THE JULY LUNAR CYCLE'S four major Moon phases incorporate the value of traditional skills, longing for fulfillment, knowledge transfer and performing into our consciousness. The first three convey assertive cardinal energy through fire, water and air to propel our summer projects. And, the fourth brings fixed air energy's stability to summer's projects.

THIRD (LAST) QUARTER MOON
The Third Quarter Moon on July 7th at 10:55am MDT in Aries accentuates the importance of weaving security and independence into the warp and weft of life. We may recognize that traditional pastimes and skills of life can symbolize the story of both the past and present. And, we might benefit if we take time out to create something that is not only useful, but contains the symbols of our story into the fabric of our being.

Home & Garden – Around the house, we can undertake painting projects July 9th & 10th and use July 8th - 13th for thorough clear-outs. In the garden, the Third Quarter is best for turning sod, pulling weeds, and setting fence posts, to avoid them heaving out.

Mind, Body & Health – This phase is especially well suited to cleaning and exfoliating our skin.

Business & Finance – The Third Quarter is the completion and review phase when we can fight a lawsuit, call a strike, and dismiss staff.

MOON IN ARIES
Aries brings us Mars' energy through heat, dynamism, willful adolescent bravado and erotic vitality. It embodies the struggle to emerge as a distinct individual with the catalytic task of testing the limits. Fundamentally the Hero or Heroine who follows the Path of Desire, Aries teaches us to allow our desires to become less selfish and expand to include the wellbeing of all of creation. At its best, Aries helps to stimulate an exuberant, full-on, confident embrace of life.

The Aries Moon's evolved expression brings energy, enterprise, idealism, and optimism into our life; whereas, its immature expression can highlight our impulsive, impatient, domineering, and vain tendencies.

Home & Garden – We can channel Aries Moon energy into DIY projects. Its dry barren nature is best for garden maintenance, mowing, weeding, and destroying pests.

Mind, Body & Health – The Aries Moon is a brilliant ally for working with our anger and frustration as we seek appropriate expression and thereby avoid damaging our community or creating toxicity in our liver. A toxic liver lowers our energy and we feel tight and constrained. With its connection to physical vigor and energy, this Moon is a great time to renew and strengthen our vitality as well as burn out toxins and strengthen the adrenal system. We can also schedule a hair cut, an eye test, and see the dentist to maintain our wellbeing. However, rashness, driving too fast, and rushing a job may compromise our wellness and ought to be avoided. Finally, in addition to liver problems, we are more vulnerable to headaches, scalds and burns, cuts, and accidents under an Aries Moon.

Business & Finance – The Aries Moon supports implementing tough measures, trading, making decisions, and directing our energy toward an intended goal. And, with our energy and enthusiasm at a peak, we can purchase sports clothes and gear, hats, sunglasses, anything red or made of metal including a car, and DIY materials; although we ought to avoid buying on impulse. Moreover, acting on impulse and skipping over the essentials can impair our financial situation.

NEW MOON
The New Moon on July 14th at 6:05am MDT in Cancer contains the solar impulse of longing for escape. Waiting for our ship to come in can lead to pleasurable expectation so long as we do not become dependent on escapist fantasies that waste time. Furthermore, if we are constantly looking out, we may not be giving enough time to looking back or inward at the things we already possess or have ready access to; thereby missing opportunities through emotional inaction.

New Moon Visualizations:

Home & Garden – If moving house is on our agenda, July 15th to July 28th is the optimal period to do so this lunar cycle; July 15th &16th are the best days in this phase. And, interior design fares especially well July 15th, 16th, 20th & 21st. This New Moon, we can sow second crops of leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and spinach, if our climate typically remains frost free for another two months.

Mind, Body & Health – During this phase our skin is less sensitive, thus making it an effective time for plucking eyebrows and wax depilation. Saline procedures and salt baths are also recommended to open and clear pores; stimulate blood circulation; improve skin tone; and, to reshape during weight loss.

Business & Finance – We can utilize New Moon energy to create a vision that will guide our business and financial dealings, including initiating new deals, drawing up contracts, and introducing new ideas.

MOON IN CANCER
Cancer is associated with the Moon and its cyclical patterns and connected with mothering and nurturing qualities. Its task is to set up housekeeping in order to create an environment in which nourishing can take place. And, it bestows us the gifts of deep emotional compassion, empathy, and a powerful sensitivity. At its best, Cancer embodies the truth that what we tend will then tend to us.

The Cancer Moon's integrated expression enhances our imagination, tenacity, loyalty, and protectiveness; and its lower emanation can reveal our possessive, moody, critical, and self-pitying side.

Home & Garden – Cancer Moon energy has a strong affinity for our home's interior and is an ideal time to work with soft furnishings. Its moist fertile nature is considered the best for planting and sowing watery vegetables, fruits, and mosses to encourage hardiness and abundance. In addition, this is the optimal sign for watering and fertilizing our garden.

Mind, Body & Health – The Cancer Moon can draw forth a greater degree of emotion than usual and, when we allow these feelings to come, we are more able to process anything that is stagnant in us or causing undue stress and worry. Crying may help to dissolve tension and release emotional pain that can lead to stomach and digestion disorders when permitted to fester. And, we can nurture ourselves with a jasmine scented bath. In addition, we can promote a greater sense of security and wellbeing, and connect with our past when we visit our parents and look up our ancestry. However, indulging our penchant to meddle in other people's affairs and be over clingy does not serve us well. And, holding back our emotions increases our likelihood of retaining fluids. Finally, the Cancer Moon is wonderful for us to focus our efforts on healing rifts and past hurts, which reduces our vulnerability to moodiness, stomach upsets, and skin problems.

Business & Finance – The Cancer Moon energy aligns well with signing documents, ending unsatisfactory conditions, setting up a childcare business, and purchasing a house. And, this is an excellent time to shop for monthly essentials (food); our home (kitchen equipment, china, linen and lace); our loved ones (presents and greeting cards) and, antiques, boats or anything white or silver. However, we can undermine our fiscal goals by a reluctance to take risks, being over sensitive to criticism, and getting involved with people who think the world owes them a living.

FIRST QUARTER MOON
The First Quarter Moon on July 22nd at 12:30am MDT is in Libra for the second straight month, this time emphasizing our desire to pass on something to others. We can reach out to others through awareness and the gift of knowledge handed down via books and the spoken word. Knowledge and understanding can help us to bridge the gap between ourselves and others. And, what we do with our knowledge as we interpret and convey beliefs and ideas creates wisdom.

Home & Garden – July 25th & 26th are the best days to move house this quarter and, July 23rd is very favourable for interior design projects. During the First Quarter phase this month we can sow second crops of leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach, if our climate is typically frost free for another two months.

Mind, Body & Health – Our body is disposed to maximally absorb and assimilate in this phase, which results in our receiving the best effect from the use of nourishing and moisturizing creams. Facial and body wraps along with massages are recommended skin care options at this time.

Business & Finance - During the First Quarter we can use gathered resources to take action toward fulfilling our vision, and this is an effective time to increase money and to launch advertising ventures.

MOON IN LIBRA
Libra, ruled by harmony seeking Venus, is the sign of balance and relationships. It brings us lessons of partnership: balancing devotion with the need for independence; paying as much attention to our own development as to others'; and, to passively observe patterns of relationship and to dynamically bring things into relationship. Libra offers us the gift of social justice that inspires large social changes through the art of gracious conflict.

The Libra Moon's bright side assists us to be more adaptable, creative, charming, and diplomatic; however, its dark side leaves us more indecisive, self-indulgent, dependent, and frivolous.

Home & Garden – The Libra Moon entices us to express our creativity through interior decorating projects that beautify our homes. And, we can incorporate Feng Shui to create harmonious surroundings where energy is balanced, peaceful, and free flowing. The Libra Moon's moist semi-fertile nature is a strong ally for planting fruit trees, pulpy stems like kohlrabi, and fleshy vegetables.

Mind, Body & Health – The Libra Moon accentuates the need to balance the needs and requirements of work, family, and creative life while still maintaining good health. We can focus our efforts on building strong kidneys, the source of our energy and vitality, by getting sufficient rest; maintaining a proper diet, which includes high mineral foods such as nori; and, consuming sufficient water to flush toxins. Furthermore, the effects of excessive stress, fear, and lives out of equilibrium will slowly deplete our kidney's reserves of strength and might manifest in fatigue, anxiety, and depression. We must learn to balance our ambitions with periods of rest and relaxation. And, artistic pursuits including making paintings, drawing pictures, and writing poetry encourage beauty and harmony in our lives. However, when we are not clear in relationships, don't eliminate emotional patterns and indulge feelings of being unloved, loneliness, and stress, we invite kidney and/or bladder ailments and biochemical imbalances to manifest under this Moon's influence.

Business & Finance – We can collaborate with Libra Moon energy to disclose information, negotiate, forge new business alliances, and for office parties. And, although we can be plagued by indecision, a trusted friend can guide us while shopping for anything expensive or elegant, presents for our partner, music tapes or CDs and/or party food. In addition, we must avoid wherever possible any hint of underhandedness and making open enemies.

FULL MOON
July's Full Moon, on the 29th at 6:49pm MDT in Aquarius illuminates rituals, archetypes, and masks that cover one's true self. We may discover that everything is not as it seems and we are not being shown the true face of the situation. And, we might have to determine our role; part of the play or part of the audience. Finally, we ought to exercise caution in what we reveal.

Mind, Body & Health – We can utilize warm baths to relax us and dissipate anxiety in this phase. And, it is optimal for colouring our hair as both colour and shine will keep longer. In addition, masks and rinses can help to revive and make hair shiny.

Business & Finance – The Full Moon brings about manifestation of, or progress toward our goals. It is when we can see where we are in the process of realizing our plans. And, we might carry out maintenance work and go on study courses.

MOON IN AQUARIUS
Aquarius embodies the paradox of Uranus's unruliness and Saturn's conventionality in the truth that stability is dependent upon progressive change. It brings us the life lesson of merging seemingly contradictory characteristics. And, its path encourages us to become community builders and increase harmony among all people.

The Aquarius Moon's higher expression endows creativity, idealism, tolerance, and humanitarianism. And, its lower expression breeds unpredictability, contrariness, aloofness, and tactlessness.

Home & Garden – This is a good time to get electrical equipment fixed. The Aquarius Moon's dry barren nature is excellent for harvesting fruit and root crops for storage. In addition, we can plant onion sets, cultivate the soil, and destroy weeds and pests under its influence.

Mind, Body & Health – The Aquarius Moon can be an excellent antidote to over emotionalism. And, balancing our relationship with technology can reduce the toll exacted on our nervous system by electrical force fields of cars, televisions, computers, and telephones. We can improve our circulatory and relax our nervous systems as we connect to the love and warmth of the heart energy and combat poor circulation, cold extremities, and the cold and distant approach of the too mental realm of ideas. Our health can be further augmented with healing energy work such as acupuncture, reiki, and polarity work as well as yoga and tai chi to rebalance and strengthen our nerve channels and develop internal fortitude. However, we must endeavor to avoid unchanneled rule breaking and rebellion. Finally, we are typically more vulnerable to anxiety, confusion, mania, depression and ankle sprains, during an Aquarius Moon.

Business & Finance – The Aquarius Moon is advantageous for leasing and renting property, improving working conditions, eliciting cooperation from colleagues, and money transfers. We can venture into unusual stores while shopping for electrical appliances, scientific equipment, kitchen gadgets, a book on meditation, gifts for our friends, aromatherapy oils, and anything electric blue. And, favouring the group at the expense of the individual; going off on a tangent; shopping in a rush; and, taking an overly detached point of view ought to be avoided under this Moon's influence.

Summer, with its long daylight hours and warm nights, draws us out into contact with nature and offers us views of star studded skies and connects us with the changing face of the Moon. It is a time of buoyant, expressive energy when we can, like the glimmer of starlight, reveal our vitality and beauty through the spark in our eyes and our passion for life. We can absorb the Sun's powerful solar energy, store it in our heart and honour the full expression of our own light as we come back into contact with our essential self - the beautiful, divine, and sexy creature that we are.

© Yvonne Hanson, 2007

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Yvonne Hanson is a freelance writer from Edmonton, Alberta Canada. In creating this column, Yvonne draws on fifteen years of astrological study and a desire to empower people. If you would like to sign up for Yvonne's free newsletter, which details the movement of the moon more closely, please contact her by email at starfire777_7@hotmail.com.