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Hello, everyone.

Welcome to the Astro4Business Monthly Forecast for July, 2011.  What are the planetary influences this month and how can we work with them?

  • We’ll start with the most long-range and overarching influences, the planets Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus, which you will notice do not travel far from month to month but stay in the same sector of the sky for many years.  These form the backdrop to our personal lives, affecting matters on a global stage.
  • Then we will look at the mid-range influences, Jupiter and Saturn, which stay in the same sign for 1 – 2.5 years.  These planets represent our interactions with our societal environment, its rules, regulations, belief systems, and benefits.
  • We’ll look at the personal planets, Mars, Venus, Mercury, and the Sun which stay in their respective signs for much shorter periods and primarily influence our day-to-day lives.
  • And last we’ll look at the sign and dates for the New and Full Moon, as these mark the waxing and waning cycles in our daily activities.

Pluto in Capricorn

We’ve spoken at length about Pluto in Capricorn, where it will remain until 2024.  In a nutshell, this long transit will bring upheaval and transformation to the structures of our world:  government, organized religion, the economy, industry, and the military, to name a few.  This transit carries the energy of revolution and evolution and can be dramatic and at times overwhelming.  Pluto exposes what is hidden, leaving no stone unturned.

Pluto hastens and intensifies the processes of endings and new beginnings, and while Pluto is in Capricorn we will systematically bring about the end of business pursuits that are no longer suited to our growth and personal evolution.  Whatever has been slowly leaking vitality will depart, including old business models, practices, and products.

Pluto has been in retrograde motion since April.  If you’ve been working with an old problem you thought you had resolved, excavate any lingering issues and put them finally to rest.

To read more about Pluto in Capricorn and its impact on your chart this year, see Pluto’s Journey through 2011.

Neptune in Pisces

Neptune begins and ends the month at home in Pisces.  Neptune in Pisces begins a shift from the intellectual associations and words-based networking that were common for the last thirteen years when Neptune was in Aquarius, to connections based on feelings and shared beliefs.

Neptune turned retrograde on June 3, it annual retreat back through the heavens until next November.   When the distant planet Neptune turns retrograde, we are likely to see its effects in society.  Retrograde motion is a time of revisiting what has happened in the past, this time back to February 2011.  Look for reversals or reexaminations of decisions regarding health care, oil drilling (Neptune rules oil and liquids of all kinds), the creative arts, drugs legislation, and shipping, to name a few areas.  If your business is involved in any of these industries, be prepared for lack of clarity until November.

To read more about Neptune in Pisces and its impact on your chart this year, see Neptune Swimming through 2011.

Uranus in Aries

Uranus left the sign Pisces and entered Aries in March beginning a new 84-year cycle of scientific and political innovation.  Uranus embodies the principle of change, especially the kind of transitions that occur because of sudden breakthroughs and technological inventions.  Society is constantly moving forward and when the time comes when the traditional is just too safe and stale, the energy of Uranus bursts through the barriers and ushers in the new.

What does this mean for us in business?  We will probably feel compelled to take risks we would not even have considered in the past.  We may feel confined by the people around us or the structures we’ve implemented.  We may seek opportunities to bring scientific or technical discoveries into our products and services.  We may approach everyday challenges as battles to be fought and won.  We want out of our shell, even if we created it.

On July 9, Uranus enters its annual period of retrograde motion, which will last until December.  With Uranus retrograde, there could be a disruption of the innovative energy of the last few months.  You may begin to feel ambivalent or dissatisfied with your new ideas and initiatives.

This feeling of dissatisfaction is common in the first few weeks of a retrograde cycle.  This is not to say that you should abandon your new projects.  The retrograde part of the cycle is the perfect time to develop and test ideas and reevaluate your tactics and approach.  Use this time to discern which of your ideas have lasting value and which have limited potential.  Ideally, you will see yourself as an explorer in unknown territory, as Erin Sullivan says in her excellent book, Retrograde Planets. This is the time to test your new strategy before you invest too heavily.

To read more about Uranus in Aries and its impact on your chart this year, see Uranus Flashes through 2011.

Saturn in Libra

Saturn in Libra is the antithesis of Uranus in Aries.  It counsels patience, persistence, responsibility, and humility in relationships, which leads to cooperation and mutual support.  This planet of structure and discipline provides much-needed grounding and circumspection to hot and erratic Uranus in Aries.

You may feel torn between the tried and true (Saturn) and the desire for breakthrough (Uranus).  Strive for balance, bringing the best of the old along with you into new territory.

Saturn resumed direct motion on June 12.  Don’t be surprised if you have the sense you’re repeating the past in your business or career; until the end of September, Saturn will be covering the same degrees for the third time.  Remember, the third time’s the charm!

Jupiter in Taurus

On June 4, Jupiter entered the earthy sign Taurus.  Jupiter, the planet of expansion, in Taurus, the sign of physical, tangible objects, spells material abundance.  Sounds good, doesn’t it?  Taurus represents the natural fecundity of the earth:  trees beginning to fruit, cows full with milk, greening pastures.  In nature, Taurus is the time when the initial spark of spring settles into solid growth.

With Jupiter in Taurus, it’s time for us to turn our attention to practical matters.  We can codify our expansion plans and build systems that will insure lasting success.  It’s a time for slow, steady growth and long-term investment.  Think, “Built to Last.”

Mars in Gemini

When Mars moved into Gemini on June 20, we may have started spinning our wheels.  Perhaps we have too many projects vying for our attention, or too many interests pulling us in different directions.  The best use of this energy?  Learning and teaching, intellectual exploring, gathering new information, and training. This energy is also excellent for creating new distribution channels for goods and services, both transportation-based and the virtual kind.

Venus in Gemini/Cancer/Leo

We start the month with Venus in Gemini, but on the 3rd she transitions into Cancer.  When Venus is in Gemini, we are extroverted, chatty, and love nothing more than to sprinkle our attention across many projects and many people.  With Venus in Cancer we relate more empathically, expressing more nurturing and understanding.   Relationships with customers, partners, and employees may feel more maternal than professional yet fortune lies in our ability to treat people like our own family at this time.  This is a great time for company barbeques and celebrations.

On June 28, Venus moves into Leo.  This begins a few weeks of fun.  Venus indicates what makes people happy, creative, and productive and Leo loves showmanship, competition, games, and sports.  To build camaraderie, try a company softball game or online video tournament.  Company culture is a key component of success.  Venus in Leo is a great time to build a collaborative culture through fun and games, showcasing individual talent.

Mercury in Cancer/Leo/Virgo

Mercury begins the month in Cancer but moves into Leo on the 2nd.  When Mercury enters Leo, conversations and communications become showy and dramatic.  Sales presentations should include a bit of flash and a bit of fun.  Just warn your sales team not to come off as cocky or overconfident, which is sure to turn people off.  Make sure your customer remains the center of attention at this time.

Mercury in Virgo at the end of the month is great for writing, documentation, and detailed project plans.  Also great for getting that bookkeeping caught up!

Sun in Cancer/Leo

While the Sun is in Cancer until the 22nd, make extra time for your employees and customers.  Make sure you understand what they need and nurture these relationships sensitively.

When the Sun moves into Leo, step into the limelight.  As the leader of your team, this is the time of year par excellence to set direction and reinforce your authority.  You may become hypersensitive to issues of loyalty, recognizing who is really on your team, and who is just passing through.  Of course, loyalty is a two way street, usually only given when it is received in kind.

Phases of the Moon

There was a New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse in Cancer on July 1(MDT), waxing to Full in Capricorn on July 15.  There is another New Moon on July 30 in Leo.  Look for a new start early in the month in whichever house in your chart contains 9 degrees Cancer, then again at the end of the month in whichever house contains 7 degrees Leo.  (If you need a copy of your chart, see the box in the sidebar to request one free.)

Monthly Recap

There is some tension building in the skies this month, as Uranus in Aries comes within two degrees of a square to Pluto in Capricorn.  Jupiter arbitrates the dispute until the 19th, linking Uranus and Pluto together with wise counsel and benevolence.  But after the 19th, all the gloves are off and we may sidle up to a conflict between big systems and the desire for independence.  I say “sidle up” because this aspect does not become exact until next summer when we can expect a real revolution.  This summer we’ll feel the stirrings of future change.

Here’s a treat:

Are you in astrological overwhelm?  Check out this link on my other blog for 5 simple ways to get your feet wet in astrology without drowning. Astrology is so Vast; Where Do I Start?

Have a great month and let me know how it all plays out!

Key Dates for the Month

July 1               New Moon; Partial Solar Eclipse

July 2               Mercury enters Leo

July 3               Venus enters Cancer

July 9               Uranus assumes retrograde motion

July 15             Full Moon in Capricorn

July 22             Sun enters Leo

July 28             Mercury enters Virgo; Venus enters Leo

July 30             New Moon in Leo

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For an overview of the year, check out these posts:

Pluto’s Journey through 2011

Neptune Swimming through 2011

Uranus Flashes through 2011

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