CANCER: THE CRAB, “I FEEL!”

| JUNE 21st – JULY 22ND | Color =Orange/Yellow | Tone D Minor |

CANCER's SYMBOL
The Cancer symbol represents the claws of the crab and the Tomoe icons that create the yin-yang symbol. The Tomoe is simply a swirl that resembles a comma. One comma is the sun and the other is the moon on a small scale. On a large scale, the Cancer symbol represents Ouroboros, the dragon biting its own tail representing the ceaseless cycle of eternity. So clearly, you can look at the eternal aspect of Cancer that always leads us back to a place of peace or you can look at the eternal part of a cycle that makes us feel like we are in a rut. The choice is yours. Just consider the idea that if you give all of the “snipers” and over-sharing emotional bandits that you cross paths with the space to vent, you will probably acquire some pretty loyal friends.

CANCER'S RULING PLANET
Cancer is not actually ruled by a planet, it is ruled by a “luminary” called the MOON. The only other luminary is the sun! The term planet is a relative term. The crescent moon symbol means mind or evolving human spirit (crescent).

CANCER MYTHOLOGY
In the myth, Hera sends the crab to distract Hercules while the hero is fighting the Lernaean Hydra, the serpent-like beast with many heads and a poisonous breath of fire. Each time Hercules would cut off a head, two more would grow in its place. When the crab tries to kill Hercules, or at least distract him long enough that the hydra kills him, Hercules kicks it all the way to the stars. This happened during one of the “twelve labors” that was put upon Hercules for crimes that Hercules committed while under the influence of a spell that queen Hera placed upon the hero. When the crab was extinguished, Hera placed the crab among the stars for eternity.

CANCER NEGATIVE TRAITS:

Moody
Overemotional
Clinging
Unpredictable
Changeable
Touchy
Can’t let go
Judgmental

CANCER POSITIVE TRAITS:

Emotional
Intuitive
Shrewd
Protective
Loving
Imaginative
Cautious
Sympathetic

Cancer is the 4th sign on the zodiac ecliptic. It rules the moon, is exalted in Taurus and is a cardinal water sign. Cancer is the original “Rock Lobster.”

Planets in this sign will often reflect a vulnerable character and oversensitive nature. There is also a possessive streak, and a tendency to be emotionally smothering. Nevertheless Cancer confers a strong intuitive nature and deeply-held feelings. There is a strong attachment to the home and awareness of the environment. Planets in Cancer come to expression most clearly in connection with the home and family.

Female/Night/Negative

The day and night model of the zodiac is based on the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. Different Zodiac Signs are visible at night or day depending on where you live on earth.

Modality Cardinal
The three modes of the elements:

Cardinal (Initiation)
Fixed (Stability)
Mutable (Dynamic)

Cancer is a Cardinal sign, which means that planets placed here in a natal chart will express themselves in a very pioneering and dynamic manner, leading with their intuition or gut. This is especially the case in matters connected with care and protection of emotional, mental and familial matters.

Element Water

Cancer is a Water sign, (Icosahedron) and as such is connected to the world of emotion, instincts and the shadowy protective part of our own persona that we often cannot see.

Cancer Decan I 0º-10º

Jun 21 to 30

Cancer decan 1 is ruled by Venus and the Moon (Cancer triplicity). The Sun gracefully pirouettes through the constellations of the Little Bear, the Twins, the Unicorn, the Dove and the Greater Dog between June 21 – July 1. Alhena in Gemini has the greatest influence on this decan, followed by the ‘Announcer star’ Mirzam in Canis Major. This star is said to be common in the charts of broadcasters, and there is definitely a media influence here.These people are extremely opinionated and have to have their say. It’s impossible to put a muzzle on them. Try to gag them and watch out for a rabid fit. Disagree with them if you want to see them roll the whites of their eyes. Cancer 1’s pupil only has to flash ‘Don’t you dare’ and your mouth involuntarily clamps shut. This is how Cancer decan 1 wins arguments. The Cancerian traits such as loyalty to the family, tenaciousness and grasping are made even stronger by the overlay of the dog of Canis Major’s loyal, devoted and faithful nature.Certain breeds of dogs can be ruthless and violent in the pursuit of their target but amusingly whimper like babies when their master clicks their finger. And so it is with these subjects. To the outside world, they appear wild, untameable, free-spirited jokers. They come across as uncompromising activists, brave, fearless and sometimes barking-mad. Cancer decan 1 make formidable, outspoken fighters for the underdog and are relentless chasers of the truth.

We mustn’t forget the magical Unicorn which is found here too. Cancer decan 1 show a fascination with magic and the moonlit sky at night. The stars of the Unicorn are not very bright and it’s very hard teasing this constellation out from the Milky Way in which it is tantalizingly swathed. Just when you think you know the people of the crab, they turn into something else, this gives them a fascinating, elusive quality.The tarot card associated with this decan is the 2 of Cups. This card is very obviously a positive card and associated with relationships. The deeply emotional, intimate and loving side of Cancer plays out really strongly with this card. Karmically although this decan has its ‘rabid’ side. When these folk settle down into a healthy union;“There is a strong spiritual connection between the couple in the Two of Cups. Looking at them we can’t help but feel that they may have found their soul mate in each other. The couple hold their Cups at equal height symbolising equality and acceptance within the relationship. The maturity that exists between this couple allows both partners to maintain their own independence, friends, hobbies etc outside the relationship without jealousy or possessiveness setting in.” ~ Teachmetarot. With the twins being so active in this decan we can see the potential of finding a twin flame in the current lifetime thanks to the influence of this card.

(Javon had not finished this part with the decans so credit is given to https://darkstarastrology.com/cancer-decan-1/)

Cancer Decan II 10º-20º

Jul 1 to 12

Cancer decan 2 is ruled by Mercury and Mars (Scorpio triplicity). The Sun scorches its way through the constellations of the Twins, the Greater Dog, the Great Ship, the Lynx and the Unicorn from approximately July 1 – 12. This decan contains probably the most famous stars in the sky, Sirius. Cancer is also awarded the 2nd most important luminary, the Moon as its ruler since it the first month of life-giving summer in the northern hemisphere. The Moon is the second brightest object in the sky when it is not being mysteriously dark! So it is actually quite befitting that Sirius should find its home in such a hot section of the ecliptic.

We tend to think of Cancerians as being rather soft and pliable due to it being a water sign, but these people are no pushovers. Yes, when they are young they are as cute as hell with their trademark puppydog eyes. Then they grow up to be great hairy wolves…in attractive sheepskin that is. The mix of water with the heat of Sirius makes these people incredibly sultry.

We mustn’t forget that Cancer is also a cardinal sign, which means it has leadership qualities. As the first sector of a new season is pioneering as forceful as the new energies take hold and establish themselves. Take this fluffy wolf, throw in Mercury the trickster, heat it up with Mars and the dark twin Pollux and you get a very intriguing breed of Cancerian indeed. In myth Mercury conversed between the gods and the underworld, he is a bridge and mediator between the two. Here we have the guides, a light in the inky black night. Dogs can guide the blind just as the stars guided the ships.

There can be a distrust of this decan, possibly because it takes these people a little time to shake off the coal dust from the underworld. They can seem a little scary in the bright sunlight, their ‘black looks’ showing up the wisdom lines in their faces, like coal miners. They come across like old souls in a child’s body which can be a bit disconcerting These folk’s super-success may come from a deep feeling of being unworthy or tarnished in some way. Nevertheless, these people are bright sparks and because of that, they attract a lot of envy. Often Cancer decan 2 don’t understand themselves why people are so jealous of them, when in fact they themselves are feeling envious of others .

The tarot card associated with this decan is the three of cups. This is a celebratory life and suggests good karma earned much as the trine aspect is. “The Multiple Choice of Feast or Famine aspect of this card could find you moving from a period of drought in your love-life to having several potential partners to choose from all at the one time. If there has been a separation or falling out between partners the Three of Cups can symbolise a happy reunion.” ~ Teachmetarot.

(Javon had not finished this part with the decans so credit is given to https://darkstarastrology.com/cancer-decan-2/)

Cancer Decan III 20º-30º

Jul 12 to 22

Cancer decan 3 is ruled by the Moon and Jupiter (Pisces Triplicity). The Sun shimmers through the Twins, the Unicorn, the Great Bear, the Greater Dog and the Lesser Dog from July 12 to 22. These are your true lunatic Cancerians with the influence of the famous constellation of the twins Castor & Pollux. These twins were rivals, but also inseparable. We are dealing here with polarities; Good and Evil, the living and the dead, left-brain and right-brain, Lunar and Solar. Castor is thought to represent Apollo the sun god. The imagination is very strong here, along with the ability to capture it and put it into words. People born under the twins make excellent writers.

Castor tends towards optimism, looking at the bright side of life and boosting esteem. He makes a great motivator and his skill was training horses. Pollux is the boxer and daredevil. His creative style is to explore the hidden, the shadow and subject matter that is deemed taboo. Pollux relishes in exploring the

seedy side of life. When we overlay Cancer onto the twins we get a huge variety of moods. Cancer decan 3 can, therefore, be the moodiest of all the crabs, never knowing if they will be sunny or shadowy. Their emotions being so colourful are great for creativity. As artists they throw themselves right into their work, there is no holding back. The feelings flood out onto the canvas and are able to touch the public profoundly.

In love Cancer decan 3 are utterly, utterly devoted to a fault. This can be quite overwhelming for their beloved. Cancer decan 3 really need some artistic or musical outlet for them to process their deep dark passions and euphoric highs. Sometimes these people can seem like the classic bipolar. When they are up they are flying; exuberant, charming, fun and playful. When they are down though, it can actually be quite scary… It is often a shock to see them this way to those who have only seen Cancer 3’s sunny side.

The Tarot card associated with this decan is the 4 of Cups. The ambivalence shown in this card fits well with the polarisation of this decan. A card of boredom and apathy on the one hand and daydreaming and fantasizing about the other. Maybe this card longs for the dramatic mood swings that govern this decan. “The Four of Cups generally brings with it the blues and moodiness. (Cancer decan 3 is the moodiest, moon ruled decan) In some cases it can highlight depression…you may have lost touch with reality and are totally ungrounded.

You may have allowed yourself to indulge in daydreams and fantasies and have become too idealistic imaging life to be a certain way.” Karmically this card can mean too many lives have been spent procrastinating, and waiting for the 100% perfect person or opportunity to come along. It ” can sometimes simply highlight the fact that you are too tied up in your own little world, too self-absorbed and too self-centred. You may feel that the whole universe revolves around you and have no time for other people’s problems or feelings. You may seem negative to others and see the ‘glass as half empty’ in this negative state of mind.” ~ Teachmetarot

(Javon had not finished this part with the decans so credit is given to https://darkstarastrology.com/cancer-decan-3/)

House 4

Home, family, roots, parent. Shadow, and intuition. Hidden or protected by a “mask” or shell. Ruled by The Moon. Element is Water, Modality is Cardinal.

The fourth House refers to the home and everything associated with it (both the childhood home & the current home): family, land, personal foundations (inner emotional security), your roots. Astrologers are divided over whether this house is associated with one’s mother or father. What is clear is that a person’s upbringing is associated with this House.

Cancer And Hercules?

If you look closely at astrology and mythology you can easily see the hero’s journey playing out. In the mythology of each of the stories there is a call to action, acceptance of the mission, a challenge and usually a triumph. This same pattern is often present in the toughest of aspects in the celestial world of astrology. So when tough aspects like squares or oppositions show up(90º or 180º angles), it is our choice to endure the challenge, be mindful of what we learn and transcend the low points of the experience through the process of applying it to the next challenge that life presents to us.

The story of Cancer is that Hera sends the crab to distract Hercules while the hero is fighting the Lernaean Hydra. The crab tries to assassinate Hercules, (or at least distract him long enough so that the hydra kills Herakles) Hercules/Herakles kicks the crab all the way to the stars. Hera placed the crab among the stars for eternity for all to see the bravery and courage of the cuddly crustacean. This story of self-sacrifice for a cause will leave most people pondering over where the boundary line exists between self-sacrifice and martyrdom.The crab only represents one aspect of Cancer, Ouroboros or the dragon is also associated with Cancer, teaching us about continual cycles between life and death or light and dark.

Cancer Ouroboros and Cultural Mythology?

Ouroboros: The Dragon biting its tail represents never ending cycles or infinity

The Ouroboros imagery has been used in India to describe the Kundalini energy that sits at the base of the spine. Kundalini energy is said to be at the base of the spine like a snake coiled upon itself with its tail in its mouth. In Hindu mythology, the Ouroboros is a dragon that circles a tortoise, which supports the four elephants that carry the world.

The Ouroboros was adopted by Christianity to symbolize the self-consuming, self-defeating, and circular nature of this world’s existence. Like the North Node, the head of the dragon represents what we are growing towards while the tail of the dragon is that which we seek to move away from and release. Just because the tail vanishes from view does not mean that it no longer exists.

Perhaps the most well known snake hails from the indigenous beliefs of the Maya and Aztecs. Quetzalcoatl or Kukulkan represents the plumed serpent of transcendence associated with the many polar opposites such as masculine and feminine, heaven and earth Et Al.

The bottom line is that ALL can be opposites but not necessarily in conflict. There are various signs in the zodiac that show how well duality works dynamically together: Gemini, Cancer, Sagittarius, Pisces, Capricorn and Cancer. So while Venus is in Gemini making us fickle yet creative about our passions, consider the Ida (feminine, cold, moon) and Pingala (masculine, hot, sun) or “Boaz” and “Jachin” of duality demonstrate that the balancing of opposites teaches how to meet our most intense challenges with elegance and finesse. This is always the journey of rote knowledge to applied wisdom.