Daily Success Guide, July 2010

Astrological Insights, July 2010

We are entering a time when the planets are at their most active. We feel the forward motion of the planets more than ever right now, and one of the results is a sense of urgency about completing old tasks so that we can create our new beginnings with a fresh slate. One of these revolves around the eclipses—the gathering of cosmic family units, also called tribes. It is as if a hidden voice is calling people to make connections that will be fulfilled in the coming months and years. This has been occurring since the eclipses entered Cancer-Capricorn (signs of family unity and structure) in July 2009. As we enter the final stretch of the 18 months when the eclipses fall in this sign axis, we instinctively want to complete the process to be ready for the next stage, when the eclipses begin to tap the energies of Gemini-Sagittarius in December.

We passed a watershed moment on June 26, when the Lunar Eclipse brought to us many new connections and changes in awareness. As July opens, we are still feeling the new spin that these events have put on our lives. On July 11, we experience the Solar Eclipse, by which we plant seeds for what we want to grow for the rest of the year.

Several significant planetary events occur to augment this process. Saturn re-enters Libra after a final 3-½ months in Virgo. In November through March, we got the call to whatever task(s) we are meant to fulfill under Saturn in Libra. The return to Virgo gave us the time to clean up the old before fully launching the new. This often involved Virgo tasks: reorganizing, cleaning up/clearing out, improving our health, and finding a more meaningful way to serve others. Now we return to Libra’s directive to create balance in our lives. This also focuses us on “right relationship”—ensuring that our relationships, especially our most intimate ones, are based in our authentic self rather than the ego. While Saturn is in Libra, ego-based relationships will be harder to maintain and will be nudged toward our zone of authenticity.

When Saturn enters Libra, it immediately re-engages with Uranus, for the last of five times. These two planets have been interacting since mid-2008, juxtaposing the status quo and the need for innovation. As they complete their interaction, we get one more shot at reconciling these energies both inside us and in our outer lives. We will experience harmony to the extent to which we have learned to synchronize head and heart. Mars pierces these energies and brings action into our lives when it contacts Uranus and Saturn on July 30 and 31.

Jupiter and Uranus have been “hot” since they entered Aries in early June. They have been partners all this year in a cosmic dance of creativity in response to startling events. This month they conspire to establish longer-term processes in our lives that will free us to live more authentically. This comes when Uranus begins its five-month retrograde period on July 5, and Jupiter starts its retrograde (lasting four months) on July 23. By the end of the retrogrades, we will have created new realities in our lives. For some of us, the place we end up will have nothing in common with where we are now, even though by now we have a good idea of where we’re headed and what form our new lives will take.

Our process of self-understanding and expansion is deepened and intensified when Jupiter squares Pluto at the same time that it makes its station. We benefit if we can expand our consciousness to know what is true beyond what society teaches us.

On July 20, Chiron re-enters Aquarius from Pisces. Once again, our healing process is directed toward the mind rather than the energy field as a whole. It also changes our focus back to what we’ve been working on for the past six years. Chiron also reconnects with Neptune to continue the healing of the Great Wound that we’ve been engaged in for the past three years.

As we encounter this month’s energies, they are meant to urge us toward a new reality—a response to the many changes we see in the world around us. By listening to the harmony in those energies, we can manifest it in the visible world.

A “Void Moon” or “Void of Course Moon” (or “VOC moon” for short) makes no significant aspects until it enters the next sign. Its void period is thought to be a poor time for starting new projects or making concerted effort toward existing plans.

According to William Lilly, the Moon in Cancer (Moon’s rulership), Taurus (Moon’s exaltation), Sagittarius and Pisces (signs ruled by Jupiter, the Great Benefic) “performeth somewhat.” Lee Lehmann reports that she has tested this, and “you can take it to the bank.” Another way of putting how this works is that, when an action is taken during the void period in one of these signs, you get “unanswered success.” That is, the lack of planetary action prevents your action from being denied.

Maya’s rule of thumb was, “In making a close call, I look at the moon’s final aspect, just before it goes void of course. This shows how the situation will end up.”

Daily Astrological Forecast

Thursday July 1

The Moon traverses the first part of Pisces today, starting with a dream-deepening sextile to Pluto in the wee hours. A mid-afternoon trine to the Sun gives wings to our efforts and imaginings for the day. There’s something brewing in our minds, and we find ourselves understanding what we want and the actions we need to take to accomplish our new goals as Moon, Mercury, and Mars connect.

Friday July 2

Today’s only contact is the Pisces Moon’s trine to Mercury just after midnight, the final step in yesterday’s revelatory process.

Saturday July 3

At 4:17 am, the Moon goes void of course on a serious note as it opposes Saturn. At 6:44 am, she enters bold Aries, whose courage is immediately activated by conjunctions to Uranus and Jupiter, then a square to Pluto. This is bound to be a powerful experience and a stimulus for innovative solutions to all the situations we’ve been dealing with since early June.

Sunday July 4

oday’s sole planetary contact is the Last Quarter Moon square to the Sun at 12°31′ Aries/7:35 am. Coming as it does on the heels of the Lunar Eclipse, there is much to integrate before we are ready for the next lunar cycle, which begins at the Solar Eclipse New Moon on July 11. This lunation is heavily tinted with Uranian energy that peaks tomorrow, carrying an increase in intensity that comes to us in flashes. In other ways, the planets are pulling apart indicating a time of integration is naturally occurring. The universe allows us to take a deep breath.

In Washington DC, the lunation square straddles the 8th to 11th houses. The spotlight is on the actions of Congress as it carves out economic policy, particularly through the bill that being developed to regulate the financial industry. This also relates to energy policy and the legislative response to the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. The President’s approval ratings will improve as he places more emphasis on communication.

The Sabian Symbol for 13 Aries is “a bomb which failed to explode is now safely hidden from discovery.” There are hidden factors that must be considered in the governmental response to the issues of the week—ones that are often kept from the public only because they are too complex to be covered in today’s glut of milquetoast media. We are left to trust people of good character to manage the situations with their expertise and sense of inner truth. We may feel that we have experienced a near-miss somewhere in our lives. By observing how we respond to such situations, it will help us understand the actions of those in positions of power.

Monday July 5

We may feel as if the universe is doing an abrupt left turn as Uranus makes its retrograde station at 9:49 am/0°35′ Aries. Now it takes us on a zig-zag path, the most direct path to our goals. Remember that through Uranus the universe loves to play with us; if we have a sense of humor and appreciate irony, this can be a fun ride! Uranus will return back to Pisces for one final lesson in understanding the inner world and how it affects us. The Moon stays active in Aries until 2:24 pm, when it enters its void period, giving us a little late-afternoon down time to catch up on incomplete processes in our lives. Overnight, useful static enters our dreams to tell us where we have an incomplete picture of reality, as Moon squares Mercury. A trine to Venus at breakfast time and a sextile to Neptune promise a pleasant and imaginative day. The Moon enters earthy Taurus at 5:29 pm, sextiling Chiron to open an energy door to spiritual healing for the evening.

Tuesday July 6

The Moon in Taurus today generates harmony that we can use in practical ways with a trine to Pluto and sextile to the Sun. We could even tackle one of those jobs that we’ve been putting off because there are some unknown elements involved. This type of task will flow smoothly, hidden factors revealed and resolved gracefully.

Wednesday July 7

Still in Taurus, the Moon makes several contacts spread over the day. By relying on our feelings, we know what to do, and action follows inner knowing effortlessly. Toward the evening, relationships can fall into old patterns due to distractions. This situation is what deserves our attention most however—it is a good time to observe but not to take action, as our loved one will probably not understand right now—you need more clarity about it too. At 11:09 pm, the Moon makes its final contact before it goes briefly void of course, although in Taurus it can be used to take beneficial action.

Thursday July 8

The relationship experience that came up yesterday reaches its full expression today as Venus opposes Neptune. This presents an opportunity to understand more about a relationship process where there is more going on than meets the eye. One partner could be idealizing the other, or one could be hiding part of their nature. Now the truth can come out. There’s plenty of help from the feeling side: Moon enters Gemini at 0:51 to enhance communications and bring a new awareness of what we need to heal as the Moon connects the dots. The Moon and Mercury make harmonious sextiles the rest of the day to smooth the way and help us blend head and heart impulses.

Friday July 9

As the Moon travels through mid- to late Gemini, it finds only Mars to interact with as we make our morning commute. Tempers could flare—give yourself plenty of time to get where you’re going. At 9:29 am, Mercury enters sunny Leo. The weather balances out, becomes drier. Today through Sunday, universal energy flows into our mind to produces flashes of insight and images of what we’re creating in the invisible world. They feed our consciousness and will guide our path for the rest of the year as we fulfill the promise of Sunday’s Solar Eclipse.

Saturday July 10

The Moon goes void of course at 3:17 am after two contacts flavor our dreams with the sweetness of inner truth and the challenge of the obstacles that lie before us. The void period lasts until the Moon’s entry into Cancer at 4:38 am.

At 4:32 am, Venus enters Virgo, sign of the grain goddess. She will awaken us to ways in which we need to better nourish ourselves, whether through food, thoughts, emotions, or friends and our daily environment. We will find these impulses around and inside us as we experience Venus here. We feel the nurturing side of this before dawn as the Moon connects with her, then trines healing Chiron.

The rest of the day promises to be intense as the Moon squares Uranus and Jupiter, then opposes Pluto. This repeats the pattern of last month’s Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse, and situations that we associate with that time will be highlighted once again. This process is augmented by Venus’s opposition to Chiron, revealing wounded areas in our relationships that need to be healed. Now we have new insights—perhaps based on new dilemmas—about how to resolve these situations and create the lasting changes for which we finally have the universe’s approval. Don’t sweat the details. If you’re not in a rush, all will unfold more easily. We can enhance our circumstances by being aware of what’s occurring on a deeper level and not trying to control the way it unfolds, the way someone else feels, or the actions anyone takes (other than our own). The evening ends on a note of peace as the Sun sextiles Mars to show us balanced ways to work with these energies.

Sunday July 11

By sunrise, a Mercury trine to Jupiter has spent its force, filling our awareness with wisdom that can be applied in expanding our world in new directions. As the Moon in Cancer closes in on the New Moon/Solar Eclipse at 19°24′ Cancer/12:40 pm, it sextiles Mars, fixing in place for six months the opportunity to (finally!) engage in vigorous actions to fulfill our deeper goals.

Because the New Moon is also a Solar Eclipse, the energies and experiences we absorb now cast a shadow into the next six months of our lives. This is a good thing. In shadow, colors are less vivid; our eyes can open wider. We are less dazzled by the brilliance of shiny objects, more able to see their inner qualities. Once again, we are dealing more with known factors than with situations that have yet to develop. Whew! The universe isn’t going to pile more on our plates than we already are trying to digest.

In the chart cast for Washington DC, the eclipse falls in the 9th place, indicating an emphasis on foreign affairs and international relations, as well as actions of the higher courts, long-distance communication and transportation, and immigration. This also is associated (curiously) with weather conditions along the coast and incoming storms. In the wet sign of Cancer, it is likely that we will experience our first tropical storm(s) of the season and see how they affect the Gulf of Mexico and the ongoing oil spill. It is not likely however that the storms will reach directly into the oil-contaminated areas—yet.

At the New Moon/Solar Eclipse degree of 20 Cancer, the Sabian Symbol reads, “During the celebration of some fête, the canals of Venice are crowded; in a gondola are serenaders merry-making.” (ME Jones version) While we await the ripening of the crops in our lives, there is time to play. This is one of the things that makes living richer and more meaningful if it allows us to live in the ever-present now for even the briefest of moments.

Monday July 12

At 4:48 am, the Moon sextiles Saturn and enters its still-usable void period. This fills our dreams with structure—we are busy building and forming our life through the subconscious world. The Moon goes into generous Leo at 5:53 am, then makes a series of flowing, easy contacts to foster unexpected opportunities and delightful turns of events. The mind is sharp during the afternoon—good for writing, tests, and communication.

Tuesday July 13

While the Moon travels mid-Leo, Venus makes a trine to Pluto. This gives our relationships a chance to “get real.” Factors influencing us that are ordinarily hidden now come to the surface to be harmoniously dealt with. It’s a good time to clear the air, a good time to enjoy a rich experience with your partner or another loved one.

Wednesday July 14

The Moon in Leo reaches its final contact, an opposition to Neptune, at 3:23 am to open its latest void period. Give yourself a break from gainful activity until it enters Virgo at 6:15 am. Occurring at night for most readers, this is especially good for gaining insights into the magical elements that are influencing our lives, which we will learn from the shadow world through our dreams. When the Moon enters Virgo, it reiterates yesterday’s profound connectivity and integrates it into our lives more fully as the Moon trines Pluto and conjoins Venus, also opposing Chiron.

Thursday July 15

Our Virgo Moon reaches Mars and sextiles the Sun to bring us an active and productive day. We’ll be able to cultivate without obstruction the seeds that we planted on the eclipses.

Friday July 16

With a conjunction to Saturn (the last before Saturn re-enters Libra), the Moon in Virgo enters its void-of-course period. This naturally leads us to take a final assessment of how much progress we’ve made in our reorganization/clearing out process. At 7:24 am, the Moon enters Libra and opens the doors to flashes of insight over the day, as it makes enlightening oppositions to Uranus and Jupiter and an intensifying square to Pluto. Allow your awareness to drift inside to get the most from this creative period.

Saturday July 17

Still in Libra, the Moon sextiles Mercury to connect heart and head—allowing us to further develop the ways to manifest the dreams and insights that have come from our creative process of the past two months. With no other contacts today, we are cleared to follow what we find. Journaling, writing, talking with a trusted friend are all methods for getting a clarifying reflection of our situation.

Sunday July 18

Before we rise, the biggest events of the day are complete: the First Quarter Moon at 25°42′ Libra occurs at 3:11 am to infuse our dreams with insights that we will act on without thought (when the mind is not in the way). This is followed by the Moon’s final aspect, to Neptune, at 7:26 am before going void-of-course. This lends a dreamy quality to the day that will lift through a natural healing process when the Moon enters the focused realm of Scorpio at 10:42 am and trines Chiron. We have the opportunity then to tap the depths of the invisible realms over the rest of the day as the Moon sextiles Pluto.

The chart cast for the First Quarter Moon continues the trend of dissipating intensity and minor harmonious contacts. We have many opportunities to build on what we’ve been developing for so long: It finally begins to take shape in the visible, physical world.

In Washington DC, the Sun rises as the lunation occurs, placing the Moon in the 4th house. This emphasis in this chart is on completing projects and processes that were activated in the past; yet there are new situations seeding themselves in the coming week. The President may take a break by visiting a foreign power or vacationing off the continent. Industry shows signs of picking up, eager for economic recovery.

The Sabian Symbol for 26 Libra states, “An eagle and a large white dove turning constantly into each other.” The interplay of assertion and receptivity is essential to life and results in the “fierce peace” that is suggested by this image. It reminds us that the elements that seem to oppose each other in our lives are actually out-picturings of our internal conflicts. By reconciling these conflicts, we experience the merging of the opposites into harmonious complements that flow into and out of each other as do the eagle and dove.

Monday July 19

The Moon in Scorpio brings emotions to the surface today as it sextiles Venus and squares Mercury. They help us to know what steps to take in our relationship and financial situations, but they reveal an inner conflict that must be resolved before we can act.

Tuesday July 20

The day is chock full of contacts—most of them involving the Moon and creating ease and flow in our lives. They start with the Moon in Scorpio reconnecting Mars and the Sun to bring more bang for the buck in the areas of our life where we’ve put an enterprising action plan into motion. We may feel doubts as a square to Neptune transpires, but pragmatism will find a way through as the Moon sextiles Saturn. A square to Chiron at 4:46 pm brings healing energy as it begins the Moon’s void-of-course period, only lasting until 4:48, when the Moon enters Sagittarius. We are lifted and inspired as it immediately makes resonant trines to Uranus and Jupiter spanning the evening. Most significant is the return of Chiron to Aquarius at 2:42 am, after three months in Pisces. Now our healing process returns to an emphasis on nerves, breathing, thoughts, and electrical energies.

Wednesday July 21

There is a palpable energy shift today as Saturn re-enters Libra at 8:09 am. In doing so, it hooks up with Jupiter and Uranus in early Aries, and with Pluto in Capricorn. We return to experiencing very powerful deep days. Now the energies that we have been feeling since early June begin to manifest as real-world transformations in our lives. The Moon in Sagittarius squares Venus to make us aware of glitches in our relationships that need addressing.

Thursday July 22

Action and inspiration are emphasized as the fire signs are highlighted. The Moon (in Sagittarius) trines Mercury in Leo to one again coordinate mind and heart. At 3:21 pm, the Sun enters Leo, giving us easier access to passion, joy, and love as it connects by sextile to Saturn in Libra. We get a clear insight into what our next step is in fulfilling our new goals. Moon squares Mars in late afternoon can bring agitation as we stretch to handle all the events and responsibilities coming our way. A Moon sextile to Neptune finishes the day on a note of vision and inner peace.

Friday July 23

A sextile to Chiron from the Moon stretches its productive period in Sagittarius until 1:25 am. Healing energies work within us as we sleep. The Moon enters Capricorn at 1:39 am, grounding our energies into a more serious perspective. A multitude of contacts and events make this a busy day: At 5:03 am/3°24′ Aries, Jupiter makes its station before turning retrograde. This opens a four-month process during which time we will establish our current dreams of enterprise, education, and expansion into the reality of our lives. The Sun’s trine to Uranus brings elements of the miraculous to this process. The Moon ticks off the planets in the early cardinal signs—first Saturn in Libra, then Uranus and Jupiter in Aries, finally Pluto in Capricorn. This repeats the process we experienced on the last Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse, on June 25-26. The thread of events then will be furthered now through new circumstances and the choices we’ve made since then. This energy stays with us through next Monday.

Saturday July 24

The cardinal process continues to heat up our lives as Jupiter reaches its first of two squares to Pluto. This one is especially concentrated (like two happening at the same time) because Jupiter is at a standstill. This energy focuses on transforming social patterns and a population’s attitudes about cultural values. This coincides with the abrupt change that is taking place in public opinion surrounding off-shore drilling, for instance. The Moon continues its sojourn in Capricorn, trining Venus early in the day to bring peace and calm into our persona lives. It’s easier to be in gratitude for what we have now.

Sunday July 25

The major shifts that we have experienced over the past week sink into our waking reality as the Full Moon peaks over us, bringing a cascade of new awareness and a fresh perspective on reality. Finally we feel as though we can move forward, prepared for what we were thrust into almost three years ago. The Full Moon comes at 6:37 pm/3°00′ Aquarius in the midst of a series of lunar contacts that enhance the flow of life as well as our industriousness, effectiveness, and energy level. It starts the day in Capricorn, going void of course at 7:20 am. This gives us time off until 12:38, when the Moon’s entry into universalizing Aquarius brings us into the Full Moon energy. This is an especially auspicious culmination as it occurs between sextiles to Uranus and Jupiter, which are still conjoined in early Aries. Doors open and a rich newness flows into our lives. This softens the apparent challenges we see now that Saturn is back in contact with Jupiter, Uranus, and Pluto. Several quincunx contacts remind us to rest easy with the ambiguity in our lives. We don’t want to act until we reach a point of clarity.

In the chart cast for Washington DC, it is evident that there are many critical situations to cause concern. Neptune and Chiron straddle the Ascendant and are focalized by an opposition from Mercury on the Descendant. This suggests that a long-standing disagreement with a foreign power or leader comes to the forefront. However, there is harmony on the home front, as domestic production rises and the economy begins to take on new life.

The Moon’s degree at the time of the Full Moon is 3 (2°59’37’) Aquarius. Its Sabian Symbol is “A deserter from the Navy stands suddenly aware of a dawning truth that freedom is never the result of compromise.” The juxtaposition of principle and duty comes to the forefront on this Full Moon; even though we may feel that we have to make a choice, this may be a false dilemma based on the placement of head over heart in the managing of our life.

Monday July 26

Our mental processes go through a clearing experience during the night to bring greater understanding. This means that we may act on this wisdom before we know what it is we’re responding to. We have to trust our instincts. Sun trines Jupiter today to increase our awareness of where we next need to expand. The final Saturn opposition to Uranus occurs today to take us through the final blind alley on our path toward our total cultural and economic reprogramming. Although there are signs of vigor in human resolve to find a way to live in stability and abundance, the effects of human folly (the oil disaster in the Gulf) will require continuing adjustments in how humanity inhabits the planet. As Saturn’s interaction with Uranus wanes, we enter the period of Uranus’s square to Pluto, which will require humanity to adjust to the needs of Earth.

Tuesday July 27

It’s “planets lite” today, as the Moon still in Aquarius makes one single contact, an evening conjunction to Neptune. This emphasizes our desire for chill-out time—how about a movie or TV show? At 2:43 pm Mercury enters Virgo, where our analytic abilities are at their strongest.

Wednesday July 28

At 0:19 am, the Moon’s conjunction with Chiron at the end of Aquarius marks the opening of a brief void-of-course period that ends when the Moon enters Pisces at 1:00 am. Our path forward is illuminated by the light of the night as Moon opposes Mercury to bring forth new insights during our dream time. An early Moon sextile Pluto finalizes the planetary contacts of the day, permitting us greater access to the hidden realms and the transformative processes that take place there.

Thursday July 29

The first planetary event of the day is Mars’s entry into Libra at 4:47 pm. The Moon in Pisces opposes Venus at 8:44 pm to bring new awareness and appreciation of those we love, followed by the Moon’s void period. This lasts until 1:42 pm tomorrow, making it more significant to remember that the void period in Pisces can be used very fruitfully to take action.

Friday July 30

With Mars now in the cardinal sign of Libra, it begins to hook up with each planet in the other cardinal signs: Uranus and Jupiter in Aries, Saturn in Libra, and Pluto in Capricorn. These are hugely important encounters, because Mars stimulates outer-world action. Today Mars opposes Uranus, the opening salvo to the challenges we will see around us. It helps to remember that external conflict always stems from internal conflict—”every war is with ourselves” (Ashley Ruiz). The Moon augments this process when it enters Aries at 1:42 pm, instantly connecting with Uranus, Mars, Saturn, Pluto, and Jupiter. This brings us yet another iteration of the patterns of June 25-26 and July 23 (last Friday).

Saturday July 31

Mars makes its second contact in the early cardinal degrees, a conjunction to Saturn. If you’re not sure what Saturn wants you to accomplish during its visit to Libra over the next two years, you’ll learn much more about it today. All of us will see progress along this path as Mars pierces through obstacles. Even if it doesn’t look like it, you are making progress. The Moon in Aries reaches its waning trine to the Sun today to ease the flow.

Terry Lamb

For more than 20 years, Terry Lamb (M.A. Linguistics, UC San Diego; C.A. NCGR, EEMCP) has been helping people to understand how cycles and energies work and interact in their lives. She augments her astrological acumen with energy medicine, Yijing (Chinese Book of Change), cosmology, psychology, and a broad range of health and spiritual studies.

Terry is among the nation’s most knowledgeable, insightful, and engaging astrologers. With pragmatic optimism and compassion, Terry’s approach has helped clients and students find their own way to “walk among the stars”. She is dedicated to using astrology as a way to create our future and free ourselves from “fate”. She goes along with Abraham Lincoln, who said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

Her unique approach to astrology can be learned through her home study and apprenticeship programs (contact her directly).

www.terrylamb.net