Welcome to Cancer season! Cancer is the mama bear of the zodiac. She’ll love you to death and then some. She gives the best hugs, makes the best meals, and she’ll protect you fiercely with all her heart. Of course, like all signs, she has her dark side. She holds onto old hurts. She makes people guess why she’s upset instead of just saying how she feels. And her wrath can cloud the sky out of nowhere like a sweeping thunderstorm.
With Mercury retrograde in Cancer through July 12, there will be many moments where we’ll need to choose our words wisely to avoid miscommunication. This retrograde, however, is a huge opportunity to reflect on our needs both collectively and individually. The U.S. was born on July 4, 1776, making our national star sign Cancer. As the first half of July plays out, we’re being given a chance to look at ourselves honestly and fairly. Assess the ways nurturance shows up in your daily life and in your community. Who gets cared for and who is forgotten? How can we collectively show up for those who need us most?
The full moon, lunar eclipse in Capricorn on July 5, will help us see things in a new light. Capricorn is the daddy of the zodiac, so we might have sudden revelations about our needs for longterm support and stability. We may also reckon with the toxic or shadow side of the patriarchy. If there are skeletons in our closet, they will come out. But this isn’t something to fear. It’s a wake-up call. The old way of doing things isn’t working anymore, and this eclipse will highlight what needs a complete overhaul.
On top of all of this, Mars has just moved into fiery Aries, the child of the zodiac. This sign has boundless energy and an untempered anger. That means we’ll have plenty of steam to get things done, but we may also find ourselves in sudden conflicts and power struggles due to unpredictable fits of anger. Watch out for outbursts. If you notice yourself feeling heated, consider your outlet wisely before you let loose. You don’t want to burn yourself or those close to you.
This summer won’t be an easy-breezy one, but if you can show up for this complicated astrology, you may walk away feeling totally reborn. This is a time for tapping into important dynamics that could help us learn to nurture, protect, and love what’s ours for years to come.
Please note: These horoscopes, like emoji, are meant to add fun and color to your month. Take what feels good to you, leave what doesn’t.
Cancer: 👂🎧✉️🌱😯
Listen. Listen. And then listen some more. This month brings you many messages. Some may come from reflecting on your past. Others may show up when you are firmly in the present, tending to plants or a new environment. The important thing right now is that you stay open to what wants to find you. Go within when you need to, but don’t clam up and retreat into your shell. Let the lessons in.
Leo: 🎭🎢😡😭😂
Your emotions are heating up this month. You may feel like you’re on a restless, moody, irritable rollercoaster. You prefer to put on a sunny cheerful face. But right now, you simply aren’t feeling it. Pay attention to what happens when you accept your grumpiest, least pleasant self. The world does not open up and swallow you. Your friends do not abandon you. You’re still here, with both feet planted firmly on the ground. Or perhaps you’re face down on the bed. That’s OK, too. Have a cry and have a laugh. The more you embrace all of your moods this month, the lighter you’ll feel.
Virgo: 📊🤔✍️🌟💙
It’s back to the drawing board for you this month. You may find yourself revisiting and revising projects that you thought you had already laid to rest. As much as this frustrates your inner perfectionist, it actually doesn’t mean anything is wrong. In fact, it’s an opportunity to really make your work shine. You may also have the opportunity to play a powerful role in the realm of social justice. If you feel your work has been lacking in meaning, that won’t be the case for much longer. Listen to your heart, and dedicate your tireless work ethic to the causes you value most.
Libra: 👓🔨👀😠💪
This month, you’re learning to let go of your illusions. You love to see the world through rose-colored glasses, but right now, you simply can’t. Those glasses are shattered, the truth is right in front of your nose, and frankly, you’re angry. You may find yourself wishing you could go back to daydreaming and living in a fantasy world. But there’s no going back. So get in touch with your anger. Now that you know you’re so furious about injustices in the world, what do you want to do about it? Harness that energy and let yourself move forward. You’ll feel very alive once you do.
Scorpio: 👁️✨🔥🦅🔭
You may be flooded with idealistic dreams and visions this month. Your outlook usually tilts more pessimistic, but now that things are really awful in the world around you, you could find yourself leaning into the possibility that things can and will get better. Your sign is truly the phoenix that rises from the ashes, and if there’s anyone who can appreciate that sometimes you need to burn it all down to start again, it’s you. If you can see the light at the tunnel where others can’t, lend them your telescope.
Sagittarius: 🌪️😓🤩🤦🦋
You’ve weathered some intense shifts recently. Depending on where you’re at, you may be feeling like everything is hopeless or anything is possible—or even a strange mixture of the two. If you feel out of sorts this month, that’s OK. It takes a moment to find your bearings again after a big earthquake, and energetically, that’s what you’ve been going through. By the end of July, you will feel more settled and you’ll get a boost of your typical optimism. Don’t worry. The butterfly of hope is on its way to you.
Capricorn: 🤕🏃🧐🌳🤩
There’s no sign that has quite as much tenacity as you. No matter how many times you fall, you’ll dust yourself off and get back up again. But this month is less about springing into action and more about learning from the fall. What happens when you lose your footing? When you stumble? What distracts you and keeps you from achieving your goals? Let go of your fear of failure, and trust that like a tree that loses its leaves, you will always bloom again. If you can reflect on the patterns that have held you back before you dive back in this month, you’ll be amazed at what you can do.
Aquarius: ✊🌎🤫😎🏆
Your humanitarian spirit is fully on board for the shifts happening in the world this month. But at a personal level, things have become quieter. This isn’t a bad thing. You don’t need drama or distractions right now. Instead, you’ll enjoy having some alone time. Much of your time this month will be spent reflecting and getting your game plan together. At the end of the month, you’ll face challenges that thrust you into the limelight. It won’t be easy, but you can shine if you’ve spent your downtime wisely. So get that rest while you can. Future you will thank you.
Pisces: 😴😢📔🎨💌
Your ruler Neptune stationed retrograde at the end of June. You already need plenty of rest, but this retrograde may have you feeling extra drained. If you’re feeling weepy and wistful, instead of getting lost in the flood, give yourself a bit of structure. Journal, draw, or make music about the problems that are haunting you. When you give your troubles a creative outlet, you’ll find they may be friendlier ghosts than you think. The end of the month brings good news. So don’t despair. Keep going.
Aries: 📣✊😤🦁❤️
This month challenges you to speak up and take action. You know right from wrong. And though you do have a bit of a reputation for letting your anger get the best of you, the truth is that underneath that massive ball of energy there’s a tremendous thumping heart. You care, and you’re courageous. So don’t hang back when you know there’s work to be done. Roll up your sleeves and dig in. The world needs your spirit right now.
Taurus: 😖💭👀😮🎁
Frustrations may arise this month when you realize your best laid plans are not turning out the way you dreamed them to be. You may be tempted to look back at what you did or didn’t do, but that will only rob you of being present. This month, you’ll get more bang for your buck if you commit to showing up for whatever finds you. There will always be elements beyond your control, but the one thing you can control is you. If you stop fretting about what should have been and start showing up for what is, all kinds of gifts and surprises await you.
Gemini: 😪🌧️🛌💡😃
Your ruler Mercury is still retrograde until mid-month, so you may feel a bit stagnant. Don’t worry, these clouds will pass and your typical effervescent energy will return. In the meantime, consider the lessons you can learn from periods where you are forced to pause and rest. It’s OK to be still. When your ruler stations direct in sensitive, nurturing Cancer on July 12, you’ll have a much stronger sense of how to care for yourself and those around you. Let the people you love see your sensitive side, and that love will come back to you 10-fold.
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