The New Moon in Cancer Pt. 2 - Signs, Sabian Symbols, and What It All Means - Aquarius Papers

by Robert Wilkinson

This article covers significant aspects, degree symbols, and other important factors in the Cancer New Moon chart. After April’s Great Fracturing that busted up some log jams, we’ve now begun to rebuild on what’s left, and with this Lunation turn a huge corner.

This is the first Lunation in many months where the recent Grand Cardinal Cross is not a factor. In fact, other than the wide opposition to Pluto (which is actually favorable), we have some really good aspects in play in this chart.

This Lunation, along with the inner planets, continues this period when the New Moon will be between Uranus in Aries and Jupiter in Cancer, filling in that part of the zodiac. Therefore, we continue to be in a period where we are again in a “Splay” Jones pattern.

In this New Moon, the span occupied by the inner planets(except for Mars) includes only early Gemini to early Cancer, with no intense clusters. But that narrow band is still highly active! This month we find 5 planets in the 51+ degrees between Venus and Jupiter.

So this month continues to even the spread in terms of planets in signs, since the 10 planets occupy 7 signs, and are fairly spread out around the zodiacal wheel. So this modifies the “See Saw” previously defined by planets in Aries, Taurus, and Cancer opposed by planets in Libra, Scorpio, and Capricorn, and turns it into another pattern. The Aries/Libra opposition is now separating, there are no planets in Taurus, and Jupiter is well past its long term opposition to Pluto. In other words, the planets are all over the map!

So What is a “Splay Pattern” and how does it work?

This type of spread, with all the planets in odd angles to each other with differing distributions among the signs, creates a “Splay” Jones Pattern. As Marc Jones put it, “the arrangement is neither even nor symmetrical,” revealing “strong and sharp aggregations of the planets at irregular points.”

Dr. Jones states “This suggests highly individual or purposeful emphases in the life, where the temperament juts out into experiences according to its own very special tastes.” This pattern “makes its own anchorage in existence,” and has a quality of “rugged resistance to pigeonholing, either in the near conventional compartments of nature, or in the idea-pockets of associates.”

He goes on to state this pattern gives a “persistent emphasis on individuality,” and the “spokelike emphases of the planetary groupings” are random, but have a “tripod” footing and approach to life circumstances. He says this pattern “reveals a very intensive personality who cannot be limited to any single steady point of application.” This temperament is “particular and impersonal in its interests,” rather than “universal-impersonal” or “particular-personal.”

This implies that affairs will be diversely spread out, some will not mesh well with others, and there will be a “hub and spoke" quality to what happens these next 4 weeks. This spread shows a wide diversity of things going on that promotes individuality.

Up to now, the water trines of the past 12 months have ensured a flowing, moving, stabilizing quality. Though the Grand Water Trine in the early degrees of each Water sign left last Autumn, replaced with off and on trines between Jupiter and Saturn in the middle degrees of Cancer and Scorpio, we now get a renewal via this new Moon on the exact degree of the Mars conjunct Jupiter that happened July 2013.

A lot was clarified in March as transiting trines to both Jupiter and Saturn tied together a lot of the mid-water sign lessons we’re learning now about protection, abundance, and caring. As I’ve told you before, these Water trines gave us opportunities to learn how to navigate the feeling-flow over past months.

Those who learned well are now able to use their “emotional intelligence,” or “feeling-knowing,” to trust their deepest intuitions harmonized with a vast view of their personal and collective needs. The numerous conjunctions, squares, and oppositions all challenged us to integrate frictional energies in dynamic ways and express the understandings and gifts we’ve learned since June 2013.

Element Balance

Of the traditional 10 planets, there are 5 planets in Water signs, 1 in Fire, 1 in Earth, and 3 in Air. This indicates a huge emphasis on feelings and experiencing life, with a lesser emphasis on thinking, relationships, and interactivity. Inspiration and practicality are in short supply. Due to the very strong trine of the Lights with Neptune in Pisces, there will be abundant opportunities to learn and practice intuition, as well as tune into the collective atmosphere and see how accurate your “feeling-knowing” actually is.

Air and Earth are “cool” elements, while Fire and Water are “hot” elements. With this distribution, things may feel strangely balanced even as the tides move us forward. Just keep in mind that Air plus Water could be very moveable and not very stable, with emotions high even if reasoning is scattered.

Saturn's Influence

I include separate sections on Saturn in two articles in this Lunation series since Saturn continues to wax in importance in all celestial events of these times. This is the twenty-second New Moon of the Saturn in Scorpio era, and for many months it was one of the legs of the “Splay” Jones pattern during the Grand Water Trines, stabilizing the Jupiter in Cancer and Neptune in Pisces energies while in productive mutual reception sextile to Pluto.

In 2012 Saturn helped us cultivate a new strength, came to a philosophical completion, and finished repairing or reconstructing something so that some final dues are now paid and old karmas left behind. We are growing into a new intensity, focus, emotional depth, and greater maturity relative to shared values, shared resources, deeper ability to commune with others as well as Nature and Spirit, and getting a more structured connection and a more powerful Spiritual linkage with others and ourselves.

We ended the first phase of Saturn in Scorpio set into motion when it went retrograde at 12 Scorpio in February 2013 when Saturn moved beyond that degree last October. However, the Solar Eclipse at 12 Scorpio in early November 2013 has begun to shut down whatever is left of structures related to those lessons that we cannot take with us into the next phase of life.

Our emotional body will be cleared out for months to come, so get used to occasionally intense purifications that may leave us feeling vulnerable for a time, but cleaner and clearer over time. Slowly but surely we are being shown our integrity once we've been cleaned and scrubbed.

In 2012-2013, Saturn triseptile Uranus showed us how our individuality did or did not cooperate with our sense of purpose and breaking free of fear was put through numerous tests within irrational conditions, and which helped us define our expression for years to come. We’ve all been shown how our tradition can transmute and accept our individuality, and how our limitations can be renovated to express our unique qualities. Some had to confront fear of loss with a willingness to be a pioneer in some realm where they could express their genius or unique qualities.

Spirit has walked with us during the times that configuration was in play, as well as any other major septile series aspects between the planets. The choices we make as a result of these non-rational aspects show us our “direction of destiny,” and determines if the Spirit will grow stronger and closer with you, or if you will move in directions away from Spirit. Given that most of this community is intentionally trying to live in harmony with Life, Nature, and each other, chances are that whatever you – yes, YOU the reader – are confronting will show you a deeper, richer, more powerful Spiritual life. Which is a good thing.

Saturn taught us a lot about how to conduct ourselves at a higher, more elegant and/or formal way of relating to others in 2013. The Eclipse in Scorpio again put the light on those Saturn lessons, and we’re learning new ways of applying those truths of our direct experience that will be a part of our lives when Mars next enters Scorpio in late July 2014, with major focus on the third week of August when Mars crosses the Moon, Sun, and Saturn degrees of the Eclipse.

Generally, when Saturn was in Virgo we learned lessons of Divine Discernment, practical functioning, and attention to detail as we were educated through learning to see life as a series of experiments. In Libra, we all went through a transfiguration in our ideals and relationships, and many started living elements of their Divine Archetype. That required some ability to do forms of repair and reconstruction work in the last half of 2011 and most of 2012 to pay some karmic dues and come to a philosophical completion.

Now we’re experiencing deeper relationships, within and in external affairs. We’re cleaning out, letting go, purifying, focusing, dealing with death and loss, restructuring how we share with others, and all those other Scorpio keywords that usually terrify the lower ego.

As Saturn rules Pluto in this chart in worldly affairs, it shows that when we are confronted with the need to deal with something or someone in an organized, efficient manner, reference Saturn in Scorpio and the lessons of focusing intensity. Feel what needs to be eliminated to achieve emotional stability or movement, and being efficient and truthful in getting to the core of any matter.

Naturally, the usual Saturn keywords will be crucial to effective behavior - patience, discipline, organization, patience, structure, maturity, patience, understanding, wisdom, patience, authority, responsibility, and of course, patience.

Mars in Libra disposits Saturn in Scorpio. That is adding an element of moderation, refinement, and blunting Saturn in Scorpio extremes. Libra is also where we refine our expression to make it more graceful, elegant, and understanding of other views. As long as Mars is in Libra, Saturn will be made more graceful in its expression.

So as you open to the seventh New Moon of 2014, take a new look at what Saturn helped you let go of throughout 2013, as well as the long term regenerative self-discipline that’s also been there, if you saw limitations with a mature eye. We continue to let go and go even deeper in a connection with our regenerative life magnetism, or a deeper communion with some inner or outer element of our Being.

Important Aspects

Remember that in reading a Lunation chart (as well as a horary, inceptional, electional, or any event chart) the forming aspects show things to come, while separating aspects show things already past. As noted, this New Moon binoviles Uranus, trines Neptune, and is in wide opposition to Pluto. This will bring profound spiritual realizations to those with plants or angles near 5-9 degrees of the Water signs, 15-19 degrees of the Fire signs, and 25-29 degrees of the Earth signs.

Besides the aspects just mentioned, prominent aspects in this Lunation feature the Mercury tredecile both Mars and Neptune and quintile Uranus, Venus semi-sextile the Sun, septile Jupiter, square Neptune, and biquintile Pluto, and Mars semi-sextile Saturn. Saturn takes center stage through its close quincunx with Uranus, tredecile Neptune, and (though wide and not strong in this Lunation) septile to Pluto.

Overall, these aspects show more or less favorable conditions with some very prominent adjustments and corrections coming. Sacrifice whatever you need to embrace new ideas and methods, and let “your will to wholeness” break up old complexes and psychological views that inhibit you doing what you have to do to transcend the old limitations.

Venus septile Jupiter shows important shifts in relationships relative to possible futures are in play. This will affect the houses and planets involving Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Libra, Sagittarius, and Pisces. Hot zones include 3-7 Gemini, 24-28 Cancer, 16-20 Virgo, 8-12 Scorpio, 30 Sagittarius-4 Capricorn, 21-25 Aquarius, and 12-16 Aries.

The numbers of quintiles and tredeciles opens up 10 zones where we can expect gifts, unique events, or interactive blessings. These zones include 4-8 Pisces-Virgo, 10-14 Aries-Libra, 16-20 Taurus-Scorpio, 22-26 Gemini-Sagittarius, and 28 Cancer-Capricorn through 2 Leo-Aquarius. If you have a planet or angle in any of these zones, unique events are coming over the next 4 weeks!

The Sabian Symbols for the New Moon

A New Moon sets the seed forms for what the following month will demonstrate. This Lunation falls at 6 Cancer. While I've given you a sense of this degree up to now, this is where we go into depth.

The symbol for 6 Cancer is “Game birds feathering their nests.” According to Rudhyar’s notes from the Marc Jones class, this degree is one of “Instinctive preparation for mature and full expression of the self,” and “subconscious planning or dreaming of idle dreams.”

In the Astrological Mandala he states this degree is one of “an instinctual dedication of self to new forms of life.” He states that in this symbol birds are “spiritual forces placed within a social context,” and marks the beginning of a process of action oriented toward the future, where “a new wave of life is starting and a concrete … preparation is made for it.” We are told “at a social level we can speak of the pioneering efforts dedicated to the building of a new culture, new institutions.”

Further, he states this symbol “reveals a preparation for rebirth … and what is being built is instinctively ... offered to a higher level of consciousness.” He gives us the keyword symbiosis, “a deep unconscious cooperation between different levels of existence, the ‘animal’ level producing lives for the sake of the ‘human.’” This symbol is said to be in the Span of Expansion, Act of Stabilization, and is the first degree of the Emotional-Cultural level of the Scene of Decision.

Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, says this degree is one of “the unlimited degree to which the spirit of man may develop and preserve its initiative by utilizing the natural course of things in the world at large.” We are told that we will find satisfaction as we participate in some “group destiny.”

He continues that “Individuality flourishes whenever it is able to establish its personal rights over some desirable segment of reality, and thereupon justify its own being by fulfilling the expectation of others.” He offers us the keyword of METICULOUSNESS. He states that when this degree works positively, it is one of “high intelligence and skill in enlisting the potentials of experience for the service of self.”

Other Influences

Pluto, the Cosmic Purifier, will be in Capricorn for many years. It continues to teach us deep lessons about practical, organized economy of energy and efficiency in sprouting seed forms of the new "laws of our lives" we can relax into. 2012 and 2013 were mainly about being organized in finding and demonstrating ways to get beyond fear and radiate harmlessness and mature fellowship with Nature, whether our own, another's, or Nature Herself.

Pluto is now in a zone in Capricorn it hasn’t been in for 250 years, and recently went retrograde at 14 Capricorn. 14 Capricorn is a technique for sorting out what’s valuable and what’s not in our past, so we can find a way to a greater assurance and “personal immortality” (as strange as that concept is!)

This is a threshold where we can see how the seeds of the future have been “gestating in the past,” or conversely, how the present transformational energy was set into motion in the past. Take on a graceful self-discipline, and you will know Divine Grace in operation.

Now that we’ve learned to attune to the invisible realms and to whatever degree gotten beyond fear, in 2013 and 2014 we are in a time of opening to new ways of viewing how to claim our divine power and express it creatively as we explore the natural laws underlying manifestations, and see Nature Herself as a laboratory where we learn about how our system is constructed. We can “pierce through appearances” to see the magic at the core of things, and through a “keen vision” can find or demonstrate a “universal living touch.”

In February we moved into signs and signs of self-transcendence. These set the stage for current and future new perspectives that has now led us to another phase of self-transcendence in June and the first half of July 2014, with the completion of the process achieved by February 2016.

Because Mercury in Gemini leads the Lunation, the Gemini influence will be extraordinarily strong. This shows us the essence of things, the bare trees behind the leaves. We will all get glimpses of archetypes over the next 4 weeks.

Neptune represents what is “in fashion” in the collective. Different cultures and subcultures interpret this global pulse in different ways. The Sabian Symbol for 8 Pisces indicates we stand at the threshold of a major life renewal by hearing “the call,” or “sounding the call.” This one shows us the future, and many will be called to a larger social or global work. See how you can best be of service to a greater whole, and allowing your Spirit to find its best expression in a social form.

Since Summer 2013, we’ve found a new dedication to “collective values” we want to uphold and defend, and many have perceived higher goals through a process of “self-testing.” We now flow deeper into that dedication. This will have an impact on the collective atmosphere in August 2014. Withdraw from an old experience so you can regrasp reality in another realm, especially when the situation attempts to repudiate your higher ideals.

Be active in defending and/or maintaining your allegiances “through which life has been made worthwhile,” and by listening to your inner voice, you’ll quicken your Soul’s expression. Follow your conscience into a great compassion for yourself and others, and be independent of spirit while courageously rejecting that which would compromise your highest spiritual principles.

Feeling, then Thinking, then Deciding

As a process of moving through events, we’re all going to be inclined to feel our way into ideas, perceptions, view, and interactions. Once we’ve gotten a new idea, vision, or understanding, then make a decision and act on it! Try not to overplan too far into the future. Take your feeling-knowing one step at a time, and keep things in balanced motion, even if they go all over the place at times.

Once we’ve made a decision and acted on it, then a new feeling will naturally arise showing the next thing to learn about, communicate, or understand. So feel, flow, and experience, since these will lead you to ideas and views that will in turn lead to the next decision.

This Lunation will show us how to see to the core of things as some ideals become clear and some relationships and values dissolve. We continue to walk on out of old ways into new lives, and the strong Gemini-Cancer emphasis should help us adapt and be more flexible in approaching this aftermath of the recent time of fracturing. And we continue to synthesize “feeling-knowing” with “mental-knowing” at the threshold of a new life era.

With Saturn in Scorpio, the more you understand how Life itself requires constant elimination of old forms and occasional major restructuring regarding duties, obligations, and ultimate loyalties, the more you make Saturn your friend through embracing its virtues of self-discipline, patience, persistence, understanding, and long range vision. Keep growing into a reflected, illuminated transcendent wisdom that allows your maturity and authority to come forth in potent, focused ways.

Stay focused on experiencing feelings of deep connectedness with the life that’s all around you as you eliminate the next layers of what you no longer need and move into a new expression of your individuality and/or unique qualities. Now that much has ended, we should be experiencing a sense of relief that things are moving forward in a slow but measured pace. And take time to enjoy yourself by seeing how everything is playing the exact part it should!

To sum up, this is an extraordinarily transformational New Moon! This one moves us into the future, where we see what’s behind and what’s ahead. Retire with dignity from obnoxious and nasty people and situations, see what’s done and how to release any lingering inhibiting factors, and allow your mind to embrace a new creative vitality! And of course, since God loves gratitude, practice appreciation for what is gone, what is, and what’s to come.

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I’ve given you these links the past several months, since Solar Eclipses are powerful influences that persist for years. Please peruse them if you want to know more about what’s been shut down and why over these past 3 years. Consider all I’ve written with an eye to these things occurring in the houses where these Eclipses fell. Briefly, we’ve all had major Taurus, Gemini, Scorpio, and Sagittarius energies shut down, and new forms of these have come forth.

As long time readers know, we all had to let go of the ghosts of the past as we experienced many months of Grand Irrationality “forks in the road of destiny” after the June 2011 Gemini Solar Eclipse. Though we’ve finished the effects of that very powerful Eclipse, the other Solar Eclipses since then continue to affect all of us. One thing is for sure - we'll be feeling the effects of the 2013 Solar Eclipse in Scorpio (gave you the links yesterday) far more than we felt the 2012 Solar Eclipse in Scorpio!!

Here are the articles explaining the Solar Eclipses of late 2011, 2012 and 2013 still playing out on the world stage and in our lives in major ways! They are listed from newest to oldest.

2013

The Annular Solar Eclipse at 20 Taurus May 9-10, 2013 Pt. 1 - Who Does It Affect and for How Long?

An Annular Solar Eclipse New Moon in Taurus Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in May-June 2013, As Well As 2014-2015-2016

The May 2013 Solar Eclipse in Taurus Pt. 3 – How Will This Lunation Affect Us?

The May New Moon Solar Eclipse in Taurus Pt. 4 - Signs, Sabian Symbols, and What It All Means

2012

The Total Solar Eclipse at 22 Scorpio Nov 13-14, 2012 Pt. 1 - Who Does It Affect and for How Long?

The Solar Eclipse at 22 Scorpio Nov 13-14, 2012 Pt. 2 - How Will It Manifest?

The Total Solar Eclipse at 22 Scorpio Nov 13-14, 2012 Pt. 3 - Signs, Sabian Symbols, and What It All Means

Astrology in May 2012 - On The Threshold of an Annular Solar Eclipse at 1 Gemini

The Solar Eclipse at 1 Gemini May 20-21, 2012 Pt. 1 - Who Does It Affect and for How Long?

The Solar Eclipse at 1 Gemini May 20-21, 2012 Pt. 2 - How Will It Manifest?