Monthly Forecast for July 2009
by Armand Diaz


July begin with a “station” of the planet Uranus in the early hours of the 1st. Stations are times when the planets appear, from the perspective of the Earth, to stop in the sky, after which they seem to change direction against the backdrop of the stars.

Of course, it’s all a matter of perspective - Uranus isn’t really going to stop and go backwards. But perspective is what astrology is all about, and celestial stations tend to have an obvious effect here on the ground. The energy of the planet becomes very overt during a station, and everyone feels it. Uranian energy is erratic, independent, and impatient, and during times when he is powerful cooperation is at a minimum, and the “me” factor prevails. At this particular station, Mercury is in a tense aspect to Uranus, suggesting that we may really shoot our mouths off.

A good way to deal with Uranian energy is to literally go off on your own for a while and do whatever it is that seems to fit the moment. While we can get mighty irritable with each other when we try to stay within our usual limits, creativity and unique solutions to problems can offer themselves at this time. It might be best to note the idea and wait a few days to act on it, as Uranian impulsiveness can often benefit from a double-check when things have calmed down.

The day after the station, July 2nd, will have the sun and Venus in aspect to Jupiter and Neptune. This brings the more impersonal energy of the outer planets into our just about all areas of our lives, and also amps up the feeling that we need to act, and act now.

The 4th has Mercury opposed to Pluto. Words can be cutting, but precise, and either side can win in a David and Goliath type struggle.

Venus enters Gemini on the 5th. This placement is good for the flirty, fun side of relationships and socializing, although it doesn’t exactly encourage depth. As if we need more depth.

Warrior (or athlete) Mars squares off with Jupiter and Neptune on the 6th. Once again, we are pushed into action, and may have a hard time recognizing limits. Externally imposed limits are often arbitrary and vexing, and pushing them can be a very healthy thing. But some limitations, like the speed limit on a dangerous road, have a value that we can live with. Try to be a little discerning as you break the rules.

It might be hard to stop and reflect, as the full moon lunar eclipse is already building. The eclipse, at 5:39 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on the 7th, will be barely visible in the northeastern United States, but you’ll have to get up way before dawn to see any of it, and it won’t be a real “Wow!” experience. What it lacks in visual impact the eclipse may make up for in excitement, as the full moon keeps the energetic ball rolling further into July.

On the 8th, it is Mercury’s turn to make tense aspects to Jupiter and Neptune. We could say more than we want, or wind up telling little white lies without realizing we are doing so. On the other hand, someone could be selling you a bill of goods, so look carefully.

Jupiter and Neptune meet up again on the 10th. These two giants get together to further progressive social causes and last met back in May, when Barack Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. See what happens in the days around this second of three meetings of the two planets.

The last quarter moon on the 15th is surrounded by some of the easier aspects of the month. It is a time for deciding what we have learned and what we would like to do about it.

The 16th has Mercury in a nice trine to Uranus, a day when the novel ideas can get a good hearing. The semisquare between Mercury and Venus is less harmonious, making it hard to communicate our values and feelings. Semi-squares are considered minor aspects, but these two planets only get to make this one hard aspect - they are always too close together from our perspective, so this is as tough as it gets between them.


On July 21st at 10:35 p.m., EDT, we have the second eclipse of the month. This time it’s a solar eclipse, and it will not be visible from anywhere in North America. Despite their reputation, eclipses rarely live up to expectations in the “doom and gloom” sense. Things do happen on lunar eclipses, but they occur at full moons, when things tend to happen anyway. Solar eclipses occur on new moons, traditionally a quiet time of the month. New moons are about planting the seeds for future growth, or, more precisely, they are about the moment when the planted seed just begins to germinate.

Looking for the impact of a solar eclipse, which is an extra-powerful new moon, requires looking ahead in time as the sprouts begin to push through the earth in the months and even years following the eclipse. Eclipses are also known to “cast their shadow before them,” that is, to have associated events occur before the actual eclipse. It all makes for the sort of detective work which astrologers find satisfying after the fact, but predictions are usually very, very difficult. Solar eclipses do tend to have an intensity about them, and the effect on our psyches is something like the Uranus station which began the month.

As an example, back in February I pointed out that the solar eclipse was very prominent in Tehran, but it really took until June to see how that was going to manifest. If you’re inclined to play along, keep an eye on Tokyo, Stockholm (of all places), Phoenix, and the Baja peninsula. And remember that “significant” manifestations will differ according to the place they affect. Sweden ain’t Iran.

A few hours before the eclipse on the 21st, Venus and Saturn make a tense square, an aspect which requires no detective work. In the area of relationships, this aspect is about getting “real” about our partnerships. The particulars of this square suggest that it is going to be more significant for those who are thinking of breaking up than those who are just about to “get serious”, but it could be an opportunity to cement a partnership which has been becoming more formal (“getting serious” and “cement” aren’t exactly romantic terms, but this is Saturn we’re talking about).

On the 23rd, Mercury is in tense aspect to Uranus, then on the 25th he tangles up with Pluto. It may be hard to communicate during these times, and we may literally or figuratively feel our wires are getting crossed.

The conflict between our individual Self and authority, between creativity and rules, between ego and superego, is perennial. We won’t be surprised then, on the 26th, when the sun, at home in Leo, makes a semi-square to Saturn in Virgo, and these conflicts heat up a bit. Actually, this is the end of the yearly sun-Saturn cycle, and it has been a year which has seen much conflict between the traditional, conservative and a “new way” forward. At this stage, we are most likely to take stock of what we have learned.

Venus is busy making aspects at the end of the month. The 27th has a more harmonious, anything-is-possible feel to it, a time when a dreamy kind of faith in the future is likely to prevail, as she trines Jupiter and Neptune.

The 28th is more energized, and we might feel more experimental and unconventional in relationships, as Venus squares Uranus. The energy of these days is generally upbeat, although to the extent we are sticking with something that has lost it’s zest, we may feel strong discontent. Not to worry - Venus opposes Pluto on August 1st, so the last days of July will allow us to put it all out on the table.

The 28th is also the day of the first quarter moon, a time for putting things into action. That means that we are all the more likely to act on the impulsiveness of the Venus-Uranus aspect.

The 30th features Mercury once again, this time in opposition to Jupiter. Tensions which were evident around the 8th can be dealt with more openly and perhaps more cooly now.

On the 31st, Mercury opposes Neptune, creating a one-day version of Mercury retrograde. Watch out for smooth talkers (you may be surprised to find you are one yourself!), and try to delay important decisions for a day or two. The information we get might be erroneous. It is a great day to meditate, take in a movie, or otherwise lose yourself in a dream.


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