Just days ago, Mars, your ruler, went direct course after months of going at a snail's pace in retrograde. It's been a long wait - Mars became weak in early April even before the retrograde started, finally went officially retrograde April 17, and at long last, went direct on June 29. Why does this matter? Mars is the booster rocket to all your important initiations. A powerful booster rocket takes the big heavy rocket that is aimed to, let's say, the moon. Once the little booster gets the rocket high enough and in the right orbit, he falls away, salutes the astronauts, and goes on his way, confident he has directed the big powerful rocket correctly on course. Do you get the idea?

Let me say this a different way, just in case you don't get what I am saying. Let's say you want to cook a great vegetable soup - you chopped the beautiful fresh vegetables, put your pot on the stove, and tried to turn on the gas on the stove, but there was no flame. That's what it is like when Mars is retrograde. It is hard to get things cooking.

Mars' position in a chart suggests where your main attention will be drawn for a period of time. Mars went into Sagittarius on March 5, so your mind has been on a person or an entire group of people (possibly relatives, friends, or business associates) based in a distant city. Yet things have not been entirely easy. Mars retrograde has been on low power, so you had to provide the energy yourself. Now things will be easier. You will notice a quicker pace - and you may have already started to feel things pick up noticeably as June wound down to the end. It is always wise to look at the events that surround the turning of a planet from retrograde to direct. Allow five days before and after June 29. Have a look at your appointment calendar and your recent emails - there lies important clues to your new, stronger direction.

As you begin July, you have a friendly new moon, July 4, in Cancer 13 degrees, and the Sun, Venus, and Mercury, all in Cancer, will accompany that new moon. You can now make great progress in terms of your residence or other property you may own or rent. In regard to family matters, you may be thinking quite a bit about one special person. Or, you may have grand plans for a move, redesign, or the purchase of new furniture. You might simply want to buy new linens or a comfortable, heavenly mattress. So many planets aligned in one part of your chart show likelihood of great progress. Even if you say you have no money to spend on home, you may get lucky and find new additions at bargain prices. Mars will be in your house of credit cards and loans, but in elegant angle to Venus (to be exact July 6, but within range all that week of July 4 to 9). It seems you may have to put out more money than you had planned, but the item of great beauty you see may be worth the extra cost, for you may love it forever.

At the same time as this new moon, an assignment may come in, pay well (or go very smoothly), and most importantly, ignite your imagination. Neptune will also be in alignment with this new moon, and it will also bring opportunities to show your creativity. Pluto will still be within important range of Jupiter, too, an indication for growth and profit, but here is the little problem. Pluto will oppose the gang of planets partying in Cancer in your house of home. This suggests that you will feel a bit torn between demands of work and those of home in coming weeks. You may want to refresh your home and make it more reflective of the real you, but at the same time, demands of your boss or clients will keep you wedded to your desk. See how this works out.

Before you get to the new moon, on July 4, you have one sweet day, July 2, when Venus and Jupiter will be beautifully oriented. Again, this is another indication you are bent on finding the right things to bring to your home, and at the right price. If you have a partner or roommate, that person will be on board with all your plans to make your space more inviting and comfortable. If you are looking for a new space, browse listings over this weekend.

Another standout day will be July 8, when Mercury and Jupiter will be in perfect alignment, in a mathematical aspect called a sextile, denoting opportunity. You would have to do something to get the benefits of a sextile - it won't come by itself. It's a perfect day to give a talk, sign papers, hand in your manuscript for a book, defend your thesis, or give a presentation. Mercury rules all communication, and it also rules travel, another wildly favorable option.

The weekend of July 16 brings mixed messages. On one hand, the Sun and Uranus will be at odds, but on the other hand, Mars and the Sun will be in ideal alignment. Mars and the Sun will combine energy to make you feel your very best - strong, courageous, and ready for strenuous undertakings. The Uranus challenge to the Sun will give you a need for freedom. This is a potent weekend, and it might be easy to overestimate your powers, so by all means, feel strong, but within realistic bounds. What I am trying to say here is that extreme sports (and other daring moves, physical, emotional, or financial) might be better left to another date and time.

The full moon in Capricorn 28 degrees on July 19 will light your tenth house of honors, awards, and achievement, a very important moment in the year. This is the one and only full moon you will have in this part of your chart, so be keyed to what happens. Again, aspects will be mixed. Jupiter, the giver of gifts and luck, will have a strong supportive role, and that's key to this full moon - it seems you will do very well, and a project you have been working on will be revealed and is about to bring all sorts of praise and publicity. Mars is in a position to give you even more support, and now that Mars is stronger than ever in direct speed in your ninth house, ruling travel, the media (broadcasting, publishing, the Internet, and digital world), and matters regarding the attainment of higher education, one of these areas will glow for you. You will also have good news in regard to legal affairs.

The only planet that won't be cooperative at the full moon July 19 will be unpredictable Uranus. Now in Aries, Uranus will be at odds with this full moon and will throw in some sort of unexpected twist into the situation. Stay on your toes and keep your eyes in 360-mode. Because Uranus is in Aries, I feel duty bound to tell you that it might be you that overturns things with an impulsive remark you may blurt out. This is the only planet that can cause surprises, so keep your antenna up, and just when you feel like doing something impulsive - don't. Keep in mind that the other two planets - Mars and Jupiter, so helpful now - are on the board of directors of the solar system. In fact, you may even be told that a bonus, commission, or other good financial news is on the way.

Sunday, July 10, will bring so much enjoyment to you when the Sun and happiness planet Jupiter will work together. Travel a short distance, be outside with your children and partner, or be with the person you are dating. Go hiking or take a long walk, create a classic picnic, or if you stay home, have a gathering or cook up a dinner with the person you love. You cannot go wrong on this magical day.

Venus will move into Leo on July 11, to stay until August 4. This is such good news, for Leo rules your fifth house of true love, and it is also a fire sign like you are with your Aries Sun. Shortly thereafter, the Sun will also move into Leo on July 22 for a month. You most likely way to find love will be not at work but through social events, while relaxing. While Venus is gracing your sign, go shopping for new things to wear - things you love so much that you will want to tear off the tags and wear that outfit that night. Venus will help you find the most flattering things for you.

The month will end with a lovely aspect on July 26, Mercury, now in Leo, in tight favorable angle to Uranus in Aries. You may hear very good news - possibly about love, in the form of a text, email, or phone call or even by express mail. Or, you may decide to travel spontaneously, and if so, it will be such a fun trip!

Life will get better every day from now on, dear Aries. Just a handful of days before you started July, Mars, your guardian planet, went direct, after months of languishing in weak retrograde motion. If you felt you've been walking through glue, with two steps forward and one step back, you now know why. Without Mars' help, it is very difficult to make progress. Now all that changes for the better. Mar is currently in your financial sector and will remain there all month, so you may be ready to make changes to your investment portfolio. Or you may simply take a closer look at your monthly recurring expenses to find ways to cut waste and enjoy having more money to allocate to the things that really matter to you.

The new moon, July 4, will be in your home sector, so if you want to move or make changes, the opportunity will present itself in the days that follow. You might do repairs, add decorating touches, do cleaning maintenance, or, in a different sense, interview new roommates. You may lease, buy, or sell property, and if you need a home improvement loan, a mortgage, or refinanced mortgage, the new moon will be within the outer limits (still within bounds) of a friendly beam to Mars, indicating you can get the deal you want if you negotiate. You'll be very persuasive this month, able to sell the steam off a frankfurter to anyone who engages you in debate.

July is a popular month for vacations, but don't go yet - better aspects for travel are coming in August. You need to stay at your desk, because the full moon, July 19, will bring a big boost in your career - this could be one of your finest career moments of the year. The full moon will fall in your eighth house of other people's money, and will be beautifully oriented toward this full moon, so you may see a professional offer crystalize, one that would lift your standing in the industry higher than ever before. It would come along with a financial offer, in terms of benefits, a bonus, royalty, and advance, or a commission, and it may be so generous that you may feel it's an offer you can't refuse. Alternatively, you may stay in your present company when an offer from your boss is far better than you ever dreamed it could be.

Elsewhere in the month, Sunday, July 10, brings a beautiful day to take your partner hiking or doing sports together. Whether you are dating or in a long established relationship, July 10 is for you. Do something physical outside, and you'll end the day laughing and feeling great. The Sun will be beautifully conversant with Jupiter, and because the Sun is the natural ruler of your true love house, the chemistry between you both will be mighty special.

Uranus in Aries will go retrograde in Aries starting July 29 until December 29. It is usual for the big outer planets to stay retrograde for five months - they do each year. Your most productive time on any front will come prior to that moment at month's end, July 29.

Have you met someone new? For your first date or meeting, choose July 6 to meet, when Venus and Mars will be prominent. This is the duo whose job it is to spark the beginning of love - perfect! Plan on a light dinner in a cozy restaurant that serves comfort food (Venus in Cancer is all about soothing comfort). The night should prove sexy and flirtatious.