Astrology The Powerful Total Lunar Eclipse Brings Conflict and Release This Week Published on July 23, 2018 Article by Cathy Coleman for Bodhi Tree Your Weekly Astrology Forecast for July 22–29, 2018 This week, the planetary energy is hot and volatile. Tensions mount as we move toward the second of three eclipses, the Total Lunar Eclipse on Friday, July 27. Retrograde Mars is conjunct the South Node in Aquarius, forming a Full Moon Total Lunar Eclipse with the Sun conjunct the North Node in Leo. Mars is out-of-bounds in declination, adding to the volatility. Uranus lurks close enough by square aspect to make us accident prone, so go carefully and cautiously, and keep things simple. Use this strong energy to get lots of exercise and to make things happen, but watch your temper. Yet, catch some of the electric energy in the air to generate new thought and ideas. The Lunar Eclipse, with the nodes conjuncting the Sun and Moon at the Full Moon, gives us a good reason to look at the Moon. The Sun is now in Leo, the fixed fire sign that symbolizes children, recreation and all things creative. The month ahead is for family vacations and play. If you’ve been thinking about expressing your artistic self, now is the time to light your creative spark and get going. Mercury goes retrograde on Wednesday, July 25, until August 18. This period is a time to reflect, review, reconsider and revise. It is also a time when things break down and need repair. Communication is prone to confusion. So, check plans and arrangements twice, and be patient with mix-ups. This week contains a lot of time when the Moon is Void of Course (VoC): Tuesday through 2:49pm PDT; Thursday all day and evening through early Friday morning; and again on Sunday all day until 4:28pm PDT. These times are not good for meetings, shopping or anything requiring decisions. The VoC Moon is further complicated by Mercury being retrograde. During these times when the Moon is void it’s best to focus on routine tasks such as gardening, clean-up, handling email, cooking or reading. The Week Begins with Playful, Optimistic Energy Relief comes Sunday as the Moon bounces into sunny Sagittarius, and the Sun moves into playful Leo. These luminaries in the fire signs propel us out of the hot, swampy waters of the past two days. Set out for a playful adventure, such as a summer concert. Enjoy the day—the world is looking much brighter. Monday is an optimistic, energetic day, even though we may fell overextended, and our reality does not live up to our ideals (Moon is in T-square to Venus and Neptune). If you can go with the flow, the day can be artful and amazing. The Moon is VoC from the wee hours of Tuesday morning through 2:49pm, an indefinite time when it is best to attend to routine tasks. As Mercury goes retrograde tomorrow, tie up loose ends. At 2:40pm PDT, the Moon moves into Capricorn and soon after conjuncts Saturn. Then it’s time to get down to business. A trine from Uranus to the Moon/Saturn opens us up to surprises. Mercury Retrograde Hits Midweek, So Plan Accordingly Wednesday is a powerful day. The Sun squares Uranus, so almost anything unexpected could happen. Be prepared to be steered off course. Mercury moves into its retrograde phase for the next three weeks until August 18.The Moon is in a benefic sextile to both Jupiter and Neptune. Our work is strong and demanding. Our vision is expansive and generative. Get ready for a great turning. Early Thursday morning, the Moon makes a dynamic conjunction with Pluto, and then is VoC all day—until early Friday morning. The Sun is opposite the Mars/South Node conjunction, a fiery-hot alignment. With Mercury in its early retrograde cycle, the Moon void, the Sun/Mars/South Node in a heated aspect, and just hours before the Total Lunar Eclipse, this is highly charged, heavy energy in which to lie low. Keep Things Simple to Combat the Turbulent Energy of the Total Lunar Eclipse Friday’s Total Lunar Eclipse path is through Australia, Africa, the Middle East, South America, the eastern Caribbean, most of Europe, and the South Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans. The turbulent energy in this eclipse could activate strong weather and social unrest. We have already seen the activation of this energy with the Thai Boys trapped in a cave for two weeks due to heavy storms; the capsizing of the duck boat in Branson, Missouri, in a violent storm; the continuous volcanic eruptions in Hawaii and Bali; and the tornadoes in the Midwest. While the actual extreme weather patterns are activated, this energy is also activated in our emotional lives. Keep things simple and don’t take risks. Be cautious. Relaxation is Key for the Weekend The load lightens on Saturday after the intense eclipse, though we may feel overextended and frazzled from yesterday’s onslaught. Take time to relax. Share a summer picnic with friends. Sunday is another day when the Moon is VoC. Plans are not likely to come together, so you may as well sink into reading a good book and puttering wherever your energy takes you. At 4:2pm PDT, the Moon moves into dreamy Pisces. Celebrate that you’ve made it through this turbulent week. Chill out and watch a movie. Take a relaxing hot bath, get to bed early, and catch some dreams. The Week in Short Sunday: Sunny, buoyant day. Set out for a fun adventure. Monday: Even though you feel overextended, go with the flow. Tuesday: Moon VoC until 2:40pm PDT. Attend to routine tasks while the Moon is void, and then late afternoon, tackle your serious work demands. Be open to surprises. Wednesday: Mercury moves retrograde until August 18. Things may get confused. Expect the unexpected. Thursday: Fiery, volatile day, with Moon VoC all day and evening. Keep things simple and easy. Friday: High turbulence. Total Lunar Eclipse! Be careful and cautious. Saturday: The load lightens a little. Spend time with friends. Sunday: Enjoy an easy Sunday. Moon VoC all day until 4:28pm. Make it a movie night and get to bed early. Want to know what to expect from the longest Total Lunar Eclipse of the century? Read this article. Looking for a Full Moon ritual? Read astrologer Danielle Beinstein’s Moon Rituals for Release and Renewal. Lastly, check out our favorite books on the magic of the lunar cycle. Published on: July 23, 2018 Tags: astrology, blood moon, eclipse, energy, mercury retrograde, planets, total lunar eclipse, zodiac Previous Journal Crystals & Stones 4 Stones for the Full Moon Next Journal Astrology The Planets Stir Up Confusion & Highlight Extremes This Week