JULY 8, 2004
Molly's Astrology for July: Venus
by Molly Cliborne
Love and money are back on track, now that Venus retrograde has finished. You can visualize a retrograde planet inscribing a giant letter Z in the sky --forward, back, and forward again. In July, Venus is moving forward, but is actually in the third stage of the retrograde cycle, often called the shadow period. This means you probably still have some loose ends to tie up, but certainly the flow of things is not as disrupted as it was when Venus appeared to move backwards from mid-May to the end of June.
In fact, July is an oasis. Since early April, the planets have signaled a time of slowing down, like a traffic jam in the sky. As above, so below&emdash;things have been jammed up for many of us here on Earth, in our personal lives and on the world stage. In July, for the first time since March, there are no major retrogrades, making this a month for things to start moving again. We'll see the celestial traffic back up again soon as Mercury retrogrades in August. But in September, October, and November, we'll see wide open road once more. Just in time for school, this signals students finding the right classes, the right teachers, and good situations. For all of us, it's a time when obstacles clear out of the way, and life flows again. In the meantime, use this time of slowdown to do the deep inner work that makes success possible on the other side. Astrology is about knowing which way the river flows, so you can flow with, not against, the current.
July 1-10
July 1-10, a minor stress aspect appears, Jupiter inconjunct Neptune. Inconjuncts signal day-to-day stresses, and the need to make adjustments. Looking at it one way, Jupiter is religion, Neptune is spirituality. These two may not be in step in your life or on the world stage right now. Neptune also represents dreams, something hidden below the surface, fears, or deception. Strange sleep and dreams are likely as this aspect passes by. Don't overreact, and listen to your gut. If a situation seems a little off to you, don't buy in until you get the whole story. Especially in a situation concerning your health, as Jupiter is in health sign Virgo.
July 11-31
Toward the end of the month, another inconjunct appears. Saturn inconjunct Pluto. This is an echo of the same energy that brought the fall of the Twin Towers in 2001. Does that mean the same thing will happen again? Not necessarily. An inconjunct symbolizes a new development in the situation, a change of plans, probably unexpected, that requires adjustments. Saturn is about structures, and Pluto is about power, destruction and rebuilding, death, but also rebirth and healing.
In your personal life, an inconjunct between two planets suggests a time to tune in to your physical body for insight into any areas of stress and tension in your life -- physical, emotional, spiritual. Someone once asked the Dalai Lama, what can Americans do to be more fulfilled in their jobs? His Holiness answered, "more holidays." How can you simplify, how can you make things easier on your body? Perhaps a better diet, exercise, regular massages, more holidays, a better job situation, better relationships, better attitudes.
July 16-27
Now for the good news. You remember in May and June, Venus was traveling backwards. By mid-July, she is moving forward again, but has not gotten „up to speed.‰ She's still moving slowly. In fact, she's moving almost exactly the same speed as her counterpart, Mars, who normally moves at about half the speed she does. A kiss between Venus and Mars usually lasts only one day. Now the two are aligned in a perfect kiss for 11 days, July 16-27. These two planets bolster each other up with positive energy, and we all can benefit! Venus represents love, money, value, and enjoyment. In Gemini she's a smooth talker, charming and witty, interesting and stimulating. Mars represents our drive, also something new. In Leo, he is courageous and driven, with a powerful sex drive. This is great energy for a love affair, a new hairstyle, a party, a vacation, planning your financial future.
This is an especially good window of time for taking care of matters concerning your car, computer, or other machinery. You'll be ahead of the game, since Mercury will be retrograde for three weeks in August, throwing some confusion into the air around technology, machinery, travel and communications. Make sure and get the latest security updates for your computer -- viruses tend to be an issue when Mercury is retrograde.
Mark your calendar!
The best days for your top priority plans are July 5, 10, 11, 16, 18, 20-26.
Days to take it easy and to hang on to your money are July 3, 7-9, 14, 19, 28-31.
Visit Molly Cliborne online at www.north-node.com, or call (434) 244-0012. Individual consultations are available.