This Month, The Planets Will Finally Find Balance (And Hopefully We Will, Too?)

In July, the planets are concentrated in three of the four leadership-oriented "cardinal signs" (Cancer, Capricorn, and Aries), prompting us to square our shoulders and declare what we stand for.

The eclipse will be fueled by Jupiter, Pluto, and Saturn, which are all in Capricorn. With outspoken Jupiter and shadowy Pluto fresh off their June 30 alignment, we aren't surprised to see more restrictions and quarantines cropping up. In our research, many plagues and pandemics coincided with Jupiter-Pluto conjunctions, and in some cases, peak outbreaks occurred when these planets were close together. This year, Jupiter and Pluto align three times: April 4, June 30, and November 12. Early April brought one of the biggest waves, and we predict November will also. Although Jupiter and Pluto are a "weakened storm" due to them both being retrograde, some major cities are seeing a resurgence after attempts to reopen.

What will come of these change-making efforts with Saturn back in Capricorn? Will the revolution go on pause, or will we see more Capricorn-style efforts such as a newly organized agenda, a spokesperson who rises up as a leading voice, tangible reform of police departments? Saturn is retrograde until September 29, so it may be a bumpy start.

Not only do we need to protect our data and devices during Mercury retrograde (since the backspin can mess with technology), but we'll need to watch out for any tendency to be thin-skinned and reactive. Travel is affected by Mercury retrograde, and in homey Cancer, it could be hard to break away. Going back to a nostalgic spot or seeing family is favored, but even those plans could be disrupted by July's convoluted cosmos.

If you think of it as a metaphor, we're missing the heat of late summer and the temperance of fall—within ourselves and the wider world. It will be good to move into heart-centered Leo's domain, which will hopefully provide some of the balance we've all been seeking.