New Moon in Cancer
My mom and I have a joke that she is “Baby Sun” and I am “Baby Moon.” Typing that, I realize that it sounds bizarre (maybe even a little sick? Haha), but with her Sun in Cancer and my Moon in the same sign, there’s a lot of nurturing being given and received when we’re together. There’s also a lot of baby-like attachment.
Today is a New Moon in Cancer, which is bringing out all the feelings of clinging and hanging on. There is a neediness that goes along with Cancer, and so it’s important to differentiate between having needs and being “needy.” Being needy means that we put pressure on others to fulfill our needs especially if we haven’t even tried to do that for ourselves. Being needy is often accompanied by blame when needs aren’t met, and there is definitely a sense that the person asking for help is grasping onto whatever attention they can get like that attention is a lifeline. Neediness if often associated with an anxious attachment style, which makes the person feel that if someone else doesn’t fulfill their needs, it means they are unloved, unimportant, unworthy - all the “un’s”.
One worthwhile thing to look into during this New Moon is where you outsource your own self-care. Do you have the expectation that if you’re upset, someone else should make you feel better? Where do you want to be taken care of (ie have someone else take care of what you don’t want to do) that is similar to how a 5 year old would want their mother to take care of them? In what area of your life can you learn to be a little more self-sufficient?
I want to make it clear, however, that I am not saying we shouldn’t ask for support. The question is, how can we turn towards ourselves first? The key is in the opposite side of the Cancer coin, which is the exceptional ability to be nurturing to ourselves and others. Cancer is ruled by the Moon, which is the planet of the Mother. Most people who have strong Cancer in their charts care a great deal about nurturing others, but may not be so adept at nurturing themselves. Something to consider if you are someone for whom that strikes a chord is: If you had the best mother in the whole wide world, how would you want her to take care of you? If you can answer that question, you have the ability to give whatever that answer is to yourself.
In Yoga, the Universe was born out of a golden egg called Harinyagarbha, sometimes referred to as the Universal Womb. In this sense, we are always held within the womb of the Divine Mother - we are always being cradled, we are always being nurtured, we are always being protected.
A little prayer for this New Moon…
I am most held when I hold myself
I am most supported when I support myself
I feel most loved when I love myself
May I be safe
May I be happy
May I be healthy
May I be free
Interested in how this plays out for you?
