Next week we welcome the New Moon of Cancer and it brings with it an invitation inward, a month-long journey into the watery depths of our emotional life and its inherent intelligence. Emotions are data, but they are not facts which makes this month an interesting time for anyone who likes dichotomies and ironies. It is known as one of the negative months, rooted in din (the Hebrew word for law or judgment). As Rav Berg taught, sometimes the experience of judgment allows us to transform that negativity into mercy and positivity.
However, judgment is also a pitfall of this month—self-judgment in particular. But we’ll get to that in a moment—first, a bit about the positive energies of Cancer.
Those born under the sign of Cancer are solid, grounded, and deeply nurturing, but beneath their competent outer shell lies a sweet, tender, and intuitive being. Cancers are known for being the most emotional of all the astrological signs; they need a lot of love, security, and reassurance. On the flip side, they are equally tenacious, fight for their loved ones, and value family highly. Simply put, this month is all about emotions, how we care for ourselves and others, and what we desire for ourselves and those we love.
Ourselves and others. On any given day, we are either contributing to positivity—sharing, uplifting others, practicing kindness—or we are contributing to negativity—judgment, withholding, centering our ego. We all want to think that we’re uplifting others and practicing kindness and sharing, but if we aren’t extending that to ourselves we’re only halfway there. This month, take on a practice not of just self-care but self-reflection, self-intimacy, and self-kindness. Here are a few ways to do it:
Step One: Practice Empathy—With Yourself
This month, we are invited to feel all our feelings but to create a nurturing, loving space for everything we feel. It seems simple, and yet, how many times have you found yourself judging your emotions? How often have you tried to talk yourself out of a negative feeling? Conversely, how many times have you held back the expression of a positive one? When we judge ourselves and our emotions, it leads directly to judging others, but when we make room for our feelings instead of pushing them away, we equally become vessels of love for others.
Extending empathy to ourselves, even in the face of our judgment or discomfort, improves our ability to be empathetic to those around us.
Step Two: Turn Judgments Around
Once you’ve got an eye toward empathy, really get in touch with yourself. Examine your negative self-talk with curiosity and turn unkind thoughts into positive affirmations. When you catch yourself judging, question the thought by asking: “What is the feeling underneath this judgment? Fear? Sadness? Anxiety? What does it need from me?” The answer may not arrive immediately and maybe not in the form of logic, but it will come, and you can help it along with the next step…
Step Three: Express!
Take on an emotionally centered activity this month, like intuitive painting, journaling, non-linear movement, or other expressive avenues. When we turn off our thinking brain, we tap right into our emotional center and, with our newly attuned empathy and without judgment, we can feel what our emotions are trying to tell us. We can experience our inner truth and begin an even more authentic, vulnerable relationship with ourselves. And as we heal our relationship with ourselves, we do the same with each relationship in our lives.
Be gentle this month, with everyone including yourself. Cancer is a water sign ruled by the moon, so the tides of emotion may rise and fall more dramatically. Counter the turbulence with deep breaths, meditation, nature walks, yoga, or other practices that help bring you back to a sense of stability and peace. The more we connect with our inner calm, the clearer the waters will become, and the more accurately we’ll see what needs attention and how we might best address it.
Above all, this month’s energy asks us to peer inward rather than outward. When we fully connect with our emotions and the messages they send, we expand our powers to manifest change in our lives. Our feelings no longer rule, overwhelm, or send us running for cover. We face them. We learn from them.
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