Astrological Forecast: July 2020 Horoscope

Perhaps it was all the sudden activity in my own life, but it felt like June flew by during Gemini season, only to crash in the water as Cancer season began with an eclipse and Mercury retrograde. We start off July in some heavy energy, with palpable tension between Cancer and Capricorn throughout the month. June concludes with a major conjunction between Jupiter and Pluto in Capricorn, and Saturn rewinds into its native sign Capricorn on July 1st. We also have the third and final eclipse of the season on July 5th—a Full Moon lunar eclipse in Capricorn at 13º which also places it in opposition with the Sun in Cancer. 

Simply put, July will not be without its challenges, with five major oppositions between Cancer and Capricorn, and at times may even feel like one setback after another. Emotions are likely to be heightened through Cancer season, especially following the wake of the Cancer eclipse from June 21st. We are also currently seeing issues such as racism and inequity bubble up to such a degree that it has left many (myself included) wondering if society ever really changed at all. I wrote in March that 2020 was going to be a year of uprising and a tug-of-war between progress and the status quo. Saturn has definitely stirred deeply set issues to the surface since entering the revolutionary and humanitarian sign of Aquarius, and now, as Saturn rewinds into Capricorn, prominent individuals may lash out or fight to regain control as their power or image slips away from them. Similarly, we may see recurring or new outbreaks of the pandemic, and possibly even more lockdowns throughout different parts of the globe. While it is easy to lose hope during such periods, progress often occurs in spirals. We circle back to the same issues from a higher or more expansive perspective. There is so much planetary momentum backing these social movements that we can expect significant and lasting changes to be born during this time, even if it’s inevitably met with pushback.

We may witness figures coming forward and taking accountability for their own past failures and shortcomings, while others share their personal experiences and perspectives from the receiving end. We would be wise to listen and reflect on such conversations, so that we may identify these patterns within ourselves, and perhaps even participate in such dialogues or create a platform for others to do so as well. Of course, there will be those who continue to deny or react defensively to their own conditioning or prejudice, by defending or downplaying problematic behaviors, or even in cancelling certain figures. Denial not only prevents change, it pushes growth further from reach. Often the conversations we are most afraid of having are the very ones we need to have the most. We are running out of ground to bury our skeletons, and the Sun entering its native sign Leo on July 22nd will really shine a light on everyone’s true colors.

As Mercury continues along its reverse trajectory in Cancer, I admit that it feels like my words and thoughts keep slipping between my fingers like sand. Mercury retrograde is notorious for causing all sorts of disruptions to our daily lives, and in a water sign like Cancer, can stir some cloudiness in our emotions and relationships—especially with family. Conflict or misunderstandings can easily arise when strong emotions obscure our judgment. Mercury actually retrogrades in all three water signs this year, fostering contemplation of our emotions, connections, and inner knowings. Nostalgia may also be thematic for July, especially during such unusual and unprecedented times. Nurture and self-care will be key in riding out any waves. After forty days of Venus retrograde combing through our relationships, the goddess of love and beauty is finally moving forward again in Gemini, inspiring us to connect and converse with our loved ones, or perhaps even meet new people. While anything that could be considered “left-brain” may go haywire, there is a lot of activity in the intuitive, creative, “right-brain” this month, especially as we shift into the expressive Leo season. The New Moon on the 20th is actually the second New Moon in Cancer this year, following the first on the solar eclipse on June 21st. A New Moon is a powerful time to set an intention or begin a new chapter, especially since Mercury stations direct on July 12th. The 1st, 12th, 18th, 20th, 22nd and 30th stand out as good days for gaining or refining intuitive insight, even if it doesn’t make sense right away. Neptune being retrograde in its native sign Pisces also helps lift the veil.

We have known that the pandemic would have a big impact on our economy, and we may just feel those waves coming in after the Jupiter-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn at the tail-end of June, or perhaps around the third and final conjunction in December. Jupiter (expansion and amplification) and Pluto (destruction and rebirth) have profound implications on worldly affairs, especially in Capricorn, which rules over careers, the economy, and big government. A couple of notable historical events which happened in tandem with this specific aspect were the 2008 recession and the American Revolution. Remember that we are starting off this month with a Full Moon lunar eclipse in the sign of the goat as well, which often signifies endings or completions of cycles. This lunar eclipse is especially significant in that it is the final one of the Cancer-Capricorn cycle we began in July 2018--so many shifts are converging at once. Uranus, “the great awakener,” will continue turning our sense of security on its head as it crawls along in the stability-seeking sign of Taurus until 2026. We are amidst a massive restructuring that will likely take place for many years to come, and is really bringing into question what we actually value. While all of this may sound overwhelming, we should keep in mind that the effects of this eclipse and the movements of outer planets will likely be rippling over the collective for months, rather than occurring all at once. Also, in the spirit of Cancer… consider how your ancestors survived wars, plagues, slavery, famines, scarcity, natural disasters, and many other forms of crisis. You come from a lineage of survivors and innovators. Perhaps the ones who came before you can offer guidance as you move forward. Regardless, you may not realize until looking back at the end of the year (the next eclipse season) just how many changes began to take root in your life at this time.

While there are so many retrogrades occurring throughout July, don’t be mistaken: this is not a month of inaction. July is a month of changing directions or reaching for new heights, even if there are delays or hiccups along the way. Shifts in work or family dynamics are likely. I have already noticed a number of people moving homes or planning moves in July. Changes in career or new offers may come through. I would even venture to say that some will be moving for job opportunities. While such drastic changes can feel especially nerve-wracking during times of uncertainty, we should remember that most great strides are leaps of faith.

If you would like to take a deeper look at how the astrology may affect your life, I highly recommend tracking where these transits are occurring in your natal chart, or at the very least figuring out what houses Cancer and Capricorn rules over for your sun sign—as you will likely be experiencing or making changes to these areas of your life this month. Without further ado, here is the list of major transits and aspects in July 2020:

- Saturn retrograde enters Capricorn on July 1st.

- Sun conjunct Mercury in Cancer on July 1st.

- Sun in Cancer sextile Uranus in Taurus on July 1st.

- Full Moon lunar eclipse in Capricorn on July 5th.

- Mercury in Cancer square Mars in Aries on July 8th.

- Chiron stations retrograde in Aries on July 11th until December 15th.

- Mercury stations direct in Cancer on July 12th.

- Sun in Cancer on trine Neptune in Pisces on July 12th.

- Sun in Cancer opposite Jupiter in Capricorn on July 14th.

- Sun in Cancer opposite Pluto in Capricorn on July 15th.

- New Moon in Cancer on July 20th.

- Sun (and Moon) in Cancer opposite Saturn in Capricorn on July 20th.

- Sun enters Leo on July 22nd.

- Mercury in Cancer sextile Uranus in Taurus on July 22nd.

- Jupiter in Capricorn sextile Neptune in Pisces on July 27th.

- Venus in Gemini square Neptune in Pisces on July 27th.

- Mercury in Cancer square Mars in Aries on July 27th.

- Mercury in Cancer opposite Jupiter in Capricorn on July 30th.

- Mercury in Cancer trine Neptune in Pisces on July 30th.