AstroCast: July 21 – August 3, 2019

The recurring archetypal theme of powerful contraction and consolidation discussed in previous posts continue as Venus in Cancer follows its opposition to Saturn in Capricorn on July 16 with an opposition to Pluto in Capricorn on July 21. Venus now in this polarizing position serves to amplify and drive home the sense we are in a critical period with respect to who we are in relation to each other, what we stand for and where we belong, on an individual as well as societal level. In Cancer, Venus is concerned with ensuring everyone feels safe and nurtured. How each individual and culture expresses this however is vastly different. Venus’ confrontation with the restrictive force of Saturn/Pluto can correlate to a movement that summons up the strength needed to secure a place in our home of choice. On the immigration/refugee front, issues of scarcity, fear of all things foreign and alienation can trigger reactive hard line border stands pitting identification with a ‘protect and defend our own’ mentality against the compassionate force of love that embraces the wider family of humanity.

Also on July 21, retrograde Mercury forms the Inferior Conjunction with the Sun at 28°28’ Cancer. This marks the beginning of a new Sun/Mercury cycle known as the ‘New Moon’ phase that puts our will (Sun) behind our words (Mercury) and is a time when seed ideas are planted that will play out during the course of the four-month cycle. As the march towards the January 2020 exact conjunction of Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn approaches, a question to ask during this new Mercury cycle commencing in Cancer is how can we develop trust in our own process enough so that we know we belong wherever we are in each moment? 

On July 24, Mercury segues into a harmonious conjunction with Venus in Cancer. With Mercury still in its internalizing retrograde mode, attention may pivot to our values and perceptions about our relationships. We may feel a greater sense of peace with those we are with. Yet with the opposition to Pluto still in effect, it won’t be all sweetness and light. We may need to face the darker undertones of our true feelings beneath the surface. Should anything feel out of tune or discordant with our true Self, we may need to open dialogue and come to agreement on how to integrate our emotions and differing points of view in order to come back to balance.

As Mercury continues its retrograde back through Cancer, the Sun and Venus move on and enter Leo on July 22 and July 27 respectively. With Mars also in Leo, this shifts the archetypal emphasis to playing in the sandbox of creativity, especially with the Sun being the ruler of Leo. Taking time off from an entrenched routine can help revitalize and connect us with our joy, which can feel like a reconnection with Spirit. Once in Leo, the Sun and Venus enter into a tense square to Uranus in Taurus, which is exact on July 29 and August 2 respectively and remains in effect for a week thereafter. Uranus is known as the “Great Awakener” because it often correlates to the introduction of something radically new that can shift us into an entirely new state of awareness – if we are ready for it. This marks the first quadrature alignment in the relevant cycles between these personal planets and transcendental Uranus. It is known as the “crisis of action” moment of the Sun/Uranus and Venus/Uranus cycles that began at the conjunction (April 22 for the Sun and May 18 for Venus). This suggests some kind of shock may occur that could break us free from stagnant or entrenched patterns of thinking or behavior at home, at work or out in the world.

Midway between the Sun and Venus’s contacts with Uranus, the Moon enters Leo on July 31 and connects with Venus, Uranus, and finally the Sun to form the New Moon at 8:12 p.m. at 8∞37’ Leo. The two luminaries and Venus in Leo squaring Uranus at the commencement of the new lunar cycle sends a message that everything is fair game for change. This is where the archetypal playfulness of Leo can inspire us to see shocks as opening us to new portals of discovery. They can free us to look at something in a new way or expose us to radically new ideas that could change our very reality. As this lunar cycle unfolds, it bears repeating that we would do well to remain open to receiving any new concept that might shock our belief systems about relationships and our own path in life. Make an effort to linger with it rather than give it a kneejerk rejection because it appears fundamentally unlike any approach we’ve taken before. We may be surprised and excited by what transpires. 

Less than an hour after the New Moon on July 31 Mercury stations direct at 23∞56’ Cancer. Whatever seed ideas were planted at the Inferior Conjunction of July 21 are likely taking shape now and forward movement on them will begin to pick up. The “Messenger of the Gods” remains in intuitive Cancer through August 11, which can correlate to our internal perception mechanisms being in a more acute state picking up subtle signals from unseen forces. If we consciously focus on data that comes from non-linear, non-ordinary reality sources in our meditations, dreams or from the synchronicities that materialize as we go about our day, we may sense we are being guided by Spirit.

Venus and the Sun travel ensemble as they pass through Leo, sustaining the archetypal emphasis on congenial creative collaboration. If we allow the disruptive force of Uranus to catapult us to a new level, we will have more freedom in our relationships to play, to experiment and find fun and innovative ways to approach the relationship dance. Furthermore, a trine between Mars in Leo and Jupiter in Sagittarius in effect at the fiery New Moon indicates increased levels of energy and enthusiasm that can motivate us to see and take advantage of new opportunities arising. Collectively, the archetypes infused into this new lunar cycle support the movement out of the sandbox and into a much bigger playing field with greater freedom to explore. The galactic consciousness awaits us to join its dance in the cosmos.