Moon in Cancer on Mother's Day

The Moon enters Cancer this evening at 7:32 PM PDT, and will stay in the sign of the archetypal Mother through early Monday morning.  It is apropos that this Mother’s Day falls under a Cancer Moon.  The energy of this sign will likely be heightened throughout this weekend, as the collective psyche turns its attention toward the concept of “Mother.”  No matter what your relationship to your own mother, or whether she be living or deceased, you still have a relationship to the Mother archetype. As the Moon passes through Cancer, you might ask yourself what the word “Mother” means to you. “Mother” can be a noun, or a verb.  We have a connection with our earthly Mother, but we might also have a connection to the Mother Goddess.  We might also reflect upon what it is to mother someone, to be mothered, and to mother ourselves.  The word Mother is multivalent and powerful, and throughout this weekend, a healing meditation might be to examine that word and your connection with it.

Mom and I, Disneyland '71

My own mother passed away in October of 2002 due to a brain tumor, and since then, I’ve had a difficult relationship to Mother’s Day. In fact, I’ve mostly ignored it.  And, as with most mother/daughter relationships, ours was complicated. Thinking of the past can bring pain as much as comfort, and I always tread gingerly when revisiting memories of her.  After eight years, however, some healing has been allowed to happen for me. My memories of our time together have become sweeter, more humorous, and lighter. This year, I finally feel inspired to “take back” Mother’s Day for myself.  I’d like to honor our relationship, and my mom herself, in some way.  I’ve decided to spend some time over the next couple of days snuggled up with a few boxes of old photos. I’ve been meaning to go through them for a while; this weekend with the Moon in Cancer, and with the cold and interminably rainy Portland weather, will be an ideal time.

Cancerian activities for this weekend might include revisiting memories via old family photos, and of course, spending time with family and with your own mother.  If, like me, you no longer have a living mother in your life, Sunday would be a good day to quietly honor whatever aspect of the mother you resonate with.  Maybe it is a day for you to mother yourself by treating yourself to something nice.  Or, maybe it is a day to perform a small ritual to honor your mother who has passed.  The sign of Cancer is not only related to mothering, but to healing. May your Mother’s Day be a time of connecting with the healing mother energy that is available to us all.