Astrology of July 4-10, 2022: No Guarantees

Dates and times are given for U.S. Pacific Time zone.

Pulling a plow

Late in the evening of July 4 (11:04 pm PDT), Mars at long last leaves Aries for the more measured pace and relaxed pastures of Taurus. It’s true that Mars struggles a bit in this Venus-ruled sign, so antithetical to its nature. The fixed nature of Taurus slows Mars down, which can be frustrating, and its desire for pleasure and relaxation can be distracting. But it’s also a stabilizing influence, and this could be a time we start to get some traction on the ideas and projects we’ve been thinking about since late May, when Mars entered Aries.

Imagine an ox methodically pulling a plow, making the earth ready to receive seeds. What Mars in Taurus lacks in speed, it makes up for in tenacity, patience, and joy in the effort of physical exertion. Enjoy its languid pace through August 20.

When You Don’t Speak at All

Let’s say you’ve spent a long, happy few weeks tramping through the countryside. You’ve thoroughly enjoyed meeting fellow travelers, telling stories, and enjoying the fresh air, camping under brilliant night skies.

But after three weeks, you’re tiring of the wind biting your face, of never seeing anyone familiar, of eating nuts and berries. One evening around dinner time, you find yourself walking past a cozy-looking cottage, the delicious smells of dinner wafting out of the window and the curl of wood smoke coming from the chimney. Someone calls from the backdoor and the family dog bounds inside. You hear the familiar sounds of children complaining about their baths and a tv murmuring. And all of the sudden, you’ve never wanted anything as much as you want to be sitting in your own little home, with your own little family – secure and loved amongst people with whom you don’t need to say a word. You don’t have to make them laugh or entertain them with your stories. They love you even when you don’t speak at all.

That’s what Mercury wants as it leaves Gemini and enters Cancer (July 4, 2022, 11:25 pm PDT, through July 19.)

Balancing Act

This month’s First Quarter Moon falls in convivial Libra (July 6, 2022, 7:14 pm PDT) on the Sabian Symbol 15 Libra, Circular paths. The First Quarter is for flexing our muscles, getting into motion, and pursuing what we want – which, very often, requires that we gain the cooperation of important others, represented by Libra. But just now, it can feel like all paths forward lead us right back to where we started. With the Sun and Moon in aspect to Jupiter in Aries, the Sun’s Sabian symbol, 15 Cancer: A group of people who have overeaten and enjoyed it, certainly seems apt! In the week since the Cancer New Moon (which was also in aspect to Jupiter), life seems to have accelerated, and overindulging in food, drink, or spending has likely been part of the picture.

With Libra in the mix at this First Quarter, there’s the sense of trying to pull ourselves back toward balance and moderation. If you’re finding that difficult, the point of solace and stability right now is in Capricorn activities. Plan, strategize, and get organized.

No Guarantees

On July 8, 2022, at 11:14 pm PDT, Mercury makes a square aspect to Jupiter. Mercury made three sextile aspects to Jupiter recently, on April 26th, May 19, and June 20th. Those were moments for considering consider offers, opportunities, and invitations. And now, the square between the two pushes us to make a decision about something we only considered then.

The Sabian symbol for Jupiter at this square is 9° Aries, “A Crystal Gazer.” Before taking action, it’s natural to wish for assurance about the outcome. But of course, there are no guarantees in life. And sometimes we just have to take action based on instinct, with no assurance from a crystal ball about how it’s going to turn out. Mercury is in Cancer, which favors following your instincts and listening to your gut. And this is some kind of fairly big change, something outside your comfort zone that Jupiter in Aries has been inviting you to consider.

Almost Anything

What can I say? I like sextile aspects, which bring opportunity, and I like aspects involving the planet Uranus, because he’s sort of fizzy, exciting, and unpredictable. The sextile between odd couple Sun and Uranus (July 10, 2022, 1:39 am PDT) offers the message that it’s always possible to be more truly yourself – you need only take the risk of standing apart from society’s expectations, as well as your own.

The Sabian symbol for the Sun at 18.05 Cancer is 19 Cancer, A priest performing a marriage ceremony. There’s a hint of societal codification here; the priest has his role, the couple are signing on to their roles in the eyes of God and society. But when the Sun meets Uranus, our personal identity, our role, is challenged in an exciting way; there’s the sudden awareness that, if you’ll only surrender preexisting ideas of yourself, you can become…almost anything.