When You Wish Upon a Star
July 2024July offers an invitation to float along the current of life. Rather than fight what pulls us along, celestial tides gently carry us if only we allow. What does that mean exactly?
Play. Dive into life and splash around. Reflect and relax. Surrender. Say yes to prospects and opportunities and figure out the details later. This might sound a lot like a Mercury retrograde period. But it is not. July is a time of active dreaming and being. Delicious soul time. Not just because it is now summertime; but cosmic energies also lead us to wonder, wander and imagine.
Do you remember a time when you could not wait to go outside and play? The rich timelessness of hanging out, eating popsicles, blowing giant soap bubbles, searching for 4 leaf clovers, swinging on the tire swing, riding bikes. Tap into that. As an adult, lounge outside, walk in the woods, take a swim. Put down your phone and lay on the grass to look at the sky above.
This is one month to make excuses about why you cannot work or get things done; excuse yourself so you can go outside and play. Avoid obligation. There, I said it. If you need permission, you have it. The planets are handing it to you, playfully pushing you into the water lapping at your toes.
Why? What is the cosmic reason for this you might ask?
Nearly back-to-back outer planetary gear shifts occur in mystical Pisces as June ended and July begins.
Taskmaster Saturn is now half way through dreamy Pisces, while Neptune finishes its cycle in this same sign it also rules. On June 29th, Saturn turned retrograde and only two days later, on July 1st, Neptune reverses gear. Although we do not feel cyclical turns of outer planets nearly as much as interior ones, the timing of this duo’s gear shifts at the beginning of July is like a lullaby, sweet, sweet music singing us into impressions, memories, inspirations, and ideas. Create time to soak these up.
There is nothing to prepare for or anticipate; rather, simply follow the cosmic lead. Fall back into its arms like a giant pool float. Relax and let yourself be carried. The week heading into July 4th is like waiting to fall asleep: one minute you are awake, the next you are not; and yet, you do not realize you have fallen asleep, do you?
In a world where we are controlled by the false construct of hours, days and weeks, time fades away now. We may lose our bearings, forget things, both items or directions, places or people’s names, why we were doing what we were doing, came into a room, what we came into the store to buy, only to pick up something else, something you’d never “normally” buy, something completely wonderful like sidewalk chalk or a sci-fi romance novel.
Pisces knows no boundaries; so there are no rules here. While that can feel confusing to some, it is liberating for many others. The hurried and harried busy-ness of the world doesn’t seem to matter right now. Leading into the holiday, this couldn’t happen at a better time.
For all of this, watch your drug and alcohol intake, which Neptune rules. The mix of pervasive absent-mindedness, addictive substances and water activities could indeed be dangerous.
Fun times are rarin’ to go when Messenger Mercury moves into festive Leo on Tuesday, July 2nd. Let’s get this party started already, says this combo. Aligning helpfully to Neptune, we are in for one happy stretch through this first week of July. Your inner child is calling. Will you answer? Embrace play, creativity, and JOY. If possible, keep a very light and loose schedule as you will want to delve into your downtime as much as possible and will resent anyone or anything keeping you from good times. This may include solo time tinkering in your garage, fishing or laying in a hammock snoozing.
That said, the Fourth of July occurs just a day prior to the New Moon on Friday, July 5th. Whether you are partying big with company or laying low by yourself or just a few companions, relax into this highly imaginative and intuitive New Moon. Conjoined to Valuable Venus in Cancer the Crab, both Sun and Moon align beautifully with Saturn in Pisces.
We are in the flow, swimming comfortably downstream at an even keel, held securely by family, or those who feel like family. Any musical or water activities in particular look enticing, soothing and FUN through the weekend. In fact, the first two weeks of July look perfect for vacation or impromptu stay cations so ENJOY. This caring and supportive New Moon is most welcome in such divisive times. Our home, our backyard, our homeland nurtures and nourishes us, no matter what our political or philosophical orientation. This is an exceptional moment to wish upon a star; so take time over the weekend to handwrite 3-5 intentions and plant them in the warm earth.
By the following Thursday, July 11th, Valuable Venus joins Messenger Mercury in Leo, prolonging the festivities. Leo rules creativity, games of chance, risk taking and romance. Love is in the air as this is one very romantic stretch through mid-July. You are up for anything now; so toss your hat in the ring and see where you land, both creatively and romantically.
With Venus opposing Aquarian Pluto from July 10th through the 16th, we notice where we end and others begin; others may include any individuals, groups or teams, whether family, romantic partners, friends, or work colleagues. Pay attention to your needs and agenda as compared to those of others during the middle of July. Make sure you love yourself enough to say NO or bow out when in group settings, even with just one other person. This form of protective self-care goes a long way to preserve relationships. And if others do not understand your needs, it may very well say a lot about them.
Another key aspect to watch in mid-July is Motivating Mars conjoined to Radical Uranus in Taurus, ruler of money, worth, the earth, resources of all kinds, and our skills and talents. This slower moving pair only occurs once every two years so take care with your wallet now. Read the fine print and know what you are getting into as Mars incites action and Uranus rules shock and surprise.
Look for a stock market RIDE, epic windfalls, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, energy/money/resource draining events, big climate shifts, all unpredictable or unexpected. TO BE CLEAR: avoid falling into the trap of labeling these bad or good, positive or negative. Big life pivots occur to redirect us. As they occur, we can feel lost. And understandably, losing resources of any kind is difficult. The test here is how you respond. Do you gloat on your good fortune or pledge to lift up others? Do you wallow and whine, ask for help, or pick up the pieces and create your own path forward?
The shock and awe of Mars-Uranus catches us off guard at best or catches us with our pants down at worst. So take a beat. Pause at mid-month to catch your breath. Taurus is cautious. There is no hurry here, despite the look of things. The situation is rife with silver linings. Hidden or not, you only have to look, to ask questions, and be open.
By Sunday, July 21st Mars moves on, out of Taurus and into communicative Gemini, aligning helpfully to older sibling Pluto. We are able to marshal people, make connections, gather and share information on a large scale. Mars’ entrance into Gemini occurs on the same day as the Full Moon at the final degree of Capricorn, highlighting definitive endings, culminations and brand new stories unfolding.
Opposite the Sun in Cancer, the Capricorn Full Moon is tied to Pluto emphasizing pronounced boundaries concerning family, food, nation, life-endings, ancestral inheritance (both material and psychological), house and home. Watch for children getting married, a baby born, beloved grandparent passing, the purchase of a first home, settling of an estate, food-related incidents, stomach or breast events, hospice or compassionate care. With Pluto in Aquarius, the above may very well occur with a twist, as in: done differently, alternative, or non-mainstream manner.
The very next day, the Sun turns into Look at Me Leo on Monday, July 22nd. Aligned helpfully to Mars in Gemini and opposing Aquarian Pluto, we have our creative thinking caps on, sourcing inventive approaches to problem solving. Anything is possible says this planetary combination…so try what comes up and see where it takes you…
Within reason, says Messenger Mercury as it moves into its own sign of practical Virgo on Friday, July 26th. Our minds are laser focused now heading into August, with attention on health, wellness, animals, our daily routines and practices. Mercury rubs Mars in Gemini the wrong way through the end of the month as Mars overcommits and overpromises leaving us to worry about the details and how everything will get done.
The remedy for this is taking turns at looking at the big picture then figuring out the mechanics. Much like an artist at her easel, stand back occasionally to look at your situation holistically. Detached from a distance, you can see what needs to be adjusted, rearranged, emphasized or eliminated.
Perfectionism and overthinking are the traps for Mercury in Virgo; efficiency, hard work, health consciousness and service orientation are where we shine for now. Lean into these qualities.
Of Special Note:
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