July 2021: Vantage Point
I’m trying something new this month. I’m sitting with my list of transits for July: part study and part meditation. Not really a forecast or horoscopes - perhaps that will come later.
Witnessed and Witnessing
July 2021, astrologically speaking, can be summed up in one word: Opposition. A difficult aspect by definition, but certainly common. We see one every full moon, after all. It is also an aspect that is quite loud in my natal chart and one I find myself thinking about often. July starts with Mars in Leo opposing Saturn in Aquarius, and soon after Venus in Leo repeating that aspect, and later still the Sun and Mercury will enter the fiery home of the lion. Meanwhile Jupiter and Saturn seem to hang in the tension: both retrograde and Jupiter will be joining Saturn in Aquarius again towards the end of the month.
Planets in opposition are being fully witnessed.
I think of opposition as being at odds. Planets in opposition are in full view of each other - they are not in a position to be secretive or tricky. They are being fully witnessed, and they are fully witnessing in turn. Exposed and exposing. But, I have found that there is also an undercurrent of accountability and expectation that an opposition brings. Part of the “difficulty” of the opposition sits in that feeling of being watched as you are expected to do your work.
Feelings of Opposition
There are, of course, other aspects happening in July - and even other oppositions between different planets. But, I’m going to dwell on the oppositions to Saturn for now. I’m Saturnian at heart, after all.
This Mars opposing Saturn feels like watching things crumble or burn up. Not (necessarily) out of malice or mindless destruction. All things come to an end, and Mars and Saturn know that best of all. Sometimes it is not enough to simply let something be once it has hit its boundaries. Sometimes you have to clear the field. Tear it down and start again. What’s the point building on a shitty foundation?
This Venus opposing Saturn feels like social burn out. Yes, socializing and celebration and joy are fun, but fun cannot sustain you forever. Venus pushes us towards what we want while Saturn reminds us of what we need. Sometimes those will line up well, but not always. Venus wants us to say YES to every invitation, offer, and interaction. Saturn makes us wonder how long we can keep that up.
This Sun and Mercury opposing Saturn feels like the trying to make space and take up space at the same time. A difficult task to be certain. I think the question here is so simple, but uncomfortable: where are you focusing and shining all your attention so that you don’t have to acknowledge it? You know it - the thing you are worried about and avoiding. Hoping that if you just don’t look over there, or think about it too much, it might go away. It feels very “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain” if you ask me.
Next Steps
Like I said, this post isn’t exactly a horoscope or an in-depth look at what’s what with July’s astrology - just a tiny bit of pondering. But, if you’d like to join me in exploring these oppositions: take a look at your chart and find the houses where Leo and Aquarius are - they will be across from each other.
Those houses - and the areas of your life that they occupy - will be the places of tension for these oppositions. If you’re familiar already, go ahead and start piecing the puzzle together! If houses are new to you, here’s an example:
In this example (just the chart for noon in my location on July 1st), Leo is on the cusp of the 12th and Aquarius is on the cusp of the 6th. Here’s a few (not inherently conventional) key words for each pair:
1st - The Self & 7th - The Other
2nd - Resources & 8th - Redistribution
3rd - The Local & 9th - The Foreign
4th - Private & 10th - Public
5th - Pleasure & 11th - Communities
6th - Limitations & 12th - Unknowns
For me, all of this will be happening in my 4th and 10th houses. I expect I’ll be (re)adjusting how much I share and exactly who can see many of those things. Investigating what pieces of myself are ready to be illuminated, and what is perhaps best kept close and quiet. It’s a lot to think about.