Shine Like The Sun: Horoscopes July 27-August 2, 2026

We are at the hot, bright part of summer in the northern hemisphere, and in the West Coast of the U.S. fires are blazing. Smoke is creeping at the edges of the sky where I am.

The Sun is in Leo, which is the fixed fire sign of the hottest part of summer. Leo reminds us to be fully and outwardly ourselves. The Sun does not crouch down or hide herself if we feel too hot, and if she did, we would all die. The Sun is core to life in our “solar” system, and we need her to shine brightly. In the same way, whether people are comfortable with it or not, you shining brightly in who you truly are is important for the life around you.

For horoscope principles this week, I am primarily looking at the following celestial events:

• The Sun in Leo trines Neptune in Aries on Monday, July 27, 2026, at 12:36am Pacific. At its best, this aspect is visionary and allows you to see into the spiritual spark of the collective unconscious. At its worst, this aspect is delusional and invites you to indulge in self-sabotaging dissociation. Imagination is important, and so is reality. If you indulge in what is beautiful on this day, be sure to do something grounding as well.

• The Sun in Leo sextiles Uranus in Gemini on Monday, July 27, 2026, at 2:36pm Pacific. Not everything needs to be so serious. This gives our egos and self-images the opportunity to grow around change and newness instead of rejecting it out of fear or clinging to the old ways.

• Venus in Virgo squares Mars in Gemini on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at 12:09am Pacific. Venus square Mars brings flirtation, sexual tension, and the sexy, friction side of gender wars. In Virgo and Gemini, there is a mental, witty, analytical quality to it. This is like the flirtation in a Dorothy Sayers novel or Dorothy Parker joke. Anyone named Dorothy (my mom’s name!).

• The Sun goes conjunct with Jupiter in Leo on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at 5:17am Pacific. This is called a Jupiter cazimi and in traditional astrology is a portal of luck. Jupiter is in the “heart” of the Sun on this day, and so although the rays of the Sun overshadow the planet, this is a moment where Jupiter’s expansion and beneficence is empowered by the Sun’s rays.

• The Full Moon in Aquarius happens on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at 7:35am Pacific. The Full Moon means that the Moon and Sun are in opposite places in the sky, bringing our collective sense of security and our identity into opposition. The Sun in Leo is natural being center stage in a competition, while the Moon in Aquarius knows that in order for us to be secure, we must be community. Full Moons are a good time to pause before reacting and allow this tension to be cleansing.

• Lughnasadh is on August 1, 2026. This is the festival honoring the Celtic god Lugh, who is known for athletics and skill. The festival is said to be dedicated to his step-mother, Tailtiu, who died of exhaustion clearing the fields of Ireland for planting. While the festivals are said to traditionally center athleticism, they are a reminder of the scorching heat of summer and the exhaustion of overwork to survive. In the West Coast of the US, we are experiencing fire season, and this week of focus on the Sun reminds us of the consequences of extremes.

• Mercury continues in Cancer, Saturn continues in Aries, Pluto continues in Aquarius.

These are the principles to consider for the week of July 27, 2026. It is worth taking a look at both your rising and sun sign horoscopes (visit astro.com to find your rising sign):

Aries: Sometimes romance is intense and explosive, but other times it is in everyday, small choices. This week brings the opportunity for intense, creative, romantic, imaginative experiences, and also mundane, every day romances. The interesting thing is that the romances available to you are with your communities and yourself more than any particular romantic partner. Turn your romance into something tangible, creative, and maybe even useable by yourself and your closest community.

Taurus: Usually what we most value, or what is most abundant to us, is most deeply found in small things, like your favorite drink or joke, rather than grandiose visions. That same rule applies to building lives and communities that reflect our values. The deep transformation our communities need to be safe for our most vulnerable requires us individually to transform and expand. This week, expand deeply toward what you most love and create more of that.

Gemini: The first rule of flirt club is you have to talk about flirt club. A flirt is a wakening spark of life and connection, and this week offers you a little taste of what it might be like to embody that energy. Design an internal space, where your most private life expands to meet your most romanticized version of what it would mean to party with your friends all night. Be sure to check in with your most wise self, like Buffy checking in with Giles, because your wise self knows how to party too.

Cancer: Too much of a good thing can feel just as uncomfortable as lack. This is often the experience energetically perceptive people have around connection. When we are so connected to others, we can lose ourselves. This week, focus on expanding your own personal values and money, even if your fears around security and emotional demands ask you to focus on your partners’ values and money instead. There is room for both, but that room expands from you outward.

Leo: The Sun, obviously, is the center of the “solar” system. Imagine the Sun worrying it was taking up too much space and trying to hold back so that its rays were not too harsh in our summer sky. First of all, that would be ridiculous, and second we would die. Like the Sun, expand your rays this week in the most romantic, electric, and joyful ways you can find. If your partners’ transformation needs attention, shed your light on it without contracting your energy. The plants and people around you will thrive from your light, even if they blink at first or need sunscreen.

Virgo: Some people believe that our unconscious programming is set during early childhood and we spend the rest of our lives acting that out, but I think that view is absurd since there is evidence people make dramatic changes throughout their lives. This week, your unconscious parts, including your child self, have the opportunity to change, expand, and become something new. You may also have a work flirtation come around. Let it be good to feel good.

Libra: In the movie Party Girl, Parker Posey flirts with Mustafa, the falafel cart owner, asking him what he thinks about her being a librarian. He tells her, “This is a garden, and we are all the flowers.” This week challenges you to be the star of the show, like Parker Posey is at all times, and if you find yourself overwhelmed, expand around the challenges rather than contracting inside of them. Consider how you can take even serious situations and turn them into a flirtation challenge. You are just one of the flowers in the garden, and also you are a special flower.

Scorpio: Celebrities sometimes create an alter ego who represents their public self, while their private self can stay private. This week offers expansion in your public-facing life or career, while the transformation you are experiencing in your private life may feel sensitive. While it is important to maintain community, it is also important to allow yourself to be the center of attention in your career. Create an alter ego who loves the spotlight if that feels uncomfortable.

Sagittarius: Wisdom is the ability to synthesize experience, knowledge, ideals, and intuition and implement that synthesis in communication and action. This week, the part of you that is wise has the opportunity to expand. If it feels important to your security to maintain your lessons from childhood, consider how you can transmute them into something wise, using your life experience. Your natural magnetism is big right now, whether or not it is wise.

Capricorn: There is a Kabballah principle that instructs us, whenever something happens, especially if it is not what we wanted, to pause before responding and say, “What a pleasure.” This is a mixed invitation for you this week because at the same time, saying something nice is not always as kind as saying something authentic. This week, internally make a practice of pausing and saying “what a pleasure,” while externally you try to communicate your most authentic truths, even if they are not pretty.

Aquarius: For many people, especially millennials, fairness can feel like a survival level security issue. But, as many of us have been told, life is not fair. This week, the spotlight and expansion is on your partnerships and partners, and rather than tracking whether this is fair, consider that balance may be more important than fairness. When your partners expand, their overflow includes you.

Pisces: Our bodies are the bridge between our mind, emotions, and spirit. Our bodies are the transportation system that we most rely on, the first living being we are responsible for, and the connection point for those we love most. This week, fall in love with the wonderful animal of your body. You may idealize what your body could be, but you can romance who your body is now. Then, share the overflow of that love with your romantic partner(s).

Thanks for reading and fulfilling your natal promise! If you like these horoscopes, don’t forget to hit the like button and share them with someone who might get something out of them.

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