Life Belongs to the Living & They Who Live Must Prepare for Change

Crabby July Astro, Gemini Uranus (& Venus), Neptune Aries' Rx

Léa Chassagne

We’re entering Retrograde Summer and it’s gonna get annoying if you’re avoiding introspection!

June’s jubilee was a bit Sleeping Beauty in the candy-shop with a plunge into the Underworld over the water park and some scenes weepy and sweet. July will certainly be a wild ride. Though Jupiter now in Cancer continues to be a welcoming window for the soft landings our souls have been craving, a NUMBER of cosmic changes that have happened or soon happening contain jump scares. However, seeing much of the change manifest in the hands of the people as of late.

Pluto’s back-spin in Aquarius since the beginning of May has shown the collective really showing up for change. On the 4th of July, we have dreamy Neptune back-spinning, too, which tends to create some grim realism but gets our moral compass back on track. Aries Saturn is close behind and then Mercury Retrograde in Leo follows (separate post upcoming for these 2 fiery planets) so we’re about to boot camp thru our disciplinary divine in order to move thru to a world that we want and not the version thrust upon us. That being said, our efforts will be a struggle… but all good things take effort to be honest.

However, the biggest shift isn’t the very normal annual back-spins. Uranus stepping into Gemini will shift the entire dynamic around data, social media and unfortunately war… changes that won’t go unnoticed by the collective. We are already aware of ~if not partaking in~ the communal blocks against any moves towards vile encroachment on those who are already suffering from lack of resources and support or being targeted without due process. Some of the “defense” we think of with Uranian shock-syndrome is that of mammoth political powers but we forget THE PEOPLE are a defense system, too. Power in numbers is starting to become a prominent tactic (and FOR ONCE feeling hopeful - yay Zohran! what a Jupiter Cazimi gift!).

Maternal maven Cancer’s commitment to community in the Court of the King Planet is indeed a blessing to us all.

Nico H. Brausch

Not only am I somehow surrounded by Cancer Suns, they’re some of the most intuitively aware folks I know when it comes to innate understanding of emotion, motivation and the unseen.

My bestie, Poetry Editor of The Femme Moon Faith Naoi, has been the most representative of Cancer Sun energy in my life; she is an amazing Mother, creative catalyst and attune to the actions, affluence and effects that lead to positive change. My trusted friends Birdie of Queer+Sober Atlanta (with a rad archetypes pop cult related Substack here) and Aja of independent news source Mainline (important reports and perspectives via Substack here) continuously awe-inspire with their perspectives. I’m beyond blessed to have worked alongside both of them for multiple occasions and additionally feel comfortable sharing life struggles without shame or hesitation.

It’s unsurprising to me many people I trust most are Cancer Suns. Other important Cancers who’ve made an incredible impression on my life are my Summer Solstice born 90 yo Grandmother, an environmental activist who continues to advocate for clean water and energy; my horticulture-careered “question everything” baby brother; musician-tarot-specialist Krystal Visions; a sacred service dom who facilitated healing post-sexual-assault and shows up for his surrounding trans community, any person in need met with genuine care… the list goes on.

Though the Seashell Siren savors 3 more weeks in her Sign, there’s much fae-frolicked Gemini vibes with twinny Venus taking over as the a fun flirt. Uranus Gemini’s discernment around international exchange of information will play out at the forefront but seeing a larger portion of the population in denial about the macro all focusing on it NOW is immeasurably refreshing. The radical (if not disruptive) overlap with fellow Air Pluto Aquarius and intellectual curiosity is also sticking to its revolutionary calling card right now. Combining Jupiter in a planetary playground with the Plutonian revolution makes me hopeful that we shall receive (even if we have to demand) more resources around home, health and for the wombies.

Tsunemasa Takahashi

Cancer Season’s July Astrology

• 7/4 Venus-Uranus Conjunction in Taurus, a last hurrah for both Bull-occupied Planets. Pursuing the pleasure of enriching experiences and opening oneself to new possibilities is the conjunction motion of this 4th of July. Later in the day, Venus enters Gemini for sweet Summer socializing and the mind becomes the hottest erogenous zone for the month - intellectual flirt alert! If that wasn’t enough astro-action, Neptune begins its backspin in Aries, explained further down in this post, putting heat under our dreams for driven desires and deeds.

• 7/6 Venus in Gemini sextiles Saturn in Aries AND Neptune in Aries. This boost of romantic rationale in aims for preferred partnerships is look at long-term love adventure. It’s seeing whether or not a special someone has (hopefully) worked thru attachment issues AND can have fun without the risk of wildly irresponsible irony. Neptune alights the intimacy imaginarium while Saturn is a salve of realism. This sextile hopes for balance instead of band-aids, a view of veracity put into priority.

• The following day on 7/7 Venus in Gemini trines Pluto Retrograde in Aquarius, inciting a further lift in intellectual ideas with intimate influence. In one of the biggest planetary turn of events this year, Uranus enters Gemini! Dedicated section below. Keep in mind this is just a taste of a longer future transit and much like Saturn in Aries, Uranus in Gemini will retrograde back into their previous longer-term familiar signs this Autumn 2025. July is a trial run for what 2026 will look like for us politically and personally so it’s best to pay attention!

• 7/10 Juno is direct in Scorpio! Though addressing asteroids is newer to the Moon Muse, Spring’s minor retrogrades roared in resentment, reclamation and rescue (and were acutely relevant to my personal marital dissolution). Juno AND Vesta are cunty countesses connecting to “romantic” transactional terrains and Juno Scorpio will savor conclusions around betrayal. BRB with this Goddess gander as her direct date also aligns with the Knuck-if-You-Buck Moon! More soon next post.

• 7/12 Saturn Retrograde in Aries begins and it’s going to be very frustrating for those who want things to quickly move ahead or be done with. Saturn is karmic and unfortunately considered to be “in fall” re: fast and furious Aries. I’ll be folding this into the Mercury Retrograde guide as discipline and drive will be very relevant to both. Be on the lookout and just know that big for lessons will be learned around hastiness or whatever we’ve been avoiding dealing with thus far… so much fun!

• 7/17 Mercury Retrograde in Leo begins and y’all know I’ll have a FULL REPORT on this one. Mercury Leo is already VERY SPICY so Retrograde is an extra set of challenges, BUT this bold bitch will empower us to get our projects out into the world and our projections under control.

• 7/18 Mercury Leo Rx sextiles Venus in Gemini for a quite outspoken beginning to the backspin. Perhaps some feisty flirting, possibly some mental gymnastics around obtaining lifestyle, sassy struggles with keeping a stake in being seen as valuable. When Leo Season begins on 7/22, there will be an aura of willpower to officiate the Lion’s yearly lair.

Vanilla Chi

7/4 - 10/22/25 Neptune Retrograde in Aries

10/22 - 12/10/25 Neptune Retrograde in Pisces

The Dream Planet has arrived at its annual retrograde on the 4th of July in the most representative Sign of Independence! Neptune has been newly in Aries since the end of May and hasn’t had much time to settle into its new Cardinal Fire flair. As Neptune back-spins annually for 160 days (give or take), its Retrograde can come across a bit blurry like a sudden sensory environmental change that is uncomfortable but nothing we can’t adjust to like walking out of a movie theater into the bright bustling day and needing your eyes to adjust. On a personal level though it is quietly confrontational, the rose-colored glasses ripped off our faces, the grim realism revealing clarity. Neptune Rx’s affect on the personal can also be a return to beauty, a subject relevant to 2025’s Pisces North Node and Virgo South Node: the Magick and the Mundane start to get switchy, mutually benefiting.

Where Neptune Aries is a self-appointed spiritual hero emitting absurdist technicolor, Neptune Pisces pulses in the hall of mirrors, a martyr of transmutation.

Neptune in Pisces went swimmingly thru 2011 until earlier this year and the Dream Planet adored its time in the Fish; Neptune rules Pisces after all! It's end however became bogged down especially as Saturn in Pisces occupied the last couple of years. False beliefs if not leaning towards downright delusion on a collective level flooded social media (how much bullshit we’ve heard about “fake news” is one example). The shift from the murmuring philosophical pond of Pisces has felt obvious this Spring/Summer: Neptune in Aries does not sit still and has taken action regarding the moral compass in our social sphere while taking down false idols along the way and leaving in-fighting in its wake (especially for the far right).

When Neptune’s Retrograde moves back into Pisces in the Autumn, watery wellness will help heal some wounds firecracker Aries creates.

Though the blue outer planet is known for dreams, imagination and intuition, on a basic level Neptune connects to ideas and creativity. Though those uncomfortable with spirituality may struggle with planets in Pisces, Neptune Retrograde in Aries can be a great time for reviewing our moral compass, the influences group-think has on our approach to political dissent or subservience plus how we want to cultivate idealistic creative practices amid the reality check of finances, time, effort and other barriers. With Saturn and Neptune connecting throughout the Summer, these Planets have such opposite energy but while both are within Aries, there is an emboldening to explore the fluidity of thought, pursuit of perspective against strict life lessons and laws of nature that restrict our freedoms.