with Cheryl Hopkins on THE COSMIC EYE FORECAST
This month’s special guest Cheryl Hopkins joins Vanessa Montgomery to chat about all things Cancer, classic Cancers Jose Andreas and Donna Cunningham, and the USA, PLUS the new and full Moon, Jupiter in Aries, the lunar nodes, and this month’s main cosmic movements so you can plan your month ahead in alignment with the energies unfolding.
Our featured non-profit is World Central Kitchen, first to the frontline, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Filling bellies and restoring humanity through eating together they aim to be on the ground today, not tomorrow. https://wck.org/
Time stamps for the topics covered in this podcast:
0:00—12:31 Introduction to Cancer Season/Cheryl Hopkins/Qualities of Cancer
12:32—23:02 Pitfalls of Cancer Season
23:03—25:43 What to do in Cancer Season
25:44— 35:33 Classic Signs
35:34— 48:02 Monthly Moon segment
48:03—1:18:19 Headline signatures of Cancer Season
1:18:20—1:30:18 Key takeaways
1:30:19— 1:33:37 What’s next? Events coming up
Transcript for The Cosmic Eye – Cancer Season Episode
Vanessa Montgomery: Hey and welcome to another episode of the Cosmic Eye monthly forecast. This month we’re traveling through Cancer season. I’m your host, Vanessa: for the Astrology University podcast. And today we have a special guest co-host, Cheryl: of AstrologyEmpowers.com. Hi, Cheryl. And thank you so much for joining us.
Cheryl Hopkins: Well, hello, Vanessa, thank you so much for having me. I am so excited to be talking with you. And looking forward to us diving into Cancer.
Vanessa: Excellent. And FYI, we have a Cancer Moon—Cheryl has Cancer Moon. So you’re representing and bringing the insights from Cancer Moon and also, which I’m excited about, special interest, I guess, with the evolutionary astrology style. So I’m interested in hearing about that when we go through the transits. Cheryl’s going to share a little bit more so we can all learn. So when we’re talking about Cancer, of course, it’s personal. Cardinal water, the mighty crustacean, as I like to call Cancer, rules the beginning of summer, of course in the northern hemisphere, being a Cardinal sign, and winter here in Australia, and the Sun’s at the highest point, but not the most heat yet. Rules the breasts and tummy and in physiognomy, I always think it’s interesting, that Moon face that’s talked about a lot. Yes, you know, Moon rising, or the Cancer Moon can often have that Moon face, very family oriented matriarch, Cardinal, but changeable. I’d like to hear what you think about that. Cheryl, do you have any thoughts? It’s a Cardinal sign, which is go-go move to connect emotionally and bring the family in. But also, the changeability. How do you know those?
Cheryl: It’s funny that you put it that way because earlier today, it kind of just came across my radar screen, you know, traditionally Cancers have been thought of as being moody. And I remember having been referred to that way once and it hurt my feelings. How Cancer Moon of me! On hindsight I can laugh about it. But at the time, I wasn’t into astrology. But what I’ve understood with myself is that our feelings are moving, are constantly moving. They are constantly in motion. And what can be thought of as moodiness from those outside looking at us, is really our expressing the movement of our feeling that we may or may not be aware of what it is. But I’m feeling what’s happening. I remember a practice that my first astrology teacher taught me, which was always to put my hand on my stomach, and to ask myself, what am I feeling? And it’s very interesting, because the inner child is connected to the stomach. So when you have your hand here, you’re making contact with your body, with the Moon part of you, and you’re saying, “what am I feeling?” And she would say to me, it’s not really to know, per se, but it is to recognize, you’re training yourself to the fact that I am feeling something, and just acknowledging it and allowing it to move through you like the ocean, like the tides coming in and out.
Vanessa: I feel it. That’s very interesting and practical. It’s calming, like safety and securing. You feel secure when you put your hand on your stomach and tap in like that. Which is very Cancer, isn’t it? And the security idea around Cancer. So let’s go into the security idea around Cancer. First of all, happy birthday, USA, 4th of July. I do say this every Cancer season, but I think the US really is such a classic Cancer with the family values, the obsession with comfort food, like it’s that food, the hospitality is incredible. Like I think you guys invented hospitality. It’s so amazing. It’s very accommodating to people when I’ve been there. Everyone’s so accommodating and want to look after, maybe that’s just me, but I think that’s the US persona, because it’s the identity, it’s the Sun in Cancer. And comfort wear, of course, all the trackies.
Cheryl: I’m wearing my old Astrology University t-shirt.
Vanessa: Oh I’d love one. And yeah the security and on the other side of that the fearfulness, like having to protect and secure as well. I did find that in the US, as opposed to say Canada just over the border. There’s a fearfulness as well, like everyone’s so friendly, Sag Rising. Actually, you have Sag Rising, as well. Well, you share a few things with the country’s identity. Yeah, there’s like a fearfulness as well as like this openness and look after everyone. It’s interesting.
Cheryl: It’s a weird mix.
Vanessa: Dichotomy there.
Cheryl: Yeah, because of course Sagittarius and Cancer are quincunx, they don’t communicate. So it’s like you see that side and then you see the other side.
Vanessa: And you’re like, how are these two things existing? And it always confused me. I think of Scotland as well. It’s very clannish. It’s meant to be a Cancer country, it’s very clannish. I think of the mother hen getting all the chiclets and putting them under her wing and just nurturing them until they can stand on their own and send them off as well as a function of Cancer. What else— what do you have to share with us about Cancer as well that you are like, you guys need to know this?
Cheryl: It’s interesting when you went to a sort of —when you said the mother duck, the mother hen—and we use that term “mother hen”, and mother, which are the people, mothers and babies and family. And I immediately— what just came to mind was, what was the fairy tale, “there was an old woman who lived in a shoe. She had so many children, she didn’t know what to do.” Yeah, there’s definitely one aspect of that. But yeah, Cancer very much is the first place that we come to, in the natural order of the zodiac, where we’re in feeling. And I believe I’ve heard a number of more psychologically oriented astrologers refer to that Cancer period kind of correlating with the age of 12. That’s a very potent time, because we have our first Jupiter return, then we have our feelings we’re getting, so we go into ourselves, and we’re feeling and we’re trying to understand what we’re feeling. And think about what we’re feeling. And it’s all about feeling, definitely the sensitive, and empathetic, and feeling others and other people. And you know how, when in that age, 12-13, around there, one is very protective of one’s friends, and one’s social connections, yes, it becomes really important, and you feel like a a stronger emotional tie to your friends in school and middle school years, great in high school, whatever, then you would tell your family, you know, you’re moving away from the family, but you’re transferring that strong connective tie to the friends. At least intellectually, they matter more, you tell yourself even though of course, the tie is so strong to the family, right? And the habits, habits are a really big part of the Cancer nature. And I have to remind myself when I’m in tune, am I acting out of habit? Or am I actually responding to the moment, and it can be difficult sometimes to remember that, for those of us who are Cancer, because the feelings are moving, they can be strong, particularly when the Moon is in Cancer. And if you don’t have a practice, or you don’t have a way to kind of connect with yourself to know what’s happening— to read yourself, that’s the word that comes to me— read yourself, right, then you don’t really know or you’re not as in tune with what’s really going on in the moment. But yeah, emotional connections are really strong. And in the positive sense, it is expressed in nurturing, the desire to help another, to nurture another. And I guess in a way, you can kind of see the description of Cancer, or the archetypal expression, of the counselor, someone who you can come to and share your difficulties, and they don’t have to be a professional counselor or professional therapist, but there’s just the sympathetic ear. And it’s funny, I always enjoy when I’m working with a client who has Cancer strong, especially when it’s Sun, Moon, Ascendant, and I say, “I’m sure you have people who come up to you, who want to just share their life story without being asked” like, “Who is this stranger?” You know, personal space, please. The person, but they’re picking up that this is a person who can understand, you get me, you understand, or even if you haven’t had this experience, you know pain, you know hurt, you know loss, you know longing. And so that gets communicated energetically.
Vanessa: And I feel like my experience with Cancer, because it’s so different to my makeup as well, is that there’s just this acceptance, it’s the water, you can just feel like you are received there’s a receptivity, you can sink in, there’s not judgment. If you’re wrong, they’re not going to— like Libra will be like, well, you know, you did do this wrong— or Aries, I would point out everything objective. Like, objectively there’s more of the subjective, like it’s okay, you can shelter under my wing. And that’s a beautiful feeling. And I suppose that’s what we expect from our parents, where we are accepted and loved anyway. Yes, I’m gonna be like, “Well, no, you did do this. And that’s wrong.” Whereas Cancer friends when I’ve said that, that know astrology, they’ve been able to say that shocked them because they’re like, “but I’m your friend, you’ve got to side with me.” And I’m like, “I am still your friend. I’m siding with you. But I’m just saying that objectively, this is the situation” because that’s how I help.
Cheryl: Well, yeah, I think when a Cancer person responds that way, it’s like, “You’re my friend, you’re supposed to nurture me no matter what, or be there for me no matter what.” Yeah. And, of course, you’re saying, you know, with your strong Sag imprint, like, “Well, truth, man.” It’s about, “We gotta keep it real.” We’ve got to speak that truth.
Vanessa: That’s it, learning moments! But yeah, I have appreciated and learned from Cancers how to do that, because I’ve felt what that’s like, and it’s a beautiful feeling. It’s very healing. It’s so nurturing. Just, you know, you can just put everything aside, accepting of the person, even if they did the wrong thing. It’s very interesting with Cancer that way.
Cheryl: Yeah. And there is this protectiveness as well, that was mentioned before, where it’s about protect me, protect me, you know, and I know with myself, I have seen myself lose all reason if I think a loved one is being attacked. And this extends to friends. And it’s almost like something that’s not even conscious control goes into action. I’m going to protect those that I love.
Vanessa: I’ve seen that from Cancer. And so that’s where I see the clannish kind of tribal thing. It’s like, you’re close, you’re closed ranks. And that’s like the shell too, but the person is inside, or you put the wings around them? And it’s like, come in here and get under my wings. Yeah. Very protective. Like, yeah, the parents, that parental thing. So what are the pitfalls of Cancer season then?
Cheryl: Well, I mean, in terms of the personality, you know, we do have a tendency to be self-involved. And we can forget. And again, that clannish protective orientation can, before you know it, you can— depending on obviously, whatever else is in the chart that would alert you— you recognize you’ve been so self involved in your own life, your own situation, your own feelings, and it’s like, you know what, what about someone else? What about the other, right? Certainly this Neptune in Pisces time, amongst the many things that it’s offering us, for the Cancer person, it’s offering the opportunity to expand the term, the application of family, to the family of man, and so that becomes a wonderful spiritual process. I think, in the negative, some of the negative expressions of Cancer is the cry baby. Being ready to lose it. The smothering mother?
Vanessa: Yes. Yes. Like I watched my Cancer cousin that I live with, she’s got everything almost in Cancer. And she has to talk herself through things. She’s built the kids up, she’s now an empty nester, and you know, they’ve moved to other states. And they’re doing great in their young years. And she’s just like, I want them to do well. I’ve built them up enough to let them go, you know, I’ve done my job. It’s that letting them go be it. Yeah, like you’ve done your work now. Yeah. Don’t smother and keep them dependent.
Cheryl: Yeah, well, that emotional tie, that emotional connection is so strong, and then on the other side of it, for those of us who are older, like with myself, I’m caring for my mother. And she was in a facility and to watch her as she declines, and the roles reverse and you become the caretaker, I won’t say mother because, you know, you’re more of a caretaker, which is, of course, a Cancer expression, right. And having to direct and guide and what have you and so, part of that is being being able to be okay. I mean, for many Cancers that can be very traumatic. I mean, to watch a parent age, and watch your parent be able to not function or not be able to do as much. And you have to step in, I mean, part— the instinct is to step in and help, but at the same time, it’s like, I’m losing mother, or I’m losing father. And so you’re dealing with both those expressions or both those needs. Yeah.
Vanessa: Yeah, that’s true. And because I think the emotional tie’s so close as well.
Cheryl: Right. Right. And that triggers a fundamental existential issue I think all of us Cancers have, which is the fear of loss, which can be expressed in either the fear of rejection or fear of abandonment. Yeah, I have met more people who have been actually physically abandoned who have a Cancer signature, and certainly those who have felt themselves abandoned even when they had both parents have a strong Cancer signature. And I know with my own journey that feeling of abandonment was very strong when I was younger.
Vanessa: The sensitivity to it. Isn’t that interesting? How you might have a sibling that felt like your parents were always there, you know, yes. Yeah. And like, I think it was interesting, when the Chiron was through Pisces, the bullying, the awareness around bullying came through, and my friend was like, I think you’re the only person I know that was never bullied. And I thought about it. And I thought, I think part of it is my perception. Like, I’m a Sagittarius, mega Sag with Moon in Aries, I wouldn’t perceive myself as being bullied. And God help the person that tried to, by the way. But I think that was part of it. And my friend has so much Scorpio, like, so much water, everything in Scorpio, and she was bullied and like everyone has, but I thought back and I thought there were a couple of times where I could have had a perception I was bullied, but I didn’t see it that way.
Cheryl: Yes, you make a good point about the perception aspect of it. Right? But I think because those of us who have Cancer— and Cancer is friendly, but very shy. Yes. Especially at certain age ranges, right. Especially when we’re younger. And I know with myself, I can go into a new situation. And I’m very different until I get the lay of the land. Once I have that, I’m like, “Okay, who’s here? What’s what, where are the exits?” Then my Sag rising can come out and play. Yeah, what have you. And that’s the thing with when you have Cancer in the Moon position, right? You have to feel safe in order to be able to allow that sensitive part of you to come forward. Now Cancer in the Sun sign is friendly, but you know, careful, careful, who am I letting in. And the first contact is like, let’s connect, let me feel you let me feel you literally energetically symbolically on some level, I must feel you. And I know that in counseling, you know, client relationships, I used to hear myself say when I was younger, and have heard others say as well, that when I meet other water signs, but especially Cancer, that I need to feel my partner. And it’s more of an energetic if I don’t feel like you’re in this with me, then I feel abandoned, and then the abandonment issue gets triggered.
Vanessa: And I think Cancer is very good at drawing out the feelings of the other person and connecting in with conversation and maybe making them something nice to eat, you know, and that’s the thing, I’m good at getting that going. And again, that’s things I’ve learned from Cancer. And this season, of course, and going forward, there’s all those planets going through Aries. So this particular season, pitfalls are going to come from that square to Aries and I think it’s interesting, I’ve got the Moon, which possibly is squaring your Moon in Cancer. So we’ve got that little setup right now. And I’m just thinking about what would make me feel comfortable when people get really sassy with me and very cheeky. I might I might sometimes feel not as comfortable if someone’s really trying to draw me out too quickly, because I don’t like vulnerability. Vulnerability. I’m not good at it. I’ve had to really focus on trying to be like that and what that even is, and yeah, it’s quite different. And when we get to the transit section, the headlines, we’ll talk about that more because I think that’s probably, for this season, a major pitfall. One thing I wanted to say about a pitfall of Cancer is the food thing, like it’s topical at the moment. It’s huge, like the eating disorders are rampant. It’s absolutely rampant. And I think it’s with Jupiter going through Aries, Chiron is already in Aries. There’s like, well, Aries is about rushing your food, Cancers gotta be like, feel relaxed and you know, have a different relationship with the food. And I think that’s just something to keep in in mind during that spotlight of the Sun going through the season, look at your relationship with food and eating and the connection with your emotions. And you know what Cheryl, you were saying with the stomach. And Cancer rules the stomach and the breasts for food and nurturing, let’s go back to that, that’s such a great anchor point and way of just, you know, “I feel safe, I feel secure,” with your hand on your belly and just let things go. That was gonna be my motto for the season.
Cheryl: You know, the tendency to stress eat. I was thinking back, in preparation for our time together, to when I was younger, I used to chew gum a lot, all the time had some gum in my mouth. And it wasn’t until I studied astrology and recognized, you know, what is that about? It’s about the nurture, the suckling that the baby does on the mother’s breasts. And when you’re putting things in your mouth, chewing gum, smoking cigarettes, of course, you know, there’s other factors involved. But certainly that sense of having something that you’re sucking on, it’s so primal.
Vanessa: Very oral, like Taurus is similar, too, like oral fixation.
Cheryl: Correct. Yeah. And so once I started studying astrology, I was able to kind of let that go, and not just unconsciously constantly having to have something in the mouth. And so these are just ways that we give ourselves a sense of safety, yes, behaviors that we do, that we’re not even consciously aware of, at times.
Vanessa: And when you are, you can start to shift those things. You know, in our case—what were you going to say, sorry—
Cheryl: I was gonna say that even externally in the world right now, with the war. I mean, there’s starting to be a lot of news about the impact that this war is going to have on our food production. So for those, for everyone, but Cancers in particular, you know, I mean, you go to the store, and the prices are insane, food shopping is gonna become dramatic. I mean, I don’t mean to be cartoonish about it. But, you know.
Vanessa: Butit’s a reality that we need to face. And it’s better to be ahead of the curve than confronted too late. I agree. And that’s important for any country, but I think the US is so focused on food, it is so focused on security and safety. I’ve been saying for ages, plant a garden, grow your own food, at least you’ll have food security that makes you feel safe, that can make you feel safe and secure. So if you can, yeah, that’s a good idea.
So that brings us to what should we do in Cancer season. Things to do in Cancer season?
Cheryl: Well, for me, given the fact that Cancer starts at the summer solstice, it’s just all about fun and sun and being in nature, feeling the warmth, you know, being at the beach, being in water, not having to wear such heavy clothes and still just feeling warm. Comfortable. Yeah. And one of the things I particularly like to do is when I’m at the beach, I like to watch the crabs as they go in and out.
Vanessa: They’re so cute, aren’t they?I lived at the beach and yeah.
Cheryl: And I’m like, yeah, I kind of do that. Yeah, go into my my hole and hibernate, you know, when things are a little bit scary or whatever and however, whatever that looks like, you know, a lot of ways but yeah, it’s about being out in nature. And being with family and being with friends and entertaining more I think yeah, it’s something that’s fun to do and really enjoy the summer.
Vanessa: Yeah, and share food, be with your friends and maybe host, maybe not like Leo season, hosting more like— make everyone feel comfortable and more casual, less formal grilling and barbecues. Like groups share food, like a big part of pasture, or yeah, BBQ is where everyone just gets in and it makes you feel close. Like it’s the breaking of bread and makes you feel close. And again with that security, especially in these times. You know, I think that’s really important. That’s probably—
Cheryl: You’re right, because there’s that bond with someone that you sit and you eat with, you’re opening yourself up in a way. And I know with myself, I don’t know what it is, but you know, I guess it’s maybe the habitual aspect of Cancer, that we do like what is familiar. And for me summer means certain foods— watermelon, corn on the cob, grilling, yeah.
Vanessa: Yeah, so do that. Have the comfort foods, share them with other people. And what a great way to be able to share what’s meaningful to you. I wrote down to look back at your photo albums, if anyone has them these days and have a trip down memory lane. And let people know that you care, like hug a Cancer today.
Cheryl: I like that— hug a Cancer today. That’s right.
Vanessa: So classic signs. Let’s go to the classic signs section. And Cheryl has a fantastic classic sign for us this month. Take it away.
Cheryl: Yes, Jose Andreas is the chef and the founder of World Central Kitchen. It’s funny, I had seen images of him and what have you. But it wasn’t until I knew I was going to be doing the podcast with you. Suddenly, I thought, Who should I? Who should I use? Sort of asking the universe and he just popped right in. And when I went to look at his birthday was like, wow, he is a Sun, Moon Cancer, Sun, Mercury, Moon Cancer. He’s got Mercury and Moon, very closely conjunct. I don’t have his time of birth. So I’m just looking at his planet placements. But I happened to see him, he was recently on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert with Ron Howard, where they were discussing a documentary that Ron has done on him and World Central Kitchen and just watching how he came out, how there was this sort of, like, he was coming towards Stephen to say hello. And then he quickly pivoted, and then he went over to the band to say hello to them. And the movement. And I’m watching all of this before I actually ran his chart. And I’m like, “he’s got Mercury sitting right on that Moon. It’s perfect.” It really gave that expression. And he also has it in square to Chiron in Aries. So that also that constant, you know, quick changes. Yes. Yeah. And I’ve listened to Ron talk about how he really had to convince Jose to do this documentary. And Jose was sitting there saying, “it’s not about me, it’s not about me, it’s about the food. It’s about the kitchen. It’s about the people.” And he talked and Ron Howard talked about how they were setting up to film and Jose was busy directing and moving people about, and he was like, “you know, Jose, we’re gonna do the shot.” And Jose is like, “you know what, put the camera down, we need help unloading.” And I was like, “That totally fits with that aspect.” Like, sure. Yeah. And having those influences of Mercury there, Chiron there. And also, what is particularly notable about him is that there’s such a signature for service and for helping, naturally I mentioned, you know, Cancer as the counselor, as the nurturer, right. But then we have Pluto conjunct South Node and Jupiter in Virgo. And that would orient him towards helping others, okay, very important. And with that Pluto sitting on that South Node, from an evolutionary astrology perspective, there is some sort of imprint of having been in a time where life was devastating, life was unfathomable what was happening. War, conflict. And so with the North Node in Pisces, I see that aspect in what he is doing in his mission, that he has a mission. I’m sure he had a mission before, which was to feed people good food, to touch the soul, you know, through food, and express his creativity, his love. But with this particular effort, this nonprofit, it is a way for him to be of service without looking for anything in return. Because it’s a one way transaction if he’s giving, he’s giving of his skill, he’s giving of his ability. He’s giving of his love and his creativity to help sustain others in a time of tremendous pain and sorrow and suffering. I mean, Pisces North Node. And when I just ran the aspects to look at what was in place that kind of sparked him to create World Central Kitchen, it was around the Haiti earthquake. And when I look at the aspects in relation to his chart, oh my god. He has, firstly, he has natively Uranus at zero degrees Libra, the Aries point. And according to some astrologers, when you have an important planet at zero degrees of a cardinal sign, you will come to the world’s attention. So he has that, right? Tightly conjunct Jupiter at 29 Virgo. So that urge to serve. It’s sitting right in there with that. And when the Haiti earthquake occurred, Uranus was transiting his North Node. I mean, there you go. Right there. There was like a wake up moment. Yeah, and he said, he just took a credit card and just started buying what he needed in order to start making food for people in Haiti. It was like really basic, rudimentary, but he was called to action. And with that Mercury-Moon square to Chiron, right, and he has Neptune conjunct Mars in Sag. His Neptune’s in later degrees of Scorpio, and Mars is in Sagittarius. So Mars is trine to Chiron. So that creativity, that maverick aspect of Chiron in Aries to take action to do it, don’t think about it. Combined with that Mars in Sagittarius, which is, “I’m going for it. I’m doing it in a big way. I’m going on faith.” Because he took his credit card, his personal card and paid, right? He didn’t have a structure set up. He didn’t have the whole thing ready to go. He just went spur of the moment.
Vanessa: And it was international as well, with that Mars in Sag, interestingly.
Cheryl: Precisely, precisely, yes. With Uranus on that North Node and the Mars in Sag, it was to help the person who was foreign to me, who was different than me. And also the aspects. Mercury was conjoining Pluto, transiting at the time and opposing the Moon and Mercury in his chart. So there is another indicator right there. That idea to build something that helps people in these circumstances.
Vanessa: Yeah, so there’s something ready to go, he says. I think the documentary would be a great watch over Cancer season to really tune into that because it’s on such a high level that he’s done this and it’s so inspirational. Just looking him up because I hadn’t heard of him when you mentioned him, he’s just really inspirational. His face, like you can tell from his face. He’s a good person. He’s got that softness. He’s big and soft, as well. Very big, cuddly bear, Cancer kind of body and shape. Yeah, I think it’s like seeing someone really fulfill their potential with that sign in there. Like it’s so super classic.
Cheryl: Yeah, you really see the chart in his presentation. Yeah. And what was also— one last point— is that at that same time, the transiting nodes are sitting right on his Sun. Not only was the transiting Uranus conjuncting his North Node, but the transiting South Node was at 21 Cancer and his Sun is at 20 Cancer.
Vanessa: Isn’t that interesting? Destiny calls. Yes. Well, I have done a classic Cancer and an astrologer actually— she was Donna Cunningham, who wrote The Moon in Your Life and she wrote two books.
Cheryl: Oh, are you kidding me? I love Donna Cunningham.
Vanessa: Ah, well I bought a lot of my astrology books so many years ago and I just still have them so I had a little look through it and oh my gosh, it’s so good. So it’s also my book recommendation for later but I will just go to my classic sign and see what I’ve written. She’s got a Sun-Jupiter conjunction in Cancer, so uber Cancer, and the picture in the back of the book is hilarious, she’s got a classic Cancer look, she’s got like these big glasses on and she also has that big, cuddly parental nurturer look as well. And she has Moon in Aries square the Sun, so she kind of embodies this season as well. Just happens to have. My quote from her is from her other Moon book. She says, “It’s essential to learn to recognize, respect, and meet your own needs. But if you don’t take care of them, you wind up feeling needy and unfulfilled. As the sense of deprivation builds up, you may find yourself struggling with your weight.” So there’s that food, that emotional neediness, that can be the shadow side of the little child of Cancer, you know, the inner child— sort the hungry little one with the big eyes. Yes. So that was interesting. And yeah, when we get to the book section, highly recommend— you know, I just love people representing their sign. And I just think a very good astrologer that’s written about the Moon, all things Cancer, like it’s so in depth, it’s a good read, very good insight.
So we’re gonna go to our monthly Moon section segments, and we’ve got the New Moon at 7 Cancer, it’s on June 28, it’s Eastern time, at 10:52pm. It’s going to be square Jupiter, which is also at 7. So it’s a tight square. I was thinking, “So here’s that theme again, it’s coming up with the squares from Aries.” So with Jupiter, overdoing it, over-eating, risk versus safety was a big—just trying to boil down the themes. Risk with Aries, taking risks, and just doing it with Cancer, needing to keep some sort of security around things and have a sensitivity around it. So really finding that balance at that time. So just note that. What do you think about the New Moon, Cheryl?
Cheryl: Well, I agree with everything you’re saying. And I could also see how this could be a time where one could easily be set off, as well. And that deeper issues or deeper pain or fears or whatever, that haven’t been dealt with, or have been suppressed, could be triggered by a situation outside of the self or whatever. The reaction, with Jupiter in Aries, being sudden, quick. And before you know it, you’re off to the races and emotional response. You know, that’s definitely one aspect. And a positive expression of it could be feeling sympathy for something that causes you to act in a way that’s very altruistic— Jupiter in Aries. Altruistic, giving, and big hearted, you know, and big of spirit, you know, and to someone who is suffering and certainly to people, let’s say people who are welcoming people who are suffering from having to leave their homes, having to find safety elsewhere who are coming out and saying, I’ll do it. I’ll help you. You know, there’s that aspect of it, too.
Vanessa: Yeah. And we’ve started seeing that as well, like, a friend in Berlin was saying that about people coming through from the Ukraine, that there were just people saying, “We’ll take you, we’ll take you.”
Cheryl: Yeah. And I just saw that the actor Benedict Cumberbatch opened up his home to Ukrainian families in England. So that’s a good expression of that right there.
Vanessa: And we’ve got for the Full Moon again, that Chiron— this time it’s Chiron in Aries, it’s going to make a T-square. So you’ve got that Aries even stronger because then you’ve got the pain because it’s the Chiron and I think just looking at— occasionally I come across some— like I don’t go on Twitter much because it’s just too…. mean.
Cheryl: It’s difficult! Yeah. I made my account private.
Vanessa: Yeah, I just don’t use it much. But I like Instagram but now Instagram is getting a bit dicey as well. But some accounts, I keep on there just as a reality check, because I wouldn’t believe people would be like they’re being and it’s important to have that reality check rather than just be in a bubble all the time. So I’m thinking that it’s very easy to be pinged by the Aries aggressiveness. You know, and it’s really important to have some strategies to deal with that so that that response doesn’t just go— blah! Like, don’t get pulled into it, don’t be dominated by that. But I think that with these squares coming through, we’re gonna get plenty of opportunities to have the reactionary, reactionary’s a real word for Cancer, I think, with the pitfall it can be very emotionally reactive. It’s Cardinal and it does have that protective quality. And it’s a tough square with Aries and especially with the Chiron, so it could highlight, it could highlight pain points, and that’s a positive so at least you’re more aware of it. But just, you know, forewarned, is forearmed. So that Full Moon is July 13 2:37pm, obviously Full Moon in Capricorn opposite Sun in Cancer at 21 degrees. Cancer-Capricorn. With the T-square, at the apex is Chiron, which can be painful, it’s definitely an intense one. Again, I think around what you were already saying with that feeling of the food, abandonment, needs not met, just the sensitivity, as well. You can’t just look at that Full Moon without seeing that T-square in there for me. But it is trine Uranus, so I was thinking unforeseen or new solutions, an event that mixes it up could quite easily come in. And the square might just force change, hopefully.
Cheryl: Yeah. Yeah, I think that’s all good points. And what struck me was that really, from the New Moon to the Full, we have that Cancer-Aries signature that carries forward. And if we think of the New Moon as seeding a new cycle of experience on the emotional level, that Jupiter at the New Moon is in 7 Aries, so it’s at the first quarter square to Jupiter. And so there is an opportunity to care. We all have an opportunity to care and to have a different kind of expression and caring, whether it’s for another, for ourself or a situation. And then when we go to the Full Moon, everything you said totally right on. We can also factor in the fact that the Moon conjoins Pluto. So in the Full Moon, the fullest light that is expressed at that point in time of the Moon cycle, there is an opportunity to feel some aspect of Pluto trauma that has not been allowed before because it’s so painful. And then we have Neptune sextile to the Moon-Pluto conjunction which supports the letting go. Just let it go, let it all go.
Vanessa: Yeah, and the transcending of Neptune, as well. It definitely had trauma signatures, you know, trauma has such a spotlight. So yeah, the antidote is that Neptune in Pisces?
Cheryl: Yeah. And I think that, you know, it also represents how in very, very difficult times, there can be a light, there can still be a light, a lightness even in the most horrific, horrendous scenarios. I think of seeing something on the news, this was back in the early days of the war, where Russian troops not having food and seeing Ukrainian mothers giving them food because they had no supplies. That’s that Neptune sextile, that would be an expression of it.
Vanessa: Isn’t it crazy? There’s like at the same time, I’m just looking at the chart now, there’s a mystic rectangle that’s drawing in the nodes and there is a grand trine as well, so yeah Neptune’s trine the Sun as well sextiling Pluto and then yeah, that mystic rectangle is taking in the nodes as well. What do you say about the nodes in that mix of that full moon as an evolutionary astrologer?
Cheryl: One thing, having Uranus— which Uranus is going to be on that north node for quite a number of weeks, I think I noted here from the beginning of July through mid August— so, Uranus there definitely represents you know, some extreme situation. From the south node viewpoint, Scorpio South Node, some extreme situation that you simply cannot get to, you cannot, you are prevented. And in the sign of Taurus, I would think that that could represent just normalcy. Normalcy, routine, basic human rights and law and feeling and needs and just— you can’t get to it because that Scorpio south node is trauma and difficulty and darkness, darkness that you don’t even have to have been in war. We all have some aspect within us that is darkness on a feeling memory level, because that’s what the south node represents. But the south node is also trine to that Sun-Mercury Cancer and sextile the moon. So even within one’s own memory imprint, that could be triggered, but still having the capacity to communicate, caring to communicate, taking action on the benefit of others and helping others in some way and being nurtured by others in one’s own pain because the ruler, Pluto, is sitting next to the Moon. So we have all of this Scorpio Moon-Pluto in Scorpio engagement and Cancer engagement.
Vanessa: I feel like you’ve got a choice because it’s such an extreme chart, you’ve got the T square, you’ve got these placements, and then you’ve got these really great beneficial ones at the same time, you’ve got a choice, which way will you go?
Cheryl: How will you use the energy?
Vanessa: How will you use that energy, just remain conscious, again, forewarned if something triggers you again, it could just be something online, we can be exposed to so much now. It’s your choice which way to go, if you start going down one way, and then you become conscious of it, you can flip track, it’s okay. It just shows you something in yourself that perhaps you’ve come up against the wall of it, you know, it’s there now. And you don’t have to continue down that way. Don’t be drawn in, don’t be manipulated, the Pluto and the Scorpio, don’t be controlled. Like who’s who’s running the show here? Especially online things you can be really drawn into it. Like I saw something just yesterday that I stumbled across. And I just thought if someone was trying to take someone else down, they were a really easy shot. But I thought it backfired. And I personally thought it made the person she was trying to take down, I just thought, “This person is really thoughtful. I wish more people were like this person!” And it was coming from a very old fashioned, sort of judgmental place where it’s like a dinosaur that’s not relevant anymore. And they’ve just highlighted this person that is super sweet. And I hope more people are like this. So you can go either way, you know?
Cheryl: Yeah, and that expresses the chart, really, I mean, the time that we’re in with the Scorpio Taurus nodes, right. And because the nature of Taurus is to be friendly, to be kind, to be open, to connect, to be gracious, right? To be generous of spirit, generous of heart, of course, we have the lower expression of Taurus, which is to be stingy and frugal, and all that sort of thing. But there’s also a generosity of spirit and willing to share. And with the Scorpio South Node, the complexities of humanity get in the way. And yet, even within that, there’s an opportunity to be able to find oneself and to remember that we might be triggered, but it’s not really about us, it’s about the reflection. So what can I do with the reflection that’s coming at me? And you just do the best you can.
Vanessa: Yeah, exactly. When you remember to, when you become conscious of it, whenever that is, that’s okay. No judgment.
So they are definitely part of the headline signatures. So let’s move into the headline signatures on the back of that, because that is an interesting Cancer season. So you had one coming in quite early that you wanted to look at, which was?
Cheryl: Right, there is the Mars square Pluto, which is happening at the end of June, right? Well, actually, even before we go to that, if we look at the Cancer ingress chart, which is happening in between the full moon and the new moon, we’ve got this Saturn square to Venus, and squaring the nodes. And so I was mentioning to you earlier how I had seen that in one of Steven Forrest’s latest newsletters, he sort of made reference to the fact that we are slipping back into sort of Capricorn time, that was just what I can remember as my take on it. And when I looked at the Cancer ingress chart, the summer solstice chart, and I saw Saturn in Aquarius square to the nodes and Venus, like, wow, right there. It’s that whole sense of deprivation of extremism that we’re seeing in terms of the continued dominance of the authoritarian kind of vibration, as well as, you had talked earlier about how it seems in some ways, we’re kind of going back into the old sort of patriarchal, binary, black and white, control dominance.
Vanessa: Definitely clashing up with the new wave, yeah.
Cheryl: And Venus in Taurus is not about that. Venus is about gentle, refined fun, and one of the things I thought is like, I know with myself, I recently went to a program and it was like, “I need more fun.” So once a month I’ve got to do something that is fun. It doesn’t have to be a lot of money, just something that’s fun, but just reconnect with that right? Yeah
Vanessa: That’s your Sag Rising!
Cheryl: Right, and just have fun and let loose and what have, you know? Eat good food, drink good wine.
Vanessa: The simple things, right? Like we just want peace, at the end of the day Venus needs to dominate and Venus needs to win, you need peace to digest properly and just have a good life.
Cheryl: Yes, and Venus, especially in Taurus, brings in that desire to feel a sense of satisfaction again, to feel satisfied with life, satisfied with Self, like carving out a space where some satisfaction with my reality can live in spite of everything else that’s going on. And it’s a moment to moment challenge and you just do the best that you can. But we also have in this Cancer ingress chart here, of course, the Sun at zero Cancer square again to the Moon-Jupiter conjunction in Aries. So once again, that Cancer-Aries signature throughout the month.
Vanessa: Yeah, you’re gonna have to rush your meals. It’ll be a challenge more so to not get stressed and get fired up and see all the aggression that’s around or the violence. Yeah, there’s a lot of aggression. There’s a lot of people prodding each other and you know, just wanna chill out.
Cheryl: I noticed even with myself I try to just read the headlines. At this point I’m just looking at the videos of the news. In most cases, I’m not even listening to the video. I’m just looking at the title of it. Okay, I know what that videos is talking about. Just constantly feeling like you said, poked, like somebody’s prodding you, like here’s another, here’s another.
Vanessa: We’re not designed for that much exposure. We’re just not. And even like with my Moon in Aries, I’ve got that Chiron on there, I’ve had the Chiron return, it’s still in orb. And even for me it’s too much so I feel like I’ve flipped into that more maybe Cancerian waterway or maybe I’m going into that Neptune in Pisces, but this has pushed me past any desire for a dust up or anything. I’m just like, You know what, we just need to soften and accept everyone and see the beauty in people, see what they offer, like this person that had a whole podcast done about them, dissing them, I’m just like, This person is so beautiful. It’s pushed me away from the pitfalls of Aries and maybe that’s part of what this is about, that we all get pushed so far to the edge. We’re like, you know what? I am so over this and we’re just going to kind of hug everyone and Neptune is going to win.
Cheryl: Well, you know what’s interesting, what just popped into my mind is so we’ve got the new moon with the new moon squaring Jupiter in Aries. And then we have Chiron in Aries squaring the full moon, and Cancer-Capricorn. And then we have in the Cancer ingress chart, of course the Cancer Sun at zero degrees squaring to Jupiter and Moon and it just hit me it’s like the Johnny Depp, Amber Heard. And you know, I’ve always been a fan of his work, but I’ve always thought him a little off putting for me, maybe it’s my Cancer Moon feeling he’s a little too, I don’t know, abrasive? Not in his voice or how he talks because he has a very gentle kind of delivery. Right? But just some of the images I’ve seen of him It seems like he’s gone overboard with self harm and excess and things like that. So that is what I found a little bit off putting but then this trial, I’ve done my best not to really get sucked into it. I was listening a little bit to Russell Brand doing some commentary on it, which I thought was quite insightful, but it just typifies this Cancer-Aries because of course, Aries traditionally is masculine or yang. We can think of it as yang and then we can have Cancer as yin and here we have these two people, and in some ways to me, he’s expressing the Cancerian aspect and she’s expressing the yang aspect. Signatures all over.
Vanessa: Dumpster fire. Cancer season, yet? Dumpster fire.
Cheryl: And yet, how can you not feel some sympathy or compassion? At one point, I remember listening to Russell Brand a little bit andI thought, Okay, I gotta turn this, because I feel like she’s kind of nuts. And yet at the same time, I know these two people did not come together, unless there’s some resonance on some level.
Vanessa: And we don’t know the whole story, we just never, ever, ever will. And it’s just compassion.
Cheryl: And you don’t know what to believe. Because we’re not there. We didn’t witness these acts. We have to take their word for it. The Neptune piece.
Vanessa: Yeah, go to the Neptune because it’s really in the square. And yeah, that’s it. Look at the headlines. There’s going to be things on the world stage that play out under this. Absolutely. And if you notice yourself projecting these things into them or receiving them like it being mirrored, just remember that and don’t play into it with your energy. Just see it as it’s the mirror. Don’t go to the Neptune. Yeah, in one’s own life as well. Bring it back to that.
I’m gonna go through some of the ingresses for the month. So of course, the Sun enters Cancer June 21. Venus enters Gemini June 22. So we get that things start to move up, move, quicken the pace, and curiosity as well. And curiosity can certainly be a saving grace a lot of the time. So I think that’s going to be really helpful. June 28, Neptune Retrogrades. Then we’ve got that new moon in cancer June 28, as well. Mars goes into Taurus July 5, and also July 5, Mercury enters Cancer. So yeah, Mars in Taurus helpful slowing down, slowing down, stabilizing, stabilizing actions, practical actions, as well, which I think could be useful, like maybe not wasting time getting involved in random internet wormholes and actually doing something. It was constructive, right. And maybe get out into nature. Do some gardening on that garden?
Cheryl: Yeah, you make a very good point. This is a time to for us to be putting our physical bodies on Mother Earth, letting her hold us.
Vanessa: And just re-centers you, doesn’t it? Remind you of what’s important and what’s real, and it brings you out of your head back into your body. It really puts things into perspective. Then there’s Mercury in cancer, which can be subjective. It can be reactive, it can understand things on that emotional level as well. So just remember that it’s subjective.
Vanessa: July 13 is that full moon in Cancer, Lucky 13. July 17 then Venus enters Cancer. So that’s coming towards the end of the season, but it’s still a nice entry point for how do you relate? Again through the food and just hug and share and let’s just share how you’re feeling at the moment, like in the moment.
Cheryl: And also caring for others, but also for your home, your things. What around the house needs a little attention, what needs a little love in the home?
Vanessa: That’s a good point. And yeah, putting some Venusian energy.
Cheryl: Freshening up, sprucing up a little bit.
Vanessa: Cleaning the pots and pans and just getting everything nice. I was thinking recently about how we’re all related. We can all trace our lineage back to that one person that they call the original Eve, not in a religious context. But that DNA tracing, it’s the big picture pulling us all back to where we’re all one family. You were mentioning this earlier, like look at the family in the larger context. And yeah, wisdom as a way to stop othering and stop the division, we are all from the same mother.
Cheryl: If you think about it, I mean, in my view or how I try to see it, as all sparks of source, then we are all expressions of source energy of the creative prime, the prime creative, right? In different forms. So, what we do to one form we do to ourselves.
Vanessa: Yes. And that’s leading into the Neptune big time. Yeah.
Cheryl: Yeah, exactly, exactly. Which is what the piece that I think Neptune is trying to bring in to those of us who are Cancer, because remember, Cancer is a very personal energy, it’s about my feelings, my family, my connections, my home. And when that gets threatened, all bets are off. And so being able to look at Neptune, let’s widen that viewfinder around what family is. It doesn’t mean that it has to be a personal family, but it means we belong to the family of man. For instance, in the Ukrainian conflict, I cannot tell you how devastated I have been walking around in tears, and asking myself— I remember when Syria happened, the devastation I felt with the people fleeing or what have you, but something about this Ukrainian thing is just taking it over the edge. You know, and yet, people are being gunned down every day in this country. The Israelis just shot a journalist in the face who was covering the Palestinian-Israeli clashes in the West Bank. I mean, talk about your Jupiter Moon in Aries Cancer. I mean, there’s that manifestation of the signature. Aries is the face, Jupiter is the news, the international news in an international place, a woman was shot and killed. I find myself not feeling anger. I mean, I’m angry at the Russian served shelters, but at the same time, I’m also compassionate because of how many of them are being treated and had been put into this situation. And so to be able to see on both sides, so to speak. And nothing is black and white. They’re all shades of gray and to just make space for and I think that’s what the Scorpio south node is really bringing us to or bringing to our awareness. Everything is shades of grey. There’s no true villain. There’s no true hero. The hero can do villainous acts for reasons that may or may not be valid. And the villain can do wonderful acts that you would not expect.
Vanessa: And if you’re not taking sides, no one can be the hero or the villain because it depends what side you’re on to have that split. You get rid of the sides, which is Neptune in Pisces. It’s much more helpful, like that merging.
Cheryl: Yeah, exactly. That’s a very, very good point.
Vanessa: And then yes, one’s own country. The US is so full on.
Cheryl: Oh, my God. Imagine living here. You just listening to— let me tell you.
Vanessa: It’s intense from Australia, just from Australia. I can feel the intensity. I’m very sensitive. But yeah, if I tune in, it’s quite overwhelming.
Cheryl: I remember in 2004, my husband had a business at that time that was in Helsinki. So I would go back and forth to see him. And I was so happy to get away from the election that was going to happen that November between George Bush and Al Gore. And I felt like I was escaping. I was escaping the madness. Of course, I had no idea what will be waiting for me. You know, how many years later. Anyway, I’m walking on a beautiful, beautiful Indian summer day in Helsinki, where it was warm and balmy, which is fairly rare. And just picture perfect day, and I’m crossing a street and I look across the street, and I don’t remember— I don’t know what they call this, sort of a revolving advertisements—and there was a picture of George Bush and Al Gore with a website in Finnish.
Vanessa: You can’t escape!
Cheryl: So yeah, yeah. The proverbial train wreck.
Vanessa: You guys will get there.
Cheryl: Back to the aspects.
Vanessa: Mercury enters Leo July 19. So it’s moving pretty quick. So is Venus. Chiron goes into retrograde July 19. So that’s going to back up from 16 Aries, so anyone with Cardinal planets around 16 you’re going to get reversed over and get another chance to address those issues. And then Sun enters Leo, but I didn’t put the dates.
Cheryl: That is Leo the 22nd according to my ephemeris here. Yeah. And when it enters Leo, let’s say we have it will, Mercury will be at seven of Leo. No, sorry, seven Cancer that day. So no aspect there. I’m looking at the ephemeris. Just running through it. We will have a conjunction of let’s see. Taurus. Nope, nope, nope, nope. yet? No, they’ll take a few days before there’s an aspect there. So for next
Vanessa: So for nextseason, so let’s look at a few of the aspects quickly and then we’ll move on to the next section. As Cheryl was pointing out, it’s mostly really faster moving aspects we’ve got from the Sun and Mercury and Venus. And the longest lasting one is that Uranus conjuncting the North Node, which, in Taurus, you’ve already met? Did you have some more to talk about on that one?
Cheryl: I would just say anyone who has planets around that 17-18 degrees to 20 degrees area, the North Node Uranus conjunction suggests that the time has come to really break out, in some way, of a pattern, a limitation or restriction. So that a sense of true self or true authenticity can be expressed. And then of course, in the sign of Taurus, I would say that really has to do with you getting back to yourself in some way, your own expression, your own feeling, to free yourself in some regard so that you can just be true to your own inclinations. Your own sense of value and beauty. And it’s okay to feel like you know what? I don’t belong to this. I’m not connected to what I was connected to. I need a new connection. Yeah, I need something different to feed me.
Vanessa: I’m hearing break those bad habits. Like you liberate and find some new bad habits.
Cheryl: Make some new good habits.
Vanessa: Yeah, that looks very promising, actually. And be open to the unexpected, be open to join things in new ways is a way forward. Yeah. Try some new foods. Yeah.
Cheryl: And it looks likereally into August 1 is when the aspect becomes aligned at the same degree. But that whole period is just a great opportunity. If you have any planets in the fixed signs in the middle degrees, I think it’s an opportunity to let off some steam, to open up to some more of a sense of freedom within.
Vanessa: Well, that’s my Ascendant, so that’s going to be fun month. I’m looking forward to it. I’ll be in Greece. Doing something new, tasting new food, right? Yes. Funnily enough traveling with my moon in Aries with someone with the moon in Cancer.
Cheryl: Isn’t that interesting?
Vanessa: Isn’t that interesting? I’ve already noted that, we need to watch this because we’re going to live out some square situation during this. Both have Chiron conjunct our natal moons. I’ll report back on that. But yeah, so doing things differently and breaking out of habits. I really liked that. That’s a great take on that because I was wondering about it. So you pointed out the Mars square Pluto fairly early on on July 1-27.
Cheryl: So powerful drives, you know, gotta watch the tendency to dominate. And I mean, there might be some scenarios where there’s a necessity to do so. Right? There’s no black and white, there’s no right or wrong. It’s a question of what does the moment require? The moment requires action to either advance or defend. You got to do it. You got to step up to the plate and do it. And yet, the same energy could be to steamroll over others. Because the aspect is in Cardinal signs it can very much be about just not taking others into consideration as you just go for it. But at the same time, if you have denied self, if you have not listened to self, not done what you need to do for you, this could maybe be the push that is needed, right? Yeah, do you, because it’s necessary for your evolutionary journey right now.
Vanessa: And Mars in Aries is in a sign that’s powerful. Yes, so leading to that.
Cheryl: Yes, these are very powerful energies. And so one has to try to come to it consciously. The sexual energy could be really high. Great, direct it consciously, it’s about personal transformation. Sometimes, one has to come close to death in order to feel alive. This is that type of aspect.
Vanessa: Just don’t go over theedge! It could be, to me, Mars, Pluto, those squares can be abusive or dominating. So just watch that if someone’s coming at you with that. Or if that energy is triggered in you, redirect it, or use it to get out of a situation perhaps, to assert your will or your boundary or your power. Pluto is about power as well. So power issues, where are you with the balance, the will to power as Richard Tarnas says, the will to power.
Cheryl: Yes, the will to power through and also the will to power through a block or a stagnating scenario that you have had difficulty breaking free of. Because remember, that Mars in Aries is going to be in the first quarter position from that Pluto. And so maybe something you’ve been sitting with for forever, maybe it’s time to make a decision. Yeah, I’m doing it, and do it.
Vanessa: Don’t be in the fear of the Pluto, of moving through.
Cheryl: Yeah. And also, you know, Mars at its highest. And certainly, Capricorn energy is all about strategic thinking. You know, this is like the proverbial chessboard, what’s the right move to make, what’s the ramifications if I make it. Not to a paralyzing degree, but just to think through, and not just act on impulse.
Vanessa: But that Mars in Aries wants to act on impulse. And that’s the square isn’t it?
Cheryl: Right, and the Pluto in Capricorn, it’s like there’s a higher way to go.
Vanessa: The ultimate strategist. And do it in secret. Mars in Aries is just like all guns blazing on the show. Pluto in Capricorn is like the back door behind the back door, the back room behind the back room?
Cheryl: That’sexactly right. That image of the people, the guys in the back room, the back room to the back room that are really running the show.
Vanessa: Yes. So let us know how that goes.
Cheryl: And you know, this is also a time of personal transformation too.
Vanessa: Yeah, with the Cancer as well coming in you get that T-square thing happening.
Cheryl: So of course then, what is the open area? It’s the sign of Libra. Air. Think. Balance.
Vanessa: Balance, harmony.
Cheryl: What is your capacity to maintain balance and harmony? I always think of Libra as not being in harmony but what is your capacity to reset to harmony? How good are you being able to reset? And with these energies that is going to get tested— all of us.
Vanessa: And the air signs I always think they help you by stepping out of a situation that’s subjective into thinking about the other person, thinking about the other people, getting out of yourself, your own drama.
Cheryl: They can detach and not get caught up in the Cancer emotion, right? Or the Capricorn ambition and determination to get mine, or the Aries spirit.
Vanessa: Theall about me. Yeah, you can take yourself out of there and just let down a lot of the tension.
Cheryl: Absolutely.
Vanessa: Also a good way to get that energy out is just being physical like go for a run, go to the gym take on a physical challenge. You could really meet your own power, test your limits kind of thing in a way that you won’t break yourself. Like rock climbing for me would be scary. But you know, you feel so amazing and it’s such a growth opportunity when you do things like that and achieve. You get through it, that could be a great use of that energy at that time just to let the steam out.
Cheryl: Mm hmm. Absolutely, absolutely.
Vanessa: We’ve actually got seven trines or sextiles—there’s seven really positive aspects. I think it’s the sextiles. There’s lots. So we’ve got lots of squares, and then we’ve got lots of these great flowing aspects. There’s relief. So let’s look at a nice one. Well, I shouldn’t give it a judgement but an easy flow. You mentioned we’ve got Venus trine Saturn when we were talking off camera, I always see Saturn as establishing so Venus is in Gemini trine Saturn in Aquarius. There’s attachment, there’s the formalizing of relationships with the Saturn or establishing of relationships. What else do you think about that one?
Cheryl: Well, I think first of all, given the heaviness of the Cancer, the Aries and the Capricorn it’s a blessed relief in the sense that it just gives an opportunity to do something that’s a little lighter, you know, to do something that is idea driven, a concept that one can just begin to really work to bring into some structural form, in some way to really just get engaged with ideas, and it just has to stay at that level and enjoy that. But social, social.
Vanessa: Very social, I think of organizing something for your crew. You know, that’s fun and novel, particularly novel with Venus in Gemini loves novelty. If it’s new and fresh. Great. Let’s try it.
Cheryl: Exactly. And Venus in Gemini trine to Saturn in Aquarius, do something that’s completely out of the ordinary, go out of the ordinary. Do something strange, weird, different that you’ve always kind of been curious about but never thought to do it or didn’t have time? Yeah, this is the time. Check it out.
Vanessa: And novelty helps you grow your brain so it’s good for that too.
Cheryl: Yes. Playing a game— games of strategy. Right.
Vanessa: Exactly. And we’ve got the Sun, speaking of the Sun, July 17, Sun at 25 Cancer is trine Neptune at 25 Pisces, again, leaning into the watery ways. And just identifying the Sun in that larger global context or just larger than self it can help lift you up.
Cheryl: Yeah. And also, there’s the opposite of that too, of taking the big and the numinous and bringing it down to bite size, to the personal, what can I connect to? Yeah. How can I connect to this big idea in a way that I can manage?
Vanessa: Exactly, yeah, that’s a really good point, that’s very practical. That’s where you hug a Cancer or someone that needs to feel that love perhaps you could really be a beautiful channel for that and share that together.
Key takeaways. We’ve already covered this but it’s just a bit of a round up, so key takeaway for me comes back to dealing with the squares, those squares for this month. Really balanced that bold action with security and safety, the personal individual needs with that emotional. Yeah, your emotional needs, like don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater and risk your security but don’t also risk your ability to act because you’re fearful.
Cheryl: Yeah, yeah. And I would say that the takeaway is to work with Neptune. Neptune can be a relief. It can be your relief, your release, it can be your warm, cuddly, you know, like, Gaia. Gaia and the universal mother, yin, all kinds of feminine representations of Mother Mary, just work with that with whatever is going on. Just know that your heavenly mother or whatever terminologies you want to use. And the yin expression is the way to help see us through.
Vanessa: I agree. So, do you have a monthly mantra for us?
Cheryl: Hmm, do I have a monthly mantra? I was going to say, “Do you.” Yes, you do you, but in a self care. Self care is the main thing I think, but self care in an active, conscious way. Just constantly being there for yourself, I think we have to be there for ourselves in this timeframe. Summer is going to be a pretty intense time, economically in global affairs, all manner of things and it’s going to feel like we already feel like it’s unmoored, but the sense of unmooring is going to be even more so. So again, that Neptune Pisces bit like I just said, but just recognizing with whatever’s going on the self care is the mantra.
Vanessa: Yes, we haven’t mentioned self care. That’s very Cancer, self care and the moon. Good point.
Cheryl: There’s a subtle difference between self care and self involvement. Because, you know, I know with myself the urge to just put the covers over my head and say, “Ughhh!” Right, that’s like reactionary. Yes. And fearful. And self care is conscious action initiating and doing it from intent, being intentional.
Vanessa: Just watching your inner homeostasis. Just like navigating back to keeping that calm, and you have to act too when you feel like it’s a bit out of alignment. I do need to calm down and put my hand on my belly basically. Yeah, and just bring them out and bring your consciousness there. Yeah. Yeah. So I wrote something along similar lines in terms of, “I easily feel emotionally shored up, safe and secure.” And I find when you do things like that, put your hand on your belly, put your consciousness to that point, and say, “I am secure or I feel secure. I feel safe.” Like acknowledge the feelings. Like you’re saying, you can also be like, “You know what? It’s okay.” Like being the mother to yourself.
Cheryl: As you were talking,I thought to myself, “and putting your hand on your heart.” Because, you know, at least from the evolutionary astrological perspective, the high expression of the Moon is the hearts true feelings, you know, feeling heart feelings, heart space, what does my heart desire? That phrase that’s Moon talking at the higher level. So what does your heart desire, get to the heart, and everything you just shared with the hand on the heart? Definitely can tune you into that.
Vanessa: Yeah. Ask your heart. So what’s on your coffee table? What are you reading?
Cheryl: I just finished a book called, ironically, called Death in the ICU, written by a physician, who after many years of practice, and seeing people have near death experiences, wrote a book that is amazing. And it’s it was just so insightful and interesting. I mean, I know a fair amount about the topic anyway, and especially for the work I do. But it was the one story that she shared that really jumped out at me was how a woman who had had a near death experience came back transformed, but her son was unable to hear what happened to her. He rejected it, he dismissed it. And it caused her to go into a shell and to go into a state of depression. And he came to the author to ask the author, can you tell her that this is—he was worried that she was losing her mind, right? Because this is such a foreign thing to him. And the doctor explained to him, Okay, I understand how you see it, can you accept the fact that it has meaning to her? Can you accept the fact that she is in some way changed because of this? And it took a lot of effort to keep repeating that to him. But at some point, he heard it in the exchange. And he begrudgingly said, Okay, I guess he could see the logic of it. He said, it doesn’t have to mean anything to you, but it means something to her. And can you accept that, that was what she was asking. And to me, that really spoke to the fact firstly, of care, and in a different way, right? Physician, you know, this was a mother, this was a son, this was a family matter, he was worried for his mom, but yet, he was able eventually to say, I could live with that. If she is happy, if she feels renewed in some way. I don’t have to understand it, I can accept it. And something about that just really resonates with me, especially as we’ve been talking about these aspects and what we’re going to be going through in this timeframe, to kind of step out of how I see it to be able to connect with you, somebody who I’ve known my whole life and how we put people into boxes about how they are and what they’re going to be like that way. So that’s one book that I’m just finishing up. And I’m also reading the series from the Wheel of Time. That was a fantasy series on Netflix that totally captured me.
Vanessa: That wasquite metaphysical as well, I just— full disclosure, can I say about your Sun situation? In your chart? So Cheryl’s Sun is conjunct Pluto in the eighth house, and that may make more sense about what you’re reading. Both books actually, very much so.
Cheryl: Yes, yes. And my Sagittarius Rising. So what are we talking about? We’re talking about women who can channel the One Power. But men, when they channel the One Power, it can destroy them. And so, you know, there is in that particular dynamic, or what have you, a need to make sure that those who have that capacity are doing so with the highest understanding of how to work with the energy. Of course it’s a fantasy novel, Neptune. It’s my escape. So yeah, I finished Death in the ICU, and now I’m back to my wheel of time.
Vanessa: I love it. I was thinking about the first book too, with the son and his mother and makes me think of that saying, “how much do you want to be right? How much do you need to be right?” Because a: you’re probably not right. So why are you forcing it and disrupting, and I feel like that gets us back to the square. So leaning into the Cancer and the Neptune.
Cheryl: Exactly. Yeah. And of course, it’s a Neptune representation, too, because we’re talking about death and transformation. Right. So Pluto signature and Neptune signature, you know, Lazarus rising from the dead, you can think of it.
Vanessa: Yeah, I like it. Also Cheryl mentioned, she always has a moon book on her table. And I have got a moon book today, which I mentioned that for my classic sign Donna Cunningham, although what’s your book?
Cheryl: This is Steven Forrest, The Book of the Moon: Discovering Astrology’s Lost Dimension. And this book had particular meaning. I mean, besides the fact that it’s Steven, who wrote it, but a lot of what he wrote about reflected a lot of the teaching I got from my first teacher around the moon that I had not really heard many astrologers talking about. So when he touched on many of those points in the book, it was especially significant for me and I mean I’m always referring to it always.
Vanessa: That’s interesting. Steven Forrest’s The Book of the Moon. Mine is The Moon in Your Life: Being a Lunar Type in a Solar World. It’s so good. It covers so much stuff. So I’ll read out the blurb: “the energy of the moon is linked to emotions, security issues and our relationships to food, women, our mothers. Its influence on us changes every day. With humor and compassion, Donna explains how astrology can be used to understand and relieve the stresses created by the vast changes in our modern life, particularly those that affect areas governed by the moon. The updated expanded edition contains material on menopause and aging and includes basic information about using flower essences to help readers work with moon aspects. Delving into modern science, scientific, medical and psychological research as well as into folklore, Ms. Cunningham uncovers startling proof of the validity of ancient astrological Moon definitions. Insights are easily understood and provide invaluable information for students of astrology.” And I’ll just say the titles are fantastic. It just looks so thorough, anyone with strong moon or particularly Cancer placements, you’ll get so much out of this. She just covers so many different thing, she does go through the Moon signs, she has astro drama in there with your Moon. She’s got one called, “Menstruation’s personal friends. The munchies and the Moon.” She does go into the Moon and weight, eating disorders. She just covers so much. It is an older book, so I mean, there is that gender binary in there. So you’ll just—
Cheryl: Have to look past that.
Vanessa: Look past a little bit also just kind of replace things, I suppose. Don’t be hesitant to buy it. Yeah.
Cheryl: Don’t reject the book because of that because there’s a lot of good knowledge in there. Absolutely.
Vanessa: I really recommend this book actually. So there’s two really good Moon books. And she has that third Moon book too, which I haven’t seen, but I assume it’s probably pretty good.
Cheryl: Yeah, she was important for me in the beginning of my astrology journey. I must have at least four or five of her books.
Vanessa: Yeah, she’s got quite a few. So worth looking into.
So our final segment is what we’ve got coming up, I’m going to go into Astrology University’s events, and then what you’re doing and then me. So we’ll start with Astrology University of course, you can go to astrology.university.com and the Events page lists everything out. They have the Kurios: Lord of the Nativity with the amazing Demetria George, that’s on August 13. And also, I don’t know if this one’s under events, but go to the four year program, it opens on July 15. And you can register for nine courses for the price of eight so you can get a bundle registration. Of course, I’m going to highly recommend studying systematically and doing a course, this is amazing. You get all the best teachers. It’s amazing. Cheryl has webinars on there, too. You’re in there. Yeah. So check that out. So July 15, go through, they’ll recommend a lot of reading as well with all of their— what would you call them? Like segments?
Cheryl: Yes, segments. Yeah. You can think of them as modules, I think.
Vanessa: Modules,that’s the word. Yeah, modules. And then there’ll be more events on the events’ page. We’re recording this quite early so that I can go overseas. I’m vanishing. There’ll be more in the events page. So just go and check out what’s coming up closer to the time as well. Cheryl, what have you got coming up? You do readings?
Cheryl: Well, I have client sessions in my work as the program manager at the Monroe Institute that takes up a good portion of my time. And of course, we talked about caring for family and caring for my mom. So, my astrology has kind of taken a little bit of a backseat, but I’m still there for clients that need it. So, yeah.
Vanessa: Excellent. And you can be found at www.astrologyempowers.com.
Cheryl: Correct. Absolutely. Or you can email me at [email protected].
Vanessa: Excellent. And I’m doing the usual which is, well—I’ll be traveling so you’ll just have to check my website astroallstarz.com, that’s where my scheduling page is. But I hope to keep a couple of days open for readings or maybe one. And of course my books, Star Power and Cosmic Power have a look at those very humorous and empowering, very modern astrology. And the third one is now delayed because distribution, but that will be out it’s looking like January in the US and November in the UK at this point, but that may change. So we’re just staying forever mutable and rolling with the changes.
Cheryl: That’s good advice in general.
Vanessa: Thank you Cheryl, for coming on and sharing your perspectives and it was really nice to meet you as well for the first time.
Cheryl: Thank you for having me and it was wonderful getting to know you and connecting our Sag energies.
Vanessa: I know. Thank you and every old Cancers, happy birthday, and everyone else have a wonderful Cancer season and bye for now. Stay cosmic.
