July 2023 - Planets and Astrology Roundup

Last month we had Juicy June, this month we have Even Juicier July!

The end of June was very cusp-y, 3 of the Asteroid Goddesses, Juno, Vesta and Ceres had just changed signs whilst Pluto is still hovering around the last few degrees of Capricorn, in a retrograde motion, tying up loose ends. Imagine the Goddesses adjusting the straps of their new dresses before striding out in their new signs about to beam their magic down on the relevant areas of your life.

As we move through July and the Sun settles into the sign of Cancer things get a bit busier elsewhere.

Two major transits occur, the Lunar Nodes change signs and Venus goes retrograde. These events only happen every 18 months so pay attention because change is coming as the collective focus shifts.

The overall theme of July is healing generational patterns, unhooking the ties of the past so you can stride forwards into your future, unencumbered by the old, making space for the new.

The letting go of family, generational wounds and behaviour patterns is triggered by Pluto spending pretty much the whole month at 29 degrees squaring the Nodes, the Galactic Star Points.

This month is the month that you heal what you never expected to heal, it culminates on the 23rd when the Sun moves into Leo at the same time as Chiron transits retrograde and Venus also begins to dance backwards conjunct Dark Moon Lilith.

This may feel heavy and weighty, generational healing is powerful, its purpose is for you to take responsibility and be the line in the sand, to say no more, to “do the work” so future generations don’t have to. But, the Full and New Moon’s this month both carry beautiful supportive energy, imagine this as a gentle wave of unconditional love that will scoop you up and carry you through the whirlpools and rocky bits.

So let's dive into Even Juicer July! 

1st July Neptune Goes Retrograde 27° Pisces

Any change of direction creates an intensity of the energy of a planet and the sign it is in. When a car is moving forwards, you know it is moving, its steady, you are used to its motion and the way it feels but, if it suddenly slams on its brakes, you are jolted in your seat, the tires might squeal, leaving skid marks on the road, everything feels very different, you have to take notice. This is what happens when a planet transitions retrograde.

When the planet is Neptune all the Neptune themes intensify, your intuition, dreams and inner longing become re-awakened within you. There is a calling to turn inwards, to create a deeper connection with yourself. You desire more unity with the Universe, normal everyday life can feel to heavy and solid. You can feel called to go beyond the physical realm, to drift out into the unknown and connect on the deepest level with all that there is.

This transit is a great time to meditate, however, it is also vitally important that you ground yourself, create a solid anchor in this reality, a thread that will call you back, otherwise you could be the helium filled balloon that just drifts off into space…

3rd July Full Moon in Capricorn at 12.38

Overall, this is a positive, beneficial energy. At the time of the Full Moon Jupiter and Saturn are working nicely together in a sextile, imagine these two planetary heavy weights as best friends (for now).

Lady Moon in Capricorn has her CEO costume on and she is putting them to work. She is telling you that you already have everything that you need to succeed. What can be lacking is your trust and faith. Take the leap and you may be surprised at the outcome.

Your previous hard work is paying off, results are beginning to show themselves. The key to making the most of this supportive energy, is to celebrate.

Capricorn energy likes to celebrate its achievements by working even harder. But Jupiter and Saturn are in agreement, they are offering serious grandfather level advice, to not diver deeper into the to do list, but to take stock and celebrate what you have already achieved.

If you don’t take time to recognise the smaller steps along the way, your stamina and drive to reach the bigger picture goals may run out.

So under the light of this magical supportive Full Moon, I invite you to celebrate yourself and how far you have come.

Write down three things you are celebrating and tell the Moon when you see her face in the night sky. I guarantee this simple step will make a big difference.

10th July Mars Enters Virgo

Mars is the planet of action, Virgo is the sign of diligence, perfectionism, dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s, it is time to roll up your sleeves and get to work.

Mars in Virgo loves to do stuff, this is a great time to take a good hard look at your life, where is it messy? This can be physically but also energetically, where do you have loose ends that need organising?

Whatever you have been procrastinating over, now is the time to get it done!

11th July Mercury Enters Leo

Mercury is the only God that can travel through all three realms, from his place on Mount Olympus with the other Deities, to the realm of Humankind on Earth and into the Underworld the realm of the Dead. Mercury is your objective perspective but also connects you with your gut instinct and the subtle energy that offers Divine Guidance.

Mercury has just spent 3 weeks in Cancer, feeling all the feels in a sensitive, intuitive way. As Mercury dances into Leo, he becomes dramatic, playful and creative, imagine the expressive artist with “look-at-me” energy.

Both Cancer and Leo are signs that are associated with intuition, but in different ways.

Cancer intuition is driven by a sense and need for security, emotional comfort and support. Mercury in Cancer is reflective and careful with what you say. Your thoughts and the way you see the world is motivated by the need to preserve and nurture what you already have, your gut instinct is following these signals.

Leo is a Fire energy that looks for inspiration from the outside world. Leo is bold and brave, confident and outward facing. Leo wants to make a statement. Mercery in Leo wants to present the truth in the most authentic, raw way possible.

When you connect with this energy your communication is infused with an inner confidence. It is time to speak out, to deliver your message, to be proud of what you think. Imagine the Lion, the King of the Beasts, does he miaow quietly in the corner? Or does he open his mouth wide and roar?

17th July North Node Enters Aries, South Node enters Libra and New Moon in Cancer

A very auspicious date of new beginnings marked by a New Moon and A Nodal shift.

The Nodes change signs every 18 months, making this one of the most important transits of the year. When the Lunar Nodes change signs your priorities and focus will shift. 

Think of the Lunar Nodes as your Soul’s Compass. They act as a guiding light, the North Node is the future, the South Node your past. Your life is a constant pendulum swing between what you are leaving behind and what you are moving towards.

The key to working with the Nodes is to understand that you are not leaving behind everything from your past, you are bringing with you the best bits, the talents and resources that you have accumulated. When you walk into your future you can draw on this juiciness, imagine it as a secret stash of gold, your inner wealth, your personal treasure trove.

As the Nodes change signs, they will be focusing their considerable power on a different area of your life, signified by the houses they are travelling over. Their role is to bring balance to these opposing houses.

Ask yourself the question “Have I been focusing too much in one area of my life, how can I create more balance? What do I need to let go off and receive more off in order to find the middle ground?”

Aries and Libra are the signs of “Me” vs “The Other”. The upcoming 18-month transit will help you to find the “middle ground” between showing up for yourself, having healthy boundaries (Aries) and having mutually-beneficial relationships (Libra). 

17th July New Moon Cancer 24 ° exact at 19.32

In the days leading up to this New Moon, the Dark Moon phase, you may feel emotionally depleted, at your lowest ebb. The shadow side of Cancer energy may surface, over-giving, smother-mothering, emotional neediness.

The New Moon is opposite Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, the great karma clearer!

Oppositions create internal tension, the opposing energy creates a metaphorical crack through which your hidden “stuff” surfaces, so you can acknowledge it, heal the pain and let it go. Making space for “new” energy to come in.

Pluto will invite you to explore themes connected to power, this may be connected to Cancer themes, Mother energy, the family, the home, emotions.

It may show up in the area of your life ruled by Cancer (the house) in your natal chart.

An opposition is a projection energy, ask yourself “Where am I projecting my fear of being powerless onto others? Where have I been disempowering myself? Have I been instigating power struggles in order to feel powerful?

This New Moon is supported by the other two outer planets, Neptune and Uranus in a trine and a sextile. Neptune is the higher level of Venus; Uranus is the higher level of Mercury. Both these planets are in supportive aspects to Lady Moon, they will be supporting you to integrate healing of karmic generational wounds on an emotional and thought level, a healing of your head and your heart.

23rd July Sun Enters Leo, Venus and Chiron turn Retrograde

Happy Birthday to all Leo’s! 

The Sun rules Leo and is beaming down aligned Leo energy for you to embrace. Open your heart and energy to an influx of authenticity, confidence, courage, radiance, warmth, and generosity.

23rd July Venus turns Retrograde 28° Leo Conjunct Black Moon Lilith

Venus retrogrades are very special because the only happen once every 18 months, so they have a more profound and impactful effect.

Venus is your subjective inner world. Venus is how you feel about things and people, what you like and dislike, what you value, how you value yourself, what is important to you, what matters.

When Venus begins to move backwards your wants and values, what matters to you is up for review. Now is the time to reflect on what brings you joy. This is a great time to consider the value of every item that you possess, does that dress bring you joy when you wear it? Does that activity light you up or are you going through the motions because it is expected of you? Do you still love that person or have they become a drain on your energy?

Venus also rules money, because money is a tool for measuring the value of something. So, Venus retrograde can bring up a negative money story. Not because the Universe is out to get you, but so you can make the adjustments to your inner world, your thoughts beliefs and emotions, that will then be reflected back to you in your outer world, your actual lived experience.

Venus retrograde can also bring up the energy of past relationships, this can mean ex’s reappear, or you find yourself pondering on old relationships. Again, the purpose of this is to draw your attention to your inner landscape. Ask yourself “What am I holding onto from that past relationship? What program is still running? What needs to change? What really matters to me now?

Black Moon Lilith is raw feminine power, she is the animalistic, intuitive, instinctual part of you that has suffered from eons of suppression and being misunderstood. She is here to heal this part of you, so you can see and recognise your true value and worth.

Venus will spend the whole of her retrograde journey in Leo, her purpose in this sign is to connect you to your Heart Energy, Leo rules the Heart. As your heart heals and opens up to more love, and joy, your courage and confidence will grow, enabling you to shine like the star that you are. Imagine your inner Central Sun, your Heart Energy, growing bigger and brighter as you peel away the layers of old energy that has kept you small, time to shine baby!

23rd July Chiron turns Retrograde 19° Aries

Chiron retrograde invites you to take a closer look at your Wounded Soul. (We all have one, it is part of being human) When Chiron moves backwards across the heavens his role is to teach you to look inwards, to heal from within.

It is the perfect time to acknowledge that you are flawed, that you don’t know everything, that you don’t get it right all the time, that you struggle, that you are scared and vulnerable, that you sometimes feel alone in room full of people, that you avoid relationships because you are afraid you will be abandoned. Deciding that it is better not to love, than have that love taken away. Or unconsciously sabotaging that work promotion or opportunity because you are secretly afraid of being judged or that you will be found out as a fraud.

Chiron eventually owned his wounds; he is asking you to do the same. Accepting that you are wounded is the first step on the road to healing.

Now is the time to let the mask of “I am OK, (even if you are not) slip.

Now is the time to ditch the T-shirt “Keep Calm and Carry On”.

When a planet changes direction, or makes an aspect with another planet in your natal chart, it opens a portal in your energy system, do you have the courage to step through? Are you ready to peel back the next layer of your Soul Level Healing?

Reflect on the emotions, thoughts and beliefs that have surfaced in the days leading up to and after the 23rd July. Where have you been triggered? What is hidden underneath that rection? What are you really afraid off? What version of you has been running the show with childlike behaviour? What does that version of you need now that she didn’t get at the time?

To mark this VERY auspicious healing opportunity I will be hosting a Star Goddess Activation on Sunday 23rd July, starting at 7pm, pop the date in your diary if you are ready to step through this energy portal and into your shiniest, most vibrant self. How to join coming out soon.

25th July Pluto Square the Lunar Nodes 29°

Pluto has been squaring the Nodes since they moved into Aries and Libra earlier in the month, but on the 25th July the square will be exact.

Evolutionary astrologers call this a “skipped step” because the square is exact, Pluto is at the exact mid-point between the Nodes.

Imagine Pluto the Lord of Karma and Ruler of the Underworld, with one foot in the past and one foot in the future, he is acting like a bridge. Think of this as an evolutionary step forward for the whole of humankind.

These galactic level leaps start small, they start with you.

If we all take this opportunity to heal the generational wounds represented by the axis of Aries and Libra, the Self opposed to the Other, I V’s You a ripple effect will be felt across the globe.

Pluto’s role is to help you see and understand the subtle ways your identity was shaped by your upbringing, what you received in the way of guidance love and care, what you didn’t get that you needed or what you received but didn’t want. Now is the opportunity to re-write your behavioural patterns, in doing so you so re-wire the collective and future generations.

What emotional baggage (that is probably not even yours!) is it time to jettison? Who are you becoming?

28th July Mercury enters Virgo

Mercury is very happy in Virgo! It is the only planetary placement that is domicile and exultated in the same sign. Exaltation means the planet is at its strongest expression or awareness in a sign. Domicile means the planet rules the sign, it is strongest in that sign.

Mercury is objective, it is the planet of thinking and communication. Virgo is the analytical organised zodiac sign.

When Mercury is in Virgo, your communication can be more articulate and clearer. Your communication is also received by others in a direct and concise way, it feels like they “get it” and you. Mercury in Virgo quickly grasps new concepts and it also has the discernment and analytical capability to follow through complex mental tasks, one concept at a time. 

Mercury in Virgo is an excellent transit for any type of communication or mental activity. If you want to start a new course, learn something new, write a book, start a podcast, anything that involves exercising your grey matter, now is the time to do it.

Overall July is a month to embrace all parts of yourself, to acknowledge who you are at a core level, to truly witness your inner child, allow them to come out and play and to celebrate the fabulousness that is YOU.