We’re facing a lot of questions in 2020. The world is transforming faster than we might have imagined, and moving in directions we are probably not thrilled to witness. The first six months of the year began with a generational meeting of Saturn and Pluto, accompanied by eclipses and powerful planetary stations. As we moved through May and June, the powerful aspects continued. Now that we’ve reached the midpoint of the year, we’ll be challenged to deal with energies that may be slightly less intense, but are unlikely to foster a sense of calm.
Security and stability are not part of the picture in 2020. Times of unrest usually offer opportunities for those who can read the direction of change, but this year the dice are rolling and answers seem up in the air. While it’s not impossible to make some progress on your personal goals, a degree of caution is recommended. Then again, exactly what the “safe” choice is may not be clear.
July
Early July’s astrology is seamlessly linked to June’s, and while the calendar page may turn, the overall vibe is unlikely to change significantly. Mercury is retrograde as the month begins (he turns direct on the 12th), adding to confusion and miscommunication.
Saturn’s foray into Aquarius has shown us some of the darker sides of the sign while also highlighting the need for change. Once again, the U.S. is revisiting its history of racial injustice (the riots after the Rodney King verdict in Los Angeles took place the last time Saturn was in Aquarius, and rioting following the Supreme Court decision to force integration of the University of Mississippi took place in 1962, on his prior visit). We’ve also had to deal with control of individuals for the collective good due to Covid-19, and we’ve seen both resistance to reason and overstepping of boundaries.
As Saturn steps back into his home sign of Capricorn on the 1st, we’ll be revisiting changes made to our institutions in the past few years. Or rather, we’ll be spending the time between now and early December (when Saturn re-enters Aquarius) considering the extent to which our institutions are working at all.
We have the third of three eclipses on the 5th, a lunar eclipse in the sign of Capricorn. Obviously, this eclipse falls very close to the birthday (and Sun) of the United States, and the country will probably remain at center stage in the international turmoil. While this eclipse is likely to illuminate tense areas in the collective, pay close attention to the days leading up to it, as both Jupiter and Pluto meet with truth-teller asteroid Pallas Athene. Look for prominent women to be telling it like it is, or at least as they see it.
With retrograde Mercury squaring Mars the day after the eclipse, we can expect that there will be intense rhetoric, perhaps backed up by the use of force. Remember that information is likely to be skewed in some way. With Mercury in Cancer, there could be an urge to “circle the wagons” against perceived threats.
Mercury stations to go direct on the 12th, and remember that the time around stations tends to have the most prominent Mercurial mishaps. Chiron stations to retrograde just a few hours earlier, on the 11th, in the sign of Aries, and there may be a wave of self-doubt around that time.
Self-doubt is unlikely to be a theme from the 14th and 15th, as the Sun opposes Jupiter and Pluto. Egos may be inflated, and power struggles could ensue. Look for this on the collective level, but be aware that the energy will affect us on a personal level as well. Even Chiron gets a little extra zing, as Mars meets with him: wounds may be exposed, but also cleansed, or it could be that Mars just encourages us to buck up and get tough.
The new moon on the 20th is in the sign of Cancer, and closely opposed by Saturn. It’s testing time: we’ve seen what’s going on, we’ve processed as much as we can given the ever-changing kaleidoscope of celestial energy, and now we need to decide where we stand and what we’re going to do.
Two days later, on the 22nd, the Sun enters his home sign of Leo, and a brighter mood prevails. It’s around this time that we may begin to put some plans into action, and although there are some tensions through the end of the month, we should be able to handle them. Mercury is very active, and so we may hope that the action is verbal rather than physical, although you can expect that words will be sharp and uncompromising as the Cosmic Messenger, Pallas Athene, Mars, and Jupiter form tense aspects.
Venus squares Neptune on the 27th. After retrograding through May and June, the Goddess of Love is making progress through the sign of Gemini this month, yet the time around her connection to the Lord of the Seas could return us to uncertainty. Relationships may seem far better or worse than they otherwise might, and this is also a very poor time for any kind of appraisal or assessment in business matters. Hold off on investments or purchasing luxury items.