July 20th ~ 27th

We Americans have many faults, but by and large we have not been quitters. We have faced seemingly impossible tasks with can-do naïveté we have tackled great challenges. Our win-loss record on this score is pretty impressive. We are an improbable nation of diversity and freedom. That is being challenged. But the battle is far from lost. A victory for the forces of goodness and justice, for sanity and facts, is not beyond our grasp. I would argue it is there for the taking if we believe and are willing to fight for it. ~ Dan Rather

It’s going to be heating up over the next few weeks, so strap on those safety belts, folks, there’s some unstable weather ahead. This coming weekend looks great! A beautiful Venus/Jupiter sextile welcomes us with open arms and promises galore. But if you haven’t already felt it, we are going to be diving head first into all sorts of tricky and unpredictable excitement after that. 

The retrograde station of Mercury occurs late Wednesday, early Thursday. This trickster energy can be quite frustrating and time-consuming. This is when things feel all befuddled, messages get all twisted around, things get lost in the mail, we get lost. Mercury has domain over the regular routines and functions of our lives: communications, commerce, travel, commuting, our daily routines and activities. So you can see how this ca be disruptive even in the best of times. What makes this period so crazy and unpredictable right now, is that the station of Mercury is immediately followed on the 27th by a very volatile and unpredictable total Lunar Eclipse in the sign of Aquarius. 

The Lunar Eclipse should be spectacular to see (it is said to be the longest eclipse of the 21st century). However, its effects on the unseen planes are very destabilizing and even possibly explosive. It will be visible over most of the eastern part of Africa, much of Asia, and the Indian Ocean. There will be areas in Australia, South American and Europe where it will be seen at least partially. In addition, Mars is very close to this Eclipse and should be visible to the naked eye. It is Mars with its square to Uranus that is causing all this fuss. The rebel warrior, is currently retrograde itself, very close to the Earth, and in defensive posture. Things can happen quite suddenly, and without warning with this kind of Mars, all the more so highlighted by this Lunar Eclipse. 

However the eclipse is also an opportunity for progressive change, and the willingness to fight for our ideals, for altruism, civil rights and justice. It is an opportunity to bravely walk the walk as well as talk the talk. In this world of constant change and unprecedented events, you might want to ask yourself, what are you willing to put yourself on the line for? 

Whatever inconveniences are presented by the station of Mercury is diminished in the face of the Eclipse right now. However is is helpful to be reminded of the significance of these important phases of Mercury that come around every 90 days. Mercury will be in its retrograde phase from July 25th thru August 19th. What we can anticipate during this period: 

• Do-overs and retractions. It is very difficult to take something back once it has already been said or done, but sometimes it becomes necessary to do so, or pay the consequences. With Mercury retro in Leo, a fall from grace can be precipitated by impetuous speech or unconscious actions. 
• Communication glitches are legendary when Mercury is in its retrograde phase. Messages are not received, issues are confused, texts are sent by mistake, or never go at all. Make sure you are being heard and understood, even if you have to repeat yourself a few times. Don’t assume that people understand.
• We change our minds, change our point of view, and change our schedules. Or they get changed for us. If you must travel, allow yourself plenty of space and time, and bring along a dose of patience. It’s not always treacherous to travel while retrograde, but it just seems to be more annoying than usual during these times. 
• Machinery and technology are inevitably infested with gremlins and elves. This would be particularly so with Mars also retrograde. Back up your files, if you haven’t already. If you must buy any new technology, make sure you have a warranty. Better yet, if at all possible, wait until after August 19th. 

There are also some things that Mercury retrograde periods are good for: 

• Focusing on stress reduction techniques, such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, qigong, therapy and other modalities that address anxiety and stress. Mercury has domain over the nervous system as well as the breath. By merely changing the way we breathe can affect our whole mental and emotional well-being. 
• Reunions. Whether it’s getting together with old friends, going back to visit family, or just the home base, it’s not unusual for people to want to reconnect. Allow yourself to reminisce, recollect old times, and joyously reflect on what once was.
• These periods are times of assimilation, allowing us to absorb, reflect and readdress all the choices and decisions that have brought us to this place right now. It is especially time to consider recent events, and to make sense of them, parsing out what is or is not working in our lives. It is an opportunity to let go of unresolved issues, practice patience and forgiveness, in order to be able to move on with a lighter load. 
• Review, edit and tie up loose ends. As we internalize Mercury during this period, use the planet’s natural capacity to create order internally and externally, removing the clutter from our environments and our lives. Creating that clarity, especially for our minds will be important for the next Mercury phase which is about to unfold. 
• Changing our minds. We are not only allowing ourselves to look at things from another perspective during this phase, but we can literally work on changing our minds: creating better mental habits and better routines in our lives that will promote greater health and well-being in the long run. 
• Creative and personal insights. Leo is a sign of creative inspiration, bringing our mind in alignment with our creative center. Our mind and our brain is going into reflective mode. In order to get the most benefit from this period, allow some down time. This will allow you to connect, and gain deeper inspiration through introspection. 

For next week’s horoscopes, click below: 

HOROSCOPES