Your July 2019 Horoscopes

It is your time, sweet child of the moon. Eclipse season is especially challenging for you as the new moon in your own sign is a solar eclipse. What would usually be a time for the easiest of #selfcare #goals, is not that simple. You must take up more space. Accepting yourself means asking for help. Don’t subtweet into the void. 

Mercury is retrograde from the 7th until the 31st, and you find yourself wanting stuff. It’s OK to want stuff. But it’s not enough to buy a pint of artisan sorbet and splurge on a book of poems from your favorite small press. It’s time to finally open that second savings account with a high interest rate. You owe it to yourself.

The lunar eclipse on the 16th continues the movement that last reared its head on January 5. If you couldn’t be there for someone then, make sure you show up now. You have a brilliant capacity for care, which only grows as you get more comfortable with yourself. Help your partner clean out his childhood bedroom. After all, don’t you want to see his precious collages from fifth grade? Putting the focus on someone else helps you remember how much you’re worth. On the new moon in Leo on the 31st, be sure to luxuriate in something special. Treasure every moment of a weekend getaway with your love. If they roast you a chicken, enjoy every bite and then sop up all the juices in the pan.

This month finds you toggling between self-care and selflessness. You’ve never been shy, but when Mars moves into your first house of identity on the 1st, you have full clearance to shout from the rooftops. Press publish on that blog post, release your podcast or tell your sweetheart that you are so sorry without the “but you never take out the trash” caveat.

Seize that moment to share, because on the 2nd, the solar eclipse will highlight your role in someone else’s story, and this theme continues as Mercury goes retrograde on the 7th. Whether you are fulfilling bridesmaid obligations or a small part of a huge project at work, let someone else lead. Remember who is carrying you. When the sun enters its sign (and yours!) on the 22nd, you slowly come back into your own vibe. 

On the 16th, you may find yourself revisiting some annoying bureaucratic or household tasks as the lunar eclipse highlights some specific missing links in your routine. Work through what comes up, even if it takes forever (if you do, you won’t have to revisit it again). To pull you out of both the slog and the void, the New Moon on the 31st rekindles your momentum for self-advocacy. Wear that bright linen jumpsuit that you so delicately pressed, and let your voice be heard.

You’ve been thinking too hard about pleasure. The solar eclipse on the 2nd reminds you that you can find joy in your community. That New Parents’ Book Club that you thought sounded lame? It’s great. You’ve made three new friends. Yes, they’re all named Barb, but each makes a slightly different rendition of blondies you could live on forever. While you’re in this positive zone, start a fresh bullet journal to keep track of your goals. Eventually you will have to cut down so you don’t overheat. Choose what stays and what leaves intuitively.

On the 16th, the lunar eclipse finds you indulging a beloved vice…perhaps responding to your ex’s “u up?” texts. If pleasure is elusive, don’t blame your old kink. It’s you who is disinterested. You have found over the last six months, the last year, the last decade, that the same old thing doesn’t quite do it for you. So get out of your comfort zone. If you’re not having fun, leave.

Don’t set an alarm for the new moon in Leo on the 31st. Sleep all day if possible, and give yourself the space to process your dreams. You are participating. You are part of something wonderful, something huge.

Repeat after me, Libra: “I deserve this.” The solar eclipse on the 2nd marks a major breakthrough in your career, or at the very least: a viral tweet. It’s a big step, and you might feel shy about sharing your success because you know too well that with great power comes great responsibility. On cue, your ruling planet Venus joins the sun in your 10th house of public image on the 3rd, giving you the skills to lead with grace.

On the 7th, Mercury stations retrograde in your 11th house of networking. You have a lot of slots to fill on your dance card, so who do you really want to spend time with? Put yourself out there in a way that fulfills your dreams. Start an email chain of philosophical musings with an old colleague or volunteer with an organization that inspires you. 

Something major happened in your private sphere on the solar eclipse on January 5th, and the lunar eclipse on the 16th clarifies which skeletons from then need to be exposed…or at least sold to a consignment store. Trust that your reputation will not suffer. You are accepting your flaws to build a sturdier foundation.

As the month begins, that voice inside your head will not stop nagging you to get yourself out there. And you should. Your ruling planet Mars makes a grand entrance to your 10th house of reputation on the 1st, and whether it’s making an impression at a job interview, or on a Tinder date, you want to be memorable. But keep your mind open. The solar eclipse on the 2nd offers a chance to climb up a mountain or fly away. What if your soon-to-be more-than-a-fling wants to talk about Paris or your future lit agent wants you to write a novel in the desert? You probably won’t be interested at first, but at least listen the pitch. 

Mercury’s retrograde from the 7th through the 31st further solidifies that you need wisdom to take the perfect selfie. That being said, on the 11th, be sure to check your inbox for a forgotten invitation as Mars clashes with Uranus. You may miss a huge opportunity if you don’t stick to a commitment.

The Lunar Eclipse on the 16th is a time to tend to what is familiar. It’s possible that your favorite restaurant in the neighborhood is closing (why, God, why?!), so make sure to go there for one last meal—and leave a fat tip. Nostalgia can be a balm when you honor the moment. Appreciate these memories before the 31st when you spend the new moon in Leo celebrating a tiny career success: a new way forward.

Who have you always wanted to join forces with? Mars enters your 9th house of wisdom and higher learning on the 1st, and you feel immediately compelled to go back to school (or at least to teach yourself a couple words of French on DuoLingo). Take this hunger for knowledge and make a pact that will last. The solar eclipse on the 2nd reveals a tempting bargain. Take the plunge into what is mutually beneficial—perhaps getting your current employer to pay for a portion of your post-grad tuition? 

Mercury retrograde from the 7th through the 31st reminds you that there is as much to learn from your partner as there is from a guru you pay $1,500 to go on a yoga retreat with. Expand your mind, expand your heart.

The last thing you want is to be reminded of the ways in which things don’t last, but on the 16th, for the lunar eclipse, your wallet will feel exposed. Perhaps someone literally nabs it on the subway or you discover a bunch of fraudulent charges from Long John Silver’s from somewhere in west Texas. Don’t take this incident too lightly, but remember it is just stuff. It can be replaced and handled. On the new moon in Leo on the 31st, you graduate from this summer’s course of study. It’s bittersweet, but there is always another class on the horizon.

Life is for sharing, my serious Capricorn. This month begins with a solar eclipse in your 7th house of committed partnerships, where the sun literally sets. You are being challenged to recognize how much of everything is not about you. As Mercury goes retrograde on the 7th, further consider the power of collaboration. Block off a night on your GCal each week as a promise of time to your most important relationships, whether that’s a sibling, a spouse or a goldfish. You can reclaim some broken promises and false starts as you accept how much of yourself you really have to give. (Wow, I gave myself the chills.) 

On the 16th, the lunar eclipse in your sign will definitely put the focus back on you as you revisit some concerns about your health and your appearance. But please stop obsessing over that one chin hair! Or, just do something about it. Go to the dentist if your gums are bleeding. Obsession is negative prayer so instead, praise a new goddess, who happens to also be your laser technician.

Because you have done the great work of connecting, the new moon in Leo on the 31st is a time to break away from any remaining toxic connections in your life. If someone is holding money (or attention) over your head, say goodbye. Merge fully with the investments that really matter.

Everyone and everything starts to drive you crazy on the 1st as Mars shifts into Leo. (Sorry.) Interpersonal relationships will feel thorny (why is your husband chewing his gum SO loudly???), so pretend you’re a literal superhero to get your groove back. Save an abandoned litter of kittens for the solar eclipse in Cancer on the 2nd. Elbows deep in the minutiae of caring, you gain a new appreciation for the art of accountability. As Mercury stations retrograde on the 7th, look for ways to contribute to an organization with values matching your own. Don’t just donate cash—immerse yourself in the physical: knock on doors. Get your hands dirty.

On the 16th, you receive a phone call that would have once satisfied your entire craving for institutional validation. But this news, coming as the moon is eclipsed in Capricorn, is a warning, not a cause for celebration. Whatever this “honor” is, it isn’t about your work. Hold off on agreeing to the terms, unless you can’t live without it (spoiler alert: you can).

If the new moon in Leo on the 31st isn’t the day of your actual engagement (you’ve reconciled with your sweetheart after the gum incident), it is THE day for a capital D Date. Finding a love language for your newfound adoration of routine is easy. Focus on what you do together.

You gotta let yourself have fun, Pisces. Obligations continue to pile up at work and at home, and as Mars shifts into Leo on the 1st, you go into battle. You’re doing recon on a book report your fifth-grader forgot was due tomorrow; you’re in the trenches, staying late to help a colleague with a sales pitch. You are burning both ends. But the solar eclipse on the 2nd opens up your well of passions. Indulge in them. Or at least a jelly doughnut.

As you spin classic records, experiment with baking pies and splurge on a flight of natural wines, you worry that you’re going too fast. Mercury spends its retrograde (from the 7th through the 31st) lighting up the houses in your chart that draw a line between good and bad fortune. I dare you to find the joy in drudgery and the toil of delight. Don’t take this creative breakthrough for granted.

Though you’ve been prepping for it (see: baking pies), avoid hosting a party around the 16th because the people you expected to cancel but didn’t will still be last-minute no-shows. Let go of the friends who can’t show up for you. RSVP no to the wedding. Set boundaries so you can channel your energy in more fruitful directions. You may unexpectedly bond with your coworkers, as the new moon in Leo on the 31st marks a sweet new beginning at your day job. Hmm, looks like all that work on that sales deck paid off.

You won’t be the boss until you have your own silk robe. The Solar Eclipse on the 2nd highlights your 4th house, which is the house of home, but also the house of privacy, of foundation. It’s just as scary to get the keys to your dream apartment as it is to see your entire extended family at your niece’s baby shower, or to walk into your first therapy appointment (ya know, to talk about seeing your entire extended family at your niece’s baby shower). Consider every single one of your needs. Honor them gently. 

Mercury’s retrograde, beginning on the 7th, is a period to consider the big questions: What makes you lose your mind in bed? How many artisanal cherries in your Manhattan? It’s time to take pleasure seriously. A spark of genius, or literal lightning, occurs on the 11th when your ruling planet Mars squares with revolutionary Uranus: a once tiny creative idea redefines your values.

Something definitive happens with your job on the 16th as the moon is eclipsed in Capricorn. You accept your imperfect role or, perhaps, find a way to leave with grace. Whatever happens now continues a story that started on the solar eclipse in Capricorn on January 5, so remember the previous struggle, and smile as you let go. The new moon in Leo on the 31st is a good time to close down the karaoke bar with your besties, singing, “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end. Yeah!”

Write what you know. Mars moves into your 4th house of home on the 1st signaling a sudden conflict with your family, or the need to escape your apartment while construction blares outside. The solar eclipse on the 2nd finds you spending a lot of time in the car, or waxing poetic like Proust in a Google Doc at a local café. When Venus joins the sun in your 3rd house of what surrounds you on the 3rd, you’re further encouraged to make the world around you beautiful. Remember that genius flower delivery service you had? Now’s the time. 

The exploration continues as you remember places and routines of the past when Mercury is retrograde from the 7th through the 31st. This month includes literally bumping into long-lost friends and childhood teachers. Consider why each of these people has resurfaced now and consider re-igniting those relationships. (Here’s a handy guide on how to reconnect after it’s been awkwardly too long.)

You’re forced to leave the neighborhood around the lunar eclipse in Capricorn on the 16th. Finding out you got off the wait-list for the forgotten dream of an MFA or that you have enough frequent-flyer miles to get to Buenos Aires feels bittersweet as you were not quite ready to emerge from your cave. Trust in the routines you’ve built and the stories you’ve spun. The new moon in Leo on the 31st is time for a housewarming…or a bon voyage party. The choice is yours.

You are such a curious soul, Gemini. You ask so many questions, but you too often miss the most pressing bits of info. You may be offered a raise or find someone has mysteriously paid your rent during the solar eclipse on the 2nd. What do you even do with all of the extra cash? Yes, you can definitely splurge on a last-minute ticket to the (metaphorical) Beyoncé tour, but make sure you are also giving attention to what feeds you every day.

Mercury’s retrograde through your 3rd house of details and your 2nd house of personal values starting on the 7th is a time to get extremely specific about your needs. Upgrade your gym membership and get your organic cotton romper tailored. Be proud you only went a bit overboard when the pendulum swings in the other direction at the lunar eclipse on the 16th. Debts come in different forms: A forgotten parking ticket or the realization that you need to take three days off of work for a family reunion you’d rather not attend. Get responsible about these less glamorous obligations. A Gemini always pays their debts. (Sorry.) 

You’ve always wanted to host a salon, like Gertrude Stein’s 27 Rue de Fleurus, and the new moon in Leo on the 31st is the ideal time to debut this heady venture. Provide snacks and knowledge. Remember to chew.