Mercury Retrograde July 17 - August 11

 

Mercury in a museum.  Somewhere.  

Mercury Retrograde 

6/29: Mercury shadow (4 Leo14)

7/17: Mercury station retrograde (15 Leo 34)

8/11: Mercury station direct (4 Leo14)

8/25: Mercury exits shadow (15 Leo34)

 

 

At the end of June, I put up a post on Mercury retrograde.    

 

So far since the lunar month began, we had the new moon, Uranus enter Gemini, Neptune then Saturn retrograde, a very strong Capricorn full moon and now we have Mercury retrograde.   Must everything happen at once?  Sigh.   

 

I like the idea of Leo Mercury because I am good to watch some theater.   But with a Mercury retrograde in Leo theater is everywhere.  Within our family, and with friends, and on the sidewalk, in front of the post office, and in the parking lot at the market and drivers on every road in the world.  It’s all theater.     

 

Try to mind your heart and your creativity during this three-week period.   Sometimes we need false starts and bumps to make it all better.    

Read my earlier post

HERE.

 

Astrology for July 14 - July 20

 

Disseminating and Last Quarter Moon phase 

Early on the morning of Monday July 14 we move out of the full phase and into disseminating.    The thrills and spills of full are over and now in this phase we go inward.  We Reflect on what has transpired this lunar month.  What have you learned?   How can you share some of your knowledge?  What past experiences are you sharing?  Are you in the need to teach?  Or is it find a teacher?   Maybe we find a rabbi or a minister or therapist who gives us more insight.   

 

 

Focus on:   How are you sharing the power of faith?  How are you reaching out to people who can offer spiritual guidance?  Where are your prayers?  What are you sharing that lines up with your intuition?    

 

In the Last Quarter lunar phase, Mercury stations retrograde.  So, there is that going on for three weeks.   We have been in Mercury shadow since June 29 and will likely revisit themes that have rolled out since the shadow started.   Breathe. 

 

 

 

Last Quarter Moon Phase

July 17, 2025

5:37 pm PDT 

   

 

Last Quarter moon:  Now we do the final adjustments to the seeds we planted on new. The final call, the final letters to send, we follow all the trails that came up that still make sense.  And we let the other parts lay fallow. It is a time of action but wise action.  It is a time for living “The serenity prayer” 

 

God, grant me the Serenity
to accept the things
I cannot change Courage to change the
things I can, and the
Wisdom to know the difference.

 

 

 

Focus on:

What final actions are you taking from anything you started on new moon that lean into self-agency?   How are you finding independence?   Does it start with an independent feeling?   Look back three weeks ago to the Cancer New moon on June 25th, what has transpired since then that now thinking about it, you may have benefited by a new reaction?  How about a new level of independence?   

 

 

Planetary Notes: 

 

7/17: Mercury station retrograde (15 Leo 34) (see separate post)

7/18: Venus sextile Mercury (15 Leo 34) Creative thoughts support love, money and things that we value.   

7/19: Sun square Chiron. Immature feelings could challenge independence and self-agency.  

7/20: Mars opposition North Node (19 Pisces 38) How do we find actions when things feel so unworldly.   Look at your calendar is it in sync with where you want to go? 

Chris Brennan - Uranus in Gemini and the United States

 

I want to encourage folks to watch a new video by Chris Brennan at The Astrology Podcast.   Chris has shown a commitment on the topic of Uranus that is welcomed by many at this important time given Uranus is in Gemini in chart of the USA.     The fight for Independence in 1776 speaks to Uranus as does the bifurcation of the Civil War during its next pass in Gemini.   Chris goes deep into the history of the USA during Uranus in Gemini transits and includes in particular the work of Luke Duncan Broughton an astrologer from the mid 19^th century who wrote an astrological almanac in real time during that transit of Uranus (1860-1867) in Gemini.    I had not heard of Broughton and appreciated his take very much.   As a British born astrologer who transplanted to the US his real time astro writings during the Civil War are rich in nuances that sometimes get neglected by historians.    For the next round of Uranus in Gemini Chris reads from a book by Evangeline Adams a prominent astrologer in the early 20^th century who discussed Uranus in Gemini and the expectation of a USA at War in the 1940s.   She died 8 years before Pearl Harbor which launched the US into WW2 in 1941.    I remember my mother used to discuss her mother’s appreciation of Evangeline Adams work.      

Anyway, Chris provides an excellent background on Uranus in Gemini and changes and transformations to the United States during the transit and consequently the world.    I recommend everyone give it a watch.    

Astrologer Luke Broughton's astrological journal.  

Capricorn Full Moon - July 10, 2025. 1:36pm PDT

 

Photo:  StockCake - Goat on Moon 

July 10, 2025

Full Moon – Capricorn 

1:36pm PDT 

18 Cap 50 

 

 

Full moons tend to be emotionally loaded, and the Capricorn full moon only exists because the Sun is in Cancer, which as I discussed on the new moon is all about feelings, emotions and moods.    So, we feel juiced up on Capricorn full moon but and this is a big but, Capricorn is not cool with just letting our feelings, moods and emotions spill all over the place.   Nope.  Capricorn leans into pragmaticism, maturity and responsibility.   Capricorn is all about success and reaching goals.    The Capricorn full moon is a once-a-year, three-day phase where we find our inner dad, inner CEO, inner bureaucrat and we do what it takes to address any issue.   What is the issue?   Whatever needs fixing under our emotions, feelings and mood.  

 

Saturn (and its connection to Capricorn) is highlighted this full moon and is luckily in a harmonious aspect with Neptune our inner mystic. Typically, a Cap full moon would be like a stark black and white photograph where we know the exact details in the shot.    But this full moon is colored by fuzzy Neptune which means we might not see everything in a sharpness and instead it is more like a watercolor painting.   Soft and muted but still we see the landscape.    Saturn in Aries colors this full moon on the importance of practical independence.   How can we have more freedom?  How can we carve a new way?  How are we being influenced by our intuition?    What does a breakout and self-agency have to do with our feelings, emotions and moods? 

 

Uranus having just arrived in Gemini is also in harmony with Saturn urging us to mix it up.   We may feel encouraged that now is the time to try something different.   Saturn is the planet of timing and Uranus is the planet of change and revolution.   What changes are calling you on this full moon that feel revolutionary?   Where do you need your breakout?   Additionally, Uranus and Venus continue to be in sync adding a layer of creativity and support of values.    Nice.  

 

And of course, Saturn and Pluto are in sextile.   This full moon encourages us to ditch what is not working.   It can be liberating more than scary.   We seek the fresh that comes with new. 

 

While the moon is still full, Saturn stations retrograde on July 12.   The whole three-day phase of the full moon will probably be a study on timing.   What do we look like when we pull back for a second and not rush?   What do we glean when we look at the whole scene?   How does our inner boss benefit when we take out the emotions and get pragmatic about the different parts of our life?  We wake up, we do our day and then we go to bed.   Is there anything in there that is broken?  Tap your inner CEO for insights.    

 

One other note, while Saturn is THE player in this full moon and it is the planet that likes to take care of business, it can also be pessimistic.  If you find yourself going into thoughts of “Why bother?”  “It is all effed up” “What’s the point?”  --that is a signal you gotta take care of self.  So, go into the Cancer sun and find your cozy.  Eat a meal.   Watch an old favorite movie.   Find an old memory that brings out joy.    Get through the negative and then find your practical side again.    Here's a little judgy insight; no matter how much you may tell yourself that being cynical is practical, it is not.   Cynical is a protective device and a sign that you need to nourish self.   It’s easy to be cynical and easy to be Pollyanna.  Neither get anything done which is not practical and therefore not Capricorn’s jam.   

 

In short, this can be a very productive full moon.  Find the joy in thinking about areas of new independence and consider new ways to get freedom and new journeys.  Capricorn and Saturn want to help.   

The last time we had a Capricorn full moon at 18 degrees was July 11, 2006.   Anything come up now that reminds you of then?   Here's the timeline for the world back then.   Kind of interesting.  

Astrology for July 8 - 12

 

The moon continues its Gibbous phase as we wax towards the Capricorn full moon which lands on July 10^th. .   I will post the full moon report in a couple days but it is the full moon tied to Saturn which is super slow and turns retrograde on the 12^th.   That’s a lot of Saturn this week.  

 

We are all of course watching Uranus which entered Gemini on Monday.    Can you feel the AI running through your veins?   Does your hair smell like ChatGBT?   We are heading somewhere.    This is us moving.   Here.  We. Go.  

 

 

 

Gibbous Moon

Began July 6, 2025 

 

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? 

 

 

 

July 10, 2025

Full Moon – Capricorn 

1:36pm PDT 

18 Cap 50 

 

(Separate Post To Come)

 

Planetary Notes:  

 

7/11: Sun trine North Node (19 Pisces 57) Family, feelings, emotions and moods that elevate are pronounced.   

7/12: Saturn station retrograde (1 Aries 56) (see separate post)  

 

 

Uranus in Gemini -- Enter The Weird

 

Yesterday I was at a potluck dinner, a casual event celebrating a friend and his family’s big move to another state.   The hostess and I were futzing in the kitchen talking about world events and she turned to me, “Hey, astrologer, when is all of this going to settle down?   

I wiped my hands on the towel and said, “Well, tomorrow it is all going to start getting weird.”   She yelled, “Weird!  Haven’t we been already doing that?”  I said, “Not this way.”    She said, “Oh, for gawdsakes how long?”   I said, “Seven years.”    My friend put her arms in the air, “Seven years!”   I nodded.  “How weird?”    I said, “We should prepare for anything.   I hope we don’t have a war.  There are some extraordinary aspects that we have not had in five thousand years so honestly, we don’t have a lot of reference points.   But we know we will also have some huge technological advances.   And yeah, maybe a UFO or two.”  

To which my friend said, “Girrlllll I knew you were going to say that.  A UFO would be weird.”    I nodded, “Prepare for anything, we’ll probably see some of the weirdness early.”   And with that, I served my chicken tenders. Cuz life goes on.   

Anyway, I posted last month about Uranus transiting Gemini.  

We’ll be talking about Uranus a lot on this blog especially this year and next year as we get familiar with its new patterns in Gemini.  

Uranus enters Gemini  July 7, 2025  - 12:45am PDT  

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 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.  

UPDATE:  Here is a link to donations for these victims.

 

 

Sigh.