Mercury Retrograde in Cancer ((Jun 25 - July 20))

Well if you needed an excuse for anything even things totally unrelated to Mercury,  here you go.  Next to that dang "supermoon" this is the most famous and generally misunderstood of all astrological cycles. Yes, it can be frustrating, maddening even but there are positive elements as well. No astrological cycle is inherently "bad". Unless you say so.

The next few days will be full of reversals, errors, delays and malfunctions but also reunions, recovery and revision of works or relationships that have been put on the back burner or neglected for a while. Because Mercury will be in Cancer, a water sign,  decisions may tend to be emotional rather than purely intellectual, empathy with others may be strong and fealings with family members especially mothers will be common for many.  Cancer is a sign concerned with emotional needs and feelings of security for some this will be their own feelings and for others they will be dealing with the feelings and emotional sensitivity of others. For some this will be a release of feelings through verbal expression which will be satisfying and for others it will be awkward, frustrating or embarrassing. Cancer can be sweet and compassionate but it can also be crabby, moody and irratable.  All depends on your natal chart and how it might be aspected at this time. Accept the slowdown and reversals and take time to reflect.

check out my previous blog on Mercury retrograde 101 which will set some things straight for this time period.

"A retrograde planet will effect you MOST when it is slowing down to the point where it appears to stop in the sky before going reverse or before switching forward again. Speed is more important than direction but forwards is still "better" than backwards only because it's going to stop and retrace it's steps.  As always, a planet stationing to go forwards or reverse will be making an aspect to one of your personal planets or points for it to be noticeable." more @ Mercury Retrograde & Direct 101


Mercury goes stationary retrograde at 23° Cancer just a few degrees shy from Venus. Mercury stays at this degree until the 28th and will begin to move back. From now till the 28th the weirdness of Mercury, as well as some it's charming capriciousness, will be strongest at this time. After that it will mellow out in general until it goes direct again and there will be another period of about a week where things will be buggin' people out.


July 9th Mercury will pass by the Sun at 17° Cancer. For those with Planets at 17° Aries, Libra or Capricorn could experience stress and frustration about miscommunication or delays. be careful about other people's feelings and try not to let your mouth inadvertanly burn any bridges.  Others with 17° of water signs might find it more pleasing but use caution when making agreements as the conditions may change. For some this might be a time when friends, lovers and family members come back for a visit after a period of absence. You might be surprised at just who shows up. I meet old friends I've not seen in some time during almost every Mercury retro period.

Mercury will go stationary Direct on Jul 20 and begin slowly moving forward over the next week as it gathers speed and gets to the process of retracing it's steps. Be especially carefully now as the stationary direct motion can be as wackadoodle as stationary retrograde. Again, it's the speed that's the sign of the times.

Caution will be thrown out the window for many of us as Mercury will be in an abrasive square aspect  to electric and unpredictable Uranus. That this aspect happens as Mercury stations to go direct notches up the fuck-up level to catastrofuck. While a FEW will love the crazymaking Mercury-Uranus square most will find it jarring at best. If ever there was a time to use caution with machinery, driving or expressing anger -this is it.

Underscoring the impulsivity of the stationary direct period: Mars and Jupiter conjunct during the stationary direct period, a time when we urgently desire to just the show on the freaking road already. While there will be the strong motivation of Fiery and impatient mars with fiery and enthusiastic Jupiter, the combination can lend to periods of accidents or emotional outbursts when we finally really lose our patience. Remember that, if you can.  Alas, you probably won't.

Jupiter In Cancer ♃ ♋ June 2013 - July 2014

Jupiter, planet signifying growth, abundance and hope (among other things) is ending it's year long transit through Gemini where it is in it's detriment and entering into Cancer where it is especially well placed or "exalted". This is excellent news for everyone especially those with planets in the sign of Cancer who will feel the grace of Jupiter in a very personal way for the first time in 12 years. It's passage through this sign has got a lot of people anticipating a time of positivity and there is even a facebook group devoted to this particluar cycle: Can't wait for Jupiter in Cancer group. Very much in line with Jupiter's hope and faith in things.

For the past year the promises of Jupiter has been a lot of Talk and not a lot of Action. As mentioned in the previous article on Jupiter in Gemini,  Jupiter was in it's "detriment"during it's year long course through the sign of the twins which debilitated, weakened state when a planet is residing in the sign opposite the sign they rule signifying that they are "away from home" or out of their element. In Gemini when Jupiter is doing it's best it isn't that great and when it's doing it's worst, it's especially problematic.

Jupiter
Jupiter is growth and in ancient times when crops were good it growth meant wealth and if we were lucky enough to be born into position of power growth meant a happy and prosperous kingdom which meant more power for the king. So in  away Jupiter is also wealth, prosperity, joy and the faith that things will prosper and increase. It's important to remember the theme of faith and hope with Jupiter.

Often people are disappointed when Jupiter transits occur as their hopes are high that something totally amazing will happen. Yet often the transit represents the hope and Faith that something great will happen rather than the thing itself. Hope and faith are important qualities but without hard work, discipline and sobriety (read: Saturn ♄)  then our hopes will just be bubbles in the air. Formed easily and popped just as quick.

Jupiter is inflation and excess. When our hopes are too high we take risks we wouldn't normally take, spend money we don't really have or make promises we can't actually keep. So the condition of Jupiter and the kinds of aspects it's making to your birth chart signify where we might be going overboard and where we might be in a time of opportunity for expansion, joy and feelings of optimism. Jupiter in the signs of it's rulership: Sagittarius and Pisces, are powerful but they can bring both the best and worst from the sign. When Jupiter is in cancer, however, it is exalted meaning "highly placed" and it's effects are balanced and tempered. Not too much and not too little.

Cancer ♋
Cancer's glyph depicts a woman's breasts or the breasts of the goddess, rather. The breasts and the mother figure represent the caring, nurturing and protecting of the child much like a careful and tender cancernian Crab is protected by it's shell. The sign Cancer is ruled by the Moon and the Moon represents change as it is constantly moving and always changing shape. Not just erratic sudden change (that's Uranus) but steady, continuous change. Since the moon  "grows and shrinks" it represents growth, just like Jupiter.

So, Since Jupiter represents hope and expansion it grows and expands steadily and carefully while in Cancer. The faith and hope is tempered with caution and a kind of tenacity that Cancer is famous for. Tenacity, by the way, means "getting a grip" on a thing as in a crab gripping something with it's claws. It might be a bit clumsy at first  but once it's got a grip on something it is hard for someone else to break it loose. 

Cancer is also the sign of the home and family. This can be metaphorical in the sense of where we are comfortable or who we feel as familiar but it can also literally mean where you live, your family, epseically  mother and children. Venus represents cash and gifts but Jupiter represents wealth in the sense of goods, property, businesses and things that generate revenue. So when Jupiter was in Gemini the wealth was seen to be coming in through abstracts, promises to pay, ideas, intellectual property. But with Jupiter in Cancer the wealth is "in the home". The cupboards and pantry are full, money is in a shoebox under the bed, the home is filled with goods and nice, durable things.

...At least this is how it plays out on a symbolic level -it's not that everyone is just going to turn into homesteaders with gold and silver doubloons and storehouses filled with organic, non-GMO grains and vegetables. But I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't see a big shift in our collective values over the next year as we already are. I think we will see critical mass in the collective's perception about true wealth.

When Jupiter aspects your birth chart the benefits could be from family or reasonable, long term investments. For people with Capricorn rising Jupiter will be transiting your 7th house of Partnerships and the people who you partner up with may feel like family or be especially nurturing and caring for you, for those with Jupiter in the 4th house your home life will be especially pleasant and you might move to a larger home or you could benefit from your family. Sometimes this will be benefit in the sense of wealth but other times it will be in the sense of wellbeing and optimism for the future which comes from the family.

Where is it effecting meeEee!?!?

Where Jupiter transits in your chart will reveal what kind of benefits might be in store for you.  Generally speaking Jupiter in a particular house is where things will be easier, more opportunities will come, faith will be enhanced and growth can occur. Whenever life is hard you can lean on Jupiter to enjoy yourself a bit more.

 For this you will need to look to your RISING sign.  If you don't know your rising sign you can calculate it here: href ="http://www.cafeastrology.com/ascendantcalculator.html">Cafe Astrology: Rising sign calculator. As always, this is an exceedingly brief look at what is going on for
each rising sign and does not take into account a variety of factors that signify other evens in your life that can mitigate, exaggerate and modify these themes. (Email me to set up a consultation to get the real inside scoop on the astrological activity in your life at accomplice @ pantheonastrology.com)



Remember, It's most strongly felt when it aspects planets or points in your birth chart. Those most strongly effected with have Cardinal rising sign: Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn but in particular Cancer rising. Those with Sun and moon in Cancer will also be strongly effected at some point in the next year. Jupiter takes 12 years to transit the zodiac so it it's touching your sun or moon then make the most of it because it won't be happening again soon.

Aries:  4th House : Home &; family, houses, rentals, renovations and relocating,  roommates and all who live in the home.

Taurus:  3rd house: The Mind, writing and communications, siblings and neighbors, errands and movement within your local area, plans, media.

Gemini: 2nd House: Self worth, money, wealth and finances, personal assets and values.

Cancer: 1st House:   Identity, self-assertion, selfishness, personal demands, the Face and outer appearance. 
 
Leo:  12th House: Hidden issues, self-undoing, secret or private issues, retreat, cooperation, hospitalization, retirement, completing old issues, subconscious drives and issues which harm our conscious will. 

Virgo:  11th House: Groups, friends and Acquaintances, networks, cliques, Hopes, dreams, gains, personal and shared goals.

Libra: 10th House Career, profession, position in society, public standing, reputation, authority figures, bosses, fathers, awards, responsibilities, desire for achievement.

Scorpio:  9th House: Travel, education, philosophy, teachers, foreigners, legal issues, courthouses, broadcasting and publishing. 
 
Sagittarius: 8th House: intimacy, sexuality, psychological and occult matters, shared resources, inheritance, credit, loans, personal power of regeneration. 

Capricorn:  7th House: marriage, partnership, close friends, rivals, open enemies and all important one-on-one interactions.
 
Aquarius:  6th House: health & illness of physical body, work, service, routines, habits, co-workers, hired workers and staff.

Pisces:  5th House: Love affairs, dating, games, fun, play fullness, entertainment and entertaining, performance arts, creativity, pregnancy and children.