July is a “6” Universal Month [7 (July) + 8 (2024) = 15 = 1 + 5 = 6] in an “8” Universal Year. Six months are connective and somewhat comforting; we tend to reconnect with our Others after the rough conflicts of the “5” month that came before. This is somewhat at odds with the month’s transits, which are pushing us forward and outward. We are in the liminal phase where something has ended, but the new beginning hasn’t happened yet; not really.
The Set Up
We begin the month with the Sun, Mercury, and Venus in Cancer, Mars and Uranus in Taurus, Jupiter in Gemini, retrograde Saturn and Neptune in Pisces, and retrograde Pluto in Aquarius. When you include our North Node and Chiron sitting in Aries, we still have a long line of planetary activation stretching from the last signs of the horoscope (Aquarius and Pisces) through the first signs of the horoscope (Aries through Cancer). After this month, the cluster will break, but for now, we are still stuck in this in-between energy.
By the end of July, the Sun and Venus will have moved on into Leo, Mercury will have moved all the way through Leo and onto Virgo (starting the pre-shadow phase of its next retrograde cycle), and Mars will enter Gemini. Additionally, Neptune will retrograde at 29° Pisces.
The Nitty Gritty
There is a notable lack of major planetary aspecting during July because all of our personal planets are still so closely stacked together. Instead, we see repeat activation between these planets and the lunar nodes in Aries. Cancer is the midway point between our North Node in Aries and our South Node in Libra, and we are at a turning point late in this lunar cycle. We have one last set of eclipse to get through before our nodes switch to Pisces-Virgo with the new year, and it’s starting to show. This is crunch time – whatever has been coming up in our lives around the themes of independence (Aries) versus codependence (Libra) is coming to a head.
We are experiencing these nodal hits thrice over: the first time through a sextile while the planets are in Gemini, a second time in square while they are in Cancer, and a third time in trine while they transit Leo. Things will be easier and then more difficult and easier again. But easy, when it comes to the lunar nodes, is really just a matter of perspective. The lunar nodes can be read as a compass pointing in the sky, away from the South Node’s current position and towards the North Node’s current position. Where the North Node is needs work – it is where we are heading.
Whether that’s a good or bad thing is up for debate. The lunar nodes happen to us—they create the eclipse cycles that enact the greatest moments of change in our lives. Like the influence of the outer planets, eclipse cycles are beyond our comprehension; at best, we can control how we react to them.
In essence, the days of nodal activation throughout the month (of which there are many) are days to watch out for. Let’s take a neutral stance here—eclipses help when we need doors opened but can also slam doors shut that we shouldn’t walk through. If you are on top of things and paying attention, you can use days like this to determine where your life is headed. Eyes wide open is the name of the game all month long.
Lunar Nodal Activation Dates:
7/2 – Sun in Cancer square the lunar nodes, 7/9 – Mercury in Leo trine the North Node in Aries/sextile the South Node in Libra, 7/12 – Jupiter in Gemini sextile the North Node in Aries/trine the South Node in Libra, 7/19 – Venus in Leo trine the North Node in Aries/sextile the South Node in Libra
Each of these dates will be highly liminal (7/2, especially as it is also the date that Neptune stations retrograde) and can be used for divination, pathworking, dreaming, and other magics with which this type of energy is naturally augmented. Stare aware of what happens to you during this time and believe it. Sometimes, difficult truths are revealed through lunar node activation; looking them straight in the eye is better than burying your head in the sand.
Likewise, Chiron – our Wounded Healer – is also in Aries and will be our other major player of the month. To gain a better perspective, we should take a wider step away and discuss how these move around the horoscope wheel. Chiron, like our planetary bodies, moves forward through the horoscope wheel while our North Node, as a mathematical point in the sky, moves backward through the signs. These two have already met and passed each other – Chiron is nearing the end of the Aries, and The North Node is nearing the beginning. This has made Aries (and, by default, the other cardinal signs) the seat of change in the world right now. And since it’s Aries, it is quite the hot seat.
I’ve written a lot about how this whole era we’re in has a major theme of “change before you have to,” which is running afoul of our very human urge to do the exact opposite of our best interests.
There’s a line between standing up for ourselves, allowing each other to BE ourselves, and being a collective that sees each other and cares for the whole that we’re just not getting right. This long-term opposition between the North Node and Chiron in Aries and the South Node in Libra fully represents this in the skies. Whatever this story means to you – whether you’ve been seeing it in the news, experiencing it personally in your life, or ignoring it all together; this chapter of it is ending.
And it fucking hurts. Let’s take a minute to stop and acknowledge the very real pain that most of us (I suspect it’s all of us) are feeling. The aloneness of the quarantine – that was Chiron in Aries. The way that it’s been triggering you every time you realize that your parents don’t actually see you as a separate human being – that’s this whole opposition coming into play. Has your friend group completely fallen apart? South Node in Libra. Has your relationship? Same. We can infer that, in general, what the South Node removes is for the greater good, but with Chiron so involved, it does not feel this way.
If every fiber of your being hurts, you are right on time. And I’m sorry. As somebody who has Chiron on my Ascendant, I can attest to how much it sucks to have to feel all of the pain that Chiron brings to the party.
We’ve got about six more months of this intense Chiron action interconnected with the lunar nodes, and then the nodes will move on. Sure, we all need to sit with this Chiron in Aries energy for another couple of years, but it won’t be involved in our eclipse cycles any longer. That will be a huge relief.
I can also say that, like eclipse/Node energy, Chiron is best faced with your eyes wide open. Chiron is the cosmic reminder that shit is compost and all decaying matter feeds life once more. Fields need to lie fallow. Pain is a signal that can be followed to a source. Sometimes, it’s faulty wiring. Sometimes, you can even replace that wiring. This tends to take a lot of self-compassion, and there doesn’t seem to be much going around – do what you can. Treat yourself like your favorite pet or houseplant.
Chiron days to stay aware of:
7/6 – Venus in Cancer square Chiron in Aries, 7/15 – Sun in Cancer square Chiron in Aries, 7/18 Mercury in Leo trine Chiron, 7/30 – Venus in Leo trine Chiron
All of these dates could be used for healing magic of all kinds.
This month, our big day to look out for is 7/15, when Mars conjuncts Uranus at 26° Taurus. This is an accident waiting to happen, so don’t do anything stupid. Avoid unnecessary travel, don’t play with fireworks, etc. The Sun is square to Chiron all day, too, so it has the potential to really hurt. This isn’t a reason to panic – this is an astrological weather report; whereas some days you might need to bring an umbrella, this is the kind of day where you might want to stay inside. Metaphorically speaking, of course.
Our day to look forward to for the month is our full moon on 7/21, which is a true astrological blue moon – meaning it’s the second moon in a row in the sign of Capricorn. This is highly auspicious and doubly so because we also have two new moons in Capricorn this year (one in January and another in December!). Sitting at 29° Capricorn, it will call in a lot of the energy of Pluto, who is sitting at 00° Aquarius, inching its way back toward Capricorn one last time.
Again, note the intense cardinal sign activation that is happening all month. This full moon will also tie in Chiron in Aries through a wider square. Heads up to anybody with their lights or personal planets in late Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn – now can be your time if you can get through the pain enough to see the change. Y’all are stubborn folks, so I have faith in your capabilities.
This moon, along with the full moon on 6/21 at 01° Capricorn, are great days to do any long-form intentional work towards money, finances, career, or any task that involves structure. Work with the moon’s cycles here: where do you want to be in six months when the moon is new in Capricorn once more? But stay aware that Saturn will crash your party whether you invite them or not, so you might as well extend an official invitation.
The numerology of this full moon is 5/2. [0 (Capricorn Moon) + 4 (Cancer Sun) = 14 = 1+4 = 5. 5 (Capricorn full moon) + 6 (July 2024) = 11 = 1+1 =2.] There’s a chance to break a cycle (5) that can become the start of something new (2).
Our new moon on 7/5 is at 14° Cancer and should be more low-key. The moon is in its home in the sign of the crab, making this day especially lunar and watery. If ever there was a day to wash wash wash it all away – either with a mop or the ocean waves, it is a Cancer Moon. The numerology of the day is 8/5 [4 (Cancer Moon) + 4 (Cancer Sun) = 8. 8 (Cancer New moon) + 6 (July 2024) = 14 = 1+4 = 5.] The innate 8 energy echoes that of the moving tides; it ebbs and flows. We see the echo of the 5 energy of change and movement throughout this month.
Otherwise, the seasons shift as we move deeper into summer energy all month. There’s an echo of egoic Leo energy in the air all month long as all three of our more moveable personal planets move through the sign of the lion. It’s summer when, most of all, we really start to feel ourselves. Remember, this isn’t a bad thing. Do a bit of magic to remind yourself how much of a badass you are. As a little treat.
Neptune will retrograde, but we won’t really notice as it’s so slow-moving anyway. We need to keep an eye on Mercury, though, as it is whipping through the summer signs before its mid-summer retrograde. The crossover from Fixed to Mutable signs is highlighted here as Mercury will retrograde from 04° Virgo to 21° Leo starting in early August. Be aware. I will be writing more about this soon.
Months that begin with the sign of the crab on the horizon are usually emotional and moody, and this is no exception. Remember that it’s okay to tread water when things get too deep, and you can let the rip current take you – eventually, it will let you go, and you can swim to shore. It’s when you fight it that things can go really wrong, really quickly.
Practice your very best self-care. Treat yourself with the same kindness that you would your most loved Other. If you’ve got anything left after that, extend it to as many of your Others as you can.
The Details
7/2 – Sun in Cancer square the lunar nodes in Aries/Libra, Mercury in Cancer trine retrograde Neptune in Pisces, Mercury enters Leo, Venus in Cancer trine retrograde Saturn in Pisces, Neptune retrogrades 29° Pisces
7/3 – Mercury in Leo opposed retrograde Pluto in Capricorn
7/5 – New moon 14° Cancer, Mars in Taurus sextile retrograde Saturn in Pisces
7/6 – Venus in Cancer square Chiron in Aries
7/8 – Mercury in Leo sextile Jupiter in Gemini, Venus in Cancer sextile Uranus in Taurus
7/9 – Mercury in Leo trine North Node in Aries/sextile South Node in Libra
7/10 – Sun in Cancer trine retrograde Saturn in Pisces
7/11 – Venus in Cancer trine retrograde Neptune in Pisces, Venus enters Leo
7/12 – Venus in Leo opposed retrograde Pluto in Aquarius, Jupiter in Gemini sextile North Node in Aries/trine South Node in Aquarius
7/15 – Mars conjunct Uranus 26° Taurus, Sun in Cancer square Chiron in Aries
7/16 – Mercury enters their pre-retrograde shadow 21° Leo
7/18 – Mercury in Leo trine Chiron in Aries, Sun in Cancer sextile Uranus in Taurus
7/19 – Venus in Leo trine North Node in Aries, sextile South Node in Libra
7/20 – Mars in Taurus sextile retrograde Neptune in Pisces, Mars enters Gemini
7/21 – Full moon 29° Capricorn, Sun in Cancer trine retrograde Neptune in Pisces, Mercury in Leo square Uranus in Taurus, Venus in Leo sextile Jupiter in Gemini, Mars in Gemini trine retrograde Pluto in Aquarius
7/22 – Sun enters Leo
7/25 – Sun in Leo sextile Mars in Gemini, Mercury enters Virgo
7/30 – Venus in Leo trine Chiron in Aries