Earlier this week, this video of over 100-year old footage of Ainu people in Japan kept coming up in my YouTube feed of suggested videos to watch:

The sign of Cancer invokes family, our roots, parents-particularly the mother, memory, emotions, history, traditions, nuturing, stewardship and protection. Great energy for revisiting our human family and reflecting on the tree of life. I felt a pull to see what is happening in the Astrocartography of this full moon and the map did not disappoint! 

Simply put, Astrocartography (ACG) is a an astrological technique that projects the shadows of the planets over a map of the world. These shadows are interpreted as different-colored lines that criss-cross the map. Just like a birth chart, the creation of the map is based on a geographical location and a specific time. 

For the astrocartography, I used the location of what we know as the Cradle of Humankind, an area called Gladysdale, just 50 kilometres northwest of Johannesburg, South Africa. The time I used is the same timezone of where I am in Athens, Greece. Interestingly enough,  the Cradle of Humankind shares the same timezone with the Navel of the Earth in Delphi, Greece. My jaw dropped upon realizing this, while also thinking, ‘of course they’re on the same axis!’  The ancient concept of Axis Mundi, or world axis has many different cultural interpretations around the world. The ancient Greeks considered Delphi as the omphalos (navel), a key part of a world pillar that connected the heavens (sky) with the earth. 

The shadow of the Cancer full moon happens to pass right over specific areas of the world where certain indigenous groups live near rivers. Rivers are moving water, represented by Cancer, the action-oriented cardinal water sign. Until now, all of these indigenous groups share a belief in animism, the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. The word animism is based on the Latin anima, meaning breath, spirit, life. With this belief, comes a tradition of environmental stewardship. They also share a reverence towards their ancestors while integrating familial relationships with animism (e.g.: Mother Earth and Father Sky). 

These cultures have a heightened awareness of their relationship to the earth and cosmological cycles. Now we are reminded to pay attention to the indigenous perspectives of the convergence of time, space and the nature that surrounds us. Here are locations and indigenous cultures in our world family being lit up by today’s full moon:

• Ainu People of Japan – Hokkaido Island Region

• Twsana People of Eastern South Africa (area of the Cradle of Humankind)

• Ojibwe People of the Great Lakes Region of North America

• The Indigenous People of the Amazon Region in Brazil

• Dinka People of Southern Sudan

• Luba People of the Democratic Republic of Congo

• Dayak People of Borneo, Indonesia

• Koryak People of the Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia

• The Siwa Oasis, Archeological area and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Egypt

All of these cultures have a shamanic tradition. The shaman is a spiritual practitioner who operates between worlds and guides their community members into personal spiritual awakening. The ancient site of Siwa in Egypt is known for its Oracle, used by the likes of Alexander the Great, who was known to have also consulted the Oracle of Delphi. 

Today’s full moon at 23° Cancer is conjunct an aggressive Mars retrograde, also in Cancer, at 27°. The combined energies of the full moon can manifest as emotional outbursts emanating from long-held pain, or irritability that stems from unresolved issues having to do with feelings of responsibility. This energy will last for another 3 days after the full moon takes place and here are some ways I recommend using it: 

• Recognising irritability, passive aggression or emotional fragility as birthing pains and growing pains

• Having compassion when people seen as protectors drop the ball

• Taking the opportunity to be emotionally vulnerable 

• Admitting our mistakes with ease and grace, without being defensive

• Being responsible for something or someone without being overprotective or guarded

• Listening to your body and administering much-needed self care

• Demonstrating humility in the face of a newly embraced challenge 

• Exercising a little bit more patience than usual while attempting to start something new

• Remembering and honoring the people that came before us

• Renewing traditions that could be beneficial for you and your community

How responsible are we being with Earth’s gifts? As I write this post, the world is currently witnessing a clash between the elements of fire and water unfolding in the destruction of the Los Angeles area of California. There is no water to put out the fires, allegedly because the Central Valley water distribution system that feeds Los Angeles has been monopolised by a billionaire family. A billionaire family that was listed by Forbes magazine as the wealthiest farmers in America. Agriculture, along with families, is ruled by Cancer.

There are so many questions I have, including, ‘How can one family own the water of a public municipality?’ This part of the Los Angeles fires story concerning the ultra wealthy speaks directly to Pluto in the first degrees of Aquarius and the ongoing Mars in retrograde. At the same time, and amongst a growing number of territorial disputes and familial genocides across the globe, Pluto's shadow is making a bee-line through the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. 

Today’s chart for the full moon displays two grand trines, harmonious equilateral triangles overlapping each other to create a hexagram. A hexagram is a six-pointed star, ubiquitous in cultures around the world and popularly known as the Star of David or Seal of Solomon. Across cultures, this symbol communicates unity and harmony. The two grand trines are in the elements of earth and water. 

We can also see that the chart has a cradle configuration, shown in the image above, in dark blue. Reminding us of birth and babies, the cradle aspect pattern offers us balance as a connection between the material and spiritual worlds. Lastly, the chart has the face of a lion, with its ascendant at 23° Leo. This gives us courage in the face of uncertainty, reminding us to take heart and be brave as we move forward into a new world. 

Sabian Symbols: 

Cancer 24 - A Woman and Two Men (or a Man and Two Women) Cast Away on a Small Island

Capricorn 24 - A Woman Entering a Convent

Leo 24 – Totally Concentrated Upon Inner Spiritual Attainment, A Man is Sitting in a State of Neglect of His Body

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