Forecast

July 4 – 10: New Moon in Cancer & The Wish-Fulfilling Gem

Emotions can be running hot and powerful this week, starting with the New Moon in Cancer. The New Moon is joined by Mercury in Cancer with each of these bodies in opposition to Pluto in Capricorn. Pluto is the planet of desire; the spectrum of desire as it exists in the unconscious and in the conscious states. This New Moon may start with a desire, the outcome of which has not been reached but we are beginning to sense an opening.

Pluto’s opposition to the New Moon can have the effect of exposing the cracks in the things that are, or were once, a source of comfort and familiarity. On one end, it can be something like a rule or an arrangement, a particular and desired status quo, that is broken, and the Cancer side of the spectrum reveals the energy that is wanting to be held or contained in the absence of what was holding it. Or the Pluto energy could represent a limiting container, or an oppressive one, that is ready to molt and dissolve. Whatever the value judgement on the evolution of the containing environment, this is both a vulnerable and potent position for the New Moon. It can call up, by necessity, a deeper examination of what our needs and desires are, so that we can embark on consciously honoring and realizing them.

This New Moon is harmoniously aspecting Neptune in Pisces and Jupiter in Virgo, by trining Neptune and sextiling Jupiter. This can speak to an opportunity to visualize greater and better circumstances than the ones we currently inhabit, as well as a pragmatic process for how to get there (Jupiter in Virgo). It will be worthwhile to have compassion for exactly what we are, and what we are feeling, at this very moment. Neptune, and in its own sign of Pisces, is an energy that does not discriminate or draw boundaries between entities – it is where we melt into union. We’re not totally comfortable with Neptunian energy when we are in the mindset of trying to make things happen, be on time, participate in life in a conventionally practical way. Integrating Neptune is a challenge for most people. But without it, we are closed off to the universal source of love and magic, an all-encompassing love that is always there. This Neptunian wellspring is intrinsically available through the emotional body right now – simply feeling what you are feeling without added layers of resistance, and even with the lens of a compassionate inner-parent, inner-friend or inner-lover. Pluto correlates with desire and resistance, so know that you may be called to open up to yourself as you experience challenging emotions.

The Jupiter-Pluto trine is still at play – think about the ways in which the unconscious, manipulative end on the spectrum of desire is linked with the concept of having to appeal to others and/or conceal oneself to get what one wants or needs… to trick others into love, as though one is not inherently lovable and deserving the way that they are. When we hold ourselves and our desire with that regard, being direct and above-water is simply an extension of that self-love. This New Moon may not be about initiating exchange, though it could be – what I’m seeing more is that it is an internal awakening of what it is we truly desire at this juncture, and the opening to hold that in total acceptance and compassion. To really feel the longing and the space for it, and then, as the month progresses, to utilize that Jupiter in Virgo sextile to actively undergo process/make space for the realization of that desire.

“Many great mystics and sages have found that the thirst for God is most fully satisfied through drinking from the wellspring of spirit that flows within our very core. Some spiritual traditions, such as Sufism, see longing as a direct tap-line into absolute love because it provides that inner-moistening. When the great Sufi mystic Ibn al-‘Arabi explains, “O Lord, nourish me not with love, but with the longing for love,” he is recognizing that longing deeply felt is nourishing in itself. For it rouses the heart, directly awakening us to what is most alive within us.

In this same vein, Rumi sings:
Hear the dog as it cries for its master:
That crying is the connection.

Rumi is telling us that the longing that wells up from deep within is not just a need for external gratification, but a direct link to our “master” – the great richness hidden within us, which the Tibetans call the wish-fulfilling gem. In the words of Indian teacher Nisargadatta, “Desire is devotion… to the real, to the infinite, to the eternal heart of being.” And therefore, “it is not desire that is wrong, but only its narrowness and smallness.” Interestingly, the Tibetan term for devotion is composed of two words combined: longing and humbleness. Longing is like the arrow of a compass magnetically directing us to the source of love, while humbleness is the openness that invites love to come streaming in.” – John Welwood, from “Perfect Love, Imperfect Relationships: Healing the Wound of the Heart

Additionally this week, we have Venus in Cancer trining Mars in Scorpio and squaring Uranus in Aries. I’m seeing a few things here, all definitely heating up the realm of relationship. It depends on the nature of the bond, but the nature of these transits can speak to sentiments surfacing, which can increase intimacy and connection or reveal darker feelings, betrayals, and resentment between people. This could also be a time where unresolved conflict from the past is rehashed to be healed now – perhaps with someone you weren’t expecting to speak with. The vibe is sexy, underworldly, and with surprises. So, maybe I would just say don’t be surprised if contention or passion surfaces, and I would say don’t be scared to be vulnerable and share what’s really on your heart beneath hurt or blame. That soft energy below the Cancer and Scorpio exoskeletons (the crab and the scorpion…) will deepen connection. This is really sexy synergy between Venus and Mars. If you are the recipient of someone else’s harder emotions, be aware they are likely acting from the scab over the wound (though isn’t it always that way?), and if you are present with this, you can likely make space to take things deeper with someone in a positive way, versus reacting to the defense.

By the end of the week, Mercury in Cancer will trine Mars in Scorpio as well – an opportunity perhaps to speak or communicate with conviction and power. Water signs can be so emotionally intelligent, but it’s also where we evade emotions or conceal them along that path of emotional discovery. The Cancer energy of the moment might need some time to experience itself to understand where it’s at – this would not be a great time to probe for information from people as you will likely get answers that are still gestating and come out strange under pressure. Being open to process, and shifting energies, on the other hand, will assist any more intense or emotionally-loaded dialogues. There is a way to both be honest and forthcoming, and admit you don’t know how you feel yet. The truth (even admitting you don’t know what it is) will enhance connections, while lying and general shadiness will create a feeling of isolation, even if it’s done in the spirit of self-protection. It would be the kind of protection that is a shell that nothing, including love, can get into. Watch for opportunities this week to be honest even as it challenges your comfort zone, and see what magic may come of it.

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~Sabrina Monarch

I’m an astrologer and mystic living in the Pacific Northwest. Besides astrology, I love literature, creative writing and yoga. If you feel you would benefit from personal feedback on your natal chart or the significance of events happening in your life, consider scheduling an astrology reading with me.