Astrological Weather Report: July Lunar Cycle:Things Get Personal
Cancer New Moon
On July 9th, 2021, the New Moon at 18° Cancer initiates the July lunar cycle. At this conjunction of Sun and Moon, both luminaries are orphaned from the inner planets, making no aspects to personal planets Mercury, Venus, and Mars. The Sun and inner planets, however, will occupy the personally intimate signs of Cancer, Leo, and Virgo, throughout this lunar cycle. The repetitive stresses of outer world events buffets our emotional security. Conversations with others echo self-narratives and reflect the personal choices we make. Jupiter and Saturn activate alternating cycles of ego expansion and contraction.
The Moon needs to express its natural emotional nature through the Sun’s self-creativity. The orphaned Moon struggles to open emotional pathways as it seeks the security and safety of her own sign of Cancer. Anxiety intensifies as the Sun and Moon approach a full opposition to chthonic Pluto in Capricorn. We seek release points for the powerful currents that swirl within us and around us. Neptune in his own deeply sensitive sign of Pisces adds even more fluidity to our reactivity and sense of security.
The Sun
Early in this lunar cycle, the Sun will be encouraged by Neptune and Pallas Athene in Pisces to soften its supernal fire, and to become more permeable. On July 17th, a standoff between the Sun and flinty Pluto could send sparks flying. On July 22nd, the Sun will come home to his own sun drenched sign of Leo. Jupiter confronts the Sun as it slows down and prepares its annual retrograde. Our individual self expression is challenged to adjust course. Saturn in the Sun’s antithetical sign of Aquarius also challenges the Sun exposing shadow expression. Promethean Uranus, the ruler of Aquarius, releases a crisis laden wind that buffets the Sun demanding individuality and distance.
Mercury
Mercury is now visible just before dawn as a morning star. On August 1st, Mercury in Gemini will pass apogee, its greatest elongation, and make its superior conjunction as it passes behind the Sun. A few days later, Mercury becomes the evening star. The new cycle encourages our intentions for self-actualization and truthful narratives. The Messenger of the Gods is critiqued by Pallas Athene, the “octave transformer” between lower mind Mercury and higher mind Uranus, encouraging synchronization of narratives originating in head and heart.
Picking up speed, Mercury races on through Cancer gathering expansive energies from Jupiter, and finds concrete mental structure from Saturn. Neptune and Pluto challenge Mercury’s alacrity. Pallas Athene whispers a secret or two as the Trickster leaves the Moon’s sign and enters Leo on July 27th. In Leo, Mercury is immediately challenged by Jupiter and then Saturn to soften his rhetoric. Uranus confronts Mercury demanding that attention be paid to ideas that seem to be irrational or unworkable. A potential dropkick from Eris spins the “winged messenger” into a more unpredictable state.
Venus
Venus is now visible as an evening star, just after dusk. The relationship goddess trysts with paramour Mars in Sun-powered Leo on July 13th. A discordant vector from Eris in Aries causes relationships to heat up and/or burst into flames. Interrogations from Pluto propel the lovers farther and deeper than expected. Discernment regarding values and priorities becomes the norm as Venus moves into judgmental Virgo on July 21st. Drama emerges as Venus immediately faces off with Jupiter. Squares from Venus to the lunar nodes precipitate questions and concerns regarding the compatibility of choices with values and priorities. Chiron’s therapeutic energies support Venus’s close liaison to Mars, and opens a channel to find agreement and assistance from like-minded friends and family.
Mars
Personal machinations driven by deep-seated fears brew up conspiratorial interactions between Mars, Eris, and Pluto. Self-serving strategies emerge or are exposed. Public behavior is permeated with radical, potentially subversive agendas as Mars is challenged by Ceres and Jupiter. On July 29th, Mars enters the discriminating sign of Virgo. Discernment tempers impulsiveness.
Jupiter
On July 28th, Jupiter retrograde will back up into Aquarius. The planet that drives personal growth will transit Aquarius until December 28th and stations direct again on October 17th. This cycle of personal growth requires a revisit with past choices, identifying and holding on to what is truly essential, and releasing the perceived loss of what no longer serves us. Aggrandized egos continue to permeate the collective. Disruptive shadow material from the past emerges. A new cycle of recognizing and verifying personal truth begins.
Outer Planets Retrograde
Chiron, Pallas Athene, and Eris join the backward parade of retrograde outer planets Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Pluto this month. On July 15th, Chiron will station retrograde. Opportunities emerge that encourage revisit commitments to wholeness and healthy lifestyle. Chiron retrogrades through Aries for the rest of this year and stations direct on December 19th.
On July 14th, asteroid Pallas Athene stations retrograde. The Goddess of Wisdom and Strategy whispers messages that expose our personal inauthenticities, and our failures to make critical choices for achieving a sustainable agenda for self-care. The messages that we receive from Pallas Athene brings unsettling realizations that can de-substantiate our current perception of reality. The understanding of ongoing news and current affairs, and their veracity is questioned. Evolutionary pressures from the lunar nodes to Pallas Athene demand that we give structure and form to our inner genius. Right now it is imperative that we listen to the still small voice within.
Discordant Eris makes her station retrograde on July 21st. Eris is accentuated at the new moon, and transports a heavy burden from Pluto. This unsettled and discomforting transit formats the next 6 months. Eris will provide “opportunities” to work on ourselves via all of our relationships; our relationship with ourselves, and our relationships with others. Emotional experiences bring a review of our connections to others as mirrors into ourselves. See how you are reflected in the faces of the people around you. What is standing in the way of attracting who and what you need in order to grow? How is the chaos and conflict permeating the zeitgeist pushing personal and planetary evolution forward? The future reaches back into the present seeking structure and understanding. What past emotional attachments are we asked to release as a new awareness of the future reveals itself?
Aquarius Full Moon
On July 23rd, a full moon occurs at 1° Aquarius 26’. At the lunation, the Moon forms an Air Grand Trine with Vesta in Libra, and the Lunar North Node in Gemini. Inspiration presents us with a new, personally authentic version of the future. How will we receive and actualize it? Saturn in Aquarius presents more responsible priorities that challenge choices driven by old emotional patterns. Pallas Athene in concert with Neptune whispers inner guidance. We are learning to triage our sense of loss, and activate new essential priorities. The Full Moon exposes critical truths about the state of public health. Pressures arise to “go rogue” with heath concerns. Make choices that support self-compassion and self-care.
