Monthly Vedic Astrology Forecast

Mercury Transits Cancer July 1 - July 20

Mercury, the swift planet that brings us mental organization and connectivity, moves from his native sign of Gemini into Cancer on July 1 and traverses the sign of the Moon in less than three weeks, entering Leo on July 20. While in Cancer, Mercury will pass by Mars on July 11, at which time we could experience slight turbulence while attempting to walk our talk. Mercury and Mars are not friends, and being that close to one another could be agitating to both of them. Mercury has the tendency to take on the attributes of the planets that it encounters closely, so we could become a bit aggressive in our communication during the middle of July. Mars, most uncomfortable in Cancer, will remain in his misery throughout July, and will emerge in Leo on August 1. July is probably not the best month of this year to attempt great feats of engineering, research, or adventure, nor for that matter to even talk about them. So, I would recommend starting projects of a different nature during this new Moon, which will occur in Cancer alongside Mars and Mercury on July 17. Something like a family vacation may be more the ticket than an attempt to summit Everest this month.

Full Moon in Sagittarius July 2

If you're in the mood to do something once in a blue moon, your chance is coming up this month. The first full Moon of July occurs just past midnight on July 2 in Jupiter's fire sign, Sagittarius. The moon will wane and become new just past midnight on July 17 in the very early degrees of her own sign, Cancer. She then waxes her way through the zodiac to that blue Moon which will occur late in the evening of July 31, in Saturn's earth sign of Capricorn. So, the synchronization of this lunar cycle with the zodiac takes us on a journey this month from the positive, expansive, blazing Sagittarius full Moon, into the watery, sensitive new Moon depths of Cancer, and onto the complete, practical, and somewhat serious full Moon in Capricorn.

The Sagittarius full Moon kicking off this month should be amenable to the all-American happy birthday celebration in which we are prone to party hard and set off loud and bright explosives. The United States' birth chart shows Sagittarius on the ascendant, which typifies the grandiose American personality. Jupiter, our jovial minister of the planets, enjoys both celebration and upholding the status quo, and as the ruler of Sagittarius, manifests that energy in a fiery and intense way. In Vedic astrology, planets always aspect signs and other planets opposite them, so this full Moon will show its face directly to the planets in the sign opposite Sagittarius, Mercury's air sign of Gemini. The lunar energy at the beginning of this coming month may act to both invigorate and pacify the planets located opposite it in Gemini, namely the Sun (always opposite the full Moon) and Saturn.

Gemini is the realm of the United States' seventh house, which shows the nature of our great nation's relationships, especially with foreign entities. The US has a seventh house full of planets, including Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Sun. The presence of Mars and Venus in the seventh house can often indicate love/hate, can't-live-with-them/can't-live-without-them relationships. Expansive Jupiter, the ascendant lord, along with the king of the solar system, the Sun, in this house show the tendency toward leadership and treating the "other" as satellites that should revolve around us, the obvious central power (or so we believe!) Indeed, the seventh house of the US shows the potential for wealth, power, and leadership, however not necessarily gained by compassion and righteousness.

Saturn and Sun conjunct July 7 - July 9

An interesting transit occurs this month: Saturn, having been slowly plodding through Gemini since late July of 2002, has been rolling across the positions of the planets in the US seventh house. First over Mars, the planet that rules military activity and all forms of aggression, in late July/early August of 2002, again in late December 2002/early January 2003, and again in mid-April 2003 (3 visits due to Saturn's retrograde cycle.) Second over Venus, ruler of relationships as well as attraction and glamor, during late July 2003. Next Jupiter, ruler of religion, ministry, and teaching was transited during mid-August, 2003. And now for the early third of July, we will see Saturn transiting the heart and soul of the US chart, the Sun at 22°41" Gemini. Saturn upholds the archetype of the elder who doles out his wisdom with no padding and no frills. Saturn has the tendency to administer rather harsh reality checks, especially to those who refuse to take responsibility for the actions they take in our worldly drama. His energy is isolating, separating, cold and dry, and his lessons can often be painful, especially to those who are extremely attached to the affairs of the world. I find it interesting that this Saturn transit to the US Sun is occurring at precisely the time that Iraq will formally "take back" governance of their own devastated nation. Coincidentally, or not, Saturn has also recently transited George Bush's Sun at 20°40" Gemini (DOB July 6, 1946.) He certainly has been suffering from criticism from the various media (Gemini) that we enjoy so much in the form of books and movies (i.e. Imperial Hubris and Fahrenheit 9/11.)

The days to watch closely for this Saturn transit activity are July 7-9, as both Saturn and the Sun occupy the space that marks the position of the Sun in the US birth chart during that time.

Blue Moon in Capricorn July 31

As July winds down, we will see the second full Moon of the month on July 31 in Saturn's earth sign of Capricorn. The Moon will be regarding Mars as he drives forward into more comfortable territory for him, the Sun's sign of Leo, occupied currently by his friend Jupiter. It could be a somewhat more subdued full Moon than the one which begins July. Maybe it will even rain that night, but how would I know? I'm an astrologer, not a meteorologist. On that note, take it easy and enjoy the summer.