Season and Spirit: Magickal Adventures Around the Wheel of the Year
The Wheel of the Year is the engine that drives NeoPagan practice. Explore thw magick of the season beyond the Eight Great Sabbats.
New Moon in Cancer
This month's New Moon, occurring over July 15-16, finds the Sun, Moon, Mercury, and Mars all in the sign of Cancer. These aspects, along with some tense squares, makes this New Moon very spiritually active.
Cancer is a sign of paradox. As a Cardinal sign, it arrives with the Summer Solstice, when the Sun is at its most powerful, but is a water sign ruled by the Moon. This charged polarity informs the magick of the Solstice: the celebration and revelry of the moment, the commitment of Goddess and God to each other and to the nurturance of the living world, and the hint of solemnity as we approach the tipping point of the waxing Year. Cancer's power is that of water: to sustain and nurture, to heal, to feed, to surrender to grief or dissolve in bliss, to weep tears of sorrow and joy, to explore our own emotional depths and to know ourselves, or to drown in our woundedness, and to find in the Moon's reflection, the magick in our soul.
This New Moon's challenging aspects pushes the compassionate, loving energy of Cancer to its edge. How do we cultivate kindness and gentleness? How do we not get worn down in the violence and hatred that we see played out in our mass culture, in our media spaces, in our political and public discourse, in our institutions? These aspects inflame us with a desire to challenge this violence, to be the change we wish to see in the world, to live our best lives, while simultaneously casting light on the obstacles and limitations that keep us from doing that. If you've been feeling energized and frustrated at the same time, you are not alone!
In the flow of this energy, remember to call upon Cancer's powers of forgiveness, kindness, and gentleness. Deal kindly with yourself, especially if you are feeling thwarted or defeated. Take time to meditate, take long walks or soak in a hot tub, still your mind, and allow yourself to receive the blessings of the season. Don't be harsh or impatient with others, but extend them a compassionate thought even if they do anger you. This doesn't mean not to set or enforce appropriate boundaries; the Crab is able to both mark out and defend its space. But the energetic vibration of Cancer is that of the Divine Feminine in its purest form, its most generous, flowing and loving manifestation as as the Mother of All. Right now we are bathed in it, and we can amplify and spread that love through our actions and words.
Here are some ideas for tuning in to the loving energy of Cancer:
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soak in a hot tub scented with rose or lavender oil, and flower petals
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in meditation, focus on your heart chakra, and sense what's there, under the surface. Maybe it's fear, anger, resentment, desire. Breathe into these places and get to know them, welcome them to step forward, so they can be acknowledged and released.
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If you are carrying a lot of anger and resentment, imagine your heart is a vessel, like a bowl, and that with each breath, this vessel is wiped clean with forgiveness.
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Make beautiful food for people you love, or make food together. Go to the farmer's market and find delicious things to share
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Pay attention to your dreams, make art
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spend an evening under the stars and feel the love of the Star Goddess pour down from above. Toast her with sparkling wine!
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15 July natal day. Spent on the water,like all days are.