July is a “5” Universal Month [7 (July) + 7 (2023) = 14 = 1 + 4 =5]. 5 is a very dynamic number that tends to represent a big change of course or point of conflict. This is represented in the astrology in the month as well as we experience multiple planetary shifts and our lunar nodes also shift signs during the month. There are a lot of moving pieces and it may be hard to find solid ground as we slip and slide our way into the beginning of summer.
The Set Up
We begin the month with the Sun and Mercury in Cancer, Venus and Mars in Leo, Jupiter Uranus and the North Node in Taurus, retrograde Saturn and Neptune in Pisces, and retrograde Pluto in Capricorn. By the end of July the Sun will have entered Leo, Mercury and Mars will have entered Virgo, and the lunar nodes will have entered Aries and Libra respectively. Additionally, Venus will retrograde in Leo and Neptune will retrograde in Pisces.
For a month with relatively few aspects (number-wise), July is going to pack a punch. We will never be the same. This is, from the perspective of linear time, always true but in a month full of shifts and heavy hitters, some people may find their lives unrecognizable come August.
The Nitty Gritty
All eyes are on our lunar nodes and the number of strong aspects that they will make with the Sun, Mercury, and Mars over the course of the month ahead. When the lunar nodes (which always move retrograde – or backward – through the horoscope) switch signs, it is one of the big cosmic gong crashes that demarcate time. The lunar nodes represent the mathematical points in the sky with which the Sun, the Moon, and the Earth can come together to create eclipses. Our eclipse cycles ruled by Taurus and Scorpio are ending and we are entering the territory of Aries and Libra. The dichotomy of the individual “Me” versus the collective “We” will be at the forefront as we transverse this change during July. Expect these energies to reemerge later in the year as we enter eclipse season.
But first, we begin the month with Mercury cazimi as the Sun meets up with Mercury at 09° Cancer. The first will be a very inspired day as the Sun and Mercury also make a sweet sextile with Jupiter in Taurus. If you need to do some positive manifestation – particularly if it has to do with wealth or accumulation of things – this will be your day. This is a great day for intention setting or goal orienting of all kinds – remember to think big!
The weekend leading up to our full moon at 11° Capricorn on Monday is going to feel like a lot if you’re not ready for it. It might feel like a lot even if you are. Capricorn has been under a lot of pressure since the beginning of 2020 and is now dealing with Saturn, their planetary ruler, in retrograde and the recent ingress of Pluto backward into Capricorn from Aquarius. Sometimes we need to pay the piper. The sooner that we get up and do what needs doing, the easier this all will be. Saturn may be out to lunch but that doesn’t mean that you can skimp on the work – don’t say that I didn’t warn you. Venus in Leo will be square to Uranus in Taurus during this energy – this is the first pass of this aspect during Venus’ pre-retrograde shadow period. There may be some money troubles or overspending that needs accounting for. Paying the piper might be quite literal in this instance. Know that Venus will return square off with Uranus twice more: a second time while she moves backward during her retrograde cycle in August and a third time when she moves forward again come September. What is coming up now may be a portent of what’s to come.
The week of 7/4 may be on the quiet side as we will only experience two Mercury aspects: a square with Chiron in Aries on 7/4 and a sextile with Uranus on 7/7. Use this downtime to integrate the energies of the weekend. Ground and center if you can. With Uranus involved, the energy is likely to be electric and some may find themselves unable to sleep or slow down. Heads up to those prone to mania or insomnia, this astrological weather is highly indicative or exasperating those types of problems.
On 7/10, we get our first big hit of the month on our lunar nodal energy as Mars enters Virgo and immediately forms a trine to our North Node in Taurus and a sextile to our South Node in Scorpio. Mars in Virgo can be fairly nitpicky and critical so some people may find their feelings hurt under this energy – especially, I suspect, if they are hiding from some part of themselves or their journey. Mercury enters Leo the very next day on Tuesday and squares off with the nodes as well which shows that things are going to get a bit testy. Be careful not to say something that you cannot take back as Mercury in Leo can be a bit tactless. The Sun in Cancer is also square to Chiron (exact on Wednesday), so old wounds are close to the surface.
The secret here is, as always, to use this energy to fix problems but when there is more than one person involved, there are no guarantees. Remember you cannot fix something with somebody who doesn’t think that a situation needs fixing, or somebody who isn’t willing to meet you halfway. Focus on healing yourself instead of trying to change others during this time, if you can. By the end of the week, the Sun in Cancer will be sextile to Uranus in Taurus – any Sun-Uranus aspect is a Red Flag Day; its worth remembering that Uranus is in Taurus and what bulls do with red flags.
Lie low for sure on Friday and maybe all week if you can. Unless all persons involved are willing to sit down and be honest and objective (Mars in Virgo), nothing will get done. Any important conversation that can wait probably should. And stay away from explosives of all kinds. Maybe especially explosive people. You know the ones.
This is all leading into a new moon at 24° Cancer on Monday 7/17 which is also the day that our lunar nodes switch from Taurus/Scorpio to Aries/Libra. Aries is sign #1 and hopelessly self-involved (by design, this is not a criticism) – we will all need to rectify how individuality impacts our own lives. The combination of new-ness of the day (new moon plus new lunar nodes) is a positive double-whammy for starting projects or just wiping the slate clean. Also note the cardinality of the day (Cancer, Aries, and Libra being three of the four cardinal signs) – go for it. Take active steps towards what you want to bring forth into this world.
Again, we get some downtime to process these shifts but things will heat up as we enter the weekend. The Sun in Cancer opposes retrograde Pluto in Capricorn on Friday along with Mercury in Leo meeting up in trine with Chiron in Aries. This is a revisitng of sorts – one which has some pain associated with it. Work your way through the pain rather than running from it – Mars in Virgo is opposed to retrograde Saturn in Pisces, this is your sign to stop avoiding that problem.
The Sun in Cancer squares off with the lunar nodes on Saturday the 22nd before entering Leo which shows that our egos might be getting in the way. Where can we think more big picture? Immature Leo energy can be very narcissistic and small-minded but we always get a choice. Try leaning into the Universal Heart energy of mature Leo and take a walk in somebody else’s shoes for an afternoon. I’m not saying that you have to try to empathize with that TERF next door, start with your partner, perhaps. Or somebody else that you care about. Where are you only thinking about yourself? Where are they only thinking about themselves?
Venus retrogrades at 28° Leo on Sunday 7/23 which is the other big event of the month. I wrote an entire post about this already but I will summarize by pointing out that Venus will make two squares to planets in Taurus (Jupiter and Uranus) and trines with Chiron in Aries. This is the time to do less – as in, don’t overdo it. The way that this will show up in personal lives will be different for everyone but some examples are: don’t jump too fast into new relationships (big R or little r), don’t overspend, don’t overeat or overdrink or insert your indulgence of choice here. You can read more about this Venus retrograde cycle here.
The last week of July will be quieter. Mercury will meet up with retrograde Venus on Thursday 7/27 – Mercury and Venus have been interacting in retrograde with each other since January of 2022. We need to learn to think and feel simultaneously – so many of us can only live in our hearts OR in our brains – we are being challenged to do both. Mercury makes an exact trine with our North Node in Aries on Friday but Venus never quite makes it – that’s telling. Thought is still winning. Where can you balance this by being more in your heart?
Mercury enters Virgo on Friday. Virgo is one of the two home signs of Mercury and is also home to our planet of action, Mars, during this time. This should give us some energy to do the work ahead of us for August and our Venus retrograde that is to come.
7/1 – Sun conjunct Mercury 09° Cancer, Sun in Cancer sextile Jupiter in Taurus, Mercury in Cancer sextile Jupiter in Taurus
7/2 – Venus in Leo square Uranus in Taurus
7/3 – Full moon 11° Capricorn
7/4 – Mercury in Cancer square Chiron in Aries
7/7 – Mercury in Cancer sextile Uranus in Taurus
7/10 – Mercury in Cancer opposed retrograde Pluto in Capricorn, Mars enters Virgo, Mars in Virgo trine North Node in Taurus, Mars in Virgo sextile South Node in Scorpio
7/11 – Mercury enters Leo, Mercury in Leo square North Node in Taurus and South node in Scorpio (fixed t-square)
7/12 – Sun in Cancer square Chiron in Aries
7/14 – Sun in Cancer sextile Uranus in Taurus
7/17 – New moon 24° Cancer, Mercury in Leo square Jupiter in Taurus, lunar nodes enter Aries/Libra
7/20 – Sun in Cancer trine Neptune in Pisces, Mars in Virgo opposed retrograde Saturn in Pisces
7/21 – Sun in Cancer opposed retrograde Pluto in Capricorn, Mercury in Leo trine Chiron in Aries
7/22 – Sun in Cancer square North Node in Aries and South Node in Libra (cardinal grand cross), Sun enters Leo
7/23 – Mercury in Leo square Uranus in Taurus, Venus retrogrades 28° Leo
7/27 – Mercury conjunct retrograde Venus 28° Leo
7/28 – Mercury in Leo trine North Node in Aries and sextile South Node in Libra, Mercury enters Virgo
7/30 – Neptune retrograde 21° Pisces