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Written and Narrated by Pam Younghans
Current and previous weeks astrological overviews
Astrological Overview: July 1-7, 2024
Astrologer Pam Younghans writes this weekly astrological journal based on planetary influences, and offers perspectives and insights to assist you in making the best use of current energies. This column is not intended as prediction. Your own experience will be more specifically defined by transits to your personal chart.
Aspects of Note this Week:
All times listed are Pacific Standard Time. For Eastern Time, add 3 hours; Add 7 hours for Universal Time (UT), but add 8 hours for BST.
Monday: Sun semisquare Uranus
Tuesday: Neptune stations retrograde, Mercury trine Neptune, Mercury enters Leo, Venus trine Saturn
Wednesday: Mercury opposite Pluto
Thursday: Mercury sesquiquadrate Saturn
Friday: Mars sextile Saturn, Venus square Chiron
Saturday: Venus semisquare Jupiter
Sunday: Venus square Eris
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SATURN AND NEPTUNE: As July gets underway, our lives and purposes feel even less defined than usual. We may have more questions than answers at this time. A level of uncertainty could be strong and perhaps accompanied by a sense of disillusionment or even foreboding.
These symptoms are to be expected with Saturn and Neptune both very strong for the first week of the month. The two planets are virtually at a standstill right now, since Saturn stationed retrograde on June 29, and Neptune comes to a standstill on July 2.
The confusion we may feel is due in part to the very different qualities and intentions of the two planets: Saturn is realistic, practical, and focused on "real world" needs, responsibilities, and goals; in contrast, Neptune is idealistic, intuitive, imaginative, and other-worldly, drawing our attention to spiritual or creative aspirations.
As we navigate these contradictory influences, we may feel a lack of energy and motivation. Saturn's influence often feels very heavy and can drain our physical reserves, while Neptune draws us into nonphysical realms and can make our connection with our human bodies less tangible. Saturn keeps us working through the day on fulfilling our obligations, and Neptune keeps us active during the night through dream activity.
We definitely need and will benefit from taking care of our physical bodies and getting extra sleep this week! The Saturn-Neptune combined effect will slowly dissipate starting in the second week of the month, as the planets begin to pick up speed and move beyond the degree of their stations.
CANCER NEW MOON: A new lunar cycle begins when the Sun and Moon align in sensitive Cancer at 3:57 p.m. PDT this Friday, July 5. With the luminaries tightly opposing Ceres in Capricorn, we may experience a challenge to our self-worth at this time, to the extent that we have based our value on outer accomplishments.
This New Moon calls us to strengthen our capacity for self-love while also allowing ourselves to be supported by others. Thankfully, the Sun and Moon are also in harmonious trine aspect to Saturn in Pisces at the time of the lunation. This aspect increases emotional stability, helping us be more objective about our feelings, while also encouraging us to find practical ways to increase our sense of inner security.
JULY HIGHLIGHTS: The cosmos has some major events planned for July! The peak of the action comes during the third week of the month, when several planetary events coincide. Here are some important dates and what we might anticipate, keeping in mind that the universe seems to like to surprise us:
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July 12: A possessive Venus-Pluto opposition could correspond with changes in the areas of relationships, finances, and values. Secrets and manipulations are exposed, triggering dramatic reactions and requiring new levels of transparency with self and others.
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July 15: Today is the headline event of July 2024, the alignment between courageous Mars and radical Uranus in Taurus. This combination is stubborn, impulsive, and potentially explosive. At the time of their conjunction, the planets are also activating the fixed star Algol, known for its transformational but perhaps volatile influence.
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July 20: Mars enters Gemini, easing some of the tension of the Mars-Uranus conjunction in Taurus and giving us a variety of new options to choose from.
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July 21-22: Emotions run high with several aspects becoming exact on these two days. On July 21, there is a powerful Full Moon in Capricorn conjunct revelatory Pluto in early Aquarius; a nervous, erratic, but also innovative Mercury-Uranus square; a spiritually and emotionally expansive Sun-Neptune trine; and a purposeful and dynamic Mars-Pluto trine. On July 22, the Sun enters Leo and is exactly opposite powerful Pluto, continuing the theme of deep transformation.
- July 26: Chiron, the Wounded Healer, stations retrograde in Aries. While Chiron is strong, we often deal with fears and insecurities, which may be masked behind anger and reactivity. As always with Chiron, we benefit from going within to nurture and support the inner child aspect of our being.
I'll explain more about each of these events in this weekly Journal, as they appear on the calendar for the upcoming week, so stay tuned. And while this month looks like it could be pretty intense, please know that the changes that will occur are ultimately designed to move us forward, both collectively and individually.
THIS WEEK'S ASPECTS: Here are my brief interpretations of this week's most important planetary aspects, day by day:
Monday
Sun semisquare Uranus: Nervous energy is heightened, perhaps as we sense the changes that are underway but not fully manifested.
Tuesday
Neptune stations retrograde: Neptune comes to a standstill in the very last degree of Pisces, only five arc minutes away from Aries (29°55' Pisces). Circumstances require that we strengthen our ability to trust, have faith, and release attachment to what has been.
Mercury trine Neptune: We are especially open to insights and higher guidance today.
Mercury enters Leo: While Mercury transits Leo, from July 2 to 25, the need to express ourselves creatively is enhanced. People can be more dramatic in their speech, with the volume turned up to draw attention. While we can feel more confident in our mental capacities, we will need to watch a tendency to be too fixed in our ideas and inflexible in our thinking.
Venus trine Saturn: Relationship and financial matters benefit from this aspect, increasing a sense of stability and our level of trust that all is well.
Wednesday
Mercury opposite Pluto: Opinions are highly polarized and divisive now. On a personal level, we will want to watch how we communicate, since we can speak impulsively without realizing the impact of our words and also our tone of voice.
Thursday
Mercury sesquiquadrate Saturn: Communications and plans meet with obstacles, requiring patience and a conscious effort to keep a positive perspective.
Friday
Mars sextile Saturn: Courage and strength are our allies now. We are able to apply energy and discipline in equal measure, helping us make progress.
New Moon: The new lunar cycle begins when the Sun and Moon align at 14°23' Cancer at 3:57 p.m. PDT.
Venus square Chiron: Some may be especially vulnerable and thus be moody today. Another's actions can irritate old wounds, resulting in hurt feelings and anger.
Saturday
Venus semisquare Jupiter: This aspect can be somewhat indulgent. Be aware of ways in which we try to meet emotional needs with food or other externals that we equate with "love."
Sunday
Venus square Eris: Quarrels are possible today, especially if hurt feelings that arose earlier in the week have not been attended to.
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IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS THIS WEEK (July 1-7):
Improving your self-esteem is a worthwhile goal for this year, especially if you have tended to base your value on what you have achieved in the outer world or on how well you nurture others. You are learning to love and value yourself for who you are, not for what you do. You have good discipline to apply to any personal self-growth activities, and should see slow but steady progress in your level of self-respect. This is possible in part because you are able to hold better boundaries than in the past, so that you do not take on the needs or emotions of others. (Solar Return Sun trine Saturn, opposite Ceres)
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TRANSLATION and AUDIO/VIDEO VERSION: This weekly Journal is recorded (in English) AND the text is transcribed into 30 languages! You'll see a row of flags under "Available Languages" in the upper right. And, there are options to listen to the audio (in English) or watch a video directly beneath the photo (see top of page).
The Journal entry is usually updated by Sunday evening, with the recordings appearing late Sunday or by Monday depending on your time zone. Please share this information with those who might benefit.
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CLASSES AND WEBINARS by Pam Younghans:
DAILY INSTAGRAM POSTS: Please check out my daily astrological updates ~ including lunar aspects that aren't included in this weekly Journal ~ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamyounghans/
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For previous weeks of the Astrological Journal, click here.
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About the Author
Pam Younghans is a professional astrologer, editor, and writer. She lives in a log home northeast of Seattle, Washington with her beloved animal companions. She has been interpreting charts professionally for over 25 years. If you are interested in an astrology reading, e-mail
For more information about NorthPoint Astrology offerings, please visit NorthPointAstrology.com or visit her Facebook page.
