Happy New Moon in Cancer! This New Moon at nearly 25 degrees of Cancer became exact at 2:32 PM New York time (18:32 GMT) today, on Monday, July 17, 2023.
This New Moon coincides with the True North Node entering Aries, where it will remain through January 2025. I’ll discuss this in depth later in this article.
Cancer is the cardinal water sign of the Zodiac, as it initiates summer in the Northern Hemisphere. It is ruled by the moon, which is the overseer of the emotional body. During Cancer season we tend to feel very emotional; we can cry at the drop of a hat. Interest grows in the feminine aspects of life. We feel a great call to enjoy the outdoors, to hug, to have alone time, to meditate, and to connect with our family.
Cancer is the ruler of the Fourth House, the House of Home. During Cancer season, we naturally feel inclined to connect with family, and to take care of our homes. Cleaning, organizing, and redecorating your home is a good idea during Cancer season.
During Cancer season, we connect with the nurturing aspect of self, a capacity that we all carry within. If you have children, focus on becoming the best parent possible. Or whoever you are in a position of taking care of—other family members, pets, plants, etc.--be the best, most nurturing parent that you can be.
Also, don’t forget that another important aspect of expressing that nurturing part of self is nurturing the self. Anything that is promoting of self-care is a great idea during Cancer season (e.g. meditation, exercise, going for a massage, watching a ‘comfort movie’).
Cancer is a cardinal water sign that is represented by the crab and ruled by the moon. The crab likes to explore the beach at its own pace; however, whenever it feels threatened or overchallenged it retreats back into the safety of its shell. In its shell, it feels nurtured and safe. One of the downfalls of Cancer is that it can be fearful, hermit-like, or overly defensive.
When eventually we reach the upper levels of the third dimension and into the fifth dimension, there isn't as much of a reason anymore for the 'lower' emotions like sadness, anger, and jealousy; however, for now, here in the third dimension, it's part of our mission as part of our Ascension processes to honor all emotions within, rather than pushing them away or judging them.
What is it like to justfeel an uncomfortable emotion? To just sit with it for a moment? To remove judgment from it and just let it be? The truth is that when we push away uncomfortable emotions within, we only make the Shadow aspect within (which could be said to be the projection of the amalgam of the unhealed/unfelt/unexpressed parts of self) stronger.
Allow the Shadow self to be, to exist. Allow the uncomfortable/inconvenient emotions to pop up once in awhile, and give them the time of day to be felt and honored. You'll find if you do this that your overall experience of life will become more satisfying. The happy times become more sustainable when the Shadow within is honored.
Cancer is also the sign of the Divine Feminine—it naturally enjoys mothering and nurturing. It is the womb of the Zodiac. During Cancer season, we strongly desire to be nurtured and to nurture others. It is the time to connect with the feminine/moon aspects of life in all ways, and with water.
We also may naturally feel more emotionally reactive during Cancer season. Cancer/the moon rules emotions. As human beings, we are here to experience a whole range of emotions. All emotions are valid; it's just that each emotion is at a different frequency. Our soul puts us here to experience the whole range of emotions here in the third dimension.
As I said, Cancer is associated with the home, in all ways. We feel a natural call during Cancer season to come home in all ways that that may be. Some people may feel called to travel to or reconnect with their family of origin. Some may put effort into improving the look and feel of their physical home. Others may go camping or hiking in the woods in order to re-establish the feeling of being home with Mother Earth. Or you might find yourself doing all three!
Swimming in lakes, ponds, rivers, and the ocean is a great idea during Cancer season, as it connects you physically and energetically with the water element. Make sure you're staying extra hydrated, too, especially when the inevitable heat waves hit.
We are likely to feel more connected with our pets and the Animal Kingdom during this time. Our pets don't speak English, but they feel our emotions, and we can feel theirs. Personally, nothing makes me feel better when I feel emotional, frustrated, sad, or lonely than hugging my dog.
Cancer season is also a deeply intuitive time, but this is an especially intuitive time, with this New Moon coinciding with Neptune exalted, just having entered its Retrograde Phase in its home sign of Pisces (Neptune being the most psychic of the planets). Your psychic senses will be on point, and there is a sense of a thinning of the veils. Intuitive guidance may come to you naturally even if you feel like you have struggled receiving guidance before.
NORTH NODE ENTERS ARIES: LEADERSHIP & REBELLION
The Mean North Node (which I think is a better, more practical computation of a Lunar Node) entered Aries on Wednesday, while the True North Node enters Aries today. Regardless of which date you want to use, the North Node is now in Aries, where it will be for the next 18 months! As an Aries North Node, this is an exciting time for me, but let me do my best to explain to you how this crucial transit is going to affect you regardless of where your nodes are.
First, a primer on the Lunar Nodes: the North Node represents the soul’s destiny in the physical incarnation; while the South Node represents what the soul has already experienced, and often mastered. On a macro, worldly scale, the North Node represents the Higher direction of the collective—what the collective is working on mastering as a whole; and the South Node represents where the collective can draw strength from.
On an individual level, this Aries North Node season will push us to express ourselves authentically. Aries is the cardinal fire sign--and the initiator of the entire Zodiac wheel. Aries is the consummate leader. During the next 18 months, it is the time to showcase yourself as authentically and courageously as possible—and to be a leader in your own life!
As an Aries North Node, I’ve never run with the crowd. I’ve always felt like a loner. I feel much more comfortable leading a group, as opposed to following a leader. When I was younger, I had a blatant disrespect for authority figures. Others that I know who were born during Aries North Node periods (e.g. 1986-87) have often told me that they have had a similar experience.
Aries is about individuality, leadership, courage, and initiation. During the next 18 months, you have a strong opportunity to bring these aspects out from within you. Ask yourself (and ideally, journal on) these questions to help you know how to best utilize this initiating energy of Aries North Node season:
If I were to truly take control of—to take the reins of—my life, how would I step up to the plate? Who would I be to the world?
How can I be a better leader of myself?
If I could let go of fears of being seen and failing, what would be possible for me? Am I ready and willing to step up?
How can I express myself more authentically? What if it didn’t really matter what other people think?
In what ways do I feel like my soul is pushing me to transform?
The Retrograde Pluto, exalted in the final degree of Capricorn, squares the exalted North Node entering Aries. Pluto’s involvement here adds an element of transformational energy to Aries’s initiating energy. Your soul may very well be strongly pushing you toward transformation over the next 18 months—and in order to step into that next level of being that your soul may prefer for you to be at, the key word very well may be courage.
It is of note that the sun and the moon also widely oppose Pluto on this New Moon, making ‘loose’ T-Squares with the Lunar Nodes.
On a world scale, the next 18 months could be a violent time. Aries is ruled by Mars, planet of war. We may very well see breakouts of new geopolitical conflicts; fascists rising to (or attempting to rise to) power; protests; rebellions; and civil wars. We also of course have the yet unresolved Russo-Ukrainian War. Pluto’s involvement in the North Node’s entrance into Aries brings the themes of abuse of power and power struggles to the forefront.
Hopefully, humanity will be able to access much of the available Libra South Node energies (Libra also represents the empty leg—and thus the solution--to the North Node T-Square I mentioned), and peace and harmony will prevail more than violence. The Libra South Node teaches us that if we honor each other’s differences, and listen to one another’s needs, we can in fact come to harmonious, fair, and just agreements with one another. This is easier said then done when it comes to geopolitics (and in reality, there are evil forces that guarantee perpetual conflict, destruction, and destabilization)--however it is an ideal that we can at least preach, and implement in our own communities.
Aries is a cardinal fire sign—thus very hot. This week has seen record-breaking heat across the globe. We can expect more heat, fires, earthquakes, and volcanoes over the next 18 months.
The North Node’s entrance into Aries also coincides with a trine to Venus in Leo—so now and the next 18 months bodes well for romantic partnerships—whether for the one you’re currently in to blossom; or for you to meet someone new and have success with that.
The North Node also trines Mars in Virgo, making this (and the next 18 months) an auspicious time to work on your physical health. It’s a great time to implement a new diet, or a new exercise or supplement routine.
GETTING OUT OF OUR SHELL/INTUITION
Although this New Moon in Cancer of course amplifies the abundant Cancer energies, we have a lot of expressive Leo-type energy in the air this week, preceding the sun’s entrance into the fixed fire sign on Saturday, July 22. So we are trying to achieve balance between Cancer’s desire to feel and Leo’s desire to express. So, it’s a time to come out of your crab shell!
The sun and moon sextile the Zodiac’s jokester—Uranus. It’s a time to be eccentric, off-beat, and embrace the spontaneous.
Mercury and Venus are both in Leo, making us feel expressive, bodacious, and flirtatious. We are likely more focused than usual on our looks and aesthetics. With Venus Stationing Retrograde in Leo on Saturday, July 22 (the same say the sun enters Leo), we will be especially feeling romantic and flirty—and desiring to be the center of attention—toward the end of this week.
On this New Moon, Mercury in Leo squares Jupiter in Taurus, adding an air of arrogance and overindulgence to the current energies. People will likely be in their egos at this time. Some may have delusions of grandiosity. With Mars opposing Saturn, people will be easily triggered, so it’s best to avoid angry people.
This Mercury-Jupiter square can bring great opportunities for financial success (or even financial windfalls); but for most, it will likely manifest as overindulging and overspending. So watch your wallet if you’re on a budget like most of us!
The sun and moon also trine an exalted Neptune, which has just entered its Retrograde Phase at home in Pisces. It is a time where we can easily access our intuition and communicate with the Spirit World. It is also a very creative time; putting your emotions into art can really do wonders to assist you in emotional healing, as well as to create amazing and impactful art!
Let’s discuss further how the sign of Cancer relates to your home—both without and within.
WHAT DOES HOME MEAN FOR YOU?
Cancer is the nurturing homebody of the Zodiac. It is the oasis that the more explorative signs like Sagittarius and Aries come home to to anchor, ground and build. Regardless of what your natal chart looks like, it is the perfect time to contemplate what home means to you.
Is your current home environment providing you what you need to grow and expand? Are the people you are spending the most time with supporting your highest evolution?
If you don't feel like your current home environment is providing you with what you need to grow, then what kind of home environment do you desire? Who is there with you (or are you alone)? What does the scenery look like? How does it feel?
If you feel like your ideal home life is a lot different than your current home life, then what steps can you take starting with this New Moon to start the process of manifesting your dream?
If your home isn't really working for you but you don't desire to or are not in the position to change locales, then what could be done to improve your relationship with those with whom you live? Could you perhaps be more tolerant and less emotionally reactive without letting yourself get walked over or disrespected?
Could you be a little bit more open to interacting in ways or on topics that aren't necessarily 'home' for you. Sometimes, asking the question, “What are you interested in?” can really transform an uncomfortable relationship.
Home also has to do with the home that is your body and mind. What would it feel like to surrender completely to the experiencing of being in your body, even if you are in chronic physical discomfort like so many Lightworkers are on this journey? What would it feel like if your mind was a source of comfort and peace rather than distraction, worry or confusion? How could you do a better job of making yourself feel safe regardless of what is going on in the outside world?
Take whatever steps you can over the next 28 days to bring greater balance to your body, and to make mental peace and clarity a priority. Meditation, breathwork, yoga, tai chi, and nature walks/swims are really good ways to give your nervous system a feeling of safety. This is especially important to do at this time—as Mars and Virgo can make our minds overactive.
Targeted supplements and nutrition for the brain are crucial if you are not experiencing peace in the mind, however, meditation is truly irreplaceable. It would be of tremendous benefit to all Lightworkers to incorporate at least five minutes of daily meditation into their routines (ideally more!). The meditation can be any type you'd like!
With this New Moon, we see a renewal of focus on the nurturing, emotional Divine Feminine aspects of life. It's a time to recommit to taking care of your body--and to nurture the self--while establishing a healthy balance between self and other. We also should endeavor to achieve a better balance between the masculine and feminine energies within--and an improved relationship between our self-care and our role in the outside world.
Cancer—which is the Divine Mother of the Zodiac—can help us to establish a healthy balance between accepting nurturance, love and support from loved ones and friends, with establishing and maintaining emotional independence.
When we have wounds and traumas that are yet unhealed, we may tend to over-rely on others to help us feel safe, 'OK' or validated in certain ways; likewise, some of us may go in the other direction and keep our feelings and emotions locked up inside for fear of being judged or seen as weak.
Both sides of the spectrum are unhealthy and miscalibrated, but somewhere in the middle we can find a healthy balance of sharing our thoughts, feelings and concerns when we feel the need to--with being fully adept at handling the full range of emotions on our own. Remember that no one else will ever be able to heal the wounds within you, though it can certainly be helpful (and wise) to seek the help of healers, therapists and trusted loved ones and friends to assist. However, there is no replacement for inner work--and once you become willing to do the work, you have already won half the battle. One of the most difficult parts of being a human being is having to experience (and handle) the whole gamut of emotions. It is natural to want to avoid feeling uncomfortable emotions like sadness or anger—this is why so many people find it difficult (or even embarrassing) to cry. In fact, our subconscious mind does whatever it can to make sure we don't have to feel the uncomfortable emotions that are stored within. It will create our reality in a way that we will be able to avoid feeling the unfelt emotions within that became 'stored' during instances or prolonged experiences of mental, emotional and/or physical trauma—especially those that occurred during childhood.
So unless you grew up with parents or caregivers who taught you how to talk about, handle and alchemize your emotions—which is uncommon in our society—you may have picked up unhealthy coping mechanisms along the way.
These unhealthy coping mechanisms often directly lead to addictive patterns, as well as other patterns of self-sabotage. The opportunity to unravel and heal those unhealthy coping mechanisms comes when one embarks on a conscious awakening journey, often seeking out teachers, healers, books, videos, seminars, courses, therapists, plant medicine, etc.
In my opinion, one of the most important tools that we can learn in life is to honor all of our emotions. This allows for a proper flow of energy to run through the sacral chakra--as well as helping you to learn how to be a healthy, emotionally balanced human.
I believe that we all hold a reservoir of 'unfelt' and unprocessed emotions within. These 'unfelt' and unprocessed emotions create energetic blockages in the energy field. These blockages can cause physical issues down the line if not alchemized.
When you feel sad, stop and take a moment to fully feel and honor the sadness. Let the tears come through. You'll find that once you allow the sadness to be deeply felt, you'll feel a lightness wash over you. This is exactly why we feel better after crying! Sometimes, when I feel some sadness bubbling up, I'll put on a sad song, hug my dog and just let myself bawl. I always feel better after a good cry.
When you feel angry, triggered or resentful, avoid expressing the anger outwardly, as that only creates more of the energy you're trying to dispel. Rather, take some deep breaths, step away from the situation and then feel the anger deeply, but within yourself. Just taking a moment to feel anger within (rather than 'without'), transmutes some of that reservoir of 'unfelt' emotion within. You'll likely find the anger dissipating and a feeling of peace, well-being and gratitude washing over you if you practice this exercise—unless your mind brings it back again afterwards.
Wishing everyone a wonderful New Moon in Cancer!
With Love,
Matthew John
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