At the beginning of July, Uranus at 26 degrees Pisces will have just stationed retrograde, coincident with startling events and sudden, even violent changes in space and time; expect a jolt in your Mola, hopefully fertilizing a sudden crumbling away of whatever psychic debris might have stalled and stymied forward progress. Love goddess Venus is in square to asteroid Chiron, drudging up old pain and difficulty in certain relationships, also reflective of the ongoing repression of women's rights in certain areas of the world. But as of July 2 the Asteroid Juno enters Aries; this feminine principle associated with committed relationships, formal marriage contracts, jealousy and treachery is shifting in tone from subservient and sacrificial to militant and independent, not helpful for those who are required to wear burkas.

On July 3 Mercury (communication and transportation) enters Cancer where it would rather quietly stay at home; however in opposition to Pluto (power) the next day, even a hobbit will be forced out its hole and made to speak up about their intentions. Personal feelings and subconscious memories can intrude on decisions and ideas, therefore hindering objectivity. Even though we are being flung at break-neck speed towards an uncertain future, our thought processes can continue to dawdle dangerously in the past just to cling to something familiar.

On July 5 Venus enters Gemini, where she is friendly, charming, witty and somewhat inconsistent. Venus rules beauty, luxury, banking, values and self-esteem. The rest of the month will generate energies that are potentially mighty prickly; hopefully Mme. Venus hopefully will be able to smooth the way with a little light conversation. It is likely wise at this time to consider withdrawing all speculative money from the stock market for the next long while; otherwise, September and October will bring more difficult adjustments to the financial markets. Unfortunately, the Venusian energy in Gemini will encourage some to continue to gamble where they would be much better off stocking the cookie jar.

The major focus of action in this chart lies in the eleventh house of the legislature and money made through networks, groups and community organizations. A valiant extravaganza is featured here, perhaps in the form of radical new social reconstruction programs that have the blessing of the commander-in-chief; the nuts-and-bolts structural means by which to actuate these changes remain a bit on the hazy and idealistic side.

The gazillion-dollar question is who really controls the domestic purse strings; specifically in the US, is there anyone in government that is not compromised by Big Power or Big Money? Can the Fed and/or a wildly spending Congress and House of Representatives be brought to heel or is the Fed going to be allowed to reintroduce the feudal system of serfdom for employment and debt payment? On that note, who does Obama really work for? Still, the first few weeks of July have a wonderfully festive and creative flavor; the challenge for everyone over the next couple years is to bring new endeavors and alternative businesses down to earth in practical form without losing their mind. Over the next couple months some will be relocating and/or pursuing new training or certification programs designed to service the brave new planet-friendly, energy-efficient New Age lifestyle.

The level of social disorder out in the streets will likely culminate to a peak of sorts as we move on into late summer and fall; many are simply not coping with the uncertainty and instability of the times while the familiar guide posts of our relative reality keep falling away. However the average citizen should not be so eager to hand over any remaining rights and freedoms in hopes of "gaining more protection" and "restoring law and order". Surely certain powers at the top of governments globally are looking for the right trigger and simple excuse to impose martial law upon their constituents, as past history has shown the urge to governmental fascism goes right along with Pluto abiding in early Capricorn.

Around July 10 Mr. Pluto squares Juno in Aries, again not such a happy development for women as secondary citizens everywhere. The next day Mars (aggression, ambition) enters Gemini, where the outlet for energy tends to be directed either through impulsive action or by being quarrelsome. The restlessness quotient will increase; it's a great time to travel. Watch out for starting too many projects at one time and then not being able to finish any. Out of boredom, ill-considered and impetuous changes may be launched; with both Mars and Venus in Gemini the casual love affair can have a great day at the races. Maybe a few more Senators, Governors, clergy, etc. will be flushed out of the romantic closet. Mercury conjuncts the sun on July 13 while Mars in Gemini quincunxes Pluto in Capricorn, which just turns the general volume and fan-speed up to maximum. So watch what comes out of your mouth and where you are standing relative to flying crap. Venus entering flamboyant Leo around July 17th might slow us down a little, but will encourage the dramatic, large and in charge to hog center stage.

Astrologer Bernadette Brady notes that "this family of eclipses is concerned with the need to make sudden reforms. Old ideas or methods will fail and new systems are required to deal with the events brought by the eclipse. ...the person will need to think of new ways of handling the issues. Any blocks could be violently or tragically removed."

A total solar eclipse indicates a change in form, period, this time arising from an absolute need to reform existing social structures; however the Sun-Moon-Pluto signature often comes with a byline of brutality and ruthlessness, harsh and extreme means taken to justify questionably ends. During the eclipse, transiting Mars (aggression, ambition) will be enthusiastically applying in a conjunction to the US Uranus in the nation's eighth house of other people's money, power and control issues; this aspect can signal a sudden, even violent disruption of some kind, in this case apparently involving our joint financial status, home base, work and health situations.

Transiting Saturn (karma, loss, limitations) is in the nation's eleventh house of the legislature, community, groups and networks; the planet is in applying square (conflict) to the US natal Mars, Part of Fortune and Vertex in the same eighth house of power and finances. A square involving these two planets can be symbolic of "being at war with yourself"; in this case we could say the legislative branches of government could be at war with the sacred cow of free-market capitalism versus a quasi-socialistic approach to hot potatoes such as health care, or struggling with the consequences of unregulated greed masquerading as democratic freedom, that has completely compromised the country's economic vitality. Or questioning where billions of taxpayer money went as part of the mysterious black-hole bailout process that occurred earlier this year.

At the state level, governments will likely have to initiate aggressive cutbacks of many programs, raise taxes (?) or face the specter of bankruptcy. All this can be added to the ongoing transit of Pluto in the nation's second house of the people's money, in opposition to the nation's Venus in Cancer and the now notorious eighth house of power and debt. Astrologers have already associated this aspect with a collective meltdown of assets, savings, real estate and other holdings with which the value of the US dollar and the country at large is determined.

On the personal level, expect strange and sudden changes at any and every level of life, which will not necessarily result in something better being put in its place, at least initially. At the higher and more complex levels of social organization this energy might be playing out more like switching out one awkward, overfed elephant for another, or moving all the hay over to the elephant in the next yard. If the eclipse touches on planets in the natal horoscope by conjunction, square or opposition, expect radical change to affect the area of life symbolized by the planets and houses involved, soon if not immediately. For some people, the tidal wave could be more emotional or relational than financial; consider that we all really are being cosmically requested to raise our consciousness, change the fundamental value basis of our relationships and shift our inner grounding to more authentically spiritual and environmentally supportive principles.

Eclipse time for the individual can be experienced as a creative break-through or a neurotic break-down; resistance is futile, surrender is sublime. The next few months will provide opportunities to dump old behavioral and relational patterns rooted in the dysfunctions of traditional culture; but also expect a crack-down by those invested in maintaining control and rigid order through generating fear. Over time, look for a serious divergence between more people at large deciding to color outside of established social and cultural lines, while higher institutional and governmental authority stridently continues to demand collective duty, conformity and obedience.

On July 26-27 the Nodes of the Moon will shift from the Leo-Aquarius axis to the Cancer-Capricorn axis; the North Node of future path is meeting up with transformative Pluto for a week or so. The Nodes change signs about every 17 months, signaling a shift in status quo concerns. In astrology, the Cancer-Capricorn axis is also called the parental axis; The focus of attention will now gravitate towards issues of career, public life, relations with authority, management of resource and potential problems with excessive control; the home, family, travel, food, and potential problems with emotional immaturity will also be highlighted. We are asked to balance lessons of maturity, discipline, responsability and personal authority on one side with compassion, empathy and unconditional nurturance on the other. Even though someone just lately told me that the average asleep-on-his-feet human IQ hovers around 95, with an emotional component rated at about five years of age.

On the last day of July Venus enters soft, maternal Cancer but she will have been knocking about from Uranus to Pluto, once again spinning the compass of customary personal physics. In the midst of the pummeling, consider a nude, moon-light dip in a clean lake with rose petals or simply slipping quietly away to Wonderland, for awhile. Might as well sleep with your party hat on.