Happy Canada Day! Happy 4th of July!
July’s Overview: Mercury retrograde ends, Mars exits Libra, Jupiter enters Leo
Anti-spam laws come into effect on July 1, Canada’s birthday. Mercury retrograde also ends on this day, which marks this moment as a transitional time for Canadian politics, trade, and business. In what many consider as a slight of hand move, Stephen Harper scheduled several federal bi-elections just the day before the national holiday. Even though the expectation is for a low voter turnout, early reports suggest the Liberals are gaining ground. In other news, the CBC, a crown corporation and the oldest existing broadcasting network in Canada, has just formally announced that they are moving away from television and radio broadcasting and into to digital and mobile services. After two months in rehab, a seemingly remorseful Toronto Mayor Rob Ford goes back to work and hits the campaign trail.
Mercury retrograde has been a particularly harsh cycle for many this time around. Although on the general note we’ll see a better move-along, we aren’t out of the woods just yet.
Mercury retrograde began in Cancer but it didn’t stay there for long. It has spent most of its time information gathering, side-tracking, or side-swiping through Gemini. What have you keyed into during this time? What news, messages, impressions, ideas, and hints has come your way? Has it switched you onto a new life course, or a new line of thinking? If it hasn’t worked out for you, console yourself with the fact that it has short-tracked your trial and error process. If it’s come to naught, don’t waste any more time on it. If it you can see a glimmer of life or it has lit a spark for you, keep fanning it. If you can’t decipher it yet, stay patient and vigilant. Ask for more signs. (It seems to be locked in for now, but sooner or later that BC teachers strike will end!)
On July 4, the USA’s birthday, the sun in Cancer opposes Pluto in Capricorn. This perfectly describes the current escalation and the ongoing national and international political and economic pressures that the US now faces. Despite a reluctance to put boots on the ground, the US is beefing up it’s military presence with drones and advisers in order to protect its interests. Pluto has been active on the US chart since it first entered Capricorn in 2008. It has been tightly opposing the US sun for some time now, most notably in April of 2013. (Syria, Iraq, North and South Korea, Mexico and the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts were all making headlines.)
Pluto stayed within a one degree opposition to the natal sun in the last ten days of January through February. This took place during the Russian Olympics and Putin’s first moves on the Crimea. Pluto has again been within the one degree opposition orb to the US sun as ISIS has hit full thrust in Iraq.
Although April the peak the cardinal cross configuration involving Uranus/Pluto and the faster transits of Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Venus and the sun, it’s still reverberating thanks to the transiting sun’s opposition to Pluto on July 4 and the sun’s square to Uranus on July 8. What’s changed is the fact that Mars, which was also a part of that cardinal cross line up back in April, is no longer travelling retrograde and that it is also completing its eight month tour of Libra. The sun will give Mars one more push on July 18.
Back to Mercury for a moment: By July 12, Mercury will trek into Cancer again and by July 16 it will re-stimulate the point where it started retrograde on June 7. Both July 12 and July 16 are featured dates. July 12 delivers a super full moon in Capricorn. This super moon is pumped-up by an opposition to Jupiter in Cancer, so it is sure to be an emotionally charged, and perhaps a weather extreme weekend. Mars, Ceres, Vesta, Eris, and the nodes are also active. Just after that super full moon, Mars and Venus are in good accord. Something good could come out of it all.
Jupiter’s one year tour through Cancer has increased our need, our sensitivity, and our vulnerability. Jupiter’s one year transit through Leo, starting July 16, is a creative, confidence building, success generating, and abundance generating influence. This Jupiter transit can be good news for many, especially for fire and air signs. Of course, every transit has it’s plus and minus. For those with an inflated sense of righteousness, it can also be one of entitlement and superiority, and of religious/ideological invasion as we see taking place with the ISIS movement in Iraq.
For the past 8 months, Mars has been forcing us to confront our relationship and economic issues, this at the personal, social, and political levels. As of July 24, Mars will enter Scorpio. This transit will help us to zero in better, to implement the reforms and renovations we know are so necessary in our personal lives. Mars in Scorpio is a master strategist and an empowerment influence. It is not one of fence sitting or of skirting around issues. If you don’t undertake what’s necessary, circumstances can force your hand. There are good mobilizing transits in the fall. Take some time to figure out your game plan now and by fall you’ll be well positioned to take advantage of the best the stars have to deliver.
Super Full Moon: July 12 4:25 am (13Libra 24)
New Moon: July 26 3:42 pm (3 Leo 52)
July 1: Mercury ends retrograde: 5:50 am (24 Gemini 23)
July 12: Mercury enters Cancer: 9:45 pm
July 16: Jupiter enters Leo: 3:30 am
July 18: Venus enters Cancer: 7:06 am
July 19: Eris stations retrograde: 11:38 am
July 20: Saturn stations direct: 1:36 pm (16 Scorpio 39)
July 21: Uranus stations retrograde: 7:53 pm (16 Aries 30)
July 22: Sun enters Leo: 2:41 pm
July 24: Mars enters Scorpio: 7:25 pm
July 30: Vesta into Scorpio: 4:37 pm
July 31: Mercury enters Leo: 3:46 pm
**Please note all times listed are PDT, please check your local listings.
Dates to watch: July 1, 4 – 8, 12, 16, 18 – 22, 24, 27, 31
ARIES (March 21- April 19)
Over the past 8 months, Mars in Libra has given you extra time to observe yourself and others in action. Perhaps there’s been more than one relationship or relationship issue that has driven the show. Finances have likely been another battlefield. The competition and/or your own competing needs have also given you a run for it.
Look to Mars in Scorpio, July 25 to mid September to change the score sheet. Whether drive by ambition or push come to shove, this Mars transit will top you up with enough motivation and determination to tackle the renovations you know are so necessary to make. Review, research and revise; upgrades are wise. When/if something new grabs hold of you, there’s a reason for it. Give it your full attention.
Sex, intimacy, and trust are another target focus of Mars in Scorpio. It’s time to take an existing relationship to the next level. If you’ve been sitting on the fence or doing open combat during Mars in Libra, it’s time to start asking yourself why. If you are single and don’t want to be, what are you going to do about it? Know you’ll have to put some time and soul searching into it first.
Jupiter’s one year tour through Leo, starting July 16, shifts the main focus off home and family, and onto creative living. This Jupiter transit loans you more shine. It can bring more attention and favour your way. Jupiter in Leo offers a significant boost to confidence, general wellbeing, luck, love, and prosperity.
TAURUS (April 20 -May 20)
Now that Mercury retrograde is out of the way and Mars is moving along, you should make better headway with the job hunt, money matters, your health, diet regime, and the fix-it projects (relationships included.) You’ll find yourself to be quicker on the uptake too.
The second week of the month puts you on a good build-up curve. The July 12 full moon can prompt you take an official step, see you gain credentials or status, or mark a significant milestone. There may be an important event to attend. Something you have been hoping for, biding on, or working toward can come to fruition. Prior to or in the days following this full moon, important news can come, perhaps regarding a job, contract, legal matter, or someone important to you. This full moon can also solidify education plans or bring you to your travel destination, figuratively or literally speaking.
Jupiter’s one year tour through Leo, starting July 16, begins a “living better with yourself” chapter. Home and family life gain benefit. Jupiter can increase your real estate value or it can increase your overhead. This Jupiter transit is also beneficial for starting a new business or family.
After 8 months of struggling through Mars in Libra, you’ll be happy to see it leave your health and work sector. From July 25 through mid September, Mars in Scorpio prompts or forces you to revamp how you approach relationships – and perhaps a specific relationship. Your social life is likely to undergo significant change too. It’s a time to cut toxic people and toxic situations once and for all. Spend your time and money on the people and things that really matter.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21)
July opens on a good note, thanks to the end of Mercury retrograde and Venus in Gemini. Even if you have scheduled a vacation, the first two weeks of the month are an especially active time. Expect to stay on the go with one thing after another. July 5 to 8 and the few days following the July 12 full moon are especially opportune for making contact or making money.
Jupiter in Leo boosts your social life, your relationship with siblings, your client base, sales, commissions, and your creativity. It can see you spend plenty too, perhaps on big ticket items – apartment, new wheels, media, a computer, sound system, education upgrades, etc. Legal fees, marketing, or pleasure pursuits can add up fast.
Mars in Libra may have introduced something new regarding relationship, health, career, creative endeavours, finances, or children. Mid July through mid September, Mars in Scorpio says it’s time to take it to the next level. You have things to work out, more to put into practice, more to rearrange and to improve upon. It’s an ideal time to tackle a renovation project or to revise your business plan. If it isn’t doing the trick for you, switch tracks. A second opinion or a new agent could be a smart move.
CANCER (June 22-July 22)
The super full moon on July 12 can bring you to a special anniversary or a milestone moment. This can be a time of official recognition or status, of a contract completion or launch. It is also a key karmic threshold-crossing or tide-turning time, especially so for reconciling with yourself and/or a specific relationship issue. Of course, you have been working on this for quite some time, especially for this past year while Jupiter has transited Cancer, but now you have more to work with and to go on. Going forward from here, you’ll make faster progress.
Jupiter’s advance into Leo can do you great good in the assets and resources department. The transit helps you to unearth more of your talents and capacities, and to put them to productive use. In general, it tends to boost confidence, creativity, fertility, general wellbeing, and happiness. Jupiter can also gift you with increased luck, love, and favoured attention. Earnings and investments can increase. Of course, you could spend more too, but you are likely to have good justification.
After 8 months of struggling through the Mars in Libra minefield, you’ll be happy to see Mars advance into Scorpio. July 24 through the middle of September, Mars puts you back in the driver’s seat. You’ll be better able to call the shots for yourself. This Mars transit suggests the potential for a good turnaround regarding health, wealth, creativity, vitality and matters to do with the heart.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)
It seems you have a lot more to say and to convey. Now that Mercury retrograde is finished, you’ll find better ways to do it and a more receptive audience too. Mercury, Venus and Mars keep your social opportunity, ideas, interest level, and lines of communication going strong through mid month. Although you’d probably rather play than work, this first two weeks of the month is a good time to optimize on marketing and advertising; to build up your social profile.
Right around the same time that Jupiter advances into Leo, both Mercury and Venus will trek into Cancer. Once this planetary shuffle happens, it’s time to circle the wagons and to prioritize home, family, and your personal comfort zone. These planets can open up a creative wellspring. You’ll express with even more emotion and passion, which is likely to result in few peak “on” or “personal high” moments. These transits also dish up an idea time to take a vacation, to take time to chill out and/or regroup.
On July 16, Jupiter in Leo completes a twelve year self-actualizing cycle and begins a new growth cycle. The full moon on July 12 through July 16 sets this new program into play.
Mars in Scorpio, starting July 24, also urges you to implement new strategies for success. It can be time to confront self-undermining, your inner demons, or your past, to do some cleansing or purging. Your personal and private life needs and wants are evolving. What motivates you? What moves you? Your attitude, perception, and understanding are changing at a more rapid rate too. Through mid September, Mars in Scorpio also dishes up an appropriate time for renovation projects, a home move, or a complete lifestyle overhaul.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
So much is shaping up for you now. Along the way, you’ve discovered what you can handle and what you can’t. You are learning to find more respect for yourself and what it takes to get life under better control too. Sure, it’s not perfect and neither are you (well, not quite yet!). Yes, there’s still plenty of work and juggling to do, but add everything up and you’ll have to admit you’ve made good progress so far. Mercury and Venus in Gemini through mid month will continue to help you get your priorities straight and to reason with yourself when necessary. You should find you can maintain a fairly good rapport with authority figures, mentors, parents, or those in charge. Mercury and Venus can dish up good advice too, but it’s up to you to open up to it and to apply it.
Later in the month both Venus and Mercury advance into Cancer. This can improve group camaraderie, friendship or sibling bonds. A new friend or client can grow in importance. More community participation is a possibility too, even if it is simply getting your fill of the local summer offerings.
The full moon on July 12 puts you at the control panel. The decisions you make are ones that you will live with for the long term. It’s all about the timing of things, and the full moon brings you to that right place, right time moment. You could settle a debt or a long outstanding relationship matter. It can be a time of closing the door once and for all, or of getting yourself officially committed. You could secure something important, such as professional contract, a bank loan, or some other financial undertaking. You could inherit a more responsible position or find you have to take charge when someone else can’t.
Jupiter in Leo, starting July 16 can shift your attention in some significant way. You’ll find yourself less focused on what others are up to and more driven to get yourself someplace good. It’s more about you, your joy, your happiness, and your successes. Yes, by all means, put yourself first! This Jupiter placement can put you better in touch with your creative centre and that which is of ultimate value, meaning and purpose to you. Depending on where you are on your own karmic clock, it can also call forth your ultimate other or open the door to your ultimate career.
Mars in Scorpio, starting July 24, will prompt you to get shrewder and sharper. It will help you to harness your mind, to get better focused and to develop a better strategy for yourself as you move forward from here. What you observe and learn through the middle of September will sink in especially deep. A healthy or unhealthy obsession can overtake you for a short while. Trust and abandonment issues are also up for review with this Mars placement. Your relationship with a sibling, close friend, or business contact can go through significant change too.
LIBRA (Sept 22-Oct 22)
July puts you on a more rapid moving along, thanks to Mercury out of retrograde and a dynamic line-up of Mars, Ceres, Vesta, and the north node (one half of the karmic axis) aligned in Libra from roughly July 9 through 21. Yes, you are the chosen one! This is especially so if your birthday falls on or near Oct 16/17. Life can bring a more obvious feel of destiny in action.
Ceres began her tour of Libra early last November, Vesta later in November, Mars early in December and the north node in the middle of February. These influences are seeding your consciousness with new instincts and impulses, with a new set of values, and with a vital new creative force. It’s about partnering up and co-creating with yourself and your soul. It doesn’t matter whether you understand this or not, it is all about the feel and how you respond to it as you move along the timeline. You are beginning a new experiential chapter and all that is required of you is to “be here now” – to design it as you go along. It is also about learning how to become more secure with this process. It’s something that can only come over time.
The full moon on July 12 can dish up a family milestone or anniversary. It could also bring an ending or goodbye. A mortgage, real estate purchase, new business contract or some other major transaction or transition can set a whole new reality into play. It is one that has longevity or permanence attached to it.
Jupiter’s one year tour through Leo can boost your income, your creativity, fertility, social involvements and love prospects. Mars in Scorpio helps you to zero into your best bets, to make more empowered choices.
SCORPIO (Oct 23~Nov 22)
For the past 8 months, Mars in Libra has been keeping something on the back-burner brew. As of July 25 when Mars moves into Scorpio, you or it (and likely both) will be ready to make a bigger splash. You’ll have the support of both Mercury and Venus travelling through receptive Cancer by then. The message, the product, the person, the timing, the feel – it seems to be lining-up well for you.
The full moon on July 12 can kick it up a big notch. This full moon can solidify your reputation, expertise, or status. It can bring an award, result, contract, or added recognition. It is also a good time to renew a lease or to reconnect with someone of influence or importance to you.
By late August you should reach the next finish line, goal post or starting gate.
Jupiter’s one year tour through Leo can put you on a career or personal high. Aim to pull out all the stops and to do whatever it takes to claim your ticket to fame. What you achieve in this year will set you up for some time to come.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 ~ Dec 21)
Now that Mercury retrograde is out of the way, you can plug yourself back in and resume whatever was sidetracked in recent weeks.
These past 8 months of Mars in Libra have likely kept you hammering at the ceiling. Perhaps it’s been a harder go on the collaborative, group, community, or social front. Perhaps the politics has given you a run for it. Perhaps you’ve been challenged to reinvent yourself, your lifestyle, or your livelihood. Breaking a social or financial barrier has not been easy. What seemed so promising or straight forward to begin with has likely proved to be complex and/or taxing.
Past the first week of the month, you should have a better sense of where you are at with folks and finances. Better connections and inroads can be made going forward from here. You’ll see projects, plans, legal matters and contract negotiations on a better move-along.
Yes, it’s been a marathon. Mars in Libra has been pushing you through an intensified learn as you go cycle. While you may have felt you’ve been at it for too long now, the objective has been to help you to speed along the trial and error process, to sharpen your observational skills, to cut away the relationships and things that aren’t making the grade, to make you much quicker on the ball. Certainly by now you know a lot more than you did just a short time ago. It’s for you to see the contrast from then and now.
Mars, Vesta, Ceres and the north node in Libra keep all the above on the front burner, especially through the first half of the month. July 4 or the days that follow can break you out of a stalemate, or see you make an important decision, investment, or move.
Jupiter’s one year tour of Leo will increase opportunity where you desire it the most. It’s a beneficial transit for travel, relocation, education, publishing, creativity, sports, performing and legal matters. Your social, professional or public profile can expand. Love, happiness, and optimism can see an increase too.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 ~ Jan 19)
The past 8 months of Mars in Libra has been an important, perhaps even a critical time of professional restructuring and personal reconciling, of endings and beginnings, of significant karmic replays and thresholds. Your priorities and reality have been changing, and along with it, you’ve been evolving a new perspective on your own wants, needs and sense of deserving.
It’s been a long time in the planning and the biding of time, a long time pushing that rock uphill. Now here you are. July 4 – 8, and 12 to 16 gets the show on the road in some significant way. These are primed for action dates. Whether forced by a push come to shove moment, or prompted by desire, it is the right time to hit it full throttle, to cement your course of action, and/or get it written in stone.
Mercury’s advance into Cancer on the super moon of July 12 and Venus into Cancer on July 18 help you to better communicate your needs and to navigate your way through relationships. Both help you to show up more for yourself.
Jupiter’s one year tour through Leo, beginning July 16, boosts personal confidence, creativity, fertility, and general wellbeing. It can also do you greater good in the area finances, investments, and for close encounters of the intimate kind. Yes, that’s good news regarding the hunt for a better pay-check or profit, and for already established relationships or the hunt for that special new lover.
Saturn ends retrograde on July 20 and Mars advances into Scorpio on July 25. Both take the brakes off that which has been holding you up or back this past number of months.
AQUARIUS (Jan 20 ~ Feb 18)
If you’ve lost clarity or your sense of direction over the past few weeks, you’ll get it back again now. The end of Mercury retrograde, Venus in Gemini, and Mars in Libra through mid month should make for a smoother move-along.
Whether you have something planned or not, the July 4 weekend and the days that follow can launch you on your way in some significant way. A deadline can be reached; a wait or uncertainty can end. The super full moon on July 12 can also get it cooking in some major way. Both weekends are a great time to start a vacation and/or to dive into something new. In fact, although you’ll feel it as the energy peaks and shifts (which it will do several times,), your stars are on the good-to-go for the whole month.
As of July 16, Jupiter in Leo brings the right time to get back out there on the market. Jupiter’s exit out of Cancer and into Leo on July 16 shifts the main attention off the work and working it out overwhelm. It’s now time to call more attention to yourself, to be seen and heard, to show up for yourself and to participate out there in some new way. Upgrades to your social or public profile are well timed.
July 25 to mid September, Mars in Scorpio takes you through a career redirection or resurrection. This is also a time to re-assess or revamp your personal, family, and financial priorities and goals.
PISCES (Feb 19 ~ March 20)
Family, friendships, home, and real estate matters hit a better move-along now that Mercury has ended retrograde. You’ll also find you can figure things out better for yourself now too. The July 4 weekend can thrust you past a block, stalemate, or conflict. It can bring something out into the open that needs to be addressed. It’ll feel good to get off your chest. Once the air is cleared, it’s onto much smoother sailing.
The July 12 super moon is likely to produce another special event or milestone weekend. It can crystallize something important, even if it simply a sense that the future is now gaining more definition. You can feel more deeply committed – to another, to a goal or chosen path, to your own well being and happiness. What could be better than that? It is a good weekend for entertaining, romance, or for real estate decisions and other significant investments.
Jupiter in Leo, starting July 16 can boost your general health and day to day wellbeing. Jupiter brings you better options and tools to worth it. It can enhance work or pay-check prospects, productivity, work conditions, and work relationships. Of course, it also makes your health, wealth, and happiness a much larger and/or more front burner priority. Where there is more desire, there is also more opportunity. Along with Jupiter, Mars in Scorpio, starting July 25, boosts confidence, creativity, and potentials.