July and Andre Barbault
Back in January I wrote that 2026 would be a year for the ages. I was not the only astrologer going long on the planetary placements and aspects. I remember Austin Coppock describing 2026 to Chris Brennan as "a year punching above its weight."
I would agree.
As astrologers have assessed the year, there has been a consistent expectation that July would deliver much of that punch because of an extraordinarily rare alignment among the outer planets.
The astrologer most associated with researching these long-term planetary cycles is the French astrologer, André Barbault.
A few years ago, maybe around 2022, I was futzing around looking at future Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto aspects and thought to myself, "Huh...those planets are eventually going to form a web of trines and sextiles. Interesting."
About a year later I stumbled across André Barbault and learned about his work. What really got my attention was that he had written decades ago about a major global crisis and pandemic centered around 2020. Well...That certainly made me pay attention.
Since then, I've seen more and more astrologers discussing Barbault's work on the outer planet configurations of the mid- and late-2020s. It was SJ Anderson whom I first heard use the phrase "the Barbault Basket."
The "basket" refers to a brief period when the four slower-moving outer planets cluster around the early degrees of Aquarius, Aries, and Gemini while Jupiter, although much faster, also arrives at 4° Leo.
This particular pattern forms roughly July 18 through July 21.
Of course everyone wants to know...
What does it mean?
I'd like to answer that in the biggest font possible:
Who knows?
What we do know is that this configuration is exceptional and rare. We just don't see Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Saturn weaving together a network of trines and sextiles while Jupiter completes the pattern with an opposition. It is kind of a thing.
I have not yet read Barbault's complete work in translation, so take this as a summary rather than a scholarly review. My understanding is that he viewed the early 2020s as the period when everything breaks at once. The middle of the decade, however, is when we stop reacting and begin choosing. Of course, choosing what you want doesn't guarantee wise choices.
It simply suggests that we enter a period where new structures become possible.
Is it happy days are here again? Nope, because there is tremendous risk if we try to use new power in the same old ways. At the same time, there is an opportunity to build something more honest because hiding becomes difficult.
To which I say... Yeah. That tracks.
The outer planets working together in air and fire signs suggest people become less interested in performative behavior. Hypocrisy becomes harder to hide. Old systems are challenged. New ideas circulate rapidly.
Some of that will undoubtedly be uncomfortable. Some of it will be exciting. And somewhere in all of that...there will be possibilities that are inspiring.
Also, this basket isn't a one-and-done event. During the summer of 2027 we get an echo of the pattern. Then we will have Jupiter moved on and instead, Ceres becomes the trigger.
By 2028 some of the final aspects continue the story, but Saturn has moved into Taurus where it begins pressuring Pluto from a different angle. The emphasis shifts from possibility to implementation. If something isn't working on the ground, it probably won't survive.
We'll worry about 2028 after we get through 2027...and first, after we get through the summer of 2026.
There are plenty of astrologers talking about July, André Barbault, and this extraordinary planetary pattern. I could send you a dozen links, but instead I'm sharing one video that I thought did an especially thoughtful job explaining the configuration.
I am not sure I have listened to Kathy Biehl before, but after watching her presentation I came away impressed. Then I read her bio and discovered she was a former attorney before becoming a professional astrologer. I thought... "Well, that's an interesting combination."
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