Planetary Illuminations for July 2013

My Skywatch article, Planetary Illuminations for 2013, is now posted and you can read it in its entirety here.  If you are on my mailing list you will soon receive your abridged version which includes translation into English from the original astrologese.  If you aren’t on my mailing list you can sign up in the sidebar.  Meanwhile, here is the introduction to give you an overview for the month:

As July begins, Mercury is in retrograde motion. This is a time when our attention is drawn back to the past in order to review and reconnect with the things that our important. Attempts to begin new projects or make major purchases may be thwarted so care must be taken in these areas. Expect glitches and delays and you will not be upset when they occur.

The influence of the Uranus and Pluto planetary cycle is still very strong since those planets are only two degrees apart from their square (90 degree) formation. You can read much more about that on the Astrological Musings blog but suffice it to say that this is a powerful period of transformational forces urging the destruction of structures (Pluto in Capricorn) which are decaying and preventing the regeneration of radical new ideas to grow and take form (Uranus in Aries).

The water element is powerful now, with six planets in water signs, so the realm of feeling is of paramount importance now. Feeling, intuition, innate understanding – these are the characteristics of a strong watery emphasis. In addition, Jupiter (abundance and expansion) has just entered the sign of Cancer, so the vulnerability and nurturing qualities of Cancer will soon be more important. Cancer longs to feel safe emotionally and connected to a tribe of caring individuals, and the role of the family will continue to expand and be restructured since Jupiter will soon become a player in the dance between Uranus and Pluto. More on that later…

Meanwhile, a Grand Trine in water began in June and will be in effect for the entire year. A Grand Trine occurs when three (or more) planets form a triangle and is generally thought to be a harmonious alignment. Trines work well together – they support each other and create ease. Intuition and flow are of primary importance now and will help to soften the intensity of the push for change that is creating disruption for many of us. The Grand Trine includes Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune but will soon shift to include Chiron as well, fostering optimism (Jupiter), spiritual connection (Neptune) and encouraging the discipline to accomplish our objectives (Saturn) for the purpose of healing the soul (Chiron). Big stuff.

Three planets change direction this month, which means that their influence is stronger now. . Mercury begins the month in retrograde motion and will turn direct again on July 20th. Saturn turns direct on July 8th, and until then will be virtually stationary as it prepares to change direction. Saturn represents discipline and structure, and when a planet’s motion slows to a standstill when changing direction its influence becomes more intense and that planet becomes more important in our day to day life. Saturn is all about doing the hard work, and in Scorpio we find that hard work in facing our own Selves and the challenges to our personal growth.

In addition, Uranus turns retrograde this month. The outer planets spend six months out of every year in retrograde motion so this is not particularly unusual, but since Uranus rules the kind of radical change that shocks us out of our sleep and forces us to embrace new ways of living our lives, this is not likely to be a sleepy time of the year when we are able to remain unconscious as our lives unfold without intervention. Uranus is also stationary now as it prepares to change direction, and as it slows down the power of its influence is at its zenith. Expect surprises and reversals – embrace change when it happens. We are becoming renewed and while this is not always easy, the things we must let go are the very things that hold us back.

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