Sun Signs - Cancer

- CANCER –
22 June to 23 July

Ruler: Moon Cardinal-Water Sign

When we have Cancer strong in our charts (i.e. Sun, Moon or Ascendant in Cancer), we are sentimental, nostalgic and emotional people. We are fiercely attached to our family, home, loved ones and prized possessions; and even if we travel the from one end of the world to the next, home will be where our hearts and origins are. Often we have difficulty letting go of the past as our nature is one of holding on. We possess great tenacity and cannot easily extricate ourselves from situations or people we have invested time and emotion in. We are hoarders in every sense of the word. Our life journey is one of a continual discovery of the emotional world and, for this very reason, we are likely to experience every facet of our feelings during our existence. We are changeable, moody, fretful people who are not beyond sulking and brooding when we are unhappy. We may find it difficult explaining why we feel the way we do and so resort to tears. The only thing consistent about us is that we are different people every two days.

We are mothers to the world, wiping away tears and mopping feverish brows. Whether male or female we take others under our wing, we are caregivers in every sense of the word. Sometimes we can feel unappreciated no matter how much we try to please those we love; and perhaps our greatest lesson in this lifetime is to accept that some people appreciate our caring ways, while others (usually Air or Fire signs) feel smothered by them. We may need to learn that it is easier to do things for others without expecting an equal return, for we may not realise how obligated we make others feel. Our family and home life may be the number one area where this is likely to occur, for it is an area where we are highly reactive, or, our family is highly sensitive toward us. And indeed, if we have experienced hurt with regard to our families we may reject the notion of parenthood as adults. We may harbour a great many insecurities about ourselves and in this respect we may appear to be the “little girl/boy lost”. Our choice of partner is someone who enjoys being “mothered” while at the same time acts as an anchor for our sea of feelings.

We appear to other people as emotionally tough, but inside we are really very soft, sensitive and vulnerable – just like the Crab. As a consequence, we often retreat into our shell, for we feel we need to hide this side of us in order to survive in the cold, harsh world. We may employ subtle means to get our needs met, for often we have a side-on approach to life. We are great home-lovers and makers, we are very family oriented and even if we don’t have our own family, this will be just as much an issue than if we did. We are protective, if not over-protective, of our loved ones. We like nothing better than curling up and enjoying our family and friends in the secure environment we have created. By the same token, because our ruler is the waxing and waning Moon, we are fluctuating and restless by nature. We may have experienced many changes of residence through the course of our lives, but each and every home will have had our homely touch.

We are extremely sensitive and open to others people’s feelings, we soak up good and bad vibes like a sponge. As a result, our mood can change suddenly and without warning when we are in certain types of company – hence we have a reputation for crabbiness. In this respect, we need to learn to distinguish our own feelings from others. We fare better when we avoid people who put an emotional strain on our psychic energies. Often we are highly intuitive and can sense when something is about to happen or when something is not right. Because these sensory perceptions, we generally judge people by our feelings about them. Living by the sea or near water is good for our soul and well-being, and if this is not possible, we should endeavour to visit the seaside or sit by a lake to recharge our emotional batteries.

We have a strong interest in the past, especially that of our families, and we may be the chronicle keepers for our clan. We are also the upholders of tradition and old-fashioned values. Often we have a colourful and interesting ancestry that we talk about all the time. We may enjoy compiling family trees and committing family legends to our memory so that they can be passed on to future generations. Certainly, we enjoy festivities such as Christmas, for this gives us the chance to conjure up childhood magic; and we probably keep a mental log of everyone’s birthdays. Often we are haunted by memories and images that we remember long after everyone else has forgotten, for we have excellent memories. We are also patriotic and proud of our country.

Food lovers, we may have a favourite family recipe that has been handed down from generation to generation. We love to adapt recipes to our own particular tastes. To us, a home is not complete unless we have a bookshelf full of cookery books or compiled list of recipes that we neatly catalogue.

And because Cancer is the sign of food, we may have allergies to drugs or have food intolerances. We may experience digestive disorders when we are upset or angry, and should avoid eating when we are in conflict. Our stomach is our sensitive body part. Physically we may be top-heavy with a roundish face. We may walk as if we are approaching something sideways. We tend toward a comfortable plumpness.

(c) Tracey Rizvi, 2006