Hold on to your sanity this month friends as the weather heats up, so does the cosmic activity. A new energy is emerging; unfortunately the old energy will be linger around making it feel a bit uncomfortable. July is a busy month with the two Eclipses, and a total of 5 planets in retrograde including Mars and Mercury. All of this energy is going to create a stop and go type of month that is really going to be requiring us to get balanced and stay centered with whatever comes our way. We begin the month with the Sun transiting the careful and cautious sign of Cancer, reminding us of the past and the way things use to be.
Cancer is a sign that values family, close friends, and situations that feel comfortable and safe. On July 9th we begin to take a closer look at our relationships as Venus enters the meticulous sign of Virgo. The energy of Venus is concerned with our social interactions. It tells us how much of a “team player” we are and how well we have mastered the art of diplomacy. It is all about the beauty and art and harmony we need in our lives. And, it is about the love we have to give one another. With Venus moving into “pick-it-apart” Virgo, don’t expect to find anything you like for a while. Here she will focus her many talents on analyzing every aspect of the relationships in her life. She needs to know all the details and understand why.
Some good arrives the following day (July10) when Jupiter begins to awaken from its four month hiatus. Jupiter’s effects are to expand our experiences, our knowledge, and our understanding. Jupiter represents optimism, growth, generosity, and abundance. Jupiter’s transit through intense and passionate Scorpio urges us to go after our hearts’ desires, but since it’s been retrograde these desires have been suppressed or internalized. Well, it’s time to get back to it. We have to honor our commitments, like it or not. But, we can also realize that we now have a profound new sense of direction. We’ve had a chance to rest up and review our options during the retrograde period, so now we can go forward and make a difference. The intense and powerful energy of Scorpio is behind us now, pushing us onward to help us through the homestretch.
The first of two Solar Eclipses of will occur on July 12th in the sign of Cancer, the other will be next month. This New Moon/Solar Eclipse will bring in the Cancerian themes into play. It may stimulate issues related to your home life, your family, foundation, and feelings. People may be focusing more on matters related to their current residence, should I move or not, time to remodel or not, buying or selling an investment property, family well-being such as children or feeling more irritable. There are also other planetary energies at play that will intensify the feelings that come with this eclipse. The Sun will be in opposition to retrograde Pluto.
The Sun- Pluto opposition could bring intense feelings and possibly bring out some very obsessive behavior in people. A word to the wise about this eclipse; watch what you say and how you say it around others as a lively debate could easily turn into a major argument. Anyone with a strong cardinal sign (Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn) in their birth chart will be impacted by these cosmic shifts in a major way; eclipses trigger the areas of our chart related to destiny, so be sure to pay close attention during this partial Solar Eclipse. Note important people, events, and circumstances, and by the time of the next Cancer-Capricorn eclipse (on January 5, 2019), you’ll begin to understand your personal eclipse story.
On Sunday, July 22nd, the Sun enters lively Leo, kicking off the season of the lion. The Sun loves to be in Leo, and likewise, Leo loves to be in the spotlight. There is a symbiotic bond between this celestial body and this zodiac sign, and the combined energy forms a powerful union that can only mean one thing: It’s Showtime. For the next four weeks, get ready — the cosmos will be serving up high drama. Everything is larger-than-life during Leo season, so don’t be afraid to lean into your must indulgent expression. The lions are holding court now, and this kingdom is defined by bold gestures, big hair, and lots of animal prints. Simply put, cosmic warriors, ’tis the season to shine and be brave.
As wonderful as the Leo season will be, unfortunately there will a small down side, Mercury in Leo will be going retrograde beginning on July 25th through August 18th. We’re going to get plenty of practice trying to get some applause for our big ideas and grand entrances during this reversal. Mercury is the planet of communication, and within astrology, its task is to ensure that messages are successfully delivered through verbal dialogue, written correspondence, technology, and transportation. When Mercury spins backward, however, it gets a bit messy. Misunderstandings, meltdowns, and malfunctions define Mercury retrograde. It would be wise to pay extra close attention to your expression during this period.
Last but not least, towards the end of July the energy becomes a bit more unstable as the month concludes with a Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius on Friday, July 27th. This isn’t a typical lunation, either. That’s right, cosmic warriors; there are two very unpredictable eclipses this month. This Total Lunar Eclipse corresponds with the Leo-Aquarius eclipse series that began on August 18, 2016. With the Moon in direct opposition from the Sun, the Moon will temporarily radiate a red hue. Fittingly, July’s eclipse is being referred to as a “Blood Moon.” July’s Blood Moon is the seventh eclipse in the Leo-Aquarius series (the previous dates were February 10, 2017; August 7, 2017; August 21, 2017; January 31, 2018; and February 15, 2018. While fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius) have been seriously rocked by these massive lunations, eclipses impact all zodiac signs. How has your life changed since August 2016?
What also makes this Full Moon so volatile is the fact that retrograde Mars will conjunct it and explosive Uranus with square it. These aspects make for an emotionally challenging Lunar Eclipse. Mars anger and frustration could easily turn to reckless actions because of a harsh aspect to Uranus. A more gentle influence from Saturn will make it a little easier to calm down and think about our actions. Remaining calm in a crisis is the key to dealing with this overly emotional Lunar Eclipse. This is particularly important for the next two weeks while the July 12th Solar Eclipse is still active. It brings the potential for a crisis with your self-esteem, a relationship or an event, and for neurotic distress triggered by a deeply buried subconscious fear of disaster.
My suggestion, this month, reflect on the ways you’ve transformed under these mysterious Moons and remember who you really are; A Spiritual Being Having a Human Experience. Astrology reminds us that while life is cyclical, we are always progressing on our journeys.
Psychic Astrologer
Joseph P. Anthony
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