Boundaries & Self-care - departing gifts from the nodal axis in Cancer/Capricorn

On Twitter last week, I joked that “Saturn in Aquarius might make critical thinking cool again,” to which someone asked, “what did Saturn in Capricorn make cool?” Simplest answer?

Boundaries.

And here we are now: Boundaries, social distancing, quarantine. These are all Saturn in Capricorn themes. I’ve detailed in previous posts how the arrival of Coronavirus has coincided with the coronal eclipse of 12/26/19, and how that eclipse degree has been very active here at the end of March due to the passage of the south node over this degree.

The nodal axis retrogrades through a polarity of signs about every 18 months. Whenever a new or full moon occurs within 18 degrees of either node, we get an eclipse. The transiting nodes will always tell us about what we are working on collectively, but we usually don’t get the final message until the end of their passage. The nodes are wrapping up their passage through Cancer/Capricorn and will enter Gemini/Sagittarius this May. In other words, we are getting the final lessons of this period now, and will continue to gain awareness through the following eclipse season (June and July 2020) when we see our final eclipses in Cancer/Capricorn for the next 8 years or so.

In these past 18 months, two of the top trending phrases in the collective zeitgeist are “boundaries” and “self-care.” And isn’t it remarkable how related the two concepts are? Often self-care requires setting a boundary, or self-isolating for a short amount of time.

Cancer is the sign associated with self-care. This is a sign that is often correlated with nurturing qualities, but the truth is that if Cancer feels overextended and emotionally malnourished, they becoming very crabby! This water sign needs to continuously replenish their well, and often that means retreating inside of their shell to rest, recharge and recover.

On the other end of the axis is Capricorn, a sign of ambition, productivity and business. In today’s Capitalism-driven world, many of us have to work more than one job, or we’ve been conditioned to believe that if we aren’t being productive, we aren’t enough (admittedly, that’s been my problem). We are a culture that makes excuses for rest, doesn’t take enough vacation, or works so hard that we only rest when we get sick. My father has been collecting beer memorabilia since he was in middle school. He recently drove two hours to buy a collectors item and later visited us at our house. He asked my husband why our generation doesn’t collect anything. Our answer? We don’t feel like we can afford to, and most of us younger folks are minimalists. The more I thought about this, the more I realize that we are a generation that turns every hobby into a hustle.

Since the nodes have arrived in Cancer/Capricorn, I have witnessed people deliberately claiming their right to nap, to make art (without needing to be great at it), or to slow down in general. I know a young man who took up knitting, I’ve noticed more bathtub shots on Instagram, and more people intentionally slowing down to combat burnout. People have cancelled plans prioritizing their well-being instead. I have made it a point to practice not outlining to my partner all the reasons why I deserve to do nothing for a day (cuz trust me, he’s really great at relaxing with his Moon in Cancer).

A final gift

Currently, we as a planet are combating a global pandemic which requires us to slow down and socially distance. Despite the very real insecurities many of us face who are not salary or receive paid leave benefits, I can’t help but notice this astrological symbolism. This is our chance to really, truly relax (if we shut off the news). If we can accept what we can’t change, maybe we can use this awkward time as an opportunity to relax. Read books, sleep in, discover weird pantry concoctions. The world is forcing us to slow down— to prioritize staying home over going to work. Think about it. This is the balance we’ve been trying to correct for the past 18 months. The sooner we distance ourselves (Capricorn), the better we can care for one another, and ourselves (Cancer).

So here’s to more salt baths!

And if you liked this info on the lunar nodes, stay tuned! I’ll be offering an online webinar through Coven covering all the need-to-know basics on the lunar nodes soon!