Astrology for July (Update 1 - Eclipse)

As an experiment (well, I am having a Uranus transit) my astro-preview this month will be split into three parts, published a few days apart. This is because I’ve decided it’s best to publish a few bite size chunks rather than one long post. Let me know if you disagree. A summary list of all July’s events will be included at the end of each post.

July 1: Cancer New Moon ~ An Eclipse in a Shell

July kicks off with the Sun in sensitive, nurturing Cancer conjunct Moon in Cancer, for an Eclipsed New Moon on the first of the month. Solar Eclipses are times of endings, when something is literally eclipsed. Inherent in endings though are fresh starts and new beginnings, so when something ends it can often be a very positive thing. For example, a marriage marks the end of single life and a long awaited retirement means the end of working life and a new taste of freedom.

Because Solar Eclipses are basically New Moons with a bit of extra pizzazz, similar themes apply. Use this Eclipse time to rest, pause and plan. It’s even OK to retreat into your shell a little bit during this Cancer eclipse, to seek comfort and security at home or around those you are closest to.

This eclipse falls at 9 degrees of Cancer, so will be most relevant to those of you who have a planet or angle between seven and eleven degrees of Cancer, Capricorn, Aries or Libra (get your chart for free at www.alabe.com). The effect of an Eclipse falling closely in aspect to one of your planets or an angle can last several months. Because eclipses fall in exactly the same sign and degree every 19 years, it’s worth looking back to see what was going on in your life back then, because it could offer you some clues about what this current eclipse means to you personally.

This Eclipse hooks into the Saturn-Uranus-Pluto cardinal t-square, with Saturn at 11 Libra, Uranus at 5 Aries and Pluto at 6 Capricorn. This means that if this eclipse touches one or more of your planets or angles, you are in the midst of, or on the brink of, one or more important transits. I recommend you browse through the articles from last year’s Cardinal T-Square blog-a-thon, which offer plenty of insight, resources, coping mechanisms and healing tips for the transits of Saturn in Libra, Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn. Please note that orbs are traditionally very tight for transits to natal planets and points. Allow a maximum of two degrees either side.

This is the third eclipse within the last month – see June Astrology ~ Welcome to Eclipse Season for more on the two June eclipses. See also Working with Eclipses for some handy tips on unravelling what your Eclipse transit might mean for you.

July 1/2*: Mercury enters Leo ~ Dramatic Cat

Less than 24 hours after the Eclipse, Mercury, the messenger of the gods, moves out of Cancer and into Leo. What message does this carry for us? In Leo, Mercury communicates with drama and creative flair. It can be given to stubborn or childish tantrums, but at best, this is a Mercury placement that urges us to communicate with humour, warmth and affection. Leo is also a great Mercury sign for intuition, for listening with your heart as well as your head.

It’s a fun game of mine to watch/read the news for stories that reflect the current Mercury placement, especially when Mercury’s in a fire sign. Look out for stories about attention seeking big heads, dramatic announcements and heroic tales of courage while Mercury is in Leo. Kings, Queens and leaders could all be in the spotlight now and expect issues of pride and respect to come up.

Mercury will be in Leo until July 28. It then re-enters Leo on August 7/8 when retrograde. It turns direct on August 26 in Leo and re-enters Virgo on September 8/9 where it stays until September 25.

July 3/4*: Venus enters Cancer ~ Sweet Nothings

When relationship planet Venus moves from Gemini to Cancer, there should be less talking and more holding hands and hugging. Venus in Cancer urges us to express our affection with sensitivity, to give comfort to our loved ones to make them feel safe and secure.

Venus in Cancer easily absorbs the feeling and moods of others, which is why this placement can sometimes feel overly protective. We can easily feel a little crabby when Venus is in this watery sign. Overcome this by putting some effort into nurturing your loved one. A tender caress, a few loving sweet words or a nice home cooked meal are good ways to show your love and appreciation when Venus is in Cancer.

Venus will be in Cancer until July 28.

Summary of July’s Main Events

July 1: Eclipsed New Moon at 9 degrees Cancer
July 1/2*: Mercury enters Leo
July 3/4*: Venus enters Cancer
July 9/10*: Uranus turns retrograde at 5 degrees Aries
July 13: Venus in Cancer square Saturn in Libra (11 degrees)
July 14/15*: Full Moon at 22 degrees Capricorn
July 22/23*: Sun enters Leo
July 28: Venus enters Leo
July 28: Mercury enters Virgo
July 30: New Moon at 7 degrees Leo

Click for Void of Course Moon times for July

Click for Astroair’s three month Solstice Forecast

NOTE: *Where two dates are given, the event occurs on the earlier date in American time zones and on the later date in European time zones. This is due only to time differences on the clock, in reality the event occurs simultaneously everywhere. In the summary of July’s events the degrees have been rounded up or down to the nearest degree.

With love, Mandi
http://www.mandilockley.com/