Astrology for July 2023

This month starts with Neptune moving retrograde followed by Venus and Chiron later in the month. It begins a time of when we are more able to comprehend realities beyond our own as the boundaries between the conscious and unconscious begin to dissolve. If Neptune touches one of your interpersonal planets, you will recognise it as beginning with a feeling of suspension and paralysis as it marks a time of the greatest losses of ego control and boundary setting. Its aim is to shatter the past to create a new future. Not in a dramatic way like Uranus but a more subtle and gentle disillusioning process where values and goals no longer aligned become unhinged providing you with a new way of perceiving reality. 

Over the 160 days of its retrograde journey, Neptune moves backward from 27 degrees of Pisces to 24 degrees beginning with a biseptile aspect, 102 degrees, to the Sun and then in 80 days making an opposition to the Sun, marking its halfway point in its retrograde phase. For those who are born late in Pisces, Gemini, Virgo and Sagittarius, you may be most affected by this retrograde Neptune phase.

Then later this month, from July 24, Venus and Chiron also move retrograde, developing further themes of changing consciousness and opportunities for the conscious mind to experience the unconscious. More of this later.

The opportunities here this month are for either a deepening of self actualisation or for more bondage. The end of June had an energy of heightened sensitivity and confusion with a compulsion to retreat. This pattern shifts on July 1 as Mercury conjuncts the Sun giving more mental clarity along with restlessness and impatience to get things done and begin planning for the future. Both touch Jupiter by sextile heightening this inclination and bringing luck and joy into your life.

On July 2, the tone starts to soften as the productiveness shifts to gentler engagement with others. Not lasting long though as on July 3 Venus squares Uranus with the urge for excitement, just prior to the Full Moon. The potential for arguments is lessened with the Moon’s aspects to both Saturn and Jupiter.

The Full Moon on July 4 along with the opposition to Mercury, brings out tensions with your needs competing with those around you. It is a highly motivating time where you feel more able to actualise what you need and in turn feel more connected with others. Mercury adds to this tone by bringing out old behaviour patterns as the conflict ensues between feeling and reason. This is exacerbated by the Moon’s later aspects to Uranus and Neptune where that emotional contact with others is very much needed. 

July 5 intensifies this theme with the Moon conjunct to Pluto, and July 6 adds fuel to the fire with a sense of urgency and restlessness. Just remain aware that you are more able to have your needs met when you reciprocate with others.

On July 7 the Moon opposition Mars pulls in the loosely but deeply impacting effect of Pluto and Neptune. It creates a strange state with compulsions which blind objectivity as you may feel driven by something much deeper. This can be isolating with strong feelings of dissatisfaction where there is an urge to change something but the energy to achieve this is not available. However, the sharpened mind with Mercury sextile Uranus brings the potential for hope where fresh solutions are more easily envisaged.

On July 8 the optimism continues with the Sun trine to the Moon providing inner peace and balance. Deeper feelings arise, of being a part of something greater than yourself. This has been the quest for this solar month in Cancer. Later in the day the energy lifts higher as the Moon contacts both Uranus and Mercury. Feeling almost rebellious, you wish to shake up those around you and open yourself to receiving new information about your past, about your family.

July 9 is a highly sensitive time whilst also possibly a highly delusional one, making for difficult and confused communications. Then July 10 furthers the crisis as you are motivated by unconscious yearnings regardless of what is happening around you. However, you are highly sensitive, idealistic and sympathetic at this time. We come to the Third Quarter of the Moon and so the final crisis in aligning with something greater than yourself, in feeling a part fo something other than self.

On July 11 Mars moves into Virgo and so for the next month and a half there is the opportunity to put your best organisational skills to use and work hard and consistently at improving your own situation. Also this is a good opportunity to focus upon your own health. There is a mixed bag of influences today with much of it being compulsive and obsessive but also balanced by a need to make things more pleasant. And so softening these more intense transits which seek to uncover and analyse in great detail in a daring and courageous fashion. 

By the day’s end Mercury moves into Leo allowing for a few weeks of expressing yourself with greater clarity whilst remaining aware of the potential for being insensitive with this at times. It is a more light hearted time of year though where a focus upon games and reading for self interest will be very rewarding. Apart from this though it will be a good time as well for you to focus upon your own needs because when this happens then everyone gets the best version of you.

On July 12 we approach the final harmonious aspect of the Moon’s relation to this Sun cycle bringing into harmony the different aspects of yourself, feeling the consistency and being more able to talk to sensitive issues with others. The Moon also approaches Jupiter and so being more able to actualise what is of value in your life right now and feeling a lot clearer as to whether you are assisting or hindering this process. This is also heightened by the Sun square to Chiron bringing a more conscious awareness of your unconscious processes.

Continuing with this theme, on July 13 you have the opportunity to more objectively understand how you give your power away, what stops you from achieving what you need to do. July 14 then supports this process with feeling more able to verbalise all this in a methodical manner and see your patterns of reacting. It is a good time for writing down these thoughts.

The introspection continues onto July 15 where what is of value to you personally once again undergoes revision. Old habits may interfere causing conflict. Also take care with substances today as you will be more sensitive than usual. 

July 16 continues with this theme of revising old habit patterns, once appropriate but can no longer be tolerated. Old feelings of persecution may arise and if unable to set boundaries and say ‘no’ then others may take advantage of you. But there is opportunity here disguised as having more confidence and feeling able to innovate and be more controlled with your affect. 

July 17 is more upbeat and optimistic with its strong Jupiter and Uranus influences. This allows for you to view a situation in its entirety as well as feeling more open to acknowledging your own faults and the part you play in your dilemmas.

July 18 begins with opportunity and the New Moon in Cancer, with six more days before the Sun enters Leo. You may feel more at peace with yourself today. You will do well to spend this time quietly at home. You may feel more sensitive than usual and encounters with others may be more intense and disruptive than usual. With this potential for falling out with others, on July 19, you may blame yourself and seek to isolate yourself further. From a large picture perspective this will allow you to more clearly see the limits of your obligations.

Excitement and restlessness is aroused on July 20 momentarily as you become more attuned to your unconscious motivations. Only to find yourself in more compromising situations on July 21, compelled by the feeling of wanting to get along with others at the expense of having your needs met or getting your way. 

The Sun trine to Neptune allows for you though to feel clearer about where you are in your life and what you wish to then achieve. But you may also feel irritated and annoyed when your buttons are pressed. Retreating will be useful if this is the case as tempers can flair with Mars and Saturn opposing each other and further activated by the Moon.

Despite some potential for warmth and friendliness on July 22, the Sun opposes Pluto making today and tomorrow potentially difficult. Expect your encounters to be more intense than usual and do not put yourself in compromising or dangerous situations as the potential for violence is more extreme. So avoid being alone or in strange situations. But this is also an opportunity to make some sweeping fundamental changes which can stick more readily than usual. Also for today machinery and other objects will be prone to breaking down.

The urge to be more social on July 23 can bring mixed results as you may be oversensitive to not only other peoples’ influences but to the influence of substances.

Then on July 24 both Venus and Chiron turn retrograde. Venus will then be moving retrograde for the next forty days, concluding on September 4. Its alignment initially with the fixed star, Alphard, points to problems arising from poisonings with the incorrect use of medications and overindulgence on substances. 

This period has also been associated with natural disasters, heat waves as well as humanitarian and political crises although not so much in its initial stages. These impacts tend to be felt after Venus’ inferior conjunction with the Sun on August 12 and so therefore more from August 19 to the beginning of September. 

With regards to Chiron retrograde, the period of conscious integration of unconscious impulses withdraws for a time. What this means is that we cannot always feel consciously in control of ourselves for very good reasons. With feelings of incomplete mastery of ourselves, we stretch and grow, compelled by this need to find completeness. And here with Chiron in Aries, the principle of ourselves as the pioneer is being developed.

On July 24 we also have the Sun moving into Leo and beginning with a sextile relationship to the Moon. This brings excitement as it is a highly stimulating time with Mercury square to Uranus. Impulsiveness and acting rashly can thwart your planning. While your thoughts may be clear, sharp and fast, the execution of these will be more haphazard. Feelings of inferiority just make this need to act more problematic.

It’s going to be important to love and forgive yourself, as July 25 will allow for more of this. The First Quarter Moon deepens this opportunity as you begin the detailed work of re-learning to love and respect yourself.

On July 27 the tempo picks up again as you may feel more confident, generous as well as impulsive. July 28 will be a more peaceful day with a more disruptive and impulsive day on July 29. On this day Mercury moves into Virgo and with such disruptions the need for introspection is heightened. Along with this time being optimal for critical and detailed thinking, it is also a good time to focus upon your health and to maybe consider meditating.

July 30 and 31 may see a flattening of your energy and a good time to retreat.

If you cannot make sense of this detail then consider getting your chart done by Mark for an individualised appraisal of the circumstances you are grappling with. This can help to individualise timelines and planning for the future. 

Contact Mark on marklambrick.com/contact