Almanac – July '10

“To choose what is difficult all one’s days, as if it were easy, that is faith.”

-W.H. Auden

Tips for almanac use: All the aspects can be felt in advance of the date of occurrence.  It is good policy to view these as due dates for various energies and prepare accordingly for one’s context.  Some slower interactions can be felt a month in advance, so it’s wise to read ahead and ritual up.

When we proactively manifest these symbols then the world doesn’t have to do it for us.

Yeah, July.  It’s going to be a wild and crazy ride.  Hopefully, we’re metaphorically buckled up, strapped in and didn’t just eat a questionable meal.  The planets are definitely pushing and pulling us all in a number of directions at once and there’s no simple compromise between them.  Ultra-adaptability to the call of action is the idea, but try and keep it steady because this is a very volatile mix.

Mercury sextiles Mars on the 1^st, stimulating the urge to get clarity surrounding certain convoluted issues.  It is better to do this by feeling more instead of pushing to figure things out with the mind.  And avoid conclusions.

Uranus stations retrograde on the 5^th, shifting the focus from claiming territory to more fully moving into what has been claimed.  Many facets of our lives will need some adjustments and reworking.  Flexibility is being asked of us along with a relaxation of hyper-vigilant tendencies.

Venus opposes Neptune on the 8^th.  This could sponsor hope and faith in the worthiness of life’s endeavors or it could make us pine for an easier world as a respite to this one.  Either way, it’s a good time to take a break and find deeper appreciation for the beauty in life and loved ones.

Mercury sextiles Saturn on the 8^th.  This will not facilitate the daydreaming described above because it’s a more harsh reality knocking on our door.  This would tempt us into over-seriousness and doubt.  Ideally a balance can be achieved between the practicality and hope of these two aspects.

Mercury moves into Leo on the 9^th, calling on us to be more expressive and playful.  The challenge is that adding more fire to the celestial mix will make it spicier as well, which needs to be balanced with more water; rest, relaxation and emotional wisdom.

Mercury trines Uranus on the 9^th, lending a craziness to the day.  We can’t know what will pop up on our journeys so we’re well served by staying loose and adaptable.  We can choose our reactions.

Venus moves into Virgo on the 10^th, taking things down a notch.  This placement requires a spiritual take on enjoying life: If we focus on the work still undone, it is discouraging, but if we surrender to the chopping of wood and the carrying of water, we can find an inner peace that pervades the mundane.

The Sun sextiles Mars on the 10^th, challenging us to be boldly vulnerable and real.  This doesn’t mean we have to advertise our frailties, but it does ask us to stand comfortably and firmly in ourselves with as little self-reprimand as possible.  Move on.

Mercury trines Jupiter on the 11^th, expanding our awareness deeper and further.  It’s definitely a choice, though, if we flow with the current or stick to the known.

The Solar Eclipse falls in Cancer on the 11^th.  Integration, integration, integration; This is the time to internalize, own, and manifest as much as we can.  If we can be fully in the moment with the full spectrum of symbols, then independence becomes easier from the tumult of the world and those around us.  Accept people and things for what they are and work on what you can.  Try and let the attachment to the rest go.

Venus trines Pluto on the 13^th, frothing up some love and relationship issues and/or those of self-appreciation.  The idea is to respect all the frailties enough to put them aside, where they won’t prevent meaningful connections and exchanges of support.

Saturn moves back into Libra on the 21^st.  This is a very important shift astrologically, for it brings a very challenging configuration into much sharper focus.  It will bring up so much opportunity for growth that it’s totally impossible to cover.  Relationships are really important; respect and maturity are needed to take them deeper and get individual hang-ups further out of the way.  Even with these ingredients, most relationships will be put under more strain as the call to evolve is trumpeting throughout our cosmos.  As always, avoid blame constructs and unnecessary clashes or peace-making attempts.  Walk the fine line.

The Sun moves into Leo on the 22^nd, re-stoking the fire.  You know, we have to be able to laugh at it all; deep laughter, down in the chest, is an amazing thing.  Also figuratively and spiritually, we should seek to find the humor in this farcical existence.

The Sun sextiles Saturn on the 22^nd, tossing courage and doubt in the same mix.  This can be used as self-support and determination or it can turn into something far less productive; fear and bemoaning.

The Sun trines Uranus on the 23^rd, highlighting the unpredictability of our journeys.  It brings to mind the image of turkey vultures riding on the thermals; the sagacity of following the updrafts to go where you could not go if you had to flap your wings all the time.  This wisdom relates to so much right now, including the courage to seek help when it would be most beneficial.

Jupiter stations retrograde on the 23^rd, starting us backwards over all the recent expansions to give them a more challenging test drive, so to speak.  Many changes are still fresh and we are working on finding more comfortable footing.  This will surely be a gradual process that will later have us re-visiting all that we have struggled to leave behind.

Jupiter squares Pluto on the 24^th, demanding full-throttle release of the useless and waste.  Boiling things down to their essentials is the goal.  This especially relates to belief systems that hinder our growth and/or facilitate our resistance to change.  Cultivating a belief in smooth evolution and easy transformation is good policy.

The Full Moon is in Aquarius on the 25^th.  This will start to show us how these recent eclipses have subtly, or overtly, altered the landscape.  Staying focused on our heart’s desire is the idea; but is far easier said than done.  In this case, we have little choice except to follow that desire and see where it takes us.  Express yourself as a whole.

Mercury opposes Neptune on the 26^th, muddying the waters of the rational mind while cleansing the deeper parts of our consciousness.  Clear vision is not really plausible at this point unless the detachment is pervasive.  Let go of the search and maybe you will be found.

The Sun trines Jupiter on the 26^th, prompting some big ideas and excitement around the unexplored/yet-to-come.  As per usual, this could be a vibrant and courageous feeling or it could veer towards worry; clearly a trust in a Higher Wisdom would help.

Saturn opposes Uranus on the 26^th, setting off some massive fireworks, or was that demolition work?  This is very contextual; karmically and functionally: Some will begin to see some burgeoning progress in their personal evolution and its reflection externally.  Others will find new layers to work on and through.  Some will do both; seizing this window of opportunity to get things churning most optimally.  But clearly, determination is crucial and we probably shouldn’t be trying to assess progress levels, even though it’ll be tempting.  You can’t judge a term paper by its rough draft.

Mercury moves into Virgo on the 27^th, bringing more analytical energy to the fore.  Focus on improving and fine-tuning, not on what’s left to be done, or what could have been done better.  Editing our thoughts is a good place to start; and then continue.

Mars moves into Libra on the 29^th.  This starts a big astrological push to blast any unnecessaries out of the way.  The challenge is to do this with niceness and balance, calmness even.  This is hard when we feel like we are being pushed; just remember that energy is not sourced in people around us and is best worked with more autonomously.

Mercury trines Pluto on the 30^th, making some critical malfunctions more evident.  Work on what is coming up and to you; process and integrate and move on.  Don’t over-think, it’s not efficient.

Mars opposes Uranus on the 30^th, definitely an explosive energy that needs channeling into goodness.  Breaking through all resistance is the emphasis; just make extra sure that other people are not involved unless it’s for the beautiful and safe fireworks version of these symbols.

Mars conjoins Saturn on the 31^st, contrasting sharply with yesterday’s tempest.  If recent energies have been handled well, it can deepen our drive, support our passions and jump-start our growth.  Otherwise, we could be forced onto a more proper path in a less than pleasant manner.  Self-actualization is really the best idea; patience is another good one.

July should be interesting.  It will probably force certain people into positive action while propelling others deeper into growth and change.  Rest and recover when possible, maintain those reserves.  Anybody with planets in early cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn) will most surely be on some kind of crazy life adventure.   And nobody will really be spared because there’s only one degree of separation from those in the mix.  All proverbial wisdom is probably appropriate at this juncture, but we should try and focus on one at a time, on the task at hand.  Maybe ‘watch what comes to you and learn from it’ is the best advice for this month.  Or is it something about the necessity to laugh at it all?