Go Back to Go Forward
Mercury retrograde brings the review. The New Moon in Cancer brings the decision.
Has your week felt surreal, like you’re living in limbo-land? Like anything goes and you don’t know what’s about to hit you next?
That's because we're in the middle of one of the most intense periods of astrology this year.
We’re also still experiencing the Mars-Uranus conjunction I spoke about last week.
A big misconception, is that a transit only matters on the day of its peak, but actually there’s a building phase and a separating phase. Depending on the planets involved, you can continue feeling the effects for days—or sometimes weeks—afterwards.
Mars and Uranus is one of those transits.
Last week I spoke about the Mars-Uranus conjunction, and taking extra precaution when attending any 4th July events (if you’re based in the U.S.). In general, I warned everyone to be careful around this date:
Well, thankfully no major earthquake like the recent ones we’ve seen in the news, however a U.S subscriber pointed out to me that earthquakes did indeed take place in California:
What I did see online about the 4th July celebrations—from all the way across the pond—is that it was chaos and had to be cancelled due to severe heat warnings? That’s related to Mars: fire/heat. Uranus: unexpected circumstances, warnings, disruption. Even in the image below it looks like a fireball…
I cautioned to stay away from big crowds and large events (if you could help it)…
“Fourth of July weekend marked by dozens of US deaths from gun violence”
“Brooklyn Bridge catches fire during 4th of July fireworks display”
“8 shot, including 4 kids, while watching fireworks in Brooklyn”
“At least 22 suspected heat-related deaths in New Jersey as temps soar over the July 4th holiday”
What happened on your 4th July?—even if you aren’t based in the States.
And just another reminder, we are still in the thick of Mercury retrograde.
I’ve been seeing a lot of talk online about how this retrograde in particular has been extra difficult. That’s because it’s in the sign of Cancer—ruled by the Moon which collectively represents us as a people. If you remember, I mentioned last week that this is going to affect relationships of all kinds: friendships, romantic relationships, family drama.
To add to that, Mars, Uranus and Venus are all currently answering to Mercury retrograde, due to these planets being in Mercury-ruled signs (Gemini and Virgo).
So it’s not just you who’s experiencing the challenges of this retrograde—it’s affecting everyone! Take the Pepsi controversy this week for example—classic retrograde impact.
But! The good news…
It’s Mercury cazimi! Mercury cazimi is one of my favourite moments in the Mercury cycle.
I’ve spoken about this a few times in previous articles, but Cazimi literally means in the heart of the Sun. Symbolically, Mercury is purified—‘reborn’ in a sense, and acts as a turning point. After weeks of confusion, reflection and revisiting the past, something clicks. We receive the missing information. We understand something differently. The fog finally begins to lift.
New Moon in Cancer: 14th July, 10:44am BST
We’re kicking this week off with a New Moon in Cancer!
New Moons represent beginnings, but Cancer reminds us that every new beginning needs strong foundations. Before you go chase the next opportunity, relationship, or version of yourself, ask whether it actually feels emotionally safe to build upon.
We spend so much time thinking about where we want to go next that we rarely stop to consider whether we're creating a life that supports us once we get there.
Now, think about the timing of all of this…
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the New Moon arrives just as we experience Mercury cazimi.
By this point, you've probably already received the information (cazimi), had the difficult conversation, or recognised the pattern that needed your attention. The New Moon isn't asking you to keep looking backwards—it asks what you're going to do with what you've learnt. This is what I mean by going back to go forward—it’s okay to take a step back, reassess, review and then put your best foot forward and head into the direction that makes you feel safe and supported.
The emotional processing of the retrograde now begins turning into conscious choices.
Around this New Moon, you will likely be dealing with something you’re familiar with already—that’s because this lunation is under the influence of Mercury retrograde since Mercury is sitting very close to where this new moon conjuncts (21° Cancer).
Another KEY point of this lunation:
Venus is newly in Virgo, conjunct the south node, square Uranus in Gemini. Translation = some stories are reaching their natural conclusion. There are narratives and timelines that carry a finality to it—one last review before it’s time to get closure and wrap things up.
It’s going to be tempting to make sudden snap decisions regarding relationships and/or finances, but you need to make sure you have all the information possible before doing so! It’s still Mercury retrograde.
So... should you set intentions and manifest during a New Moon that's happening in Mercury retrograde?