The First Half of July 2017 Astrology Forecast for Creatives | buckle up buttercups

"If you knew what was going to happen, if you knew everything that was going to happen next - if you knew in advance the consequences of your own actions - you'd be doomed. You'd be ruined as God. You'd be a stone. You'd never eat or drink or laugh or get out of bed in the morning. You'd never love anyone, ever again. You'd never dare to."
 - Margaret Atwood The Blind Assassin

welcome home by elif karakoc

July is the run up to a mind-bending eclipse season in August and August will clear the slate (eclipse something out, bring something BIG to light) for whatever is getting a total reboot in September and October. A permanent change is coming. Beliefs will be shattered. If you think you are awake now, you ain't seen nothing yet.

But first let's get back to July and our journey through the moody and magical sign of Cancer! August's big eclipse is at 28 degrees Leo and the 28th degree will be triggered multiple times in July, so we know July will give us some previews of what is coming.

(the thing to remember about the future is that sometimes YOU JUST CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE)

The month kicks off with Mars opposing Pluto on July 3rd followed one week later by the Sun opposing Pluto. This is big stuff.

To know what this is all about we have to backtrack through a couple previous dates - remember when something starts energetic fields are created that get triggered later when celestial energies (planets and points) come in contact with them. Early July's transits take us back to October 2016 and January 2017. With Pluto involved we know this story will be about power struggles, manipulation, control, sex, money, compulsion, addiction, death, rebirth - what we are/were willing to do to "win".

Everyone is feeling the pressure somewhere is their lives. We could come to regret impulsive actions taken now ...

Really the entire month of July (Cancer is opposite Pluto while he travels through Capricorn for the next few years - summers are going to stay pressurized) has volatile Pluto aspects. Pluto enters Aquarius in 2023 and we have alot to do before he gets there - and what we do NOW will determine what kind of world we get THEN.

"The future is what we make it" to quote Sandra Connor in Terminator II or Walt Disney - one of those two.

I think much of what we are really feeling now is the dividing of reality "choices" (isn't it very, very clear now that the physical has caught up with the metaphysical that we see what we want to see or more accurately put we see what we energetically line up with!) as the vibrational mismatch between all of us becomes wider and wider. There are things we can't hold onto anymore because the gap between who we were and who we are is just too great. We are energetically disconnecting from the people, places, situations, alliances, roles and beliefs that are no longer on our wavelength.

Yes, it's hard. Bigly hard. HUGE HUG.

On July 9th we have our annual Full Moon in Capricorn. This checks us in big time with those New Year's resolutions we set last January around the Capricorn New Moon. Looking at this power hungry Moon makes me nervous, heady and queasy. Sun conjunct Mars. Moon conjunct Pluto squaring Uranus, Jupiter and Eris. We will focus on the things we can control to get through this one. Post to follow.

From July 10th - 16th the skies slow down a bit and we catch our breath (of course, keep in mind I can't see the transits hitting your particular chart). Remember when your kids were babies and people told you to nap while they napped - well, I know you probably didn't actually do it then, but try it now - this is a good week for napping!

We are in a whole new world.

I know it may not always feel like it is a good one because all we can feel yet about any lack of boundaries, limits and clear definition of what is "real" is the instability these fast changes are bringing us and it feels scary. 

But if I could show you a movie reel of your past lives (or if you do not resonate with past lives - the lives of your ancestors) - you would see that you have never, ever been so free!

On July 17th-20th we are back in the frying pan with Venus squaring Neptune and Mars squaring Uranus. Something will not be controlled now. Rash actions are possible. Love is hard. Something is distorted, draining or drifting. Creative breakthroughs are possible, too!

July 18th-19th - have some good aspects. There is excellent energy to make art, do spiritual or healing work. There is gold here if we are willing to dig a bit and be out and about and looking for it! Problems will not be easily swept under the rug though and could take some time to unravel themselves. Quick fixes fall apart later. We could be restless, but most of the energy here is about creative expression and interactions with groups.

The last 10 days of July will be all about fiery Leo - heat waves, wild fires - hot messes will be hotter messes. The New Moon starts us on the countdown to the BIG August eclipses (we have two Leo New Moons this year!). Mercury prepares to go retrograde and starts traveling the degrees he will backtrack. Events begin to conspire to get us focused where we are needed .... remember the North Node is in Leo now. Our brain is not equipped for these huge energy shifts but our heart will take us where we need to go.

We'll talk more about the end of the month in a couple weeks. xo all

Venus into Gemini | more options regarding love and money

flirtatious by this-is-tis

After a sextile (opportunity) to Chiron today (healing through existing resources, healing with nature, with touch, with food, compromise?) Venus moves into Gemini for the 4th of July.

Gemini Suns and rising signs get more attractive - both easier on the eye and able to attract what they want and need. Whatever house in our natal chart holds Gemini hosts a visit from Venus now - making it easier for all of us to attract what we need in that area.

We are most attractive (use our Venus) through Gemini (our mind). It's a good time (through July 31st) to be talking and communicating with lots of different people about lots of different things.

Venus in Gemini is about variety. In the mutable air sign (Gemini) the themes Venus rules - love, money, value, self-esteem, women, beauty - get more light-hearted. There are quickly more options available. There is also more duality - this is the space where our heart is saying one thing and our brain is saying something else.

We could suddenly recognize a mismatch between what we have and what we want. Or what we thought we had (during Venus in resource-rich Taurus) could be up for grabs a bit.

With Venus in Gemini life becomes more of a flirtation. Communications are more casual, more lively and humorous. It's a good time to set aside any existing constructs about what we like and what we don't like and stay open to new experiences, new people and new situations. Say YES to the things that sound like FUN now.

This isn't the best energy to make an important decision (regarding our Gemini natal house theme or Venus ruled love, money, self-esteem, values, women or beauty) or commit to something permanently.

We don't want to be asking these things of others either. For example it's not the best time to ask clients to be tied into a long-term membership, but it's an excellent time to think outside the box about who would be up for a short-term trial period. People will be more open-minded about less important things. For the next three weeks, it's time to "flirt", it's not the time to "put a ring on it". This doesn't just apply to romance.

Also on the 4th of July Mercury (ruler of Gemini) squares Uranus (unexpected, sudden) in Aries. New and unexpected information/communication about Venus themed issues or our natal Gemini house theme. Solutions, surprises and fast responses can come of of nowhere now. Eyes open.

xo all

Mars/Pluto Opposition part ll - a conscious or unconscious battle for control

cat's cradle by leila was here

On Saturday, Chiron stationed retrograde. Since he's retrograde for about 5 of every 12 months I honestly only pay attention to his stationing degrees. This year he stationed at 28 degrees Pisces. Since we have a very big eclipse happening in August at 28 degrees (this time in Leo) his station this weekend is probably worth noting.

Maybe some hurt (emotional and/or physical) gets revived now. On the other hand if we are going through something hurtful already, the retrograde period (thru early December) can create a bit of space that allows us to catch our breath. Chiron's placement in our natal chart (and he is a fairly new discovery so much is still being figured out and I don't pretend to have any/all the answers here) represents a place of significant wounding or sacrifice. So, the natal house will tell us the area of life the wounding has/will occur and the sign tells us how we will respond/work with it.

On Sunday, we have Mars (in Cancer) opposite Pluto (in Capricorn). Part I is HERE. Battle lines are drawn. And if you have natal planets or points around 18 degrees Cancer, Capricorn, Libra or Aries you will feel this energy strongest.

The T-Square we have been dealing with for the last month reaches its peak (this same degree will be activated at the Full Moon at the end of the week, so the story isn't over until it's over).

Mars in Cancer pushes us to take action regarding our security, home, family, country. It is protective energy but can also be a bit passive/aggressive. Pluto (who will always beat Mars in a head-to-head) in Capricorn uses his power to dislodge, transform or end whatever is excessively dependent (my guess would be a whole lot of thirty year old basement dwellers are being kicked to the curb now).

If we demand too much emotional control, we'll feel the boot, too. 

Those in control have the upper hand now and it may be easiest to see who is actually in control by whose hand comes out on top.

Mars is a fighter - he pushes and pushes even when the object he is pushing against is totally unmoveable. This isn't about giving up - really it isn't, but sometimes we need to know when to stop pushing ....

If there is a David vs Goliath story playing out in your life right now - I hope your money is on Goliath. If some situation is turning us into an unavoidable "David" it's time to keep a cool head. The stronger the punch we throw at Goliath, somehow the more we'll get hurt. Go figure.

Of course if we are working our Pluto well (a self-empowered David) ... we can remove Goliath (obstacle) with a flick of our little finger. Just sayin'.

Last week, we had Mercury (news, information, communication) opposite Pluto (transformation, sex, death, power, control, obsession, compulsion). In the collective we had news about - the top advisor to the Pope charged with sexual assault offenses, Trump's twitter war with the morning co-hosts at MSNBC, a scary NRA ad about clenched fists of truth, news about the sexual harassment culture in silicon valley, yada, yada.

Today's opposition is hitting both Trump's chart and the USA chart rather bigly. It takes all of us back to something from late October 2016. For Trump this would have been a couple weeks before he won the election. I have no idea what was happening with him then, could guess, but won't.

In our personal lives this is about power struggles and manipulation and even winning at any cost .....

My plan this week is to writes the dailies and a monthly forecast for July. This week will start and end with strong Pluto aspects - lots of energy and potential for conflicts - AND we have some wonderful aspects on Tuesday through Friday. We'll talk about the week as we move through it .. the sunshine is calling my name today!

 xo all

the upcoming Mars/Pluto Opposition and more | pay attention to whatever you are dealing with on Friday and Saturday pt 1

16.365 by laauraa

We are building toward Mars (in Cancer) exact opposition with Pluto (in Capricorn) on Sunday then a week later immediately following a challenging Full Moon in Capricorn we will have the Sun opposing Pluto.

(I almost wrote - tighten your belt - but better advice would be to - loosen your belt - so you can breathe, the more room we give ourselves now to just breathe, the lighter the load on everyone)

Let's look at today's energy first. We have Mercury in this space (Cancer opposite Pluto in Capricorn) - I did a post about this yesterday HERE.  

The issues of family vs work could be at the center of whatever is happening. Or the power structure within the family or the familial structure within the workplace (outside world doesn't have to be paid work). 

Maybe a family secret has been revealed (what's that all about?). Maybe we have found ourselves talking over people or they are talking over us (what's that all about?). Maybe we are forced to agree to/with something (what's that all about?). Maybe we are the one forcing our point of view on someone else (what's that all about?).

If the emotion (anger, fear) within a conversation/communication is out of proportion to what is happening, think about what is really happening here - what is really being triggered. With oppositions we can't deal with something ourselves so we create (subconsciously) a situation outside ourselves to force us to deal with it.

Now Mercury (communications, conversation, ideas) gets this party started and moves on, to be replaced by Mars (action), who will be opposing Pluto by Sunday.

Then we will have the God of war opposing the God of the underworld. Pluto (the guy from down under and I'm not talking about Australia here) rules that deep stuff we buried long ago because we don't want to deal with it. In Capricorn he is working with power structures and security issues. Mars (the war guy) rules our passion, initiative, anger and violence. In Cancer he is working with family, home, country, roots, security themes.

Family problems (that might look like a fight with Verizon customer service - what is really being triggered when we are angered when made to wait, feel unseen, feel unheard, feel unappreciated), power struggles especially within groups that feel like family, security issues, childhood traumas will be unearthed, in uncomfortable ways

(I started to feel this energy last weekend and you might have felt it then, too, as these planets started to line up).

Friday and Saturday take note of what you are dealing with because Mars will be getting close enough to his exact opposition to Pluto to feel what this will all be about.

Collectively, this is hitting the U.S. and Trump's chart rather BIGLY. We'll talk about that, too.

We might be very determined to get something done now within some precise time-frame or in some precise way and stuff will line up to interfere with whatever we are trying to power through and force. Projects started many months ago will face stiff tests now. Manipulations will bite us in the ass. Enemies will be powerful. This is excellent energy to burn ourselves out or start a war we cannot win, so let's avoid that.

I think the best way to work with this kind of sustained pressure, especially with all this Cancer energy, is to take care of ourselves. Let some little stuff fall apart so the big stuff doesn't have to.

I'll write more about this tomorrow in Part ll - this energy is going to carry us through the Full Moon on July 9th and the Sun opposite Pluto on July 10th. Then the second week of July will be a much needed breather for most of us.  

xo all

Mars Conjunct Mercury | decisive action, words that open childhood wounds

untitled by sollenafotographie

Today's energy is fast and packs a wallop.

With Mercury (words, ideas, communication, siblings, transportation) meeting up with Mars (initiative, drive, passion, anger) at 15 degrees Cancer - words are our weapon.

Either we cut to the heart of the matter or we cut someone's heart out.

Happening in family, home, country and security oriented Cancer, conversations now could revolve around these themes or take us back to childhood (or past-life) issues.

That guy in your face in the post office will actually be yelling at his controlling mother and you will actually be listening to your demanding brother. Everything will be taken out of context and relate back to something else. Powder kegs are hidden in the most unlikeliest of spaces now. Tread cautiously.

Post internet comments at your own risk. Call your sister at your own risk. Arguments will be swift and passionate especially around issues of safety and our long-standing beliefs that, if changed or challenged, would rock our structure.

The best way through these energies is to blend this week's trine to Neptune and today's conjunction with Mars to find the courage to forgive or apologize. 

On a more positive note (yes, today there are lots of flies in the ointment, but also one nice fly-free zone the flies haven't noticed yet)

if an auspicious opportunity is presented now, the energy is available to take swift and decisive action. There won't be time to hedge our bets, manipulate the data into what feels comfortable or second guess ourselves - if our intuition says "make a move" then make the move.

If courageous words are needed we can find them.

xo all (drive safely)

Mercury Square Jupiter | over-sharing, over-promising, over-explaining, over-spending

glitter and stars by sollenafotografie

Today, Mercury (in Cancer) squares Jupiter (in Libra) at 13 degrees. Yesterday's trine is still in play, too.

Together these energies are a time of BIG ideas and conversations. Great for a group brain-storming session about a problem that appears to be unsolvable. Keep in mind that answers may not be totally practical - this energy can be "over-the-top" - and sometimes too much information is as troublesome as too little. But words have great power this week and our intention to solve things will factor into the results we achieve.

We could have a tendency to over-explain ourselves now. If "No" is a complete sentence then lots of other short and sweet (or short and sour) explanations are perfectly acceptable, too.

I said so many words yesterday I regret today. Knowing these energies are at play isn't enough if we don't act on our knowledge. Some cards are best played close to the chest. I tossed mine all over the table (still looking for that two of spades).

If it feels like other people are judging us, step back from the moment. Do we need to be right or do we want to be happy? Sometimes these things are at cross purposes. A whole heap of the sky is in Cancer now and Cancerian energy is very defensive. Defensiveness sometimes sounds judgemental. Let's give each other a break. We might also have to reel back in our own language. That square from Cancer to Libra (family vs something/someone else) creates tension.

We are in the NEW phase of the Cancer Moon cycle. Our emotions are probably all over the place. Let's not judge ourselves for our weaknesses and vulnerabilities now. It's the job of this cycle to bring this stuff up to slow us down. Tonight we will move into the Moon's crescent phase (creativity, growth) and while we are sleeping the Moon will move into grounded Virgo.

For today, avoid the "overs" and stick with the facts. No over-spending. No over-explaining. No over-promising. Avoid "over the top" schemes, sob stories and TALL TALES.

This energy reminds me of when my sister and I were kids and would get over-excited and giggling too much and falling all over the place and my grandmother would say "you are laughing now, but you'll be crying before the day is over" (ugh Grandma). Back then we usually were crying within the hour. And we might cry now, too. Let's not judge ourselves or anyone else as weak here. Cancer is about working with our vulnerabilities. It's pretty much the point of the whole thing ....

Tomorrow, Mercury is going to hook up with fiery, fiesty Mars. Of course it is exact enough to feel it now. We will have to work hard to outrun that family fight or those angry words. Break out the running shoes now. Or just be prepared to laugh until it hurts.

xo all