turning retrograde. This shift in energy with Mars poking away could prove irritating to some, reckless to others.
The month of July ends with the Aquarius Full Moon on the 31st, a day that also sees Venus retrograde out of Virgo and back into Leo. No matter what we have done during this summertime, we are back at looking to get out of Dodge and participate in fun recreational activities. We are not going to waste this summer lolling about and going nowhere fast. No, we are geared up for enjoying ourselves and we might do so no matter the expense.
July 2015… warmed by the sun or burnt to a crisp…
