At 12:45 AM (EDT) on July 5, there’s Lunar Eclipse in Capricorn, exactly opposite the Sun in tender-hearted Cancer. How much Personal Freedom have we been (forced to) sacrifice? Or, alternatively, are we the ones who might be taking too many, ahem, liberties? 

For Capricorn, the question of Freedom is integrally related to structural integrity and the ability to maintain boundaries. But as much as Capricorn obsesses over its personal boundaries, when it comes to others? The reality is that there’s nothing Caps crave more than Control.

With the Moon in its Detriment in Capricorn and the second of three Jupiter-Pluto conjunctions of 2020 exaggerating the stereotypically Capricorn traits of Restraint, Resourcefulness and Reality Checks, the theme of this Lunar Eclipse is recognizing the need for clearer boundaries and more structural integrity in our own lives, whether in your personal or professional life or—if you’re really lucky—both! 

What’s the relationship between boundaries and borders? Between keeping people out and not letting anyone in? This is the final Eclipse in the 4 North Saros Series that began with the June 5 Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius, so there’s still that feeling of “restriction, inhibition, restraint, separation and illusions” along with “events...which seem to block the individual” (Predictive Astrology: The Eagle and the Lark, Brady, p. 313).

Restriction, Restriction and more Restriction—the very-obvious theme of 2020—makes us feel like Jennifer Grey’s character in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, always jealous of her younger brother and what he can get away with, never seeming to realize that in focusing on him all the time, she’s giving up the opportunity to get in on (or create) her own fun. 

The Sun and Moon form no major aspects to any other planets in the Eclipse chart. So along with the propensity for selfish power plays and subterfuge with Jupiter-Pluto @ 23° Capricorn, there’s something of a planetary “Wet T-shirt Contest” happening, with the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto clustered in Capricorn at the top of the chart, each striving for attention.

Our emotional needs (Moon); our need for solitude and autonomy (Saturn); our need for material abundance (Jupiter); and our need to “win” in one way or another (Pluto) are all competing urges demanding to be seen, highlighting our (perceived) ability to perform. 

With so many planets in Cardinal signs at this Eclipse, it’s a take-charge kind of energy, but is most appropriately channeled into dealing with Unfinished Business, whether of the professional or personal sort (or both). Though the stubbornness of Uranus in Taurus (Fixed) hangs heavy in stark contrast, leaving us trying desperately to cling to the status quo when it comes to maintaining current routines. 

Taurus prefers the security of creature comforts and familiarity (read: predictability) when it comes to the people, places and things—even if prolonged periods of stasis mean forgoing personal growth.

As a result, we might find ourselves supremely self-conscious, acutely aware of the harsh reality of recognizing wherever we’re clearly (not) making ends meet in the present while facing the demand to get back on track when it comes to any long-term hopes and dreams. We could be searching for new sources of income in order to meet our short-term needs yet trying just as desperately to “do without” all at once.

Capricorn Moon Opposite Cancer Sun: Constriction vs. Connection

Empathic if not psychic by nature, Cancer often needs help discerning boundaries & really chews on experiences—hungry to observe—to look to others to see what to do or what they (should) want. Capricorn, though, tends to be self-directed and self-contained from the get-go, rarely able to forget about their image or the impression they may (or may not) be making on others.

Capricorn, ruled by Saturn, has a reputation of being serious, hard-working and productive, putting their heart and soul in all they do; Saturn is linear and prefers the well-worn trail to uncharted waters any day. The keyphrase for Capricorn is “I use.,” and few Caps commit to a course of action designed to bring them the highest possible advancement in life without accomplishing it.

Cancer is the polar opposite, an inherently empathetic sign. Empathy, though, is a paradoxical trait, emotionally taxing yet (arguably) essential if you want your personal relationships to thrive.

Distinguishing the meaning of Empathy vs. Sympathy can be useful when conceptualizing the Cancer (Empathy) vs. Capricorn (Sympathy), as this axis dominates much of the Astrology of 2020. At its best, empathy leads to understanding which, ideally, leads to forgiveness. 

That said, Empathy takes energy. Empathy takes imagination. Empathy is, in a word, draining.Empathy is the absorption of emotional experience, the ability to put yourself in another’s shoes and, like many things, is equally a blessing and a curse. 

Those who are highly empathic or have strong intuitive powers are highly sensitive individuals, constantly picking up even the faintest hint of conflict or tension in the air, able to absorb every emotional undercurrent in their atmosphere.

And there’s no Empathy switch you can turn on and off. Like its symbol, the Crab, Cancer carries its Home on its back, giving it the ability to retreat into its cozy shell whenever escape is necessary.

You need retreat if you’re an empathic person, because there’s less of a choice—you soak up what the other person (or people) in your environment are feeling unconsciously, like a sponge. And taking on all those vibes? That can easily get overwhelming after a while, which is the main reason Water signs tend to be guarded when it comes to their beloved Private Time, often preferring the sanctuaries they call Home (especially on their more sensitive days). 

Enter Capricorn, Master of (Sympathetic) Ceremonies. Sympathy. Unlike Empathy, sympathies can be sprinkled around like confetti. Sincere or not-so-sincere, sympathies are things you bestow, or volunteer: we “send” our condolences; we “check in” (when we have the time); or we just “mail it in” with a card that reads “HBD.” 

So before we go knocking Capricorn, it’s not that they’re unfeeling. Not the case at all. Capricorn is acutely aware, however, that if a realistic balance or boundary is not maintained, you risk losing yourself in the more dominant emotions of others.

Which, if taken to extremes, can just as easily lead not down the Yellow Brick Road of Forgiveness but a dark and twisted path toward Bitterness. Should you find yourself unable to confront others’ emotional expressions in an immediate way, that is. 

Sympathy can oftentimes be more of an act of social nicety, a formality or even an obligation yet has a strangely powerful emotional veneer. But Sympathy has limits and boundaries—and this is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, we need the freedom to retreat, protecting ourselves from overstimulation to survive. 

Sabian Symbol for 14° Capricorn: (Re-) Building Foundations

Speaking of self-protection, Secrets are coming to light with this Lunar Eclipse in Capricorn, as if whatever plots or schemes or dreams of wild riches to be gleaned come to a screeching halt, as the real-life obstacles or proverbial brick walls abound. 

Yet those whose methods rely on subterfuge and manipulation to get their (immediate) needs for safety and security met (Cancer/Capricorn axis) at the expense of others yet acting “as if” they’ve been taking responsibility for their (lack of) Career or Safety Nest/Net will feel the sting of this Eclipse acutely.

If you’ve a lack of clarity re: Career or overall Life Direction and you’re feeling uncomfortable, manipulative types who choose silence over transparency will feel like their shortcomings are suddenly in the spotlight now somehow.

Whatever the case may be for you, though, everything comes back to the keyword indicated by the Sabian Symbol for this Capricorn Lunar Eclipse—Foundation.

Building a secure foundation starts from within, and is not as much about materialistic manifestation of things or money or a bigger apartment as it is about confronting the unavoidable awareness of whatever relationships or structures in our lives have outlived their usefulness. But what (or who) needs to be let go if we want to grow?

The Sabian Symbol for the specific degree of the Zodiac where this Lunar Eclipse in Capricorn occurs carries with it a unique metaphorical signature:

“The keyword is FOUNDATION—When positive, the degree is a gift for bringing all things into a pattern of convenience and thereupon precipitating an inevitable slew of desired results, and when negative, meaningless limitation” (The Sabian Symbols in Astrology, by Dr. Marc Edmund Jones, Chapter 11).

You can’t grow a garden when it’s infested with weeds. If you’re too afraid or lazy, though, to get your hands dirty, dysfunctional dynamics or sudden confrontations will likely leave your blood boiling to the point where if/when you do express yourself? You might suddenly find yourself burning bridges right and left. 

But the goal of the Jupiter-Pluto is to come clean, (re)build relationships based on Truth and Accountability, and stop doing the Lady MacBeth dance already. Because the reality is? With both planets in Capricorn, you can’t afford to procrastinate or “watch & wait” when it comes to doing your due diligence and facing up to your responsibilities anymore.

Neither can you continue to look away or rationalize the behavior of others. Because whether you’re dealing with the reality of someone else’s shadiness or confronting your own down and dirty business? You suddenly just don’t have the time, much less whatever’s required in terms of patience. 

(Re-) Building vs. “Cutting Out Toxicity”

Cardinal signs are the action-oriented “Doers” of the Zodiac, compelled to act on problems right away, but often lack follow-through when it comes to the solution, either compulsively going it alone to avoid inadvertently ending up with someone else’s emotional baggage (Aries) or removing themselves entirely and turning it into a therapy session designed to help you with your issues (Libra).

Or, if you’re a Cancer or Capricorn, diving into a productive project or another, masterful at sublimating your emotional energy, either throwing yourself into more “comfortable” activities (Cancer); or “cutting out” anyone and anything that doesn’t align with whatever plan is penciled in on your Long-Term Agenda (Capricorn).

So when Cardinal signs are restricted? It’s definitely not surprising if the impulse to cut out all people deemed distractions, situations that seem “toxic” and/or cutting off contact completely in some form or another. 

I’m not advocating that we all stay BFFs with our Ex, or that we accept being manipulated or lied to by those closest to us. But a swift cutting off of any person, place or thing to which we’ve become attached rarely works. It rarely works because cutting out those closest to us doesn’t solve anything—it only prevents any opportunity for informative dialogue and inhibits self-awareness. 

This of course isn’t to say that there are people who will come and go in our lives, and that’s okay. Plus, unless you’ve yet to see Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, trying to surgically remove a person, place or even experience from your conscious mind just doesn’t work.

The whole point of Jim Carrey’s experiment to remove his memories of a relationship gone by was that it didn’t work. No matter how hard he tried or what extent he went to, the endeavor was an exercise in futility—much like swimming against the tide. 

The attempt to excise memories and emotions, to compartmentalize to the point where we become disconnected from ourselves, on its own implies there’s something we’re trying to deny—not about the people who are (or appear to be) causing us so much strife, but about the fact that those we let into our lives are ultimately a reflection of our own projections, including desires, fantasies and darknesses we’d rather not admit to, let alone embody. 

When you have/had something special with someone, no matter what type of relationship it is, maybe the question most apropos is to ask ourselves what we’ve deemed toxic to us and why. Where does this toxicity come from?

Because if we’ve been tangled in the spiderwebs of miscommunication and mass manipulation for far too long, then maybe it’s time to direct some of these questions inward or (I know) address them directly and flip the script for once.

Why are we scared of (or practically unable to) continue investing the time and energy necessary to (re) build a secure (interpersonal) Foundation with certain someones at this Eclipse? What’s the source of the perceived toxicity and how can you decide to fix it or if the situation’s simply reached its expiration date or is past the point of fixing?

Whatever’s nagging at you most when it comes to whatever’s working or not working in your professional and personal relationships? Meditate on it. Think carefully about how you want to approach it, bearing in mind any lessons you’ve learned about the need for balance—e.g., a personal life filled not with work calls and “nice things,” but good, supportive people you can count on—with the goal of (eventually) coming to a decision. 

Not necessarily to cut out so-called toxic relationships (which, by the by, is probably my least favorite piece of advice, other than the constant emphasis on “Manifesting” and “Productivity” via all kinds of Goal-Directed Activity (or so it seems to me).

“Cutting out toxicity” from our lives has become like the Return of Minimalism or “Mid-Century Modern”-type furniture—terms used so ubiquitously in common parlance yet somehow whose meaning remains decidedly vague. Which, to me, makes it not-super useful in terms of advice. Plus, it’s too easy, that’s why. 

Though the notion of cutting out or ignoring whatever allegedly toxic people, places or things sounds good on paper, there leaves a lot unanswered when it comes to, well, ourselves. Friendships and relationships aren’t tumors we can surgically remove, for one. They’re embedded in who we are, and many of them are (unconsciously even) part of who we’ve become.

The point is: if you cut everyone and everything out of your life that creates even a moderate sense of discomfort, where does that leave you in the end? Ahem, alone. So before you go waving your emotional scalpel around indiscriminately, make sure you examine your role in your relationships, both “at” Work or at Home. Because apparently it takes two to tango. And who doesn’t want to tango, ya know?