As the calendar turns to July, the zodiac shifts into the sign of the nurturing and intuitive Cancer. This water sign season encourages emotional expression and a focus on domestic comforts. While Cancer crabs retreat into their shells, the other signs find unique ways to shine during this introspective time of year.

CANCER (21 June – 22 July)

While it may be flattering to see so many people set on celebrating your birthday, it’s worth working out how many are keen to commemorate your passing of another year and how many just fancy being wined and dined at your expense.

While you might enjoy this particular lesson in arithmetic, it will help you revaluate just who has slipped into your entourage of late, with some arriving uninvited and some you have had to grudgingly admit out of consideration for the feelings of others.

Take this as an opportunity to whittle down your inner circle, gradually easing out those that are neither valued nor ornamental. It may seem difficult initially to separate the wheat from the chaff, but this strategic paring down will serve you well in the months to come, focusing your attention on those who merit and dispensing with those too inclined to share your secrets.

GEMINI (21 May – 20 June)

A loved one may confide a surprising secret to you this month, a problem of their own creation and of long gestation. Withhold any judgment, though, and listen sympathetically and with as open a perspective as you can possibly muster, and you may find the solution hiding in plain sight. (Gemini of the month: Xi Jinping, Chinese president; 15 Jun 1953)

LEO (23 Jul – 22 Aug)

A potential health issue may come to the fore this month, so tread with caution and avoid any over-exertion or a minor ailment could require a hospital visit. Prioritise your wellbeing by giving your diet a complete makeover and adhering to a more rigorous fitness regime. (Leo of the month: Sarah Geronimo, Filipino singer; 25 Jul 1988)

VIRGO (23 August – 22 September)

Your crowded social calendar may trigger your more anti-social side, but resist any hermitesque inclination. Instead, focus on a prime opportunity that has long been in your peripheral vision, although, until now, you’ve always lacked the key to properly unlock it. (Virgo of the month: Rupert Grint, English actor; 24 Aug 1988)

LIBRA (23 September – 22 October)

With the stars aligning in your favour, you may experience an unusual surge of boldness and self-belief. Avail yourself of this sudden energy top-up by swiftly revisiting one investment opportunity that you maybe declined far too peremptorily. Careful scrutiny could transform so-so returns into a real long-term wallet-filler.  (Libra of the month: Mae Jemison, American astronaut; 17 Oct 1956)

SCORPIO (23 October – 21 November)

An unresolved family issue could see tempers flaring this month as you clash with loved ones on how to make good in one particularly complex scenario. Resist the temptation to give your emotions full rein and try to see the issue from the perspective of one particularly unwilling participant. (Scorpio of the month: Seth McFarlane, American comedian; 26 Oct 1973)

SAGITTARIUS (22 November – 21 December)

After successfully navigating a spring fraught with unexpected problems, July will see you entering a period of comparative calm. Make sure you make good use of this respite, as this may be the only emotional downtime you will be granted this year. (Sagittarian of the month: Kwon Yu-ri, South Korean singer; 5 Dec 1989)

CAPRICORN (22 December – 19 January)

While the days are getting longer, your temper is getting noticeably shorter. But try to affect a nonchalance that you far from feel, your apparent lack of concern alone may suffice to dampen down the resentment of a former friend who no longer has your best intentions at heart. (Capricorn of the month: Haruki Murakami, Japanese author; 12 Jan 1949)

AQUARIUS (20 January – 18 February)

Something legally nasty lurks on the horizon and you may get caught in the crossfire when someone seeks to settle a score with a former colleague. It’s perhaps best to assume the worst and plan accordingly, while still hoping to be pleasantly surprised. (Aquarian of the month: Elizabeth Olsen, American actress; 16 Feb 1989)

PISCES (19 February – 20 March)

The surprise emergence of a blast from your very distant past may see you getting swept away on a wave of nostalgia and condoning actions – many of them your own – that you would never normally give house space to. While there’s no reason not to enjoy this reconnect, remember just why you moved on in the first place. (Pisces of the month: Brian Cox, English physicist; 3 Mar 1968)

ARIES (21 March – 19 April)

After a rather uneventful summer, it may seem like you’re suddenly being bombarded with unanticipated challenges and unwanted opportunities. The danger is you will feel obliged to pursue them out of a misguided sense of etiquette, while in your heart of hearts you can see them for what they are – every bit as lame as they are unlucrative. (Aries of the month: Amancio Ortega, Spanish businessman; 28 Mar 1936)

TAURUS (20 April – 20 May)

Despite your best efforts, a setback at work proves inescapable, leaving you feeling a little Cassandra-like among colleagues who didn’t see it coming. While you can take some comfort from your perspicacity, sadly that won’t diminish the tedium of the clean-up operation. (Taurus of the month: Madhuri Dixit, Indian actress; 15 May 1967)