This New Moon in nurturing Cancer (exact at 10:30 pm June 23^rd in NYC, 5:30 am June 24th in Estonia) opens a door to a tender terrain, inviting us HOME to ourselves.  This year’s jagged journey has not been easy for some of us… the path ahead may still seem too steep, inflicting a soul-sapping weariness upon our shoulders.  This New Moon invites us into a safe space to refresh our soul and restore our strength… at its best, this caring Cancer Moon is like a warm hug melting our armor into dewdrops and tears.  If we allow these waters to flow, we’ll be gently carried along to a deeper source of sustenance – the fierce courage of our heart.  It’s the courage of a mother protecting her child, and each one of us, male or female, carries seeds of this primal power.  Surrendering to tenderness, we water these precious seeds.

Mercury, the divine messenger teams up with this Moon, offering a rare chance to express and share our feelings.  Language of the heart is sorely neglected in our education – I remember practicing all manner of mental gymnastics at school, but missing even the most basic introduction and initiation into emotional intelligence.  This gap has caused many a bruising stumble on my path…uggh:)  Like a caring mother, this Moon can hold our hands as we take a tender step or two, fumbling our way through a declaration of love… a plea for support…or a sharing of our deepest hopes or sorrows.  It still may feel awkward and strange… hang in there, breathe!:)  The surge of relief from getting something “off our chest” can grow into jubilant joy of genuine connection.

It happened to me last night, as I was conducting my “Dark of the Moon” ritual – a fire to burn and release a myriad of memories in the form of postcards and papers.  In my native Estonia, we have a tradition of “Disappearing Thursday” (Kaduneljapäev): on the Thursday before the New Moon, all manner of magic and healing can happen if you’re willing to let go, to clear out, to purge and cleanse, inside & out. There are spells for getting rid of all kinds of pests & pestilences.  I love to use FIRE as my ally for releasing.  As I was burning up an old sketch from an exercise on MASKs (what mask I wear, what am I hiding behind it…), my dear friend and “witchy sister” Cortney snapped a picture of the drawing dissolving into ashes.  I had not planned to share this ceremony…it was my private inner world, why would it be of interest to anyone, I assumed…but, this picture was just  too spooky-cool, so couldn’t help posting it on Facebook, along with a bit of writing to explain its meaning.  And, to my great surprise, this dash of unplanned openness resonated deeply with some of my dearest friends, eliciting several soulful conversations and even a request for a shamanic healing ceremony (yes, I create personal ceremonies for peeps too, in addition to astro-readings…just saying:).  So, I encourage you to be a bit more daring in sharing what’s on your heart… this tender Moon will help you find the words that help and heal.  And, if words fail, a warm hug might be the best medicine of all!

A New Moon Spell to create a safe space for soulful sharing:

• Protego Totalum! – a protective charm from the wonderful world of Hogwarts and Harry Potter, used a create an invisible shield of protection around an area or dwelling for an extended period of time.  Use it to create your own version of a safe a haven, a sanctuary for soulful connection and yummy “solo time” – this Cancer Moon favors intimacy of all kinds, so take some tender time for yourself too, no guilt, no excuses!  This spell will ensure your bubble bath or a nap won’t get interrupted…you’ll be in a cozy cocoon, invisible to others’ distractions & demands…mmm… how sweet!