Eclipse Season Is Here (and So Is Mercury Retrograde)
With a Mercury retrograde and two eclipses, July may be a roller-coaster ride, full of twists and turns, interspersed with some slowdowns and surprises. A total solar eclipse in Cancer on the 2nd sets the stage for a new chapter that has yet to be revealed. Shortly after, speedy planet Mercury takes the scenic route (shifting into reverse from the 7th to the 31st.) Then a partial lunar eclipse on the 16th stirs the emotional pot. To help navigate any potentially gnarly patches this month, take cues from the sign of the Crab. Receding into your private space, tapping into your intuition, and gathering together with friends and especially your family not only helps you feel more secure, it also helps to clarify what’s most important to you. Knowing who you are and where you come from is key to determining where you’re going in the next six months.
By Lisa Lisa and the Star Jam*
CANCER (June 21–July 22) Crabs play a pivotal role in a peak month that’s bound to carve an indelible mark in the sand. Take some time as Mercury goes retrograde to focus on the patterns that formed your early bonds. There’s wisdom to be gleaned there that could also help you to mourn important losses and lay the groundwork for improved ways of relating. In such matters, the Crab’s reliable intuition is your best guide. Insiders tip: Starting a regular ancestral practice is a wise way to honor loved ones and invite their guidance. Reframing photos of your parents, grandparents, even old paramors and arranging them salon style is a great metaphor for positioning the steppingstones to your next shore. By month’s end, you’ll be ready to write down a new plan to finance your journey.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Lions will feel compelled to seek out the shady spots as we head into the lazy days of summer. We can already hear you purring at the idea of lounging about, but not so fast; the cosmic shake-ups are calling all cats to retreat to their psychic inner sanctums, where they can gather intel from their untapped unconscious. As the temperatures rise, remain centered and calm, particularly as circumstances reshuffle at work or in your daily routine. The ground could shift a bit, so hone that keen ability of yours to keep one eye open whilst sleeping as it’s likely to come in handy this month. At the very least, conserve your energy for the whole new jungle that will reveal itself next month.
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Scroll through your contacts and reach out to any former colleagues who might help you connect with important organizations. It’s all about your network this month; you’ll nurture the future you’ve been imagining by shaking the big trees of past connections. During the first two weeks of July, recording your dreams and tapping esoteric sources provides juicy insights, allowing a new foundation to help tap your creativity. Let your more eccentric side call the shots, and notice how your sense of joy resurfaces. When was the last time, dear Virgo, you let your hair down and just had some good ol’ fun? Maybe it’s time to host a high-days-of-summer party. One thing is for sure, it’s certainly not time to go it alone. Connecting with your tribe will be fruitful and revitalizing for you this month.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Reaching the top by any means necessary is not only ruthless, but it also lacks the grace and social awareness that distinguishes Libras as the valued diplomats of the zodiac. This month, if you can humbly honor where you came from by laying flowers at the graves of relatives and loved ones or even go visiting your great-aunt, you’ll start to earn the respect and recognition you’ve been craving; you’re securing your stripes as an ambassador of the greater good, one relationship at a time. And if there is an area where you must be unyielding, perhaps your associations and social clubs could stand a deep reviewing. Whatever doesn’t serve the collective good can get expunged from your calendar now.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) While some of you may say that you’re taking the summer off to retool your career, it’s the big questions, which form the base of your belief system, that are up for renewal. With a solar eclipse in your house of philosophy, your next move is dependent on a new world view, one that is stripped down and closer to your essential nature. This month’s shakeup around long-held truths is an opportunity to realign your purpose with your deepest passion. Letting go of an old belief that has run its course can help to clear the way for a simple, yet profound message that will help guide your community for years to come.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Your legendary big-picture view narrows to take in more intimate pastures this month. Don’t let the “I” word make you skittish; you’ve tackled tougher terrain. As the Gods tilt the heavens to obscure the sun in early July, Archers take aim at shifting their trust issues in order to discover new depths of intimacy. Unearthing family secrets around money and examining how they inform your self-worth can open doors to healing both personal and collective wounds. As you wrestle with inconvenient truths about yourself and what your ancestors have wrought, you make inroads in restoring not just your own humanity but a profound understanding of what it means to be human.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) So often Goats express their love by taking care of business and tending to their loved ones’ material needs. Perhaps it’s time to scrap the duty-first stance and build a softer way of caring and relating, one that’s based on a foundation of self-compassion. As your old scaffolding comes down, you open up to the kinder, gentler ways of holding space for partners and co-workers. With a lunar eclipse in your sign on the 16th, lonely Goats everywhere stand ready to leave the isolation of the trail behind and lighten years of heavy lifting by redistributing the contents of the backpack with everyone else. You’ll find that the rest of us are glad to carry our share.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) While your thoughts at the start of July may have you wondering about why your last few partnerships went the way of the dodo, we suggest you direct your focus toward less complicated matters, like your daily regimen. You know the Zen koan “Chop wood, carry water”? Make this your mantra for the next 31 days. Ask yourself every day upon waking what this saying means to you and note how your answer shifts and changes. There are deep rumblings in your unconscious that you water-bearers sometimes shy away from; the time is ripe for you to expand your consciousness by looking inward. Please consider this advice, we are all counting on you to lead the way into the propitious future.
PISCES (Feb. 19–March 20) Now that you’ve finished culling your team, you’re swimming with a streamlined school, and your creativity can finally flourish. You’ve started to create for your own satisfaction, and lo and behold, you’ve found a brand-new audience that’s excited to watch your genius unfold. As you revel in the joy of making, your attachment to your creations loosens and you let go of old inhibitions and expectations. If there’s any lingering hesitation, we recommend gelsemium, a homeopathic remedy known to calm stage fright; we prescribe it now to support you in showing up with your best self for your next brilliant act.
ARIES (March 21–April 19) Whether you’re hammering out a DIY renovation project, putting your house on the market, or spending time with an aging grandparent, home is where the heart is for Rams this month. We encourage you to go deeper than usual; now is the time to honor legacies of sacrifice alongside dedicated cohorts. In the process of laying a wreath you just might find a release from something that’s been holding you back careerwise. Meanwhile, look for a pleasant surprise, perhaps a pay bump or other boost to finances this month. At the end of the month, you’re ready to rock your creative juices or forge a new romance.
Taurus (April 20–May 20) Bulls everywhere are busy planning Fourth of July celebrations, calling all neighbors and friends to grab their lawn chairs and gather on the parade route. Consider this shindig as the first in a season of sweet summer fun, as you plan road trips, connect with college friends, and renew relations at the annual family reunion. All this catching up with loved ones and kibitzing over the picnic table reminds you of the value in slowing down to relish the simple pleasures. It also gets you ruminating on your personal philosophy. What beliefs need an overhaul? At the end of the month, you’re energized enough to smarten up your home with a few new treasures collected along the way.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Maybe you Twins really did come up with a genius idea last month that can help you build your nest egg. Even if you haven’t yet hatched a clear plan, key in to your money situation this month. Keep the brainstorm rolling and team up with neighbors or siblings to knock out the details, draw up blueprints, and make prototypes. This is your happy place—the idea phase. Dream big! While the midmonth lunar eclipse could cause a temblor around shared resources, your tax extension, or a sexy rendezvous, don’t despair. Get back in the car for another round of summer explorations with your besties and be open to other ideas that might pop up.
If you know your rising sign, read that too; it’s often more relevant.
*Lisa Awrey and Lisa Carroll
illustration by @boccaccinimeadows
