The New Moon takes place at 18.33 BST, 28 degrees 26′ Cancer.
This is the second New Moon in Cancer of 2020, the first was the Summer Solstice Solar Eclipse on June 21st at 0 degrees Cancer – significantly – bringing 2 new starts to the sign of Cancer.
A New Moon is the start of a new cycle, and a Solar Eclipse is an enhanced, intense, highly potent New Moon. Changes involving Cancer themes – home, family, children, how we feel safe and protected, how we feel about the past – are being initiated, are in a process of becoming reality.
Cancer highlights our emotions, our relationships – how we connect with each other, especially those we cherish, our intuition and instincts. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to restrictions of our social interactions and our every day routines, fear and anxiety are everywhere, information and advice is confusing and conflicting.
It’s perhaps about considering how we nurture and look after each other and ourselves, how we attain an inner sense of security, growing awareness of what truly nourishes us. Using our intuition and inner wisdom as a guide to recognise possibly altered priorities around our close relationships and home life, to evaluate the lay of the land in the world – along with the policies and rules of the powers that be.
Cancer is ruled by the Moon, making the Moon strong in her own sign at both this New Moon and the Solar Eclipse. But, strikingly, this New Moon and the Solar Eclipse also feature only one significant aspect to – Saturn.
The New Moon is opposite Saturn in Capricorn, at the Solar Eclipse Saturn was in Aquarius and quincunx the Sun and Moon. Saturn rules Capricorn as well as Aquarius traditionally, meaning Saturn is also in a position of strength.
Saturn is rules, responsibility and ambition, but he can also bring bring discomfort and difficulties. The New Moon will likely see us picking up and dwelling on where we feel blocked or suppressed, trying to work out what we can realistically do that may unbind us.
Saturn is currently retrograde – he returned to Capricorn on July 2nd – going back over old ground, leaving no stone unturned. Saturn re-enters Aquarius on December 17th, followed by Jupiter on December 19th – the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction takes place on December 21st, Winter Solstice at 0 degrees Aquarius. At the Solar Eclipse Saturn was at 0 degrees Aquarius.
Adjustments and alterations to prior structures are underway, individually and collectively we are figuring out how future scenarios could be shaped to provide support and security, consideration and compassion.
The future is evolving, rather than set in stone – and we all have a role in creating it.
Chart
Mercury square Mars – exact on May 11th, July 8th and again on July 27th – is in orb and influential throughout July. Fixed star Procyon, detailed below, is conjunct the New Moon and has a Mercury-Mars nature – a correspondence with the Mercury-Mars square – suggesting that paying attention and taking care with our words and actions would perhaps be beneficial.
Mercury-Mars brings the possibility of impulsive, reckless behaviour – but equally – the ability to make strategic plans and decisive moves.
Alongside, keep in mind that whatever we individually or collectively put in motion at this time, may potentially meet a pause, encounter some obstacles. Mars (action) is in his home realm of Aries for a very extended stay, he doesn’t leave until January 6th 2021, due to Mars stationing retrograde – on September 9th at 28 degrees Aries – square the degree of the New Moon.
Happenings on or around July 27th could be significant. A dilemma or predicament may need resolving, in addition to Mercury square Mars being exact, two other exact aspects also occur on July 27th – Venus square Neptune and Jupiter sextile Neptune – along with the First Quarter Moon seeing the Sun at 5 Leo square the Moon at 5 Scorpio. Jupiter, retrograde in Capricorn at 20 degrees, is not only sextile Neptune, he is quincunx Venus at 20 Gemini and forming a T-Square with Mercury at 16 Cancer and Mars at 16 Aries.
Venus square Neptune could illuminate challenges or complications around our dreams for the future, where we may have been disillusioned. Jupiter sextile Neptune can encourage optimism and provide a compassionate influence. Additionally, Venus at 20 degrees Gemini is conjunct Fixed star Bellatrix known as the Female Warrior – and another star with a Mercury-Mars nature.
By allowing different perspectives to emerge, getting creative with problem solving as well as taking a thoughtful, caring approach and trying to avoid conflict – a way forward could be discovered.
Fixed Star ~ Procyon
Procyon is at 26 degrees 03′ Cancer and is the brightest star in the Constellation Canis Minor, the Lesser Dog, and the eighth brightest in the night sky. Procyon is one of the 15 Behenian fixed stars which are considered a source of astrological power and utilised in astrological magic.
Henry Cornelius Agrippa in his Three Books of Occult Philosophy describes the magical power of the 15 Behenian fixed stars, and attributes the source of this knowledge as Hermes Trismegistus.
“In astrology, like its constellation, it portended wealth, fame and good fortune.” Star Names, Their Lore and Meaning, Richard Hinkley Allen
“Procyon has a Mars-Mercury nature and therefore makes people hasty, jealous and pig-headed. But it also confers will-power and the ability to put thoughts and plans into action. According to tradition there is also a tendency to a hot temper and impudence. Rise and success are found with it, but fall from high position later, is indicated. Enterprises created in haste therefore do not last. People who ‘want to go through the wall with their head’ only cause injury to themselves. Procyon gives drive and a sharp mind. Linked with positive stellar bodies, success is made greater, but the native, in order to avoid a fiasco, has always to take care not to be imprudent.” ~ Fixed Stars and Their Interpretation, Elsbeth Ebertin
TAROT ~ 4 of CUPS
The New Moon takes place in the third decan of Cancer ruled by the Moon (Jupiter by triplicity). The corresponding tarot card is the 4 of Cups. The Moon is the High Priestess card in the tarot – intuition, contemplation and illumination, Cancer is the Chariot – purpose and self-protection. The 4 of Cups combines the Moon’s emotional changeability and instinctive awareness of what is not yet manifest with Cancer’s drive to attain it.
Book T calls this card “Blended Pleasure.”
The Rider Waite Smith card depicts a young man sitting beneath a tree with three cups, a floating hand offers a fourth. The young man rather than appreciating what he has, is feeling emotional, caught up with thoughts of what is missing, what needs to be attained to feel truly fulfilled and secure. This may not be as it first appears – rather than chasing financial and material gain – the 4 of Cups can also reveal sadness, depression, that despite an abundance of material glitter, true happiness and satisfaction with his life eludes him.
His inner reflection can potentially provide insight – the gift of the fourth cup floating in the clouds – improve his perception of the situation, renew his inner strength and lead him to a changed view and mood.
In a tarot reading, the 4 of Cups can reveal disappointment, a yearning for something more or different – perhaps even despite having material success and resources. Emotionally, on a a deeper level, something is missing – Money can’t buy everything. It’s a time of introspection, an evaluation of what has (or has not) been accomplished so far, then zooming in and focusing on exactly what goal or aim would bring contentment. Following this, feeling revitalised, it’s time to emerge and creatively engage with life once again, embrace new experiences.
“If we want to act from our hearts and not just the expectations of others, we may need to withdraw for a while and tap into our inner wisdom. However, knowledge doesn’t come from introspection alone. Perhaps you’re familiar with the Zen idea that the path to enlightenment is found in the everyday activities of chopping wood and carrying water. Well, action also leads to personal and spiritual development. Thinking and doing – this card challenges us to balance the two.” ~ Spiritual Tarot, Echols, Mueller and Thomson, page 181
Top Image by Jenin Abumazen on Unsplash
4 of Cups from the Aquatic Tarot by Andreas Schroter