Giant Jupiter enters sensitive Cancer on Tuesday night, June 25. This begins its one-year journey through this water sign that will bring more truth through feelings than through intellect. Jupiter is called “guru” or teacher in Sanskrit and modern Hindi, signaling its role as a source of wisdom, which is not necessarily the same as intelligence. We associate speedy Mercury with mental activities and the ability to gather and deliver data. Jupiter, though, is about the higher mind, the big picture thinking associated with philosophies and belief systems. A person can be smart in a Mercurial way with cleverness, math skills and the ability to remember and share information. But without the higher and broader perspective of Jupiter, he or she may lack the vision and wisdom necessary to recognize meaning and give purpose in their lives.
Jupiter is just finishing its 12-month tour in Gemini, a Mercury-ruled sign that is better at information than insight. This is considered an uncomfortable placement in traditional astrology because Jupiter has difficulty seeing the forest for the trees in Gemini’s deluge of data. More facts do not necessarily lead us to higher truths because attention is scattered when there’s too much input. Still, the lesson of the past year has been about learning to scrape off little pieces of wisdom from a diversity of sources. It’s not been a period of one-stop spiritual or philosophical shopping where you get all the answers in one place.
Cancer, though, isn’t intellectual at all. Those born with the Sun in this sign, of course, are unique individuals and can certainly be highly intelligent. Still, the essence of Cancer is emotional. This means that Jupiter’s coming lessons—or the road to higher awareness/wisdom—will come through our feelings. The “truth” we learn in the next year is more likely to be found in gut instincts than objective analysis. This doesn’t mean that every emotion we experience will be a source of wisdom, but that we can find meaning and self-understanding through these experiences. Even negative feelings can teach us a great deal if we don’t push them away with shame or project them on others with blame.
Facts still enter the front door of the brain but the place where we synthesize them and transform cold data into meaning is not in our heads during the next 12 months. Taking the time to absorb ideas and experiences is critical to tapping into this growing pool of emotional awareness. Don’t force yourself to come up with solutions, but allow them to come to you. It is in the quieting of the mind that we find answers that lie beyond the limits of words and truth that inspires hearts and encourages bold action.
