Major Shifts Ahead: Navigating July's Energetic Waves
We continue to move through a lot of water energy as we live through the second week of July, but there is a noticeable shift in the air and perhaps some mounting pressure. The Sun is over halfway through its 30-day journey in Cancer. Mercury, the planet of communication left Cancer last week and now leads the planetary pack in the fire sign of Leo, joined today by Venus, the planet of beauty, relationships, and money. We are still all up in our feelings about things. Sensitivity and moodiness might be at their peak, but our intuitive wisdom is nudging us toward meaningful changes we need to make in the not-so-distant future. And with Mercury and Venus now in the more extroverted sign of Leo, it might feel like it's time to leave the comfort and safety of our inner realms and express outwardly some of the deep feelings we've been carrying privately in our crab shells the past few weeks.
The end of June and the first days of July saw two outer planets, Saturn and Neptune, both in Pisces, station to go retrograde. More water energy being activated in a big way! Whenever a planet stations retrograde, it pulls energy to that area of the chart. Saturn, the planet of rules, structure, responsibility, and karma, will be re-tracing its steps until November 15th. Neptune, the planet of dreams, fantasy, illusion, and delusion, will be re-tracing its steps until December 7th. The next few months will be a time when we are all being asked to “re” something in our life—redo, revisit, restructure, reimagine, etc.—in whatever house (area of life) you have Pisces in your birth chart.
Pisces is the 12th sign of the Zodiac and represents the culmination, the completion, and the end of something. Because it's a water sign, Pisces relies on its empathy and intuition to guide it toward a path beyond what we can physically see or prove. It's tied to higher, more spiritual realms and seeks to help us connect to what we experience in the physical in a dreamy, divine way. But sometimes we can get swept away in our fantasies, addictions, and spiritual practices to escape the realities that we must face as humans living on this earthly plane. The retrograde period seeks to rebalance things here. And because Saturn is involved, some karmic lessons will be part of the storyline.
Both planets will be moving into Aries, the 1st sign of the Zodiac, next spring 2025, initiating a big, new start. But in the meantime, we have one last retrograde period with these planets to collect our learnings, make the adjustments needed, and surrender the things in our worlds that we cannot carry forward into the next chapter. Neptune is known as the “great dissolver” and the retrograde period can be a time when we see things more clearly than usual. The rose-colored glasses are off, and the realities are emerging, whether we want to see them or not. Some big chapters will be closing out in your life over the next few months, but there is time to work with this energy and see if parts can be rejiggered in a way that allows a dream to become reality—in a way you may not have ever expected or imagined before!
Of course, this is just a glimpse of the energetic shifts we're experiencing. Numerous other aspects will be unfolding over the next few days, driving significant movement and (surprising) change. Let's dive in!
Venus, entering Leo, brings fun, confidence, playfulness, and passion toward boldly expressing ourselves and our creative endeavors. Leo is the 5th sign of the Zodiac, symbolized by the Lion, and represents the areas of life having to do with children, romance, creative projects, and play. Leo is a fixed energy that resists change and can be a little dramatic when it doesn't get what it wants. With that in mind, it's important to note, that just after Venus enters Leo, it makes an opposition (tense aspect) to retrograde Pluto at 1 degree of Aquarius.
Pluto is the planet of transformation, death, and rebirth. Venus and Pluto met up earlier this year, on February 17th, when they formed a conjunction at 0 degrees of Aquarius. Planting a new seed around a 20-year story that has to do with Aquarius themes of innovation, technology, and expanding consciousness to care for the collective. This opposition marks a time when our intentions are being tested. Where we might need to confront or be confronted by someone or something that is blocking our goals of expansion. When it comes to matters of relationships and money, this energy can feel tense!
On top of that, we are also building towards a Mars: Uranus conjunction in Taurus, exact on Monday, July 15th. Mars, the planet of energy, action, desire, and aggression, and Uranus (one the planetary rulers of Aquarius), the planet of chaos, rebellion, revelation, and individuation. These two planets come together every couple of years. In Taurus, this has to do with what we value—our possessions, money, resources, and what we need to feel stable and secure. Like Leo, Taurus is also a fixed energy that resists change. Symbolized by the bull, Taurus is typically patient and steady, but if messed with, can be a force to be reckoned with.
Overall, this can feel like a time when we are being pushed into change. If you've been holding yourself back in one or more areas of your life, this might be the energy that “pops” you into a new timeline…ready or not! This Mars: Uranus conjunction is likely to shake things up in whatever house (area of life) you have Taurus in your birth chart. And because Venus is the planetary ruler of Taurus, and will be moving through Leo during this conjunction, coming out of its opposition with Pluto, it will surely add extra flair to the story.
Hold on to your hats, things are about to heat up!
Cheers to embracing change (even when it feels hard).
xo, Tiffany
