Sun In Cancer Moon in Capricorn

In the Southern Hemisphere, the arrival of the winter solstice signals the start of winter, a time for retreat as we move indoors and usually seek the warmth and comfort of the home and its warmth. At the same time the influence of the energies of Cancer begin their more immediate impact, conditioning with a subtleness our everyday lives. Winter is of course needed, an important part in a cycle within other cycles that allows more rest and internal retrospect for oneself and the greater community, a slowing down and taking stock.

In the northern hemisphere, Cancer plays a different part. They of course have their summer solstice, which is the beginning of their summer, and in many countries they have a long summer, spent for relaxation, family and activity, a chance to get back in touch with nature, see friends and visit family abroad during a longer break. The common thread here is a getting back to your roots, your origin and your base.

It is probably no surprise that in traditional astrology Cancer rules the family, nurturing, sensitivity and intuition. Cancer is the 4th sign of the zodiac and is cardinal water, which gives it the ability to be dynamic in its expression of emotion. Many people with a strong link to Cancer are good at organising, at managing, and they do it in a way that is often done through emotive intent, whether that be from a higher base or a lower. It not for them to necessarily lead from the front like other cardinal signs, but lead they can, done with a sensitivity to their environment, to their immediate and adopted families, to those around.

On the traditional level of astrology, the 4th house in the zodiac rules our anchor point in life, our familial structures, and our base. We often look to this to see how our early life for this incarnation is set up, how we develop, what type of early platform and support system we have been given. On a deeper and more esoteric level, we could look to the higher aspects of that influence, and look to our spiritual home, our ashram, the home of the soul. During the time of Cancer, it might be worthy to consider, where is our true place amongst this sea of lives that we live together upon the earth, where is our true calling, on what levels are we supported and nourished on the deepest spiritual level?

The Pope recently called upon people the world over to consider the environment and our actions upon it, our impact upon the life of Earth and what we are doing for now and leading into what our young families will inherit for the future. Was he responding to the call in Gemini, communicating on the wings of Mercury the Messenger, delivered close to the time of Cancer, thinking globally about the one family, that is Humanity?

The chart at the time of the full moon is an interesting one. It is pretty well spread out energetically, meaning the energy is not necessarily focussed in specific areas, though of course there are some major points of interest.

Pluto is next to the moon, in the 3rd house, both in Capricorn. The third house rules teaching, communication, siblings. Pluto will add will and the blowing up of something on the emotional level and we can say this might involve some sort of teaching. You might be wise to consider your emotions during this time with that sort of combination, as it will be easy to communicate what you are feeling.

Adding fuel to this will be the fact that the Pluto/Moon conjunction will be involved in a grand square, at least at the time of the full moon, which also involves the North and South nodes (Dharma and Karma), plus the Sun, flanked on either side by conjunction of The God of War Mars and Vulcan the Destroyer, all in Cardinal or dynamic elements. Involving the north and south nodes plus with the moon and sun in the 3rd and 9th teaching houses suggests the teaching of lessons, with plenty of force and energy to effect change once those needed teachings are intuited and received.

The Sun is in Cancer during this time of course, with Mars and Vulcan both there as well. All of these naturally fiery planets are not necessarily at ease in the watery realm of Cancer heating up the water to cause steam which can block vision. Yet another way to look at this is whilst intuition can sometimes be ambiguous, fire or the influence of the more direct planets, leads one to have more focus. If we can harness that combination, our feeling and emotional state or the results of that nature, can have a little more direction. This is consistent with Cancer and it being a cardinal sign anyway.

Neptune is in Pisces, as it will be for many years. At the time of the full moon, it is in the 5th house of creativeness, fun and children. Neptune adds some respite to the grand square by adding a trine to the Sun and a Sextile to the Moon. So perhaps with some dynamic energy abounding, with high emotional and direct focus, we will be reminded and supported to maintain a strong link to spirit, to seek fun with either children or our inner child and allow release through art and creative endeavours.

If you have looked to the sky recently, you would have noticed that at dusk or in the early evening, Venus and Jupiter are easily observable in the night sky. They are currently conjunct each other, which whilst is not rare in itself, seeing them together in the sky at that time that is not as common. I think this is always a positive, as these 2 planets are the most observable in relation to size and light as well. They are both in Leo currently, the sign that would be said to be the one that shines the brightest. With light and its influence at the forefront of our consciousness recently, we are well placed to take advantage of these 2 influential planets whilst the energy is there.

Ruling this chart as the Ascendant is Libra, bringing fairness and the right balancing of laws and energy with it. Is it no wonder that the current situation with the environment is being highlighted, as the energies available look to add light to our consciousness and seek a balance within the laws that rule the natural environment that we all share, with Humanity and the one family that all live on the planet called Earth.