On June 21st at 7:39 AM UTC, the moon will have completed her journey around the sun, coming back to be reborn at 0 degrees of Cancer.

For those unfamiliar, new moons indicate new beginnings in astrology. As the moon travels through the zodiac, she becomes full of energies and spirits which pass through her and down to the earth to effect change on the world. After traversing the entirety of the zodiac, she convenes again with the Sun and cleanses herself of all the acccumulated energies of the previous cycle, being completely born anew.

We are all reborn along with the Moon during this time. Old patterns and alignments become cleared and new ones are ready to take their place. For this reason, new moons are famed for being excellent times to set new intentions and goals. Magically speaking, the obscured, geminating moon can be likened to a fallow field – an empty bed rife with possibility and potential. The seeds and intentions planted at the last new moon have culminated, their fruit has ripened, and the leftovers have fertilized the soil, making it ready for new seeds and intentions to come again. As such, they make excellent opportunities to set new intentions and plant new seeds in the fertile soil of your own subconscious.

Each year a new moon occurs within each of the twelve different signs. Moreover, the unique configurations and placements of other planets to the Moon each year also serve to make each new moon unique and interesting. In what follows I will unpack what kinds of moods and energies to expect from the upcoming new moon in cancer.

New Moon in Cancer

This upcoming new moon is highly auspicious, as it occurs within the Moon’s domicile of Cancer. She will be naturally more benefic during this period, more inclined to help us and bring about our requests, and all in all this indicates good fortune, and the moon will smile favorably on the new intentions that are set during this period.

What makes this new moon so special is the fact that cancer is ruled by the Moon. The moon always desires to help us, but her ability to help is dependent on the ruler of whichever sign of the zodiac she currently occupies. Since this new moon occurs in Cancer, she does not rely on or depend on any other planets in order for her significations to be enacted - she is completely independent and free to provide us with the emotional support, nourishment, and in this case the potential for transformation and the impetus to enact new, fruitful beginnings.

As cancer is a water sign, the rebirthing process of this new moon will focus heavily on the emotions and the emotional realm. We will all be called to initiate new practices which better tend to and nurture our emotional states, and encourage reflectivity and emotional maturity. Pick up practices that make the web of feelings more transparent to yourself, such as journaling, or simply make an effort to speak less from the head and more from the heart.

I know a lot of people who are beginning therapy during this crazy covid period. The intensity of the Jupiter Pluto conjunction and Saturn’s ingress into Aquarius are all contributing to shake up a lot of emotional residue and old trauma responses, even for people who are incredibly emotionally healthy and have never had any sort of breakdown. This new moon in a water sign (the easiest water sign for the Moon to occupy) is a great opportunity for people to really dive in to taking care of their emotional health.

As much as you are able, cut out habits that do detriment to your mood and emotional stability, and begin new practices which truly nourish and strengthen your soul.

The Moon forms three aspects of note during this period. First, the moon conjoins Mercury at the beginning of this lunation cycle. When the Moon and Mercury are together, communication and verbal activities in general become much easier. Speaking your truth takes less effort, and your own thoughts and ideas will be more transparent to you. With this conjunction happening in Cancer, the timbre of communication with oftentimes involve the emotions. This is a good time to engage in activities with other people which involve emotional vulnerability, or at least to introspect and journal if you are feeling more solitary. I mentioned journaling as a self-care practice - the conjunction to Mercury is another indicator that journaling will be productive.

Second, The moon forms a trine to Mars, who is currently less malefic and aggressive as he travels through Pisces, the mutable, feminine home of Jupiter where he has rulership by triplicity. Passion abounds, and emotions will be strong. There is more drive and power in listening to one’s feelings and inner voice, and greater inspiration to act on them. This is an excellent time to meditate on what your heart and emotional core wish to accomplish and act upon. Greater drive and inspiration will compel you towards action - not simply passive observation.

Finally, the moon forms an opposition to the Jupiter-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn. I mentioned above how this conjunction has heralded may of the large-scale, systematic fear and paranoia that we see related to pandemic. Because the moon is opposed to this conjunction, some kinds of events may occur during this time that compel the actions leading to emotional maturity that I have discussed above. If nothing else, this tells me that the significations of the new moon and those of the Jupiter-Pluto conjoined are related - you may find some kinds of triggers popping up that encourage the action I’m discussing, or some kind of pain may surface that the universe pushes you to process. This is not an easy time we are living in right now, and the new moon in Cancer, though dignified, will reflect this.

A Note on Ritual for new moons

New moon intention- setting rituals are one of the most common, accessible types of planetary magic that people do. Everyone from astrological mages to wiccans and even many run-of-the-mill hippies and spiritual enthusiasts do them. For this reason, I’m going to share a little secret about new moon rituals that should help your casting immensely.

Many people like to do new moon rituals on the exact day, and sometimes the exact moment that the moon is reborn. However, astrologically speaking the moon lacks power when she is within fifteen degrees of the sun on either side. Like all other planets, the powerful, eclipsing nature of the sun burns away any power from other planets within fifteen degrees, and their efficacy becomes greatly weakened.

For this reason, many astrological magicians prefer to perform their new moon rituals a night or so before the actual moment of rebirth for the moon, or to do their ritual a day later. In classical Greek antiquity, the new moon festival or noumenia would occur any time in a seven day period from the new moon, so there exists precedent for some flexibility in terms of when the new moon ritual is done. Moreover, because the day after the new moon is a Monday, you have the potential to perform a new moon ceremony on the day and in the planetary hour of the moon, when she is essentially dignified in cancer.

As always, if you have any questions or would like to explore this more thoroughly in your own natal chart, feel free to book a session with me. I would be more than happy to explore these transits with you in more detail.