The Mean Reds

Cancer's New Moon + the Jupiter Cazimi

Center image by Elizabeth Elder

It’s hard to savor a new Season’s Cardinal New Moon when the World feels like it is bleeding, boiled alive.

The Summer Solstice jumped over the timeline bonfire on the last Taurus-touched Venus-Day of June 20th. Northern Hemisphere folks have reached peak solar energy yet the longest day of the year was followed by a weekend of alarm. A juxtaposition of focused fear and a yearn for frolic, what I’ve always wanted to cherish as the full fertility of the Earth has been met with doom… and to be honest, this isn’t the 1st “difficult” Summer we’ve encountered in recent years. Political unrest has swelled up and spilled over many years in a row in Summertide, notably activated by 2020’s BLM protests, a solid steady 5 years of massive political dissent since.

Summer Solstice desires to be dreamy, a summit of sticky sweet sensuality but the symbolic Goddess in bloom tied to the Wheel of the Year is likely weeping. The abundance we want, stolen nectar-kissed glances in rays of warm, restorative, relaxing, pleasureful pastimes have unfortunately had their shine stolen. My view may be extra-pessimistic because I’m allergic to Summer anyway even though I’ve lived in or near Atlanta my entire life. Though the Sun is my namesake, the overt temperatures and brightness beckons a depression/hibernation of energy-zapped malaise most associate with Winter (but different in tone). Perhaps it's the landlocked swamp-ass humidity but Summer’s an unease for me.

Photo by Thomas Halvik

The stronger my mind-body connection becomes with age, I’ve realized an underlying reason I lament Summer’s physical draining is due to its disruption on my productivity.

My brain is hard-wired to RESIST rest. To deprogram resistance to rest is an ongoing struggle yet a worthy conversation when we talk about New Moon magick that pushes lofty intention-setting. Right now, many may feel FOMO that comes with capturing cosmic calendar moments ~especially the Jupiter Cazimi~ as the physical plane is honestly disturbed and coloring the total environment with irksome weirdness. The dissonance in an urgency to hide that may make no sense, or at least isn’t sprung from some specific sore, is hard to wrap one’s head around. It’s safe to say it’s hard to ignore that Fear ITSELF is present… the condensed essence of what irks my psyche most in Summer. Even when attempting to embrace rest, the heat is a Hell that brings about only what I can describe as the Mean Reds:

Holly Golightly: You know the days when you get the mean reds?

Paul Varjak: The mean reds. You mean like the blues?

Holly Golightly: No. The blues are because you’re getting fat and maybe it’s been raining too long. You’re just sad, that’s all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you’re afraid and you don’t know what you’re afraid of. Do you ever get that feeling?

―Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany’s

How could anxiety not run high right now? Ever since Trump took office, each day has been met with stupid sensationalism with very real and horribly harsh consequences. (Living under Biden was not a walk in the park either, though the alarm calls are more frequent now). Existing as an adult with comprehensive understanding of what the United States is going thru currently absolutely causes nervous system dysregulation; still we’re gaslit to stay in line. We have to maintain jobs to pay rent, afford the cost of living that increases dramatically each week, follow workplace (and often times romantic) dynamics where one party takes more than gives. We subtly swallow the impact all such has on our minds, bodies and souls in order to make ends meet. Society has imposed (if not shamed us into) expectations that rely on denial of internal and external factors in order to manufacture the most output of productivity and politeness while maintaining our roles.

I’m sickened by the illusion of “the American dream”, replicated by “magickal” group-thinks that have built their attitudes on similar wishful manipulations.

Still from Anora

2024’s Cancer New Moon museletter focused frantically on the ills of objectification, the degradation of Venusian virtues, how femmes’ self-perception has been mangled at large thru the mirror of the male gaze (or should I say masc because this shit exists in queer culture, too). In a new Season with want to return to aspirations against the reality check of the “real world”, if anything I am attuned acutely to the ways in which we deny ourselves (and sometimes others) of basic respect. That basic respect structurally and systemically is in itself is lacking. Of course I want to say “GO FOR YOUR DREAMS” but let’s be real. Some of us aren’t afforded lofty visions when we’re barely getting by. Some of us could stand to want less when we have so much already. Some of us look at this New Moon met with deep anxiety as the dark obscures the direction we must go. Wealth or wellness?

When we cannot reach our needs as is, what’s the use of wants?

The urge to fill our cups with what speaks true to us is fierce and we claw for forward motion in the frustration of the Saturn-Neptune Aries face-off. Desperation during a prime time to immerse in new beginnings sometimes tells us to pivot to a back-up plan, a condensed approach to what’s best for our overall basic health. Sometimes it is a stasis or a slowing down that helps us soak in the information we need to; we make due with what we can manage when times are tough. When we enter Leo’s Mercury Retrograde next month, we will be in a better position to work out go-getter goals that will carry us into the Autumn. But for right now it might be best to prioritize what needs the most attention including making boundaries with people who don’t deserve attention from us right now when our mental and physical health is screaming for much needed silence and solace.

Yes, the pretty package of New Moon delulu can seduce but it’s severed from source when the bigger picture is ignored.

Jun Togawa

To me, Moon Magick is most effective with recognition of Light and Dark, and a gander at grim realism, too.

Some prescribe to smiling through the pain or bow down to “love and light” as if its the only way to pave a better life. Others could benefit from notice of one’s privilege or exercise grounding in the body… Where and when are we physically safe and secure; do we need a deep breath at this time? Some are detaching if not dissociating altogether. I do feel wherever we are on this spectrum, many of us are exhausted, unspeakably over-extended, in what is tagged as a “lucky” fruitful time of abundance astrologically and seasonally. But as we know some of the expectations we see in spiritual circles play right into the hands of capitalism’s own conspiracies: the “do your best” mantras with a narrative of “the universe will bless you if you stay positive” hasn’t digested that in this country especially hard work isn’t always rewarded.

Sometimes the conditions are not right for ritual. The vibes are off.

Undoubtedly, the system itself needs to be torn down and built again on a completely different foundation in a completely different way to be truly healthy. To be “on” all the time is not only unrealistic but it’s also impossible. We need periods of processing, detoxing, slowness; not to mention the idea of becoming emotionally contained, presenting peppy with never a complaint in sight denies the despair we’re collectively going through. We’ve been witnessing steady U.S.-funded genocide for years and now Trump has plummeted projections of WWIII into orbit, ICE kidnaps people off the streets ripping apart families, the majority of Southeast has lost the right to abortion and queer existence itself is under attempts to be eradicated. Political turmoil and polarization absolutely has science-backed havoc on our health, both mental and physical and I’m 1000% feeling it.

How do we have hope during what feels like the end of the World?

Jun Togawa

WHAT: Cancer New Moon

WHEN: Wednesday June 25th, 2025 6:31 AM EST

THEME: If You Can’t Stand the Heat, Get Into My Shade

It’s a mistake to think Cancer cowers in the face of hardships small or large and her June astrology with Jupiter in her Sign has shown up to shut down that myth. Jupiter’s presence only grows stronger now that it’s matched with the Season Sign; however the easy flow of what we think we deserve (small dreams and large scale alike) is blocked due to the World not living in a maternal manner at the moment. We were ecstatic to embrace Cancer’s coquette charm for long enough to effectively slip into silvery sensuality before fiery Mercury Retrograde rowdiness begins in July. Cancer’s Goddess-sends for gatherings and goals was not only ideal but inspiring our purpose. Cancer that prepares for moonlight rituals in twirls, bare feet in dew-drop grass, symphonies of wind and twinkle of stars and the anchor of the womb in hips sway… dancing to the rhythm of the delicious and divine… there is conflict in present mass threats to the very safety of humanity itself.

While the Sag Strawberry Moon galloped into one of the more uncomplicated swells of 2025, the Cancer New Moon at a glance has similar simplicity to inspire and infuse… YET there was always potential for seething with this particular lunation. Though there’s no New or Full Moon with no notes, the past Full and tomorrow’s New are loaded with helpful realizations. For example, the Sag Strawberry Moon ran into frustration with work/play balance, a very Gemini-Sag Axis subject-wise, sparking how to calendar-correct to combine both. Our ignited lust for play during Pride month has been met with serious heart-work around oppression, the death machine of war and government evil which… I will not lie… makes astro folks coo-ing “OH, THIS IS GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL NEW MOON” look out-of-touch.

And I guess this is a point of focus that has my feels aligned with ALL THE WAYS Cardinal Crab is known to be: I am moody, tender, aching, bittersweet, overwhelmed by the beauty and the brutality. My emotion ocean also holds Cancer’s unseen intuition: I am intently watchful, vigilant, discerning, led by sharp senses, a meld of heart and mind, sassy and spicy in private sanctuary, scoffing quips that only certain individuals are allowed to witness. I’m rolling my eyes at manifestation girlies ultra-excited for this New Moon moment as I can’t divorce my disposition to the World’s suffering from the fluffy bunny wants to be part of the 1% (gross wish in itself) or to find a lover that never challenges me or attends to every whim of mine so I don’t have to heal inner child wounds or build my own supply or whatever greedy wretchedness.

There is nothing wrong with wanting more for your life, but to ignore the pain of others and not include the care of them in your prayers is a level of self-absorbed I cannot comprehend at this time. If you can maintain a self-concerned manifestation with a straight-face in the ferocity of the heat wave (literal) and hate-regime (political), you’re likely missing out on the power your intentions could offer beyond the barriers of your own individual wants. Thoughts dives much much deeper into the dark than maybe comfortable: the gross inter-connected-ness of commodity in countries, dead bodies amassing, the casualties of capitalism, the strategic slander over resources, the opposite of peace and human rights… basically all the things horrible men in power do and pursue which true blue Cancer cannot stand.

I know many of us have personal heartaches we are far too frustrated to continue dealing with… that the “blues” of heart-pain can perhaps transfer to the Mean Reds. Rage is on the menu in both the micro and the macro; the New Moon in Cancer sees the connection between the personal and the political. Maybe it is not a defined doom, a justified reason for anxiety, just like my own repeated looming sense of doom I sludge through every Summer with the threat of hurricanes, power outages and dehydration. Admittingly seeing a larger portion of the population once in denial about the macro all focusing on it NOW, the collective curse COULD be empowered by the moves of matriarchal protection rising to mammoth proportions. And just maybe the pain of the World can inspire you to cut off the defined distinctly wasteful pain you are no longer willing to put up with in your personal life, to prioritize what feels sacred and true to you.

Contradictions of the Cancer New Moon:

• The Cancer Sun + Moon conjunct to Jupiter in Cancer. On one hand, today’s Jupiter Cazimi can feel very supported, having been referred to as the ‘Day of Miracles’, but there’s another aspect less talked about: cazimis sometimes decrease the power of a planet due to the overwhelm of the Sun. This pre-moon moment can hone in on the resource-hoard or the giving nature of Cancer. While I feel there is a great femme future in major wait for us to celebrate as Cancer blesses the benefic planet of expansion, echoes of nationalism, protection of countries as children in an alt-right Mama Bear manner, may pop-up. Jupiter in Cancer can expand either way towards freedom or militancy unfortunately.

• Beware of the upcoming Mars in Virgo sextile! 2025 has strong Planetary Cancer influence: the intense Mars Retrograde in the beginning of the year emphasized lack of equal exchange in love and power struggles in intimacy. While these issues may have been worked through around the Spring Eclipse + Retrogrades, I can see how this mid-year point has us in our feels about what we “deserve” but aren’t receiving, too. Mars Virgo leans towards the to-do list and wellness, however. She may want to do too much but she also may center enough to convince us to sit back and let the darkness take over. Sitting in the dark can be scary, but at the very least sends us back in touch with our core, what matters most beneath the fear. This could be getting on the same page with our sacred rage instead of filling ourselves with frivoli and finery. I do believe we all deserve treats, too, but the main meal is best plate with sustenance and nutrition. Mars Virgo wants us healthy and strong for what’s to come.