For July 2017:
Welcome to the first full month in this amazing summer season. We are in the process of transmutation, from the very cells in our bodies to the restructuring of our mental operating systems, values, beliefs, ways of perceiving and interacting with each other. July is the 7th month, and in Cosmic Consciousness it belongs to the 7 oâclock hour represented by Leo, the middle sign of the Emotional Body, where Love is sustained through the practice of finding the blessing in everything, regardless of how it seems. âGoodâ and âbadâ are judgments of the lower mind, weighing us down and preventing us from seeing the bigger picture. With a wider view, when we see the unity behind every polarity, observe the similarities that unite us rather than the differences that are actually more like varieties of cuisine that make life more interesting, we build bridges allowing us to reach each other where we couldnât before. That is a miracle in itself. We are here to soften hearts, not to change minds. When we come from gratitude for every person who crosses our path, every friend and loved one, every lesson learned, every talent or skill we are gifted with, every experience that brings us to this point, it is the greatest service we can provide, because it activates Love in othersâ hearts and gives them permission to access their own abundance. Â Since we are not privy to the divine plan, trusting that it is all Perfect frees us to find the positive in every situation.
As the 7th month of a tumultuous year, July brings the energies of the 7, energies that are reflective, perceptive, intuitive, and deeply spiritual. According to Mayan numerology, the 7 represents the void, the dark immeasurable depths from which consciousness emanates, at the center of the Universe. It is the pulsation of mystical power that holds the center and everything that manifests around it, reflecting total and perfect order of the cosmos.
Interestingly, 7 relates to time. There are 7 days in a week; in the story of Genesis, God created the world in 6 days and rested on the 7th. Accordingly, the energies of the 7 invite us to go within and listen to the wisdom of the higher Self, providing a balance with all the interactions with the world, reflecting on lessons learned in vibrations 1 through 6, and connecting with the beauty of creation. Uranus spends 7 years in each sign. Rudolf Steiner, spiritual philosopher, divided the stages of human development into 7-year increments, connecting them with astrological influences. The original chakra system has 7 chakras, which have also been related to stages of human evolution; if we can open and balance all the chakras and expand our awareness, we can open the doorway into infinity as expressed by the vibration of 8. The 7 chakras each correspond to the 7 colors of the rainbow, reflecting the full realm of the human perceptual bandwidth. The 7th Ray, one of 12 that make up the fabric of our universe, is the Violet Flame, which purifies and heals through transmuting negative energies and raising the vibration of the cells of the body, allowing spiritual energies to flow. Provided by the ascended Master St. Germaine, it is a perfect tool for sustaining us during these incredible times.
Interactions with the Star of David and Its Parts
The life-altering Star of David that was in effect throughout June continues throughout this month as well. The Eris/Urans-Haumea Light Bridge of awakening to unity and wholeness, and the Earth Star-Soul Star Chakra (N. and S. Nodes) bridge form this planetary picture, together with Saturn/Ixion/Quaoar in Sagittarius and whatever planet comes along to the last decanant of Gemini, forming a Light Bridge creating the new infrastructure of the world. All the lower-body planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars) interact with the disrupting/awakening/unifying Light Bridge and the Star Chakra bridge of Karma/Dharma; only Venus and Ceres, the cosmic midwife, activate the new infrastructure Light Bridge, which lasts until the end of the month. It is fitting that the heart has her say before this bridge, and the Star of David, dissipates.
Eris and Haumea are both female 5D energetics. Eris represents the growing awareness of dissatisfaction that brings about a breaking point, the awareness that things are no longer sustainable and must change. Once we work through the fear of change, this new awareness broadens our perceptions, giving us the capacity to see how everything fits together, how every part of us within us and as a collective has a part to play; how universal our experiences are. This is the High Way to a new humanity, our Way home.
Saturn, along with 5D planets Ixion and Quaoar, are all male energies that speak to the restructuring of the infrastructure of our world from the inside out, from facing and owning the truth about outdated disempowering beliefs to literally changing the physical structures arising from new ideas and beliefs in order to serve a higher purpose. I live in NYC, and right now at least 3 bridges are literally being created or restructured. Construction is everywhere; my own apartment building is being reconfigured. In many ways we are witnessing the building of a new world. It is no coincidence that Ceres holds the energies of this Light Bridge until mid July, helping us mourn the dissolution of old attachments, nurturing us towards acceptance and preparing us for the emergence of the new higher mind/heart connection as Venus takes her place towards the end of the month.
Because the Soul and Earth Star Chakras are situated at 24-25 degrees Leo/Aquarius all month, they interact with both Light Bridges, making them even more powerful. The Leo/Aquarius axis speaks to our capacity to clear our karma and evolve towards Source by loving ourSelves so thoroughly that we are able to hold ourSelves in gratitude, seeing the best in others and being a positive beacon of Light in service to all. Our hearts, bodies, mind and spirit all get to add their energies in service to this evolution throughout the month. It will serve us well, as the Awakening Light Bridge challenges, changes or dissolves old structures on every level, and the Infrastructure Light Bridge brings in the new.
The first week of July finds the rulers of the heart and the higher mind activating the Light Bridges. Venus makes stepping stones to the Soul and Earth Star Chakras, creating an intersection that reveals how far weâve come in re-membering the divine feminine as she makes a new cycle with Sedna on 7/1. Mercury comes back from his out-of-bounds journey on 7/1 making his own intersection with Haumea 7/1 and Eris 7/2, and making Great Eliminators with retrograde Saturn (7/2), Ixion, and the Earth Star Chakra (7/3). With our higher minds we can compassionately observe from the Light Bridge and choose how to serve. Since Saturn and the Earth Star (S. Node) are resourceful together, Mercuryâs placement forms a Finger of God, or Yod, pointing the way to the road less traveled; Mars and the Sun will follow suit later in the month. Venus makes a subtle aspect with Uranus and becomes part of a Finger of God with Quaoar and Varuna, all on the 29th master degree of their signs, on 7/4. By following our heart and trusting its guidance we gain access to a broader view of life, giving us the capacity for new thought if we choose. Mercury makes his own connections with Uranus (stepping stone), Quaoar (Great Eliminator) and Varuna (new cycle) before entering Leo on 7/5. Our higher minds are growing in their capacity to perceive and access new worlds of thought.
Our devotion to moving towards Source through finding blessings finds new expression with Vestaâs conjunction to the Soul Star, aided by a Uranus/Ceres resourceful aspect on 7/6. Haumea, moving towards Source (retrograde) since January, resumes direct motion on 7/7, ready to share new insights about wholeness.
Mars follows Mercuryâs lead when he intersects the Uranus/Eris-Haumea Light Bridge with stepping stones to Haumea (7/8), Eris (7/10) and Uranus (7/19, conjunct Varuna) and also forms Great Eliminators with Saturn (7/9), Ixion, and the Earth Star Chakra (7/11), and Quaoar (7/19), creating his own Finger of God. This time our physicality, our bodies, homes, environments will experience the effects of the awakening disruptions that are part of the divine plan. It is imperative that we listen to our bodies and choose to care for our own infrastructure. As Earthâs frequencies vibrate higher so do our own: we need to be discriminating about how we use our energies and what our bodies need. It should be noted that for most of the month the male co-rulers of the spiritual body (Sun) and emotional body (Mars) are traveling together, within 5 degrees of each other; the two meet in a new cycle on 7/26.
The Sun completes the lower-body intersections with the awakening/unity Light Bridge when he squares Haumea (7/14), Eris (7/16) and Uranus (7/20), following the mind-body connections and injecting our consciousness into the process. The Sun inconjuncts Saturn (7/14) and forms a Finger of God with the Earth Star and Ixion on 7/16, completing his connection with the infrastructure Light Bridge with a Great Eliminator to Quaoar on 7/21. We are being transformed through the choices made by our higher minds, informed by our bodies, and brought to our conscious awareness, resulting in action that is congruent with what is needed.
A rebirth of higher level thought is possible when Ceres bridges Quaoar (7/8) as she completes her connection to the Light Bridge and moves into Cancer, the sign of the Mother (7/10). A new evolutionary purpose is created as the Soul Star and Ixion manifest (7/10), with a Saturn/Haumea resource (7/11) giving definition to that purpose.
Mercury, ruler of divine masculine energies, continues to engage the 2 Light Bridges and nodes through the 2nd half of the month. Between 7/19 and 7/25 the Great Communicator manifests with Saturn, Eris, Ixion, Uranus and Quaoar-thatâs a lot of manifesting! He also resources Haumea on 7/19, and conjuncts the Soul Star Chakra in a new cycle two days later, and then enters his retrograde shadow (the degree he will come back to during his retrograde) on 7/24–all before entering Virgo on 7/25.
Every 6 months Eris, the feminine awakener, changes direction; on 7/21 she goes retrograde at 23 Aries 52, moving clockwise towards Source until January 2018. Because she is stationing this month she is even more powerful; expect to see more disruptions and awakenings on the planet and in ourSelves.
But the big news is Venusâ entry into the Star of David when she takes Ceresâ place on the infrastructure Light Bridge in the last decanant of Gemini. The heart forms a bridge with Great Teacher Saturn (7/24), connecting Love with our inner authority, increasing Self-esteem and preparing us to bring Love to every part of ourSelves (manifesting with Haumea 7/25). On 7/26 Venus bridges Ixion, resources Eris (retrograde) and the Soul Star, and manifests with the Earth Star, bringing our hearts to our new divine purpose as a result of the clearing of karmic debris that prevents us from loving ourselves without conditions. This is her 2nd connection with the nodes. Venus makes a resourceful aspect to Uranus and a bridge to Quaoar (7/30), completing her connections to the Light Bridges and dissipating the Star of David. The awakened heart moves into Cancer, the abode of the Mother, on 7/31, bringing Love to the process of allowing ourSelves to be who we truly are.
Energies at the Beginning
There are so many astrological events this month; it is hard to mention them all. These events reflect the changing energies in each of us, as the re-membrance of the divine feminine recalibrates the divine masculine as well, altering and raising our frequencies and that of the Earth. The many astrological events occurring on July 1 set the tone for the remainder of the month.
With Pisces rising, the 7/1 chart is disposed by Neptune, who is currently retrograde and in a Great Eliminator aspect with Jupiter (exact on 7/4). Our social selves are changing as we slowly move towards wholeness (Haumea); we can choose to trust and take high road and find clarity, or remain in fear and find confusion. Saturn, Ixion and Quaoar are in Jupiterâs sign Sagittarius, at the midheaven, activated by Ceres in Gemini in the Portal of Truth where the masculine/feminine mind/heart energies meet, conjunct the Part of Fortune. It is our destiny to bring in the new infrastructure of the world! Â And Chiron, the Master Healer-Teacher stations retrograde at 28 Pisces 51, the master degree of Pisces and close to the World Axis; there is more aligning and mastery to be done in the limitless realm. The process of rebalancing the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical bodies begins.
As mentioned before, Venus intercepts the nodes, providing another road for Love to travel: Love heals the past and prepares us for the future, which is now. Then Venus comes together with her 5D octave and the true ruler of Libra, Sedna, in an important new cycle in Taurus that recalibrates the divine feminine energies, unifying them and making them more accessible to all. It marks a new beginning in accessing and trusting our inner guidance, which comes from the heart. Sedna holds all the divine feminine energies, which Venus is helping us access, and Ceres makes a subtle (intimate) aspect here as well; we are getting more comfortable with accessing and bringing forth the divine feminine in ourSelves.
As if that wasnât enough, the divine masculine weighs in as Mercury returns to the ecliptic on 7/1. For the past two weeks our mental operating system has been in uncharted territory, but the Great Messenger is moving fast, making aspects with other archetypes almost every day; before the day is over he steps up with Haumea, infusing our unity consciousness with messages from beyond. It will take some time to process.
Shifts in Consciousness: Stations, New Cycles and ingresses
The 5D planets that hold both ends of the Light Bridge of awakening to wholeness, Eris and Haumea, both change direction this month; Haumea stations direct on 7/7, and Eris stations retrograde two weeks later, on 7/21. These shifts in movement serve to keep the Light Bridge open until at least 2020, when Haumea starts to move away.
This month features 9 entries into new signs, with Mercury and Venus changing signs twice, and 4 planets entering Leo. Â With the Sun/Moon New Moon cycle in Leo, every lower body planet except Venus is working with the archetype of Inner Gratitude in the sign of emotional Love. It is time to shine our Light brightly for all the world to See.
Venus enters Gemini, sign of Love in action, on 7/4, bringing mind and heart together. Let us speak truth to power, and let the words be kind. Ceres enters the divine feminine realm of Emotional Power when she ingresses Cancer on 7/10. Vesta, representing devotion and purity of purpose, conjoins the Soul Star Chakra in Leo on 7/6; she moves into Virgo, sign of inner alignment, on 7/17. Mercury makes his own new cycle with the N. Node on 7/21, entering Virgo on 7/25. The 7/26 Sun/Mars new cycle in Leo brings new consciousness to our bodies, resulting in right action towards others as well as ourSelves. Venus completes a busy month with her entry into Cancer, where she can more easily express herself, on 7/31.
Varuna, representing the archetype of the cosmic eye, the perspective of Source, is situated at the master degree of 29 Cancer, acting as a gatekeeper of sorts. At the highest levels we are able to See how misuse and denial of our emotional power has resulted in fragmentation of the divine feminine and unbalance and distortion of the divine masculine.
This month Mercury, Mars, and the Sun, in that order, form new cycles with Varuna on 7/5, 7/20 and 7/22, right before each of them enters the Leo energy field, each on the same day. Our higher minds, bodies and consciousness are recalibrated with a new perspective and integrated with divine feminine energies of letting go, flowing, allowing, and being, changing their focus to the application of emotional Love through the service of spreading positivity. Varuna himself enters Leo on 7/24, expanding our purview to truly See blessings where we could not before.
Lunar Matters
With the heightening of divine feminine energies, the Moon, feminine co-ruler of the spiritual body, representing our subconscious intuitive nature and responsiveness, becomes even more front and center as each lunation is packed with huge energies; we are making the unconscious conscious. The first Full Moon of the summer occurs on 7/9 in Capricorn, sign of Spiritual Power, with the Moon conjunct Pluto and the Sun conjunct Mars. Mars activates what he touches, and he recently formed a bridge with Pluto on 7/2, bringing transmutation to our bodies and actions. In addition, Mars interacts with Haumea and Saturn, activating both Light Bridges. The Sun and Moon form an intersection with Jupiter and aspect Neptune with a manifestation and a resource, respectively. This Sun/Moon bridge bears the fruit of the divine feminine seeds planted on the Cancer New Moon of 6/23, expanding them and using them to bring a resurrection of spiritual, emotional, and physical energies.
The 3rd quarter of the Moon cycle is a time for reflecting what weâve learned so far, and let go of any expectations or attachments we pick up. This cycle is all about the resurrection of the divine feminine infrastructure, and integrating it into our energy field. The 3rd Quarter Moon on 7/16 occurs in Aries, with the Moon conjunct Eris and Uranus and the Sun conjunct Mars again. It is time to allow our feelings their full expression, acting on them only when the wisdom of the heart dictates, remembering always to consciously bring Love to our thoughts. We are preparing for the next cycle.
The 7/23 Leo New Moon, at 00Leo44, is highly significant. It is the first of 2 Sun/Moon new cycles in Leo (the other being the New Moon Soular Eclipse on 8/21), and it opens the wormhole, the sideways elevator that delivers us to another part of ourSelves more quickly than we could get there otherwise. This New Moon is called a Black Moon because it is one of 4 new moons this season; usually there are 3. At 1 Leo, this lunation occurs in the Portal of Strength in the sign of Inner Gratitude, and boy, do we need it now! We are reminded that looking for and finding the blessing in everything, from the flowers growing out of the sidewalk to a flight delay or sudden illness, will sustain us through all the upheaval and restructuring caused by the emergence and re-membering of the divine feminine, enabling us to be beacons of Light and peace for others. We are planting new seeds of joy and Light. Both Varuna and Mars conjunct this lunation; we are charged with coming from the highest perspective to be courageous and act from a loving heart, regardless of the situation, blessing ourSelves and being a blessing to others in the process.
With the Sun firmly ensconced in Leo, the 1st Quarter moon at 8 Scorpio occurs on 7/30. Once again Mars is conjunct the Sun; we are moving forward now, working to remove arising obstacles that prevent us from allowing ourSelves to shine, and we have the capacity to envision responses to those obstacles that can be transformational.
July is another intense transformational month in a transformational year. The energies are like an updraft of a fast-moving wind; it can be exhilarating if weâre relaxed and open, carrying us upwards, or terrifying if weâre afraid. The trick is to use the divine feminine energies of allowing and surrender to permeate our being, to re-member that everything is divinely ordained and will play out the way itâs meant to â because at the highest levels we created it. Surrender is not giving in, it is realigning with who we Are. The practice for this month is to simply Be, finding a few minutes each day to find that silent inner place within the heart where Love resides, remembering to bless yourself with gratitude for each new day. Each one of us is a thread in the fabric of the universe, a blessing to us all.
“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
~~ Melody BeattieÂ
“Being blessed is a condition of the heart and a frame of mind.”
~~ Errin Rhorie
Shelly Leal can be reached for comments at shelbai@aol.com