Today’s Gibbous Moon is in late Cancer, her own sign, where she is especially caring. Feelings are strong and present. Yet at the end of Cancer, we realize there’s not enough.
What does this mean?
We live in a finite world. Everything, everywhere, all at once is not a thing. Limits exist.
That statement is often used to “explain” why good things, necessary things, don’t happen. “There’s just not enough for everyone,” we’re told. “Sacrifices need to be made.”
I love the passive voice in that sentence. Who needs to make sacrifices? For what?
This is the challenge. The Gibbous phase, the last before a Full Moon, is always a challenge. A last check before we reach that fully-lit enlightenment. Are we ready? What else do we need to learn?
This Moon has passed her conjunction with Jupiter, exalted in her own sign. Jupiter is abundance, and also excess. Benevolent, welcoming, and generous. Also expansive.
In these times of dire news, generous hearts can feel frightened. There is so much to take in, respond to, stay on top of. Dark forces feel vast and powerful. Can we make a real difference?
This Gibbous Moon might show us where we feel exhausted. And invites us to ask why––not judgmentally, but realistically. Are we drained from following too much news? Maybe we do more, scroll less. Maybe we need a break.
The Moon squares Chiron and Eris, asteroids who point to personal wounding (Chiron) and the great needs of the world (Eris). We can feel (Cancer is all about feeling) we are not enough. The world needs, deserves, so much. How can we make a difference?
This Moon trines Venus and Mercury in Pisces. Mercury just stationed retrograde. Here the feeling nature of the Moon in Cancer meets the vast depths of Piscean space. We are not alone. There is more to life than today, or this year, or even this lifetime. We have more than we think.
Notice how Mercury, newly retrograde, moves back to meet Venus again. Venus is exalted in Pisces, bringing her creative energy to shift fear into hope, exhaustion into possibility.
What intrigues me about this Mercury Rx is how, having reached the end of Pisces, ready to start anew in Aries, Merc said, wait. I want to go back a bit. What more does Pisces have to offer?
Mercury will meet the Sun again, the cazimi, the illumination. And the North Node, the place of what we want, what we’re hungry for.
My code name for this Mercury Rx is, Remember the Dream. Before we follow Saturn and Neptune into a brave new world, dive into Pisces one more time. Into connection, possibility, and presence.
Mercury is not at their best in Pisces (I’ve already experienced wonky internet connections). And Mercury is mind––how we perceive, process, communicate. Let’s take this chance to remember what we long for, and why.
It’s not as if we’ll forget the world. The Mars–Uranus square remains in force. Quick anger, shocking violence, and deep consequences: The impact of Mars–Uranus speed in the fixed signs of Taurus and Aquarius.
There isn’t enough for any one of us to mend the world alone. That’s the poignant reminder of this Gibbous Moon. That doesn’t mean we do nothing. It means we need community (another Cancerian value). We need care.
Take this Gibbous Moon time to feel your emotions. What do you want? What do you need? What can you give? Taking time for this is not selfish. It’s realistic.
We won’t stay in this place long, so, explore its gifts. As the Moon moves into Leo, she will trine Saturn and Neptune in Aries. She’ll ask, boldly, what can we do here?
Yet, limits and letting go are important themes for the soon-to-arrive Full Moon Eclipse in Virgo, a South Node eclipse. We’ll be asked what we need to give up, so we can move ahead.
We are, each of us, enough. And no one can do it all alone. Facing limits is not failure. Connect with your deepest feelings to guide you.
Title image from photo by Ricardo Díaz on Unsplash
