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by Boots Hart July opens with Mercury retrograde in Cancer and Venus in the shadow of a retrograde which begins July 27. That this pattern of personal modifiers (Venus, Mercury and Mars) is set to continue trading off being in retrograde shadow or actual retrograde through January 2008 is the metaphysical signal that the balance of this year is not as much about who we are in the external sense as who we are inside. by Nina Bouska
Nina Bouska and Maya del Mar became dedicated astrology students together about 40 years ago, and have met regularly with others from their first class ever since. While Junea went on to pursue astrology as a career, Nina still calls herself "an avid student" who does readings only for friends and family. We think she is far too modest. We are delighted to welcome Nina Bouska to the Daykeeper family. INTRODUCTION From an astrological point of view, July should be a much quieter month than weve experienced lately. The aspects are most challenging the week following the New Moon on the 14th, when things may get overly emotionalbut even then they lack the intensity of recent months. This years journey into summer seems to emphasize the childlike dualities of Cancer: the ongoing discovery of self as a self-activated individual, punctuated here and there by a sudden inexplicable need to hold tight to mommys hand. (Except as otherwise noted, all interpretations here are based on a natural chart, using the beginning of Aries as the ascendant, and times listed are Pacific Daylight Time. A Void of Course Moon 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.)
The Capricorn Moon goes Void of Course early in the day, at 1:45 am PDT, and stays void all day, carrying the energetic and imaginative vibes of a sextile with Uranus into your workaday world. Venus joins Saturn with both still trine Pluto and opposing Neptune, about 7:30 am. With Mercury already retrograde, this configuration escalates the chances for misapprehension and miscommunication. You may feel put-upon, or miscalculate monetary matters, so double-check your responses. Moon moves into Aquarius at 10:24 pm. Our energy levels should be much improved today, but theres an inclination toward taking things much too personally and becoming upset when objectivity is required. Misunderstandings could occur with someone from a differing cultural background, probably relating to disparate views of personal independence and social customs. On the other hand, Moons triggering sextile to Jupiter could bring a truly delightful unexpected social occasion. Moon eclipses Neptune and then opposes Saturn, so we can be a bit more focused than we have been and more realistic in our approach to practically everything. Were still pretty fixed in our own opinions and set in our own ways, so it may take a bit of effort to be as cooperative as is called for. It becomes easier in the evening when Moon opposes Venuseven in opposition these two readily see each others point of view and work well together. You may even want to have a party or otherwise begin the celebration of the holiday tomorrow. Late evening, Moon makes an easy-going sextile to Pluto, bringing a bit of pride in your own understanding, and goes void at 11:02 pm. We have a Pisces Moon as of 3:52 am PDT, and she drifts lazily until trining Mercury mid-morning. Empathy is strong, so sharing thoughts and activities with others is pleasant (although children and old men may prove a bit of a challenge from time to time). We find it pretty easy to see what needs doing and to muster the wherewithal to do it, or at least to get it done. Sun is tightly quincunx Jupiter, so we may have to curtail some of our expansive plans, particularly those relating to travelhowever much we may want to go back home to visit family. The unpredictable Jupiter-Uranus aspect is tweaked again as Moon squares Jupiter and shortly thereafter meets up with Uranus. Things around us may seem dull and uninviting, and we may launch ourselves into a new setting or situation without giving it much thought. The results could be delightful, or disastrous. Thinking first is definitely recommended, although with Jupiter in his own sign he should rule the day, making happy results more likely. Sun and Moon are enjoying each others rays and calling on action-oriented Mars as cheerleader and on the wisdom of Ceres for mentorship; its a good day for establishing maintainable patterns for taking care of ourselves and all those we care about. Moon goes Void of Course at 3:08 am a square away from Pluto, which could bring a restless night filled with scattered dreams of wielding power, or running from someone elses. If you remember any such dreams, search them for hints from long ago that might prove useful in resolving any personal issues that are top of your to-do list now. Pay extra attention to forgotten authority figures who may have seemed unduly foreboding, or feminine rivals who seemed incredibly attractive, because of your own insecurities. Julys Last Quarter Moon occurs at 9:54 am PDT at 15° Aries, when Moon is pleasingly trined to Jupiter, bringing optimistic positive attitudes and a generalized feeling of well-being. Shes working up to trining Saturn and Venus, setting up fire-sign enthusiasm for the entire weekend. Moon is opposing Juno, offering the potential of memorable times for couples. She moves into some dreamy Neptunian projections and then on to cozy up with familiar, stable, pragmatic Saturn to close out a comforting day. Moon goes void at 6:06 am after trining both Venus and Pluto, forming an agreeable grand trine, then goes into Taurus at 10:54. Even with the Saturn-Neptune opposition involvedVenus is still conjunct Saturn and the focus of a kite patternwe can face the new week with chipper good humor and a willingness to meet challenges, although we may feel our efforts are underappreciated. Just before dawn Moon conjuncts Mars, so we may find the day begins in a rather contentious mood, but attitudes seems to calm after lunch. There could be a flare-up again early evening, perhaps just irritation over a flippant, unfeeling remark. Moon energizes the opposition between Saturn and Neptune first thing off today, forming a t-square from Taurus. The staying power and stubbornness of fixed t-squares is legendary, especially with Mars in Taurus, so if any battles are drawn today they may be long-lived. If the battle should happen to be against pernicious habits, this could be a very helpful aspect. Venus is still softening Saturns adherence to long-held standards and traditionsfrom an almost exact trine to Pluto, which gives her additional clout, and Moon is also happily teamed up with Sun and Uranus. All of this suggests gaining a new point of view and developing highly creative ways of dealing with nagging situations. Its a forward-looking, future-oriented day with Sun trine Uranus and Moon opposing Jupiter. Keep your eyes open for new ways to use your creative imagination and inventive approaches to familiar problems. You may be seen as idealistic, reformist or humanitarian, but your enthusiasm can draw the support of others or lead you into being unusually helpful. The morning is dominated by Moons trine to Neptune, which could make the colorful turn melodramatic, backed by its sextile to Saturn and opposition to Pluto, which bring out the teacher in you but could lead to a controlling stance in personal interactions. The ambience softens when Moon goes Void of Course with a cheerful shove from Venus at 2:12 pm and transits into Cancer at 3:39. By evening, Moon conjuncts Mercury to make sensitive, considerate discussions not merely possible but enjoyable. Not a good day for any of us paraskevidekatriaphobicswho hold an irrational fear of any Friday the 13th. In a fascinating essay on the subject, David Emery, www.about.coms guide to urban legends, tells us, The sixth day of the week and the number 13 both have foreboding reputations said to date from ancient times . . . and among a number of possible reasons lists: the number 13 may have been purposely vilified by the founders of patriarchal religions in the early days of western civilization because it represented femininity. Thirteen had been revered in prehistoric goddess-worshiping cultures, we are told, because it corresponded to the number of lunar (menstrual) cycles in a year. He also notes a 1993 study in the United Kingdom that compared the ratio of traffic volume to the number of automobile accidents on two different days, Friday the 6th and Friday the 13th, over a period of years. Incredibly, they found that in the region sampled, while consistently fewer people chose to drive their cars on Friday the 13th, the number of hospital admissions due to vehicular accidents was significantly higher than on "normal" Fridays. Emery then asks Just how many Americans at the turn of the millennium still suffer from this condition? According to Dr. Donald Dossey, a psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of phobias (and coiner of the term "paraskevidekatriaphobia"), the figure may be as high as 21 million. If he's right, eight percent of Americans are still in the grips of a very old superstition. Be that as it may, todays horoscope is rather humdrum, with only the leftover strains of the aspects weve been recounting. The New Moon at 21°41 Cancer is exact at 5:04 am on the west coast; 8:04 in Washington DC. Moon goes void on this conjunction and remains so all day, until entering Leo at 7:43 pm PDT. The pair is exactly quincunx Neptune, auguring a need for maintaining a sense of self, particularly in romantic situations. This personalizes the ongoing conflicts between the planet in charge of boundaries and limits, and the planet that believes there are no such things. It would be all to easy to give yourself away, stretch too far, or play martyr in hope of achieving overly idealized unrealistic ends. Bear this in mind as you visualize plans for the coming month, as we are called to do at the time of a New Moon. In a chart set in Washington DC, Sun-Moon sit early in the twelfth house of secrets and behind-the-scenes activities, of less-than-conscious wellsprings of information, and of institutions of confinement Neptunes natural home. Neptune is in the house of othersour partners and counselors and/or our enemies. It seems a setting for the exchange of deceptive information, equally likely in either direction. All of us, and our leaders, should carefully analyze and check and double-check all the intelligence we are offered. Better yet, put some effort into locating the news we arent being given (the Internet is such a fabulous resource!). We should perhaps especially question information about 12th house matters such as Guantanamo and other prisons, and the CIA. But the Lights are still trine Uranus, in mid-Pisces in the 8th house of multinational corporations, international finances and the use of other peoples resources. This could mean unusual or surprising news about trade agreements or our balance of trade, further jolts regarding the national deficit, or unsettling glimpses of the inner workings of the Federal Reserve. In our personal charts, this portends unexpected opportunities to draw on subliminal inspiration to muster inventive ways to deal with budgets, loans or taxation. Just dont let the Neptunian impulse toward illusion come into play negatively. The statistics on escalating rates of personal debt, bankruptcies and foreclosures are appalling; dont let yourself and your family be among them. Mars and Ceres, near the midheaven, now square Chiron, near the descendant. Such placements near the angles are considered to be the most power-packed positions in the chart. Mars promotes the ability to decide what must be done and forthrightly do it; Ceres, also known as Demeter in mythology, was so intent on saving her child that she limited the growth of all plants for six months every year; Chiron, known as the healer, often cures by major surgery, lopping off or out that which is inimical to health. This seems to emphasize that its time for our nation, and each of us individually, to end counterproductive behavior patterns and dependenciesour belief in an endless supply of oil and infinite financial resources comes immediately to mind. The Sabian symbol for 22° Cancer: A young woman awaiting a sailboat; The longing for transcendent happiness in the soul opened to great dreams. The imaginative youthful person, Rudhyar says, who basically cannot be satisfied with what his or her ordinary social environment offers, and who instead is longing for the unknown visitation of which he or she has dreamed. An obvious allusion to the New Moons ties to Neptune and Uranus and a clear-cut reminder that living within ones means is a much surer path to happiness than keeping up with the latest fashions, fads and fancies. The lively Leo Moon is enhanced by Moons trine to Jupiter, so this should be an active day and were ready to shine. Despite the weather, well want to do something, probably something that will attract admiring attentionbut it could be as simple as reading that good book weve been putting off. Well need to watch out for irritating a partner, or become irritated by self-oriented quirkiness or insistence on applying only our own values in joint endeavors. This problem could be most acute very late in the evening, or even early tomorrow morning. Mars is beginning to niggle the opposition of Saturn and Neptune, working up to creating an exact t-square in a week or so, while at the same time Moon passes over Neptune adding her longings to his aspirations. Again, were wrestling the problems of reaching a compromise between what we want to be true and what is. Since Moon occults Saturn, blocking his rays from reaching us Earthlings, the urge to opt for the fanciful could be overly strong today, especially late afternoon to early evening, so watch your step. Moon catches up with Pluto at 8:55 pm and goes Void of Course, carrying the opportunity to reinvigorate our resolve and innate will power into early morning. Moon eases into Virgo at 2:39 am and shortly thereafter joins Venus, ushering in a much more pleasant day than yesterday. The need for adjusting attitudes and exercising self-discipline remains strong, but avoid lingering on woulda-coulda-shoulda motifs and look to the future. Around noon, you could encounter nurturing information about ways of taking care of yourself while meeting all the essential obligations. And as you drift off to sleep, you may come up with amusing ways of using them. At 4:11 a.m. PST, join in the planet-wide "Fire the Grid" hour of earth-healing meditation. Whether it really is the date of the conjunction of Pluto with the Galactic Center (astrologers differ), and whatever the reason, I'm a firm believer in the power of group consciousness and therefor all in favor of group prayer and meditation aimed toward worthy causes, any time on any pretext. Sun is exactly quincunx Pluto today, so you may (again) need to modify the ways you put forth your willpower to a) take better care of yourself and b) prevent arousing the ire of your associates. Bear in mind that you can be firm and forceful without being pushy or unkind. With Moon opposing Uranus this afternoon, there may be unstable emotional situations so call on the trine of Moon and Mars to make sure the instability is not yours. Be sure you are not attempting to control someone elses behavioreven as a parent or guardian it works better to guide rather than control. Should you be the one on the receiving end, remember that the ultimate revenge is forgiveness. Moon goes Void of Course early this morning, at 6:44 am, on a waning square to Pluto. Until Moon goes into Libra, at 12:53 pm, were apt to be a bit irritable, annoyed that petty urgencies keep interrupting our interest in pursuing weightier matters. Venus newly into Virgo can be amazingly nitpicky and Moon newly into Libra is fixated on keeping appearances pleasing even though the substance behind them may be quite different. By bedtime, Moon is sextile Vesta, keeper of the hearth and tender of truth, who also carries Virgo-like tendencies. This pairing urges us to assess our interests in intimacy to determine whether the needs of both parties are being fairly considered. A yod from Mars and Uranus to the Moon outlets on youand your ability to initiate ideas and actions that will lead to fulfilling your need for substance and stability as well as your desire for freedom and independence. Its most apparent in the sphere of relationships, where balance is always an omnipotent factor. This double quincunx affirms that its not easy, will take some doing, and will require continual flexibility and a willingness to adjust our aims with changing circumstances. Its a lackluster day for the most part, and Im not even going to acknowledge the First Quarter Moon until tomorrow, as it doesnt happen until 11:29 pm on the west coast. Things seem ill-defined and nebulous as Moon is trine Neptune again, and somewhat onerous as she sextiles both Saturn and Pluto. Theres too much that should be done, but not the energy to do it, though we may try in fits and starts. Crawling into a cocoon seems like a good idea. Sun is gathering the last vestiges of Cancerian energy, morphing its neediness into nourishment with the aid of Plutos depth charges, which are probably previously unrecognized demands and unexplainable doubts that have suddenly surfaced, along with impromptu needlings toward autonomy from Uranus. Chiron and Ceres are still insisting you take care of yourself, but its hard to figure out just what that means. The clues all revolve around the old adage Know thyself. The First Quarter Moon is exact at 29°06 Libra at 2:29 am Eastern Daylight Time. Moon enters Scorpio at 1:18 am Pacific time, 4:18 am Eastern time; her first aspect a sextile with Venus, setting up an interest in sociability and sharing with friends for the remainder of the day. It could be wise to harness our curiosity a bit, however, as a Scorpio Moon can be too intense in its probing. The Leo Moon has us set to shine. But by afternoon, things go less smoothly than wed hope, thanks to a stubborn fixed grand cross with Moon opposing Mars and square to Saturn and Neptune. Someone (even perhaps you) could become emotionally pushy, and its easy for anyone to find criticism in the most casual remark. Its a two-steps-forward-one-back kind of day, or maybe just lateral motion. It takes some effort to get our feet firmly situated on solid ground and make rational, practicable decisions, but thats the right approach. Moon goes void at 3:30 am PDT, on a mood-dampening square to Saturn, then drifts into Sagittarius at 1:29. Tempers are, overall, much better. Moon is square Venus, but that beats an opposition to Mars any time. Moon and Venus both prefer feminine Yin styles of relating, so even when theyre at odds we can find a middle path and achieve something. However, Juno is exactly quincunx irrepressible Uranus. While also an essentially Yin energy, Juno must have a lot of testosterone backing it up; shes more apt to fight it out than forge a compromise (although like all too many women even today, she ended up back with her no-good cheatin husband over and over again once she had vented her wrath). This aspect may foster the green-eyed monsters, jealousy and envy. Its effects span a week or two; you may have noticed it already. Moons conjunction to Jupiter this morning is todays only classical aspect. Classical aspects do not include the asteroids or minor aspects such as the quincunx, which have nonetheless proven to be quite influential (were those included Moon would be Void of Course far less often). This is kind of a hangover day, from whatever transpired yesterday. Its moody and we may all have to tiptoe around smoldering temperaments. Mercurys working up to square Uranus and anybody could say something they didnt mean to say, any time. Mars is still square Neptune, and is not beyond fancifying the facts a bit to make his case. Moon calls on Saturn by mid-afternoon to bring self-discipline and decorum, but goes void on a conjunction to Pluto at 5:13 pm, PDT, leaving rancor in the air until she goes into Capricorn, where emotional objectivity usually prevails, at 11:21 pm. Moon in Capricorn makes this a shoulder-to-the-wheel back-to-business day. Mars is within orb of its square to Saturn, so it can still be pretty frustrating with stop and go signals interrupting each other. Venus is not yet out of Saturns shadow, so we still feel rather under-appreciated. Whats more, she turns retrograde and heads back to him at 10:27 in the morning. Moon opposes Mercury to help us look deeply into our psyches and ferret out the concepts that can truly build our feelings of personal security and a sense of being nurtured. She calls on helpful, enterprising rays from Mars in sturdy, sensual Taurus to give her the impetus to act on the ideas she finds. Uranus gets into the act too, in a benevolent way, so the chances to invigorate your self-esteem and self-confidence look pretty good. Moon enters Aquarius at 6:14 am, and sidles quietly along through most of the day. Her first aspect is the opposition to Sun, this months Full Moon, at 5:48 in the evening, Pacific time. Another quiet day, with no exact aspects until Moon eclipses Neptune at 7:09 pm. That t-square of Mars, Saturn and Neptune is pretty potent today however, and the asteroids are still rumbling. Moon adds her powers to the t-square in the wee hours and runs into a depressing opposition from Saturn before most of us are out of bed. Probably not the best night for sleep. Once again, its Plutos vibes she carries into her void period, from 4:55 to 10:40 am. This time its a relatively quiet, contemplative sextile and others may find you somewhat withdrawn today, although youre quick to respond with an innate, intuitive understanding that could impress even yourself. |
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