New Moon: July 14 at 12.05PM (GMT) at 21 Cancer 41: Cancer always carries several prime messages. The three that I find most important are: instinctual subconscious behavior patterns, foundation, and the urge to nurture and to be nurtured. These three fundamental dynamics of human nature will play themselves out during this period relative to the house position in your horoscope where the New Moon falls. Thus should this be in your Second House for example, your sense of self-worth and indeed your actual material worth will be strongly touched by the waters of this sign. Our opportunities at this time are to make what is subconscious, conscious; what is foundational, more secure; and what is to be nurtured, fulfilled.

Venus retrograde: July 27 at 05.29PM (GMT) at 02 Virgo 57: Aphrodite (I love calling her by her Greek name!) will be retrograde between 2 Virgo and 16 Leo until the 8th of September. This is a time to re-evaluate the quality of communication in our relationships both in terms of work (Virgo) and romance (Leo). It is not the best time to make new financial contracts but it is a good period to assess the financial positions in which we find ourselves. “Quality” is essential to getting the most out of our relationship with our inner Aphrodite so that she attracts the highest and the best to us. “Quality” I might add is the term used in the Ancient Wisdom to express the nature of the Soul.

Full Moon: July 30 at 12.49AM (GMT) at 06 Aquarius 31: The Sun is in Leo and the Moon in Aquarius. The challenge of this opposition of the luminaries is how to integrate our personal urge to be creatively self-expressive within the context of a larger social whole. This polarization will take place in the pair of houses where this Full Moon takes place in your natal chart. If this were the Sun in the Ninth House and the Moon consequently in the Third for example, then you might find yourself in a position where you were having to express your belief system to a group of people, adjusting yourself so that what you seek to represent philosophically may be well received and integrated into the lives of others.

Mars square Neptune at 21 Taurus/Aquarius (July 24-25) and Mars square Saturn at 26 Taurus/Leo (July 31-August 1): This set of aspects takes me back to New Year's Day 2006 when there was a T-Square in the heavens between Mars-Saturn-Neptune in these same signs. The international chaos and havoc in the world (and for many, personally as well!) during these past 18 months is certainly symbolized in part by this very challenging energy pattern. Fortunately, Saturn and Neptune are finally moving out of their very tight and long-lasting opposition, but here comes Mars in Taurus again for one last (sic!) go/gasp/gash. I would think that this period (July 24-August 31) will be pretty horrendous in terms of the various, current wars and conflicts, with an augmentation of violence both politically and climatically. Should you have any important points in your natal chart at these degrees of the fixed signs in your natal chart (I have the Asc/Des at 24 Scorpio/Taurus), you will be called upon to organize your life very strongly in order to avoid chaos. Mars/Saturn can usually be "calmed" when we face up to our responsibilities and do what needs to be done. Take heart-it is easier to organize your own individual universe than it is to bring a peaceful social structure to Iraq! If it isn't, then you really need to visit your local astrologer. Fortunately, I travel with mine.

Saturn trine Pluto at 26 Leo/Sagittarius (July 30-August 9, exact on August 6): This is a very powerful aspect that may help to bring some order and structure into life after the more challenging Saturn-Mars-Neptune T-Square of the previous week. The first part of this transit coincides with the last part of the “T” and may therefore modify it somewhat. Basically, positive aspects between Saturn and Pluto support the right use of will for the purposes of expressing personal creative power (especially mentally). People with strong placements of anything between 25-27 Aries and/or Aquarius will strongly benefit from this transit.

Sun trine Jupiter at 10 Leo/Sagittarius (August 2): Nice! Great day for focusing on the creative possibilities in your life relative to the two houses where this trine will fall. If it connects with 9-11 Aries/Aquarius/Gemini in your chart, a clear positive message will present itself. (As always, Gemini will likely receive at least two messages that may conflict with one another but not necessarily in an adverse way. Jupiter/Sun trines are pretty friendly).

Jupiter direct (August 7) and trine Mercury (August 9) at 10 Sagittarius/Leo: A brief and very positive couple of days for travel, higher education, legal issues, publishing, and communication in general. Natal positions between 9-11 Aries and/or Aquarius especially favored; Gemini too if not overly scattered.