Adding to the theme of nurturing Cancer, Venus, Lady of Love and Mistress of Beauty, will be making a comfy home in this water sign over July. Relationships take on this sensitive, tender energy, and we can feel more naturally pulled towards making a nest with our beloved.

This can also apply to our friendships, where we may become much closer and more in touch with our relational needs. It’s a wonderful time to connect with creative groups, to explore the world of art with the people we care about.

As Venus moves ever more deeply into this sign, she will connect with Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn, the opposite sign to Cancer.

What does this mean for us?

Well, when Venus and Saturn have an aspect, the theme that comes into play is commitment, and the universe may throw us a few situations in which we have to decide whether we can or can’t commit to a person, job or another situation.

The Eclipses may speed this decision up and create a little extra pressure, and following our gut is absolutely key!

Take some time this month to step back and ask yourself what commitment looks like to you, reflect on your needs and then take action come August.

If your relationships are strong, and you are true to yourself, you will come out on top, and if the situation or relationship is not built on the foundations you choose, then it can be a time of release. Either way, it’s a period of coming into your own, authentic desires and owning your values and what’s important to you.

As Venus lines up with Pluto, around the same time mid-July, we can experience powerful transformations in these relationships and situations, a sense of rebirth. It will take some bravery and courage to own up to a few shadow aspects, and to allow our loved ones a bit of room to have the same process.

It’ll be essential to keep the word “team” in mind, as Pluto can, at times, want to take control and have all the power. Finding a wonderful balance in which you can feel empowered and allow the other to as well is the sweet spot this month, and will make you feel as if you’ve both come out with something won. Here are some tips to make the best of this period:

• Always choose the relationship rather than “winning” – this will help you retain what’s really important!
• Explore your relationship to commitment and find a way of honoring yourself and your partner/family or friends
• Create structure within your relationships, and fill them with love and tender care
• Compromise, compromise, compromise! Find a way where everybody gets a little of what they want

Make this a season of deeper love, commitment, care and valuing those closest to you. You may find yourself pleasantly surprised come month-end when you’ve done the work and come out the other side triumphant!