After an emotionally turbulent start to the month of July, we start to find (or are forced to find) a new “flow” when it comes to taking care of our daily needs. Speaking of which, though it’s Summer and technically (should be) a time to relax, the pace of events can feel overwhelming in July. Particularly when the New Moon in Leo—exact on July 28th at 1:55 pm (ET)—reveals that there’s simply no going back to the past, ushering in sudden upheavals to stir the pot.  

Mid-month, especially at the Full Moon in Capricorn on July 13th, responsibilities feel paramount. “Burning the candle at both ends” (in both relationships/family and at work) is a theme, intensified by the sensitive Moon’s tense alignment to powerful Pluto, deepening (perhaps exaggerating) our drive to “get things done.”

Yet the adage that “Haste makes waste” is wise to consider now, as there’s a gap between fantasy and reality. Plus, limitations are not a catastrophe, so patience will yield the best results, as there’s much potential for conflict in the last week of the month as we contend with the raucous Leo New Moon on the 28th.  

Whatever happens in late July will leave an imprint on how we finish up the year, as the planets are quite highly geared and action oriented. When Chiron enters its yearly retrograde phase on July 19th in the take-charge fire sign of Aries, we may try to be the hero and end up taking on more than we can handle.  

Finding quiet moments of self-enjoyment will be essential as we near the New Moon on the 28th, when we’ll all be experiencing inner tension, some of which is sure to manifest as outer conflict—interpersonally or in the form of an unexpected reversals, accidents or (what feel like) last-minute crises.  

New Moons in general signify a fresh start of some kind; however, they typically mark the advent of a flurry of activity as well. With this New Moon @ 5° of Leo, the flurry may feel like more of a sudden snowstorm, as a tense configuration between Mercury, Mars and Uranus in Taurus reveals the need to brace yourself for unexpected, possibly explosive, events.  

Events that suddenly overturn the best-laid plans. Shocking revelations about our financial (Taurus) and emotional (Leo) security. Whatever your circumstances, the houses these planets rule in your natal chart will determine in what area(s) of life you’ll experience the tension (e.g., at work, with friends, in a love relationship, at home).  

As Fixed signs of the Zodiac, Leo and Taurus both need consistency, planning and tend to take things slow and steady as they go through life, and can become extremely stubborn when their wants and needs are challenged.

Fixed signs often deal with anger by bottling up whatever’s irking them until it reaches a boiling point. With Mercury in the sign of its Detriment (Leo), communicating directly and diplomatically about what’s bothering us may feel impossible now.  

Mercury in tense alignment to Uranus symbolizes great mental stress and fraught nervous systems; Mercury in tense alignment to Mars represents verbal entanglements (or, in this case, cold wars); and Mars-Uranus combinations depict a level of impulsivity and selfishness that can in some cases become violent, especially in the physical sign of Taurus.   

When Mercury in Leo clashes with Uranus in Taurus–exact on July 28–there are bound to be heated arguments, made even more explosive by Mars in Taurus’ conjunction with Uranus.  

Ironically, as explosive as the Mars-Uranus collision is with both planets operating in the signs of their Detriment (Mars in Taurus) and Fall (Uranus in Taurus), whatever disputes or stalemates that occur at could be characterized as “aggressively passive-aggressive.”   

But before you go getting up to any “Mean Girl” hijinks, take a minute and think: Is it really that important? As it so happens, the Sun in Leo aligns beautifully with Jupiter in Aries and, in turn, reminds us that the show must go on.   

So, will this smooth connection between the Sun and Moon in Leo and Jupiter in Aries (both Fire signs) over-inflate our egos and stoke the flames of the Mars-Uranus fire? Or will it give us just the right amount of confidence and optimism to push past Mars-Uranus ruts?  

The choice is ultimately yours; yet staying mindful of how sources of financial and emotional stress affect our ability to express ourselves both physically and verbally is the key to overcoming whatever chaos emerges in the last days of July. 

So, though “keeping our cool” may not be likely as we enter August, learning from frustrations as we find creative ways to confront them—this is the hidden gift of all that conflict.