“There must be some way out of here” said the joker to the thief;
There’s too much confusion; I can’t get no relief.
~Bob Dylan (All Along The Watchtower)
Prior to the development of steam engines and other forms of self-propulsion, sailors relied on the winds to fill their sails and power their nautical journeys. However, near the equatorial realms, there is a belt that stretches around the globe, a low-pressure zone that creates a disturbing calmness where sailors would drift while waiting for sufficient wind to power their movement. But even when the winds arrived in this region, called the doldrums, they were unreliable. Like the sailors of the past, we have entered the doldrums. Following months of apparent progress, even when painstakingly slow, we seem to be stalling. It’s as if humanity is waiting for a steady wind to blow us out of our aimless drifting and propel us in a brighter direction.
The outer planet retrograde dance is now in full swing, slowing the pace of change. Pluto turned retrograde on May 2 and has not even moved one degree in two months. Saturn turned retrograde on June 29 and only moves one degree during the entire month of July. And, on July 2, Neptune joins the retrograde club and only backs up one-quarter of a degree all month. But this Neptune retrograde is different from others because at 29 degrees and 56 minutes of Pisces, it turns back only four minutes away from completing a 165-year cycle through the zodiac. It feels as if we are so close to the changes we desire, yet they are not happening yet. Chiron, too, inches forward one-quarter of a degree and turns retrograde on July 26. We seem stuck with no obvious way out. The amount of anger and frustration might seem at an all-time high, but we can’t burn any bridges until we figure out an alternative route to our destination. Patience and kindness are essential. Applying the lessons from our previous mistakes offers us the best chance for creating new solutions.
Nevertheless, there is still a lot happening in the cosmos throughout July, and it’s crucial to pay attention, watch the signs, and be ready to ride the waves of change. The action begins as interactive Mercury forms a smooth trine with illusory Neptune and then proudly enters illustrious Leo on July 2, only to face off with inscrutable Pluto on July 3. There is movement, but like the squalls in the doldrums, we are experiencing contradiction and confusion as we receive mixed messages from the planetary cycles. Delightful Venus follows Mercury’s pattern as it dazzles us with its trine to dreamy Neptune on July 11, followed by its flashy entry into dramatic Leo. But Venus opposes dark Pluto on July 12, requiring us to confront our fears. The radiant Sun steps through the same process as it blends inspiration and delusion when it trines Neptune on July 21 just prior to entering its home sign of Leo on July 22. But even the intensity of the midsummer Sun in Leo casts a long shadow when it opposes dynamic Pluto, revealing the depths of our hidden emotions. Sharing our vulnerabilities with others enables us to find previously undiscovered common ground.
The nurturing Cancer New Moon on July 5 at 3:57 pm PDT is a reminder that compassion cannot be set aside, even when trying to navigate our way through complex social, economic, and political circumstances. The seeds we plant now come to fruition at the Capricorn Full Moon on July 21 at 3:17 am PDT. Similar to the previous Full Moon that was also in ambitious Capricorn, we are again called on to balance our need to protect our self-interests, our homes, and our loved ones with the need to make changes in our environment. The Cancer Sun prompts us to build walls for our emotional safety while the Capricorn Moon motivates us to manage the external circumstances of our lives.
Warrior Mars runs into rebellious Uranus on July 15, tempting us to follow our impulses in order to shake up the status quo. However, it’s all too easy to react impulsively without accomplishing our goals. It’s prudent to redirect the fiery intensity of this revolutionary planetary combo by acting strategically rather than emotionally. Losing our focus is likely when Mars enters inquisitive Gemini on July 20. Thankfully, we can put our intentions into action more effectively when superhero Mars trines potent Pluto on July 21.
One thing is for sure this month. Although we are in the doldrums, there will be no shortage of quirky starts and stops. Alternating periods of calm and storm make it tricky to know when to initiate action or when to hunker down. There are no straight lines now. The path ahead is anything but clear, making it nearly impossible to see around the next bend. Thankfully, we can rely on our internal guidance by taking the high road. Transformation doesn’t happen overnight. But it happens.