On July 5th at 22:57 UT, we begin a new lunar cycle with the moon at 14 degrees 23’ of Cancer.
We all have I like to collectively call “moon-senses”: all of the non-verbal, pre-verbal, body-knowing, mammal, imaginal, emotional and “right-brained” channels of information — bringing forth felt-truths from deep places inside.
These very same senses get to be center stage, massively boosted by today’s New Moon in its own sign of Cancer. The gates are wide open. Something beyond the rational and clear-cut is calling.
Our lunar knowing is so unique to each of us, and yet so ancient, shared with all living beings from single-celled yeasts to starfish; from our beloved dogs and cats to birds and whales.
It emerges from tender places in us, speaking of what we need. What others around us need. What will heal what’s broken. What’s hard to articulate, but feels right. What will nourish us, make us feel protected, whole, treasured, cared for. Themes around home, mental and emotional health, and comforting connections with our closest loved ones could take priority at this time.
Now is a great moment to slow down to the speed of the heart and body. To create a sanctuary where we feel nurtured enough, spacious enough, to truly listen to messages bubbling up from the unconscious and from the liminal spaces within — which at other times our task-oriented, outward-focused, common sense mind might filter out of awareness.
Let’s add another layer. This New Moon is happening only three days after Neptune’s retrograde station, on the especially-charged last degree of Pisces. When a planet is stationary — seeming to stand still in the sky as it gathers momentum to move in the opposite direction it was going in — it is extra-powerful. Neptune “flowing backwards”, in my experience, can bring a re-evaluation, coupled with increased clarity and revelations around shiny, beckoning ideas and prospects that may or may not be in our best interests.
With Neptune in its own sign of Pisces, the energies of compassion, unconditional love, mysticism, connection with the invisible realm and magic, and their shadow counterparts of martyrdom, misplaced devotion, spirituality channeled as pain/suffering, and naiveté, are all amplified. It’s our wise discernment and intentional directing of the energy that decides which side of the line we fall on.
Together with the emotional and intuitive “moon-senses” I mention above, Neptune opens our channels to non-ordinary perception. The next couple of days might not be such a great time to try to accomplish linear tasks, but a fantastic time to access meaningful knowing and deep connection through psychic, mystical, meditative, and altered states of consciousness. If things are mysteriously not working out right now, it might be best to assume we’re being summoned inwards, to listen to some home-truths— another underscore to the New Moon’s message.
Cancer values the concept of care. Applying our warm attention to hearts and situations in need of mending is a powerful medicine at this time. But there’s a twist: this New Moon squares the axis created by the North and South Nodes of the Moon, in Aries and Libra respectively.
Let’s unpack that: the Nodes are two opposing astrological points that, like a compass, show the way to our collective destiny. The North Node highlights the qualities, themes, situations and Big Life Questions that serve as the best fuel for our soul’s development. The South Node indicates what less-than-helpful (or outright dysfunctional) ways of being and behaving no longer serve us — what’s run its course and is ripe for letting go.
The New Moon square the Nodes is a bit like standing on a knife’s edge. This lunation, we may find ourselves facing situations where we can choose the tried-and-true (I want to write “the tired-and-true”! ) or the new path that may seem more risky, more uncharted, but that beckons with a sense of possibility if we let ourselves entertain it.
With the Nodes in Aries and Libra since July 2023, the most growth-inducing questions we’ve been facing are about how we’ve left ourselves out of the equation in the past, and how to center our (soul-) Self going forward. Our selfhood, our energy, our desires, our spontaneity, our adventurousness, our boundaries, our passion, our directness, our fire — all in the Aries domain — need a substantial place at the table for win/win relationships to flourish.
Are we living a life that honors the universal force that flows through us, or one composed mainly of our social roles? Do we measure ourselves primarily by our significance to the people around us? The Aries North Node/ Libra South Node combo tells us that, for the time being, the right answer lies in claiming and crafting space for Self first, and allowing our true gifts and contributions to others to flow from that.
This Cancer New Moon hangs in the balance of those exact questions. Cancer can use its sensitivity, intuition, and nurturing intelligence to feed either side of the equation I outlined above. It can side with the Libra South Node’s weaker responses to social and relational pressure, over-giving, fostering negative dependency and enabling bad behavior, because they can see the wounded heart and the inner child in everyone.
Or, siding with the Aries North Node, Cancer can use its inner-world expertise and attunement to instinct, to feel into solutions that feed Self as well as Other. Cancer is able to tap into what it truly feels (the whole rainbow of emotions, including anger, sadness, frustration and shame), and use those deep-dives to gather the most truthful, accurate intel needed to cultivate aligned responses.
Equally important for this lunar cycle is to recognize Cancer’s compassionate wisdom: that people who are well-fed in body and spirit behave better and do better than those who aren’t. Again, that includes ourselves!
The Moon wants to know: are you eating good food?
(Not necessarily “health food”, but food that makes you hum with delight?)
Are you resting enough?
Is there a nagging hurt that you’ve had to put on the backburner?
Is there a small or big wish you can acknowledge and go for — something you may not have given yourself permission to think about for a while?
Only consistent nourishment gives us the stamina to fight for what truly matters long term.
How are you all doing on this New Moon? What are your intentions for this cycle? Let me know in the comments!
Announcements & A Benefic Summer
I have quite a bit in the pipeline to share in the coming weeks. Some of you have taken the time to explore a big topic with me that I’ve been writing into — about my experiences being a member of a high-control (i.e. cult-like) spiritual group, and the fierce learnings I’ve distilled from that time. I’m grateful for all of your input so far! That work in progress is almost ready to publish.
I’m not sure yet if I’ll publish that piece in parts or as one big exploration. One aspect is my story, another is unpacking the philosophy that I see behind a specific kind of control, pervasive in self-development, that I call “mindf**k transcendence” (censoring so as not to trip the spam filters for those of you reading on email). Lastly, there’s the “what I advocate for instead” part. Perhaps these could all be separate posts, or one longer, more substantial one. What do you prefer? Feel free to chime in via email.
On the way to publishing are also a guide for dreamwork, and two related explorations: one on psychic imagery, another the symbolic filters of our consciousness. I also have a very nerdy breakdown of a three-part model of intuition I like to use (cognitive, somatic and psychic intuition), and I’m hoping those of you who like to blend intellect and intuition will be interested. This is what’s on my mind for Cancer season, but, my dear readers, let me know what sparks your interest and I’ll prioritize creating around those topics.
Now, what’s a Benefic Summer, you ask?
In a nutshell, I’m offering two 1:1 services at a discounted rate during the (Northern Hemisphere) Summer, tailored to the current cosmic weather. One is a special for relationship-focused psychic readings, honoring Venus’ entry into Leo on July 11. The other is an astro-reading dedicated to making the most of Jupiter in Gemini . These will be available until the September Equinox.
1) The Heart’s Mirror: Psychic Relationship Readings
These psychic sessions are 1hr- 90 minutes long and the price is 88€ (my regular rate for general readings is 111€).
We can focus on one relationship you’d like to understand better, or on helping you gain some clarity about what you need (to do, change, let go of, embrace or empower) for better relationships in general. This extends beyond romantic relationships, you can ask about family and/or friendships too. Read more about what readings entail.
2) Bet on the Right Horse: Your Jupiter in Gemini Wins
This special consists of two separate, hour-long calls with me where we’ll look at your natal chart to see what this year of Jupiter in Gemini holds for you, and what positive goals, projects or outcomes will generate the most magical momentum in your world. The price for this special is 244€ (regular rate 320€).
I like to do these two sessions separated by at least a week, to give clients time to digest and daydream while integrating the information we explore in-call.
Here’s a bit more on where the Benefic Summer is coming from:
Historically, the two Benefic planets in astrology are Jupiter and Venus.
“Benefic” refers to how astrologers who in some traditions consider them to be overall “positive planets” and look to them as bearers of good luck, success, ease and gifts in any given chart.
The way I work with astrology, I see every planet as bearing potential gifts and pitfalls, and that it’s up to us to choose which way we’ll express that planet’s energy.
That being said, both Jupiter and Venus do bring some unique, beautiful potential — we can truly feel blessed by the Universe when we align with them well. Who couldn’t use some blessings right now? With Venus switching signs into heart-centered Leo, and our incipient year of Jupiter in Gemini, I felt we’re in a prime time-window to position ourselves to receive gifts from the cosmos in targeted ways.
Read more about my Jupiter in Gemini guide here if you missed it, and about my services here. If you’d like to book one of these specials or check in to see if it’s a good fit, email me at hello@karineglinton.com
