MONTH OF July
Let’s stop what we’re doing and celebrate YOU, Cancer! The Sun is shining in your zodiac sign until July 22, making it your annual time to focus on yourself and what you desire. Whether you’ve already celebrated your birthday or you’re about to, it’s especially important to look at who’s around you this year. With lucky Jupiter in Taurus and your collaborative eleventh house until next May, the company you keep can shape your outlook AND the outcome of just about everything. Reminder to you, Crab: You don’t have to do it alone!
One particularly special plus-one could be by your side on July 3, when the annual Capricorn full moon beams into your seventh house of partnerships. You might also get news on a deal or contract near the full moon. Never hurts to follow up, Cancer, so drop a gentle nudge in someone’s inbox or DMs before the holiday weekend if you haven’t heard back!
One of the month’s most important days arrives on July 17. First, the skies will serve up the annual Cancer new moon—your personal new year! Don’t be surprised if your dreams and goals start to gel in the two weeks that follow. That same day, the lunar north node moves into Aries, energizing your tenth house of career and success until January 2025. New paths and professional opportunities await!
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That said, you might need to finish up something you’ve already started before you can leapfrog into that next chapter. On July 22, the Sun moves into Leo and your second house of income, daily habits and productivity. You’ll be in a get-‘er-done mood…HOWEVER, that same day, Venus will turn retrograde in Leo, a tricky six-week cycle that can mess with your financial flow and work relationships until September 3. Use this once-every-18-months retrograde to repair relationships with colleagues, heal some of your lingering money wounds and boost your confidence so you can charge into fall ready to welcome the prosperity that awaits!
It’s Cancer season until July 22
Toss the glitter, cut the cake: It’s your birthday season, Crab! The Sun is in Cancer until July 22, kicking off a brand-new solar cycle for the year ahead. While your sign is famous for nurturing everyone else, this is your month to focus on numero uno, pouring your energy into cherished personal goals and passion projects. Thinking of trying a new look or changing your appearance? Feel free to experiment with bolder colors and styles than you usually reach for—and allow the spotlight to warm your shoulders instead of shying away from it.
The Capricorn full moon is on July 3
Have your duos been less than dynamic? Fear not, Crab, the fireworks will be set off early this month. One person in particular may take notice of your charms around July 3, when a full moon in Capricorn ignites your partnership house like a Roman candle. Whether for love or business, the lunar spotlight is casting its beams on you and a promising plus-one.
With the full moon forming a favorable trine to adventurous Jupiter in your casual connections sector, this special someone could be right there in your friend group. (Never noticed their cute dimples until now, Cancer? Look again!)
Any existing relationships could also go through a powerful transformation or hit a turning point at this full moon, helping you really see deeply into one another’s souls. If you’re in, Cancer, you’ll want to be ALL the way in. The same goes for your exit strategy: If you’re parting ways, a rip-the-bandage-off approach will serve you better than prolonging the inevitable.
The north node enters Aries on July 17
Set your sights on a new dream career, Crab—and maybe even an entirely different professional path. From July 17, 2023, until January 11, 2025, the lunar nodes will shift onto the Aries/Libra axis, negotiating a new balance between your professional (Aries-ruled) and personal (Libra-governed) affairs. Prepare to be called into new levels of leadership in your life and to step into new roles and responsibilities that bring out different sides of your personality.
Over the next 18 months, you might relocate or change your living situation in a major way, perhaps buying a home or taking in a roommate. Cancers of the childbearing set could expand their families. But if you do, know that career aspirations will be front and center, and you’ll definitely want lots of help with parenting and caregiving. Your relationship with your own parents or family of origin could be up for review, whether you go visit your ancestral homeland, research your roots or evolve into a new role with your mom or dad.
The north node only visits Aries every 18.5 years; it was last here from December 27, 2004, to June 22, 2006. If you can remember back to that time, you may see some of those themes arise again, from patterns in your professional trajectory to shifts on your home front.
The July 17 Cancer new moon is your personal new year
Fresh starts: incoming! We may be halfway through 2023, but the year’s only new moon in your sign arrives to hit the cosmic reset button. On July 17, the Cancer new moon will mark your personal new year, a time to set intentions for goals you hope to achieve in the next six months. The seeds you plant now will reach their harvest point at the December 26 Cancer full moon, right before the calendar turns. Focus on something that really matters to YOU, Crab, and ask the universe to help you bring it into being. You might even want to do a ritual to anchor into these desires. Check out our friend Keiko’s “power wish” technique for an elegant and effective intention-setting style that we love.
Whiplash! The July 20 Mars-Saturn opposition
You’re not one to tuck your tail between your legs when you hear “no.” But this July 20, restless Mars faces off with censuring Saturn in your communication houses, making it hard to push your ideas over the finish line. Like it or not, you’ll be forced to pull the reins or wait for a decision maker to step in and lend an assist.
When impatient Mars and cautious Saturn are opposite each other, it’s like having one foot on the gas and the other on the brake. To avoid a case of cosmic whiplash, plant your feet as you hatch your lofty plans. Use the slower pace to ground your vision with market tests, solid research or a re-balanced budget. Call up a trusted mentor and seek advice from seasoned pros. Once you circle back on the details, success will be yours for the launching! You might even be grateful for the delays in hindsight, if only because you bought some extra time to think your ideas all the way through.
The Sun enters Leo July 22—and Venus turns retrograde in Leo
Brush away the birthday cake crumbs and prepare for productivity! You’re back in the saddle starting July 22, when the Sun moves into Leo and your prosperous, practical second house. For the next month, keep your eyes on financial security. Take concrete actions each day, and break big milestones down into manageable, bite-sized goals that you can work at a step at a time.
Going back to an old creative or work project class=”body-el-link standard-body-el-link” might be on the docket because artistic Venus turns retrograde in Leo, your work and money zone, until September 3. There could be discord around your dinero if you aren’t careful. Settle any debts, avoid lending and borrowing among friends, and ease up on the retail therapy. You may have an appetite for the finer things, but your normally spot-on taste could be MIA—and you could be stuck with an expensive, non-refundable item. Don’t let buyer’s remorse hit your wallet that hard.
The second house also rules self-worth, so watch for any insidious confidence issues that could crop up during Venus retrograde. If you catch yourself gazing in the mirror and thinking negative or mean-spirited thoughts, dig deeper. What’s really bothering you, Crab? Sometimes it SEEMS easier to turn on yourself or push yourself harder than to address the real, core issue. During Venus retrograde, you’ve got cosmic support to do the actual work. But first, you have to stop and recognize what’s really bothering you. It’s valid! Remember, you don’t have to tackle it all at once. Self-love is a process. A simple, step-by-step plan—doing one thing every day—will get you to a more stable place in due time.
Chiron turns retrograde July 23
Feeling bored with your work or idling at a professional plateau? Shift out of cruise control in your career and find a way to put more soul into your goals. Starting July 23, as wounded healer Chiron pivots retrograde in your house of leadership and ambitions, you can change not only what you do but your emotional connection to work. As an empathic Cancer, it’s not enough for you to collect a paycheck. You want to feel like you’re helping people or bettering their lives in some way. Between now and December 6, Chiron retrograde will support you in an exploration of what’s most important to you. Own a business? It’s a perfect time to hire an executive coach or a branding pro.
The month begins with both of the love planets, Venus and Mars, in Leo and your stable, luxe-loving second house. Venus is here on an extended trek from June 5 until October 8 while Mars wraps up its seven-week visit to Leo on July 10. You could be feeling sensual and secure—or maybe a little restless. The second house rules income, and much of June could have been focused on attracting more financial security.
While Mars may have added some stress to the search, you could move into July with a great new client, hot leads or even a couple of job offers. Your love life will only benefit from the greater sense of emotional and material security available to you now.
If things have gotten a little too predictable in the process, fear not! On July 10, Mars starts blazing through Virgo and your expressive third house until August 27, and there won’t be one dull moment. Unattached Crabs will have a demanding dating schedule—good luck keeping all those names and stories straight! But you don’t have to accept every invitation, even if variety is now the spice of summer. While all this flirting and romancing can bring nonstop fun, you still need to process real emotions.
Stay mindful that Mars in this zone can make you a bit argumentative or contrarian and prone to externalizing your thoughts without thinking them through. You don’t have to express everything you’re feeling or tell your whole life story to a person you’re meeting for a getting-to-know-you matcha. Couples can ward off unnecessary bickering by venting to friends or a therapist rather than sharing every thought with each other.
Furthering the need for extra kindness, on July 22, harmonious Venus will turn retrograde (backward) until September 3, which can be a challenging time for love. Venus reverses course every 18 months for six weeks, prompting us to reevaluate all matters of the heart. You might decide to take a step back and reconsider a relationship, or to work with the professionals to tackle a problem that never seems to get resolved.
Everyone’s normal stores of goodwill and compassion can dry up during Venus retrograde, making normally loving people act uncharitable. Cancer, when you have a low moment, you could be especially prone to projecting that onto others now. Venus retrograde can also make your sensitive sign take other people’s bad moods personally.
Venus will reverse through Leo and your second house of self-esteem, money and security. Couples could argue over finances, or you could feel uncharacteristically stifled in a stable relationship. Talk about it rather than acting out. You may feel stymied with attracting wealth and abundance now. Hold off on making changes to your appearance or buying pricey, non-returnable items for your wardrobe or home. Your normally impeccable taste could miss the mark.
Since retrogrades bring back the past, old issues could crop up in your relationship, or you might reconnect with an ex. Is this the one that got away, or are you just looking for a little excitement and attention? Since your confidence may take a hit during this period, you could find yourself acting needy or desperate for outside validation. Timeout, Cancer! Rather than rely on externals for a boost, lean into tools like affirmations and self-loving mantras. Ground yourself rather than going on a fruitless search for approval.
Put your stamp on it, Crab! This month spotlights your most profitable passion projects—or the ones you have yet to build. With the Sun in Cancer, your solo endeavors are energized until July 22. After that, the Sun moves into Leo and your money zone for a month. But take it easy, since wealth attractor Venus will turn retrograde for six weeks (July 22 to September 3). Make sure all purchases are returnable and don’t rush to seal any deals!
Earlier in th emonth, go-getter Mars in Leo heats up your finance zone until July 10, rounding out a seven-week trip through the most productive part of your chart. This can be exciting AND stressful, bringing long hours and short deadlines. But the payoff could be worth it if you prioritize accordingly and set your sights on a crystal-clear goal.
The Cancer new moon on July 17 is the perfect day for a launch or to kick off a new initiative that you’re feeling pumped about. Even better? That same day the lunar north node begins an 18-month trip through Aries and your ambitious tenth house. A career shift or a more purposeful path could be in the making between now and January 2025.
Love Days: 1, 5
Money Days: 12, 21
Luck Days: 18, 10
Off Days: 16, 3, 8
Identical twin sisters Ophira and Tali Edut (a.k.a. The AstroTwins) are ELLE.com’s resident astrologers. They have written several astrology books, including Momstrology and Supercouple, and star as the astrological matchmakers for Prime Video’s Cosmic Love. The Eduts have read charts for celebrities the likes of Beyoncé, Karlie Kloss, and Emma Roberts. For their spot-on predictions, books, and online courses, check out our horoscopes coverage or visit astrostyle.com.
