July 18 - 24 | Leo Season begins and Mercury Stations Direct!

Sarah Brynteson
Jul 17
10 min read

Walking outside can help you feel grounded if the world feels unstable.

Good morning, dear reader! 🌙

The last few days for me have been rather… odd to say the least. How have they been for you?

Personally I have had several inspirations land and trying to figure out how to start them all has been quite the process. That process is requiring me to slow down — and with the energy feeling so free flowing and high right now, that can feel easier said than done at times.

If that is the case for you too, I find it helpful to pause, close my eyes, and breathe in for a count of four, hold for four, out for four, and hold for four. I do this for as long as I need to feel calm. Box breathing — simple, free, and available any time you need it. 🌬️

Some of the things I have been planning during these moments of clarity:

📚 A book about Chart RectificationsIf you are unsure what Chart Rectification means — it is when an astrologer helps someone find their approximate birth time through a collaborative process. I am a Certified Chart Rectification Specialist with Debra Silverman’s School of Astrology and in my own practice. I believe this is a puzzle waiting to be solved, and I would love to share this process with those who wish to add it to theirs — hence the book! It will feature the tools I use, explanations of how to use them, client examples, and a resources section. My personal goal is to have it 50–75% complete before the end of September. 📖

🌱 The sequel to Between WorldsIn Between Worlds we see Persephone’s myth through her eyes in a dual timeline format. With the next book we will see what Demeter does when Persephone goes home to be with her husband Hades — and what their first Spring and Summer together was like. I cannot wait to write this one. 🌸

To learn more about Chart Rectification or my books, click the Link to All Things

Link to All Things

Overall it feels like the more creative we are willing to be, the more information shows up about what to do next. It makes me wonder what could be in store with Leo Season right around the corner and Eclipse Season starting right in the middle of it! ☀️🦁

If you are curious about what this may look like for you personally, I invite you to our Deeper Dive Series: The Sun and Your Leo House — happening this Saturday morning. We will talk about the Sun in depth and then have mini astrology consults with the Leo section of your chart. This is part of the Full Moon Tier of my membership and also open to 13 drop-in guests. You can find all the info in the Link to All Things! 🌟

Link to All Things

Let’s see what is in store for the week ahead shall we?

July 18 - 24 | Leo Season begins and Mercury Stations Direct!

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Note for all times listed in it will be CT due to where I live. Please convert to your time zone!

🌟July 19 and 20, 2026| Libra Moon moving towards the First Quarter Moon Tuesday

Under a Libra Moon it can feel wonderful to have one-on-one conversations, tend to your self-care, and find beauty in the things that matter most to you. If things get hard, turning to your breath or talking things through with a close friend may help. 🌬️

With this Libra Moon building toward the First Quarter Moon at 6:05 am CT on Tuesday morning, there can be a frustration in the air at times. One of the shadows of Libra is indecisiveness — and that could show up as part of that frustration, especially as it relates to what makes you feel emotionally safe and secure. You may find yourself second guessing the direction you think something should go. If that is the case, can you pause and look at it from a different perspective to help things feel clearer? Leaning on a trusted friend or colleague may help too. 🌙

On Sunday we have the support of Mars making a beautiful aspect to Saturn — which could give us the courage to make decisions that would benefit our futures. As we sleep Monday night, Jupiter makes a beautiful aspect to Neptune that could have our dreams speaking to us as well.

Then later Monday morning Jupiter is opposite Pluto — which could add some welcome decisiveness to the equation. Themes highlighted during this opposition may have roots going back to 2020 and then saw more of the story unfold in 2023. This could just be the next chapter revealing itself. Be aware of power struggles that could pop up over the next few days.

All of this action is happening at 4° of the Fixed and Cardinal signs. If you have planets in those areas — 4° of Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius, or Taurus and Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn — you may notice a more personal narrative unfolding as well. These energies are slow moving and will be with us for the rest of the month. The biggest decision you need to make is what you plan to do with them! 👀

Directly following the First Quarter Moon on Tuesday there is a short 2½ hour Void of Course window to start our day — and then we welcome a Scorpio Moon as we bring in Leo Season. More on that next! 🌙

✨ July 21, 2026 | Libra First Quarter Mom ➡ Scorpio Moon

After the peak of the Libra First Quarter Moon she slips into a Void of Course period from 6:05 am CT to 8:34 am CT. Prior to that Jupiter makes another beautiful aspect — this time to Uranus — which gives expect-the-unexpected energy times 100. My suggestion is to try to roll with it if you can! 🌙

Once the Moon shifts into Scorpio the mood moves into one of deep introspection. This is also the last day of Cancer Season — so with a double Water sky it can feel very emotional. If tears need to fall, let them. Just be sure to replenish yourself by drinking some water too. 💧

As we move through the day you may find yourself out and about within your community, starting to process old childhood hurts, and possibly navigating power struggles that may still be present. If that is the case — how can you slow down and see things from a different perspective? 🌊

If the day feels frustrating, remember — this too shall pass. Try to find one positive thing that happened today and celebrate it. Even a small one counts. 🌟

✨ July 22, 2026 | Scorpio Moon + Leo Season begins

Today is a big one — the Sun moves from Cancer into Leo and Leo Season officially begins at 2:13 pm CT! 🎉

The second of our Fire Signs is Leo — and Fire signs mean action, movement, and sometimes even a little drama. 🙃

Leo is a Fixed Fire sign ruled by the Sun. In our charts the Sun represents our Chi and life force — our core identity and sense of purpose. It is one of the "Big Three" — Sun, Moon, and Rising — and while the Moon represents our inner life and emotions and the Rising represents our soul and what we are aspiring to become, the Sun is who we are at our very core.

Leo as a sign carries conviction, a love of attention, fun, drama, playfulness, and childlike joy. The guiding tone of Leo Season is a beautiful one: I can share power and view vulnerability as a strength. That alone could be the compass for the next 30 days. ☀️

Leo Season invites us to ask — where in my life am I ready to shine? Where have I been dimming my light to make others comfortable? And what would it look like to step boldly into my most authentic, creative, joyful self?

If you have Leo as your Sun, Moon, or Rising you may find one of these ringing true for you:

🌞 Leo Sun friends tend to be happy and seek to be in the light. They can be childlike and playful — and yes, sometimes a little self-centered too. The greatest lesson for our Leo Suns is learning that vulnerability is actually a strength. When they embrace that, there is truly no stopping them. 🦁

🌙 Leo Moon has very strong emotions — and it is precisely that depth of feeling that drives them to do what they love. A Leo Moon may love new ideas and loves to be the center of attention. If a Leo Moon feels bored, they may just create their own excitement! It is that passion for life that makes them so wonderfully likable. ✨

🌅 Leo Rising can be considered lucky when it comes to money, career, and friends! Like most Fire signs, they are happiest when they get to lead — and many will follow because Leo Risings tend to have a magnetic personality and a great sense of humor. With Leo being the sign of children, there is often a very special spot in a Leo Rising's heart for little ones and they love to spoil them as a result! 🌟

Do you see yourself in anything I shared? I would love to know! 💛

As Leo Season begins, carry this affirmation with you:

I shine boldly, share my light generously, and welcome vulnerability as one of my greatest strengths. ☀️

One more thing worth mentioning as Leo Season begins — acknowledgment versus praise. Leo energy thrives on being seen and recognized, and there is a real difference between acknowledging someone and simply praising them. When we acknowledge how a person makes us feel — the specific impact they have had on us — it lands so much deeper than a generic "good job." It lasts longer too. As Maya Angelou so beautifully said, people will forget what you said and what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel. That is true acknowledgment. And it is one of the greatest gifts you can give someone — especially our Leo friends — this season. ☀️🦁

And almost as if the Universe knew we would need a moment to take it all in — at 4:48 pm CT we slip into a 27 hour, 18 minute Void of Course window that carries us all the way through to 8:06 pm CT Thursday. A built-in integration period for one of the biggest seasonal shifts of the year. How very perfect. 🌙

✅ Great for:– Resting and integrating the new Leo Season energy– Meditating or journaling– Taking a slow walk outside– Finishing up any lingering Cancer Season loose ends– Dreaming about what you want to create this Leo Season

🚫 Maybe skip:– Starting big new Leo Season projects just yet — let the energy settle first– Making major decisions– Being hard on yourself 🤪

✨July 23 and 24, 2026| Mercury Stations Direct ➡ Sagittarius Moon

As I shared above, we will have a Void of Course Moon for most of Thursday. But the big headline of the day happens before she slips into Sagittarius — Mercury stations direct! 🎉

That means two thirds of the Mercury Retrograde journey is done! We are officially out of the woods on August 6th when Mercury clears its post-retrograde shadow. Before Mercury stations direct though, the Sun squares Chiron — which could bring up feelings around being safe to be seen in your most authentic light. If this surfaces for you, using that Mercury Retrograde energy to discern what needs to be healed and who may be helpful in that process may be exactly the route to take. ❤️‍🩹

Once 8:06 pm CT arrives the Moon moves into Sagittarius — and then it can feel like I want to do all the things, learn all the things, and eat all the yummy food from all the cultures kind of energy. 🌍 This is a double Fire sky after all with the Sagittarius Moon and Leo Sun. How can you blend the childlike joy and desire to be creative with the big ideas that are bound to come through? With Mercury stationing direct at this point it can also feel like you are starting to see a path forward for the first time in a while. Welcome that. ☀️🏹

On Friday, Venus sextiles Mercury — which could bring an easy flow of feeling safe within your relationships and finances, along with the desire to make both feel more efficient and intentional. We are also building toward a beautiful sextile from Pluto to Neptune that could bring in some transformational insights or inspired drop-ins if you are open to them. The choice is always yours. 🌟

✨ In Closing:

What a week to welcome Leo Season. We moved through the last tender days of Cancer Season under a deeply emotional double Water sky, navigated the Libra First Quarter Moon asking us to find balance between our own needs and the needs of others, and felt the power struggles and transformational energy of Jupiter opposite Pluto asking us to stand up and be counted. And then — Leo Season arrived. Bold, bright, creative, and ready to shine. ☀️🦁

Mercury stationing direct on Thursday felt like a collective exhale. The fog is beginning to lift. The path forward is starting to come into focus. And with a double Fire sky closing out the week under the Sagittarius Moon and Leo Sun, there is a genuine spark of inspiration and forward momentum available to all of us right now. The question is not whether the energy is there — it absolutely is. The question is what you are going to do with it. 🔥

As you move into the weekend take a moment to acknowledge yourself for everything you have navigated this month. Cancer Season asked a lot of us — emotionally, creatively, and in our relationships. You showed up for it. Now Leo Season is asking you to take everything you felt, healed, and discovered — and bring it into the light. 🌟

The Deeper Dive Series — The Sun and Your Leo House — is available for replay through the Link to All Things. The Venus Return Substack discount is still live until August 6th. And the Total Solar Eclipse in Leo is coming on August 12th. There is so much good energy ahead. I cannot wait to navigate it with you. ☀️🦁🌙

Until next week — shine boldly, share your light, and trust that the world needs exactly what only you can bring. 🌟

with love and stardust,

Sarah

Before I go…

Here are a few gentle reminders of what’s available to you, if you’d like to explore further. The link to all things at the top of the email has access to to all of the info below.

The Deeper Dive Series into the Sun along with the Leo portion of your chart is today, Saturday July 18, 2026. This is a monthly series included in the Full Moon Tier of my Between the Moons membership on Patreon.

Join the Membership

There is 13 spots open to the general public if you would like to join us that way too.

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🎉 Birthday Month

If you’re a Cancer Sun or Leo, happy birthday month! 🎂You can use the codes below to receive 15% offany service or event. Sessions and events do not need to take place before the expiration date — they just need to be booked by then.