Astrological Forecast for July & August 2020

We’re facing a lot of questions in 2020. The world is transforming faster than we might have imagined, and moving in directions we are probably not thrilled to witness. The first six months of the year began with a generational meeting of Saturn and Pluto, accompanied by eclipses and powerful planetary stations. As we moved through May and June, the powerful aspects continued. Now that we’ve reached the midpoint of the year, we’ll be challenged to deal with energies that may be slightly less intense, but are unlikely to foster a sense of calm.

Security and stability are not part of the picture in 2020. Times of unrest usually offer opportunities for those who can read the direction of change, but this year the dice are rolling and answers seem up in the air. While it’s not impossible to make some progress on your personal goals, a degree of caution is recommended. Then again, exactly what the “safe” choice is may not be clear.

July

Early July’s astrology is seamlessly linked to June’s, and while the calendar page may turn, the overall vibe is unlikely to change significantly. Mercury is retrograde as the month begins (he turns direct on the 12th), adding to confusion and miscommunication.

Saturn’s foray into Aquarius has shown us some of the darker sides of the sign while also highlighting the need for change. Once again, the U.S. is revisiting its history of racial injustice (the riots after the Rodney King verdict in Los Angeles took place the last time Saturn was in Aquarius, and rioting following the Supreme Court decision to force integration of the University of Mississippi took place in 1962, on his prior visit). We’ve also had to deal with control of individuals for the collective good due to Covid-19, and we’ve seen both resistance to reason and overstepping of boundaries.

As Saturn steps back into his home sign of Capricorn on the 1st, we’ll be revisiting changes made to our institutions in the past few years. Or rather, we’ll be spending the time between now and early December (when Saturn re-enters Aquarius) considering the extent to which our institutions are working at all.

We have the third of three eclipses on the 5th, a lunar eclipse in the sign of Capricorn. Obviously, this eclipse falls very close to the birthday (and Sun) of the United States, and the country will probably remain at center stage in the international turmoil. While this eclipse is likely to illuminate tense areas in the collective, pay close attention to the days leading up to it, as both Jupiter and Pluto meet with truth-teller asteroid Pallas Athene. Look for prominent women to be telling it like it is, or at least as they see it.

With retrograde Mercury squaring Mars the day after the eclipse, we can expect that there will be intense rhetoric, perhaps backed up by the use of force. Remember that information is likely to be skewed in some way. With Mercury in Cancer, there could be an urge to “circle the wagons” against perceived threats.

Mercury stations to go direct on the 12th, and remember that the time around stations tends to have the most prominent Mercurial mishaps. Chiron stations to retrograde just a few hours earlier, on the 11th, and in the sign of Aries there may be a wave of self-doubt around that time.

Self-doubt is unlikely to be a theme from the 14th and 15th, as the Sun opposes Jupiter and Pluto. Egos may be inflated, and power struggles could ensue. Look for this on the collective level, but be aware that the energy will affect us on a personal level as well. Even Chiron gets a little extra zing, as Mars meets with him: wounds may be exposed, but also cleansed, or it could be that Mars just encourages us to buck up and get tough.

The new moon on the 20th is in the sign of Cancer, and closely opposed by Saturn. It’s testing time: we’ve seen what’s going on, we’ve processed as much as we can given the ever-changing kaleidoscope of celestial energy, and now we need to decide where we stand and what we’re going to do.

Two days later, the Sun enters his home sign of Leo, and a brighter mood prevails. It’s around this time that we may begin to put some plans into action, and although there are some tensions through the end of the month, we should be able to handle them. Mercury is very active, and so we may hope that the action is verbal rather than physical, although you can expect that words will be sharp and uncompromising as the Cosmic Messenger, Pallas Athene, Mars, and Jupiter form tense aspects.

Venus squares Neptune on the 27th. After retrograding through May and June, the Goddess of Love is making progress through the sign of Gemini this month, yet the time around her connection to the Lord of the Seas could return us to uncertainty. Relationships may seem far better or worse than they otherwise might, and this is a very poor time for any kind of appraisal or assessment. Hold off on investments or purchasing luxury items.

August

The month begins with several firecracker aspects, as Mercury opposes Pluto and Saturn, the Sun squares Uranus, Mars squares Jupiter, and we have a full moon in Aquarius – all in the first three days of the month. Mercury aspecting Pluto and Saturn often correspond to speaking truth to power, Sun/Uranus is impatient and impulsive, as is Mars/Jupiter, and full moons tend to bring things to light. Yet we seem to have been living with all of these for some time, so we’ll have to see what new shades of these themes emerge as August commences. Be careful on the roads around this time, as many folks will throw caution to the wind.

Waning moons tend to bring a slower, calmer energy, but as we approach the last quarter moon on the 11th, the Cosmos continues to crackle. Mercury squares Uranus on the 10th (sounding another cautionary note for drivers), while Mars goes on to square Pluto on the 13th, as Uranus stations retrograde on the 15th.

This period of time closely echoes and ‘triggers’ the Saturn/Pluto conjunction of this past January, and it is quite likely to be a time – or yet another time – when the seeds planted earlier in the year come to fruition. This is a time fraught with potential for impulsiveness, anger, and perhaps violence in some places. While I never encourage being a “deer in the headlights” and standing still in the face of danger, a degree of caution is advised.

The new moon in Leo on the 18th ushers in an era of relative harmony. Mars squares Saturn on the 24th, another tense aspect, but one that is less prone to explosiveness. In fact, it could be a good time for focused action – especially with the Sun now in Virgo.

Mercury and Venus dominate the end of the month, suggesting that personal rather than collective concerns are prominent (although you never know with Mercury). The last week of the month sees Venus in opposition to Jupiter and Pluto, aspects that could stir up relationships, and which could have a tumultuous effect on markets. A trine to Neptune can soften the glare, but may make decisions harder. No worries, as Venus goes on to oppose decision-maker Saturn at the full moon in early September.

Mercury spins ideas and plans during the last half of August, aspecting Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. It’s probably a better time to dream and imagine than act or speak, but there’s sure to be value in your thoughts – somewhere.

On the 30th, Venus opposes Pluto while Mercury moves opposite Neptune. Opportunities may seem better than they should, or all may appear lost. Take the ride if it feels good, but don’t invest or divest based on what you see as the month draws to a close. You’ll have to wait a few days to see what’s really going on.

Armand Diaz, Ph.D., is an astrologer based on Long Island with clients from around the world. He is the author of three books, and lectures frequently on astrology both throughout the U.S. and internationally. He can be reached via his website, ArmandDiaz.com