Reviewing Matters of the Heart: Astrology of 7/3 – 7/9

Mercury stations retrograde this week in Leo, and in close conjunction to Mars in Leo – messages for the heart come with a punch. Mercury won’t re-enter Cancer until July 19, so we have a few weeks of Mercury in early Leo. We have an all-too-pervasive social script that Mercury retrograde is just about mishaps and havoc! But if we were to open our hearts to the perspective that the alignments of the planets are always holding us and guiding us through our evolution, then we might ask the following question instead: why is Mercury slowing down and spending extra time in the zodiac sign ruled by the heart? Perhaps there is a message here that we need to pay attention to. When was the last time we truly voiced our hearts’ desire? Is this desire readily available to us in language, or do we have to feel into it?

Welcome back! In case this is your first time here, I’m Sabrina Monarch and I’ve been writing these weekly astrology forecasts for four years now. I love providing perspectives on the opportunities of transits and putting into words what the vibe may feel like at this moment in time, to support you on your path & open a dialogue between us and the cosmos. If you would like to receive these weekly forecasts to your inbox, sign up for my mailing list here.

Latest on the Magic of the Spheres Podcast: We may know that eclipses are special New and Full Moons, but what sets them apart? I interviewed Rosie Finn in this episode, an astrologer in Olympia, WA who I’ve studied with and sought guidance from many a time! I asked her about the nature and mythology of eclipses, and we also spoke about being in relationship with unseen realms, and staying spiritually grounded when triggered. You’ll find information about eclipses in general in this episode as well as some themes for the July 2019 eclipses. Tune in where you listen to podcasts (and please subscribe & review on apple podcasts!) or listen via this link.

We are in eclipse season (between the eclipses of July 2 and July 16) and Venus enters Cancer this week. Here’s our week:

(Top image: Song Jia photographed by Leslie Zhang for T Magazine China June 2019)

July 3, 2019

Venus enters Cancer: 8:18 AM PDT

(Image: a talented friend and performer Sly Violet! Find her on instagram @sly_violet)

Venus will stay in Cancer until July 27 – and with her oppositions to Saturn and Pluto approaching this month, transformations in love are ahead. Yet first, to understand Venus in Cancer a little more:

• This is an intimate placement for Venus – the water signs (Cancer included here) enjoy emotional connection and interpersonal cohesion, like water droplets magnetically sticking together. We may experience the graces of Venus by engaging in the Cancerian vibe – things like nesting, intimate meals, home design, and being emotionally transparent as our moods naturally fluctuate (rather than stiffly trying to regulate ourselves, letting our emotions move).

• Have you noticed that when you are in a certain kind of mood, the memories you have access to match that mood? In moments of excitement and bliss, we recall prior heights and adventures, while in moments of anxiety or depression we remember our traumas and how things have gone wrong in the past. Memory is, among other things, an emotional faculty, and we tend to pluck certain threads of the web of all of our memories depending on what mood we find ourselves in. While Venus is in Cancer, we may find it especially enjoyable and life-enhancing if we activate pleasant experiences both in memory and in present context. It is arguable that we are never purely “in the now”. The now is always part of a conversation with a holistic timeline (not necessarily a linear timeline, but Time all at once). But the emotional character of the timeline we are tuning into is something we are capable of participating with consciously – whether that means we choose enchantment and joy or we find happiness in the form of letting ourselves listen to sad music and cry if we want to.

• We can experience more flow in our social and relational lives as we tune into our intuition and connect with ourselves and others from an emotionally-centered place. Cancer is an emotionally spontaneous sign, as expressive and fluid as dogs so clearly express their emotions in a moment-to-moment way – unless that is, we have a habit or tendency to control or inhibit our emotions, in which case they tend to come out with more intensity when they do. See how you might tune into valuing moment-to-moment expression and feeling and what opening/harmony this could create in your environment and relationships.

• Being emotional in a blanket way does not have to be about emotional recklessness. Perhaps a heightened form of Venus in Cancer comes through skillful relationship with emotions such that we develop ways for moving our emotions that are simply more graceful.

July 7, 2019

Mercury stations retrograde in 4 Leo: 4:14 PM PDT

(Image: Song Jia photographed by Leslie Zhang for T Magazine China June 2019)

Mercury stations retrograde at a close conjunction to Mercury in Leo (which exacts the next day), and square Uranus in Taurus. Mercury will re-enter Cancer on July 19, and station direct July 31 in 23 degrees Cancer. Mercury will leave retrograde shadow August 15.

• This Mercury retrograde keeps Mercury in orb of opposing Pluto and Saturn the whole time. Many of the themes we experienced in June will be revisited and essentially, workshopped. To recap, Mercury in Cancer opposite Pluto and Saturn in Capricorn has a lot to do with the ways we repress our communication because we feel threatened by the content, as though we are erecting a dam to keep ourselves blocked off from a powerful river. We must find balance between the extremes of repression and leakiness – overly restrictive boundaries versus weak boundaries.

• There may be conversations that haven’t occurred yet because it wasn’t the right timing or we didn’t have the right container. This Mercury retrograde we may revisit unresolved conflict and discover new ways to address it, both internally and in dialogue.

• Through the tensions that arise, there is an opportunity to become more responsible about having sensitive conversations. We may learn new skillsets such as nonviolent communication, how to talk about our feelings without it being an argument, or how to see other points of view that directly challenge our own perspective.

• On the brighter side (as transits are always occurring on a spectrum!), the potential we have to emotionally transform is high. We may experience transformations in how we contextualize and intellectualize our emotions and our emotionally-charged thoughts, and this can empower us greatly. Consider for example, learning how to redirect the energy available to us in an anxious state to something that is more supportive – like realizing we are excited and cheering ourselves on when challenged, rather than running worst-case-scenario anxiety scripts in our heads. We will have many opportunities to reroute our thought patterns during this retrograde, especially if we enlist the support of community or professionals (therapists, coaches, and/or even an astrologer like me! 🙂 See the bottom of this forecast for information on working with me.)

• Mercury will still be in LEO until July 19, so we are bringing more heart and play into the matters addressed above. Do we know how to stay present with the heart and communicate from the heart? Tuning into the heart-center before Mercury gets closer to an opposition to Saturn and Pluto again may prove helpful in re-viewing the themes that came up in June.

July 8, 2019

Venus in 6 Cancer sextile Uranus in 6 Taurus: 8:32 AM PDT

(Images: unknown, Sadahito Mori)

• This transit is a subtle opportunity to re-engage our comfort zone with novelty or something out-of-the-ordinary. This can be both a private, solo experience or something like interacting with someone outside of our normal circles, or relating to people in our lives in a new way.

• Liberating exchanges can occur with others as there is enough safety and common ground (whatever that is) that allows us to reveal and perceive novel facets of ourselves and the other.

• As soon as we feel bored and jaded, as though there is nothing new under the sun – it is perhaps us who is staying inside of a limiting shell. If we want change, we have to feel and do differently.

Mercury in 4 Leo conjunct Mars in 4 Leo: 3:27 PM PDT

• Potential conflicts arising at this time may have to do with individuals not feeling heard or feeling as though they are in competition around being heard/seen. This can be a sensitive spot in the collective right now. Consider toning down the inflammation and reactivity around this theme – there is the chance of taking things too personally. On the other hand, this kind of upset is useful data. Wherever it is that we feel challenged in terms of not feeling seen/heard may simply be places in ourselves that need more love and validation, and there may be elevated ways of accomplishing this.

• It can be important that we develop a connection between our self-worth and our outward expression – allowing ourselves to shine, allowing ourselves to be seen, becoming the blossoming flower that attracts bees. This is a form of courage and heart-opening – just because we are sharing something valuable does not mean it is not vulnerable, too.

July 9, 2019

First Quarter Moon in 16 Libra: 3:55 AM PDT

• A theme unfolding now (and through this eclipse season) is seeing reality outside of the viewpoint which is our subjective one. Sometimes our subjective perceptions are validated (things go as we suspect), but it is an interesting way to flip the ego on its head when we discover we had been misguided in our assumptions. Some healing occurring now has to do with seeing reality from another perspective because of other people and our receptivity toward empathizing with the realities of other people. As we do so, some of our most entrenched psychic blocks become loosened. This may be very subtle, such as hearing someone else talk about their life, feelings, opinions, etc, and feeling as though something we took for granted as “how things are” crumbles away.

Sun in 17 Cancer opposite Saturn in 17 Capricorn: 10:07 AM PDT

(Image: Bruna Valença)

• Ways we have been too austere with ourselves is coming into greater light, and a more fluid, expressive aspect of ourselves is coming out.

• Sometimes we develop overly-intense boundaries because we are threatened. It’s like we get a glimpse of our own potency and power before we are mature enough to really wield it, so we just stuff it in a closet. At this time however, our capacity to emotionally connect with our own power (and the power we have suppressed) is increasing, and this may come with various forms of emotional release.

• ANY feeling can be repressed, depending on the person. We could be re-opening anything from grief, the capacity to feel emotional highs, our sexuality, anger, feelings of safety, and so on. It’s unique to each individual’s story.

• On the world stage, the impulse to nurture and protect is increasing, in direct opposition to the shadow of the opposite (for example, the crisis at the US-Mexico border involving the detainment of children separated from their parents).

Thank you for meditating on the planets with me this week! I really appreciate you being here with me as I know that if you connect to this writing we have likemindedness and that is so special. Please share this article with a friend who you think would resonate!

Please let me know what you think in the comments – truly I want to know so leave a note! I love you and you are tribe to me, thank you for finding your way to these words and resonating with them in whatever ways you have.

If you would like more personalized guidance, I would love to read your natal chart and transits for you! If you would like me to explore the themes in your chart, book a reading with me here.

I meditate on charts before the reading and combine my knowledge of astrology with my clairvoyant abilities to offer you some insights about themes you are working with in this life based on prior lives, and what is the evolutionary purpose of this lifetime. I recorded an episode on my podcast recently titled Befriending your Intuition and Clairvoyance if you’d like to learn more about my relationship with clairvoyance along with tips for increasing yours!

I can work with your specific questions and shed light on ongoing issues or patterns you would like to shift, as well! Book with me here.

I’m also becoming increasingly expressive on instagram and love connecting with people there, so go find me there @sabrinamonarch and say hello!

With love,

Sabrina Monarch

Sabrina Monarch is a soul-centered Evolutionary Astrologer who publishes weekly astrological forecasts, works with clients and teaches. She has been collecting astrological experience for over a decade. She is a novelist and is currently pursuing her masters in Philosophy. She also enjoys kundalini yoga, meditation and ashtanga yoga.