Said one oyster to a neighbouring oyster, “I have a great pain within me, it is heavy and round and I am in distress.”

And the other oyster replied with haughty complacence, “Praise be to the heavens and to the sea, I have no pain within me.

I am well and whole, both within and without.”

At that moment, a crab was passing by and heard the two oysters

and he said to the one who was well and whole, both within and without,

 ”Yes, you are well and whole, but the pain that your neighbour bears is a pearl of exceeding beauty“

Y

Ah…and is this not so?  I have always loved this little story.  It inspires and reassures me!  By overcoming irritation, hardship and stress, the pearl comes into being…lustrous and perfectly formed emerging from its deep and secret place, simply revealing its luminous light to the world.   Is this not a  most perfect metaphor for our own lives?  We are all exquisite pearls in the shaping and making and we all carry our very own grain of sand, our’ story’, buried in the deep and fragrant recesses of our hearts and it is here, and only here, that we get to cultivate our awareness, usually through immense sadness, resistance and suffering, shaping our interior world so that the light spills out of us, radiating the truth of who we really are, filtering through our work, our friendships and most loving relationships…..  from the inside out.

And this New Moon in Cancer is a little like the pearl buried deep within the oyster shell.  Tough and seemingly impenetrable from the outside, the little crab has a soft, tender interior – extraordinarily sensitive and beautiful.  Cancerians avoid confrontation of any kind and will always side-step an issue (….if you’ve ever watched crabs scuttling sideways along the shoreline, you will know this).  They love their home, indeed, they carry it with them wherever they go and it’s a rare Cancerian who welcomes change!  They are fiercely protective of those they love and find it almost impossible to reveal their complex emotions and let you know how they really feel.

And yet, this is the gift of the Cancer New Moon.  At 6:25 am our time Thursday morning 19th July, the new moon (or dark moon, as it is also known) offers her unique light and message to the world.  The beginning of a new cycle, the veils thin and we are given a second chance!  An old dream, a new passion – we are given a pearl of great price!  How to reform an old habit, initiate a new path and really ‘feel’ what we’re feeling.    Sometimes we live muffled lives – we see out, but allow nobody in.    This new moon allows us to sink into our deepest, most irrational and intimate feelings and to have the courage to be true to ourselves, at last, knowing we are safe and we are not alone –  another pearl of great price.  It’s about recognising where our security lies and the safety we derive from whatever it is we call home, allowing ourselves to offer support to others and to accept that support for ourselves.   It’s about breaking out of our shell, improving our domestic lives and stepping outside the safety of our ‘crossed arms’,  embracing new options wherever we feel called to.   You will know where this is.

The breakthrough always comes when the centre of our lives begins to shift and with a few exceptions – and I know some, it is rarely before the age of 35!  There is a tipping point, a culmination of so many things and we find we simply cannot move forward without being in total integrity, congruent inwardly and outwardly.  Pretty tough, but this Cancer new moon holds us as we take those first steps.  I had a direct experience of this a few days ago.   I had the awareness and even though there could have been an easier way, I would have been totally out of integrity.

Mercury retrograde in Leo ‘til the 14^th August allows for introspection, offering us time and space to look within and address where our loyalties lie with regards to how it is we honour our true needs and value our worth. Where do you say ‘yes’, when your spirit is screaming silently to say ‘no’?  It’s a time for self-reflection and addressing all issues regarding honesty, loyalty and integrity and how the lack thereof impacts our self-worth and expectations of ourselves and others.  Jupiter in Gemini is beautifully aspected to Mercury and Venus and so whatever we find we’re looking into over the next 3 weeks takes us to the heart of things and we’ll find we’re able to communicate more openly and honestly without blowing everything out of proportion. So often we have exaggerated expectations and expect others to behave like us!

The planets will continue to challenge us though, as they gradually grow stronger and move closer into exact alignments.  As major transits approach, you will  begin to feel the effects days, perhaps even months before.  Remember to breathe –  care for yourselves and be gentle.  Yoga,  body work of any kind is hugely beneficial!

So precious ones, let Integrity be our aligning Angel for the remaining month of July.   Everywhere I look, it is the word that comes to mind and repeated most often.  There’s no time for excuses.  We’re at the mid-point of the year and we’re being given our second chance!  What truly matters to you?    How will you wish, I wonder?

With love and love and more love…..

Phillippa