On Monday, July 20, 2020 at 10:33 AM PDT & 1:33 PM EDT the moon begins a new cycle in the nurturing and healing sign of Cancer. This lunation also happens to be the second consecutive New Moon in Cancer and prompts you to take a second look at all things related to home, family, lineage, and your inner world. Two new moons back to back in the same sign is called a black moon and usually happens every two and half to three years (about 32 months to be exact), so the last time this happened was back in September of 2016. Go ahead and take some time to reflect on all that has occurred in your life since then. 

 Focusing on these two consecutive New Moons, there’s a good chance that the first one on June 20th/21stcaused a few opportunities to fall through, and this second Cancer New Moon might feel like a continuation of that energy. It also might be giving you a second chance to see how you can get what you need to make a fresh start. Beginnings sometimes require you to let go of relationships, or maybe you lost your job, or it’s time to say goodbye to your home and move into a new one, or sometimes we have to say goodbye to a family member due to illness or old age. We all know that changes can be difficult, even if they are necessary. 

 Whatever it is that you have to weather this season, this black moon is creating a shift and opening the door for new themes to emerge. Cancer energy will have you reflect: Who do I consider to be my family? How do I protect the people I care about? How do I honor my family? What does home mean to me? Do I trust my intuition? How do I tend to myself? How do I honor my feelings? Where have I become invisible? How has my past impacted who I am today? What childhood story am I still caught inside? How do I become more vulnerable? 

 As things begin to shift, you might find that it’s time for a new relationship or some new friends to come into your life, or maybe one of your old interests or passions gets revived, or maybe new dreams awaken, or maybe what once occupied much of your attention has now lost its appeal. It’s okay if you still feel like you’re in the dark about how things will change, or how your life will play out. Let this New Moon in Cancer serve as an entry point for all that will take place over these next 32 months, because the next black moon won’t happen again until March 2023. 

 As you feel into this Cancer energy keep in mind that the symbol for Cancer is a crab, and without its shell, it would be quite vulnerable. If you feel any uncomfortable emotions come up, be gentle with yourself and try to create a safe space for you to feel whatever it is you need to feel. Let’s stay with the image of a crab. I want you to picture how it walks. Its sideway movements keeps it from tackling a situation head on. I’d also like to suggest that the crab’s movements offers us insight into how we might need to approach things right now.

 I’d also like to add that Saturn, the planet associated with limits, restrictions, fear, karma, and lessons, is directly opposing this New Moon. There’s a good chance that karma takes on a significant role during this lunation, so pay attention to the patterns that are coming up, for they are likely telling you a story from long ago.Cancer energy is sentimental and it likes to hang onto things from the past, but Saturn is reminding us that even though the past is resurfacing, there’s really no going back. 

 Even though new beginnings are forming, Saturn is making a challenging alignment, so you’ll likely feel that there’s something blocking you or holding you back from moving forward. Pay attention to your habits, old beliefs, and see if you’re caught up in any outdated routines that no longer serve you. Whatever it is, use the block as a lesson to gain more clarity about what you really want to do, and where it is that you might need to take on more responsibility. Let’s not forget about Pluto, the planet associated with death and rebirth, transformation, and power, is also opposing this lunation. It seems that these two planets want us to face our fears and deal with our shadow. Remember what I said earlier about the crab’s shell and also how it moves. So while we must confront our shadows and dive deeply into our past, we must not forget to extend care to our own hearts. 

 This Pluto and Saturn opposition will expose the more vulnerable aspects of who we are both individually and collectively, and that’s where the value of having a shell comes into play. In other words, what offers you protection when things feel a little bit too intense? What allows you to feel safe? This doesn’t mean you shut out your feelings, but rather find ways to feel safe enough to express them. Keep in mind that the past doesn’t have to be repeated, but in order to change you’ll need to first identify your destructive patterns, especially the one’s that are tied to family, and then take the steps to break them. 

 I’d also like to add that Neptune, the mystical and ego-less planet, is making a helpful aspect to this New Moon. It’s reminding us to tune in to our imagination, use our creativity, lean into meditation, and look for those divine encounters that come through synchronicity, signs, and omens. If karma pulls you back into the past, don't be afraid to call out to your ancestors for guidance, or any of your other angels or spiritual guides for that matter. 

While we all might feel pulled during this New Moon to pay attention to the past and to find ways to move forward onto a new path, we will each experience this lunar energy differently depending on where Cancer is located in your chart or if you have a natal planet associated with it. If you’re interested in a more personalized reading, I’d love to set up a session with you. 

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