This Sun cycle sets up to be quite a handful, with a slew of tricky aspects waiting for us, including Mars and Venus each paying a visit to the lingering T-Square (where they'll hook up with Saturn). The first noteworthy occurrence happens before that though, when Jupiter goes retro on the 23rd. This can make things a little bit tougher, as our overall luck will decrease, and it will be harder to build wealth or success. When we do achieve something, we can quickly turn around and spend the rewards, usually for something that won't last. Jupiter afflictions love to emphasize "instant gratification". So you can waste now, rather than saving for later. You need to be wary of impulsive decisions, and you need to watch your weight here as well, because it's going to be a lot easier to put on a couple. This energy will last for a good bit too, so you really need to stay with good habits and practices. The core of this energy doesn't make it easier to lose things; it just makes it tougher to gain them. Overcoming problems that limit your ability to grow and expand on what you already have is the key to success.

On the 26th, Mercury moves across from Neptune, while the Sun forms a positive aspect with Jupiter. The Mercury-Neptune energy will be tricky to deal with because there can be a ton of mis-information (whether intentional or because people don't know any better). It's tough to have faith in what others are saying, which is why you need to find certain proof, at least before making any major decisions. Often people will say things borne out of the ideal, but lacking any real basis in reality. It's screwy to say the least. Strive to find the truth and make logical decisions and you should do alright.

The Sun-Jupiter energy plays out a little better. Throughout this transit, we'll discover some ways in which our personal skills can lead to bettering our overall situation. This might come through taking a new line of thinking on an old problem. It might also come via new beliefs or dispelling old, limiting or harmful beliefs that decrease self-worth. Above all though, when an opportunity comes along that can be a personal benefit, it can provide us with the eagerness and enthusiasm to attack it with all we have. There's definitely some excitement that goes along with this.

Mercury moves into Virgo on the 27th, which is a strong position for it. Mentally, we can be more analytical about how we think about things, which can make solving problems more of a mental process than a physical one. We might not engage in as much conversation with others, but when we do, it will typically be more meaningful. Use this cycle to build your relationships with others, and also to spread information around (as well as gaining it for yourself).

A few days after that (the 29th), Mars moves into Libra. Your energy level is going to feature a stronger tie to your social connections, and often it requires others planting the seed in your head before you initiate an action for yourself. People will be looking to help lift others up (a big source of motivation), and collective efforts on this front can keep people from fading out and over-tiring themselves. There's a decent shift in the way we'll deal with emotions too, as we can become more sensitive in our responses to what goes on around us.

A day after that, on the 30th, Mercury and Pluto will start working together. This can add a lot of depth to the things that we think about. We can start searching for hidden reasons behind things, and we won't be as prone to accepting the explanations provided to us. Given the nature of this transit, this can result in new leads opening up, which might provide some crucial insight into the different situations unfolding in your life. Some daily routines are also prone to shifting, so stay alert for that as well.

It is here that the "fun" really starts amp up, with Mars hooking up with Saturn in the T-Square (where they oppose Jupiter & Uranus, while squaring Pluto). The peak times of this transit run from July 30th - August 3rd, though you'll feel the strength of this energy up to a week before and after these dates. Mars joining this super-aspect is of concern because Mars is an energetic planet that likes to force the issue. Disagreements can result in conflict more frequently as a result. Being paired with Saturn can lead to rash actions designed to remove problems quickly rather than deal with why they are there in the first place (like burning down a forest because you don't like the mosquitoes that live inside of it).

At the same time, you can be ultra-driven by necessity and you'll probably accomplish everything you feel needs to be done. The expense of this though, is that you might settle for far less than you expect of yourself in the process. It's akin to selling out in a way; some of your actions might feel less than genuine because you view such actions as your only way of getting ahead. Coming to terms with the rift between "what you have to do" and "what you want to do" is essential during this time; failure to do so will leave you agonizing over how to better represent the side you haven't committed to.

About a week after that, Venus follows the same flight plan. It starts on the 6th when it moves into Libra. Venus is much stronger in this position, and you should notice a willingness to get closer to others, in both the romantic sense as well as in the community sense. There can be issues with this, stemming from the T-Square element, but as this Venus cycle moves along, you'll notice improved relations with others, in addition to increasing business sense. You should also experience more enjoyment out of the senses in general, especially pertaining to food or sex (the standard Libra joys).

Initially though, this Venus "boost" will be downgraded as it enters T-Square territory. This peaks from August 7th through the 9th but will be present in the few days before and after those dates. From a relationship perspective, personal identity will become more of a factor in how you relate to others. You might worry that association with someone might drag another's opinion of you down. You might overcompensate to this regard, kind of like a little boy picking on a little girl because he can't come to terms with the fact he likes her. New relationships (or business endeavors) will seem like way more work than the payoff that seems to wait at the end. So this isn't the best time for starting anything new, though if you do, and you can get through the rough early-goings, it's probably got the capacity to last for a good while.

Following this, things calm down (thankfully) for a little while. The next noteworthy day is the 14th when Uranus moves back into Pisces. You'll see people will be more willing to sacrifice their own personal needs and wants for the good of an ideal they represent. This can restore quite a bit of mental faculty as well, but often it can be misguided. It's almost as though the thoughts you are coming up with will be too complex for you to fully understand (and with Uranus retro, most of these thoughts will have a personal bent). You can look into spiritual or religious mysteries with more zeal as well, but in many situations, you can ardently look for answers to questions that just don't have any.

The 20th is a big day to wind the cycle down. It starts with the Sun moving across from Neptune. This brings a whole lot of disillusion to the mix. Get on the same page as others. What people want to believe will be seeping into what they're perceiving. Some people might even go as far as to "see" things (fully believing this) that most others will think they are crazy for seeing (at least the UFO enthusiasts have something to get excited about). You might want to hold off on starting anything up for a couple of days, at least until things shake out and you have a clearer picture. Also, you need to watch out that a level of over-confidence doesn't get you into a situation that is difficult to get out of.

Next up is Venus and Mars getting together. This will improve interpersonal connections, in addition to providing a boost to romance and sex. There's just going to be a lot more energy flying around everywhere, and this can prove to be very exciting. Emotionally, people will be more expressive, and this will be encouraged. People are going to have a hankering for drama as well, and if there is some type of story line that has people sucked in, this energy will make it that much more enjoyable. Be prepared to gossip. Physical activities will get a boost as well (so it's not a terrible day to do anything that requires a bit of labor).

Of course, with as many kinks in the energy as we've seen to this point in the Sun in Leo cycle, why not end it with Mercury retro? Being in Virgo, the main purpose this time around is that we revisit some of our methods. How can we become more efficient? Insufficiencies in travel or scheduling are likely to play out, which can be a headache, but can also give us an opportunity to make changes so that we aren't wasting as much time. Our interactions with others can also shine in the spotlight a bit. We can become more aware of what we are saying to others (and sometimes how it comes out cold and more blunt than we'd like.) Often when we speak, we only say the words, but we never experience hearing them. And as usual, you should be prepared for the usual gamut of Mercury retro problems, such as misinterpretations (or strong fears that others have taken things the wrong way), travel, electrical and mechanical problems (or the creation of such problems in an attempt to fix something that wasn't broken to begin with), and poor sense of value. It's a lot to remain aware of, and no one can prepare to avoid every issue that will come up, but that's part of the challenge of life. Find enjoyment in seeing what you can make out of the challenges that come about this month. Best of luck.

Bud