In general, the summer months of 2012 are a bridge to tomorrow. By the 1st, we will have already started our crossing, which began when the Sun entered Cancer on June 20. There are many cross-currents to manage as we make the journey, the most prominent of which is the Mercury retrograde.  

Ah, how refreshing, to have only one “special planetary event” at a time for a change! May and June were so full of multiple simultaneous significant events, it was common to feel overwhelmed. Many truths emerged under the onslaught of connectivity and communication we got through the varied activities in Gemini. Some of these were painful, and we may not have had the chance to integrate these into our path by the end of June.  

This will be rectified under the Mercury retrograde. We may complain about the challenges we face under Mercury, but he brings us respite to assimilate the previous four months of activity, adjust our direction and methods. We get a second chance at some things, the opportunity to recover something that we decide should not have been lost, or to let go and move on.  

This Mercury retrograde starts July 14 at 12°33' Leo, but it entered its shadow on June 27 at 1°26' Leo, the point at which it stations direct on August 7. It leaves its shadow on August 22. This will generally be a creative and beneficial retrograde, with mostly harmonious contacts. There are some quincunxes however, suggesting an instructive awkwardness that leads us in the direction of resolving difficult situations. This will not be a pain-free experience for most of us, but it will provide the opportunity to reduce if not fully release the pain as we let go of what doesn’t suit and find new harmony as we create room for the things and people we want in our lives going forward.  

The key feature of Mercury’s retrograde is harmonious contacts with the planets of enterprise and miraculous plot twists: Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus. This means that creative juices will run high, and we will feel pulled to take action that results in expansion and prosperity. The key is human contact, since Mars and Jupiter are in Air signs. Mars enters Libra on July 3, the day of the Full Moon. This reactivates situations that came to life June 20-30, as the Great Warrior contacts Pluto and Uranus on July 17-18.  

We have seen a busy year thus far where relationships are concerned, as Mars and Venus have both been telling us their truth about love. Mars is out of its retrograde zone as of June 21; Venus will be in its retrograde shadow until July 31. We are still reorganizing our lives in light of what both these planets have revealed to us. The other shoe has yet to drop by July 1 for most of us, but it is most likely to by the end of July. Saturn plays a huge role in this as well, and if you are involved in a long-term process that began (whether in a new or existing relationship) in or after October 2009, the story won’t be complete until the end of September, when Saturn leaves its retrograde shadow and enters Scorpio.  

Chiron and Neptune are retrograde now, getting tangled in the Transit of Venus in early-mid June. This highlights healing as a modus operandi in our relationships over the 19 months of the Venus cycle that started June 5. Pluto reached the peak point in its yearly cycle with the Sun on June 29, and we made it through in the new light of Pluto coming before Uranus in their degree sequence. This represents a shift in perspective and way of responding to the energies. It feels like what we’ve been waiting for is happening—and it is.  

The Sun’s square to Uranus on the same day signaled that Uranus’s station retrograde is not far off, and we get that on July 13, the day before Mercury commences its retrograde. This brings clear opportunity if we can wait until the doors open themselves rather than pushing them open. The trine between these two planets hearkens back to one in early November 2011 and to the three conjunctions that Mercury made with this planet of awakening on its last retrograde in March-April. We are lucky. If there had been only one pass of Mercury over these planets, we would have experienced them as a momentary opening; with three passes, we can build our own fire of imagination and expression leading to prosperity in the coming months—something that stays with us.  

The first Uranus-Pluto square is behind us, and we know more. There are six to go, the next in September. These represent forces that are beyond our control, and human emotion tends to run wild under the resulting energy deluge. This sends waves of fear, depression, etc. around the planet that we can choose to transmute, but we have to recognize them as unrelated to Who We Are. Daily attunement to strengthening inner peace is the antidote to negative emotion, which does not help us except to alert us to its presence.  

 

---

(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 (UTC–7).

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.

---

Sunday July 1

The month starts with Moon in early Sagittarius, creating a Grand Trine in Fire overnight that alerts us through our dreams to how we can use the creative energies availed to us through the upcoming Mercury retrograde. Even if we don’t remember, we have taken it in. Insights into our new relationship landscape trickle in. 

Monday July 2

The Moon remains in Sagittarius through most of the day, revealing what we can do to improve our lot, and we feel the strong urge to get ‘er done! Frustration is the result if we rush. It’s best not to have a hard deadline set for today, because there will be interruptions and unnecessary tension around trying to comply. The Moon enters its void period at 3:21 pm PT (6:21 pm ET) on its square to Mars, although it is still productive in this sign. At 3:51 pm, it enters Capricorn to open the Full Moon energy more fully to us. The day ends on the soft, imaginative note of a Moon sextile to Neptune. 

Tuesday July 3

At 5:32 am, Mars enters Libra, completing a sojourn through Virgo that started November 11 of last year. It will activate the power of the planets in the Cardinal signs over the coming six weeks, starting now.

It does so with the added intensity of a Moon occultation of Pluto that feeds into a square to Uranus and then the Full Moon at 12°14' Cancer-Capricorn/11:52 am. Our feelings are activated, and we feel strongly pulled toward what we long for.

No matter what form, we want security, connection, love, and warmth. This is shaped by some awkward circumstances which help us find our way through. Communication is key, and even if we can’t say (nor are likely to hear) that everything is perfect and beautiful, the important thing is the love with which it is said and the care we can show by expressing it in words. 

In the chart cast for Washington DC, political tomfoolery is emphasized. We can expect those seeking office to ramp up the disingenuousness in their messages. The President shines in foreign affairs and his understanding of the economy, which he conveys well. The challenges to the American workforce are about to become more difficult, as more lives are disrupted by limitations in income. Healthcare is on the front page. 

The Moon is Full at 13 Capricorn, carrying the Sabian Symbol of “Back against the mountains towards the East that fringe the roof of the world, a fire-worshiper is meditating.” The grandeur and beauty of Planet Earth are an apt distraction from the cares of human social existence. Enjoyment of what we have is a secret to abundance, for gratitude is the first step to receiving more. However we get there, our peaceful center is the place where gratitude and love are the dominant qualities. 

Wednesday July 4

Lots of dots connect today to create opportunities for creative insights and clear communications. Mercury sextiles Venus, Mercury trines Uranus, and Venus sextile Uranus over the day, creating a Minor Grand Trine in Aries-Gemini-Leo. This contact brings a fiery brilliance to our creative efforts, especially writing. This is the first of three trines between Mercury and Uranus. Note what occurs today and use the energy to fuel something you want to accomplish in the next two months, to benefit something longer term. 

With Mars just into Libra, the Capricorn Moon reaches its void period on a square to Saturn at 5:25 am, so now we end many efforts with a feeling of being hindered by our social obligations. We may wake up restless and ready to fix our self-image in our new awareness of what we really want. There is hard work ahead via many small steps. We get a day to do work that does not start something brand new, as the Moon is void until 5:26 pm (8:26 pm ET) when it goes into Aquarius. Our spirits are uplifted as the light dims, and we feel less connection to our emotions. 

Thursday July 5

Mercury makes its first of three quincunxes to Chiron, suggesting that an ongoing healing process is placed on the back burner in favor of a joyful pursuit. This has its own “backdoor” healing effect. The Moon continues in Aquarius, hooking up harmoniously with the planets still in Air signs, Jupiter and Venus. Mercury and Uranus chime in with enthusiasm and individuality to light us up from their Fire-Sign locations. 

Friday July 6

We get another day to work on maintenance and completions, as the Moon goes void of course at 8:48 am (11: 48 am ET) in Aquarius, carrying the productive and harmonious flavor of its trine to Saturn into the process. Moon enters Pisces at 9:29 pm dissolving our initiative into peace. However there’s something under the surface that is unresolved and building in force that will be released over the weekend. 

Saturday July 7

We’ll need the peace provided through Moon in Pisces to help us through the final pass we have at healing a relationship wound. Venus squares Chiron for the third of three times, from Gemini-Pisces. What happens yesterday, today, and tomorrow will tie into our experiences of April 12 and June 16. The Moon connects with the numerous planets in early Mutable—Neptune, Jupiter, and Venus-Chiron—over the course of the day to augment an emotional-spiritual aspect to the release. We may cry for no apparent reason. This is a sign of something welling up from the memories buried deep in our childhood, karmic, or ancestral past. 

Sunday July 8

Mars reaches its first degree of activation when it quincunxes Neptune and trines the Moon’s Nodes to give us a smooth glide into the future. If we’re ready to face the music, we can slip easily into the energy of our new beginning. It’s perfect, if likely to be awkward. The Moon is a quiet echo in Pisces, going void at 4:00 am PT (7:00 am ET) but still activating us from the highest levels in this beneficial sign. 

Monday July 9

At 5:14 am, the Moon moves into Aries, inducing us to tackle the big problems in our life head-on with connections to the big guns, Mars, Pluto, and Uranus. Jupiter helps us maintain perspective through a Moon sextile, a lifeline today. 

Tuesday July 10

The Moon remains in Aries, reconnecting us to our communicative juices as it brings Mercury and Venus back together. This means that there’s something/someone we care about that we bring back to us for a chance to bond at a deeper level. Neptune squares Moon’s Nodes, bringing a peak in our desire to achieve clarity about our spiritual path and life direction. This can be reached through the spiritual centering processes that give us access to the truth that lies invisibly within. 

The Moon reaches its Third Quarter phase (Moon squares Sun), at 19°11' Aries-Cancer/6:48 pm PT (9:48 pm PT), catching us in a “what’s next” frame. This comes with some anxiety attached because we tend to look at the big picture now, with a sense of how much remains to be accomplished. Turn this away, knowing that small steps are the ticket to accomplishment. The Neptune-Node contact is embedded in our cogitations of the coming week, so this enlarges and extends the energy window through which we can achieve clarity about our path forward. 

In the US, a turning point decision is made that will be significant in shaping the outcome of the Presidential election. It will have a large, beneficial influence on the population. There will be public or private decisions to bring jobs back to the US from offshore locales. This may not show up for several weeks, but the benefits will come surprisingly fast. 

At 20 Aries, the Sabian Symbol for the Moon is “A young girl is seen feeding the swans in a sheltered public park.” (ME Jones version) We feel the urge to take care of simple needs as a way to push back against the enormity of what’s going on around the world. With our souls thus fueled, we can step back into the stream of life with added strength and resolve. 

Wednesday July 11

The Moon in Aries enters its void period at 2:23 am (5:23 am ET) with an eye-opening opposition to Saturn. We’ll take the grand view into our unconscious mind, from which it will be expressed as instinctual actions or conscious understanding brought forward upon awakening. After another daylong void-of-course, the Moon makes its way into Taurus at 4:30 pm, with only a sextile to Neptune to sweeten our evening’s entertainment and feed our dreams. 

Thursday July 12

The Moon carries on in Taurus, bringing forth ideas about how we can meet our deepest needs, then reminding us of why we still haven’t done that, with interruptions and other claims on our time. It might be time to say no. 

Friday July 13

Uranus is Stationary Retrograde at 8°32' Aries today, commencing its five months of apparent backward travel. This starts a six-day period of increased energy intensity. It’s a good time to take notes or journal, and allow extra time for meditation or other centering activities, especially if we can’t see clear to act on our plans at this time. The Moon continues in Taurus, going void of its course at 12:46 pm as we are feeling at peace with our progress, even though the void in Taurus can still be used to initiate activity. 

Saturday July 14

For the second of three times, Mercury sextiles Venus—this time as Mercury commences its retrograde period at 12°33' Leo/7:16 pm (10:16 pm ET). This retrograde lasts for 24 days, through August 7, when it stations direct at 1°26' Leo. The sextile will flavor this retrograde with an emphasis on healing communications and bright plans for the future. 

We’ll feel the crush of how much work we have to do to complete our goals before Saturn leaves Libra at the end of September, as Sun reaches its waning (closing) square to Saturn. The Moon tops everything off when it enters Gemini at 5:28 am, activates the Mutable Grand Cross, and soothes us with easy contacts to Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus — the activators. 

Sunday July 15

Mercury in its retrograde phase is speaking more loudly than usual now, and this is a good day to get its messages straight, as Moon in Gemini replays yesterday’s sweet connection between Mercury and Venus. 

Monday July 16

At 3:56 am (6:56 am ET), the Moon enters its void period in Gemini, which again lasts all day, until its ingress into Cancer at 5:31 pm (8:31 pm ET). Trines bracket the day, leading us from the structures and rules of Saturn to the visionary images of Neptune. 

Tuesday July 17

Mars leaps into prominence now with contacts to Jupiter and Pluto, heading toward Uranus tomorrow. The Moon glues them together from its position in Cancer, creating a Grand Cross in Cardinal signs extending through tomorrow. This points a big arrow at what we need to fix in our lives, but the easiest and most useful “fix” is the one we can apply to our perspective. As we head into the New Moon, we are in the balsamic “Wishing” Moon, when we set our course for the new cycle. Make sure you bring joy, hope, and strength into your intentions for the month. 

Wednesday July 18

Mars completes the Grand Cross with an evening square to Uranus, and things end for now in a surprise. Even if it seems as though things are headed the wrong way, remain resolute in your direction for now. Adjustments may be necessary later, but while we’re in the dark of the Moon we can wait.

The New Moon starts a new lunar month at 9:24 pm PT (12:24 am on July 19 for East coasters in the USA) at 26°55' Cancer, the final contact the Moon makes before its void period. This lunation carries more about the past than the future with it, and accordingly we will be clearing old energies and tapping liminal space, which is where we go when the Moon is void of course, especially in a Water Sign. This will be a highly creative month, one where we’ll need to be tuned in to the inner forces to make our way. Mercury retrograde in this chart augments this process, as it leads us to let go of past blocks to fulfilling our heart’s longing. 

In the chart cast for the US set in Washington DC, the New Moon occurs on the 19th. The will of the people, the emotional responses of the population especially those in the heartland, will be center stage as the national election approaches. The candidates who appeal to a sense of security will be favored. The American workforce is not a contented lot these days, with rumblings of unionization and freedom from oppressive conditions. 

The Sabian Symbol for 27 Cancer is “A violent storm in a residential canyon filled with valuable homes.” Whether physical, emotional, or economic, there is a storm in the middle classes around the world, as their wealth, built on decent wages for the common worker, is squeezed from them. This is a time of renewal. No storm needs to wreak damage that can be prevented. With awareness, we can prepare for potential storms of all forms and soften if not prevent damage. 

Thursday July 19

Three planets that foster transformation are in the same degree area and will remain so for several weeks: Chiron, Uranus, Pluto. As Mars and Jupiter pass those degrees now, we get a constructive urge to make the changes we’ve been resisting. A Mars quincunx to Chiron today brings out the pain of whatever part of our process is as yet incomplete and unsure, so we can let it go. This is especially applicable in relationships. Moon enters Leo at 3:13 am (6:13 am ET), bringing the activators (Mars, Jupiter, Uranus) together in a harmonious pattern that foster creative productivity and unexpected change through direct action. 

Friday July 20

The Leo Moon connects yesterday’s dots to Mercury retrograde, showing us how to accomplish our summer goals. We get an early taste of the joy to come when Venus trines Saturn on the 31st, as the Moon hooks them up for the day in a Minor Grand Trine. Love and joy abound! The Moon is void of course at 10:17 pm (1:17 am ET) after the sextile to Saturn—sweet dreams! 

Saturday July 21

Catch it while you can! Jupiter sextiles Uranus today, the one and only time. This ties in to their conjunction in 2010 and gives us a perspective on the seeds planted then. Innovation, awakening, and unexpected opportunity come with this, but we have to keep our eyes open. Ending the void period that commences late yesterday, the Moon enters Virgo at 10:24 am (1:24 pm ET) to ignite our industriousness. We want to get things done. Although an opposition to Neptune in mid-afternoon challenges us, it leads us to greater clarity if we tackle areas of confusion and disorganization. 

Sunday July 22

The Virgo Moon shows us how we need to change through our dream state as it contacts Pluto and Jupiter in the wee hours. At 3:01 am (6:01 am ET), the Sun enters Leo, where it blazes joyfully, the Sign of its rulership. Mercury reaches the second of three sextiles to Mars, this one retrograde. Developments on/around June 21 are taken a step further now. Clear communication is the method by which progress occurs. A mild note of discord is taken into the Moon’s void period, which starts at 5:44 pm, the seed of reconciliation as Venus unravels the knots that prevent us from aligning with others in loving connection. 

Monday July 23

Feel like spending the day in quietude? So will everyone else, and you will be able to get a lot done as the Moon spends the day void of course. It enters Libra at 3:38 pm (6:38 pm ET), bringing the opportunity to take the initiative if we desire, and well we might with Moon sextile Sun. 

Tuesday July 24

Jupiter makes its first of three squares to Chiron as Mercury quincunxes it, adding the irritation of things we wish we didn’t know to the process. This is a long-term experience bringing up something(s) we’re attached that need releasing. It’s not that we won’t get what we’re hoping for, but if we hold on like that, we will push it away. The truth was there before we knew what it was; now that we know more, we can take measures to redirect what is out of alignment, including within ourselves. This ties in with our path of destiny in ways perhaps too deep to fathom. We’ve invested our focus in creating something since December 2010. Now that it’s coming to completion, we are starting to see what our next step in soul development will be. What is ambiguous now will be clarified in late August. Have faith. 

Moon in Libra takes us through the rough seas of consciousness as it links up with Pluto, Uranus, and Mars by midday. Head and heart converge to align with wisdom as Moon, Mercury, and Jupiter also connect to lead us through. 

Wednesday July 25

Mercury comes to its second of three trines to Uranus with help from Venus and Saturn, and we have the chance to take a quantum leap toward our dreams. At 8:22 am PT (11:22 am ET) the Moon enters its void period in Libra for another day when it’s better to continue and complete things rather than initiate. At 7:29 pm (10:29 pm ET), Moon enters Scorpio, magnifying our imagination and deep feeling with a trine to Neptune. 

Thursday July 26

At 1:56 am PT (4:56 am ET) at 3°47' Scorpio, the Moon reaches its opening (waxing) First Quarter square to the Sun. This is a call to action in order to create what we want on this lunar cycle. Our period of productive activation is over by 8:38 am (11:38 am ET), when the Moon goes void of course. We get to take advantage of the light and warmth offered by Leo, lifting us beyond the emotions. Mercury and Sun reach toward their embrace as Mercury is now burning in the Sun’s light, invisible to the eye. This brings deeper insights as we begin to wrap our heads around how to integrate what we are now learning into our circumstances. We have to accommodate some ambiguity as Mercury makes its second quincunx to Pluto. This ambiguity will be resolved over the next two months. 

In the chart of the lunation cast for the US, there is a clear surge in popularity for President Obama at this time of his birthday. He’s getting the message right, and people are responding. Foreign affairs grab the headlines, and our leader gets to show his wisdom as a statesman. 

The Sabian Symbol for 4 Scorpio is “A youth holding a lighted candle in a devotional ritual gains a sense of the great outer world.” We are somehow exposed to what it’s really like in the world beyond our door this week. This could be a revelation about the sacredness of all life, as well as a heightened awareness of the suffering of others. Approaching our experiences of the world at large with a sense of wonder is the way to let compassion triumph over fear. This could indicate a breakthrough in religious tolerance in the mundane sphere. 

Friday July 27

The Moon is void of course until it enters Sagittarius at 10:18 pm (1:18 am July 28 ET). It’s a good day to get organized, follow up on things, or do other background or inner work. 

Saturday July 28

If yesterday was quiet and slow, today makes up for it. The Moon in Sagittarius encounters the other planets in early Mutable signs: Neptune and Jupiter, as well as the Nodes. It provides the missing link in a Fire Grand Trine, with participants Sun-Mercury in Leo and Uranus in Aries, as the Sun and Mercury conjoin in their inferior conjunction at 6°08' Leo. A sextile to Mars completes a day of high, beneficial activity. 

Sunday July 29

The Moon is still in Sagittarius all day, bringing us perspective on the relationships that remain in suspension while we take care of the obstacles that stand in their way. Moon connects with Venus and Saturn to open the door to the culmination that comes on the 31st when they finally make their exact trine. This brings to fruition something that we’ve been out on a limb about since mid-May. After 2:01 pm (5:01 pm ET), the Moon is void of course, but we can still use the Moon beneficially during a Sagittarius void period. 

Monday July 30

At 0:29 am PT (3:29 am ET), the Moon goes into Capricorn and initiates another deep dive into the unconscious over the course of the day as it contacts Pluto and Uranus. The Sun trines Uranus, lightening the mood and showing us the way through. Expect the unexpected to show up in a pleasant way, especially if you’ve been cultivating change. 

Tuesday July 31

Finally, finally, Venus trines Saturn, the second of two. When she stationed retrograde on May 15, she was in the first trine, and so we ended up out on a limb about something. Now this can move towards resolution, subject to the other planetary currents that are affecting your situation. It’s a good time to take steps toward healing today, but the process will not reach its turning point until about a month from now, as Sun quincunxes Chiron. The Moon carries on in Capricorn with an emphasis on commitment and responsibility as it picks up on Mars as it heads toward its conjunction to Saturn on August 15. The Moon is void of course at 4:30 pm (7:30 pm ET) for the remainder of the day.  

   

[ top ]


Daykeeper Premium Home

  © Copyright 2000-2012 Daykeeper Journal.
All Rights Reserved.