The new Moon

The Moon in Cancer is in the sign it rules. Cancer is a water sign, cardinal in mode; it encompasses home and family, lands and traditions. Natives of Cancer can be emotional, sensitive and very protective of those they love. They may present themselves as hard and uncaring, but it's to protect the soft tissue within.

CafeAstrology.com says of eclipses:

An eclipse is a far more potent lunation. Look to the house the eclipse falls in your natal chart. The affairs of that house will be activated. Does the eclipse fall on a planet in your natal chart? That planet will also be activated. The sign of the eclipse plays a role in the likely events that the eclipse will trigger.

Many people tend to fear eclipses, simply because they often bring about a crisis of sorts that leads to a significant event or change. However, this event or change can be very positive.

Eclipses are tied to changing circumstances. However, we are usually the ones to precipitate or to attract changes because our "inner guides" know that we need it. Human beings are progressive by nature, and although we might stay in situations that are making us miserable for longer than we should, deep down inside we know that change is necessary for growth.

Lunation (or New Moon and Full Moon) charts have been used by Mundane Astrologers for many centuries. In later times, people began to compare them to their natal charts.

The asteroid Juno is closely conjunct Sun-Moon at this time. Some astrologers relate Juno with deeply committed relationships, even soulmates. But in mythology Juno (or Hera), wife of Zeus, was repeatedly cheated on by her husband. She was considered the goddess of women and marriage. In my thinking we're talking of marriage as a social contract here and women in their traditional roles. Some scholars consider Hera an ancient goddess of a matriarchal society who in marrying Zeus submitted herself -- and her followers -- to a patriarchal social order.

The peacock is associated with Juno. In the western world, this bird carries connotations of pomp and show. But take a look at the symbolism of the peacock as presented by Avia Venefica at What's Your Sign?

This new Moon occupies the U.S.'s 9th house and is conjunct natal Sun and Mercury. All are in the sign Cancer. Cancer is the U.S.'s birth sign; and the Sun, Moon and Juno occupy the span between the natal Sun at 13 degrees Cancer and natal Mercury at 24 degrees Cancer. The United States was founded by the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

We tend to remember only these stirring words from the document:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

But if you read further down the document you will find a veritable laundry list of grievances against the King of Great Britain at the time. Many of those grievances have parallels in the United States today. There is no longer a King, but there is a willful congress that mostly responds to moneyed interest groups. And there is a press that feeds on our discontent and incites more discontent. And there is a broken judiciary that no longer values equity. And so on, and so on.

Getting back to the topic of astrology -- according to Skyscript the 9th house denotes:

Shipping, sea traffic, the aeroplane industry and long distance traffic generally, whether connected with passengers or commerce. Long distance or international communications. Religion, the churches, preachers. Law courts. Universities, professors, philosophical and scientific institutions and publications.

With Sun, Moon (ruler of Cancer), Juno, natal Sun and Jupiter (natural ruler of the 9th house), as well as a number of other planets in the 9th house and in Cancer, the areas listed above will undoubtedly be influenced by the variability of the Moon and emotions will color our speech.

This full Moon balances Aquarian ideals of friendship and sharing against the often self-centered ambitions of Leo. Jupiter and Uranus, conjunct in Aries, are sextile the Moon in Aquarius and trine the Sun in Leo. Both Jupiter and Uranus are retrograde and are headed back into Pisces. This suggests that recent advances may appear to fall back to older ways. But take heart, the naysaying conservatives are their own worst enemies.

There is also a sextile/trine with retrograde Saturn in Libra. Jeff Jawer at StarIQ addresses this in his comments about July's full Moon:

The Moon in cool collective Aquarius opposes the Sun in hot individualistic Leo provoking questions about sharing and cooperation. What's the appropriate balance between what's good for the individual and what's good for society? How does the expression of one person work within the context of a group? The divide between private interests and public concerns represented by this lunation is bridged by a trine to the Moon from Saturn in Libra, providing a sense of fair play and flexibility to gracefully move from one side to the other.