A collection of challenging aspects starts a week that leads us right up into a formidable, fixed sign full Moon. If you can sit this week out, great. If not, at least try to keep away from the contention. On Monday alone normally pleasant Venus will square Neptune and Mercury will square Mars, Venus will also form one of those out of sorts quincunxes with Jupiter, and Jupiter will form its next sextile to Neptune. All of that will take place with a Scorpio Moon lurking. While the largest aspect is the harmonious one, the Jupiter Neptune sextile, both planets are operating under the subdued power of their retrogrades. Most of the day’s confrontations involve the personal planets, Mercury, Venus and Mars, and all connections encompass at least one of the emotional water signs. Buttons are bound to be pushed. Scorpio, much like its ruling planet Pluto, hunts for the truth and is willing to dig it up from the deepest, darkest places. When exposing betrayal, lies or wrongdoing, this power is laudable. When used to win at all costs, its fight to the death tactics are extremely destructive. Scorpio is also one of astrology’s inflexible fixed signs, and before the day is over that Scorpio Moon will clash with the Sun in fixed Leo and Uranus in fixed Taurus. If left unresolved, struggles that arise out of those collisions will intensify on Sunday when the Leo Sun squares Uranus and on the following Monday, August 3rd, under the full (fixed) Aquarius Moon. If you’re a fixed sign (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius) or dealing with a fixed sign person, choose your words wisely or wait for better conditions. Midweek gives us a bit of a breather, and perhaps more favorable timing.
The Moon moves into cheerful Sagittarius on Wednesday, as Venus finally clears her recent retrograde’s shadow zone. Once the fog from Monday’s fight with Neptune clears, she’ll be ready to chart new territory in romance and finance. In sociable Gemini, she will also be in a friendlier mood. Tricky Mercury is being naughty and nice on Thursday, by opposing extravagant Jupiter while trining peaceful Neptune. Jupiter in Capricorn is guarding the purse strings, with Saturn and Pluto on its side of the arguments. But in the wake of Monday’s Jupiter Neptune collaboration, Mercury has a potent and compassionate lobbyist in Neptune. Getting creative may indeed be the best option for solving material or financial problems. Mercury, still in domestic Cancer, is scheduled for two more battles over the budget. The following one takes place on Saturday, with almighty Pluto, and the final one is with unyielding Saturn on August 3rd. Saturn and Pluto are in conservative Capricorn, and that Saturn skirmish will take place under the Aquarius full Moon, when the fixed signs will be at peak logjam. Full Moons represent maximum energy points. In the Moon’s waning stage, the two weeks after a full Moon, tensions subside and ease. It also takes a couple of weeks for the energy of outer planet aspects to degrade. Sunday’s Sun Uranus square will contribute to the fixed sign, full Moon strain and take a few weeks to work its way out of our systems. So again, if you can ride this one out or find a shady tree to meditate under, things will shake out.

Each fire sign is a force of nature unto itself. Add two hyper-vitalizing planets to the mix, and bang! During the 2020 Leo Sun cycle, passions will run extra hot when Mars brings his audacious Aries kindling to Leo’s homecoming celebration. The red planet will of course continue his Aries transit until early 2021. But the September 9th start of his forthcoming retrograde will temper his firepower and considerably cool his proverbial jets. That makes the incoming Leo Sun cycle all the more critical of a time to strike while the iron is hot or to at least take in this cosmic boost of inspiration and drive. It all starts on Wednesday when the Sun returns to Leo. But before we get there, another reboot of sorts is on offer.

There’s a new Moon in Cancer midday on Monday, followed by the then still Cancer Sun’s opposition to strict Saturn. Though this is a potent Moon, clocking in at 28 degrees, Saturn’s presence suggests that our intentions remain realistic. Mercury, now picking up speed since stationing direct on July 12th, will continue making waves in Cancer until August 4th, and on August 7th Venus will venture into the cardinal water sign. While there, like the Sun before them, they will face oppositions from Jupiter, Pluto and Saturn. Thematically, we are continuing to work through any issues concerning home, family and security that have emerged since summer solstice. But languishing in the ebb and flow of moody Cancer is no longer an option. The upcoming oppositions will be forcing more decisions through early September, and Mars has begun adding pressure. On July 27th he forms his second square to Mercury, the bookend to their July 8th clash, and on September 4th he will create another choice point with Venus. The ongoing battle with Mercury has been bringing our attention to frustrations and feelings that have needed expression. The challenge has been to speak our minds, without biting someone else’s head off. Helpfully, the July 27th Mercury Mars meeting takes place in the wake of a superseding and ultra-cooperative Jupiter Neptune sextile.

Cancer isn’t the only front feisty Mars will be fighting on. At home in saucy, headstrong Aries, the warrior is also set to confront Jupiter, Pluto and Saturn, via the more contentious squares. Those take place on August 4th, 13th and 24th, with more combat scheduled in autumn. Unlike the oppositions which occur on a continuum, squares bring matters to a head and demand resolution. The coming conflicts are taking place amongst the instigating cardinal signs. Something new is finding, if not forcing, its way to the surface. Like clockwork, the Sun is arriving into warm, enthusiastic Leo. Under the regal spotlight we can decode the individual instructions of the unfolding celestial mandate to bravely forge into the unknown.

In Greek mythology, Apollo was the Sun god. His realms included prophecy, healing and music, and the nine Muses were among his progeny. Understandably, in modern astrology Leo describes the unique gifts and talents each of us possesses, as well as our creative capacity. Sun-ruled Leo is also associated with king-making. At some point on the mythic journey, the imperiled hero is required reach deep inside, for some intuited but not yet actualized piece of himself. He or she cannot proceed further without taking this test, and succeeding. Destiny is at work. The Sun’s homecoming is our annual reminder of purpose, of the particular treasures lying within each of us, and of our role in uncovering and sharing them with the world. In 2020, daring Mars has come to Apollo’s aid, and ours. Will we have the moxie to answer their call to adventure?