the meaning of the astrology of the New Moon in Cancer | July 17th, 2023 - fresh starts with home and family, pushed to move in new directions and use our energy and willpower in new ways, endings we can't control

On July 17th, 2023 at 2:31PM EDT the Cancer Moon meets the Cancer Sun giving us this month's New Moon - our annual New Moon in Luna-ruled Cancer. 

Cancer rules home, family, our roots, mother, mothering, our ancestry, real estate, country, patriotism, home businesses, family businesses, the root of the matter - our emotional security - and, of course, the theme of your personal natal chart's Cancer house -  this is where we get the NEW BEGINNING. The New Moon is an excellent time for fresh starts and new projects. Old behaviors and beliefs can be replaced by more caring and nurturing actions and attitudes. Cancer is a cardinal sign, ushers in a season and wants to/needs to START.

Let's dive right in and unpack the chart.

The Moon meets the Sun at 24 degrees Cancer. The Moon opposes Pluto and trines Neptune - applying. The Moon inconjuncts Black Moon Lilith- separating. Mercury squares Jupiter EXACT. This is also the day the Nodes of Fate move from Taurus/Scorpio to Aries/Libra. 

The Moon/Sun meet at 24 degrees Cancer. 

Late in the sign. Much has happened with the Cancerian energies BEFORE the Moon catches up with the Sun. The Moon has already sextiled Mars, trined Saturn retro, squared Chiron, sextiled Jupiter and Uranus and inconjuncted Black Moon Lilith. It is the step-by-step actions we have previously taken, the vulnerabilities/fears we have faced, the responsibilities we have lived up to/work we put in, risks we have taken, faith we have had, changes we have made and uncomfortable ego hits that have BROUGHT US TO THIS MOON. Now, the Moon, happy/strong in her home sign, meets the Sun. Luna is energized from this space that is her own - safe/secure/feels like mom and apple pie. 

Then the New Moon trines a retrograde Neptune. The Sun gets there/trines Neptune on Thursday. This is more smooth flow. Connection, Compassion. Nostalgia. What we are starting flows forward UNOBSTRUCTED. This is a connection to imaginative energy, water, healing, spirit. Our new start is unbounded. Blessed by our ancestors. 

Finally the New Moon hits her opposition to Pluto. This is the LAST Cancer New Moon in our lifetime that will oppose Pluto and we've had one every year since 2008. In the last couple years, most of our monthly Cancer Moons have faced the closing aspect of an opposition with Pluto - the home/family/roots vs power. Security/safety challenges. Triangles. Secrets. Power struggles. Push back. And here we are again. 

But now the Moon is LEAVING THE POWER DYNAMICS THAT DON'T WORK FOR HER ANYMORE. The buried feelings and family secrets are coming/and have come out to be released. 

This is it. We can feel empowered or be over-powered by authority/an authority figure, but either way, we've wrung alot of healing and learning from these Pluto in Cappy oppositions. 

The Sun will oppose Pluto on Friday for his own final go at this, shining a light on power/what has been buried/hidden and when the Sun opposes Pluto - because the New Moon is happening before the nodal change - he (as us) will be in a SQUARE TO THE NODES OF FATE. 

So we are PUSHED, maybe through an ending, and, likely through tension/frustration TO CHOOSE a new direction, new ways to relate, use our willpower, use our energy/passion/anger, new ways to start. 

The Sun in Cancer, at 29 degrees will create a Grand Cardinal Cross - with Pluto and the Nodes - a stressful space with four planets/points squaring off, where something needs to start/change, but we are STUCK. 

Here is the deadlock that brings us to a BREAKING POINT. 

This is four squares and two oppositions at the same time. Happening at 29 degrees will really make us feel like we HAVE TO DO SOMETHING or that we are starting too late (and sometimes with 29 degrees we are too late, but not this time with the New Moon). 

The stuck Cross is broken as the Sun moves into Leo - his home sign. 

And this happens just MINUTES after Venus stations retrograde in Leo answering to the Sun. 

So, our WAY THROUGH the Grand Cardinal Cross stalemate will be Leo. Our Leo house theme - following our heart, the center stage we need to occupy or it sits empty forever, doing our Sun sign, etc. This will happen naturally just as day follows night. We are set up/created to DO OUR SUN. 

Venus retro will pull in the bits of pieces of things and people, etc we used to love, as we dance in and out of them throughout the summer. We have just had the North Node in Taurus answering to Venus for the last 18 months, but it is important to note we go into her retrograde with her ruling the South Node. Our new values - that North Node in Taurus - are going with us into the retrograde and we will come out of her retrograde with not only a re-working of our Leo/Sun stuff, but also, and this is some of the same stuff, of course, a re-evaluation of our Libran relationships (and Taurean money and values) as we re-evaluate the way we need to shine and create - feel appreciated, noticed, loved - going forward.   

One thing to keep in mind with this New Moon is Mercury's EXACT square to Jupiter. This is synchronistically designed to open our minds/expand our thinking via words, ideas and conversations, but with Jupiter who can be like a cosmic Santa Claus, not everything will pan out quite the way we expect it to. We need to keep our eye on the ball/details (Mars in Virgo) and we need to not over-react, over-do anything too excessively now. Watch your wallet. 

We might have some over-blown expectations of this New Moon, but it is definitely quite powerful and well-timed for the BIG changes this New Moon cycle ushers in. It can bring good, and maybe more than good, results. 

Remember the way this works - the Moon physically moves through her aspects in Cancer, many BEFORE she even meets the Sun, so in one sense some much of this stuff has already happened, but the New Moon chapter is only starting at the New Moon, so in another sense, although what is behind the Moon is behind her/us in another way it is in front of us, too, and will play out until the Full Moon in two weeks and until the Full Moon in Cancer next January when she opposes the Sun from Cancer. 

At its core this New Moon is a fresh start for home, family, mothers, our natal Cancer house theme - what we need to feel safe and secure. A BIG one. And maybe something here, with that closing aspect opposition to Pluto, about an intense ending, or, what is 'outside our control' in some way limiting what we can do with it. Happening as the Moon's Nodes change signs give it added oomph and dial up the goodies that will come from correct applications of our will and the adjustments we make within ourselves as we release old agreements and styles of relating especially any kind of people-pleasing that is not serving our growth. It's part of a powerhouse and potentially life-changing week! 

With the Moon/Sun opposing Pluto and Mars opposing Saturn, hang on loosely this week. Unless you are driving, then both hands inside the car and on the wheel at all times :)

xo all