A Capricorn Lunar Eclipse loaded with potent aspects – including an intense Grand Cross – highlights the first half of July. This packed astrological half-month also features Saturn retrograding into Capricorn and 2 planetary stations: Chiron turning retrograde and Mercury turning direct!

This forecast covers this half-month’s most important astrological events. For bonus events, check out my award-winning This Week in Astrology audio podcast and YouTube video forecasts — updated weekly!

Click astrology graphics to see larger images. Some resource links may occur more than once. This is because many people link to a specific day’s forecast from social media, and might not see an important resource link elsewhere on this page.

7/1 (Wed)

Saturn Retrogrades into Capricorn

Saturn begins a 5-1/2 month farewell visit to Capricorn today, backing in from Aquarius at 7:37 pm EDT.

Saturn entered Capricorn on 12/19/17, then forged ahead into Aquarius on 3/21/20. He reenters Capricorn today (7/1), and will settle into Aquarius for an extended stay on 12/17/20.

Saturn’s return to Capricorn powerfully energizes his fundamental planetary meanings. These include:

• maturity
• responsibility
• good time management
• skillful planning and implementation
• organization
• “the wise elder”

Beware of Saturn’s dark side:

• workaholism
• excessive seriousness (you can help balance this with his love of Capri-corny humor)
• ends-justify-the-means thinking
• seeing everything as expendable and measurable productivity assets, rather than having intrinsic (and intangible) value in themselves

Saturn challenges and slows down whatever isn’t in harmony with your highest good … and gives supportive structure to that which is in harmony with it.

Of course, Saturn is in a Triple Conjunction with Jupiter and Pluto during the vast majority of 2020. His return to Capricorn intensifies its effects. Learn more about this world-shaking aspect pattern.

7/2 (Thu) & 7/3 (Fri)

Ready to supercharge your service to a higher cause? You have massive support from two powerful planets conjoining Pallas Athena! A Pallas-Pluto conjunction is on 7/2 (24°3′ Capricorn, 8:15 AM EDT), followed by a Pallas-Jupiter conjunction on 7/3 (23°38′ Capricorn, 8:52 PM EDT).

Pallas Athena represents worthy causes that don’t personally benefit you … except, perhaps, through the pleasure you experience by supporting them. What are you called to do right now to make the world a better place?

7/4 (Sat)

Chiron opposes Juno today (9°24′ Aries-Libra). See tomorrow’s Lunar Eclipse interpretation to learn what they’re up to!

7/5 (Sun)

Capricorn Lunar Eclipse (July 5)

Since it’s also a Full Moon, today’s Lunar Eclipse at 12:44 am (13°37′ Capricorn) supports release and adjustment in business, productivity and reputation. Other Capricorn themes include maturity, responsibility and time management, as well as planning and implementation.

Aspects

Grand Cross

The signature aspect pattern of this eclipse is a Grand Cross, astrology’s most intense and challenging aspect pattern. It includes the Moon, Sun, Mercury, Juno, Vesta and Chiron. Let’s start by looking at different parts of the Grand Cross.

Vesta

Three supporting players from the 6/21 Solar Eclipse now step into starring roles: Vesta, Juno and Chiron. Vesta was over 7° from the luminaries on 6/21, but now opposes the Moon by just 1/30 of a degree! This brings the theme of “selfless service to a higher cause” front and center.

There’s certainly no shortage of higher causes at the moment! Do you feel inspired to assist some of those whose lives have been upended by the pandemic? Is it time to throw your support behind Black Lives Matter? Or is there some other noble undertaking that you feel called to assist?

Juno and Chiron

The luminaries’ Solar Eclipse squares to Juno and Chiron were loose – about 7° and 9° orbs. (“Orb” indicates how exact an aspect is.) But during this 7/5 Lunar Eclipse, those squares tighten to a 4° orb.

This puts a “front-page, bold type” emphasis on wounding and healing (Chiron) in committed partnerships (Juno). If you’re like most people these days, your relationships are hitting you with lots of emotional triggers. This invites two levels of healing work.

The first is relational. As always, I recommend Marshall Rosenberg’s masterwork, Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships. This amazing book gives the best relationship healing process I know. And I’m not alone in my opinion: this book has sold over 2 million copies worldwide, and has been translated into 35+ languages.

The second level of healing work is internal. If you’re like most people, you were never taught how to efficiently process challenging emotional catalyst. So many people either ignore difficult feelings, fight them, distract themselves, or escape them by numbing out.

These approaches may offer temporary relief. But you can be sure that any unhealed pain will be back again … and again … and again. The better alternative is to heal it once and for all in this lifetime, or be forced to face it again in a future incarnation.

If you’re already skilled at this type of self-healing – also known as “shadow work” – congratulations! If not, or if you’re open to a new approach, give my free Healing Invocation a try. It delegates the healing work to your higher self. It’s fast and effective, and has helped thousands of people clear heavy energy with remarkable speed and efficiency.

(To be honest, the Healing Invocation isn’t really “my” technique. I was given these invocations for healing and awakening by the plant spirit ayahuasca, during a shamanic ceremony in 2011. I continue to enthusiastically share these techniques because they’re still the best DIY healing and awakening tools I know!)

Mercury

As a member of this Grand Cross, Mercury could represent learning or teaching about anything I’ve discussed about so far. More broadly, Mercury’s presence invites adjustment or release of any beliefs that no longer serve you, as well as how you’re learning and sharing information. With Mercury in Cancer, feel whether specific information truly resonates with your heart.

This Lunar Eclipse forecast continues after this message.

Cradle

This lunar eclipse also incorporates a Cradle. This harmonious aspect pattern includes the Moon, Sun, Ceres and Uranus.

This aspect pattern opens the door to harvest and abundance (Ceres) if you’re willing to follow your intuitive flashes (Uranus). Since Ceres can also represent sorrow and loss, Uranus suggests that these psychological wounds can be healed quickly if you follow your intuitive hits. Don’t be surprised if these “text messages from God” lead you to an unorthodox healing modality!

Stellium

Finally, the Moon makes a loose Stellium with Pallas Athena, Jupiter and Pluto. Pallas invites you to fulfill your goals using strategy, negotiation, and diplomacy. Although she’s the warrior goddess, she might prefer that you unsheath your sword only if negotiation proves fruitless.

As to Jupiter and Pluto, I did a deep dive interpretation on their recent conjunction in my 6/30 forecast. Please reference that to learn about their influence.

Sabian Symbol

This Lunar Eclipse’s Sabian Symbol is, “An ancient bas-relief carved in granite remains a witness to a long-forgotten culture.”

Our world is rapidly accelerating toward an extraordinary tipping point. Because of this, it won’t be long before the “long-forgotten culture” in this symbol will be the one we’re living in now! From this more awakened perspective, we’ll shake our heads in amazement that humanity circa 2020 was so deeply mired in darkness and delusion.

There can be no return to the past. The winds of change, astrological and otherwise, are blowing us into an unknown, and potentially glorious, future!

We’re all facing fear now. Fear can make the comforting familiarity of the past feel very seductive. But that way lies annihilation. The only viable direction is the into the future: into a more awakened, just and harmonious world.

I invite you to begin imagining our current dysfunctional reality as that “ancient bas-relief”. Gandhi invited us to be the change that we want to see in the world. How can you now begin to co-create a more magnificent world?

7/6 (Mon) & 7/7 (Tue)

You may feel a bit like Superman or Wonder Woman for a few days, thanks to Mars being pumped up by two powerful quintiles! A Mars-Jupiter quintile (5°16′ Aries-23°16′ Capricorn) on 7/6 is followed by a Mars-Pluto quintile (5°55′ Aries-23°55′ Capricorn) on 7/7.

Mars is already potent in Aries, a sign he rules. The quintiles from Jupiter and Pluto add a megadose of power and inspiration! You can use this energy to supercharge your actions as a leader, pioneer, warrior, athlete or sexual being. Enjoy!

7/11 (Sat)

Chiron Retrograde

Chiron, the wounded healer, turns retrograde today at 5:09 PM EDT (9°26′ Aries). He’ll turn direct again in about five months, on 12/15 (4°56′ Aries).

Chiron’s retrograde station is a great time to consider how effectively you’re working with your emotional and psychological wounds. (As I mentioned above, many people find my free Healing Invocation helpful for this.) You can also reflect on how well you’re serving others as a wisdom-giver and/or healer.

Check your natal chart for any sensitive points between 5° and 13° in the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn). Chiron can affect these powerfully as he stations, especially if any of these sensitive natal points represent relationships.

7/12 (Sun)

Mercury Direct

Mercury turns direct today at 4:26 AM EDT (5°29′ Cancer). The winged messenger turned retrograde on 6/18 at 14°45′ Cancer.

In my 6/18 Mercury retrograde forecast, I suggested that you consider how things are going with your home, family, and security, as well as your emotions and shadow work.

Aspects

I also mentioned two important aspects Mercury made as it stationed retrograde. Its square to Chiron catalyzed the themes of wounding, mentoring and healing. And its conjunction to Vesta highlighted the theme of selfless service to a higher cause. Hopefully, you gained helpful insights In some of these areas!

It’s always best to delay important new beginnings and major purchases until Mercury turns direct. Even better, wait until after the New Moon on 7/20 at 1:33 PM EDT if possible. (To maximize your chances for success in important matters, choose an optimal starting moment using Electional Astrology.)

Whatever your Sun Sign, my forecasts can help you make the best use of the current astrological energies.

All dates and times are in the U.S. eastern time zone. Events are most powerful on the dates listed, but their influence will be active for at least a week before and after.

Everyone is affected by these global transits. However, you’ll be most powerfully impacted when moving planets activate sensitive points in your natal chart. Discover how these transits will personally affect you by booking a session with me.

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