New Moon in Cancer 7*14*26
How has July been for you so far? I mean, seriously...
Mercury retrograde in Cancer bringing up all kinds of emotional residue;
Mars conjuncting Uranus last week, igniting a desire to act in new ways, break out of ruts and injecting volatility to life in general;
all of the outer planets (Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus) plus Jupiter reaching 4 degrees of their respective signs, forming the "basket" that is all over every mundane astrologer's posts.
These are big energies and we are all feeling them to some extent. If they are making aspects to planets or points in your chart, you will experience these cycles in more personal ways. But, even if your natal chart isn't directly contacted, you are still living on the planet so are affected by these energy currents. None of us is coming out of the summer (or the year for that matter) as the same person we were when we entered it.
The midpoint of a Mercury retrograde cycle is when it joins with the Sun. This is called Mercury cazimi, meaning "in the heart of the Sun". Mercury retrogrades, for all their bad reputation, serve an important purpose. They are times of reflecting and reviewing how we interpret and interact with the themes of the sign the retrograde occurs in. Any slow downs or miscommunications are not punitive. They are the speed bumps in the energy that are meant to slow us down so we can reorient to our inner dialog. What story do I tell about the inconvenience, miscommunication, or unexpected delay? What assumptions and beliefs undergird the story? Are they keeping me stuck in a version of myself that I have outgrown?
The cazimi marks the time in the retrograde cycle when the information (Mercury) that we have been absorbing during the reviewing we have (hopefully) been doing rises into conscious awareness (Sun). It opens a door to a new perspective. If we choose, we can then make different choices about how to proceed going forward based on that new perspective. Perspective informs perception.
What does this have to do with the New Moon? Well, the cazimi is the day before the New Moon. There is nothing random about this timing. Mercury has been retrograde in Cancer since June 29. Themes of home, family, belonging, nurturing, mothering, and, especially, care are all up for reevaluation. How we demonstrate and receive care, what we need to feel safe, and what home means to us are being highlighted for consideration and most likely, redefinition. Any lingering stories about childhood and family are in this mix. What forms the foundation of our lives? How do we take care of ourselves? Is it a periodic situation when the stress is really high? Is it foundational practices that are nonnegotiable so the stress doesn't get really high? How do you create a safe space for yourself? Over the last few weeks, what has come into your awareness about these themes?
On Tuesday July 14, right after sunrise, the Sun and Moon meet at 22 degrees of Cancer and the questions change to "What do you want to seed for yourself moving forward? How do you want to use the insight of the first half of this retrograde to create something more authentic for yourself in the weeks to come? How will you change your story?"
Because this New Moon in Cancer is asking for you to address these Cancer themes more authentically. The Moon (how you express and meet your emotional needs) is out of bounds. When a planet is out of bounds, its orbit has taken it beyond orbit of the Sun to the north or south. Most astrology looks at the east/west (horizontal aka longitude) orbit of planets around the Sun. Out of bounds addresses the north-south (vertical aka latitude) movement, known as declination. When a planet has a declination beyond 23.27 degrees it is considered out of bounds. Without going into a whole technical thing, when a planet is out of bounds, its energies are expressed a little more freely. It's like when the the supervisor (Sun) is not at work and is occupied with other things, the job is completed outside of imposed rules. It's not done to a lower standard, but the manner in which it is done is more authentic to the nature of the one doing the work. Out of bounds planets are unconstrained by the Sun's priority until they go back in bounds. The Moon goes out of bounds for 2-4 days monthly and it will go back in bounds a few hours after the exact time of the New Moon. Interestingly, it will be out of bounds at the time of the Full Moon in Aquarius at the end of the month. But right now, let's deal with what is in front of us.
The Sun and Moon are conjunct Mercury retrograde here, so all three of their energies are mingled. How you process information and communicate your ideas (Mercury), how you process emotions and express your feelings (Moon) and how you show up for your purpose (Sun) are being woven into the story of how you root yourself and how you create a foundation for yourself that lets you then move out into the world and contribute your talents. Doing that to the fullest extent you can first requires a solid base that continually repletes you and from which you can grow. Because Mercury remains retrograde, this energy is oriented towards reviewing, reevaluating, and revising what strengthens your roots.
The New Moon asks you to begin one practice that nourishes you. Maybe it's eating real food in a calm atmosphere; maybe it's a commitment to turn off the screen and turn out the lights early one night a week; maybe it's water before coffee, or sunlight before emails. Maybe it's clearing a space or organizing your desk so your nervous system has an environment that is soothing. Maybe it's as simple as keeping a promise to yourself. Whatever it is, the New Moon is asking for an investment in yourself. It doesn't need to be a big production. Small acts, done consistently and intentionally to remind you that you are worth taking care of. These are the seeds of the sanctuary you are creating for yourself. The decision to demonstrate your care for yourself is the most healing and growth oriented decision you can make.
The zodiac lays out a developmental pathway for us. Aries energy starts by recognizing ourselves as unique and sovereign individuals, separate from others, full of potential and promise. In Taurus we explore our values and resources and extend our understanding of ourselves in the world through our physical senses. When we move into Gemini, we gather information, learn things, and begin to express our ideas to our siblings, our classmates, and our neighbors. In Cancer, we establish a secure foundation that serves as a sanctuary. We create a home that we can retreat to so we can integrate our experiences in the world to that point. In a few weeks, we will move into Leo energy, taking ourselves further into the world, shifting away from home and towards having fun with friends and exploring hobbies. In Virgo energy we develop critical thinking, work ethic, and the desire to be of service in some way, using our talents. We learn to handle our responsibilities, both to ourselves and others. In Libra, we seek the mirror of partnership, the important other, so we can know ourselves in relationship with another. When we move to Scorpio, that relationship is explored further. We want to create intimacy by sharing our deepest selves; to reveal ourselves fully and be seen while also allowing our important others to know they are seen and accepted.
We move back out into the world in Sagittarius season, considering larger ideals and beliefs. We articulate our ethical framework and explore the world beyond our current understanding. Taking this into Capricorn, we show up as the best version of ourselves, here to live out our destiny and achieve our goals in the outside world. In Aquarius, we cultivate a vision for our future and how we want to contribute to moving the world forward. We explore our place, our tribe, and the unique talents we bring to the community. Finally, in Pisces, we move into our spirituality, our recognition of being part of something much bigger than our senses can perceive. Then we repeat the process from a new perspective. Each time we arrive back at Aries and start the cycle again we are doing so with the experiences of the previous cycle to build from. It is meant to be an upward spiral, not a repetitive circle.
Each sign is unique in their contribution to that developmental path. Right now, under this Cancer New Moon, we have the opportunity to create a sustainable support system that allows the subsequent signs to continue the growth process. The stronger the foundation, the deeper the roots, the higher we can go. Are you willing to act like the sacred being you are? Are you willing to stop acting like you are somehow "less than" and show up for yourself as your whole self? All the future versions of you are waiting to see how you respond to the invitation.
"This revolutionary act of treating ourselves tenderly can begin to undo the aversive messages of a lifetime." ~Tara Brach
