July is Cancer season, a time when the Sun shines a light on all things home, family, care, and nurturing. Cancer is the ocean, feelings, and security. It’s also a sign that has a strong emotional connection to the past. So it seems fitting, perhaps uncomfortably so, that our swim through the waters of Cancer come alongside Saturn’s recent return to Scorpio, a combination that will pull us back to themes from the past two years. Oh, and throw in the ghost of Uranus/Pluto Squares Past, too? Get your sage stick out and start smudging.

We open July with a dramatic Capricorn Full Moon on 7/1. Although Neptune will be in strong support, imbuing the days around the lunation with a sense of mysticism, sensitivity, and blurred reality, Saturn will be on the last degree of Scorpio. It’s a sharp way to start the month, a referendum on all we’ve sorted through since October 2012. And seeing how full moons are decision points, we may find ourselves wrapping something up in our lives, Scorpio style.

As the Sun travels further into Cancer this month, it’ll make contact with Uranus and Pluto, setting off a series of waves all July long. We may have finished the last of the battle back in March, but, again, this month will be all about looking back, pushing forward into new territory.

The Cancer New Moon on 7/15 will open up a new lunar month steeped in feelings, connections, and nostalgia. But a square to Uranus will be more of an invitation to break from the past if anything. Then Venus will turn retrograde on the cusp of Virgo on 7/25, spending the next 40 days retracing its path through Leo, the sign of romance, creativity, and self expression. Don’t be surprised if old lovers from out of the woodworks or we’ll have to reassess the value of a romance. Further, pay attention to relationship themes this month. You’ll be revisiting them into August. Venus will turn direct on September 6, 2015. Lastly, keep an eye on Uranus Retrograde on July 26 and expect the unexpected.

Read for your Sun and rising sign.

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DATES TO NOTE: 7/1 Full Moon 9 Capricorn, Sun trine Neptune, Venus conjunct Jupiter; 7/2 Mercury sextile Uranus, Mercury square Chiron; 7/5 Mercury sextile Venus; 7/6 Sun opposite Pluto; 7/8 Mercury enters Cancer, Mars trine Neptune; 7/12 Sun square Uranus; 7/13 Mercury trine Neptune, Sun trine Chiron; 7/14 Venus square Saturn; 7/15 New Moon 23 Cancer, Mars opposite Pluto, Mercury opposite Pluto; 7/16 Mercury conjunct Mars; 7/18 Venus enters Virgo, Mercury square Uranus; 7/19 Mercury trine Chiron; 7/21 Sun trine Saturn; 7/22 Sun enters Leo, Mercury trine Saturn; 7/23 Mercury enters Leo, Sun conjunct Mercury; 7/25 Venus Rx 0 Virgo, Mars square Uranus; 7/26 Uranus retrograde, 20 Aries, Mars trine Chiron; 7/31 Full Moon 7 Aquarius; 7/31 Venus Rx reenters Leo.

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Aries

It’s all about home and family this July! How can it not be with Mars, your ruling planet, recently arriving in Cancer and inviting you to go deep. What are your roots? How do you care and nurture for your life? Is it time for a change? You may feel motivated this month to make a move, embark on home improvements, or just nest. That said, Cancer isn’t exactly an easy sign for Mars. While you’re used to taking action, this is more of a time to reconnect with loved ones and explore the softer side of life. The full moon on July 1 will be a reminder that worldly success is built on a strong foundation. How can home support your career? If you’ve been looking for a new job or wanting to make a change in direction, this may be the month that it happens. This full moon will put you in the spotlight, but touch back on the seismic changes you’ve made over the past few years as well. Is it time for yet another public reinvention? The other major thing to highlight is Saturn. As of 7/14 it’s back in Scorpio, digging up secrets and turning your attention to money, power, and security. You’ve traveled very far since 2012. Use July and August not only to tie up loose ends, but show just what you’ve learned. Additionally, the new moon on 7/15 will give you a new beginning in home and family, one that will force you to separate from the old. Want to learn more about how the astrology of July will affect you? Book your consultation now.

Key Themes: Home, family, roots, connection, emotions, nostalgia, past, the mother, ancestors, career, status, direction, reputation, revolution, evolution, change, money, wealth, debt, inheritance, taxes, rebirth, transformation.

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Taurus

Yours is a decadent sign, Taurus. It’s all about touch, taste, and enjoying life’s pleasurable pursuits. So it may be more than a little easy to get wrapped up in July’s luxurious line up of Venus and Jupiter. This duo will make a welcome rendezvous in your chart’s sector of home and family as the month begins! Additionally, life may be busy at the moment, especially with Mars turning up the volume on the flow of emails, calls, texts, and places to go, but at least you have Venus and Jupiter helping you to create a beautiful home and enjoy the loving connections of the people closest to you. This may be the month when you even buy a home or celebrate a new addition to your family. But we can’t lose sight of a couple of, er, hiccups? Complications? First, the Sun will tangle with the planets Pluto and Uranus. This will make for bumpy astrology, the sort that will press deep emotional buttons, especially the second week of July, pushing you to make a separation from the past. Further, Venus will make a square to Saturn on 7/14. Does a relationship need a reality check? In short, life may be throwing you a couple of wonderful things your way, but there’s a sense that these new things come with a deeper sense of clarity and commitment. Keep in mind Saturn is not a bad guy. He’s just a planet whose job is to remind you that life is more than just showing up. It’s planning, hard work, diligence, and a vision for something greater. You got this. Want to learn more about how the astrology of July will affect you? Book your consultation now.

Key Themes: Communication, writing, learning, travel, movement, transportation, higher education, journeys, faith, exploration, relationships, partnerships, commitment, home, family, roots, connection.

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Gemini

Finally, life will start to pick up steam after last month’s mixed bag. On 7/8 Mercury will say goodbye to Gemini and hello to Cancer, turning your focus toward money, resources, and material security. In fact, Mars has already planted a stake in this area of your chart as of 7/24, so this need for stability and solid ground will kick into overdrive this month. Speaking of money, the full moon on 7/1 will bring a decision about finance, benefits, your partner’s income, or even an inheritance to the forefront. There may be a need to make a powerful break from the past, to chart a new course toward financial security while paying down debt and taking a hard look at spending. This full moon will also be a glimpse into the unknown as this area of your chart corresponds with secrets, mysteries, and the sort of things that go on behind closed doors. You may feel this acutely around 7/15 when Mercury, your planetary ruler, opposes Pluto. Is there something you haven’t wanted to face? Just in time for the Cancer New Moon, which will open a new chapter in money, value, how you make an income, and the things you need to build a comfortable life — and making necessary changes in that arena as well. At least you have Venus and Jupiter, your romance and relationship planets respectively, snuggling up all month long. Go for a short trip with a special someone or meet someone new in the neighborhood. Note that Venus retrograde starting 7/25 may have you resolving something from a past relationship into August. Want to learn more about how the astrology of July will affect you? Book your consultation now.

Key Themes: Money, income, stability, security, the material world, basic needs, finances, wealth, debt, taxes, inheritances, benefits, partner’s income, health, wellness, nutrition, daily, life, secrets, mysteries.

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Cancer

Happy birthday, Cancer! With the planets partying in your sign, normally this is your time to shine. But over the past few years your birthdays may have been a little bittersweet. Here’s the thing to keep in mind. Cancer is a sign that takes emotional pride and comfort in the past as well as preserving the status quo. Of course there’s nothing wrong with that, however the past few years have been filled with tumultuous change as you’ve been pushed, often far outside your comfort zone, to leave the past behind. For the most part this stream of constant change — the uncertainty, the emotional upsets, and gut level transformation — has been subsiding, but there are times when the astrology rumbles in like a storm. Both the full moon on 7/1 and the new moon on 7/15 are two such moments. The first of which, falling in your relationship sign of Capricorn, will be a pivot point. You may have a decision to make about a partnership or, if you are single, this may be a month where a new person may enter your life, one very different than before. If anything this full moon will reach into your past, especially events from the past two years, and bring them to the forefront for resolution. The new moon on 7/15 will coincide with a face off between Mars and Pluto — a pivot point. If you’ve needed to reinvent yourself, this will be your new moon, especially if you’re looking to take your life or career in a new direction. 7/25–26 will be yet another pivot point. Want to learn more about how the astrology of July will affect you? Book your consultation now.

Key Themes: Relationships, action, the self, partnership, cooperation, vitality, career, status, reputation, direction, break with the past, new beginnings.

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Leo

Feeling reflective? Contemplative? Like you want to retreat from the world? When the Sun is in Cancer, as it is for most of this month, it’s a natural time for you to pull back and go within. But it’s not just the Sun that’s inviting you to meditate on life. Mars, too, has been stirring up the psyche. You may be feeling extra sensitive and needing to search for answers to big existential questions. This is the perfect month for meditation and spiritual exploration as well as unwinding from the things that no longer serve us. In short, it’ll be a bit of a heavy month emotionally. Now that Saturn is back in Scorpio, you’ll be tying up loose ends in home and family as well. Is there a family responsibility that needs your attention? Do you need to move or make a change in the home? You may have the sense that you’ve come to the end of one chapter while unsure of where the next one will take you. The full moon on 7/1 will start the month off by highlighting nutrition, diet, health, and a need for organization in your life. Do you need to make a change in your diet? Make a commitment to exercise or some sort of daily ritual? Make a list of what needs to be done. The annual opposition between the Sun, your ruling planet, and Pluto on 7/6 will give you an opportunity to reinvent yourself. Additionally, home and family matters may be a bit heavy around the middle of July, just in time for the new moon on 7/15. Come 7/22 things will start to brighten up when the Sun arrives in Leo. Happy birthday! Want to learn more about how the astrology of July will affect you? Book your consultation now.

Key Themes: Retreat, reflection, withdrawal, meditation, spirituality, existential questions, recuperation, family, home, connection, roots, responsibility, nutrition, diet, health, work, organization, day-to-day life, reinvention.

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Virgo

After an exhaustive nine week trip through Gemini, Mercury will finally move onto new territory on 7/8. Why is this important? Because Mercury is your ruling planet and where it travels reveals much about your direction, your experiences, and even your vitality. In Gemini, you spent May and June focused on career, your place in the world, or even rethinking your direction in life. But Mercury was tangled up in a long dance with Neptune. As a result you may have felt confused, low on energy, and a little scattered as well. Now onto Cancer, the sign of connection! You’ll spend the better part of July in your community, thinking about the future, networking, and making plans with friends. The full moon on 7/1 will put self expression, creativity, and even children into the spotlight. You may feel like having fun, but it may be hard to escape the toll that the past couple of years have taken. Looking into the middle of July, Mercury will make a series of bumpy aspects to Pluto and Uranus on 7/15 and 7/18 respectively. These two planets are major forces of evolution. You may feel a need to make a break from the past, reinvent yourself, or transform. By 7/23, Mercury will sashay into Leo, starting a two week period of retreat from the world. Use the rest of the month to rest, recuperate, meditate, and reflect on what you want to leave behind as you move into the next year of your life. Want to learn more about how the astrology of July will affect you? Book your consultation now.

Key Themes: Community, the collective, social causes, humanitarianism, friends, networking, the future, equity, self expression, creativity, identity, fun, leisure, romance, children, art, performance, evolution, transformation, reinvention, retreat, reflection.

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Libra

You’re in the spotlight, Libra! With the planets gathering in the highest reaches of your chart this month, this is a natural time to reach out into the world. Think career, success, status, and direction. Add an extra dash of Mars and you’ll be extra motivated to climb the ladder and achieve your goals. While there’s a great deal of focus on public life, the full moon on 7/1 will be a reminder of the private side. Falling in your chart’s sector of home and family, you may have a decision to make about where to live or a financial matter regarding the home. The full moon will be a reminder of all the things that have changed dramatically over the past few years and you may be presented with yet another turning point. Looking into the middle of July, a series of bumpy astrological lineups will require all your charm and grace under pressure. First, you’ll have a rendezvous with Saturn on 7/14, the planet whose job it is to make sure you’re staying on track, working hard, and, all in all, being a responsible adult. So, are you? 7/15 will be a high pressure day. The new moon will not only open up a new chapter in your career, but will invite you to make a break from the past or make a radical change in your professional direction. On the same day Mars and Pluto will face off; a relationship or partnership will demand your attention, especially if there has been something you haven’t wanted to face. On 7/25, Mars and Uranus will square off — another break from the past. Want to learn more about how the astrology of July will affect you? Book your consultation now.

Key Themes: Career, status, worldly pursuits, the public, success, recognition, direction, home, family, roots, connection, nostalgia, the past, endings, clearings, rebirths, emotional purge, relationships, change, transformation, evolution.

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Scorpio

Got a trip planned, Scorpio? This is certainly the time of year for it. With the planets gathering in your chart’s house of long distance travel, you may be packing your bags this month for a far flung destination. Mars in Cancer after all; family and destinations close to the heart will tug at you the most. And it’s not just long journeys getting the highlight. The full moon on 7/1 will shine a light on short trips and spins around the neighborhood as well. Further, the full moon will harken back to personal growth and responsibilities you took on over the past two years when Saturn was in Scorpio. In the middle of the month Mars, your ruling planet, will face off with Pluto on 7/15. This is big deal astrology and a time to make a transformative leap, leaving the past behind, especially on 7/25. You’ve never been one to shy away from pulling away the old layers. So, what do you want to purge this month? At the same time the new moon on 7/15 will open up a chapter in all things related to travel, higher education, religion, philosophy, and publishing. If you have ideas, time to get them out there. If you have been thinking of going back to school, this is the new moon to start looking into making that happen. Relationships will also get scrutiny this month. Venus square Saturn on 7/14 is a check in on what you really want versus what you have. Then Venus Retrograde, starting 7/26, will commence a six week period of reevaluating past romances. Want to learn more about how the astrology of July will affect you? Book your consultation now.

Key Themes: Travel, journeys, destinations, movement, trips, the neighborhood, siblings, authority, maturity, commitment, voice, writing, thinking, communication, power, truth, faith, belief, religion, dogma, publishing, rebirth, transformation, purge.

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Sagittarius

Time to put away the champagne bottles, Sagittarius. After June’s last minute dizzying, indulgent conjunction of Jupiter and Venus, the full moon on 7/1 will be a reality check. Falling in the sign of Capricorn, the spotlight will be on money and income. Did you party a little too hard in June? Time to pay the bill. Alternatively you will start the month focused on financial security, wealth, and stability. How will you create the material life you’ve always wanted? Make a plan. In other news, Mercury will finally move on to to greener pastures after spending the last two months in your chart’s relationship sector. True, this has been a time when you’ve been extra focused on the other people in your life, but last month’s Mercury Retrograde brought out a parade of people from your past. Time for something fresh, right? When Mercury crosses paths with Pluto, Mars, and Uranus on 7/15–18, you may get more than you bargained for. Pluto and Uranus may bring a pivot point in a relationship and your career or life path. Just in time for the new moon on 7/15, which will open up a new chapter highlighting finance, legacies, inheritances, the psyche, intimacy, and anything that takes place behind closed doors. With the new moon squaring off with Uranus, it’ll be time to break away from the past, to leave the baggage behind, to search deep for meaning, and to heal in a powerful way. Not for the feint of heart, but, then again, you’ve been doing major release work over the past two years. This will help you tie up loose ends. Want to learn more about how the astrology of July will affect you? Book your consultation now.

Key Themes: Money, income, paycheck, bank account, financial security, stability, wealth, inheritances, legacies, taxes, debt, mysteries, intimacy, secrets, the psyche, healing, release, transformation, relationships, value, travel, journeys, faith, exploration.

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Capricorn

There’s a lot on the table this month. First, July will open with a Capricorn Full Moon, turning the spotlight on you. How are you a leader? An authority? How are you taking command of your life? Recognized for your talents? But this full moon will touch deep on themes of rebirth and transformation. How could it not when it’ll fall not far from Pluto, a planet that has had long term influence in your life — since 2008 to be precise. And with Saturn recently back in Scorpio, community and friendships will be major themes as well. That said, most of the action this month will take place in the relationship sector of your chart. With Mars heating things up, there will be a strong need to emotionally connect with a partner or make changes in a relationship. Keep an eye on the middle and later part of July, which is when Mars will make a series of bumpy alignments to Pluto and Uranus on 7/15 and 7/25 respectively. These days or the days around them will be pivot points, times when you take action in a profound way. Pluto and Uranus are two planets that demand authenticity and evolution. Something will shift this month, Capricorn, especially around the new moon on 7/15, which will open up a new chapter in a relationship, one that may either break from the past or inspire you to make an inspiring or innovative change. With Saturn in support of the new moon, you will have the future on your mind. Want to learn more about how the astrology of July will affect you? Book your consultation now.

Key Themes: Spotlight, the self, vitality, rebirth, transformation, rebuilding, community, friendships, networking, the future, plans, relationships, commitment, responsibility, emotions, family, connections, roots, the past, the home.

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Aquarius

It’s all about work this July! When Saturn, your ruling planet, retraced its path into Scorpio last month, you began a three month period of tying up loose ends in professionally. Think career, your direction in life, and even public recognition. The past two years were about defining your place in society. Maybe you changed paths or staked your claim in the world. So, what needs your final touch? Further, Mars, your career planet, is all the way in the part of your chart that highlights the daily grind. Even though it’s summer in the northern hemisphere, typically a time to take it easy, it’ll definitely be more work than play, Aquarius. Make a list and double down on your priorities this month, but keep in the that you’ll be striking a delicate balance as well. While you’re feeling the heat professionally, the full moon on 7/1 will touch on feelings of retreat, meditation, rest, and withdrawal. What has come to an end in your life? Is it time for something new? Additionally there may be something contentious in a relationship on or around 7/6 when the Sun will make its annual opposition to Pluto followed by a jumpy square to Uranus on 7/12. In fact, the middle of July has more than a few prickly planetary movements, hinting at a week filled with pivot points, gear shifts, and maybe even a confrontation. The new moon on 7/15 will open a new chapter focused on health, wellness, and nutrition, inviting you to make a bold change. Make a note of 7/20–21, which will be good days for business and success. Want to learn more about how the astrology of July will affect you? Book your consultation now.

Key Themes: Career, profession, status, direction, work, daily grind, detail, organization, craft, endings, retreat, withdrawal, recuperation, spirituality, health, wellness, diet, nutrition, home, family, connections, emotions, relationships.

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Pisces

What are your hopes for the future? Who are your friends? Who can you trust to be there for you through thick and thin? Who are your people? The full moon on 7/1 will kick off the month with a confrontational alignment with Pluto and Mars; you may feel as though you need to take a stand or defend your point of view. That said, in the second week of July, Mercury will finally leave Gemini behind for Cancer on 7/8. As one of the more important planets in your chart, Mercury’s arrival will signal a new beginning and a breath of fresh air, one that will highlight self expression, creativity, art, and drama. You may even feel like kicking back and enjoying the sweetness of life. But Mercury will make contact with Pluto and Uranus 7/15–18, which may make for a bumpy ride in relationships, home, and family. Emotions may run high as well. Pluto and Uranus are two planets that say you can’t keep keep doing things the way you have been doing them. The new moon on July 15 will drive this point home further, inviting you to make a break from the past, especially from anything or anyone who doesn’t value you. The other thing that’s important to mention is that Jupiter, your ruling planet, is in the home stretch of its yearlong stay in Leo. Come August, it will arrive in Virgo on 8/11 and commence a long look at relationships. In the meantime, don’t forget to make use of Jupiter’s good fortune to make changes for the better in health, diet, nutrition, and self care. Want to learn more about how the astrology of July will affect you? Book your consultation now.

Key Themes: Community, friendships, connection, groups, power, control, the future, hopes, dreams, wishes, creativity, self expression, performance, art, drama, leisure, risk, the ego, relationships, partnerships, emotions, family, home, diet, wellness, fitness, nutrition, self care.