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by Boots Hart Cancer is one of four cardinal signs, "cardinal" referring to a mode of activity that occurs when any astrological body passes through the sign. Much like the phrase cardinal direction, the term implies knowing where we’re going and what the goal is. Or at least that’s what we’d like to think, right? There are four cardinal signs in the zodiac, with one in each element (earth, air, fire and water). Cancer is the water sign, and water is the emotional element, perhaps to be associated with tears, or with how the Moon, long associated with emotions, tugs on the world’s oceans, creating tides. And tugs on our bodies, which are water-filled. We’re not going to get into what medicine (and the legal system) have to say about the Moon’s effect on our watery selves (a subject too vast and complicated to contemplate here), but it is safe to say that the yearly month of Sun in Cancer is filled with decisions. Cancer is the sign following Gemini, the sign all about choice. First you sort out and choose, then you actually decide. So under Cancer there’s less hesitation. And more willingness to learn the cardinal way—i.e., through doing. It’s also a time of dynamic Cancerian emotions, descriptions of which generally reflect Things Oceanic, which is the realm of Cancer’s totem animal, the crab. So during Cancer we experience strong currents of emotion and periodic waves of frothy discussion. We tend to go back and forth (ebb and flow) about how we feel about life, and yet the comings and goings of daily life seem more natural than ever under Cancer. Cancer is the sign of house, home, family and traditions, all situations that arouse our protective nature—and sometimes our urge to protect ourselves. Every year, as the Cancer vibe becomes active, we feel the touch of our personal childhoods and sense the flow of humanity more vitally than at other times. Under Cancer we play in protected tide pools, we encounter stormy emotional waters, we draw from still wells of resilient wisdom, and encounter upwellings emanating from the depths of our entrenched past. And yes, every once in a while we get swamped by an emotional tsunamis or just act crabby. So that’s the Sun. And while the Sun is in cardinal water, Uranus is in Pisces—mutable water. Mutable signs represent the energy of change, how we deal with change, and the choices we make which create change. So when a planet passes through a mutable sign, the energies symbolized by that planet manifest as the skills we use during changes, life situations which indicate change is needed, and people who serve as catalysts for change or who help or hinder the process. Where Cancer’s images reflect the ocean of emotions we encounter in life, Pisces is all about how we choose to react or respond (emotionally) to things. So while you may think that if you just walk away from that person or situation that nasty Change Thing will go away, it doesn’t. You’ve chosen to avoid it—which is your reacting to life by not working with it, or even dealing with it or meeting it face-to-face. When you walk away, you are avoiding. Or denying. What does that say about you emotionally? Yeah, that’s Pisces—the "I feel, I don’t want to feel, I long to feel" thing. In keeping with Pisces’ totem symbol, the fish, wherever you see Pisces in a chart also says a lot about how people "school." Yes, like fish! People like to group by what they believe in—so spirituality, art, hermits, limitation, aspiration, cults, mass movements and prisons are all Piscean. Obviously this means that the glomming together (unity of feeling) can be positive or negative, that Pisces can be about our commonalties as easily as our differences—and sometimes both (i.e., indecision)—or the experience of not knowing what to do or "who" to be (fears). All true. Too true. And well reflected in the Pisces symbol being two fish headed in different directions. Yet importantly, this image shows two fish tied by a golden cord, which means we can’t run away from ourselves. Or life. As individuals we experience Pisces as the emotions involved in making decisions or what we face once a decision is made, avoided, or remains hanging in the balance. It’s about how we use who we are and what we have to emotionally connect, disconnect—or to some degree, both. From possibilities. The world. Friends, family, beliefs… In other words, from our emotions. And from life. Why we separate from whatever we separate from is our personal Pisces question, one we find posed by the 12th house and/or wherever Pisces falls in our chart. Are we acting out of fear? Are we living in a fantasy? Are we exploring? Avoiding? Maybe a smidge of all of the above? With Uranus having been in Pisces since 2003 we’ve all experienced feelings (and thoughts about) confinement and liberation, exaltation, redemption, mercy, fear, faith and frustration. We’ve confronted, clarified and confused old ideas, the idea of being old, ageless wisdom, and the value, valuing, devaluation and overvaluing of youth, whether physical (children, fear of aging), emotional (immaturity, open-mindedness or the lack thereof) or intellectual (ignorance versus denial). Uranus’ passing through this sign has been a testing time of discovery. At best, we’ve broken through our own limitations and challenged our notions of tradition versus innovation, rejection versus acceptance, and how to be usefully unique. With Pisces embodying the universal "all" of the Jungian worldview, and with Uranus' "different" and sometimes either scientific or "anarchistic" energy, we’ve all been tested on our ability to get along/allow for differences while maintaining and developing the reality of our real selves. And now as Uranus retrogrades through Pisces’ most worldly degrees one last time, we’re all in a questioning mode. Retrogrades being internal, we may be considering how we feel restricted. Or how some restrictions seem viable—even valuable. And yet we also know being flexible is good, even necessary in this world. But it’s sure easier to want the other guy to flex than to be flexible ourselves, right? To flex inside ourselves requires letting go of some "known" or some boundary. And that’s scary. We know we don’t know everything, but letting others know things we don’t know? Or that we don’t know it all? That’s so often so threatening! Thus comes stress. Angst. Disruptions. Why can’t the world be the way we’d like it to be? Answer: it just isn’t. And in resisting the world (life) we incite others (the world, life) to resist, avoid or even turn against us. So whatever’s going on in your life, it’s probably not about something you can’t live with, it’s something you haven’t learned to live and let live with. It’s not them, it’s you. But this doesn’t mean you have to throw away being a butterfly and go back to being a caterpillar—far from it! The allowing yourself to recognize whatever willingness or unwillingness you feel internally is actuallly the unfurling of new wings you’ll need in days to come. So ask yourself what you feel and why you feel that way. That’s what this last Uranus retrograde in Pisces is all about. Come next year, Uranus finishes another 81-year zodiac round and re-enters Aries. So it’s time for finishing up old business, for letting go of old restrictions and for recognizing feelings which make you want to control life (an impossibility) instead of being a participant in life. The benefit of memory, tradition and belief lies in enhancing and contributing to a today all about a fuller expression of our potential which in turn, inspires others. In saying that however, it also seems apt to say we’re all in for some challenges yet. Last time Uranus made this shift was back in 1927-1928 (the flux being due to retrograde). Pluto was in Cancer, just shy of being in opposition (180 degrees away from) to where it is today. You may recognize these dates as when the United States went into its "Great Depression"—but don’t go all freaky. Since the whole world didn’t go through a like situation, that collapse of the US stock market was just a (metaphysical) symptom of a more basic underlying issue. (Good news!) But what was it a symptom of? Well let’s go back to Cancer. Cancer is associated with home, family and all that. By extension, it’s also about our homeland and a "population" (whether described by citizenship or ethnicity). When Pluto (Transformation) was in this sign of home and homeland, and Uranus (Innovation) entered the "do it!" sign of Aries, the US began a great era of building cities, dams, highways—the infrastructure of modern society. And just so we all get this, in the 1900s the US was capitalizing on works project set into motion when Uranus entered Aries during the mid/late 1800s and the industrial age got into gear. So what the Great Depression really did was provide the US government with a reason and rationale to initiate public (Cancerian) works programs, putting Americans to work building their national (Cancerian) infrastructure—and that makes the stock market crash of '29 a symptom of a "disease" we might well refer to as "Karmic Outmoded-ness." Its cure? Innovation (Uranus) of a type which transforms (Pluto) life. Thus it’s not all that surprising that the last restructuring has lasted for pretty much exactly one Uranian cycle. And that now it’s breaking down. It needs replacing. And upgrading. So as Uranus again enters Aries, we can bet that in the United States, the nation will physically rebuild. But there is one big difference: Pluto is now in Capricorn as Uranus heads back into Aries. Capricorn is the sign of commerce, business and government. In the US, we can expect the government to use business and commerce in its rebuilding effort. And again, that’s a good sign as it suggests that the current US money mess is also a symptom which will in time trigger growth and innovation. But to look at the world—and your own personal world—more globally, Capricorn is not just about worldly forces. It’s about structure. And the ability and willingness to strive. It’s about making pragmatic decisions between necessity and desire. It’s about taking on questions of executive direction in our lives individual, collective and interactive. The days and years ahead will see the doing away with much which is outmoded. They will find us using old ideas in new ways which inspire and lead to updated improvements. But there will be growing pains. And some of them are going to be really painful. Still, humans seem to need hard times—that’s when we learn important lessons. Dissatisfaction and discomfort are the spurs which get us moving. How annoying, right? Yes, but how true, too! So that’s how we start July: Sun in Cancer, Uranus retrograde in Pisces. With that we have Mercury finishing its transit of Gemini: we’re all busy, errands need prioritizing and thinking choices through is the name of the game. Then on July 3, Mercury enters Cancer, at which point communications and situations and interactions grow more focused, emotional and reactive. Things which were undecided now either get decided or need to be sorted out. It’s time to make a move—but in what direction? Towards family and home, or towards things which are part of growing a better, possibly more secure and valid life in which to have that home and family? This greater "everyday" view reflective of Sun/Mercury in Cancer plus Venus/Mars in Taurus (this being four out of five "personal" daily-doings symbols) going into the weekend of July 4 spells a whole inter-relational/social involvement vibe which is emphatic and testy if resistance is encountered. Once Venus enters Gemini on July 5 (late on the 4th if you live in the eastern Pacific zone) people begin pulling back and thinking things over with a mind to conserving. Conserving what? Time, resources—even reputation. Eyes turn towards the future and bets get hedged. Then comes the first of three (yes, three) summer 2009 eclipses. Because this trio involves two lunar and one solar eclipse, we can count on things being highly emotional in a way which underscores hard reality starting with a Lunar Eclipse of July 7 at 15 Capricorn featuring Moon in Capricorn conjunct Arachne—a picture of "spin(ning)" and being "caught up" in a web. Here the forces of society (government, business) may be the entangled or entanglers—even both. With the Cancer Sun here conjunct Bacchus, subjects from fertility, family planning, ecology, national polarities (rights versus law, people versus government, structure versus pleasure) can add anything from an intriguingly willful to a liberal-for-selfish-reasons tone. With the eclipse (i.e., Moon) trining Saturn at 17 Virgo, an elemental need to be responsible is also present. Given that the Sabian image for the Moon here is a man studying a mandala …with the help of an ancient book, we know some "big picture" (the mandala) is challenging us to integrate through understanding the different facets of a highly emotionalizing, polarizing emotional situation. Our inheritance/where we come from (the ancient book) may be of assistance, but ultimately, lunar eclipses represent transient passages within greater frameworks—tests which in the expanse of time reflect (as the Moon does) changes indicated by the accompanying solar eclipse. In your life (or in the world), events may well be intense, evolving towards resolution over the next three months. But the emotional dynamic you are experiencing (or witnessing) has a far greater meaning. Think (solar and) long range—life, lives, possibilities and the future. Once Mars enters Gemini on July 12 (July 11 for those in the Americas or Pacific Basin), a whole new slew of variables begins to take shape. With Mars symbolizing action, courage, decisiveness or assertiveness, you may feel the need to do or decide something. The implied combination of physicality and activity here may result in acts of haste—and the consequences thereof. You may act or someone else may, forcing you to counteract or compensate. If/where Lunar Eclipse emotions have gone unexpressed, they may surface inappropriately. Yet because the up side here is that Mars in Gemini indicates a quickening of mental insight and acuity, this can help in finding constructive ways forward. The more you plan on things taking time (like, maybe until mid-October), the better. Think first, then choose. Once Mercury enters Leo on July 17, we move from a Cancerian emotionally declarative tone into the realm of Leo’s creative ideals: what could be. Or should be. But no, probably isn’t (harrumph!). Like the other fixed signs (Taurus, Scorpio and Aquarius), Leo energies tend to be a wee bit risk-averse—an oddity considering this is the sign of stock markets, athletics and risk, right? How could that be, you ask? It’s because Leo actually embodies the creative ideal. You know, the nothing ventured, nothing gained concept. From kids to sports to art to business to governance, real success is only achieved by giving things a try and seeing how they work in real life, refining your ideas as you go. When planets pass through Leo, they express themselves creatively. But not always profitably. And not always with sufficient flexibility. Feelings get hurt easily and people will tend to think for themselves—therein lies the rub. With Mercury (thought, communication, activities) in Leo, it’s easy to feel discouraged, stressed and bummed out when life doesn’t match a movie in your head. It’s easy to critique. To dream. To play. And that’s great, unless you need results. Results require risking something—time, money, ideas, feelings…that bowl of cookie dough in the fridge…something! So try. And try again. Time out is fine but life ain’t no fairy tale. Nor is it supposed to be. If life were ideal, there’d be no reason to try, grow or even walk the dog. Ideals are meant to motivate, to give us something to aim at. And to the extent we resist overindulgence and bear this in mind (or better yet, use it to support others) as Mercury transits Leo, we’ll be good. To the extent we forget, we’ll be on the defensive or hear criticism where there isn’t any. Or be heard as arrogant when we mean to be anything but. Or feel self righteous guilt at doing what we want to instead of what we know we should be doing. Mercury in Leo offers choices between success through connective vulnerability and disappointment through presumption, and it’s mostly all in the approach. All this becomes focal as we arrive at the Solar Eclipse at 29 Cancer on July 22 (July 21 in the Americas and Pacific Basin). Most solar eclipses begin with destabilization. Depending on where 29 Cancer lies in your chart (or that of a nation, company, marriage, product, etc.), despite best attempts to forestall, deny, ignore, maintain a status quo or avoid confrontations, things change. Ultimately for the better (or more realistic for the times)…but the road may be bumpy. And rife with detours which, come the end of the ride, turn out to be vital. It obviously being impossible to cover everyone’s chart in detail, we can still make some comments on your Sun. You know—your birthday? And if you’re someone who likes to ignore the ol’ birthday thing, don’t worry—I won’t tell. As we go into this, remember the lunar elements are also in play: this month’s Capricorn lunar eclipse adds issues of government-business-societal structure and a "people" or one’s home, and next month’s Aquarian eclipse which highlights issues of income/freedom/anarchy/societal systems and how human will deals with the ability to risk.
Whatever your situation, know that while Lunar Eclipses evolve over three months, Solar Eclipses typically unfold over 36 months, with the most important developments often not becoming clear (or even surfacing) until the transit’s end. One more note: because Solar Eclipses can only occur in association with the Lunar Nodes, the whole Node/Pluto/Society Squeeze we discussed last month is very much in play. So don’t be surprised if you feel like you’re standing in a crowded elevator. Can you move? Yes. Should you? Do you want to? Maybe not. But given the Solar Eclipse, you either will move of your own accord or be moved by life events. Once the Sun enters Leo on July 22, and all the standard Leo ideals come into play in life instead of merely in thought (what with Mercury already being in Leo), the gap between what you want and what’s going on (or the real and the ideal) may seem simply stunning. And yet, you will see the possibilities. What could be. Given this Leo dichotomy (the ideal we wish were true, versus less-than-thrilling realities), trying is the solution. Why? Because willingness is inspiration internalized and catchy like the flu. It’s Leo energy owned. And when owned, Leo energy attracts, builds and (em)powers success—a better thing than what it does when projected through blame or criticism, which inevitably leads to alienation, isolation, rejection or the undermining of your own goals. And how much fun is that? Not! And what about fate, you say? Declaring all is fated is simply a dramatic (or philosophical) cop out. Yes, some things aren’t in our control. But if astrology teaches us anything, it teaches that time has a function, that there are cycles to our existence. Being human is all in the response. To be human is all about realizing we do have a chance to try and that fate is thus not just in what happens, but in what we are or aren’t …..willing to do. And own. And be. During the next seven days there will be wiffling and excuses to be sure, but once Venus enters Cancer on August 1 (July 31 for the Americas and Pacific Basin), the sense that we do have control of our feelings (they’re ours, after all!) and thus understand how important it is to choose how we respond to life becomes evident. Some will interpret this as a reason to cocoon in coddled inaction while others will feel they’ve been given a tool with which to moderate life and make things happen. Which begs the final question here—which person are you? Boots Hart, CAP
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