‘Nothing is absolute. Everything changes, everything moves, everything revolves, everything flies and goes away.‘
Frida Kahlo, Cancer
Period June 20 – July 22, 2020
All dates and times according to Eastern Daylight Time
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANCER!
June 20, 5:43 pm EDT: The Sun moves into the sign of Cancer, the Crab, and we begin a new solar cycle. Many happy returns, Cancer!!
Cancer is a cardinal, water sign and is ruled by the Moon. Cancer energy is known for its capacity to retain feelings and memories from the past. The Cancerian archetype is linked to a fearless wish to help others who suffer. We are reminded of the goddess of the Moon, Artemis, who begged her father Zeus that she may assist women in childbirth to ease their pain. The innate desire to create security, whether familial, emotional, mental or material, is also linked to Cancer.
Through the Moon, Cancer is associated closely with the mother archetype, and many people with a Cancer Sun, Cancer Moon, Cancer Ascendant or Cancer Midheaven, love to nurture others in the culinary, hospitality or healthcare fields. The United States is a Cancer country and will celebrate its 244th birthday next month on July 4. Now you know why “Mom and apple pie” is associated with traditional American values!
Those of you with late degree (24° – 29°) ♋ placements, life has certainly been sending you lots of opportunities for spiritual growth these past few months. Your attitude of grace and acceptance, together with your realization that you can nurture rather than expect to be nurtured, has created a deep inner shift.
CANCER SEASON
For all of us, Cancer season usually brings up the polarity in our lives between home and work, and gives us an opportunity to integrate these two opposites through awareness and balance.
It will be interesting to note in your own life if the coronavirus ‘shelter in place’ restrictions alter your regular experience of the Cancer season. My sense is that people may be working more than usual during July, traditionally a holiday month in the United States and Europe, to “catch up” on missed work once their businesses are open. Many will also be having a “relax at home” summer, rather than a summer of travel. The calling will be, as always, to find the middle ground between hard work and family.
THE SOLSTICE
This year is a very special ingress of the Sun into Cancer because while the Sun’s move into Cancer always marks the solstice, this year it is followed by a solar eclipse.
The solstice is the longest day in the northern hemisphere and the shortest night, and visa versa in the southern hemisphere. On this ‘holy day’, older than organized religion, we celebrate the power and life force of our Sun. You may wish to reflect on this and spend some time in nature on this day.
Like almost every ingress chart of 2020, when the Sun moves into the sign of Cancer, Scorpio is rising (in both Washington and New York). Scorpio is ruled by Mars in Pisces, conjunct Neptune, suggesting (more) confusion, delusion, and backtracking where government and leadership is concerned. With Neptune stationing (appearing to stand still in the sky from earth’s perspective), the symbology appears to be that nothing is stable or as it seems, from the oil industry to the mass media and the intentions of local and national political pundits.
How can we think for ourselves? Where do emotions and idealism get it the way? Does anyone really know what is best right now? Clarity is hard to come by and we are called to turn inwards, away from the merry-go-round of illusion.
THE SOLAR ECLIPSE
June 21, 2:41 am EDT: Approximately nine hours after the solstice, the New Moon arrives, marked by a powerful annular solar eclipse. The Sun and Moon will be at the prominent degree of 0° Cancer. Much can come to light during and after this time, both on the world’s stage and on a personal level.
The solar eclipse will not be visible in North America. It will be visible over parts of Africa (the DRC and Ethiopia), the Middle East (Saudi Arabia), the Far East (parts of China) and South Asia (Nepal, parts of India and Pakistan).
With Venus and Mercury both retrograde at this time, our best attitude is one of “wait and see”. Avoid major investments and big moves; continue to support your family and neighborhood as best you can. Limit the amount of news and media you consume in a day. Instead, fill your life with uplifting music, laughter and joy – this is how you make a positive difference in the world. Be a magnet for love and light.
At this special New Moon, it is also an opportune time to set your intentions for the month ahead, not only for yourself but for your community and beyond. The world is undergoing a major transformation during this period – each and every thought we have affects the outcome.
To learn more about this year’s solstice and solar eclipse, you may wish to watch my YouTube video.
June 23 – July 9, 2020: Jupiter and Pluto come together, this time in their retrograde phase, at 23°-24° Capricorn. A powerful combination to establish new perspectives, especially if this conjunction is activating any of your personal planets or angles. (If your chart is sensitive to these degrees, make note of the dates July 14 -16 when the Sun will oppose Jupiter/Pluto. These are active days for you and best made use of with a constructive plan in place.)
June 23, 2020: Neptune moves retrograde, as discussed above. Think twice before you share information – what is its source?
June 25, 2020: Venus moves direct – and not a moment too soon! Even though she will take until the end of July to exit her shadow period, we can begin to get our relationships back on track after a lot of inner processing. Reconsidering how we communicate with those we care about has been high on the agenda during the past two months. If you’ve been waiting for a makeover, to reopen your business, or to meet your online “StayHome” date in the flesh, you’ll note that your plans begin to move forward as Venus picks up speed.
June 29, 2020: Mars, planet of action, moves into Aries on June 29. This is important because Mars will be spending a lot of extra time in the sign that he rules. To read how the Mars transit will affect your sign and rising sign from July to December, I’ve written a 12-sign article on Making the Most of Mars in Aries – enjoy! There is also a video, if you prefer to listen while on the go.
June 28-29, 2020: Sensitive days for the world as Mars activates the eclipse degree. On a personal level, make sure that what you put out into the world is something that you’re proud to share.
FULL MOON IN CAPRICORN: PENUMBRAL ECLIPSE
July 5, 2020, 0:44 am EDT: Full Moon at 13° Capricorn, a penumbral lunar eclipse. If you’re wondering why there appear to be eclipses happening wherever you turn, it’s because there are 6 instead of the usual 4 this year (the maximum number of eclipses per year is 7). A penumbral eclipse manifests as a slightly darker moon, visible in parts of North and South America. It will be hard to see this darkening effect, but it will be magnificent to watch the moon rise this night if you are celebrating the 4th of July!
This lunar eclipse ends the cycle of eclipses in the Cancer/Capricorn axis that we’ve been experiencing since July 2018, calling us as a global community to look deeply at tensions between personal security and belonging to our tribe/nation/earth (Moon – Cancer) and the structures of big business/governments/capitalism (Saturn – Capricorn).
As always, avoid rushing about this weekend (July 3-5) as the Moon waxes full. Emotions can run high and it is wise to use the energy pouring in to the earth for constructive purposes. Capricorn is an earth sign and ruled by Saturn, so this is a wonderful time for clearing out dead underbrush in your garden or getting practical in your own way around the house. There will be ample energy about for house maintenance or time hiking in nature. “Everything in moderation” may be a good phrase for this period.
July 2 – December 18, 2020: Saturn dips back into Capricorn until December giving us time to sort out all our business affairs put on hold since March when the coronavirus restrictions came into effect. Clear up outstanding debt before January 2021 wherever possible.
July 12, 2020: Mercury moves direct at 5 Cancer. If you need to sign contracts for a new property, try to wait a few more days until Mercury picks up speed.
July 20: New Moon at 28° Cancer at 1:32pm EDT, the second Cancer New Moon this month! This New Moon offers us a realistic perspective on what’s happened since we entered the Cancer season on June 20 and whether or not we are ready to move forward and integrate the inner and outer events stirred up by the recent solar and lunar eclipses. Take courage, set new goals, and cement private resolutions.
July 22: Sun enters the sign of Leo! Look out for next month’s in-depth Leo season Astrology Update.
Love and light,
Catherine
| HOT DEGREES FOR 2020 |
| 21° – 29° of cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra & Capricorn) |
| 0° – 2° of fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio & Aquarius) |
| 13° – 18° of mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius & Pisces) |
For fresh perspectives, musings and cosmic food for thought follow @goshenastrology on Instagram. For updates that you can listen to while exercising or driving to work, subscribe to my YouTube channel.
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