July 10th ~ 17th

Everyone who ever changed their life or laid claim to their own destiny began by surrendering to two words: Not This. It’s okay if you don’t know yet what happens next. You just have to be honest about what your deepest truth is telling you, which is: Not This. If that’s what your body, heart and soul are trying to tell you: Listen. ~ Elizabeth Gilbert

Mercury stations direct this weekend at 5º of Cancer, while Chiron stations retrograde at 9º of Aries. They were exactly square on July 1st, they will be square on July 21st, and continue to be more or less square all month. With edgy, radical and no-holds-barred Mars. 

One of the issues with Mars being in its own sign of Aries for 6 months, is not just that we are dealing with Mars unleashed. It’s also because of the transits it is, and will be making for those 6 months. It happens to begin with Mercury square Mars (and conjunct Chiron) for practically the whole month of July, and just gets better from there. For Mercury is not only square Chiron, but was (exact July 8th), is, and will be (exact July 27th) square Mars as well for the whole month of July. Mercury in Cancer square Mars/Chiron in Aries feels defensive, protective, well-armed, and easily provoked. It also gives us the courage of our voices, all crying out at once, in a cacophony of sound and wounded indignation that encircles the globe. It also makes us aware of what is not okay. 

What have you learned over the past three weeks while Mercury was retrograde? Where did you find your mind going? Where was it leading you? What came up from the past that needed to be addressed? Were you able to take care of things that had been put on the back burner? Mercury retrograde in Cancer can lead you down the dark halls of what once was with both wistful longing and maybe even some fearful regret. But as Mercury now stations direct, it should become apparent that we cannot change the past… it is what it is at this point. All we really have is this one present moment. And how we fill that moment is what will determine our memories for the future. 

And if you were to stop and think about what you might have learned over the past three weeks, what do you want to focus and work on for the next 90 days? What do you want to fill your mind with? Are you happy with your current routines and schedule? Your health? Your stress levels? And if not, what would you want to change? What is, or is not working? What can you do about it? 

Squares imply conflict. And when the conflict becomes more than we can tolerate, something needs to change in order to ease the stress. Either that, or something needs to be released. That’s what anger and frustration are telling us. Something is rubbing us the wrong way. And daring to stop and ask and/or notice what that is can be very helpful. This is how change occurs. That is how we evolve. 

So yes, these can be irritating transits that we are all navigating together. But they can also be used as opportunities to show us what is and is not working. And to have the courage and the audacity to realize that things can get better. Here are some of the land mines that we will be navigating over the next few weeks: 

• Processing painful or difficult news. 

• Recognizing that words can wound and harm. Watch for sore spots being opened up, or inadvertently hurting others. Words can also be used to heal. 

• Being afraid to speak up for fear of being ostracized for what you believe. 

• Speaking openly about difficult subjects. 

• Speaking up for those who don’t have a voice of their own. Or giving support to those who have been silenced or marginalized. 

• Speaking impulsively and regrettably, or saying things out of anger. Good time to keep reminding ourselves that speaking out of anger is like holding a burning coal with the intention to harm someone else.

• Stop and think before speaking: What is the motive for saying what you are about to say? Is there any jealousy, or revenge or ulterior motive involved? What are your intentions? Is it to heal or to wound? Go slow. Breathe first. Then speak with courage, a clear conscience, and an open heart. 

Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. ~ Yoda (the Phantom Menace)

For this week’s horoscopes, click below:

HOROSCOPES

Image - “Plucking the Red and White Roses” by Henry Payne