Lunar Eclipse Impacts Our Nation’s Chart

We start the month with Mercury, our communicator, retrograde until July 17. Our next best time to start new projects is from July 17 through August 23. At the end of August, Mars, our planet of instinctual response, goes retrograde until December 1. Make good use of that time. The big event this month is the lunar eclipse on the 5th. This eclipse will be making a big impact on our nation’s chart. People will be much more vocal about their political views and our current conditions. We will be looking for someone to step up and be a real leader. We are focused on making our home a safer place this month. That theme is especially strong in the latter half of the month. Positive days this month are July 1, 12, 14, 22, and 30. Days to stay on your toes are July 4, 5, 8, 15, 20, 27 and 30.

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)
This is going to be a very active time for you with Mars, your ruler, visiting Aries (its home sign) until January 6, 2021. This will make you take life more personally, and motivate you to take action on areas of your life that you want to improve. Your patience and tolerance will be lower than usual. As the month begins, home and family take the lead. You are definitely looking to make your home and family safer for the long term. You may be impatient with your bosses and co-workers, as they seem slow to act. Relationships are dicier as well. This can be a great time to renew those bonds and commitments, as you will need more attention. The latter part of the month is a good time to put your plans into action and to focus more on yourself.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20)
You are wanting to share your ideas and views about a variety of topics this month. You will be more chatty than usual, and also reflecting on the past. You are continuing to reexamine your career direction and consider a new path or direction. You are looking for something that really ignites your passion, and not just something you’ll do to fill time. Restrictive jobs or relationships can really grind on you, especially in the last half of the month. Relationships that enhance your individuality and provide plenty of freedom of expression will need some goals, directions, and possibly a new level of commitment. Home and family play a bigger role in your life in the latter part of July.

GEMINI May 21–June 21)
With your ruler, Mercury, retrograde until July 17, this is a more introspective month for you. It may be more difficult to get your words and thoughts together during this retrograde. Finances and income issues are highlighted as this month begins. You will be looking at ways to budget your money better and find alternative investment options. You will also be reviewing your own skills and talents, and looking at how to use them more effectively. Relationships should flow more easily, as it’s been easier to find common ground. After the 17th, it’s time to move forward with your ideas. Friends and support groups can be very helpful over the next couple of months. They will have ideas and inspiration for you.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)
As the month begins, it’s an introspective time for you. You are more sensitive to your environment than usual, and you’ll need to choose your company carefully. This is a very good month to take time for self care, exercise, and healthy eating programs. With work, you are looking for something that stimulates your passion, as you may feel bored or trapped with your current position. Your spirituality is a big focus this month. Your own natural psychic talents are on full display this month. You may need more time to yourself, especially in the first half of the month. In the last half you are more energetic, but you are nevertheless pacing yourself.

VIRG) (Aug. 23–Sept. 22)
This month is a time to review your past choices and actions, make corrections if you can, and prepare to put some of your newer and more innovative ideas into action after July 17. This is a great time to reconnect with old friends, clients, or former business associates. They can provide support, information, and possibly some inspiration for new ideas.  After the 17th, July will become a much better month to promote your services or go looking for other employment. Your relationship will need some attention throughout the rest of this year—some renewal and a big dose of fun will be essential! Arguments and disagreements are the early indicators that you need to take action. Children or less-mature folk will require more of your time for personal guidance.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 23)
Career is a big focus this month, especially with Mercury (planet of habits and routines) retrograde in your career area. This is an excellent month to delve into the existing problems and look for solutions or alternatives to your previous choices. Particularly with the eclipse on the 5th, you could be looking at alternative career options, retirement, or disconnecting from the grid altogether. The other big thing for you is that Mars (planet of action, anger, and adventure) is visiting your relationship sector for the next six months. This can be a real time of testing for your relationships. If you are single, this will be a time where you are looking for someone new! If you are involved, your partnership needs some attention. If the problems are too great, it may be time to go your separate ways. It will be hard to hide your feelings in this area.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24–Nov. 21)
In the early part of the month, you are ready to relax and open your mind to new ideas, expressing your thoughts in a book or on a social-media blog. You are also restarting old projects from the past, with a better sense of how to complete them. Family relationships are very important this month, especially those associated with siblings or cousins. This may be a time when some difficult decisions need to be made. Relationships remain an open question,  as you are reinventing this part of your life. If you are single, you are more open to a partner than you have been in the past. And if you are involved, you are ready to redefine the parameters of your current commitments. In the latter half of the month, your focus shifts to your career, as you will be putting more energy into that part of your life.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22–Dec. 21)
While your relationships are improving, you are shifting your focus to your finances. This should be an excellent month to review that aspect of your life and make real improvements. On one level, this is you coming to terms with your real talents and attempting to make the best us of those capabilities. You will also be letting go of the parts of your life that are too expensive or just don’t provide enough return. This is a good time to be looking at long-term investing, fundraising, or becoming part of a company that does those very things. And finally, you will need more fun in your life, especially over the next six months. Boredom doesn’t sit well with you!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)
The ongoing tensions that you have been dealing with continue through most of July. The planets that are creating the pandemic, the economic crisis, and the demands for racial equality are all in Capricorn and Cancer this month. This will have a direct impact on your relationships and the people that you encounter on an everyday basis. There is more fuel for the fire with Mars, planet of action and anger, playing a big role in your horoscope for the next six months. Some of you will be inspired to fight back, while others have had enough and are looking for a place to live “off the grid.” Family will need your actions and energy to take care of a family crisis. Be clear about what you want to do, and not what they want you to do! Your stress levels remain high through the middle of August. Make sure you find some time for yourself.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)
You are working hard to get your ducks in a row this month. This should be a great month for reorganizing, cleaning up storerooms, clearing out old computer files, and getting yourself back on your exercise and diet program. Long-term career revisions are a strong possibility this month and next. You are looking to commit your energy and talents to something that can create real security for you. This is also a time to update and improve existing commitments and partnerships. You are in a very sensitive time and may want to avoid problematic people altogether. Still, you are better able to express your opinions, even if it creates a difficult situation. By the end of the month, the tension level drops as your focus shifts more to your relationships and long-term commitments.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)
You are looking to keep yourself running on a smooth and clear path this month. You need to express your creative side, either through your own art or through your children. Your home is your sanctuary this month, so you’ll want to keep it as peaceful as possible. After the 17th, it can be a great time for some redecorating or maybe even relocating. You had been wanting to do more with your partner in June, and that trend continues this month as well. The eclipse on the 5th will stimulate the friendship area of your horoscope, and you may feel the need to reconnect with old friends. But there must be a balance there, as it was too easy in the past to let people take advantage of you. You are paying much more attention to your boundaries these days.

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This article appears in the July 2020 edition of OutSmart magazine.