July 2026, Healing Patterns

There is excitement in the astrological community - and hyper-awareness that caution is required too. It’s clear that something has got our attention and what better way to explain than a little show and tell…

Isn’t it pretty? This is what we call an aspect pattern, a beautiful geometric alignment that tells us that the planets are in deep conversation with one another. In this pattern, it’s Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto who are taking part.

Here’s the upgraded version, courtesy of Chiron.

Still pretty, more complex, a touch more pointed.

The skies have a LOT to say right now. Over and under, under and over, a cat’s cradle of cosmic threads, weaving a wondrous tale. The top pattern was called the Cradle, a term coined by Louise and Bruno Huber from the Huber school of astrology in their book Aspect Pattern Astrology. You may also have seen this pattern described as Barbault’s Basket as French astrologer Andre Barbault spoke about this planetary configuration in his book Planetary Cycles.

Essentially Barbault predicted that this specific 2026 pattern would result in ‘a new great phase of technological growth, altruistic in nature between 2026 and 2028…” page 129, Planetary Cycles, 2016. However, what Barbault did not include was discussion on Chiron - and, as we can see above, Chiron is clearly active in this pattern and creating a distinct new shape to it. So, whilst I believe Barbault was absolutely on the money to suggest a wealth of technological growth, I think we have other stories here that colour the interpretation. Less altruism, more consumerism…initially at least.

Collectively, Chiron in Taurus speaks about ‘pain’ around resources. There is a sickness with Mother Earth, a sickness with the sheer rate of consumption. We already know that prices have been driven sky high by war – here’s the nod to Saturn and Neptune in Aries, that arguably has made a profit for a very few. For the rest of us, it means energy shocks and an oil crisis that is likely to have a knock-on effect going forward, just as we saw in the 1970’s. With farmer’s also hit by the lack of raw materials used to produce better harvests, shortages are likely.

But we also have another story in play here, one I have spoken about before but has become clearer with the recent Mars conjunction to Uranus on July 4, 2026. Mars essentially activated the pattern, brought it to life, shocked us awake…or tried to. Whilst I saw constant social media discussions either expressing disappointment or deriding astrology because ‘nothing happened’, my jaw was on the floor at headline after headline talking about the heat, the storms, the heat, the weather, the heat. THE HEAT.

THE HEAT IS ON, PEOPLE!

Caps for emphasis. Caps to show there’s an issue. Caps to show that my goodness Mars conjunct Uranus was shouting from the heavens! Mars, the RED planet – red rage, red hot, on fire – ruler of Aries, the first of the FIRE signs. The world is on fire and Chiron in Taurus has tasked us with healing the planet. The Earth is scorched and we must help Her. And since writing the above paragraph, the moors near my home have been set alight by human stupidity (fireworks!!!) and now thousands of acres are destroyed, and our air is thick with the smell of smoke. The land was dry due to the heatwaves so the sparks caught easily.

Now, whilst it’s common for us to forecast, to look ahead, to predict if you will, my greatest interest lies in actively working with the aspects at play. Because we are not puppets of the Gods. Were not just here for the ride with no influence – what would be the point if nothing can ever change from that which has already been set in motion? If we are a spark of the divine, then our creativity can engage with the energies at play and work them to our will.

When it comes to the Cradle pattern, Jupiter opposite Pluto is the rock-a-bye, the aspect that either tips the baby over or puts the child to sleep so they can dream and grow. The ‘baby’ in this instance is Uranus sextile Neptune. A collective spiritual awakening is happening. Jupiter opposite Pluto can either fill us with profound joy and usher in a great transformation. Or it can speak of big players on the world stage with their trillions, fighting over land and resources that Chiron says we need to protect. Do you believe in the light, says Jupiter in Leo. Do you believe you can change anything?

I find myself thinking about El Nino, the phenomena that has supercharged the ocean and the skies. As I type, sweltering through our third heatwave of the year (we have no AC so it’s brutal), I find myself thinking about the meaning of the term ‘El Niño.’ It’s Spanish for ‘the boy’ or simply ‘the child’. Yes, we need to protect the child. The children of tomorrow are our future. In the last month, we’ve also learned that more countries are spending on debt than they are on education. This follows studies that show using AI stunts creative flow and cognitive abilities. And whilst certain advancements may indeed free up mental space for humans to make more discoveries about the human mind, first we need to deal with what is right in front of us. And again, as I edit this piece on July 14, news has just come out that the FCC have approved a project for a company to build a massive mirror in space to reflect the light of the sun onto an area of about 5 km. Jupiter in solar ruled Leo, the sign that loves to shine, opposite Pluto, the planet that loves to control things. What bigger idea (Uranus in Gemini) could one have than to control the light of the sun, to control whether it’s day or night? Are we Gods yet? I mentioned below in my interpretation of Jupiter sextile Uranus it could relate to a discovery around light – I wrote that before seeing this news.

The idea of having a ton of magic mirrors making mini suns in the sky deeply concerns me. I need the stars and the moon, the depths of night to sleep and dream and rest and recover. Those giving the go-ahead seem to have ignored the fierce opposition by astronomers, the public, conservationists, pilots and everyone else who is likely to be adversely affected by this development.

I talk about these issues to show how this pattern is already at work and clearly manifesting using much of the associated planetary imagery. Yes, a lot of it is the negative stuff – don’t worry, there’s lots of interesting details that will positively supercharge individual and collective potential too. With Jupiter in Leo opposite Pluto in Aquarius as part of this picture, we’re naturally talking about large extremes between light and dark…and everything in between.

It’s clear from the basic Cradle pattern that Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are all at four degrees of their respective signs. In the tarot, fours are numbers that are associated with both stability and stuckness. Four is the four walls of your home. But four is also the old square who never changes. Be there or be square as the saying goes! Fours can either corner us or protect us.

In the tarot the Four of Wands is about celebration and marriage, the Four of Pentacles about insecurity, the Four of Cups is about depression, the Four of Swords is about the need for rest and retreat. Fours test us but can also provide what we need when we need it. Four in the Major Arcana relates to the Emperor card, a card that teaches us about strength of leadership, boundaries, authenticity and authority. It’s an Aries card but it’s bound up with the attributes of Saturn. All this numerological symbolism can be included in our analysis of the astrology at work.

I talked about a lot of the main aspects in the Cradle pattern in my video forecast for July over on YouTube. But for those that didn’t see it or need a refresher, here is what we are looking at.

Jupiter in Leo
Turn the light up and let it shine. Growth comes from confidence. Maximum creativity. Big risks.

Uranus in Gemini
Mental freedom. Breakthrough in communications. Mind tech. New ways of connecting. To progress, we must be willing to learn new things.

Neptune in Aries
Holy fire. Visionary leaders. A personal quest. Soul courage. Spiritual warriors.

Pluto in Aquarius
Transformation of society. Power to the people. Collective shadows and regeneration. Taking control of the future.

Chiron in Taurus
Looking after Mother Earth. Fixing our consumerism. The key to survival is healing our values. Addressing insecurities.

Jupiter in Leo opposite Pluto in Aquarius
Orb of influence - 16 Jun 2026 to 14 Aug 20
Exact 20 Jul 2026, 15:44 (BST)
Taking huge risks to gain control. Massive egos versus people power. Enemies becoming friends to share the wealth and power.

Jupiter in Leo trine Neptune in Aries
Orb of influence - 17 Jun 2026 to 14 Aug 2026
Exact 20 Jul 2026, 08:23 (BST)
Great promise of light descending from the realm of spirit. Big dreams. Hope upon hope. The cult of personality. Spiritual/religious leaders and gurus.

Jupiter in Leo sextile Uranus in Gemini
Orb of influence - Enters 1 Jul 2026 to 3 Aug 2026.
Exact 21 Jul 2026, 12:10 (BST)
Big discoveries! Maybe even big discoveries about the nature of light. Understanding that comes from out-of-the-box thinking. Break for freedom.

Uranus in Gemini sextile Neptune in Aries
Orb of influence – 10 Sep 2023 to 25 Apr 2029.
Note that the planets move in and out of orb over this general period. The orb of influence began when they were in preceding signs.
Exact 29 Aug 2025, 01:14 (BST)
Exact 20 Nov 2025, 14:33 (UT)
Exact 15 Jul 2026, 21:35 (BST)
Exact 15 Jan 2027, 09:26 (UT)
Exact 6 Jun 2027, 11:12 (BST)
A spiritual awakening. God mind and holy connection. New spiritual paths. Discovering something that was previously invisible but always present.

Uranus in Gemini trine Pluto in Aquarius
Orb of influence - 15 Jul 2023 to 22 Mar 2031.
Note that the planets move in and out of orb over this general period. The orb of influence began when they were in preceding signs.
Exact 18 Jul 2026, 05:43 (BST)
Exact 29 Nov 2026, 11:23 (UT)
Exact 15 Jun 2027, 09:10 (BST)
Exact 13 Jan 2028, 06:41 (UT)
Exact 10 May 202,8 04:03 (BST)
Awakened transformation. New methods of control. Sudden power grabs. Surveillance technologies. Profound societal change through technological advancement. Revolutionary communities changing the world.

Neptune in Aries sextile Pluto in Aquarius
Orb of influence - 2 Jul 2019 to 27 Feb 2037.
Note that the planets move in and out of orb over this general period. The orb of influence began when they were in preceding signs.
Exact 25 Jul 2026, 06:26 (BST)
Exact 16 Sep 2026, 03:08 (BST)
Exact 29 Jun 2027, 00:55 (BST)
Exact 16 Oct 2027, 15:40 (BST)
Exact 9 Jun 2028, 05:24 (BST)
Exact 8 Nov 2028, 01:45 (UT)
Exact 22 May 2029, 20:14 (BST)
Exact 30 Nov 2029, 22:10 (BST)
Exact 4 May 2030, 16:26 (BST)
Exact 26 Dec 2030, 15:36 (BST)
Exact 12 Apr 2031, 22:48 (BST)
Exact 10 Feb 2032, 17:31 (BST)
Exact 29 Feb 2032, 10:43 (BST)
Constructive change in group dynamics creates room for personal spiritual growth. Unseen powers revealed. Creative inspiration combined with deep collective shadow work has the potential to bring a greater sense of communal connection. The power of the imagination! Note that as there are 13 sextiles altogether, this is an extraordinary period of transformation.

Now, if we add in Chiron, we can see that essentially Chiron is trying to resolve the tension between Jupiter and Pluto. Chiron becomes the apex of a T-Square pattern with Jupiter and Pluto forming the base. Everything points to Chiron. To stop our fears magnifying, we need to touch the Earth. To stop the world being destroyed by egotistical maniacs, we need to shift our attention to our values, how we are spending our money, what we are investing our time and money and energy into. On a personal level too, when we focus on the healing work required in our Taurus house, the tension in our Leo/Aquarius houses starts to release – and we get rewarded for having the faith to change things! Address insecurities.

I have used the asteroids/minor planets that make the closest connections to the planets involved in this pattern. Remember that whilst the extraordinary healing Cradle pattern is most active during July 2026, the manifestations from it may take several years to come into effect. The important point is that what manifests later down the line is clearly seeded around this time. In other words, hindsight should show us that there are connections to this period when the aspects that make up the cradle are in play.

Juno conjunct Pluto

Juno’s presence in this pattern tells us that our relationships are changing, as are our group connections. One group’s ‘marriage’ to another is likely to go through a major transformation. Political affiliations are also set for change. One particular issue that Juno is very focused on is equality. She will not brook bad treatment. So, in combination with Pluto this feels very much like women fighting back or simply, the rise of the underdog, the revenge of the mistreated.

This aspect could also speak of regeneration when it comes to future contracts and commitments going forwards. I find myself thinking about renewable energies and perhaps some kind of renewed commitment to deal with air pollution. In our own chart, Juno conjunct Pluto might be simpler – can you commit to doing the work here? Can you commit to change, to taking control, to dealing with your shadows, here… in your Aquarius house? Because if you can, then you are on your way to reclaiming your power.

Borasisi conjunct Neptune

Borasisi is a fictional solar creation deity. With Neptune this is about amplified imagination. In the perhaps not so distant future, there are dreams of tailoring movies and television to individual experience. As I said to my friend last night, whilst it might be fascinating for each of us to immerse ourselves in a personal favourite with movies created by and for us each alone, what happens to the group experience, the shared stories that create a sense of cohesion? What happens if we are each living in our own little fantasy world – and whom does that serve?

But of course, there are positives to this aspect, the sheer creative potential of our imagination. The possibilities are endless, says this combination. Follow your intuition in your Aries house. If you can dream it, you can do it.

London conjunct Uranus

Asteroid London does tend to speak of the city itself, but it can also be a symbol for the UK. It makes me wonder, does the revolution start here? Does the tech start here? Does the shock happen here? I’m throwing out ideas, much like Uranus does. Maybe it’s a genius who hails from London or the UK who will make their mark on our collective future. Maybe it’s something simpler – a radical change in schooling and education. We’ve already had talk here about using AI in the classroom. There are also more human proposals that 60% of children should be walking or cycling to school by 2030. Gemini can be associated with schools, streets, young minds and flexibility amongst other things.

Ariadne, Aurora, United Nations conjunct Jupiter

I’ve already mentioned the project to control sunlight so Aurora, goddess of the dawn, may already be at work here. Positively speaking, I’d like to think of this asteroid as ‘it’s a new dawn and a new day, and I’m feeling good’ with Jupiter! Certainly, it expresses the potential for new beginnings, for wiping the slate clean. But again, I have to say, there is something about light. I can’t shake it off. I’m also getting something called The Aurora Mission. Who knows what that is. Maybe I picked it up from a movie. Or maybe it’s something that’s coming.

Ariadne is about finding our way out of the maze – and sometimes conversely, loss of direction. She threw Theseus red thread to help him escape from the minotaur, but she didn’t get the result she hoped for. Instead of a happily ever after, she woke up abandoned and alone. Sometimes the things or people we want, aren’t aligned to our soul journey. Whilst it’s often a painful experience, the labyrinthine nature of Ariadne, leads us on a necessary inner journey so that we can get past distractions and get straight to the heart of who we truly are. Conjunct Jupiter, maybe this is a magnified sense of abandonment – but it also offers the ‘clean slate/new day’ potential that Aurora speaks of.

United Nations is perhaps a direct clue. This asteroid of course can speak of the organisation itself or symbolically represent the idea of unity and togetherness. With Jupiter, it feels like it’s speaking about the big picture, keeping world peace, upholding laws that are in place across continents. I hope that with Ariadne and Aurora, this hints that we will find out way, eventually, even after some disappointments.

Lugh and Wolff conjunct Chiron

Yet again, we have another reference to light. Lugh is the name of an Irish solar deity, specially connected to Lughnasadh, other wise known as Lammas. This is a Pagan festival that takes place on August 1 each year and is the first of the harvest festivals. The light of the sun flows into the corn and now the first corn is cut. Lammas is based on the words for ‘loaf mass’ as it’s traditional to bake bread around this festival using the first of the cut grains. Many will be familiar with corn dollies, also made around this time. We weave them into interesting shapes and wrap them with red ribbon representing the sun god’s sacrifice for the land. And then we keep the corn dolly through the winter as a way of protecting the spirit of the land so that the crops will flourish in the following year.

So, Lugh is light but also about oaths, truths, laws. There is a rightness to Lugh, a need for correct behaviour, a focus on integrity. Perhaps this is what we need to heal, the light within us all. If collectively we have lost our way (reiterated by Ariadne), then here is the light to lead us to the piece of the soul that was lost.

Asteroid Wolff caught my eye because this asteroid relates to the Wolf as creature and spirit guide. Like the Cherokee story tells us, we have two wolves inside of us – one light, one dark, one positive, one negative. The wolf that wins is the one we feed. So, will we feed our negativity, our wailing about poverty, our frustration about not having enough, even when we have everything we need? Will we carp and complain? Or will we let light (Lugh!) win and channel these feelings into practical tasks to be of help to ourselves and the world. The wolf who heals is one who leads us on an inner journey to find our survival instinct. We need to blaze our light in the face of such darkness striding across the planet. I know it’s hard. I feel that too. Sometimes I just want to curl up in a ball. Sometimes it feels like the task ahead of us is impossible.

‘There is no giving up here’ snarls Wolf – and then he playfully nips at my ankles to get my attention. “Do you trust me?” His ancient blue eyes stare deep into my own.

I’ve found myself in snow territory, bleak and cold and yet it glitters like the stars.

“I trust you.” I tell him.

“Good, because there’s healing work to be done.”

And so, we begin our trek across the Earth, each of us weaving a thread of light for others to find their way.

Premium members can read below about the Sabian symbols of all the four-degree planets - Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.