Welcome to Indy Maven’s astrology column coming by way of Kelli Jenkins, better known around Indy as one of the Spellsisters. Check out their website and Instagram feed for even more info from the world of horoscopes and tarot, or to book a private reading.
July 2026 Overview
The air is thick with nostalgia this July. The Velvet Underground plays in the coffee shops. You experience a sudden urge to visit the mall, where the few stores that are left are selling impossibly low rise jeans. You have an unquenchable thirst for Aperol spritz and mint juleps. Kiss me hard before you go, summertime sadness.
July opens with Mercury mid-retrograde which spans almost the full month, but this is (hopefully) not the kind of retrograde that knocks you off your course. And Mercury’s retrograde isn’t even the big news of the month.
We begin the month in Cancer season, and with Mercury retrograding through it, we’re struck with the urge to wistfully rehash and revisit lingering feelings about bygone eras, feeling homesick for places and scenarios that no longer exist. We’re not having the same conversation over and over with ourselves because there’s something we’ve missed; it’s just that now, we can reach new layers of meaning and understanding. Whatever plays as a perpetual loop for you carries significance.
On June 30, Jupiter ingressed into Leo, where it stays until next July, marking the end of an era. July’s astrological outlook feels like the start of something new–a major change to the story. Jupiter acts like a magnifying glass, so as it moves out of Cancer and into Leo, the collective focus shifts away from group-think vibes and more toward the prioritization of self interests. It’s suddenly much more important to get what you need than it is to go with the flow and protect the peace. Because usually, pursuing your own best interests will benefit others, too.
This month is full of big astrological moves. This month, the slow moving outer planets whose transits can span decades make notable shifts.
This isn’t like the usual, monthly “life changing eclipse,” or whatever, that we hear about from Instagram astrologers. Some of what has been happening astrologically over the last few years actually does occur just once in a generation or lifetime.
Speaking of Instagram: have you heard of Barbault’s Basket? It’s been making the rounds. This is what some astrologers are calling the cradle-like formation that will be made by outer planets this month. André Barbault was an astrologer who predicted the global pandemic of 2020 years before it actually happened, marking 2026 as an important turning point. Around the 20th, Jupiter makes a string of aspects to Neptune, Pluto, and Uranus–a planetary tour touching dreams, power, and disruption all within a few days. It’s a lot all at once, and while you might not feel the effects on the 20th specifically, you’ll likely be able to look back on this month later and realize that something majorly shifted.
IMPORTANT DATES THIS MONTH
July 7 — Neptune retrogrades in Aries ♆℞♈︎
Goals are within reach, but not immediately, and not without planning. Action taken impulsively is likely to lead to future conflict.
July 9 – Venus enters Virgo ♀→♍︎
An analytical air takes over relationships. Don’t judge too harshly when you only want to pontificate. You don’t really mean it.
July 12 – Mercury cazimi in Cancer ☿☉♋︎
Mercury passes directly between us and the Sun, providing a brief moment of clarity from within the fog of Mercury’s retrograde. This inspires old memories to resurface, providing new ways of making sense.
July 14 – New Moon in Cancer ☽♋︎
Keep your intentions close to the vest. Private commitments are favored over public declarations.
July 15 – Uranus in Gemini sextile Neptune in Aries ♅♊︎⚹♆♈︎
Just a little ~casual~ rebirth energy
July 17 – Uranus in Gemini trine Pluto in Aquarius ♅♊︎▵♇♒︎
It becomes easier, more natural to think of things differently. Curiosity drives us to explore with a fresh perspective.
July 20 – Jupiter in Leo trine Neptune in Aries ♃♌︎▵♆♈︎
In the midst of all this individualistic imagining and self-assertion, a spark of humanitarianism and generosity takes hold. What’s good for the self is ultimately good for the collective, but not if it’s at the expense of it.
July 20 – Jupiter in Leo opposed Pluto in Aquarius ♃♌︎☍♇♒︎
One big push and something you’ve been dreaming of is born.
July 21 – Jupiter in Leo sextile Uranus in Gemini ♃♌︎⚹♅♊︎
A lucky aspect inspiring good fortune, awesome opportunities, and chance encounters. The potential is high for creative and romantic breakthroughs.
July 22 – Sun enters Leo
Siri, play Everything She Wants by Wham!
July 23 – Mercury goes direct in Cancer ☿♋︎
Nostalgia lingers, but clarity comes more easily and things start to move forward.
July 26 – Saturn retrogrades in Aries ♄℞♈︎
Some rules are meant to be broken, but be wary of bridge-burning and going overboard.
July 29 – Full Moon in Aquarius 🌕♒︎
Today, what you want for yourself comes up against what your community needs. These might just be the same thing.
Birthday Royalty <3 CANCER (June 21 – July 22)
This month, you’re being asked to reflect and look at what you’ve actually changed over the past year. Jupiter started transiting in your sign in June of 2025. Mercury was retrograde in your sign for most of the month. None of this is accidental. You’ve been in a period of change for a long time. You are not the same person you were this time last year. Let this birthday mark the start of something new.
Tarotscope | Ace of Wands: You’re primed for new chances to express yourself. Your spark is refreshed.
NOW FOR THE REST OF YOU...
Leo (July 23 – August 22)
You are almost cleared for liftoff, but not just yet. You are so ready for whatever new chapter you’re approaching, but this is the necessary last push. This month’s Full Moon falls in Aquarius, your sister sign, reminding you that you feel better in the spotlight when it’s shared.
Tarotscope | Three of Pentacles: You are capable of major accomplishments, but the longevity of your success hinges on the support of others.
Virgo (August 23 – September 22)
Mercury, your ruling planet, spends this month retrograde in your 11th house of friendships and community. Old relationships (platonic, romantic, and professional) could come back to life, asking to be reconsidered. Revisiting the past isn’t always about going backward. Sometimes the past has something to offer the person you are now.
Tarotscope | The Hanged Man: New perspectives are just on the other side of patience and consideration.
Libra (September 23 – October 22)
This month, your relationship with ambition and motivation is under consideration. Does the path you’re on still fit what you want? You might feel inclined to ask for input, but it’s best for this reflection to happen on your own–don’t make any big declarations. It’ll all come into clearer focus over time.
Tarotscope | The Hermit: You’re ready for a change, but don’t be too impulsive. This change requires considerable self-study.
Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)
This month could challenge the validity of your beliefs about the world, especially surrounding what’s possible and available to you. In order to commit to new beliefs, you may need to majorly take stock of the ones you have lived with for years. Something that has been quietly building could make itself unavoidable now.
Tarotscope | Temperance: You’ve got to let go of control for things to become what they need to be.
Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)
This has been a season of incredible momentum for you. It might feel like unstoppable forces have propelled you, simply dropping you off here. Now when you look around, you’re not sure how it happened, and anything you’ve avoided addressing feels unavoidably incongruous to your life. Suddenly what you once dreaded is easy to release. It’s easy to let go of something when it simply does not fit who you are now.
Tarotscope | Knight of Swords: Now it feels hard to not speak directly.
Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)
While some things might deserve a second look or more consideration, you don’t need to undo anything to make sure that it still fits the person you are now. Your community is the focus this month–who has been there as you become this version of yourself? You might realize that you’ve been tending to habits that no longer match your energy.
Tarotscope | The World: A part of your life is coming to an end. This could be bittersweet, but ultimately, it opens the door for the next phase.
Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)
The saxophone music is getting louder. In the background of your life, a quiet revolution is about to reach a boiling point. This doesn’t feel scary to you; it’s probably more scary for people around you, actually. Because if you’ve been pretending something to make them comfortable, that’s about to snap.
Tarotscope | The High Priestess: You see something coming before everyone else. No amount of proselytizing can make them see it.
Pisces (February 19 – March 20)
You might be facing the consequences of romanticizing everything and projecting assumptions onto others. It’s really hard to see the truth when all your expectations are tied to a specific outcome. Approach things with curiosity this month and focus on scratching the itch for yourself, rather than expecting someone to show up and be what you wish they were.
Tarotscope | The Moon: You can’t will your dreams into reality with wishes alone.
Aries (March 21 – April 19)
Any past stories that resurface this month are meant to close the loop, not reopen the wound. It might feel like you keep rehashing something that feels tired and worn, but this is necessary. Your concept of safety might have changed, and this is meant to be a stabilizer.
Tarotscope | The Tower: Anything that falls apart now was never as stable as it seemed to be.
Taurus (April 20 – May 20)
July gives you low-drama space for quiet reflection that helps you release old beliefs that held you back. Conversations you’ve been avoiding could be forced on you this month, but ultimately, avoiding it wasn’t going to make it go away. Saying what you’ve been feeling will set you free.
Tarotscope | The Empress: Interesting that you feel responsible for making other people comfortable… because you don’t owe anybody anything.
Gemini (May 21 – June 20)
Last month stirred up a whirlwind of activity in your sign, and July is a comedown. This is a good thing. Mercury retrograde moves through your second house of resources, offering a natural moment to revisit your rates and your concept of self-worth. Old ideas could resurface this month, this time with potential. It might not have panned out before, but not because it’s a bad idea.
Tarotscope | Five of Pentacles: You are meant to reassess and redirect your energy. Are you being compensated?
Photo of the Spellsisters by Schwebach Photography.
Follow the Spellsisters on Instagram @spellsisters and schedule a Zoom reading or purchase gift cards here.
SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM
All of our content—including this article—is free. However, we’d love it if you would consider supporting our journalism with an Indy Maven membership.
P.S. Sign up for our weekly newsletter with stories like this delivered to your inbox every Thursday!
