July 10th ~ 17th
“Cancer” by Johfra Bosschart
Rather than dismissing ourselves as unchangeable creatures of habit, we can instead direct our own change by consciously developing new habits. In fact, the more new things we try ~ the more we step outside our comfort zone ~ the more inherently creative we become, both in the workplace and in our personal lives. ~ Janet Rae-Dupree
Last week we were told that if we looked really carefully we might be able to see Uranus. This was made easier because of its proximity to Mars. We never get to see Uranus! Even if it does seem to be just a smidgeon of a dot next to the red planet, the mere idea of seeing something millions of miles away is pretty amazing. Uranus is something of a major player this month, and it is making itself known. Standing at the bending of the Nodes, the odd-planet-out has been trying to enlighten us with its flashing lights and revelations. We often feel like we are at a crossroads when major planets come to the bending of the Nodes. What we are seeing, hearing, learning, asking, answering, is changing it all.
Uranus is pushing us to a whole new level of understanding. We may not fully appreciate what this all means right away. But it’s opening a door, and beckoning us to walk through that door and into a whole new era. An era filled with advancing new ideas, new technology, new energy sources, new ways of communicating, seeing, hearing and connecting. Uranus is also showing us what we have outgrown. More than anything Uranus wants us to live more freely and authentically. And to consider the possibility of looking at the world in a whole new light.
That might mean having to step outside of our comfort zone, try new things, meet new people, and open ourselves up to doing things in a whole new way. This week, Venus which is now in Virgo, makes an exact conjunction to the true South Node on Friday. Venus will then go on to square Uranus on Monday. The reason this is important this week, is that the New Moon on July 14th is at the midpoint, right in the middle of the Venus/Uranus square.
We are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our routines. But even if we make small changes in our daily lives. For instance, switch up some of those routines, move the furniture around a bit, we begin to see things differently. We notice things that we hadn’t before. And we begin to think more creatively. Therefore the New Moon at 21º Cancer 59’ on Tuesday, July 14th, is a beckoning to do so. To open our perceptions, to look about us, change things up, notice things in a way that we might not have before.
Venus has to do with the things, the people, the experiences that we want, that we desire, that we long for and perhaps even crave. But in order to have these, with Venus in Virgo we are being asked to change up our usual routines, and our usual ways of doing things, our usual haunts and old tired habits. And that can be especially true in the ways that these impact our relationships. Especially the ones that are not working, feel stuck or are in need of a refresh.
One thing we learn with Venus in Virgo is that we can’t fix other people. There is no magic potion. And it’s not your fault either. Venus can pick at your last bit of self-worth in this placement, and Uranus is telling us not to go there. The Nodes are about to change signs, and as they prepare to do so, Venus is asking you to divest yourself of any false notions surrounding your worthiness. It’s so easy to keep falling into old self-defeating patterns that keep us from asking for what we want and desire. That we some how don’t deserve to have our needs fulfilled. Uranus is here to pull us out of those old patterns.
To drive this idea of what we do or do not deserve further home, the New Moon occurs just a few days after the Inferior Conjunction of Mercury which is the beginning of the New Mercury Cycle. As this tiny planet gets subsumed by the rays of the Sun it enters the throne room at the heart of the Sun and disappears from the night sky. The new cycle of Mercury is always seeded in the middle of its retrograde journey. It is now, when Mercury’s outer effectiveness may be weakened that its inner essential nature is at its height. And the mental and thought seeds that are being planted now will grow to be the prevailing thought trend for the next 4 months of the Mercury cycle.
Combining the New Moon with the inferior conjunction of Mercury is a prime time therefore to set intentions or make positive affirmations, which can include affirmations about self-worth and relating. These can include:
I do not need to sacrifice my needs or what I want in order to be loved and appreciated by others.
I deserve to have my needs met and to ask for what I want.
By allowing myself and my loved ones to be imperfect, we can find beauty in a more authentic way of relating to one another.
Beauty and love is often found in the most unexpected places.
The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are, and not be questioned. ~ Maya Angelou
Both the New Moon, and Mercury are in the sign of Cancer. For the duration of the retrograde cycle of Mercury it has been backtracking the Jupiter in Cancer transit which just recently ended. By reflecting over the year that was, we may begin to more fully appreciate some of the lessons we were learning such as:
The importance of Community, and the ways that we take care of and protect one another.
The need for all people to feel safe and secure within their own homes and communities.
What it means to have a true feeling of belonging. A true feeling of Home.
At this time of year we come back to immerse ourselves in the replenishing waters of the Cancer New Moon. Doing so brings us the strength to meet the world on its own terms. Therefore feed your body, your heart and your soul within her protective embrace. Surround yourself with your much loved community. Seek out those things that bring you emotional security. Pay attention to the important foundations of your life: those things and people that support you. When your roots are well supported, and the foundations are strong, then you will be able to withstand even the most difficult of challenges later on.
If you wish to make intentions or positive affirmations with the New Moon in Cancer, do so after the time of the New Moon in your area (July 14th at 5:43 am Eastern Time; 2:43 am Pacific time; 10:43 am British Time), but while it is still new and filled with potential (from the New Moon on Tuesday thru the Crescent Moon on Friday, July 17th). Make your intentions and affirmations positive and make them your own.
Some general intentions and/or affirmations for the New Moon in Cancer might be:
May I come to appreciate that empathy and sensitivity are strengths, not weakness.
May I find that safe place that I can go to and belong without being questioned.
I embrace and appreciate the patterns and events in my life that have led me to where I am now.
I am aligned with the tides of the Moon, trusting that it will take me where I need to go.
May I create a sanctuary of safety and security within my own home.
I honor the vast field of experience known as the imagination, where all things are possible.
May I reacquaint myself with my past in order to dig deeper roots.
With the heart of the Lunar Goddess I support and sustain all of life’s children as if they were my own.
No matter how difficult and painful it might be, may I never lose the capacity to care.
For the New Moon in your natal sign or house, check out this week’s horoscopes: