July: the Star Month of 2026
The Barbault Basket
Late French astrologer André Barbault, famed for his accurate predictions, such as the collapse of the Soviet Union and the 2020 pandemic, deemed July's very unique stellar configuration "the most beautiful configuration of the 21st century." Named after him, the Barbault Basket is said to mark the end of a period of pressurized geopolitics; if he is correct again, we are in for some global healing. Four of our outer planets will hover around 4° of air and fire signs this month, peaking on July 19th: Jupiter in Leo (starting tonight, June 29th), Pluto in Aquarius, Uranus in Gemini, and Neptune in Aries all make connections to each other, mostly via sextiles and trines, topped off with a lid, or opposition between Jupiter and Pluto, holding a basket or cradle-looking formation to one side of the zodiac.
I like to think of the constellation of aspect lines between each of the planets as creating the image of a cradle, holding something we are newly birthing, and tending it with care.
If you asked me a month ago what I thought about this prediction, I'd have said it feels far-fetched. But here we are, in the midst of a World Cup that has brought the world together outside the parameters of politics. Left to our own human-to-human devices, we've seen how much we all enjoy each other. This doesn't solve ongoing conflicts sparked by our nation-states, but on the human level, I believe we've all come to recognize how little interest the average citizen has in the conflicts or animosity toward people of other countries. We can only hope that this will spark new inspiration and the unfolding of goodwill and solutions that move us all forward with more care and connection.
A lot can happen in a month, so it is possible that other occurrences like the World Cup could come along that bring electric and compassionate moments of healing on the global level. While I like to look at the whole of the configuration as holding its own symbolism, it is also fun to dive into each particular aspect line for some nuance around themes that may arise.
Jupiter opposed Pluto (financial magnificence): In financial astrology, any angular aspect between these two planets can take resources and make financial gains. Warren Buffett and Bill Gates are among some of the powerhouses with these planets in strong aspect in their birth charts. But we can take advantage of this in investments and timing. It is said that companies that launch an IPO around angular interactions between these two are very favored. Buying stocks around this time is favored, but you might want to check that you have planets near 4° of air/fire signs to gamble on this. While I dabble a little, financial astrology is not my niche expertise, so do your own due diligence as well.
Uranus sextile Neptune (media and progress): The seed of the most recent conjunction between these two planets happened in 1993, with the World Wide Web going mainstream. With Uranus also in Gemini, a signature for technological innovations in communications, expect some interesting tech to bubble up that intersects communications and media. On a personal level, it's a great time to experiment with new artistic mediums that update the ways in which you can communicate your inspiration.
Uranus trine Pluto (grassroots making transformative waves): With these two planets last seeding a conjunction (shared agenda) in Virgo in 1965, we saw the Civil Rights movement explode, more organized Vietnam War protests, the formation of the Black Panthers, counterculture health consciousness and grassroots organizing taking off, and I.T. (Virgo in its analytical flow) arising. Now linking up from Aquarius and Gemini, this concoction could bring some shifts in how we organize collectives for change, using new technologies and communication strategies to weed out the overreach of government or corporations in our lives.
Jupiter trine Neptune (cultural glamour): These two last seeded an agenda in 2022 in the sign of Pisces, right when a cultural uptick was taking place around GLP-1s, plastic surgery, and a culture of buying into fantastical ways of looking and being. Now in Leo and Aries, there seems to be a move toward more raw and fierce ways of signaling a culture of glamour through doing things that can't be bought or produced for you — training for a marathon is becoming a signal of creating your own fire and giving you an elite signaling edge, or showing off physical books you've put the time in to read, with book clubs and reading rooms popping up all over the place. Something more real and raw is becoming more glamorous with Neptune's shift to Aries. And Jupiter, about to move to Leo, will offer us a challenge to touch into our divinity and personal light rather than copy what appears light in the external world. The seed of these two still holds a Pisces signature, so there is something in the air about culture holding glamour as important, but how glamour is perceived is shifting rapidly from synthetic to raw and real.
Jupiter sextile Uranus (eco-tech): These two seeded their current agenda in 2024 in the earth- and nature-loving sign of Taurus. With culture, expansion, and innovation involved in this concoction, let's hope that new innovations start to show up around how we power technology more cleanly and sustainably, or how we start to innovate ways of making tech more guarded, sparse, and beautiful (a girl can wish). It feels like something is re-molding here to be more restrained versus overdone, over-consumed, and overwhelming. I feel like Jupiter in Leo is going to give us more courage to break base or lower patterns in our tech culture.
Neptune sextile Pluto (the fingerprint eon): This one is the more remote of all of the configurations. These two planets only meet up every 500 years and will meet up in the same sign for roughly 2,500 years. We've been in Gemini themes since about year 500, about when we have access to written history (such a Gemini theme). These two show at the deepest level what is evolving in our collective dream, our spiritual centers, and give a flavor to the essence of the psyche during an age. In the 1300s, the Gemini conjunction/seed chart had Uranus in Sagittarius opposed it. We saw the world mostly mapped and carved up with globalism and colonizing prowess. The last conjunction was in 1892, and a few days afterward, in Argentina, the first murder case was solved using fingerprints in forensic sciences. That feels symbolic to me. I feel like there is this constant undertone of what our unique fingerprint is — actual fingerprints collected for almost all of us, digital fingerprints — and we've taken on the fingerprint of our personal brand in more recent years. There is something in this seed that has us seeking personal coherence.
Minus the Pluto-Jupiter opposition, all of these planets are making positive angles to one another, and as part of the basket configuration, the opposition is totally diffused by the lovely support coming in from the other angles. The overall effect is one of something new wiring in. The sign placements, mostly in spring vibes and moving toward the Leo summer flourishing, hold lots of growth contained in what is being held by the basket.
I can't promise miracles and that the world will get its shit together, but it can't hurt to be open to it, to strive for healing, a positive flow of energies, and maybe some miracles. We'll have to check in after July to see how it all shakes out. But the World Cup has come in as some of these angles are already present. It does give me hope.
The Lunar Ebb and Flow of July
Heading into July, the moon's tidal rhythms are more important than ever, as the ruling planet of Cancer Season until the 22nd.
We start the month just after the Capricorn Full Moon. This means we start the month in maturing and fruitful energy, where things are coming into their fullness with an energy of life thriving.
On July 6, we move to the last quarter moon week, which requires more attunement to others, with exchanges and cooperation needed, but also a time that will bring more communal moments.
We reach the Cancer New Moon on the 14th, the pressure point of Cancer Season with responsibilities around care, inner alignment, and imagination. As the new moon pressure eases off, the rest of this week is a good time to take extra rest and detach a bit from life. Daydream a lot more and get lost in some bigger energies.
We move into the first quarter moon week just one day before the new season, Leo Season. We'll start the season of the Sun off with initiative and a bit more self-focused energy to get creative or leadership things going.
We then move to our first eclipse in this eclipse season (which I feel technically starts on the first day of Leo Season, the 22nd), the Aquarius Full Moon Lunar Eclipse on the 29th. While we end the month with some inward yet fruitful energy, we will begin to see some wildcard shifts — endings, pivots, changes, disruptions…
Whatever comes with these lunar energies in the last ten days of the month, you are being directed toward course corrections. In particular, the Aquarius lunar eclipse will be behind the north node, or in Pisces in the draconic zodiac, bringing some dissolving energies to long cycles coming to a natural close.
I ALWAYS see an uptick in client readings when they hold a Sun or rising sign where the north node is traveling, as so much is uncertain for these folks. If you have an Aquarius Sun or rising, I see you. Things will be a bit uncertain in the coming year, but it's all leading to a beautiful new beginning on the other side. I already feel my uptick in Pisces clients drifting off nicely toward their new directions.
Congrats to you, Pisces fishes, who have found your rebirth moment in the past year!
July Headline Transits
We enter the month with Mercury Rx in Cancer until the 23rd. It's not a great month to move on new ideas; rather, complete projects and threads already in motion. A new Trickster's Journey with Mercury will seed on July 13th, with a shift in focus and kinds of ideas.
July 2nd: Mars conjunct Uranus in Gemini
This will be the first Gemini seed between these two planets in about 80 years. Motivation and action meet innovation around community and communication. Do you have ideas about new ways in which you'd like to communicate or connect with like-minded others? Now is the time to do something about it.
July 6th: Sun in Cancer square Saturn in Aries
The thing you've been giving intense focus, dedication, and building energy toward for the past 9 months has reached a harvest point. It is time to share the bounty of the mastery and authority you've gained. What needs more exchanges or mirroring to help you recognize and receive feedback around the character and pressure you can now hold?
July 9th: Venus in Virgo (11:22 am MDT)
Our eye for beauty moves from finding pleasure in glamour and a creative pulse to cultivating more refinement and purpose in what we adore. Find discernment in affection, value in details, and enjoy all that is exquisite in life.
July 13th: Sun conjunct Mercury (7:25 pm MDT)
In this inferior conjunction, a new Mercury-Earth seed is activated, moving our Trickster's Journey from a Pisces theme — learning, moving, and connecting with spaciousness, artistry, and inspiration — to a Cancer theme. We move from trying to articulate fantasy and the inarticulable to thinking about care, imagination, depth, and women.
July 13th: Venus square Uranus
Assert your avant-garde values into the world. Be daring and experimental in how you share your heart and in what you design. Find new direction through spending time with groups and friends.
July 14th: Cancer New Moon (3:43 am MDT)
We move from a Gemini-themed lunar journey, adding an undertone of movement, curiosity, and connection in Cancer Season, to slowing down to feel the depth and interiority of the season. What foundations and care would you like to deepen in the next year?
Check out the Lunar Journey Page for more about the next 27 days in the Cancer Lunar theme (scroll down to the Cancer New Moon).
See the first section for insight into all of the Barbault Basket aspects listed below:
July 15th: Jupiter in Leo opposed Pluto in Aquarius
July 18th: Uranus in Gemini trine Pluto in Aquarius
July 20th: Jupiter in Leo trine Neptune in Aries
July 20th: Jupiter in Leo trine Pluto in Aquarius
July 21st: Jupiter in Leo sextile Uranus in Gemini
July 25th: Neptune in Aries sextile Pluto in Aquarius
July 22nd: Leo Season
See the Quarterly Overview page for lots of Leo Season insight! Summer Quarter
July 23rd: Mercury Direct in Cancer
It will still be in post-rx shadow through August 6th (a cosmically drunk mind). While you might have new inspiration that percolates, it will be hard to get any breakthrough traction until after the shadow period.
Check out the new Trickster's Journey on the Archetypal Journey page (it will be up by July 23rd).
July 27th: Sun in Leo opposed Pluto in Aquarius
Or Earth conjunct Pluto in Aquarius — a new year-long journey around transformative shadow work in technology, collectives, friendship, and innovation.
July 29th: Aquarius Full Moon Lunar Eclipse (8:35 pm)
Let go and let flow.
July 29th: Venus in Virgo square Mars in Gemini
These two planets last seeded their shared agenda in Capricorn's want for reliability and status. Now in their first separating square, there is a first breakthrough of awareness about this seed. Venus is asking for love and autonomy to feel sustainable and helpful, while Mars is wanting a bit of lighthearted fun. Our feminine side can show our masculine side how purpose and service give our meandering and playing a bit more direction. As we assert and make things happen through pollinating ideas and connections, Venus can help us to sniff out which paths actually hold meaning - to discern more thoughtful possibilities within our meandering.
July 29th: Sun conjunct Jupiter in Leo
We become more aware of and clear about our perspectives and beliefs around leadership, heart, and creativity. This can help us to stand up to outside influences that have us under their thumb in terms of controlling how we expand and seek in life.
