The July 15th New Moon in Cancer is complex, deep and ripe with opportunity for healing. The New Moon directly opposes Pluto, Lord of the Underworld. Pluto aims to reveal what has been hidden--on all levels: emotional, psychological, interpersonal, societal. Is it any surprise that just yesterday, the New Horizons space probe reached Pluto, revealing, for the first time, images of the dwarf planet?
The images of Pluto may be benign, but often what's revealed is painful--which is why it was repressed or hidden in the first place. There is great potential in acknowledging our pain and facing difficult truths, because there is the opportunity to work through what arises in order to heal.
For all of us, this New Moon is likely to dredge up memories and old wounds from adolescence, childhood, or even earlier--wounds we’ve inherited, ancestral traumas, the generational repercussions of war and violence. Don’t think that facing these demons is a sign of moving backwards--quite the opposite: we need to be strong to face the horrors and pains of our past, to go into the wounds so we can heal. We need to feel the feelings in order to release them. We need to see what we are holding in order to let go.
Sometimes we hold to pain like a badge of honour. Sometimes we cling to limiting beliefs like a life raft amid uncertainty, without realizing that in uncertainty there's freedom. Now it’s time to let go. It really is possible to heal. It takes courage. But you are courageous. It takes love. You are love.
Aries and Aries Rising
This New Moon triggers Uranus in your sign. Uranus transits Aries from 2011-2018, encouraging (or maybe forcing) you to break the chains, to overcome the ‘shoulds’, to release the limiting thoughts and beliefs that hold you back. It’s time to step into yourself and become the leader you truly are, to live the life your soul longs for.
How have you changed since 2011? In what ways do you still have to change in order to become free? What beliefs or thought patterns continue to hold you back?
The New Moon, as well as Mars, your ruler, conjunct Mercury are all in your 4th house of home, roots, and the deepest parts of your mind. The structures, beliefs, traumas, and blessings you inherited from your family, your ancestors. There may be an upwelling of memories (perhaps from childhood or adolescence), old wounds, previously repressed emotions. This can be uncomfortable, but it’s an opportunity for deep healing. Get quiet, and see what’s there. Contemplate the meaning of your dreams. Feel your feelings. Then release. Set your intentions for your home and home-life. What will help you feel supported and nourished? What will give you the foundation and safety necessary to flourish?
Taurus and Taurus Rising
The Cancer New Moon activates your mind, communication, and may bring more activity to your life, increasing contact with neighbours and siblings. This moon is asking you to consider how can you use your mind for healing, in what ways your thoughts or beliefs hold you back, and how you can better communicate your emotions.
At this time you will be especially aware of how your mind works. You will become more conscious of your beliefs, perhaps beliefs that are usually unconscious, but nevertheless structure your thought and your world.
So many of our thoughts and beliefs have been foisted on us by society, tradition, and those who may not have our best interests at heart. Take control of your beliefs. You can choose which ones serve you, and which ones harm you. Now, the universe supports you to release the beliefs or thought patterns that no longer serve, and to adopt new ones that feed you and heal you.
There is nothing more important, dear Taurus, then learning to love yourself.
Gemini and Gemini Rising
Gemini, this New Moon initiates you into a new cycle of healing by learning to truly value who you are, to recognize your own self-worth. Sometimes this process works by releasing powerful, potentially painful, realizations or memories. We need to go into the (possibly old) wounds in order to heal them. It WILL get better. Mars in Cancer brings you the courage you need to stare into the darkness and pain so that you can let it go.
Learning to love yourself, warts and all, will also increase your ability to manifest wealth and abundance, for (perhaps unconsciously) devaluing ourselves means we don’t feel worthy of abundance. Set your intentions for what you’d like to attract and manifest in the coming month and year. Release attachment to the outcome. And then watch it flow into your life.
Cancer and Cancer Rising
Cancer, this is your New Moon. With the New Moon opposing Pluto, it is likely that shadow energies will be released. You may be thrown back into memories of wounds--especially around relationship. You may come to see or learn some things that were hidden. With Pluto in your house of relationship, there is some potential for projecting the shadow onto others--for seeing other people as the source of all your pain. While it’s certainly possible that others have harmed you, nevertheless, you have the power to release that pain and to heal. Work toward recognizing the shadow within your own psyche, and your own ability to witness and release pain. When we project the shadow onto others we give away our power to heal that comes from taking responsibility for our own happiness.
Allow your emotions to pour forth. Release. And then, in the quiet that comes, in the calm clear waters after the storm, set your intentions for the next month, and the next year. Envision what you want to create, how you want to feel. Make wishes. You don’t need to know how they will come true--just put them out to the universe, and then release attachment to the outcome.
Leo and Leo Rising
Generous Jupiter and Venus are in your sign bringing beauty and pleasure, but they are squaring off with stern Saturn, adding some tension to the mix. Saturn is asking you to deal with deeply embedded dynamics formed in your childhood, or inherited from your family. What is stopping you from receiving all the abundance, beauty and joy that your heart desires? What sorts of thought patterns, limiting beliefs, or guarded behaviours ward away all you deserve?
Be wary of power dynamics, especially in the work place. Great power comes from steering clear of those ugly games.
With the Sun, Moon, Mars and Mercury making waves in your 12th house of the unconscious mind, this week is liable to bring up emotions, and reveal what was formerly hidden. It’s a powerful time to gain consciousness and set in place more positive, empowering patterns of thought. Take the time to listen, to feel, to be. Then set down your intentions for how you would like to be/feel/think.
Virgo and Virgo Rising
This New Moon takes place in your 11th house of groups, organizations, friends, networks, and hopes and dreams for the future. See the connection between these topics? When we have a clear sense of where we want to go, what our deepest dreams are, then we find friends who can support us in manifesting them. This is not about intimate one-on-one relationships, but rather the larger groups of people you associate with.
It’s likely you will notice some tensions or dissatisfaction in this area. Feel into it. Process what arises. Perhaps, write about it. Release. And then, envision what you hope for, imagine a beautiful future, intuit your intentions. Call into your life the friends and connections that will best serve you. Prepare yourself to meet your allies. You don’t need to know how your intentions will manifest. Your work is simply to imagine.
Libra and Libra Rising
Saturn is challenging Venus and Jupiter in your 11th house of friends, groups, networks and your dreams for the future. Saturn is asking you what isn’t working in these areas, showing you what needs to change.
The New Moon occurs in your 10th house of career, vocation, and your public role. Not necessarily how you earn a living, but what you are here on earth to do. How is it that you can best contribute? What is your special gift? What are you called to do?
This is a messy New Moon, bound to bring up all kinds of emotions, memories, old wounds. It may be uncomfortable, but the shit needs to surface before we can be rid of it. So don’t avoid your feelings and discomforts this week. See them, feel them, the let go. In the quiet that follows, ask for guidance (from your soul, from your dreams, from the universe). Set your intentions for career. Envision where you are going. All you need to do is see it--your guides will bring you there.
Scorpio and Scorpio Rising
This New Moon occurs in your 9th house of the higher mind, initiating a new cycle with respect to expanding your consciousness. There are many ways to achieve this--education, self study, travel, adventure. What is calling you now?
Saturn in your house is challenging you to work through old traumas, self defeating dynamics--to see, feel, and release. He’s also challenging your career and public presence right now, asking you to consider how you limit your success, how you keep yourself from contributing. Remember that when you hold yourself back from success in your career, you keep your gifts from all those who could benefit from them: career is not about you as much as all those who could appreciate and benefit from what you have to offer.
Sagittarius and Sagittarius Rising
This New Moon is stirring the depths, bringing to the surface all the stuff we’d prefer to keep hidden. Money, taxes, death, taboos. The ways in which we share or don’t share, the money we’ve been given (inheritances, money from our spouse, tax refunds). The occult and hidden elements of spirituality. All the forces we prefer not to see or acknowledge because they don’t fit neatly into our worldview.
You might think “I’m not afraid to look at that.” But what ARE you afraid to look at? There is something for each of us, something we’d rather not see. Now is the time to shine a light into the shadows, clear away the cobwebs, reveal what’s in the basement. Have that uncomfortable discussion about shared finances, or how you really feel about sex, or whatever it is for you. Sort it out. Begin anew.
Capricorn and Capricorn Rising
Pluto in your house brings you power. But before power comes destruction, before rebirth, comes death. The past few years may have been tumultuous, but what is it all for? As trying as Pluto is, he wants to help us. Pluto is contacting this New Moon in your 7th house of intimate relationship. Close friends, romantic partnerships, business relationships, clients--any one-on-one relationship. What has been brewing in this domain for you? What tensions, hurts, dissatisfactions are you feeling? See them, feel them, then let it go, and set your intentions for the next year.
Invite in the partnerships your heart desires. Call in your connections. Open to your soulmate. Prepare yourself for meeting the souls you are meant to meet. Be ready for when they show up--and they will.
Aquarius and Aquarius Rising
This New Moon initiates a new yearly cycle in your house of work, service, health, and daily routines. Notice the connections: your daily routine influences your health which influences your ability to work and serve.
Consider your routines and how they serve you. Now would be a great time to set in place any new habits, or tweak the ones you have. Make your routine a ritual--a sacred repetition of actions. A good routine means you can mindlessly take care of all the necessities (brushing your teeth, opening the mail), freeing your energy for creative projects. This is an ideal time to to overcome unhealthy patterns, addictions, or habits that don’t serve: watching too much t.v., staying up to late, etc. Replace these with healthy habits that include time for pleasure, rest, play, and all that makes for a good life.
Be wary of any drama or power dynamics that surface in your workplace. Stay focused on your job. Don’t stoop to vie for power--real power doesn’t come from lowly power grabs anyway.
Pisces and Pisces Rising
This New Moon begins a new yearly cycle in the area of your life that has to do with pleasure, romance, play, and creative self-expression. What is holding you back from expressing yourself?
Sit with whatever comes up, Pisces. And know that on the other side of pain, there is bliss. Let the feelings move through you, let the memories surface. In the quiet that follows, set your intentions for what you’d like to create. Make time for pleasure, joy, and fun. Sometimes play is the most healing, rejuvenative act.
You may also find yourself reconsidering some aspects of your work-life, and finding ways to bring more pleasure, abundance, and money into your life. There may be some challenge to move through, but doing so will bring reward.