“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy…” —George Gershwin

It’s languid, luxurious July. Northern hemisphere days are long and hot. Mother Earth is lush with vegetation.

Cancer’s Time

The first three weeks of July are Cancer’s time. The silvery moon rules this sign. Her symbol is the crab whose outer shell hides a soft underside. And likewise, the area of your chart where Cancer lives is an area where you crave emotional security and feel at least a little vulnerable.

Cancer’s desire to turn inward is emphasized when Mercury turns retrograde on the 7th and remains that way until the 31st. Use the time to listen to your feelings and release emotional patterns that outlived their usefulness.

Eclipse Season

Then, just in time for the Fourth of July celebration, the Universe regales us with a total solar eclipse. But to see this one you’ll have to be in Argentina or Chile.

The July eclipses (solar on the 2nd, lunar on the 16th at 10° Cancer and 24° Cancer/Capricorn respectively) oppose the Saturn/Pluto combo that dominate the skies into next year. What to expect? Look for echoes of events surrounding last year’s July 13th solar eclipse—the upcoming eclipses activate the same area of sky. Questions about who calls the shots come to the fore and carefully kept secrets come out of the woodwork.

The eclipses bring an opportunity for deep healing to those whose charts they touch.

Obligations at home and unreasonable bosses are a push-pull. But while some bosses truly are unreasonable, keep in mind that Saturn, opposed by these eclipses, rewards those who take responsibility for their actions.

Take in a good movie or go down the shore to blow off steam and ease tension. Better yet, redirect frustration by finding a purpose to inspire you.

Sun Moves into Leo

Intensity eases when the Sun moves into its own sign Leo on the 22nd. Reconnect with your inner-child. The Universe smiles brightly on the 25th when Mars trines Jupiter. Play is just the thing to release your creative energy. The vibe is upbeat—it seems that there is nothing you can’t accomplish.

Schedule in a free day on the 26th when Sun squares Uranus and you’re itching for a break in the routine. You’ll come back refreshed, ready to pick up where you left off when Mercury pauses to resume its direct motion on the 31st at the heels of the Leo new moon.