Forecast by Armand Diaz
With eclipse season behind us, major planetary aspects taking a break, and even Mercury retrograde over for the moment, we might wonder if the summer of 2022 will offer us some calm. The answer is a definite ‘maybe’. We may not find much in the way of new issues on the horizon, it’s true. Yet so-called ‘minor’ aspects often act as triggers to the major aspects that have already taken place, especially when those minor aspects are hot ones – as they are in July and into August.
Hazy Neptune dominated the second half of June, and will continue to fog out the first part of July as he eases into his long retrograde period that began on June 28th. A tense aspect from Mercury on July 2nd could get some folks to bend the truth, if not outright lie. Then, on the 14th, Venus steps in to square the god of the seas, and we could get crossed wires in relationships, but also in financial matters. The days around these two aspects are not good for making practical decisions, and are especially poor for appraisals and other types of assessments.
After mid-month, on the 17th, the Sun and Mercury will ease out their differences with soft trines to Neptune. While not necessarily the most realistic vibe, this is a time to find creative solutions to issues that have been mired over the past month.
Neptune isn’t the only player in the cosmic drama in the first half of July. Mars starts things off with a bang as he squares Pluto on the 1st, from his home sign of Aries. This is a volatile and potentially violent aspect, perhaps all the more so as Mercury/Neptune impedes judgment. It could be a time to lay low, and only pick a fight if you’re sure you want to go through with it to the end. However, it’s also a very good time to get things done, as Mars provides a strong dose of focused energy.
Mars then moves into Taurus on the 5th. In Venus’ home sign, the Cosmic Warrior takes on a more sensual and overtly sexual attitude. As he’ll be sextile Mercury as he enters the sign, it’s a good time to let others know how you feel.
The second week in July is a busy one, with hot aspects somewhat constrained by the conservative Cancer/Capricorn axis. Mercury squares Jupiter on the 8th, an aspect that could get some of us to say too much, but it should at least keep things moving. A Sun/Uranus sextile a day later suggests that we can find novel ways to address issues. Venus trines Saturn on the 13th, the day of the Capricorn Full Moon, asking us to be realistic and practical. Yet as soon as she departs Saturn, Venus goes on to square Neptune, potentially throwing caution to the wind.
The balance between tension and caution continues as Venus enters traditional Cancer on the 17th. In the sign of the crab, Venus is careful about relationships and financial decisions, and wants to stick closer to home. Socializing might be about backyard barbecues and family vacations (or stay-cations).
As Mercury and the Sun oppose Pluto on the 17th through the 19th, there’s a tendency to tell it like it is – or at least how you see it. Power struggles could be part of the dynamic around this time, and we might question who’s really in control: those with the title or those who hold the money.
On July 22nd, the Sun enters his home sign of Leo, ready for some summer fun.
A little conflict could emerge around the 25th, as Venus squares Jupiter and we have to decide between going out to play and staying closer to home. Still, Venus and Jupiter are BFFs, so resolution will probably be easy to find.
A solar trine to Jupiter in Aries on the 31st should be especially helpful, particularly as Jupiter stations to retrograde on the 28th and so is very powerful. Jupiter stations provide an optimistic, if somewhat inflated, vibe. The new moon is also on the 28th, and although this is usually a more quiet time, we may feel that things get moving rather quickly this time around.
Mercury is again busy as the month ends, with a trine to Jupiter on the 23rd, a square to Mars on the 26th, then to Uranus on the 28th, followed by an opposition to Saturn on the 31st. We could find that enthusiasm and even aggression run high during this period, as we seek to make changes and explain ourselves. Yet Saturn gets the last word, sorting the genuinely good ideas from pipe dreams, and calling folks to task for misspeaking. Still, Saturn in Aquarius is okay with change and innovation, as long as it’s on a solid foundation.