Summary

Sun

Collective Soul • Leaders • Government • Heart • Individual Agenda
FIRE

Sun changes signs once per month, traversing all 12 signs in one year.

Sun in Gemini inspires us to play, learn, and express through July 15th. Sun in Cancer July 15th onward takes us deeply on a voyage to explore what our hearts and minds really want.

Moon

Emotions • Mental Fluctuation • Mothers • Caregiving • Devotion • Nutrition
WATER

Moon changes signs every 2.5 days, traversing all 12 signs in about a month.

The new moon in Gemini on July 5th helps our inner light shine through as we birth new projects. The full moon in Capricorn on July 21st connects our feet to the ground as we beam upward into dynamic creative expression.

Mars

Power • Strategy • Protection • Alchemy • Courage • Strength
FIRE/WATER

Mars changes signs about every two months, which varies due to occasional retrograde motion.

Mars moves from Aries to Taurus on July 12th, leading us from plans and initiation at the beginning of July into hands on production and building through August.

Mercury

Communication • Currency • Intelligence • Analysis • Local Travel • Markets
EARTH/AIR

Mercury’s movement is variable and quick, from 15 - 60 days in one sign, with three retrograde periods per year.

Mercury's observations and analyses should be useful while managing any turbulence this month. Mercury is in Cancer through July 19th when he shifts to Leo, slowing down by month's end in advance of a retrograde phase in August.

Jupiter

Growth • Expansion • Positivity • Children • Education • Divinity • Abundance
FIRE/WATER/SPACE

Jupiter changes signs once per year, traversing all 12 signs in about 12 years.

Tap into the Jupiter and Mars combination in Taurus between July 12th and August 26th. This is a dynamic combination for powerful growth in fertile ground! Jupiter also brings a positive and passionate boost of shine during the July 21st full moon.

Venus

Relationships • Business • Politics • Entertainment • Love • Beauty • Creativity
EARTH/AIR/WATER

Venus changes signs about once per month, but this varies due to occasional retrograde periods.

Venus reappears in the western sky after sunset as she glides through the stars of Cancer from July 6 – 31. Compassion and vulnerability shall decorate the night sky as Venus reminds us what true beauty and real connection can do in this weary world.

Saturn

Limitation • Contraction • Illness • Suffering • Karma • Time • Age • Slow • Cold
EARTH/AIR

Saturn stays in one sign for 2.5 - 3 years, taking 28-30 years to go through all of the signs.

Saturn's recently acquired retrograde status could make timelines quicken and loads lighten as July comes and goes. Foundational requirements that have caused delays may now be ready to support a building phase.

Rahu – North Node

Humanity • Instability • Addiction • Innovation • International • Diversity • Opportunity
AIR

Rahu and Ketu form an axis that moves in tandem, spending about 1.5 years in each sign, moving in backward motion through the zodiac.

Rahu's rocking influence ripples through all of the waters while he transits Pisces through May 2025. The planets passing through Cancer in July could feel this chaotic and unpredictable influence. Greet unexpected opportunity with an open mind.

Ketu – South Node

Followers • Army • Spirituality • Intuition • Mistakes • Blindness • Obstruction
FIRE

Rahu and Ketu form an axis that moves in tandem, spending about 1.5 years in each sign, moving in backward motion through the zodiac.

Ketu anchors us as we explore our ability to sense the subtle vibrations that come through the earth element while he moves through Virgo until May 2025. Jupiter's aspect and Mercury's support urge us to integrate our intuition, wisdom, and play.

For an in-depth analysis of specific planetary placements, please continue with the full planetary forecast.

Mercury Transits Cancer June 29 – July 19

By late June, Mercury has galloped to the lead of the inner planets moving forward through the zodiac, leaving his own sign of Gemini and plunging into Cancer on June 29th for a quick dash that puts him into Leo by July 19th.

In day to day life, the qualities and skills of Mercury are commonly used, almost constantly. Communication, analyzing data, learning, multi-tasking, synthesizing information, shopping, transactions, digestion, intelligence, humor... all of these qualities of Mercury enable us to keep ourselves moving through our days.

Mercury is associated with brain power and intelligence more than with emotions and sensitivity. He does well in light, fast, and clear environments devoid of sticky emotions or personal demands. Efficiency and practicality are upheld when we allow Mercury to do his job.

Mercury comes out of combustion with the Sun around June 26th, then pushes forward and leaps from his own air sign of Gemini and into the Moon's watery pool of Cancer, which could bring us both opportunities and challenges as Mercury swims across the river, doing his best to keep his brain dry and functioning in the process.

What does this mean for us functioning humans in July? It may feel like we suddenly move from backstage planning and foundational preparations into high seas and high stakes as we enter July.

Cancer is a water sign and will be feeling the unstable chop of Rahu's aspect which is rippling through all the water signs through May 2025. This leaves us collectively at the mercy of emotions which may rise up suddenly when triggered by unexpected changes or upsets.

Knowing this possibility, it may be wise to prepare for unplanned overwhelm by carving out space for processing emotions or for just making it through the day, in the event of chaos invading the mental space. Taking this energy in another direction, it will be a good time for analyzing health issues of both the physical and mental variety, especially the messy and scary aspects of what may be at the root of things that are going wrong.

Mercury's intention is always to be moving toward the balance which Venus both craves and upholds. Venus will be following Mercury into Cancer on July 10. Expect a shift after that, not only because Venus joins her best pal Mercury, which can really up the celebratory and creative energy, but also because Mars will change signs on July 12, moving his fiery aspect out of Cancer and into Leo, allowing Mercury and Venus to play without being pushed.

New Moon in Gemini/Punarvasu July 5

The Moon wanes through the last week of June and into the first week of July, joining the Sun on July 5th at 21 degrees Gemini, in the first pada of Punarvasu nakshatra. This is the new Moon of July, marking the monthly combustion of the Moon, who shrinks to a sliver and moves through the blaze of the Sun during this time.

New moon times can feel draining because our collective physical and mental energy is reflected in the phases of the Moon. It is recommended to seek rest and ease during these times, because we become energetically vulnerable as the Moon wanes and melts visually into the Sun. After the new moon phase, we are back on the road to brightness and can feel inspired to get going on our projects.

Gemini is an air sign ruled by Mercury, which can indicate new starts ahead in the realm of Mercury things such as education, business transactions, and communications. Especially with Mercury newly emerged from his own combustion, the second week of July could really feel like go time.

Punarvasu nakshatra is a small constellation which lies mostly in Gemini but also overlaps into the first few degrees of Cancer. Punarvasu's planetary ruler is Jupiter and the associated diety is Aditi, known as the mother of Light. This could be a good start time for new educational courses or communication launches.

If we add up all the influences of this new moon, we get the luminaries, Sun and Moon, surrounded by and supported by the planets Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury, all relatively benefic influences. Gemini has been the sight of Mercury and Venus moving out of combustion by the Sun, which could have looked like a very creative scene that wasn't quite ready for presentation during the month of June.

Swimming into July, we may be dealing with changes that we weren't expecting when we were theoretically drawing up our plans and programs. Go with the flow and dive deep for inspiration from different directions.

Venus Transits Cancer July 6 – 31

After the new Moon, Venus moves from Gemini into Cancer on July 6th, following Mercury and bringing her divine mother, the Moon, with her. The weekend of July 6th and 7th looks potentially fun and exciting with three benefics bobbing in Cancer, aspected by wildcard Rahu. Plan something relaxing and nourishing with friends and family but with the flexibility to flow into different scenes based on unexpected situations arising.

As Moon waxes forward, we will see Venus and Mercury moving through Cancer together for a week, but Mercury's got a speedboat and flies into Leo by July 19th.

By July 10th, Venus finally moves far enough away from the Sun to escape the state of combustion she entered back in late April when Venus and Sun were in Aries. This is 2.5 months of us missing our Venus sightings! In the meantime, Venus has been hidden in the blaze of the Sun and has been transitioning from her “morning star” appearance to “evening star” appearance. Begin to visually connect with Venus again mid-July, when we should see her gracing the western sky after sunset through the remainder of 2024.

Venus continues moving through Cancer until July 31st. Venus is the champion of the water element moving through a watery sign. This could be a fertile time for exploring new relationships or for finding depth in existing relationships. The aspect of Rahu can be disruptive but also revealing. For better or worse, you may get the opportunity to explore deeper emotions or motivations within relationships.

As the artist amongst the planets, Venus in Cancer should be good for creative inspiration and getting messy in the studio or kitchen. Creativity, social gatherings, and family reunions could be at once harmonious and slightly off-the-wall this summer!

Mars Transits Taurus July 12 – August 26

The fire of Mars gets a big boost from June 1 – July 12 when Mars gains strength by transiting his own sign of Aries. This is strong medicine which can help us get things going, but with the side effect of increased agitation or misappropriation of power. From Aries, Mars extends his fire into Cancer, Libra, and Scorpio, helping us to get into the depths of emotion and connection and hopefully revealing what solutions or changes are needed to move us forward.

Mars' next six weeks will be spent pushing through Taurus, Venus' fixed earth sign, from July 12 – August 26. Think bulldozer coming in with big power to prepare worksites or plows preparing the earth for crops. While Taurus may not be Mars' preferred environment, he knows what to do with fertile ground!

From Taurus, Mars' aspects extend to Leo, where he also knows what to do with the Sun's fiery creative space, to Scorpio, Mars' own water sign where his energy can dredge up power and resources from the unseen depths, and to Sagittarius, Jupiter's fire sign where Mars also tends to function well.

Additionally, we see a combination with Jupiter during Mars' transit through Taurus. Mars and Jupiter are friendly planets to one another and work well together in expanding power in a positive way. Jupiter's good influence tends to guide Mars' fire in positive directions.

We may have felt the power of Mars keenly during the Aries transit. We can now ground that intensity into practical, positive, and measured action, building with a plan and moving foward confidently.

Sun Transits Cancer July 15 – August 16

In early July, the Sun is strong, moving through the late degrees of Gemini, blazing bright and creating new starts. The space of Gemini is currently enjoying a relatively aspect-free environment, making a peaceful playground to explore ideas. Allow yourself to pick up on ways that it feels good to shine by exploring new activities, practicing what is important, and getting into hobbies.

The Sun moves through one sign per month, changing sidereal zodiac signs around mid-month. The sidereal zodiac consists of the observable constellations humans have designated as Aries, Taurus, Gemini, etc. The sidereal constellations are no longer in line with the tropical zodiac, which divides space according to the Sun hitting the points corresponding with equinoxes and solstices. The confusion comes with the observable sidereal constellations and the tropical zodiac signs still being named the same names as when the two zodiacs did line up. Welcome to the world of modern astrology! Most Vedic astrologers use the sidereal zodiac for their calculations, including me.

The Sun and Moon are known as the luminaries, and each rule one sign of the zodiac. Moon rules Cancer and Sun rules Leo, the two royal signs which sit adjacent to each other as water and fire signs. The Sun is King of the Day while the Moon is Queen of the Night. The two lumniaries are friendly to one another, so when Sun moves into Cancer, we know he moves through friendly territory for the next couple months.

That said, sometimes strange things are happening in friendly territory! In this case, we have aspects coming from challenging planets to the signs of the luminaries, which is the case through Spring 2025. Cancer is receiving the aspect of Rahu, which can create those choppy waters or a feeling of sinking. Leo is receiving the aspect of Saturn, which can feel like pressure, difficulty, and detachment.

From mid-July to mid-August, Sun moves through Cancer and through Rahu's aspect, never getting too close to either Mercury or Venus, who both move out of Cancer by end of July. Venus and Mercury energy can be exciting and engaging; adding the Sun energy contributes a steady, strong, and powerful rhythm. This is a good month to get your heart and mind on the same page.

Chaturmas July 17 – November 12

Chaturmas means “four months” and traditionally is a time for fasting, retreat, reflection, and ceremony. It begins on Shayani Ekadashi, the 11th lunar day of the bright fortnight in the month of Ashada, which corresponds to June or July, and ends on Prabhodini Ekadashi, the 11th lunar day of the bring fortnight in the month of Kartika, which corresponds to October or November.

In 2024, Chaturmas is observed from July 17th through November 12th. This roughly corresponds with monsoon season in India, which is a good time to lay low for many reasons.

There is a belief that the god Vishnu is asleep or away during this four month period each year. Vishnu's role is Preserver amongst the Trimurti, indicating that if there were a time to give oneself a break from gathering and maintaining, Chaturmas may be a good choice.

That which is breaking down, allow it to crumble, and then remove the detritus. That which is growing, tend to it carefully and methodically as it naturally finds its potential.

Mercury Transits Leo July 19 – August 22

Mercury the manager, the speaker, the reader, the student, pulls our attention to the sign of Leo from July 19th to August 22nd. Since June 14th, when Mercury and Sun pushed into Gemini together with Mercury 100% combust, Mercury's pace has been increasing through the zodiac track.

When Mercury is leading the inner planets including the Sun, it feels like we have a capable scout ahead of our caravan, detecting danger and searching for comfortable rest stops. This could translate to things feeling like they are moving forward at a decent pace, with new things coming at you even more quickly than you predicted.

Best advice for active Mercury on the move is remember to stay grounded through the simple activities of life like nutritious meals, relaxation, and play. Leo as a sign loves to host recreational activites and performances; let your Mercury indulge in some humorous drama as we edge into mid-summer.

Now let us take a deeper look at Mercury's upcoming plans. He bursts into Leo on July 19th, but on August 4th, Mercury begins a retrograde period that sees him move backward through the zodiac, dancing with Venus and twirling her into the lead on August 7th, encountering the Sun on August 18th, re-entering Cancer on August 22nd, and finally resuming direct motion in the late degrees of Cancer on August 28th. This is your heads up that Mercury could leave us a little loopy next month!

Full Moon in Capricorn/Uttarashada July 21

Just as everything seems to be on track and moving, the Moon comes to its fullest moment on July 21st at 5 degrees Capricorn, in the 3rd pada of Uttarashada nakshatra. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, who is currently well placed in his own sign of Aquarius, reminding us gently not to waste time on things we don't really want. Uttarashada is ruled by the Sun, giving this nakshatra an interesting mix of selfish and selfless that is perhaps what we all need to experience right now.

The Sun will sit opposite, at 5 degrees Cancer, the Moon's sign, and in the first pada of Pushyami, ruled by Saturn. So again, we are seeing this Sun-Saturn-Moon combination on this side of the equation. With Venus joining Sun in Cancer, this could be a juicy time for weighing the viability of relationships. Saturn reminds us that we all need some work and that no one is perfect. The Sun and Moon are into authenticity and truth. Venus sees the good and kind in all, maybe a little too readily.

This full Moon of July is a lesson in blending practicality with creative vivacity. Yes, you can have it all! But what do you truly want to care for and maintain for the long term?

After the full Moon, we see the Moon travel past the other planets as it wanes, but with no other major shifts during the last ten days of July. Begin to notice if Saturn's retrograde motion that was begun at the end of June is allowing what was heavy to feel a bit lighter or if what was taking forever tends to move more swiftly.

Saturn's retrograde in tandem with Mars' aspect compounding into Leo and Scorpio could really begin to move things in those two particular signs from mid-July through August.

August 2024 Headlines

Venus Transits Leo July 31 – August 24
New Moon in Cancer/Ashlesha August 4
Mercury Retrograde August 4 - 28
Jupiter Conjunct Mars in Taurus August 14
Sun Transits Leo August 16 – September 16
Full Moon in Aquarius/Dhanistha August 19
Venus Transits Virgo August 24 – September 18
Mars Transits Gemini August 26 – October 20
Mercury Direct in Cancer August 28