Hey friends.
How did last week’s Uranus-in-Gemini/Full-Moon-in-Capricorn pan out for you?
The full moon was in my 6th house of work & daily routine, opposite the sun in my 12th house of the subconscious, so I took the assignment to balance ambition in my daily life with new beginnings in my subconscious mental patterning. My kid was at camp, so I worked out every day, did my spreadsheets, and chatted with my partner about our 5 year plan… How about you? How did that full moon show up for you?
This week, with Mercury stationing retrograde in Leo on Friday, the forecast reiterates the solar system’s ongoing message for us to slow down, stay humble, and embark on the revisions we need to make in our lives before everything plunges full speed ahead once again.
While Mercury-in-Gatorade gets all the attention, 3 other planets are also currently perceptively spinning backward across the Zodiac. Saturn stationed retrograde in Aries last week, and Neptune the week before that. Pluto has also been retrograde in Aquarius since May. All retrogrades encourage us to take a beat from our usual programming to partake in all the “re” activities: Reflect, reassess, review, revise, reconnect, remember, reimagine, recalibrate, realign, rework, restore, retreat, release, renegotiate, reframe, reclaim, reorganize, revisit, re-evaluate, recommit, reprocess, reconfigure, rewild, rewrite, reattune, reinhabit, recharge, reorient. (Haha that’s all I got, but they’re all relevant!)
What these particular planetary retrogrades are inviting in:
Neptune Rx in Aries > Pisces ( July 4 to October 22, then then continuing back through Pisces until December 10, before turning direct) invites a deep inward journey, clarifying which dreams hold soul weight and which may be illusions.
Saturn Rx in Aries > Pisces ( July 13 to September 1, then continuing back through Pisces until November 27, before turning direct) is a pause in structural momentum, urging honest reassessment of your boundaries, commitments, and long-term plans.
Pluto Rx in Aquarius (May 4 - October 13, 2025) continues its slow transformation of collective power dynamics, urging a deeper excavation of subconscious patterns.
Mercury Rx in Leo (July 18 to August 11, 2025) brings the classic themes of miscommunication, tech glitches, and second chances. Use it to reboot recent ideas or reconnect with overlooked details.
Also this week, starting Sunday July 13, the sun is transiting through the Human Design/I’Ching/Gene Keys Gate of Details. Paying attention to the details sounds right on cue as we collectively navigate the retrograde’s “re” themes that I listed above. The Gate of Details is the final full Gate of Cancer Season, helping us ground all that feeling that’s been circulating around into form. Next week we travel into Leo season with the sun moving into the wandering storyteller energy of Cancer/Leo cusp gate 56: the Gate of Stimulation on Saturday.
This week in the Wheel of the Year:
MEDICINE WHEEL Direction: SOUTH
WUXING Element: FIRE
PAGAN Season: LITHA (Midsummer)
ZODIAC Season: CANCER (June 20-July 20)
I’CHING Hexagram/HUMAN DESIGN Gate:
Sunday July 13- Friday July 18: Gate 62 = Thunder over Mountain “Small Exceeding (Preponderance of the Small)”, aka the Gate of DETAILS
Saturday, July 19- Thursday, July 24: Gate 56: Fire over Mountain “The Wanderer (Seeking)”, aka the Gate of STIMULATION
MOON Phase: Waning
PLANETARY dances:
Mercury stations Retrograde in Leo (July 18-August 11)
God (and the devil) are in the DETAILS (M-F, the Sun is in Gate 62)
I Ching Hexagram 62: “Preponderance of the Small”
Gene Key 62: Intellect → Precision → Impeccability
As Cancer season draws to a close, the Sun passes through Gate 62, the Gate of Details, which brings language to intuition, form to feeling, and structure to all the deep emotional internal work that got stirred during the season of the crab. Cancer season pulls us into memory, family, protection, and emotional roots, and Gate 62 is the moment we begin translating what we’ve felt into something speakable, something we can carry with us into the fire of Leo season.
In the I’Ching, Hexagram 62 is known as Preponderance of the Small, which teaches that attention to small things (seemingly insignificant choices, minor details, brief interactions) can shift the course of larger patterns. This is not about obsessing over minutiae, but about respecting the sacredness of the specific. When we honor the little things, we build something that lasts.
In the Gene Keys, Gate 62 evolves from the Shadow of Intellect through the Gift of Precision, into the Siddhi of Impeccability. At the shadow level, we may over-rely on the mind, getting lost in overthinking, analysis, and a need to "explain" everything to feel safe. But at its higher frequencies, Gate 62 becomes the embodiment of exactness guided by inner truth. It’s still Cancer season, after all, and Gate 62’s details center around words chosen with care, actions aligned with integrity, and clarity born from a devotion to the small things.
This gate sits in the Throat Center in the Human Design bodygraph, where the unseen becomes spoken and where internal potential becomes action in the external world. It’s how we translate inner knowing into outer expression. It teaches us that what we say, and how we say it, matters. And more deeply, it reminds us that what we notice, attend to, and name, shapes reality.
The old sayings echo this tension:
“God is in the details” speaks to the divine presence revealed through care, attention, and devotion to the small. When we move with presence and discernment, we create harmony.
“The devil is in the details” reminds us that we can also become trapped in perfectionism, tangled in control, or paralyzed by our need to get it all right. The mind can obscure as easily as it can illuminate.
Gate 62 walks this razor’s edge. It is the voice of the analyst, the editor, or the oracle who names things with precision in order to create clarity. As Cancer season ends, this gate invites us to reflect: What have you been feeling? What shifted inside you? And how might you now give your alchemized self shape and put it into action?
This is a gate that teaches us to honor the small before reaching for the stars, in order to prepare the soil before the sun of Leo blazes through. What you speak now matters, and what you label, define, and name now becomes the map you will walk forward.
Contemplations for Gate 62 (Monday-Friday):
How can I pay more attention to the details in my thoughts, words, and actions?
Am I overthinking or getting lost in intellectualization, or am I able to express my ideas with precision and clarity?
How can I use my focus and attention to communicate effectively and with impeccable accuracy?
Thursday through August 11: Mercury Retrograde in Leo
When Mercury retrogrades in Leo, which will occur from July 18th to August 11th this year, communication, technology, and travel are likely to experience delays or disruptions, but with a special focus on self-expression, creativity, and matters of the heart. Leo, ruled by the Sun, governs our sense of identity, personal pride, and the way we express ourselves.
During this retrograde, misunderstandings or miscommunications could arise around our creative projects, romantic relationships, or public image. There may be a tendency to revisit old creative ideas or past romantic connections, asking ourselves if we are truly shining in the way we desire or if we need to adjust our self-presentation.
This period can bring up issues related to ego, self-confidence, and how we express our desires, so it's a time to reflect on how we communicate our needs and how others perceive us. Mercury retrograde in Leo invites a reevaluation of your personal narrative and how you’re showing up in the world, especially in terms of your creativity and personal expression.
While it's not the best time to launch new projects or make bold declarations, it’s a great period to reflect, refine, and adjust your approach to self-promotion and how you communicate your passions. Be mindful of potential drama or misunderstandings, and use this time for introspection rather than outward action.
This weekend: The Gate of the Traveling Storyteller (56)
Human Design: Gate 56 – The Gate of the Wanderer
I’Ching: Hexagram 56 – The Wanderer (Fire over Mountain)
Gene Key 56: Distraction → Enrichment → Intoxication
This weekend, as we prepare to cross the threshold into Leo season next Tuesday, the Sun moves through Gate 56, the Gate of the Wanderer. This is a fitting closing arc to Cancer season’s inner tides. Gate 62 earlier this week helped us organize and distill the inner work we’ve done during Cancer season into something speakable, Gate 56 invites us to loosen our grip on structure altogether and go on an adventure.
In the I’Ching, Hexagram 56 is The Wanderer, aka fire over mountain, evoking the image of a wildfire traveling quickly over a mountain. It carries the wisdom of the traveler who absorbs insight along the way and shares stories of their quests. This is the archetype of the storyteller, the pilgrim, and the eternal student, someone who knows that identity is shaped by the way we respond to change.
In Human Design, Gate 56 lives in the Throat Center and expresses itself through narrative. When this gate is active, we don’t just wander for wandering’s sake, we collect impressions, ideas, and sensations to later share, teach, and inspire others with. People with this gate defined tend to be experts at speaking in stories, not doctrines. It’s less about facts and more about the deeper meaning cultivated by a good story. When this gate is active, we may feel pulled to explore (physically, mentally, or spiritually) and to share what we’re discovering in a way that enriches others.
In the Gene Keys, Gate 56 moves from the Shadow of Distraction, where we get lost in stimulation, novelty, or excessive engagement, into the Gift of Enrichment, where each experience becomes a well of meaning. The highest frequency or siddhi, Intoxication, is the radiant state that comes when we are fully immersed in the moment, drinking in the beauty of life itself and transmitting the potency of it through our words.
As the Sun completes its journey through Cancer and prepares to blaze into Leo on Tuesday, Gate 56 gives us one final reminder: don’t forget to live. Not everything has to make sense yet. Go outside. Try something new. Let life speak through synchronicity, surprise, or even silliness. Let your senses gather the materials your soul has been asking for.
Contemplations:
How can I bring more enrichment into my life by seeking new experiences and sharing my journey with others?
Am I allowing myself to be distracted by superficial pursuits, or am I focused on deepening my understanding and enriching my life?
How can I use my experiences and stories to inspire and enrich those around me?
Stay in touch!
You can find me at astrosomatics.com, @cyclesoftimepodcast and @astro.somatics on Instagram, or subscribe at cyclesoftime.substack.com to get the pod in your inbox every Monday.
Coming soon »
Leo Season Astro-Breathwork Journey (Wednesday, July 30 @ 5pm mst)
These monthly sessions are a great way to learn about the upcoming transits, integrate the themes of Leo season in your body, and release emotions that are no longer serving you.
Click here to register!
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Thanks so much for reading, y’all!
xox,
Alison
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