As we begin moving onward and outward from today’s Leo New Moon, the astrology seems to be setting us up to consider matters of the head and the heart. Where do they intersect, and where do they seem at odds with one another? What can one teach the other, and vice versa?

The centerpiece of the week is the conjunction between the Sun and Mars in Leo, exact Wednesday at 8:57 pm EDT (00:57 UTC Thursday).

Photo by Amanda Painter.

This certainly brings the heart into the equation; though it does so in a very expressive Mars style, rather than in the more receptive mode of Venus.

Sun-Mars conjunctions (especially in a sign like Leo) are about getting active to feel good: start a project, especially something you identify with closely, and get creative. If you’re feeling insecure about something, find a constructive outlet (especially anything physical) to help channel those emotions and buffer against recklessness. There is the potential here to get a little caught up in the energy and not notice how much you’re putting out there.

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Your keyword for this week’s astrology seems to be ‘energy’; specifically, staying conscious of how you express it. Though it might be necessary first to realize that you need to express anything at all.

The Sun, from the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck.

Aspects suggest it will be extra-important not to sublimate, repress or ignore whatever is trying to push through you and out into the world. That is not the same as simply flinging your energy out willy-nilly or excusing explosive behavior as ‘just how I am’.

Think of it more as staying attuned to what a clear ‘yes’ and clear ‘no’ feel like for you. When you can do that, you can make decisions and take action in a way that not only feels emotionally freer and karmically cleaner, but that also allows those around you to respond with greater clarity.

Astrologically, we’re looking at a set of squares and sign changes this week. First up, Venus in Gemini squares Neptune in Pisces, and Mars in Cancer squares Uranus in Aries, both exact Monday — and both have been in force for days. Eric mentioned that Venus-Neptune “is the aspect of not knowing how you feel, but thinking you know. So it’s wise to interpose a delay between feeling and being certain that’s where you’re really coming from. It will take time to figure out.”

Mars-Uranus squares can get explosive and rebellious regarding restrictions, especially with Mars in emotional Cancer: the more you try to side-step how you’re feeling, the more likely it is you’ll put yourself in a corner and then lash out against the constraints. If you notice explosiveness seems to keep happening ‘to you’, that could be a signal to get real about your own frustrated ego energies. Again: take time to figure out your emotions, and what they’re actually about.

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The dust has barely begun to settle on last night’s Capricorn Full Moon. Whether it was a stressful event for you or clearly opened an exciting new door through which to walk (or was surprisingly subtle or ambiguous), there’s a good chance you’ll continue to work with whatever came up as this week progresses.

Mainly this is because the Sun is still making aspects to important planets that were directly involved in the Full Moon chart, and will do so through the rest of this week. Of particular note: the Cancer Sun opposes Pluto in Capricorn, exact today (Monday) at 12:35 am EDT (4:35 UTC); and the Sun squares Eris in Aries, exact July 16 at 1:06 am EDT (5:06 UTC).

Photo by Amanda Painter, taken July 8, 2017.

Also in the mix: Mars in Cancer squares Eris in Aries today at 8:44 pm EDT (00:44 UTC Tuesday).

The squares from Mars and the Sun in Cancer are a direct reminder of how chaotic, provocative and often self-centered our current environment is.

Can you let it spur you to creative, caring action without letting its provocations feel like a threat to your ego? The ego tends to experience every threat as life-or-death, whether it is or not. But generally speaking, emotional reactivity is not constructive. Taking action to care for others (and taking care of yourself) is.

The Sun-Eris square in particular looks like the universe waving a flag and saying, “Hey! Look at what is happening around you — in your digital environments, and as a result of them. Notice how this has been influencing and provoking you on an emotional level.”

You might ask yourself what you do when you become aware of chaos and subversiveness, especially that which seemingly provokes solely for the sake of provoking. Do you withdraw? Put up boundaries to keep yourself emotionally and psychically safe? Lash out in return? Simply continue to swallow it all and try to digest it, without any creative outlet or way to release any potentially toxic byproducts?

Notice whether today’s Sun-Pluto opposition shows you an avenue for changing how you deal with it all. Bear in mind, that awareness could come through something breaking down (a relationship, a machine, some part of your home, your emotions). In which case, a quick patch job won’t do. You’ll have to confront the situation directly, get what’s not working completely in the open, and figure out how to fix things at a foundational level.

It’s worth remembering that Sun-Pluto oppositions come with a warning to avoid potentially violent or dangerous situations. Also, power struggles with others (especially authority figures) are possible. There’s something here about learning to stand up for yourself without having to dominate someone.

That might be one of the key questions of this moment in history, in the flesh but especially in the digital environment. It’s entirely possible to harness the awareness you gain this week to make creative changes and to serve the higher good. If you can feel safe enough within yourself to let your ego take a back seat, it might be that much more feasible to take a stand in healthy ways.

Although this week begins with a major holiday in the U.S., the real fireworks — astrologically speaking — won’t show up until the end of the week: the Capricorn Full Moon on Sunday, July 9. Eric has written your weekly horoscopes specifically about this event; on our way there, the sky will be busy.

Glowing spin-toy, July 4, 2012. Photo by Amanda Painter.

First, a quick note about the July 4 astrology for U.S. readers. The main thing to keep in mind is that Mercury in Cancer will be square Uranus in Aries. Given that Independence Day tends to involve activities like driving, boating, drinking and fireworks — often in crowded situations — Mercury-Uranus emphasizes the need to stay grounded and focused, while also staying flexible enough to respond to surprises and sudden changes of thoughts or plans.

We also have two ‘personal’ planets changing sign this week. Venus moves into Gemini later on Tuesday; and Mercury enters Leo Wednesday night into Thursday. See if you notice a shift in your mental and emotional tone, especially in social situations.

That said, the real driver of interpersonal relations looks to be this building Full Moon in one week. It’s quite a chart: the Cancer Sun opposite the Moon in Capricorn, exactly one degree away from Pluto — the god of change and power. Mars in Cancer is in the picture (it’s separating from the Sun and Pluto, but the Moon will be applying to Mars). And all four of those bodies are within range to pick up on Uranus and Eris in Aries, via square aspect.

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As we begin this week, Mercury and the Sun are moving into a set of interestingly coordinated aspects. Taken together, the message could be read as: Dream big, but recognize your actual limitations. Keep it real (and ethical) in your thoughts, words and actions.

Photo by Amanda Painter.

Getting the week rolling is Mercury in Gemini making a trine to Jupiter in Libra, exact Tuesday (11:45 am EDT / 15:45 UTC). At its simplest, this aspect is pure optimism.

According to Robert Hand, it’s great for making plans for the future, and for business and financial moves and contracts — in part, because it assists in seeing all the possibilities so that you can use them well.

Yet Jupiter is known for being all promise and no follow-through. Being intentionally disciplined will get you further than taking passive or ‘easier’ options. Mercury in this setup taps into the wisdom of Jupiter. You might ask yourself what wisdom is worth these days. More to the point, what is wisdom worth if you don’t act upon it?

Consider that Mercury is simultaneously square Neptune in Pisces (exact Wednesday, but in full effect now). This is a caution to beware of over-idealizing anything you might be doing some Jupiter-style planning around. As Eric put it, “make sure what you believe is really true, even if it’s inconvenient to find out that it’s not.”

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We begin this week with three personal planets on the move that represent some of our most palpable facets of personality. Broadly speaking, this is a reminder to notice what’s shifting — particularly within you, or in terms of your responses to your immediate environment. Yet it’s how things are shifting that really matters.

Spider monkey at the Belize Zoo, which cares for animals that have been injured, abandoned or rescued from the illegal pet trade. Photo by Amanda Painter.

The background context for this other astrology is that the Moon is approaching Full phase. On Friday, the Moon in Sagittarius will oppose the Sun in Gemini. Like all Full Moons, this one speaks of energy coming to a peak, particularly in interpersonal relationships. And as noted, the tone of ‘the personal’ is being modified.

First off, Mars ingressed Cancer earlier today (Sunday). On Tuesday, June 6, Venus enters its home sign of Taurus at 3:26 am EDT (7:26 UTC). Then later on Tuesday Mercury ingresses its own home sign of Gemini at 6:15 pm EDT (22:15 UTC).

Both Venus and Mars are entering ‘feminine’ (or more receptive) signs: Taurus and Cancer. (Gemini, like all air signs, gets called ‘masculine’, though astrologer Isabel Hickey points out that due to its dualistic nature, it’s rather neutral in terms of ‘gender’.)

In an email conversation about this cluster of planetary shifts, Eric wrote: “You might ask: if people suddenly seemed to be more emotionally accessible, and if you wanted to be more accessible, what would you do? How would you respond?”

For example, there’s the idea of allowing oneself to be more open with a partner: stating your feelings and listening to theirs. Or in social situations, being more receptive to simple gestures like eye contact. Making eye contact is such a powerful way of connecting with another human being. Yet in this era of the smartphone, people seem to avoid it like the plague with anyone they don’t already know.

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