July starts with a bang and ends with a face slap. The Leo and Aquarius axis are the stars of the show this month, as the inner planets move through the fixed fire sign to oppose Saturn in Aquarius and square Uranus in Taurus. First Mars, then Venus close behind, followed by the Sun and Mercury on August 1st and 2nd. These transits activate the powerful Saturn square Uranus transit that we’re dealing with all year. Whatever themes this transit has been stirring for you, watch out for them to bubble up and become even louder — and you’ll have an entire month to work with them. The Venus-Mars conjunction on July 13 is another important moment in the story, drawing attention to our desires and what we’re willing to do to get what we want.

The planets in Leo want to shine, be seen, take up space, make an impact. But Saturn in Aquarius is slowing us down, reminding us of our limits, and restricting our movement. This is a really tense and frustrating month. There’s a way in which we are trying to grow and expand, but we’re being limited and restricted by an outside force. There’s still a lot more work to do and more room to grow.

The energy will begin to ease up in August as the emphasis shifts to Virgo. But we will return to these themes in November and December of 2021 when Mars enters Scorpio and sets off the whole dynamic once more. This month, notice where you feel limited and constricted — those are the areas that are going to require you to double down your efforts between August and November. This is an important time to lean on our self-care practices and find supportive ways of nourishing ourselves. This time is going to be emotionally demanding, as we are forced to stretch, grow and work hard. Mars and Saturn can make us want to push ourselves, so it’s extra important to be mindful of getting enough rest and ensuring we find moments of pleasure and levity amidst the chaos.

Curious about how this astro-weather is affecting you personally? I offer astrology readings that can help you work with the energy of this time, instead of against it.

July 1 - Mars opposite Saturn

July starts off with a bang, as Mars forms a fiesty opposition to Saturn. Between now and Saturday, Mars is basically throwing lit matchsticks on the powder keg that is Saturn square Uranus.

The Saturn-Uranus square is the most powerful planetary forces impacting the collective right now. Throughout 2021 (and parts of 2020 and into 2022), we are dealing with a battle between innovation and tradition; freedom and control; power and institutions. Saturn represents the structure: traditions, policies, organizations, institutions. And Uranus is the call for revolution and form. This aspect has been building up since late June, and we will likely continue to feel its effects for another day or so to come, as Mars goes on to square Uranus on July 3rd.

And so, when Mars — the god of war, the principle of action — enters the picture... it's very much an "off with their heads!" kind of energy. As planetary energy, Mars is all about action, movement, and violence. If Venus' job is to build bridges and diplomatic ties, then Mars' job is to burn those bridges — to declare war, to annex, to conquer. In the modern days, we embody Mars energy when we demonstrate courage, when we sacrifice ourselves for a greater cause, when we complete and when we exert our will into the world.

And when Mars faces off against Saturn, the stern patriarch of the zodiac... It's kind of like a sports car slamming into a brick wall. Mars wants to move forward, but Saturn says "Not so fast." Saturn puts up roadblocks and barriers, slowing us down with paperwork, rules, regulations, and other kinds of nit-picky details. And because Saturn is currently in Aquarius, a sign where it is extremely powerful, Saturn is ruthlessly efficient in stopping us from moving forward. Our ability to act and accomplish what we desire might be thwarted or frustrated by circumstances outside our control.

Most likely this transit will make itself known most obviously at the collective level. We can even look at the heatwave currently gripping the West as an example of this energy (Mars in Leo, a hot and dry fire sign, while Saturn-Uranus have been historically associated with natural disasters). If you have one of the 7 traditional planets (or an important point, like your Ascendant or Midheaven) at 13° of one of the fixed signs (Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius, Taurus), this transit will be much more impactful on your personal life.

Even if this transit isn't hitting your natal chart, you are still a person living within this energy. There is a LOT of tension this week (...and this whole month, tbh). Try to be as gentle with yourself as possible. If you can cancel plans or keep your schedule light, that will help you be a bit more flexible in managing whatever comes up. But even if you can't (after all, we need to live our lives!), just set your expectations lower. Things might take much longer than you want them to take. You might FEEL frustrated and like nothing is happening. Take a deep breath and remember that this feeling WILL pass. If you can't move forward, just stop, do your due diligence, and then pick back up when you can.

Read more about the Mars opposition to Saturn and square to Uranus in this deep-dive blog post.

July 3 - Mars square Uranus

After facing off against Saturn, Mars moves into an aggressive and dynamic square to the planet of liberation and revolution. After being scrutinized and criticized by Saturn, the square to Uranus might have us wanting to blow off some steam. If you got a really big cosmic "no" on the 1st, by the 3rd, you might be feeling ready to say "fuck it" and burn it all down.

Before doing that, I invite you to pause and take a deep breath. This might not be the best time to make life-changing or irrevocable decisions. Impatience is in the air. Uranus can make us extremely impulsive, and Mars can add a self-destructive streak to that impulsivity. We still have a bunch of activations of the Saturn-Uranus square to go. The story is not over yet.

July 6 - Venus opposite Saturn, Mercury square Neptune

Hot on the heels of Mars, Venus in Leo forms an opposition to Saturn in Aquarius — once again activating the Saturn-Uranus square. Whatever themes were activated on July 1st, we are now getting the more relational, socially-oriented manifestations of the themes. Now it's our connections, ties, and how we create peace that is being slowed down and disrupted.

This isn't a super pleasant experience for Venus, who finds herself being scrutinized by cold and unforgiving Saturn. Venus's job is to create pleasure, beauty, and fun, while Saturn's job is to set limits, "say no" and remind us that winter is coming. Venus opposite Saturn can make us feel unworthy and unlovable, as we turn Saturn's critical gaze on ourselves. We might also come up against some logistic issues when we try to form connections or relationships — maybe your trip to visit your sweetie gets postponed because of Covid restrictions, for example.

This is a time to give yourself a lot of extra love and tenderness — and also try not to take things personally. If someone is gruff or short with you, remember that they are probably feeling this transit, too. This is a day for extra grace.

Mercury square Neptune generally brings with it a fog of confusion, lethargy, and dreaminess. Neptune is the great "dissolver" — it blends things together, blurs boundaries, and can induce a kind of dreamy mystic state.

This is the third (and final) square between Mercury in Gemini and Neptune in Pisces this year. Although this transit will likely still feel foggy, because it's the third in a series, it's likely to bring with it some sense of clarity or resolution. Whatever started back on May 22nd has now reached the next phase of development, the next point in the journey. Did anything significant start around then? Was there a turning point on June 5th (the second square)? What patterns or cycles have invited your attention?

July 8 - Venus square Uranus

Whatever was shaken up or shut down during the opposition to Saturn now yearns to be set free, as Venus squares Uranus. Uranus has a tendency to make us want to burn all our bridges so we can start fresh and new. It wants to liberate us from the relationships that are keeping us small, meek, and unhappy. After feeling small and restricted a few days ago, we might be looking to over-correct by bucking the trends.

The impatience is likely to manifest in the areas of our lives to do with relationships, social connections, and where we find fun and pleasure in the world. Maybe this looks like partying extra hard after a period of cutting back. Maybe this looks like blowing up at someone after not expressing your feelings for a long time. Hopefully, we can find some healthy(ish) ways to off-gas this energy that doesn't involve yelling at our loved ones.

Take note of how the themes of the Saturn-Uranus square are being activated through your relationships at this moment.

July 9 - New Moon in Cancer - 18°

This is the first New Moon in Cancer we have experienced since Saturn entered Aquarius back in December 2020. For the past 3 years, all Cancer new moons have been restricted by the presence of Saturn in the opposite sign.

But this year, babes. This is one hell of a New Moon. Unharrassed by either of the malefic planets, enjoying a wide trine to Jupiter in Pisces, the Moon can relax in her temple, luxuriate in her own power. We are now safely out of eclipse season, and this is a lovely time to work with our new moon intention setting practices, either on this day or once you start to see the glimmer of the waxing crescent moon, in a couple of days.

This is a really lovely time to focus on healing, supporting, and nourishing yourself. It's been a tough month so far, and we are probably feeling very worn out. During all this change and chaos, remember that your emotional health matters, too. Your happiness matters, too. How can you prioritize yourself a little today?

We are days away from the powerful conjunction forming between Venus and Mars in neighboring Leo. In fact, after the New Moon, as the Moon starts to gain light, it will be passing over that conjunction and highlighting it. This means the themes of the Venus-Mars conjunction are deeply baked into this lunar cycle.

July 11 - Mercury enters Cancer

Get out the tissues, babes. Mercury enters the sensitive and emotional realm of Cancer. Mercury has been in Gemini for many weeks now, due to its retrograde cycle, and this move into Cancer will likely feel like a mood shift. We're going from having the planet of thinking and communication in a fast-paced, socially-oriented sign, into a sign that is ruled by the Moon.

Watch out for the increased intensity of emotions and emphasis on how we connect and communicate interpersonally. Cancer is a sign that emphasizes connection and togetherness, and when Mercury is there, we are more likely to empathetic, sensitive, and deciding with our hearts, rather than our minds.

Water signs are "mute" signs — they are not as outwardly expressive and communicative as the Fire and Air signs. This means that Mercury will be doing a lot of work behind the scenes. We are still learning, thinking, changing, doing business, etc ... we're just not quite ready to announce our plans yet.

July 12 - Mercury trine Jupiter

As soon as Mercury steps in Cancer, it forms a blink-and-you-miss-it supportive trine to Jupiter in Pisces. Jupiter is all about faith and belief in something greater than ourselves. It represents the urge to see the big picture, cosmic unity, and feel moved by it. Mercury, meanwhile, is much more analytic and detail-oriented.

Today, however, we have the opportunity to bring those two contradictory forces into harmony, so that they can work together. Perhaps we can perfectly articulate an abstract concept. Maybe find ourselves able to break down a complex system into coherent, manageable pieces. Or maybe it's as simple as being inspired and sharing an idea with someone. This trine is happening across water signs, so it might not be very "loud" or talkative. But something is growing and expanding — it's just a little more subtle and quiet.

July 13 - Venus conjunct Mars

This is an extremely spicy and sexy transit. The push-pull between Mars and Venus is legendary — just think about the myths of Aphrodite and Ares, forbidden lovers. When Mars and Venus come together — especially in the Solar sign of Leo — we get the energy of passionate enthusiasm for life, a yearning for pleasure and fun.

However, the interplay between love and anger, especially in our relationships. Lovers' quarrels, selfish gratification, and possibly some emotional turbulence might be some of the more difficult manifestations of this transit. Venus represents what we want, Mars represents what we don't want. Mars takes, Venus provides. Venus builds bridges, Mars burns them down.

But during this day, there is a sense of unity and connection between the two forces — there's a desire to find equilibrium. That might look like wrestling back control and prioritizing your desires. Or it might look like recognizing where you have been taking too much without giving.

As a Sun-ruled sign, Leo is deeply connected to the idea of fame and legacy — the light we shine in the world, and the light we leave behind. The Venus-Mars energy playing out in this Solar sign might bring up themes of attention and reputation. How does being seen and/or publicity affect your relationships and your creativity? Are you creating for the sheer pleasure of it, or are you creating what will get likes on Instagram? We might be wrestling a bit with our public persona and the things that genuinely inspire us and drive us forward.

Whatever happens, this definitely a transit to say "yes" to whatever gets your blood pumping. Lean into sexiness. Flirt with your friends. Wear sexy lingerie if you want. This is definitely a very horny transit and is a lovely time to explore pleasure on your own terms. There's absolutely no need to get it on "just because" this transit is happening! This is simply an opportunity for you to explore what pleasure means to you. You get to put that into action in whatever way feels best for you.

July 15 - Sun trine Neptune

Sun trine Neptune has a kind of serene, radiant energy to it. We might feel a sense of being able to access and share our imagination, get lost in our daydreams, and do some helpful work doing spiritual self-discovery. There's a real sense of purpose and vision, one that has a kind of mystical or sensitive quality.

On the other hand, this might be a day of distractions, escapism, and self-deception. Neptune can dissolve our sense of certainty and purpose. We might feel a bit directionless and confused as this transit washes over us.

Like any Neptune transit, the best method of defence is not to fight it. Try to schedule some time for creative writing or unstructured brainstorming on this day. It's a lovely time to connect to something spiritual... just watch out for anything that sounds too good to be true.

July 17 - Sun opposite Pluto

This is a bit of a double whammy for the poor Sun. Moving from the escapist and dreamy trine with Neptune, the Sun then runs smack dab into an opposition with Pluto. Whatever fantasy escapes Neptune dreamt up for us will be suddenly be seen in the cold light of day, and we might not like what we see.

The Sun opposite Pluto often brings up themes of power struggle and control, the interplay between ego and shadow. Pluto is a ruthless, driving energy that is transformative. It reveals everything — warts and all — so that we can fully know what we're dealing this. This can be a painful illumination.

Pluto is power, and the Sun represents those people who stand at the center of things — CEOs are the centre of companies, Executive Directors are the centres of organizations, monarchs are the centre of kingdoms, and prime ministers are the centres of parliamentary democracies. When the Sun opposes Pluto, themes of power, corruption, control, and sovereignty come to the surface. Think about the Sun square Pluto back on April 16 — how has your relationship to power and authority changed since then? What themes were revealed then that you are now confronting?

July 21 - Venus enters Virgo

Venus leads the procession of planets out of Leo, and into the mutable, earth sign of Virgo. In traditional astrology, Venus is said to be in her fall in Virgo. This means that Venus struggles to execute her desires. Venus is a planet that desires pleasantness, pleasure, and beauty. And Virgo, as a Mercury-ruled sign, is a sign that lends itself to detail-oriented fastidiousness. So these two energies don't always combine in a way that feels easy and elegant — Venus would much rather relax and chill, but the sign of Virgo has high-strung, "we have to make all these decisions and do all these things at once" kind of tone. Virgo is NOT the sign of rest and leisure that Venus prefers.

When Venus in Virgo, we might feel a little more critical than usual, more prone to pointing out mistakes than admiring beauty. During these weeks, we can practice interrupting that nasty little voice in our mind that keeps us in a place of self-loathing and self-scrutiny, and instead focus on how we can tend and care for ourselves in a way that is restorative for our body, mind, and soul.

July 22 - Venus opposite Jupiter, Sun enters Leo

We start off Leo season with an opposition between our two benefic planets, Venus and Jupiter. Jupiter is retrograde, just days away from moving back into the sign of Aquarius. This is the last major aspect Jupiter will make in Pisces until it moves back into its water domicile on December 28, 2021.

This transit might instill in us a desire for self-indulgence, rich living, and social ambition. Planets in their fall of a tendency to over-promise and under-deliver. Venus in Virgo wants all of the fine things in life but might have trouble following through.

This is a quick transit, and not too powerful in the grand scheme of themes. Just watch out for the desire to impulsively spend money, decadent materialism, and conspicuous consumption. I highly recommend creating a page in your Notes app for all the things you WANT to buy. This is a great day for dreaming big, getting creative, and indulging in showy, dramatic, and ambitious art. A great day for watching musicals, getting dressed up for no reason, and taking a lot of selfies.

Happy Birthday, Leo babes!

You are a royal babe who deserves to be celebrated! Solar return readings can help you shine your light even brighter, by giving you a roadmap for the year to come. You’ll discover the major themes and lessons of the year ahead and receive practical insight on what the astro-weather has in store for you.

Book a Year Ahead Birthday Reading today!

July 23 - Full Moon in Aquarius - 1°

This Full Moon brings the Leo-Aquarius axis of our charts back into focus, with a vengeance. Remember that Venus-Mars stuff from last week? Or the Mars stuff from early July? Yeah, we're not done with that just yet.

This Full Moon is happening at 1° of Aquarius — within 10° of Saturn, and with the Moon's next aspect being a conjunction to Saturn. Saturn's co-presence in this lunation brings in big themes of structures and boundaries. After a few weeks of challenges to its control, this Full Moon feels like Saturn is back with a vengeance.

The Sun in ancient astrology represents our mind and intelligent force. Where the Sun shines its light, so our attention, mind, and focus follow. During this Full Moon, I think it's likely that our limits will be revealed to us. Whatever vision and idea we had for ourselves, it's being checked by reality. Saturn wants us to cultivate discipline and mastery, and this Full Moon is revealing where we might need to shore up that discipline if we are going to achieve our dreams and ambitions. The Sun in Leo is very much about fame and legacy — what do we want from our lives? How do we want to be known? And most importantly — what is the distance between where we are now and where we want to be?

This Full Moon reveals just how far we have to go — but hopefully, it will also reveal how we can get there. And then it's up to us to walk that path and do the Saturnian thing of working really hard every day to reach our goals.

July 24 - Mercury trine Neptune

After so many squares between Mercury and Neptune in May and June, this trine between Mercury and Neptune almost feels like a bit of a vacation. While trining each other, Neptune's mystical qualities are softened and easier for Mercury to receive. Neptune can help to open Mercury's mind and open it to gifts of intuition and insight. This is a very artistic, dreamy, and floaty kind of day. We might feel better able to perceive patterns and connections. It's a great day to get stoned and contemplate the meaning of the universe.

The downside, of course, is that it's not exactly productive energy, so if you can't get stoned all day and be chill, you might find yourself fighting through the fog to get to clarity. You also might find yourself being swept away in other ways — there is a tendency towards errors, miscommunication, confusion, and just overall idealistic or wistful thinking during this transit. Just try not to make any life-altering and irrevocable choices under this transit. But it is excellent for things like dreamwork, stream of consciousness writing, reading tarot, or doing other kinds of esoteric work that help connect you to divine realms.

July 25 - Mercury opposite Pluto

This transit is like a cold bucket of water is splashed over your hazy, lazy Neptunian transit from the day before. Mercury opposite Pluto can help to focus our minds, inducing a kind of passionate, probing intellect that verges on the obsessive. There's a relentless, penetrating insight available to us right now.

This transit will affect us differently depending on the houses that contain Cancer and Capricorn in our charts, and whether we have any important planets or points at 24°-25° of the Cardinal signs (Libra, Capricorn, Aries, Cancer). If that's you, this is a good moment to observe what themes are coming up for you. As a faster-moving planet, Mercury transits can help to articulate and communicate the bigger, macro-level themes of these transits. Pluto transits tend to last 2-3 years, so if you have something at 24°-25° of the Cardinal signs, this is just a small blip in a loooooong term transit.

July 27 - Mercury enters Leo

Mercury is our next (and final) planet to enter the sign of Leo this month. That means it's Mercury's turn to activate the Saturn-Mars aspect. This brings a little more heat and emphasis to Leo, but thankfully, this isn't going to be nearly as loud or dramatic as the Mars and Venus oppositions to Saturn.

Mercury is getting closer and closer to the Sun, meaning that it is losing its light. Mercury is now under the beams, invisible in the night sky. That means Mercury ruled things (business deals, money things, communication) are going to be muted, behind the scenes, and hidden for the next little while.

The time to share our work will come — but now, don't think too much about what other people might think or say about you. Just take your time, do the work, and ignore everything else except the process.

July 28 - Jupiter enters Aquarius

Oh, Jupiter in Pisces. It was nice while it lasted.

Jupiter retrogrades back into Aquarius, bringing EVEN MORE emphasis to the Leo-Aquarius axis of our charts. There's something in the Aquarius house in our charts that needs more attention. Jupiter in Aquarius is much more concrete, tangible, and practical than Jupiter in Pisces. After big dreaming and visioning, it's time to come back to reality and focus on how we can start to achieve that dream, practically speaking. Jupiter in Aquarius can help us innovate and redesign the systems in our lives so that they are ultimately more generative and supportive. At the collective level, I suspect this will look like a re-emergence of more restrictive lockdown measures, or perhaps an assertion of power from the state/authorities.

The trick will be to keep the spark of hope and optimism that Jupiter in Pisces has given us. Jupiter will be in Pisces from late December 2021 to May 2022 — we are going return to that Jupiter in Pisces goodness! but first, there is more work to do in Aquarius. There is cleaning up to do. Jupiter's retrograde cycle can help us consolidate our gains, review everything we've accomplished, understand how much we've grown. And with that knowledge, we can think about where we want to go next and set our eyes on that vision and start to work towards, beginning with the structures of our lives.

July 29 - Mars opposite Jupiter, Mars enters Virgo

Mars has a very big day today, as it comes face to face with Jupiter (who has JUST re-entered Aquarius!) and then moves into Virgo.

After facing off against Saturn earlier in the month, getting recklessly inflamed by Uranus, and then confronting a whole of relational problems with Venus, this truly feels like Mars getting one more slap in the face before falling over the finish line into Virgo.

Jupiter can really hype up Mars' competitive spirit. And especially in light of the broader context of Saturn square Uranus, I wonder if this transit will bring out themes of nationalism, expansionism, and "might makes right" mentality. Jupiter represents our ideals and beliefs, and Mars is the god of war and action — together, this can be very boisterous, cocky, righteous energy that lends itself towards self-glorification and self-aggrandizement.

Mars finishes the day by moving into Virgo, which hopefully helps to cool off this transit. While in Virgo, Mars is being hosted by Mercury, who is currently preparing for its cazimi with the Sun in Leo. This bodes well for Mars, I think — there's a moment of enlightenment that comes through in early August that can help to refocus our attention on the next stage of our adventure.

Thanks so much for joining me for this previous of the month ahead. As always, I would love to hear about how the transits manifested in your life. It’s really helpful to hear which descriptions were accurate and how your experiences resonated with the forecast.

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