MONTHLY SINCE 1999
ISSUE # 264

July 2021

Note: All aspects are most powerful and effective as they apply. Once the transit has completed, its force is lessened. The further it separates the weaker it becomes.

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AUTHOR’S NOTES:

We are facing a moment in American history unlike any we have seen in a century. Following the Second World War our nation had a sense of consolidation brought on by the commonality of fighting an easily envisioned enemy and a sense of need that brought us together. We were still a nation of divisions and inequality, and many people felt disenfranchised as the returning G.I.s and their families tried to find their piece of the American Dream. But it is because of that conflict that eventually, after the restrictive 50’s we reached the 60’s with its progressive and expansive perspective. Civil rights, a slow building inclusiveness, worker’s rights and social liberties were expanded and there was a feeling of optimism as we were, in effect, the only major financial power on the planet – the USSR notwithstanding. But times change, and now our sense of national unity has been dissipated as we see the withering of our world clout, the shakiness of our financial security and the internal strife that has torn asunder that post-war unity and created more division than existed even before that world war. Will we find a common path and compromise that will allow us to once again regain the status we had taken for granted for almost 50 years, or will we continue to dissolve that which we cherish most – a solid sense of national family, a desire to improve ourselves and to repair the damage our history has recorded? Only time will tell. And while I do try to remain optimistic, the events, challenges and disputes that are ripping apart the fabric of our nation make it more and more difficult to believe that we will find the path towards unity.

Saturn is in square to Uranus this year. That ongoing aspect is creating a conflict between our foundation (Saturn) and our need for radical change (Uranus). And whenever these two energies are in battle there is a sense of instability and a lack of solid ground upon which to build. This year will be a challenge, that’s for sure. And it will show us some ways that we need to focus our attention towards healing and understanding. But the real test is still several years ahead when Uranus enters Gemini. I will discuss that more at length in later posts. But for now let me just wish you all a wonderful and safe summer. The world is always about to end, and people are always having children. That alone should give us faith that whatever we encounter there will still be the desire to continue our struggle towards a better future.

NEW MOON IN CANCER:

The New Moon falls on Friday July 9^th at 9:17 P.M. EDT at 18 degrees Cancer 02 minutes. The Cancer New Moon each July has much to do with emotions and family as well as our attachment to the past. We are linked to our experiences in ways we can’t always see. As Freud said: “The child is father to the man”. We are made up of what we have been and seen, our failures and successes mold us into who we are today and often define what we are willing to attempt as we move forward. Sometimes that is a mistake. While we are certainly affected by what went before, we should learn from those events and continue to push the boundaries of existence throughout our lives, not create limitations because of fear or past setbacks. But Cancer is all about that attachment and this month is a time to examine our memories and re-experience them with a new perspective.

This is a time to embrace family, however you define it. We are all isolated by the very nature of humanity. Even with close people by their side many have expressed to me a sense of separation and loneliness that can at best be offset by the company of those we love. In one way it is a shortcoming of our species that we cannot communicate directly, only through words and gestures. Telepathy may develop as the centuries pass, but for now the spoke or written word is the best we can achieve. But on another level it is a great monument to humankind that we have managed to invent speech, writing, storytelling and other forms of communication in our attempt to bridge that psychic gap. This is why music, literature and art are so very important and need to be supported and cherished. They express what we as individuals may find difficult to communicate. This is the 50^th anniversary of Joni Mitchell’s album, “Blue”, a unique and powerful form of communication that has enthralled, delighted and at times, saddened every generation who has embraced its simplistic complexities. Communication at its greatest heights, reaching across the huge divide that separates us in the hopes of bringing us closer. Give it a listen if you haven’t in a while. You will be as amazed as you were when you first heard it. And it is a most appropriate piece of work for the sign of Cancer.

So for the next month spend a little time thinking about how very important those people close to you really are. And be grateful for what they give you. Without them you would be so much more alone. And try to share your gift of contact and compassion, even with strangers. Sometimes a smile and a nod can uplift someone’s mood in ways you will never know.

 

MERCURY ENTERS CANCER:

On Sunday July 11^th at 4:35 P.M. EDT until July 27^th at 9:12 P.M. EDT Mercury joins the Sun in this emotionally charged sign and for a few weeks our intellect will be directly connected to our feelings. At times people will tend to be irrational in their thinking, and expecting them to respond in a logical or sensible manner may results in disappointment. This is a time to allow your emotions some free reign and not to be too rigid in our expectations. If conversations seem a bit irrational, well just go with the flow. There’s a time for common sense and a time for unfiltered feelings. Now it is the latter that needs to be articulated. Allow others to express how they feel and give them the room to emote. Not everything in life is about perfection. Sometimes, as John Legend said: “it’s the perfect imperfections” that matter the most and they are mostly spoken by the heart, not the mind.

 

MERCURY TRINES JUPITER:

On Monday July 12^th at 3:45 P.M. EDT this very positive and optimistic trine will give us a few hours of enthusiasm and hope. People will be chatty and it’s a good day to communicate about any subject. You may discover a new bit of knowledge or a perspective you hadn’t considered. Anything that will increase your point of view or offer some enlightenment will be quite valuable. This is a good day for travel, which is often a means of expansion in our consciousness.

 

VENUS CONJUNCTS MARS IN LEO:

On Tuesday July 13^th at 9:33 A.M. EDT the yin and yang within us all conjoin. This is a moment to embrace the two sides of you and recognize that we are more alike than different. I know at the moment that seems quite farfetched, especially on a political stage, and nothing seems more political right now than the difference between the sexes. But we are all made up of male and female, and how well we can balance the two will make us that much better as human beings. Mars does best in this fire sign, having dignity of tripicity. Venus can feel a bit out of sorts as it is more at home in the gentler signs. But each will express its wants and needs in the way that best suits us. Find the balance between the male and female, and allow each side of you to stand on stage, and you will give a great performance that many will relate to.

THE SUN TRINES NEPTUNE:

On Thursday July 15^th at 4:49 A.M. we will have a day of creative exuberance when we can reach our muse and for a time settle our differences in pursuit of self-expression and art. This will be a day when you can see a wee bit of what Van Gogh saw, hear the chords that played out for Mozart, Beethoven, Bill Evans, James Taylor, and maybe understand the song the birds sing in the bright troubled sunlight. If you can get away, this would be a good time to sit by the beach or walk a mountain path. It happens to be my birthday, and I plan on hearing what the waves and seagulls have to tell me.

THE SUN OPPOSES PLUTO:

On Saturday July 17^th at 6:46 P.M. EDT people will be feeling intense. It will be rough around the edges and you may need to deal with some confrontations. Pick and choose your battles with care. It will be easy to get into useless disputes without resolution. If something is important enough to deal with, then you are better off facing it directly and bringing it all to the surface. But if you feel that someone is just venting and aiming their anger at you, it might be better to beg off and deal with them on another day. This can be a very cleansing and positive aspect if you are truly involved in something that requires your attention. Pluto has to do with the removal of waste, the exposure of infections and handling anything that is decaying or has outlived its usefulness. This can be true in projects, plans and relationships. But it can also just bring up all sorts of buried issues that aren’t pertinent at the moment and are only rising to the surface as collateral garbage. You must decide if something is worth the effort. If it is, then you can possibly expunge something that has needed to be cleansed.

 

MERCURY SEXTILES URANUS:

On Tuesday July 20^th at 5:38 A.M. EDT we will have a day of heightened intellectual energy when our minds can comprehend complex ideas and stretch the boundaries of thought. While this probably won’t make us all geniuses, it will be a brief period when you may find it easier to express some rather deep concepts and you may be able to communicate on a different level. If you have an important conversation that you’ve been delaying, this morning might be a good time to get on the phone and say what’s on your mind. Travel will also be quite rewarding, though this is about a short trip, not a life changing journey.

 

VENUS ENTERS VIRGO:

On Wednesday July 21^st at 8:37 P.M. EDT until August 16^th at 12:27 A.M. EDT Venus will be traveling through this sometimes overly picky Mercury-ruled sign. Virgo can be a bit restrictive at times, but it’s a deeply caring and healing placement that means well. Virgos are loving and sensitive. However, with this transit you should be careful not to be too critical of others. Those of us with this placement in the natal chart know the pitfalls of criticizing your loved ones or expected them to be perfect. With the natal placement you have a lifetime to learn that lesson. Now you have a few weeks. But pay attention. You might be given several opportunities to recognize how you are overly picky, even if you don’t have this in your natal chart. When the heart and the mind meld it can be difficult to separate the two, but it does offer us an opportunity to express our feelings in a more focused and realistic fashion. Sometimes that works; sometimes it feels like you are being a nanny when an exotic dancer is preferred. Well, we should take the love that is offered now and await a different perspective. Have patience. There’s a time and place for everything.

 

VENUS OPPOSES JUPITER:

On Thursday July 22^nd at 8:45 A.M. EDT we will have a short period of exuberance and heightened expectations. This is a very pleasant and sociable aspect and it favors all interactions between people. It can also increase the joy spent with our four-legged friends as well. It passes quickly so don’t expect a life-changing event. Still it can be a very nice few hours when the troubles of the world seem to disappear and the bright sun shines down upon us.

THE SUN ENTERS LEO:

On Thursday July 22^nd at 10:26 A.M. EDT we enter this 5^th sign. For the next month we will all be more childlike and adventurous. Where the past month was about family and the past, now it’s time for romance, games and play. Leos are very loyal and loving, but they can be a bit stubborn, as all the fixed signs can be. And if you hurt a Leo’s feelings they will sometimes respond in a huffy and irrational way. Sometimes they will withdraw into their quiet place, and others times they will make a big show about how much you have bruised them. In either case they are just acting out the child within and you should try to explain yourself. While the Sun is here we will all be more Leo-like and could be easily offended. Find ways to enjoy the sun and fun, and try not to make too much of a small incident. It can ruin a wonderful day. This is a time for frolicking and loving in a showy and dramatic fashion. Be the star of your show and entertain others. They will appreciate it and the applause, while it may be muted at times, will make you feel like a rock star.

FULL MOON IN AQUARIUS:

On Friday July 23^rd at 10:37 P.M. EDT at 1 degree Aquarius 26 minutes this potentially explosive Full Moon will complete. This occurs in the first degree of the sign, so it has a more than usual impact and might bring up some issues about values and changes we wish to make. On the world stage this could be a few days of some unsettling events and conversations. Because of the times we are living in, it’s quite possible that some hitherto unspoken or mild disagreement might be blown out of proportion. This is certainly a period when you should be paying attention to your environment and how you are interacting with others. A misplaced word can build into a confrontation that might easily be avoided with a little awareness.

All Full Moons should be respected and some caution is called for. Stay alert and try to recognize what is being offered. What Aquarius wants is self-expression and the removal of boundaries that can be stifling. If this is done with an eye on a realistic resolution you might be able to discover some new ideas could gain an enlightening perspective. But if it’s done in a helter-skelter way you may upset the status quo. Tread carefully but don’t be afraid to try something new.

 

MERCURY TRINES NEPTUNE:

On Saturday July 24^th at 12:35 P.M. EDT the poet within us all will seek its voice and sing the song of life. This can be a very interesting aspect. It only lasts a short while, but it sets the stage for the more potent and forceful Mercury opposite Pluto that will complete tomorrow. Today, look for gentle ways of saying what’s on your mind. And don’t be afraid to daydream or space out a little. There are times when we should let go of the boundaries and containment we are so used to living within, and just let the spirit soar.

 

MERCURY OPPOSES PLUTO:

On Sunday July 25^th at 4:15 P.M. EDT this difficult and intense aspect will come along. It is a day to watch how you speak to others. Even with the best of intensions you could upset someone or stir the waters in ways you hadn’t planned. Pluto doesn’t do anything superficially. It digs deeply into every event, conversation and hidden meaning in an attempt to figure out just what is going on in the undercurrent. Because Mercury rules our communications, it is through our speech and writings that this has the best potential of being expressed. You may find others rather forceful in their speech, or you may be the initiator of such a mood. In either case don’t judge. Let the truth come out and face it with an open heart. There is nothing within you that is evil or can’t be handled unless you pretend it’s not there. This is a chance to clean out some infections and revitalize your communicative skills. Pluto rules all matters of eliminating waste, in the body, the home, our society and in our minds. Let it do its job and you will feel less burdened afterwards.

 

MERCURY ENTERS LEO:

On Tuesday July 27^th at 9:12 P.M. EDT until August 11^th at 5:57 P.M. EDT Mercury once again follows the Sun into the same sign. Leo rules the stage and there will be a lot of dramatics and expressiveness in our speech and presentations. Everyone will be a bit over the top for a while, and you should take what they say with a grain of pepper (I’m limiting my salt intake). This is a great placement for public speaking or for writing what you feel in a clear and forceful manner. While Mercury was in Cancer we were all too weepy and caught up in the past to express new ideas or present them to the public. Now with this transit and the return of Jupiter into Aquarius you can get your point across and make it entertaining as well as informative. Just don’t overdo it. Keep the histrionics to a minimum and be prepared to be called upon to speak in front of others. Not everyone will get that chance, but even while ordering your morning coffee you may discover that you have an audience. Play to them with a keen eye and ear.

 

JUPITER ENTERS AQUARIUS:

On Wednesday July 28^th at 8:43 A.M. EDT Jupiter retrogrades back into Aquarius until December 28^th at 11:09 P.M. EDT. This will be a period of some unbridled excitement as we all try to express the energy this entails. Jupiter wants expansion. Aquarius wants new and innovative ideas and events. The combination is often one of exhilaration and adventure. Of course not all things exciting are necessarily good. This can also produce some events and movements that are blown out of proportion and can create explosive or unsettling results. There are two sides to every coin and depending upon which side it lands on this can either be a time of remarkable advancements or of disproportionately disquieting moments. I will be entering this time with an underlying sense of caution, but I don’t want that to restrict my ability to grow and experience some wonderfully inventive and original concepts. Jupiter was in this sign from December 2020 – May 2021 when it briefly entered Pisces. Now we have an opportunity to examine what we were doing back then and to complete any unfinished projects or to further develop the ideas that were floating around in our minds. Take advantage of this and if you can, look back on the past half year and see what it was that inspired you. You may be able to take it to the next level without much more work if you did the heavy lifting before.

 

MARS OPPOSES JUPITER:

On Thursday July 29^th at 11:50 A.M. EDT egos will know no bounds. This can be a very useful and productive aspect that will give us all a jolt of energy and a desire to accomplish much. If it’s focused and used in positive ways, that will be the result. But if you allow your ego too much control and don’t rein it in you may act in an arrogant or aggressive manner and could easily find yourself in a conflict. Stay busy and active, and you will be able to direct this force where it will do you the most good.

 

MARS ENTERS VIRGO:

On Thursday July 29^th at 4:32 P.M. EDT until September 14^th at 8:14 P.M. EDT Mars joins Venus in this mutable earth sign. Mars prefers the uninhibited and direct energy of the fire signs, and can feel stifled in the earth signs. While this is a mutable energy, and thus more malleable, it still has the limiting feeling of earth, and can be frustrating to Mars’ ego fueled personality. But as with all transits there’s a very positive way of using this. Aim your ego towards helping others. Virgo rules nursing, and it has much to do with all healing techniques and the ability to repair what is broken. Virgo can be overly critical, and it’s very possible that some of us may overreact to a small slight or misunderstanding. But if you can make the issue less about you and more about what is best for all concerned this can be a very useful and productive time. Because this lasts about six weeks there will be many chances to get it right.

 

THE SUN CONJUNCTS MERCURY & MERCURY OPPOSES SATURN:

On Sunday August 1^st at 10:08 A.M. EDT & 5:50 P.M. EDT we will have a day of extreme willfulness in our communications. This is a common transit that occurs several times a year, and while it isn’t earth shaking, each time it comes along it will simulate our speech and writing in ways that are based upon the other aspects occurring at the same time. But because of the aspects to Saturn by the Sun and Mercury there will be a more constricted sense in how we use this energy. This will be a day of serious thought and conversations. If there’s something important you’ve wanted to discuss you may not be able to avoid the conversation now. That’s fine. Don’t be afraid of Saturn, learn to work with it. This is a realistic and functional pair of transits and they want you to face the truth about things. Do so with an open heart and mind and this will be a very productive day.

 

THE SUN OPPOSES SATURN:

On Monday August 2^nd at 2:14 A.M. EDT we will all feel some restriction and limitations as the Sun’s force is repressed by stogy old Saturn. This can be a difficult few days. The energy level is low and if this hits your chart you may feel a bit dour or unenthusiastic. Try not to make too much of it. This will soon pass and then we are heading towards the Sun square Uranus on Friday, a much different and more excitable transit. Because of the ongoing Saturn-Uranus square in the sky, any inner planet will make aspects to both within a few days. So you should look at this week as the Sun setting off restrictive Saturn, and then explosive Uranus. Each aspect should be viewed separately as far as the day-to-day transits and how to effectively use them. But there is a deeper process going on and we will become aware of it through personal and world events. The ongoing Saturn-Uranus square is challenging many issues in our lives and in our culture. The political alienation is intensifying and there are states that are passing laws to inhibit the very nature of our democracy, and the individual’s rights. That is Saturn restricting the freedom of movement that Uranus desperately needs. But it’s also Uranus pushing against that Saturnine limitation and, as the old saying goes, when an immovable object meeting an irresistible force – something must give. And it will. Possibly in explosive ways, as the pent up anger, frustration and self-righteousness break down the barriers we have been taught to expect.

VENUS TRINES URANUS:

On Tuesday August 3^rd at 2:53 A.M. EDT we will all be looking for some new ways of expressing our feelings and desires. This is a day to shrug off some of the dust of yesterday’s Sun-Saturn opposition and look for something exciting. Step outside you usual routine and baby, take a walk on the wild side. With the Sun coming up to the square to Uranus in a few days there is lots of energy in the air. It will become more upsetting and dangerous as the next few days pass, but for today you can experience something adventurous and a little kinky. Take a chance.

 

THE SUN SQUARES URANUS:

On Friday August 6^th at 7:57 P.M. EDT the second half of the solar aspect completes. For a few days there will be an electric force in the air that you should be aware of. Try to avoid direct confrontations or any explosive situation. This can be explosive and shocking, and since it comes so near the Dark of the Moon it may represent the end of something unexpected. If there is a project, plan or relationship that has outlived its purpose in your life you may find that it’s impossible to prevent its conclusion. This can also be true in world events. As I said in the Sun opposite Saturn post above, push is coming to shove. We are entering a period of unbridled anger and force. While these are only quick moving transits that may or may not create an event, the underlying energy is violent, dark and building pressure every day.

DARK OF THE MOON:

The next New Moon falls on Sunday August 8^th at 9:50 A.M. EDT at 16 degrees Leo 14 minutes. The day or two leading up to it will be a particularly low energy period. If you tend to be emotional this may be a very trying time each month. I have found that people with prominent moons or a Cancer Sun, Moon or ascendant respond to the lunar cycles more intensely than others. Spend this time finishing up anything that is incomplete, don’t try to initiate new projects on a waning moon, it just won’t work out. Once the New Moon hits you begin new projects or attempt a new approach to an existing problem. If you have been living in a situation or involved in a relationship that is intolerable or has outlived its usefulness this would be the proper time to move on with your life. If you have been working on a project that is almost complete but you seem to lack the energy for the finality, you must push during these low energy days to end the matter once and for all. If you don’t, when the New Moon arrives it will bring this “dead” energy along with it and conflict with the newer force being presented. Each month we are offered a chance to clean house, so to speak. 

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Below is a list of times this month when the Moon is Void of Course and neither important decisions nor purchases should be made during these periods. The Void of Course Moon is a time when we should try to center ourselves and deal with spiritual matters not materialistic ones. Any decisions made on the VC Moon will not turn out the way we had expected.

The Moon is Void of Course from the time it makes its last major aspect in a sign until it enters the next sign. For example, if the Moon squares Mars at 27 degrees Aries and then has no more aspects until it enters Taurus it will be Void of Course for three degrees or about 6 hours. The aspects used are the conjunction, sextile, square, trine, and opposition. All times are Eastern Time:

July 10^th 12:10 P.M. – 8:21 P.M. ***Moon is void 8 hours

July 12^th 8:29 A.M. – July 13^th 4:30 A.M. ***Moon is void 20 hours

July 15^th 2:46 A.M. – 10:32 A.M. ***Moon is void 8 hours

July 17^th 7:03 A.M. – 2:38 P.M. ***Moon is void 7 hours

July 19^th 12:30 P.M. – 5:08 P.M.

July 21^st  6:26 P.M. –  6:36 P.M.

July 23^rd 12:34 P.M. – 8:12 P.M. ***Moon is void 7 hours

July 25^th  7:14 P.M. – 11:30 P.M.

July 27^th 9:13 P.M. – July 28^th 5:58 A.M. ***Moon is void 9 hours

July 30^th 3:38 P.M. – 4:08 P.M.

August 2^nd 3:41 A.M. – 4:46 A.M.

August 4^th 3:38 P.M. – 5:17 P.M.

August 6^th 6:12 P.M. – August 7^th 3:31 A.M. ***Moon is void 9 hours

August 9^th 8:23 A.M. – 10:56 A.M.

August 11^th 7:22 A.M. – 4:08 P.M. ***Moon is void 8 hours

August 13^th 4:39 P.M. – 8:01 P.M.

July 2021

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