This morning (Sunday), retrograde Mercury and the Sun aligned in a conjunction, marking the midpoint of Mercury retrograde. That retrograde ends on July 31, with Mercury in a square to Eris (and conjunct the recent eclipse degree). This suggests that we’re heading toward some unexpected development that has the power to shake things up, though in subtle ways.

Seed head of a Tragopogon or Goat’s Beard; photo by Amanda Painter.

You will definitely want to keep your sense of humor through this phase, and treat lightly any gaffes, mishaps or lapses of reason that infiltrate your reality.

Mercury is considered the trickster, though in truth, Eris is the very master of the game, and the two will be provoking one another. Eris, particularly in Aries, would appear to signify a more aggressive form of game playing; Mercury’s tricks in myth generally were of a lighter tone, though anything in Cancer can veer into hypersensitivity.

This could be especially true if you’ve been re-living or trying to disengage from old scripts or triggers from the past. What tricks can you employ to avoid getting re-snared — in other words, what have you learned in recent weeks?

More immediately, Venus is opposite Pluto, which is one of those aspects that seems to drive deep and dark unconscious motives. Be skeptical of your own sense of desperation, whether emotional, financial or sexual. Desperation can be a powerful motivator, but it is generally a self-sabotaging one.

Another approach to Venus-Pluto is to notice whether you feel like you’re in (or chasing after) emotional intensity in a relationship. If so, are you able to see where the boundaries are between the intimacy you seek and the personal space that allows the situation to stay balanced and life-affirming?

In other words, watch for signals of co-dependency, especially if you have an urge to ‘help’ the other person in some way, or if money is a strong, enabling factor. If you realize things have gotten blurry in that area, it’s up to you to take initiative in redirecting your powerful feelings toward creative change in your life. This is best done directly; manipulative tactics such as guilt will serve nobody involved.

Munjoy Hill community garden, 2013; photo by Amanda Painter.

Finally, note that the Sun enters Leo on Monday at 10:50 pm EDT (2:50:14 UTC Tuesday, July 23).

This brings us to the heart of the current season, and the sign that rules the heart. Couldn’t we all use an infusion of heart-based courage to face all that’s going wrong in the world today? That said, as the Sun makes its way through the final degree of Cancer today, you may notice a little edginess or an urge to move on with the show.

The Moon entering Aries describes a less conscious impulsive energy layered into the mix. Whether that manifests in taking an unexpected step toward something you dearly want, or saying something you dearly wish you hadn’t, is a matter of circumstances, perspective and timing. Knowing both scenarios are possible may help in judging where you’re at and what is best.

As the Sun enters Leo, it forms an intriguing grand fire trine with Chiron in Aries and Ceres in Sagittarius. You might notice who your male and female teachers and mentors are, and what you can still learn from your inner child. What would it feel like to have all three of those wisdom channels feeding each other in balanced harmony?

This might just be a week to find out, even despite the potential static of retrograde Mercury. When in doubt, take a moment to review and then reassess your current position. And if you have a question, ask.