July horoscope

AQUARIUS (January 20- February 18)

Your July Horoscope by Susan Miller


Life has become a series of sharp contrasts. Your career could not be better, and although you may have recently encountered new competitors or detractors (more about those later), the smart money is on you. This year is to be your most glorious for professional progress, something you will see in full force in November. A close relationship has been problematic, however, and last month, problems that were previously hidden suddenly became very obvious.

Let's talk about your professional life first. Watch July 6, when Jupiter will turn from retrograde to speedy, strong direct orbit in your house of honors, awards, achievement, and fame. If you felt that much of your career progress has slowed in recent months, that sounds right because Jupiter, the great planet of expansion and good fortune, has been a weakened, retrograde state since March 4. Watch the kind of phone calls and offers you receive in the days surrounding July 6. I promise you'll be so encouraged by what you hear!

July 6 will be important for another reason - the Sun and Uranus will be ideally aligned, helping you find money from a plum assignment or sale. It's a day when luck is on your side, so make it important!

I will admit that this month, when you present certain ideas, you are likely to encounter at least one Doubting Thomas who will fold his arms over his chest and ask: "Why should we do things YOUR way?" Even an old supporter may act like this, so don't take this person's lack of support to heart. If you've done your homework, you will be able to present your case forcefully and eventually win. It just will take a bit more time and energy, due to the opposition of Mars and Saturn to your Sun, but you CAN win this person over.

Mercury will be retrograde throughout this month, from July 4 to 29, making for an increase in miscommunications, misunderstandings, false starts, and outright wrong thinking. Mercury rules perception, thinking, communicating, negotiating, and the drawing up of agreements, and important contracts / documents of all kinds. Mercury also rules transportation and shipping, as well as buying and selling. Things will go haywire, and it will be hard to get hold of the people whose decisions you need, let alone set up meetings and get decisions from them.

While Mercury will slow you down, Jupiter, as mentioned above, will protect you. November will be your very best career moment, possibly of the decade. After that, Jupiter will move to another house, and I won't be talking about your career so much in the long-range future. While you have this rare advantage, use it!

If you are thinking you had better hurry up and get things done in the first three days of July before Mercury goes retrograde on July 4, the sad truth is, it's already too late. Did you notice how appliances and computers began acting up in your house and office in June? That was a sign that you were already in Mercury's undertow. Don't plan to initiate any vital plan now. Wait until August 5 or so.

You need to leave some space from the day Mercury goes direct again on July 29, because Mercury always acts most wildly on the bookend dates, that is, the start and end dates and the days that surround them.

One other day I would like you to circle on your calendar as potentially terrific career news will be Friday, July 14, when Mars and Pluto work hard on your behalf. It will be a good day for a key meeting or presentation, but so would Wednesday, July 12, when the moon will be in Aquarius and the energy of this Mars to Pluto aspect will still be building. It looks like a good friend, collaborator, or your lawyer may be quite instrumental in helping you get your good news.

Finally, July 26 should be outstanding for career success, as Venus and Jupiter will be so sublimely angled. You may find a way to increase your status in your industry, be interviewed by the press, or give a speech. Others will somehow come to know your name, and all of the buzz about you will be very, very positive.

I will admit that in your business life, it appears someone you think of as an agent, collaborator, representative, or partner has been giving you a very hard time. This person might alternatively be a competitor or critic, or if none of these, then a romantic partner. What makes this person's lack of support so painful is that you respect this person's opinion - or at least you used to. If this person is someone you encounter at work, be grateful that this person is out in the open and easy to spot. There is nothing underhanded about this energy - you can see who this person is, for this person's behavior is out in the open.

If you were born in January, the past year has been doubly difficult, but happily, Saturn is about to move away from your Sun this month. Conditions should improve with each passing day. If you were born in early February, the same sort of stress you've been feeling lately will continue a while longer, and I am so sorry to have to report that. Your birthday is the one feeling Saturn's pressure most now, and that's why you have to promise me you will take good care of yourself.

It may help to know that Saturn's presence can be a little painful UNTIL you try something new to untangle the problem. Once you do, you will see the problem begin to melt. Don't rely on old formulas, dear Aquarius - take a risk and the problem will almost immediately begin to melt.

Keep your health strong near the full moon, July 10, when you may feel yourself begin to feel a little less robust than usual. You've been under a great deal of tension lately, so you need ways to channel it. Exercise can keep you not only calm, but make you super-fit, too. If you are already fit, you know how much you love your workouts - it's "me" time you need. This month won't be exactly easy, not with warrior Mars opposing your Sun, so take it slow, take frequent breaks, and be your own best friend.

The new moon that fell at the end of June was very encouraging for health and fitness goals, and the energy of that moon will still be very strong as July begins. If you want to see a doctor, nutritionist, trainer, or any other type of health professional, do so the moment the month takes off. This is the very BEST time for you to initiate a consultation or to begin a workout program. Never worry about Mercury retrograde if you need medical advice. Often it means we are going back to an old problem that needs to be fixed, and what better time to do this than now?

Romantically, if attached, the same heavy atmosphere that you saw in June will continue to hang over your relationship. (As said, some attached Aquarius are not feeling this energy because it is being asserted in your work life or with health.)

This month seems to have a more serious mood, and will require you to make some tough romantic decisions. The key will be to remain as dispassionately realistic as you can be. You need a partner in life who will support you through thick and thin - if you don't have that, you will soon see that your partner is more part of the problem than the solution. You don't need added pressure these days - so if you don't see evidence of a changed attitude in your significant other, you may move on at month's end.

If you want to play the field, Venus in highly compatible Gemini will help you quite a bit during the first three weeks of July. The trick will be to put past relationships out of your mind - easier said than done. If you find you CAN give love a chance, your star power will bring you all sorts of fresh opportunities.

One day that should be sexy and fun would be July 15, when Venus and Mars will dance a sweet duet. Married, single, or dating, you're sure to enjoy what the day can bring. Make plans!

If you can only get out to socialize on one weekend, make it the weekend of weekend of July 29 - 30.

On July 30, Venus and your ruling planet, Uranus, will shower you with sparkling vibrations. It's sure to be an effervescent, light, and happy weekend for all Aquarius, no matter what your marital status. With the moon in loving Libra, you're sure to have a standout day. Plan something, but also be open to lots of unusual and surprising events, for those are also indicated, dear Aquarius!

Best date nights: July 3, 4, 8, 11, 12, 15, 21, and 30

This month seems to give new meaning to the old adage, "Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer." If you have any critics or detractors who have been hoping you'd trip up, you will know in July. The good part is that competitors will be very visible, so it will be easy to separate the good guys from the bad guys. There's no behind-the-scenes intrigue - everything will be out in the open.

While your chart seems to point to a political situation related to work, it might be that a romantic partner may be the one generating all the tensions. If so, you can finally air out issues that have threatened to harm the relationship. If you feel you are beyond the talking stage, you may now leave without regret. This is a make-it or break-it month, and you'll be too weary to hang on to ANY relationship that despite your most valiant efforts seems impossible to fix.

The whole month will be fraught with emotion and confrontation, but the last week of July will be your toughest. At that point, you'll finally say "Enough!" and call an end to the antics. Mercury will be retrograde all month, so although you'll be ready to voice your plan, try not to make any firm decisions until August when you'll feel a greater sense of mental and emotional clarity.

It will be vital that you take very good care of your health this month, as you will be under a strain. This is no month to diet, binge, burn endless amounts of energy, or go days without sleep. It's also not the time to keep yourself locked up inside. Insist on early morning fresh air, sunshine, and exercise. Of course, you'll also need rest and nutritious foods, too. Your office life will be unusually hectic, so if you aren't careful, you could feel yourself flagging at the full moon, July 10.

At the same full moon, July 10, if you have not identified all those who are not members of your camp, you may hear confidential information that will help you solve the puzzle. Although sometimes it is hard to hear the truth about others' motives and secret activities, in the end, knowing will protect you. With that in mind, when truth starts coming out, just say courageously, "Bring it on!"