Dear Friends,

Welcome to July’s Astro-planner, containing practical astro-lore for the entire month.

The Sun has moved into Cancer, a cardinal water sign, and we enter the start of the summer here in the northern hemisphere, while our friends in the southern hemisphere begin their winter. For those of us who live in New York State, we’re looking forward to a cessation of rain and some genuinely hot days. Huzzah!

For those of you new to my site, I welcome feedback of your first-hand astrological experiences in reference to this planner. Email me at info@GoshenAstrology.com.

Happy birthday to all of you who are celebrating this month!

May the Sun shine upon you,
Catherine

ASTRO-PLANNER FOR JULY 2019

July 2: New Moon at 10 degrees of Cancer with Mars switching signs into Leo. This new Moon is a total solar eclipse, a good time to lie low and have a break from your regular new Moon routine, especially as Mars is volatile, and is also squared by lightning-changer Uranus. Drink herbal tea and clean the windows. If it’s your birthday on this day, why not wait until the weekend to celebrate?

July 3: Venus moves into Cancer (where she’ll remain for most of the month) – inviting us to enjoy the sensual pleasures that home has to offer. I couldn’t think of a more apt Venus placement for America’s birthday on July 4, when so many families will be celebrating together, enjoying sunshine, swimming, and tasty home-cooked foods

July 7-31: Mercury will be retrograde – in other words, appearing to travel backwards in the sky from the vantage point of earth. My only advice is to use this period to catch up with yourself – you can get a lot done in this department, believe me. It’s also not the greatest time to purchase a new computer or a cellphone

July 11-12: Best planting days for my garden-loving readers, I know who you are! The Moon is in fertile Scorpio for all of July 11 and the morning of July 12 (EDT). Scorpio plantings bestow length, so are good for such plants as vines and runner beans.

As a general note, Scorpio gives length, Cancer gives strength, and Pisces gives root growth. So, for example, three successive Scorpio Moon waxing plantings produce long vines, three Cancer plantings produce medium vines, three Pisces plantings produce short vines.*

July 16: Full Moon at 24 degrees of Capricorn. A partial lunar eclipse, this full Moon is configured with Pluto and calls for watchfulness with regards to emotional expression. Eclipses do not function in the same way as ordinary lunations; they act like energetic bottlenecks and should be treated with caution. Somebody notify world leaders please!

July 22: Sun moves into Leo and is squared by Uranus until the month’s end – expect some action stations if you’re born around this time of the year! You have the power to overcome obstacles and move forward into a new space now

In general, July is a volatile month with its two eclipses and the personal planets predominantly in fire and water signs (picture the sizzling that happens when water meets fire). Fire is action and water is emotion.

Can we get the balance right so that there’s enough fire to create something new – without burning other people’s feelings in the process? And enough water to feel our way forward with sensitivity – without dousing the fire of action? Friction creates new possibilities when used with awareness. Enjoy July!

*Based on experiments by Charles R. Hook, Sr. (‘The Moon Sign Gardener’, 1942 AFA Yearbook, republished in ‘Today’s Astrologer’, AFA, September 24, 2014. Thank you Charles for all your hands-on research into gardening by the Moon)