Astrology of July 11-17, 2022: Saying the Right Yes
Dates and times are given for U.S. Pacific Time zone.
Getting to Yes by Saying No
When we decided to buy our house nearly a quarter of a century ago, I was terrified about a lot of things. It was a big step. But what freaked me out the most was that I’d be unable to make a quick getaway if a neighbor started playing loud music or their dog kept me awake with its barking, or… well, anything. I’d be stuck. Ultimately, it was worth it. But my options-loving Gemini Moon had a hard time with getting locked in.
This week, as Venus in Gemini trines Saturn (July 12, 2022, 9:28 pm PDT, 24.07 Gemini/Aquarius), it’s time to hit pause on Gemini’s flirtatious ways and get serious. Whether it’s committing to one partner, idea, or house, getting serious suddenly feels worthwhile. But before we can give a definite “yes” to something, we have to say a lot of “nos” to what doesn’t fit in our lives.
Gemini doesn’t like to limit its options, so those “nos” can be painful. But Venus trine Saturn promises that saying the right “yes” makes it all worthwhile.
Walking Away
We want to believe the best about the people we love. But no one is perfect, however much we love them. And this week’s Venus square to Neptune (July 13, 2022, 10:24 pm PDT, at 25.22 Gemini/Pisces) prompts us to consider whether we can still love those closest to us even after we know what’s no so lovely about them.
Even if your relationships are doing just fine, this aspect can signal a challenge to our basic values. Our politics, figures of inspiration, our approach to earning and managing money… any of these can suddenly be revealed as naïve or wrong-headed.
Venus moves quickly, so this transit has only a glancing influence, no more than a couple of days. But if Neptune has been leaning hard on your chart during its long stay near 25º Pisces, this transit could trigger a larger shift in how and whom you cherish. Is there anyone, or anything, you once believed in that needs to be let go? Remember what Venus learned from its trine to Saturn yesterday – the road to “yes” is paved with “nos.” Walking away is not always the perfect response to disillusionment. But sometimes, it’s the only one.
Midyear Review
pn the first day of this year, I swore I would make no resolutions beyond trying to be a kinder and better version of myself.
I lied.
Well, that’s not exactly true; I was sincere, actually. But old habits die hard, and I didn’t stick to that no-resolution resolution. I soon returned, like a swallow to Capistrano, to my calendars and planners and markers, sketching out an ambitious schedule designed to increase my market share of the planet.
Half a year later, those calendars and their neglected goals look a bit faded, have curled up a bit around their yellowing edges. They are a little bit embarrassing, like old photographs taken when you were very young and innocent and hadn’t quite filled out yet.
Near the beginning of each calendar year, a New Moon in Capricorn (this year, that was on Jan. 2) signals a fresh commitment to becoming your best, most successful self. At midyear, the Capricorn Full Moon (July 13, 2022, 11:38 am PDT) is its mirror image, the response to its call. It’s time to face the optimistic pages of those calendars and planners and compare them with your progress to date. There is still time to change your strategy—or even your resolutions.
Catching Up
OOne of my oldest friends sent me some blurry photos from our grammar school days. Although my memory is generally not what it used to be, I recalled the names of every classmate in those photos with no effort. But who was that long-haired, fierce-looking, awkward girl with my name scribbled underneath? I remembered her, too, how she struggled to feel good about herself and to fit in. Looking at my youthful self made my heart catch, made me feel protective of that girl. And for a moment, I realized how far I’ve come in the decades since, and also how much I’m the same.
Mercury is at its superior conjunction with the Sun this week (July 16, 2022, 12:38 pm PDT). During its retrograde period in (May 10-June 3, 2022), it was like a little kid who broke away from Dad and ran a little too far away. After it turned direct, it began racing to catch up with Dad; this is the day Mercury closes that gap, eager to share information and insights it gathered during the retrograde.
This conjunction is good for catching up with yourself, and for remembering who you used to be, who you are now, and how far you’ve come. Enjoy it; from here, Mercury starts racing ahead, a kid that wants to spread the word about you so that the world can welcome you when you arrive.
The Tyranny of the Self
It can be so tiring, being human – inhabiting an identity, having a biography, carrying so many memories and grudges and sorrows. What would it be like if we were amnesiacs and had no idea who we were supposed to be? How light we would feel, with none of the emotional burdens and limitations that are part of how we define ourselves.
Today’s trines from Mercury and the Sun with Neptune (July 17, 2022, 12:52 am PDT and 3:55 pm PDT, 25º20′ Cancer/Pisces, respectively) offers a mini-vacation from the tyranny of ego. We’re moving into the sweetest, sleepiest time of the year for the Sun, as it makes one of its two annual trine aspects to Neptune on the same day as Mercury. And I love, love, love the Sabian symbol for the Sun and Mercury here, which is 26 Cancer: Content and happiness in luxury, people reading on davenports. This is basically me in my happiest and most natural habitat, kicking back on the sofa and reading!
The Sabian symbol for Neptune is 26 Pisces, A new moon reveals that it’s time for people to go ahead with their different projects. If you’ve been needing a little alone time, see if you can organize that for this weekend. Neptune, I think, represents that part of us that just wants to be alone, anyway. So drink from the well of solitude and refuel yourself.
The Pleasures of Home
I hate to shop – with one exception: I love buying nice things for my house. I was born with Venus in Cancer, the sign of home, and it’s my happy place. I’m never happier than when I’m painting a wall, evaluating a throw pillow, or cooking dinner for friends.
Venus symbolizes pleasure and harmony, and this week it enters the sign of Cancer (July 17, 2022, 6:32 pm PDT, through August 11). Right now, most of us are spending a lot more time at home than ever before – and the result is something that often falls somewhat short of these Venusian ideals. Our houses may feel too small, too full; we may be in fear of losing them; we may worry about keeping them filled with necessities, and miss having our friends over for parties.
Most worryingly, we may be at odds and out of sync with the people closest to us, including those under our roofs. As Venus moves through Cancer through August 11, it will square Jupiter and oppose Pluto, and we’ll struggle with finding enough space for ourselves. So break out the smudge wand and candles. Buy your home a present. Be reminded of how much you love your home and the creatures who share it with you.
Writing and collages © 2019-2022 April Elliott Kent
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