The New Moon is on July 5/6th depending on where you are. It’s a cancer new moon at 14 degrees of Cancer. Cancer rules family, tribe, lineage and family trees. It rules archeology and history. It rules food, meals eaten together; family gatherings and picnics. It is connected to real estate and homes. It is also associated with business, especially family business. It is a water sign and is therefore connected with emotions and nurturing. At this New Moon, we can set intentions connected with any of these Cancer topics.
This new moon is making lots of aspects! It is conjunct fixed star Sirius, Venus and is trine Saturn. It is in aspect to the following asteroids; Pallas, Ceres, Hades, Askalaphus, and Apophos.
The new moon makes a grand trine with Saturn in Pisces and Pallas in Scorpio. Grand trines provide opportunities and this grand trine will help us to work through our emotions and spirituality. We can also use the energy and channel our emotions into finding creative solutions to anything that has been perplexing us; Pallas rules weaving and strategy. Pallas was said to have been birthed out of her father’s head. She is, logical and somewhat masculine. Saturn in Pisces is calling us to put a structure around our spirituality. Saturn in Pisces has at times created depression or an existential crisis, but now we have an opportunity to alleviate some of our angst by taking some well-placed steps. You may find yourself connecting with a group, or joining a church or other spiritual establishment where you feel emotionally safe.
The New Moon is conjunct with the fixed star Sirius. Sirius is a beneficial fixed star that gives us success in business, along with honours and riches. Sirius is also family. It’s the only star that does not precess like the others (as in precession of the equinox).
For it is remarkable that owing to the precession of the equinoxes, on the one hand, and the movement of Sirius on the other, the position of the sun with respect to Sirius is displaced in the same direction, almost exactly to the same extent. [R.A. Schwaller de Lubicz, Sacred Science, Inner Traditions (1982)]
Since Egyptian times, Sirius has barely moved at all. For this reason, many believe that Sirius is a binary star of our Sun and some believe it’s a double-double binary star with our solar system. Sirius B is 205 times smaller than Sirius A and moves around Sirius A in overlapping orbits. Mars is 205 times smaller than our Sun and Simon Shack has geometrically proven that Mars and the Sun are in a similar dance. The Dogon tribe, (who told us that Sirius B was there before our telescopes could see it) tell us that there is also a Sirius C. This one we haven’t been able to see, but scientists speculate that it is there. Could Earth, the Sun and Mars be in a similar dance as Sirius A, B and C? As above so below! This would make our solar system a double-double binary system with Sirius… which would mean we are either sisters or cousins! At any rate, we are family! Cancer represents our family and how perfect is it that Sirius is there in Cancer? But what does it mean for the New Moon? Maybe it’s time to explore and find out who is in our family and what relationship they have to us. The New Moon is widely conjunct with Venus in Cancer, emphasizing building stronger bonds and family ties. It’s a great time to define our tribe!
The New Moon is opposing Ceres. Ceres is similar to the moon in that it represents feminine emotions. It is also associated with seasons and the change of seasons or loss. In the myth, Ceres lost her child to the underworld and then starved everyone by refusing to allow crops to grow until she got her child back. At this new moon, we need to acknowledge loss and how it plays into building a new future. Ceres got her child back, but only for half the year. We may need to factor such compromises into our connections and realize that we cannot hold those around us too tightly. This is further verified by the fact that asteroid Hades, the one who tricked Ceres’ daughter into the underworld, is conjunct with the New Moon. Hades is the Roman equivalent of Pluto and Demeter is the Roman equivalent of Ceres.
Askalaphus is also conjunct with the New Moon. Askalaphus also played a part in the myth related to Hades/Pluto and Ceres/Demeter. Persephone/Proserpina was the daughter who went into the underworld. She was told that if she didn’t eat anything in the underworld she could return to her mother. However, she had eaten six pomegranate seeds! It was Askalaphus the gardener who saw and reported it! Askalaphus in astrology is related to truth-telling, spying, eavesdropping or meddling. We won’t be able to get away with trying to pretend that things have not changed. If we have moved on from certain circumstances, a truth will come to light to make that clear. If we are trying to pretend nothing has changed to hold on to the old ways, someone will meddle to stop that from happening.
Klotho is also conjunct with the New Moon. She is one of the three fates and signifies new beginnings. Though she doesn’t play a part in the story of Ceres/Demeter, she does have the power to return to life those who have visited the underworld. Astrologically this represents new beginnings and the circumstances with which those new beginnings are initiated. This is a time to embrace the new, even if it feels weird, unfamiliar or makes us sad that it is not the same as before.
The Sabian symbol for the new moon is a “group who have overeaten and enjoyed it” reminding us of moments of the satisfaction that come from breaking bread with those we love. It highlights that satisfaction comes from the right food and the right crowd!
Finally, the new moon is widely squaring the North Node, so this is a time for making decisions about which path we will take, however, it’s likely that the path has already been chosen for us!
Before I end this post I will mention one more asteroid. It’s Apophos… and it’s also conjunct with the New Moon. In fact lately, Apophos has been keeping pace with all full and new moons as it is currently keeping pace with our sun. Apophos is choas… so yes, there is still chaos around us. Yet we don’t have to be pulled in by the chaos. Check out my last New Moon post for a New Moon ritual that you can incorporate into any New Moon intentions you make. It’s a ritual for getting rid of chaos!