July marks the halfway point in the year, the fold that separates the growing light from the gathering darkness. Now that we’re past the Summer Solstice, the days will get shorter. But before they do, we have a whole summer of warmth and sunshine to enjoy. July’s astrology is supportive and steadfast. There’s a lot of structure in the stars and that means there’s a little more certainty and a sense of safety that’s available to us if we know where to look for it. 

Cancer season is a chance to stay in our comfort zones and to focus on what makes us feel like we’re home. Cultivating caring relationships, making decisions that support a sense of ease, and doing things just because they feel good are all wonderful ways to spend your energy this month. There are a few features of this month’s astrological weather that might be overwhelming, but with the Sun in Cancer, any challenges that come up will give us a chance to care for ourselves and each other much more deeply. 

Early on in the month, the Sun, Moon, and Mercury square Jupiter. With these personal planets at a hard aspect to the planet of expansion, we can expect to feel a little more urgency around achieving our dreams and expressing ourselves. Over the last couple of months, Jupiter has been giving us a lot of room to grow and blessed us with extra good luck. The Sun and Moon in Cancer pulls our collective emotional state into the foreground while Mercury in the sign makes it easier to communicate from the heart (or from your emotional wounds). Jupiter is an amplifier: it will make emotional reactions seem larger than life—it will make love feel more vibrant, sorrow more profound, grief more poetic, friendship more intimate, and joy more accessible. 

With all of these bursting emotions, it might feel like there’s not enough time to do it all. You might feel overwhelmed. You might feel like there are too many opportunities in front of you. And that’s okay. Do all you can with the time you do have and practice discernment. What is really important to you? What is your soul asking you to prioritise? 

On the 9th, the Sun opposes Pluto in Capricorn. This is an opportunity to address negative self-talk and face your shadow. With Pluto in the sign of strict rules and discipline, there’s a tension between the planet’s sometimes obscene and volatile energy and Capricorn’s sense of perfectionism and decorum. The Sun in tender Cancer illuminates this struggle, asking us to bring some loving kindness and tenderness to the parts of ourselves that feel discordant. 

Pluto in Capricorn brings up shame, especially around sexuality, death and grief, and other facets of life that society typically disavows (such as houselessness and addiction). Again, the Sun in Cancer lighting up this transit from the other side of the sky is supporting a softening towards the parts of ourselves that we want to reject. It’ll help us address internalised judgements and harmful narratives that don’t belong to us. Ultimately negative judgements of ourselves leak out onto others and into our communities. The Sun in Cancer calls us to do the inner work to make our own internal space psychologically and emotionally safe so that we can provide safe spaces to others. 

In addition to this opposition, Mars has squared Pluto since the Solstice on June 21st, moving out of this aspect on July 11th. This square has likely activated some feelings of aggression and anger. Mars will finish its trip through Aries and move into Taurus during this time. Both of these signs have stubbornness and assertiveness as their main energetic traits. Aries focuses on making its mark out in the world while Taurus is more protective of its internal peace: the offensive and defensive players on the field. Mars is the ruler of Aries and co-rules Scorpio, alongside Pluto. 

Squared up with its co-ruler moving through Aries and Taurus, Mars’ energy can be destructive or, at the very least, confrontational. We can see anger and injustice play across the global stage right now. On a personal level, it’s important to acknowledge that anger indicates where a boundary has been crossed, where we’re not being treated the way we believe we deserve. Anger isn’t for hurting others, it’s for nurturing and giving more love to ourselves. After the 11th, Mars will continue on through Taurus, giving us some much-needed time to put our energy towards repair and healing.   

Mercury heads into Leo on the 9th and the Sun joins it on the 22nd. As we head into Leo season, there are a few more squares, oppositions, and conjunctions that might bring about a feeling of stagnancy. On the other hand, these hard aspects give us stability and provide the space we need to build an even stronger foundation for ourselves. Leo season is about self-expression and creativity. It’s about celebrating ourselves and others for all of the unique gifts each one of us brings to this world. While the month comes to a close, be sure to take note of any difficulties or feelings of frustration that come up: they’re here to teach you something about where you shine the most.

Keagan is a writer, tarot reader, and astrologer. Find her on Instagram @moonsingemini to book a reading. Subscribe to her monthly tarotscope newsletter here.