New Moon in Cancer 12 degrees 54 minutes Cancer 7:01 AM EDT, July 4th, 2016.
Cancer evokes the contemplation of the intricate webs we are all a part of; all the many and multiple ways we depend on each other, on people close to home and people miles, continents, aeons away.
It may be that the motivation behind Cancer’s nurturing instinct comes from an understanding of this interconnectedness, an understanding that finds its home at the core of Cancer, in its gut, its center.
It’s appropriate to talk about wealth when talking about the sign of Cancer, for reasons that overlap with the instinct to nurture and its skill at nurturing well. The Moon’s being at home in Cancer gives the other reason, because this motherly luminary provides the nourishment needed to grow all kinds of things, bonds between people, children, businesses, art practices.
Nurturance is coupled with the quality of reflection and the Moon in this water sign absorbs the mood it is surrounded with and by the light of the sun radiates it from its own body. Cancer can be a gentle tide or a wailing, angry ocean, but the openness, softness and vulnerability is constant if sometimes hidden. It reminds us of our tenderness and so it is the most natural thing to be pulled in by its current. And besides who doesn’t love a soft sympathetic bosom and a hot home cooked meal.
The New Moon takes place at 12 degrees 54 minutes of Cancer. It is escorted by Mercury on one side and Venus on the other. What makes this New Moon special is that the Moon is at home in Cancer, and therefore it is very strong. Strength means the Moon is quite able to connect disparate bodies, it has plenty of fertile soil in which to plant its seeds, and those seeds are poised to be nourished in just the way they need to be to grow strong. This is an influence we can expect to unfold for the entire lunar cycle. It is one of the best new moons of the year.
It is also appropriate to raise the topic of wealth for another reason. This New Moon and its accompanying inner planets is standing opposite from Pluto in the sky. Mythologically, Pluto is the ruler of the underworld. Etymylogically, the word Pluto is associated with wealth that comes from beneath the earth. The french word pleut means rain and brings in an element of association with flowing water dislodging underground minerals. Pulling on this thread unravels potent themes – there is the theme of power in being intertwined in a web of congenial and strong associates. The theme of the power from being staunchly supported and connected to others, to a powerful institution, to family. The opposition is a more challenging aspect, and there is no shortage of institutional shortcomings today, so we might tilt this toward a critique of power, of status, of indiscriminate wealth, of a water logged system of social division, of strong social protection of un-honestly-addressed distribution of power, even at the expense of toxic and eroding web of interconnectedness – where a healthy web would better offer the vigor that comes from a nation of nourished souls.
Cancer is sensitive to atmosphere. This sign — both natives of this sign with personal planets and points there, as well as all of us when this sign is gracing our skies in iterations — is as if it is swimming in water all the time. Like oysters, crabs, and other shellfish, they filter the water and all of its contents through their bodies themselves. What is in the water matters. What is in the atmosphere is as if it is a part of the body of Cancer itself. The atmosphere requires filtering, and protection from, and careful curation and creation.
This New Moon in a flowing trine to to Neptune increases the subtlety, sensitivity, and nuance of this Moon cycle. It is a good Moon cycle to make art. It is a good Moon cycle to dream and act on it. It is a good Moon cycle to find beautiful ways to connect with the deepest truth of your self and to create scintillating invisible connections with those who are closest to you, and those you would like to be closer to.
Remember to keep exchanges honest, clean, and genuinely loving, even and especially within yourself.
Today is America’s birthday. On July 4th, 1776, The Sun was in Cancer, the Moon was in Aquarius, and Pluto was in Capricorn. These are the placements in America’s birth chart. Within a few years America will have its Pluto return. As many Americans celebrate the USA today I evoke the idea of wealth at this New Moon to make the point that the wealth of a country is its people. Healthy, strong, and supported individuals are able to contribute to the prosperity of the nation at all levels, physical, cultural, and at the level of the soul.
California based astrologer in practice since 2014. Blending traditional astrology with Yogic/Vedic philosophy, and wisdom teachings, art, poetry, literature and spirituality.
