Getting up-to-date

At the last New Moon, in Gemini, Mercury, the planet of thought, understanding and communication, was retrograde. On 3 July at this New Moon, Mercury is travelling forward again over that same degree. It is as though June was about re-examining attitudes we had taken for granted, and discovering that present situations have arisen from out-of-date thinking. It may be that the effort you put in during June was less effective than you expected, because you were dealing with situations that had their roots in the far past. Whatever you were going over during June, you are likely to spend July expressing fresh ideas about it, and even applying your conclusions.

A communication glitch leads to healing

During July 3 to 6, three Mercury contacts have a ripple effect, which we may feel in our communications with each other. It may be a need to talk about something painful, or an area where we feel vulnerable (Chiron). Around the 4/5 July, we may simply reject the opportunity to reveal it, but it would be more rewarding to go for it, even though we think we are receiving the fearful rejection (Uranus). By 6 July, the ripple concludes with a deeper understanding and acceptance (Neptune). Life would have us go for this healing (North Node) because it is a gift we have all been searching for, and we will heal more than just ourselves in the process.

It may be that some ideas have to be thrown out, that some things you say are rejected. There may be changes of mind or heart that need to be faced. But after the first awkward realisations, things should get clearer, so that you can move forward. It is important not to get stuck on judging as wrong whatever has been revealed, for that was the springboard for the honest communication that brings about the healing. Go for the closeness, and let the rest wash away.

Action!

The planet of action, Mars, has just moved into Virgo. We are all now ready to do something about whatever needs changing. We have been feeling the need building up, and may have had to do some of the work already (Saturn in Virgo), but now the desire and energy are also lined up to the task, to sort things out, to do the necessary work to make things better. It will take organisation, but we are ready for it. Virgo is also about health, so there is need to pace oneself, or the flow of energy could use up the body’s reserves.

It’s all about love really . . .

Cancer is the Moon’s own sign. It is represented by the sea in all its moods, the sea of humanity, the sea of emotions, the collective unconscious. The Moon pulls the oceans about as Earth turns on its axis, and when the New Moon is in Cancer, we feel the pull of irrational impulses from our unconscious. We might find ourselves doing things we consciously thought were impossible, or even things we already consciously decided not to do. Sometimes that pull will come from our own hidden desires left over from childhood or even a past life. Sometimes it comes from a national surge of feeling, or simply humanity claiming the natural right to be individually valued.

This New Moon is not far from Venus, so the desire within our spontaneous acts this month is most likely the giving and receiving of love and caring connection. Love is often the disguise for possessiveness, holding on to someone or something because we feel that they make us who we are. The person who is held on to feels crushed out of existence, even though we may be telling them how important they are to us – it is not who they are that matters to us, only that we have some control over them. Any gift that is freely given, gives freedom to the recipient. Trying to affect what they do with our gift is not letting go of it, and both sides end up shackled by the ‘gift.’

Emotional intelligence gives central balance

Cancer is a water sign and tells us about our emotional life: how the moods swing in and out like the tides, and up and down like waves on the sea; how we need to follow the mood down patiently in order to come up again the other side; how we need to keep our central balance like standing on a raft as our emotions change, and come and go. We need to remember that, even though the moon waxes and wanes, in truth it’s a steady globe-shape, showing us a beautiful dialogue between light and shade. Just so is the Cancer nature apparently up and down, while the truth is loving, caring and sweetly generous.

Another symbol for the sign of Cancer is the mother and child together, as one blended entity. As babies we need that unconditional acceptance and nurture. As adults we need to realise that no physical person can supply the life blood that our mother gave us. To be whole, as a human being, is to be our daily self held tenderly in the arms of our Greater Self. In this acceptance of self, we are nourished with the life that is spirit, flowing throughout Oneness.