gal-dem horoscopes: Protect your home and boundaries this Cancer season

A crab carries home with it wherever it goes. The shell on its back protects it from bustling sea and coastal life, and grounds this creature within any environment it winds up in. There is a sense of safety that comes with having a portable shell that is also a home. Cancers crave this type of safety, and fiercely protect whatever (and whoever) falls under the umbrella of home.

The key word here is protect. Remember that protection isn’t only about the defensiveness of a crab’s shell; it’s sometimes about the sharp pinch of a crab’s pincers, too. Although Cancer energy might be some of the most conflict-avoidant of the zodiac, we must remember that its devotion to care transcends its desire to stave off a confrontation.

“Although Cancer energy might be some of the most conflict-avoidant of the zodiac, we must remember that its devotion to care transcends its desire to stave off a confrontation”

In our world’s abysmal apocalyptic state, it’s impossible to overemphasise discussions around care. How we should do it, the ways societal conceptions of it should change in the west, how to build community care. Offering care requires two facets of understanding – what you can give, and what is outside of your ability or bandwidth. This applies to all forms of it; that which you extend to yourself, your community and your intimate relationships.

Ask yourself:

Am I practising believing the pain of others, even when I can’t personally connect to it?
Do I honour my emotions the way they deserve? Or jump to dismissal?
What type of care am I good at extending to others? Is it the same when it comes to myself?
Who and what does my anger call me to defend politically and in my community?

The sky is a whistling tea kettle this July. It all kicks off on 5 July when Mars, planet of action and galvanising energy, moves into steadfast earth sign Taurus. This movement, and the connections Mars makes to stern planets like Uranus and Saturn over the course of the month, packs a heaviness that is marked by political unrest. The last time we saw Mars enter Taurus was the insurrection at the United States Capitol last year, so brace for events that encourage you to know where you stand on matters of ethos and praxis.

That same day, communication planet Mercury makes its move into water sign Cancer, and sparks new, slightly more withholding energy in our communication styles. Think about how you (and others) communicate through what isn’t said equally to what is.

On 13 July we have a beautifully tense full moon in Capricorn that calls us into an important manifesting moment. Here, Luna asks us to remember our responsibility as well as our emotional boundaries. Expel what you’ve been holding onto that’s not yours to bear, and refocus what you feel the expectations of others are versus the reality. Seek clarity to ease tension.

“Expel what you’ve been holding onto that’s not yours to bear, and refocus what you feel the expectations of others are versus the reality”

Venus begins to swim through the calming waters of Cancer on 18 July and paints our romantic perspectives with a softer brush. The tendernesses we seek feel a lot less easy to let go of at this time of year. Remember to occasionally peer over your rose-coloured glasses while falling in love or lust. The next day, on 19 July, our voices grow louder as chatty Mercury moves into fire sign Leo, who doesn’t like to be ignored. Watch your tendency to air towards bold statements rather than build a complete narrative, and don’t be afraid to apologise.

Leo season struts into the picture just a few days later on 22 July, then the month rounds off with the new moon in Leo on 28 July. New moons are always a time for us to reset and replenish what’s important to us, and on this lunation, there’s extra emphasis on our hopes and dreams. Sow the seeds for what you want to manifest in the second half of 2022 and beyond! Get creative and courageous with your assertions.

With all of this in mind, here are my thoughts for each of the 12 signs this month.

Aries & Aries Rising

How much energy have you been devoting to your home space lately, Aries? Amidst this bustling summer, you might not want to devote yourself to more domestically-bound tasks. Is there a way of bridging your need for socialisation and staying loyal to your safety net?

Host the dinner party of your dreams this month. Bring together minds that you know are meant to meld, even if they don’t get along yet. Consider creating a local where new discourse and planning efforts can be made.

Taurus & Taurus Rising

Your friends need you this month, Taurus. When you’re feeling your oats, does it make a difference with how you communicate with them? Confidence in your appearance is very linked to your power in July.

Make a conscious effort to show up for the people who call on you, and spend extra time tending to your physical body. Remember that sleep, haircuts, baths and changing your socks are non-negotiables for you.

Gemini & Gemini Rising

Fundraising isn’t the only way that you can contribute to a cause, although you might be thinking about it a lot this month, Gemini. Your articulate abilities are called upon during July in ways that feel urgent and bodily. What projects are you putting your persuasive powers towards?

If frustration about your ability to command your finances the same way Poseidon controls the sea starts to bog you down, make a new plan. Get your money in order, and look at what’s available to you materially that extends beyond your purchasing power.

Cancer & Cancer Rising

Your season is here, Cancer. What are you mad about? It’s time to let your voice be heard, and defend the beliefs that you know protect the best interest of you and your community. As your heart spills over from the love you’re receiving in your partnerships, the injustice of the world comes more clearly into focus. That binary of thought hurts you, but also pushes your confidence in being vocal about it.

Make sure the relationships you hold close validate your anger and outcry rather than stifle it. You’re not here to be inoffensive and docile, you’re here to defend what you love and feel joy.

Leo & Leo Rising

July has a serious tone to it, Leo. Can you discern when it’s the right time to lighten the mood, and when you need to simply dive head first into your feelings? Catharsis and letting go should be the number one thing you seek in your emotional world this month. I’m not just talking about a couple of venting sessions with your mates, dear fire sign, I mean deep release that you can feel in your body.

July just might be the right moment for a forest escape. Look for opportunities to lose yourself in nature, and reconnect your rhythms to a space that feels more natural and yearning.

Virgo & Virgo Rising

What’s been pressing on your ethical boundaries, Virgo? July keeps you on your toes as planetary energies are focused across your zones of community, creativity and responsibility. It’s your time to step up as the artful problem solver that you are and be in service of those around you.

Be wary of your tendency to swallow your own feelings for “logical” reasons rather than voicing them to the group. Keep affirming yourself that your emotions are valid in the equation as well.

Libra & Libra Rising

Ready to make some career moves this month, Libra? July is all about strategy and socialisation; knowing what to project to the world and what to keep to yourself. This is a great time to utilise your listening abilities to the max, and understand the audience you’re interacting with before pitching your piece.

Make sure your social batteries are being tended to along the way! Your butterfly self might not always realise that a recharge is needed to sharpen your wit and have you functioning at full capacity again.

Scorpio & Scorpio Rising

Home feels fleeting this month, Scorpio. With Cancerian energy swirling through your zone of travel and esoteric inquiries, you simply don’t feel like the answers you need are in the spaces you often inhabit. A hasty flight may be in order, in addition to the company of an intellectually challenging companion.

Don’t wallow in the frustration that comes with not having all of the information you need. Trust that as the month unfolds, so will a clearer picture of the history you’re unearthing.

Sagittarius & Sagittarius Rising

It’s time to mourn a loss you’ve been avoiding, Sagittarius. What have you stopped from crossing your mind? Whether this was an actual death, a former friendship or the terminal end to a romantic bond, it’s time to finally process and grieve. Your usual on-the-go attitude is a lovely bandage for deep pain, but it’s time to rip it off.

Cultivate space for yourself to cry, express anguish and let catharsis in this July. Leave no stone unturned and don’t rush the process.

Capricorn & Capricorn Rising

There’s a difference between codependency and interdependence, Capricorn. Do you know where that line lies for you? Capitalism constantly tells us that we must accomplish our goals on our own and/or not rely on others to truly embody success. This, of course, can never be true, but what can be true is that having the right partner on your journey makes all of the difference.

July is about your partnerships. Whether it’s a new boo or business accomplice, be generous but discerning.

Aquarius & Aquarius Rising

When you feel safe, how do you know it in your body, Aquarius? Cancer season is visceral for you. It calls into awareness every blade of grass swiping across your foot and every drop of rain on your face during the storm. This is your time to practise being present and aware of both your emotions and the physical indicator of how deeply they’re impacting you.

Look for plenty of chances to spend time alone, and never apologise for leaving the social gathering early. Your voice is sacred and not a party trick.

Pisces & Pisces Rising

Are you in love with falling in love? Your creative energy is a force to be reckoned with; capable of captivating others and crashing down the barriers of stoicism that cities often impose on you. However, it’s up to you not to invest this power in the wrong places. Look for spaces where reciprocity occurs as a natural response rather than an awkward ask.

As Cancer season encourages the flow of your creative juices like a ripe fruit, make sure you’re putting yourself in the right environments to nurture this rather than experience judgement or energy vampires.

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