Moon into Cancer: Nesting and Nurturing

Sunday morning through Tuesday afternoon
Eastern Standard Time

Sunday, December 11

Seedling by Daniel Clahane

Moon enters Cancer 8:26am
Moon square Uranus (Aries) 9:40am
Moon sextile Jupiter (Taurus) 9:49am
Moon trine Chiron (Pisces) 10:33am
Moon inconjunct Mercury R (Sagittarius) 4:36pm
Moon opposite Pluto (Capricorn) 9:04pm

Monday, December 12
Moon inconjunct the North Node (Sagittarius) 11:01am
Moon sextile Mars (Virgo) 11:08am
Moon opposite Venus (Capricorn) 11:27am
Moon inconjunct the Sun (Sagittarius) 11:46pm

Tuesday, December 13
Jupiter (Taurus) semisextile Uranus (Aries) 12:22am
Moon square Saturn (Libra) 11:06am
(begin void of course)
Moon inconjunct Neptune (Aquarius) 1:58pm
Moon enters Leo 4:48pm
Moon square Jupiter (Taurus) 5:55pm
Moon trine Uranus (Aries)5:59pm
Moon inconjunct Chiron (Pisces) 6:59pm
Mercury turns direct (Sagittarius) 8:42pm
Moon trine Mercury (Sagittarius) 11:53pm

The Moon is now in her home sign of Cancer––nurturing, protective, emotional, and following the heady exuberance of the Full Moon, perhaps clinging to the past and anxious about the pace of change. These next days of the Cancer Moon are good times to take care of ourselves, our families and our tribes and celebrate the bonds that keep us strong. If we can do this while resisting the urge to put our heads in the sand and hope the challenges of the world pass us by, we'll have the best of this transit.

Today, the Moon squares Uranus, standing firm against headlong, heedless change. A sextile to Jupiter and trine to Chiron provide grounding as the sage and healer offer good counsel.

Listening to good advice is not always easy, though. Later today, the Moon finds herself in an awkward inconjunct with Mercury retrograde and opposing alchemical Pluto––these are possible signs of resistance. The Cancer Moon can dig in her heels and cling to the familiar past, not the approach Mercury and Pluto will advocate.

Mother and Child by Robinson

Monday brings another series of tricky aspects. There is a sextile to Mars, emphasizing the desire to take careful, small steps. But the inconjunct angles to the North Node and the Sun, and the opposition to Venus, show the Cancer Moon is still struggling with the depth and breadth of change we now face. Allowing time for nesting and nurturing is important in being able to move forward.

Tuesday opens with a semisextile between Jupiter and Uranus––a minor angle, and yet, nothing involving Uranus at the Aries point can really be minor. This touch, with Jupiter at 0 Taurus and Uranus at 0 Aries, offers a preview of the coming Solstice and New Moon charts, which will feature many planets at or near 0 degrees of various signs. The Solstice marks the rebirth of the light––much can be reborn during this year's Solstice season.

The Moon squares Saturn for her last classical aspect in Cancer, a challenge that signals our need to find the balance between emotion and action, past and future, desire and manifestation. After three hours void of course (during which the Moon will inconjunct Neptune, still looking for that balance), the Moon steps into passionate Leo, ready to shine.

While the Moon is in Cancer, be mindful of your feelings and the feelings of others, honoring the needs we all have to feel secure and safe without stepping back from the path of transformation.