New Moon in Cancer
July 17, 2023 11:32 am PT / 2:32 pm ET
Theme: Nurturing Your Heart
by Andrea Dupuis
Events occurring around this New Moon:
Venus Retrograde in Leo starts July 22
Venus Conjunct Mars
The upcoming New Moon takes place in its own sign of Cancer, the sign that naturally rules the fourth house – the house of the mother, heart and home. Our mother, represented by the sign of Cancer, is the first heartbeat we experience and our original home.
This week themes related to the heart and home can come up. We may feel sensitive, emotional, watery, and feel more slow and introverted than normal. If we feel the need to tend to ourselves emotionally and take time out to nurture and ‘mother ourselves’, trust that it’s a very natural part of this New Moon.
Overall the theme of this week is about how to balance nourishing ourselves while being in connection with those around us.
Ask yourself: What do I need right now to take good care of my heart?
The shadow side of this New Moon is without that deep emotional connection we can feel sad, emotional and shut down. We may feel more alone and left out in the cold if we isolate or don’t allow for connection time with our friends, family and loved ones.
Now is the time to connect with those closest to us, our families, friends and nurture our hearts fully no matter what our relationship status is.
While we have this soft, gentle and emotional Cancer energy happening, we are also gearing up for a hot and fiery Leo season on July 23rd.
New Moon Contemplations:
What can I do to nourish my heart?
How can I care for myself even deeper?
What would feel good for my heart right now?
Ask yourselves those questions and let the answers come gently. Take a paper and a pen and free flow write without stopping. You may surprise yourself as you get all your emotions out on paper!
New Moon’s are all about setting our intentions for our lives. How do you want to care for yourself this month?
Who this New Moon Impacts the Most:
Cancer Sun, Moon, Rising
Leo Sun, Moon, Rising
Venus / Mars Conjunction
We are currently experiencing (and will until early August) a conjunction between Mars and Venus in the sign of Leo. It started on July 7th and continues for the next month.
This conjunction also brings themes related to the heart and relationships to the forefront of our lives.
The Venus and Mars conjunction gives us a foreshadowing of what Leo season will feel like. We can feel more intensity in our love lives, passionate, fiery sexual energy as the two planets connect.
Venus is the planet of love and pleasure, Mars is the planet of sex and passion. Together they create a powerful combination for love and excitement – if not a bit of conflict between the sexes. Fiery words may be spoken, so be careful what you say!
This energy will feel so much different than the slow and introverted Cancerian energy of this New Moon, so enjoy it while you can 😉
Venus Retrograde in Leo
We’re gearing up for Venus to go Retrograde in Leo on July 22 which lasts until September 3.
So many people fear retrogrades, but I actually find them to be the most exciting and fruitful time for us in terms of our growth. Retrogrades are always an opportunity to work closer with that planet. I don’t see the planet as not working as well, I see it as working even more – the planet becomes amplified as it appears closer to the earth and its impacts are felt more strongly.
Which is why for example, during Mercury Retrograde we experience computer issues and communications issues – Mercury is amplified and can feel overwhelming. The planet is not operating in its natural way, so it can also feel a little out of our hands – it’s hard to predict what may occur during a retrograde period.
Retrogrades are a good time to apply the 3 R’s: Revise, Reflect and Revisit.
In this case, with Venus going Retrograde we can use this time to reflect, revise and revisit themes related to our money, love life, pleasure and enjoyment. Often people from our past will return so we can revisit and reflect on those relationships.
If we are in a relationship we may revise some details pertaining to it, and it’s a good time to pause and reflect on the areas of our lives Venus is. So much depends on where Venus and Leo are for us in our own charts. So pull up your chart, look up Leo and the house. Then look at the themes related to that house.
Use this strong and fiery Venusian energy to amplify that area and make any appropriate revisions as needed. Be careful of being impulsive in your love life, as Leo can tend to take swift action. It’s also a nice time to enjoy a sweet vacation!
I will be speaking more about this at an event in Vancouver on July 19th called ‘Venus Portal’. If you’re in Vancouver, you can get tickets for the event here.
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Rising, Moon and Sun Signs, areas this FULL MOON will impact you:
Instructions for looking up your Rising (Ascendant sign):
If you don’t know your Rising Sign, you can pull up your chart here.
Enter your info… and you’ll get a chart. (Note you must have your accurate birth time to use your rising sign, even two minutes off can change it):
The one on the right with letters ‘ASC’ is your Rising Sign, so look at that first, followed by your Moon Sign: ☽ and your Sun Sign: ☉
Rising, Moon and Sun Signs, areas this Moon will impact you:
ARIES: Home, mother, family, emotional wellbeing, ancestral roots
TAURUS: Siblings, online business, general business, local life, relatives, short distance travel, writing, speaking, teaching, mental energy
GEMINI: Self-worth, money, what you eat, your voice, possessions, skills and talent
CANCER: Yourself, ego, how you present yourself to the world, your looks, identity
LEO: Spirituality, your dream world, the past, pain and loss, bed pleasures, isolated places such as hospitals, prisons and institutions, channelling
VIRGO: The greater network, large groups of people, acquaintances, community, social media, online communities, good luck
LIBRA: Work, self-employment, your career, public image, leadership
SCORPIO: Father, gurus, spiritual community, foreign travel, blessings, your belief systems, spirituality
SAGITTARIUS: Death and rebirth, the occult, big life changes and transformation, sexuality, inheritances, other people’s money
CAPRICORN: Romantic partner, business partner, clients
AQUARIUS:
Your service to the world, day job, enemies, your physical body, health, animals
PISCES: Romance, lovers, sex, play, hobbies, fun, art, intellect, creation, children
What exactly is a New Moon?
A New Moon is when the Sun and the Moon are Conjunct – meaning they are together in the same constellation in the sky.
The moon changes signs every couple of days and the sun every month or so. When the two most powerful luminaries conjunct and come together (the Divine Masculine principle represented by the Sun and divine feminine principle, represented by the Moon) it’s a powerful time to plant seeds’ that will be harvested in the full moon in a couple weeks.
It’s also when the Conscious (Sun) and Unconscious (Moon) combine – and we get deep spiritual insights. The unconscious becomes conscious around the New Moon.
Farmers and gardeners who plant by the moon (biodynamic farming, and the ancients knew this of course) know to plant seeds on the New Moon – especially the first day when the moon is completely invisible.
They harvest, prune and weed during the Full Moon when the moon is bright and full.
New Moon Ritual
- Smudge, sage, cleanse and purify the space
- Sit quietly in meditation (10-15mins min)
- Ask yourself “what do I want to create this moon cycle?”
- Listen carefully to your heart
- Write down images, ideas and clarity that comes through
- Pull tarot cards asking “What can help me achieve these intentions?”
- Close your ritual space with prayer, gratitude, whatever has you feel complete
- Note – don’t take actions on your intentions until the Moon is visible again 2-3 days after the New Moon
