*All times are PDT, unless stated otherwise. Planetary positions are expressed as the degree followed by the sign. If there is a number following the sign, it refers to the minute position in the degree of that sign. As with an hour, there are 60 minutes in a degree. For example, 10° Virgo 43’, means 10 degrees and 43 minutes Virgo.
**If you aren’t already, be sure to follow Jim Sher on Twitter to keep up with the daily events.
When we last wrote, we ended with Mercury 5° Leo squaring Jupiter 5° Taurus on July 5th. For a refresher on this mind-expanding aspect check out the article on the Sher Astrological Institute website where you can also find a treasure trove of astro-metaphysical bloggings by Jim Sher and other contributing writers.
While many of you may still be feeling the intense wobble effect brought on by the July 1st Solar eclipse, a Mars/Saturn trine in Gemini/Libra on July 6th will bring much needed strength and determination to move forth with what must seem like extraordinary effort as we experience the general intensity around us. Saturn in Libra will tame the jumpy energy of Mars in Gemini and bring grace to Saturn’s usually cold, disciplined manner.
On July 7th, the Moon hopscotches through the day making aspects (conjunction, sextile, square, trine, inconjunct and opposition) to the Sun and each of the eight planets (yes, Pluto is still a planet) bringing potentially wildly different perspectives to our emotions. Try paying attention to your mood to see if you can sense the subtle (or not so subtle!) shifts from morning to night. Venus at 4° Cancer also begins her journey as the king, or should we say, queen-pin in the cardinal grand cross with three outer planets when she squares Uranus 4° Aries. Surprises could be in store in the area of relationships or what you value in life. You may suddenly find yourself attracted to someone or something totally out of left field or impulsively buying something uncharacteristic of you. Or the opposite – walking, perhaps running away from something or someone. Accentuating this day with deep resonant undertones is a Jupiter/ Pluto trine at 5° Taurus/Capricorn. The affect of this aspect between the two of the slower moving planets can be felt days before and after. This is true power. If you needed that extra edge to move mountains, this is your time.
On July 8th, Venus at 5° Cancer continues the feminization of the titans as she opposes Pluto 5° Capricorn. What relationships or value systems did you want transformed at the Venus/Pluto conjunction on February 9, 2011 at 6° Capricorn when this latest Venus/Pluto cycle began? What are we ready to let go of? With Venus in aspect to Pluto, that which is deep and dark may be brought to the surface for painful exploration. Have heart, Venus also sextiles Jupiter adding a generous dose of kindness and a lust for life that knows our wounds are necessary for growth and that they’ll be healed when we are able to truly face them with a positive attitude.
On July 9th, shift happens as Uranus 4° Aries, stations and begins to retrace his steps back to 0° Aries, the degree Uranus last touched on March 22, 2011. As Uranus retrace its steps, we humans on Earth also get a chance to review the recent past with respect to the particular genre of theatre that Uranus represents – shock and awe. Has anything unusual happened since March 22nd? Probably. Will it come up again during this Uranus retrograde? Probably. Uranus will continue his apparent backward motion until December 9, 2011, so oddly enough with this impatient planet, don’t be in too much of a hurry as you review so you can thoughtfully make adjustments to your forward trajectory.
As Uranus stations it is within 2 degrees of an exact square to Pluto and remains in that zone throughout the summer. As discussed in previous articles, this is the epochal signature that could very well define the next stage of our evolution here on earth. Although the real heat of it won’t begin until the first exact square occurs next summer (with 7 passes altogether through 2015), we are already getting a taste of the major flash points that could ignite unrest throughout the world. These planets carry a lot of weight in the pantheon of archetypes. What do you think could happen when the God of the Underworld meets Mr. Revolution? Whatever it is, it may shake you to the core. Even if you are watching it from the comfort of your couch on the evening news, it will affect you somehow, someway. You needn’t have lived through the sixties to know how the Pluto/Uranus conjunction that defined that era changed our society. It wasn’t always pretty but significant breakthroughs did occur for which we should be very grateful. Where there is chaos there is also great opportunity.
On July 13th, Venus at 11° Cancer completes her grand cross tango with the muscle planets when she squares Saturn at 11° Libra. Time to get real with home and relationships. While Venus/Saturn aspects, make it easy to feel a lack of love or severity in relationships, the challenge is to learn how to love when it isn’t easy. That’s what makes a stable relationship. Like a flower, love needs nourishment and room to grow.
On July 14th, the Moon 22° Capricorn opposes Sun 22° Cancer. Full moons are a great opportunity to rise above the polarities we face in order to see both sides of the equation. Moon in Capricorn is a survivor and can be coolly efficient, detached. Sun in Cancer wants to care for, nurture and belong. On the downside it could be perceived as clinging. Maturity comes with the ability to synthesize your own point of view with those of others to create a wider vision that has tolerance as its foundation and unity as its core. Follow Jim on Twitter to keep up to date on daily Lunar happenings.
On July 22nd, Sun enters Leo and we find ourselves in a period of relative planetary quiet. But then Leo demands our attention with its unbridled joy and creativity. Other than the Moon in her regular dance, there are no major planetary aspects until July 28th. Stay tuned for the Leo AstroCast.
Happy Transits,
Kimberly & Jim
Leave a Reply