This article was previously published in 2018.
Welcome to the New Moon of Cancer. We arrive at the time when we begin to house the energy of the entire year. Cancer is the beginning of the final three months of the Kabbalistic Calendar. The energy we have created over the last nine months starts to settle, landing into the palm of our hands. Like the beauty and grace of the monarch butterfly, she floats into our palms, if we are open and ready to receive her.
"We welcome this time and welcome these months for what they are."
The month of Cancer is ruled by the celestial body of the moon. Unlike the other celestial bodies that divide their energy among two other constellations, the moon concentrates all of its celestial energies on the constellation of Cancer only. This is our first indication of this month’s unique power. We know that the Hebrew alphabet is deliberate and the letters of each word reveal the inner intelligence and potential of that word. In Hebrew, the word for Cancer is Tammuz. The final two letters that compose the word Tammuz areVav and Zayin, which created the previous months of Taurus and Gemini, respectively. The secret hinted at here is that the month of Cancer is the vessel of the previous two months, and even the prior seven months. Like a plate, the bounty of the year rests on the month of Cancer, waiting to be enjoyed like a succulent meal. And for those of you who have any Cancerians in your life, you know well that food is one of their favorite subjects. But, I speak here mostly about our spiritual meal. This month offers us a bounty of positive energy that we have earned in the months prior. We perhaps understand now why the full force of the moon bestows upon us all of its influence. However, if we want the graceful butterfly to land in our hand, we cannot reach for it with a closed fist. Our secret in order to partake of the rewards available this month is an open hand. An open hand frees us to give to others, and to grab hold of other hands in need. Then, our bounty and beauty can land exactly where they belong.
Because of its unique amount of power, the month of Cancer is known as one of three “negative” months in our year. The word negative must not be thought of in a traditional sense. There is no judgment of the negative pole of a lightbulb. In fact, without a negative pole, there can be no light at all. So too, without these months, we cannot hope to manifest the Light we have earned in the previoius nine months. We welcome this time and welcome these months for what they are: Great opportunities to receive more and to be able to become more of who we authentically are. For every day and month is a gift from the Creator. It is in this month in history, on the 17th day of Cancer, that Moses descended from the mountain and gave us the gift of the Torah. Moses brought to the world immortality and complete freedom from chaos – this is the massive and exciting energy available now. But what was the rest of the story? What happened after Moses descended the mountain? The negative pole of the lightbulb was not yet established and fortified to handle the energy. The people were receiving with closed fists. They could not receive what was being given. But each year, we are afforded with the chance to correct history and embrace the good with our open hands and hearts. In this way, the month of Cancer can be a period of receiving the totality of the past year, and with it, all the blessings of health, prosperity, happiness, true love, and the unification with Divinity. If we are only willing to open our hands a small bit, not be afraid to share what we have, and let go just a little, our blessings will float right to us.
"This is the massive and exciting energy available now."
Cancerians are highly intuitive and highly sensitive. They are the vessels of the year and embody the characteristics of their ruling celestial body, the moon. They take it all in, so to speak, and because of this, they are keen observers of every movement or gesture, tirelessly looking for hints of change or trouble in their surroundings. This sensitivity to themselves and the world around them can create the need for refuge. Cancerians are often homebodies as a remedy for the endless input of feelings they receive on a daily basis. The home for the Cancerian is the way they are able to survive their seemingly endless open-door policy to the world. As a result, the Cancerian believes he has no choice but to stop the flow of energy and create a disconnect to it. This brings us to this month’s mascot, the crab. The standout characteristic of the crab is that it walks to the side. Walking to the side is not flowing, but it is a “stop and start” method of travel. This deliberate slowing down of the process is often times the Cancerian’s only way to cope with the onslaught of energy that it deals with, not just for 30 days of the year, but every day of its life. However, shutting ourselves off to energy is not a long-term solution. It is during this month, that the need to give to our fellow man, showing him love and human dignity, becomes perhaps more essential than in any other month. Creating that space to house this energy is of great importance if we wish to make this month a time of blessings and positivity, as opposed to anything at all connected to the opposite potential of the month of Cancer.
May we all be willing to open our minds, hearts, and hands. May we all, using the sensitivity ingrained in this month, finally make the effort to truly care for our neighbors and the people we encounter each and every day. The sensitivity of this month is not meant to be a trap causing us to draw back into our shells, but rather the solution provided to us from the Creator to better understand the needs and desires of others. In this way, we can become the necessary channels to emanate Light to those around us, and to the entire world.
I wish for you, dear reader, and every soul on earth, all the joy that I know this month can bring. May the joy of that rare moment in life, when a graceful butterfly finds its way into your hands, be yours.
