July begins with a thrust of energy as we look to engage the fun and games of summertime.
Although the month of July starts with us on the dark side of the Moon prior to the New Moon on the 2nd, Mars exits Cancer to enter Leo on the 1st and may ignite a fire in our belly. Certainly, we are likely to be considering a broad realm of options for ourselves — places to go, people to see, and recreational activities to take part in.
With both Mercury and Mars in Leo in the early July period we can be feeling our oats and slough off some of the high anxiety emotions we might have been experiencing.
We are more interested in putting our mark upon our world, to enjoy life and not to feel victim to the vagaries of these disruptive times. Perhaps we are coming to realize, even appreciate, that the wild swings and extreme changes going on in the world-at-large can also serve as a dynamic in our personal lives with us able to make major transformations, releasing the outmoded and exploring the unfamiliar.
As the Chinese proverb, some would call a curse, states: ‘May you live in interesting times’.
And we do. These are interesting times and exciting times, times when things can change dramatically and suddenly with not even a heads-up.
The 2nd of July give us the Cancer New Moon in the 2nd Decanate of Cancer [Scorpio influence] and a Solar Eclipse. Just as New Moons trigger new beginnings, this New Moon offers us unexpected opportunities both in regard to times with family and friends and to exploring our own creative self-expressions. The one caveat to this signature is the importance of our embracing our being co-creators with the universe and open to things occurring in a most unanticipated manner. It is essential that we not get in our own way, which we could do by falling back into the old mindset of our having to make things happen. It is also important that we not get mired in old stuff that prevents us from receiving surprising and wonderful bounty. We may see indications of the magic and mini-miracles of this paradigm shift into asequential reality if we avoid narcissistic tendencies and our need to control situations. This period can be a highly pleasant time with fun events, an increase in our vitality, and a greater attitude of gratitude.
Venus exits Gemini on the 3rd of July to enter Cancer. Our home and family may be foremost on our mind. This Sign change occurs a day before Independence Day in the US, a day that celebrates our country’s independence from the yoke of colonial rule, but also a day that reflects our own individual independence of times when we have gone through major transitions in our life.
We can draw upon the comfort and nurture of our home, our family, and our friends.
The second of this year’s three Mercury retrogrades begins on July 7th as Mercury retraces its early transit of Leo and then backs into the third decanate of Cancer with its Pisces sub-influence. This Mercury retrograde ends on July 31st, but its
‘shadow’ lingers on until August 14th when Mercury returns to the degree in Leo at which Mercury had turned retrograde.
The 8th of July has Venus sextile Uranus, and Mercury conjunct Mars. To add some splash to our lives, we might decide to change up our environment, moving things around, adding touches to our space. Our communications can be dramatic, but we have to be wary not to be over-the-top in our discussions or to prove our point. Interesting encounters might occur, and it would be wise for us to tone down our first impression. We might be a little much for some people. This is a time for receptive listening and not merely pontificating. Collaboration now can be more effective than going it alone.
If we don’t take things down a notch or two in early July, we could get tripped up by our desires to fast forward, all the while that we are assuming that everything will work out neatly in our favor. While there can be some fascinating situations and unexpected opportunities to come our way, let’s not forget our obligations and responsibilities. We could easily burn ourselves out chasing butterflies of possibilities but unable to attend to what needs to be done.
The 9th of July can reinforce past situations still unresolved, and responsibilities yet to be addressed. The push pull between matters demanding our attention and new terrain to explore could prove exhausting, and we might feel as though the wind has been knocked out of our sails as the Sun opposes Saturn.
With July a month of summertime merriment, we can feel disconnected from our day-in, day-out reality by the images of wondrous possibilities, prospects, and summer gatherings.
Much of July has a push – pull quality to it, and there could be times when we feel we are on a metronome swinging back and forth between our mundane affairs and our joyous experiences. Even if we try to balance the two, the motion may be more like a metronome with wild swings back and forth before finding the mean and the equilibrium.
This sense of the reality – unreality of July might be accentuated around the 11th with the Sun trine Neptune and Mars square Uranus. Our feelings can be heightened, our foresight and intuition strong, and we could decide to go full bore ahead to realize our plans. We may feel the wind to our back, recognize that our intentions are solid and well-considered, but the force of our efforts might be a little too much. We have to be cautious that we’re not trying to force things. We might go blithely about, head in the clouds, negate the conditions and circumstance and wind up accident-prone. It would be wise to avoid knee jerk reactions or acting solely on impulse. We can either be willing to ‘go with the flow’ or we could be pushing the envelope with a liability of a severe pushback.
The mid-July period can be one when we have to avoid losing our cool. Like a volcano, we may need steam vents to release some of our pent-up energy. Taking a day off, going for a day trip, or some other irregular activity could help us let off steam. Without some kind of release from our normal involvements, we could be explosive and confrontational, looking for problems rather than seeking solutions. A liability to being hypercritical can strain our relationships. The negativity that has been so evident in society over the past few years where everything seems so wrong, nothing seeming right, might be ratcheted up severalfold, especially around the Capricorn Full Moon, a Lunar Eclipse, on the 16th.
From mid-May through mid-August we have one or more planets transiting Cancer opposed to the Capricorn-transiting planets of Saturn and Pluto. Like an animal backed into a corner, people can feel threatened and then act with intense reactions. Fearful, people could trigger a ‘fight or flight’ response, either being confrontational and argumentative or withdrawing into their personal safe space. Such sentiments could play out, triggered by the Capricorn Full Moon on the 16th.
Issues that have been seething under the surface may boil up. Releases from old self-defeating patterns could be a positive outlet, but we do have to check our reactions to be certain that we don’t become explosive and do more damage to ourselves than benefit. Let’s keep in mind that often our viewpoint about matters is just our subjective opinion— how we see things from our perspective rather than the true reality of the situation.
An either – or quality could be magnified during this mid-July period. Our emotions might trump our critical thinking, and we have to be wary that we don’t damage our relationships.
The 17th- 18th of July has two very different energy configurations, both related to how we perceive relationships. The 17th has Venus opposed Saturn, while Venus trines Neptune on the 18th. Discontent with present interactions and nursing grievances of past slights, we might put stress on our relationships, feeling that someone or the people in our circle just are not measuring up to our standards, a measure of standards that are looking more for flaws than positive attributes. Infatuations can be enticing with our tendency to see the proverbial ‘grass being greener’ somewhere, and with someone, other than where we are and with whom we are presently connected.
Mercury retrogrades back into Cancer on the 19th, energizing the Cardinal Water Sign with a Stellium as Mercury joins the Sun and Venus in Cancer. Our thoughts can shift to a feeling of being victims to the vagaries of doing life. Our thinking may not be clear since we might be considering things more from our emotions than clarity of thought. We are liable to see present circumstance as a half glass of water with our opinion being ‘half empty’ rather than ‘half full’.
Any sense of discomfort could have us looking at eliminations and getting rid of anything and everything that we see as imperfect in our lives. With Venus opposed Pluto and the Sun conjunct Mercury on the 21st of July, an attitude of lack and discontent can wreak damage to various aspects of our lives, and especially to our relationships. Playing victim has no winners, only losers, with a spiral into a ‘poor me’ solitary space.
Fortunately, the high drama of mid-July shifts as we come into the third week of July. The Sun enters Leo on the 21st- 22nd, and we enter a period of time through mid-August when we can more fully engage the promise of summertime with fun events, high spirits, and a more self-affirming attitude.
If we are looking for a good time for a summer vacation or a summer staycation, recommended times would be from the 22nd of July through the first half of August with the necessary heads-up of the Mercury retrograde until the 31st of July. Traveling during the latter part of July just needs to add on extra time with contingency plans in case of any screw-ups.
Although we have lost the Stellium in Cancer with the Sun entering Leo, the 24th of July has Mercury conjunct Venus in the Piscean decanate of Cancer. Our thoughts and feelings may revolve around family matters. Our compassion can be engaged, and we might find ourselves helping out someone who needs our comfort and support. This may be a time when we pitch in to help someone who is unable to help themselves. Time together with family and friends could provide a flood of memories, as we reflect on past summers.
But this end of July through mid-August has more of the summer fire energy — energizing our vitality and increasing our desire to spread our wings, engage in re-creational pursuits, and en joy ourselves.
With Mars trine Jupiter on the 25th of July, many of us might be considering getting out of Dodge — whether literally or figuratively. While some of the early summer may have been more emotional with a liability of feeling the weight of the world, the warmth of the summer sun during this latter part of July reenergizes us, likely to make us more optimistic, confident and enthusiastic about our plans
The shift in energy can seem quite dramatic, augmented ever more by Venus exiting Cancer to enter Leo on the 27th of July and in so doing triggering a Leo Stellium as Venus joins the Sun and Mars in the Fixed Fire Sign. We are likely to be putting our best foot forward with a desire to enjoy social occasions, sports activities, and the warmth of the summer sun. If we felt some of the summertime blues during the end of June and early July, we can now truly feel the summertime fun in the sun.
Monday the 29th of July can prove to be a manic Monday thanks to the Sun square Uranus. Curveballs could be coming at us, and it would be wise for us to expect the unexpected at this time. If we have made commitments for this day, we might want to have contingency plans, for we have to be aware of possible disruptions. We also need to keep aware of our finances, since some of our activities may have greater costs than anticipated. This is not a day to be reckless but rather to take our time, be mindful and fully aware of the circumstances and conditions in which we find ourselves. Let’s also be aware that Mercury is about to end its three-week retrograde cycle, and things can get increasingly squirrely whenever Mercury changes direction.
The Leo New Moon on the 31st brings closure to the month of July and imprints the first two weeks of August. The conjunction of the Sun and Moon also conjuncts Venus, and all three are square to Uranus. Welcome to the Fun House!
You may remember as a child traveling carnivals or amusement parks that had a Fun House where the floor slanted at sharp angles and mirrors were lined to create the illusion of being in a maze. The fun was making one’s way from the entrance through the maze of mirrors, the slanting floors and the circuitous route to an eventual exit. If you recall having had such an experience, this New Moon configuration and the next two weeks could be reminiscent of our childhood experience in the Fun House.
Although this New Moon truly signals the height of summertime fun activities, much of the fun might be figuring our path through some of the twists and turns that the Uranus energy might throw our way. Flexibility and adaptability to our schedule, to our plans, and to our movements will be keys to successfully navigating this two-week period.
But let’s keep in mind that it’s all for fun and maintain a bemused attitude at the various upsets we might encounter.
Shortly after the New Moon late on the 31st, early on August 1st, Mercury ends its three-week retrograde cycle and turns direct. As things can get increasingly convoluted when Mercury changes direction, whether from direct to retrograde or from retrograde to direct motion, this end of July into early August may have us feeling out-of-kilter. Not only do we have to contend with unexpected issues suddenly coming up, but our clarity of thought and actions may be negligent. It would be wise for us to slow things down to gauge what is really going on before proceeding. No knee-jerk reactions. Impulsive actions could come with a heavy cost.
July 2019… Self-Flagellation or Self-Fulfillment…
