Neptune Stations Retrograde: July 4, 2025

Today (July 4) Neptune stationed retrograde around 2:30pm (PDT).   

 

We are in new territory with Neptune in Aries.   There is so much about Neptune that is mystical.   In the sign of Aries we are seeking a new journey.    We wish for fresh.    On this retrograde we are heading back to Pisces for one more time to remember what is important to us that may not be fresh but still needs to be put in our heart.   

You can find my write up from a week ago about Neptune  & Saturn stationing retrograde.    There may be some personal insights that can inform you on your own journey between now and next February when it is back in Aries.   

Sadly, I saw in the news today that does speak of Neptune.   

  

In my write up I mentioned:  

"And given Neptune is fuzzy and compelled to go places that might not make sense.  Weird ass stories and or news events involving the ocean or seafaring could be pronounced."

This is unfortunately one of those times when the reality on the ground reminds me of the depth of astrology.   As I wrote,  Neptune is king of the seas and oceans which is often where his influence can be felt or seen but also Neptune rules all bodies of water including rivers.    As Neptune began to slow down in its stationing,  huge thunderstorms parked and pounded Texas.   The Guadalupe River rose 22 feet in 30 minutes.   My god.   This catastrophic flooding caused many lost lives and there continue to be missing girls in a christian summer camp called Camp Mystic.  

I stopped breathing when I read:   

"Earlier in the day Camp Mystic, where roughly 750 children were staying, issued a statement telling parents: “If your daughter is not accounted for, you have been notified,” while indicating girls located in other parts of the camp had been found safe.

I pray that more of the missing are found alive.   I will update this post for any places that are taking donations to help the families.  

Sigh. 

 

Rick Levine - July Report

 

I want to do a shout out to Rick Levine (whom I enjoy) and his monthly astrology reports.   My own reports are based on the twenty-nine-day lunar month.  Which means if the new moon starts on the 10th or the 5th or the 20th day of a month then that's when my report begins.    

Rick designs his reports starting on the first day of the calendar month and carries out to the last day of the month.   This can be easier for some people to absorb the information.   For the most part my reports do not include the daily motion and aspect of the moon.   It is a lot of information and I am concerned about overwhelming readers.   Occasionally there are times when I will include some important moon dates usually if they are contacting a planet who is getting its ass kicked by other planets or if a planet is in a new sign and it we can look at the moon to see if we can glean some information from these first contacts.     In Rick's reports he goes over all the moon aspects and the daily motion.    He also works with aspects that are called minor harmonic (although he does not like to use the word 'minor').   Rick is work horse, creative and dynamic leader in the astrology community and if you have not seen his reports I suggest you give him a whirl.    Here's his July report.  

         

Astrology Landscape: June 30 - July 7

 

 June 30, July 1 

Crescent Moon Phase

 

Focus on: What are you being informed about your strength?  What are you hearing that impacts your pride?  How are getting informed about the power of love?   How are you gathering information that impacts your creativity?   

 

 

 

First Quarter Moon 

July 2, 2025 

12:30pm PDT 

 

 

Focus on:   What actions are you taking that are focused on your relationships?  What action are you taking that brings you more balance?  Where are you acting that could be described as passive aggressive?   Is this the best course of action?   What actions are you taking that are a response to any actions you took on new moon?   What are you negotiating?  

 

  

 

Planetary Notes:

7/4: Venus enters Gemini 

7/4: Venus conjunct Uranus (29 Taurus 52).  Creativity, love, beauty and money get a boost from out of the blue that has practical application.  

7/4: Neptune retrograde (2 Aries 10) (see separate) 

 

 

 

Gibbous Moon

July 6, 2025

3:16pm PDT  

 

 

Gibbous:

We refine our information.  We pick and choose, we discriminate, and we organize to be ‘Virgo’ like.  We sort through details.  Have we missed something?  How are we sifting through the information?  Go back and make sure something hasn’t been neglected.  Refine our actions.   How are we perfecting our goals? 

 

Focus on:

How are you sorting through your opinions?   How do your opinions line up with your daily life?  Are they in sync?   What do you broadcast about ‘who you are’?   Are they in sync?   What is your spiritual practices are they in alignment with your daily actions?   Are you walking your talk? 

 

 

 

Planetary Notes:  

 

7/6: Venus sextile Saturn (1 Aries 53) Love, creativity, beauty, money, glamour get help that is structural.  Responsibility feels good.  

7/6: Venus sextile Neptune (2 Aries 10) Dreamy love and creativity that feels spiritual or divine.  

7/7 : Uranus enters Gemini (see separate) 

7/7: Venus trine Pluto (3 Aquarius 00) Love, beauty, creativity, money get a welcomed overhaul.   Group think helps love grow. 

Saturn & Neptune: Retrograde

 

Neptune & Saturn retrograde 

 

Neptune dates:

 

3/13/25    Neptune in Shadow (29 Pisces 44)

7/04/25    Neptune station retrograde (2 Aries 11)

10/22/25  Neptune re-enters Pisces 

12/10/25  Neptune station direct 

1/26/26    Neptune re-enters Aries 

3/31/26    Neptune exit Shadow (2 Aries 11) 

 

Saturn dates: 

4/6/25      Saturn enters shadow (25 Pisces 09) 

7/12/25    Saturn station retrograde (1 Aries 56) 

9/1/25      Saturn re-enters Pisces 

11/27/26  Saturn stations direct (25 Pisces 09)

2/13/26    Saturn re-enters Aries

3/2/26      Saturn exit shadow (1 Aries 56) 

 

Saturn conjunct Neptune date 

2/20/26   00 Aries 45 

 

Thick as thieves.  That is what Saturn and Neptune have been and will continue to be until early next spring.   

 

Roughly, every 36 years Saturn and Neptune come together (conjunction).   The last time they did it was 1989 (Capricorn) and before that was 1952/53 (Libra).   The conjunction in February will be in Aries.   What gives this conjunction a bit more oomph is that it is taking place at ZERO Aries.    Over the last two thousand years there have only been a handful Saturn/Neptune conjunctions in Aries, and the last time it was at Zero Aries has darn near broken everyone’s calculators trying to figure it out.  I wrote a lot about it and did a shout out to SJ Anderson who was the first astrologer I found to find 4361BC as the last Saturn/Neptune at zero Aries.  Obviously, any time before that would involve the ice age and as much as I like pondering paintings in cave, whatever happened then is not relevant to whatever the hell it means for us now.    The bottom line, Zero Aries starts the zodiacal calendar and is the beginning of the beginning.    We are in a new era. 

 

Do we only focus on 2/20/26?   Nope.  We are in this new landscape now and will continue to be in it even during the retrograde.  Saturn told Neptune, “Let’s jump together.”  These two are jumping off the cliff and taking all of us with them and that’s that.   

 

For more information google:  Saturn conjunct Neptune 2026 and you will find a plethora of articles and videos.   

 

In the meantime, Neptune and Saturn station retrograde in July.    Around July 4 and July 12 when both planets slow down and are just kind of hanging there in the sky, look to the news for events that speak of independence, self-agency, perhaps battles or war (an Aries thing).   And given Neptune is fuzzy and compelled to go places that might not make sense.  Weird ass stories and or new events involving the ocean or seafaring could be pronounced.   

 

While Saturn is compelled to fix the broken, it will also disconnect from wasting time and if something seems unfixable Saturn is very clear about ditching it especially in Aries.  The desire to walk away can be pronounced.   

 

In the fall, both planets return to Pisces for their last visit in the woo-woo, unworldly, mystical, sensitive, humanitarian sign Pisces.  During the return to Pisces, we will remember or find the power of nuance and kindness and our humanitarian nature along with our inner mystic.   Some of this will be put into our psyche and carried forward when both planets go back to get-your-battle-on-Aries in 2026.    Once they return to Aries every diplomat in the worlds’ state departments will be earning their money.   For those of us regular folks just trying to live our lives, we will feel this energy in a personal way dictated by the house in our chart that has Aries.   If you do not know the house, there are a lot of free websites that will draft a natal chart.  Once you get your chart look up the house with Aries and then consider how you are tapping independence and breaking free and finding new horizons.    Does it line up with the house?   This is such a powerful aspect in an extraordinary degree that everyone is probably feeling an urge for a new journey.   No matter the age or background of individuals, the sense of ‘new’ is palpable.  

 

Mercury Shadows & Retrograde --The Shadow Begins

 

At 10:53pm tonight (June 29) Mercury enters its shadow.  It occurred to me that some people might benefit by a visual on the topic of Mercury shadows and retrograde.     Thus, my homemade color diagram above.  

 

First, astrologers know that technically Mercury is not actually going backwards.   It appears to go backwards due to the speed of the planet as viewed from Earth.   Of course, the astrology message of the Mercury retrograde is another story where we know ‘appears’ has its own punch.  

 

When we unpack the movement of Mercury we break it into four sections.    Shadow - Retrograde - Direct - Shadow.    Above you see a blue line for the first shadow (Pre-shadow).    Then red line for retrograde.   Then green for direct that has final shadow (Post-shadow) point at the end. 

 

These colors and points are translated to dates on the calendar.    

In the case of this upcoming retrograde, the dates are:

 

June 29: Mercury shadow (4 Leo14)

July 17: Mercury station retrograde (15 Leo 34)

Aug 11: Mercury station direct (4 Leo14)

Aug 25: Mercury exits shadow (15 Leo34)

 

Mercury retrograde in Leo is about finding the best way to access our self-expression.   In a non-retrograde year, Mercury in Leo expresses itself every day perhaps every hour.   Once Mercury enters the shadow (blue) on June 29 it looks around and says, “I’ll be back.”   This retrograde is between 4 and 15 degrees of Leo.   

The second fire sign, Leo is how we find vitality through boldness.    With Mercury, our thoughts turn to leaders and heroes.   Maybe we long for a heroic act by someone.   We think about fiery leadership.   We are drawn to big, bold, daring, creative and dynamic stories.   Anyone out there in a big way may get our attention. 

 

But during the retrograde (July 17 – August 11) some of those heroic people may hit walls.  It is wise to slow down our thinking and creating.   It is a good time to research.  If we are feeling stale (the enemy of Leo) we benefit when we do not race a quick answer, instead we go inward and maybe try new ways of expression.  Some of it may fall flat but it is okay to try something new in small ways and see what you learn.  This is part of the creative Leo process by being brave at trying something new and willing for it to not work.   Just doing it gets our juices going.    Also if you are a person who is busy being the hero for lots of people and you have a project close to your heart that has not been addressed because you are so busy wearing your cape and rescuing others, this might be a perfect shadow to shadow time, to put the cape in the drawer and go for the tools and skills you need to access your heart driven project.   Afterall, mixing it up is highlighted this Mercury retrograde because Uranus will enter Gemini just before the retrograde.   And god knows Uranus is here to mix it up.    

 

Of course, Leo is theater and drama.   Any big drama in the news, for as organic as it appears may still have a theater component.  Especially during the retrograde. 

 

Falling in love is big with Leo and we could fall in love with a human, or an idea, or a thought, “Damn it, I am moving to Capri.”  We could be hot and bothered and inspired but where we stand with that great idea after the retrograde ends or after the shadow ends is another thing.    Whatever makes it out of this dynamic creative process will probably be battle- tested and have more chance for longevity.     

 

With Mercury in Leo, yes, we want to run out and be heroic with our thinking and our communicating and it might not be wrong. But if you don’t want to burn a whole bunch of bridges then you might THINK before speaking.   Watch every time you say “I”.  In general, it is probably not the best time to wax on with your great thoughts and your great ideas.   Instead go inward.  In that quiet you can make sure your bold ideas really are great and when the retrograde has completed you can bring them out where they will be better received.    Patience in a joyful heart is the winning play.   

The shadow period starts on June 29 and ends on August 25 so given this is a peak period for traveling, it is wise to double check travel arrangement during the mercury retrograde.    

One last note about a Mercury retrograde in Leo, if things feel overwhelming, this is a great period to get lost in movies, streamers and  theater, Leo knows the healing power of entertainment.    

Dan Waites from World Astrology Report : Iran Israel Follow up and Other Stuff

 

Given I like to follow my own astrological advice, I did what I said to do in my recent Cancer report.  I followed my emotions - calm; feelings - curious and mood – gentle.  I embraced them and noted that I had a desire to see what was going on at The World Astrology Report.   This YouTube channel is run by Dan Waites, a mundane astrologer who I find at times interesting.  He does a lot of interviews with astrologers who are not always on my radar and they can go into very nuanced astro topics.     Because my life is moving fast, I can’t watch his videos often, but I felt this morning that I wanted to check out what he had going on.   

 

I saw that he put up a LIVE post which seemed curious since I don't think he does those often and it was focused on the Iran/Israel conflict.  Okay, that is certainly topical.   I decided to watch it and while it does talk about the themes out of Mars/Saturn two- year cycle along with other planets and yes, he does not think skirmishes are not over in that conflict, he also talks about other planetary aspects and themes around the nuclear age that I found compelling.   

He also discussed global conflicts and astrological patterns that were unknown to me including Robert Doolaard's research on planetary cycles which I found – hold for it ---uplifting about our future.    There's a nice word to use this morning.  This is not Pollyanna, we are going to be in some battles, which is no surprise given whenever Uranus is in Gemini, USA is in war, but still if Doolaard’s notes about waxing outer planets continues their pattern, then there is some good news in this landscape.    I’ll take it.   

Astrology For June 26--- June 29

 

Image: WikiHow

New moon: Plant seeds, make calls, activate, start projects.   Activate something that will ideally lead you to more results.  This is the phase where INTENT is critical.  Even if the results are not immediate, the intent is there.  You may not have all the answers or road map, but you should put out your Intent.

 

This focus:    How are you flowing?  What are emotions, feelings and mood telling you?   How do you tap your flows?   What do all of them tell you about your inner landscape?   Where is your cozy?  Where are your pinchers?   When do you need to go into your cave?   How do you dive under the big waves when they crash on you?   How do the flows help you find your gut?  

 

Planetary notes:

 

 

6/26: Mercury sextile Uranus (29 Taurus 28) creative dynamic thinking and conversation. 

6/26: Sun sextile Mars (5 Virgo 13) Actions that are in alignment with emotions and are super practical.   Building something starts with “Hand me the first brick”

6/26: Venus sextile NorthNode (21 Pisces 22) Inspiration and love join up to dissolve walls to our natural values.  

6/26 : Mercury enters Leo 

6/27 : Mercury trine Saturn (1 Aries 44) Structured thinking and communication that supports new journeys or approaches.  

6/28: Mercury trine Neptune (2 Aries 09) Inspired and uplifted thoughts and conversations.  Creativity that inspires a flame. 

Crescent Moon Phase

June 28, 2025

2:50pm PDT 

 

 

Crescent:  We will receive information, we will research a bit more, perhaps get feedback on stuff that we planted on new.  Perhaps get some information that will help down the road on a seed we planted a while ago.  We can collect some data now.  Even if you think you are not getting information, stop, and re-look at everything.  Who called you?  Even the silliest things when they come up during Crescent are noteworthy.  A parking ticket.  An argument with a spouse?  A refund check from the phone company?  No matter how mundane it arrives, consider it as message.  How can this information help you?

 

Focus on: What are you being informed about your strength?  What are you hearing that impacts your pride?  How are getting informed about the power of love?   How are you gathering information that impacts your creativity?   

 

 

 

Planetary notes: 

6/29: Mercury oppose Pluto (3 AQ 10) Thoughts about self-versus thoughts about group.   Group mind that is too group and forgets the individual, can be a problem.  

6/29: Mercury enters shadow (4 Leo 14) (see above)