By Zorian Cross
Kind
and sensitive, Cancerians are known to be private, moody, and blessed
with a fertile imagination. However, they don’t respond well to
strangers, and often put up a defensive shield (shell) for protection,
often unconsciously giving out ‘stay away’ vibes. However,
with the right amount of tact and patience, Cancerians will open up
to you--in their own time of course--and you'll realize what warm and
caring individuals they can be.
Eternal mothers, nurturing their friends and family, Cancerians go to lengths to make sure every need is taken care of. However, like the phases of the moon, their moods are changeable. When joyful, they exude a silver radiance, when sad, a bitter gray cloud blocks their auras. While they are easily hurt by the strangest things, Cancerians are unaware of their own insensitivities to others. However, born with a tendency to hoard, saving odd things like old letters, papers, empty bottles (they never throw things out), they will always hold onto friends and loved ones.
Click me (or any of my pals) to get a crabby coloring page!
The sign of Cancer can be traced to Ancient Egypt, where the constellation was first known as "the sign of the Stars of the Water," and later on, "Two Turtles." (River turtles are found in the Nile and have a hard shell). The Ancient Babylonians called it “the wicked or rebellious one” based on a water creature called Al lul, and later on, the Crayfish.
Here's what Cancer looks like in the sky.
Hercules, immortalized as the greatest hero of Grecian Mythology, also figures prominently in the mythical origin of the sign of Cancer. The second labor of Hercules (one of twelve assigned by King Eurystheus) was to kill the Hydra, a gruesome monster with the body of a dog, nine serpent-entwined heads, and breath so poisonous that anyone who came close would die from just a single whiff. Hercules had trouble slaying the Hydra. Every time he cut one head off, two more grew in its place. The Goddess Hera sent a giant crab to attack him while he was fighting the Hydra. Hercules crushed the crab underfoot and went on to dispatch the Hydra. Despite the crab's failure, Hera was grateful for its help, and placed it in the sky as the six-starred constellation of Cancer.
After
the carefree sojourn as a child in Gemini, the soul evolves into the
confusing and somewhat scary phase of adolescence in Cancer. The soul
experienced its share of fun and frivolity earlier. It got the thrill
of being a naughty child and breaking rules. The confusing and sometimes
mortifying phase of adolescence is difficult for anyone to transition
through. The rapid changes that occur within our bodies due to puberty,
the way our voices begin to crack and develop, new growth of body hair,
the start of the menstrual cycle in young girls, the burst of testosterone
flowing through boys--so much can be confusing for the being that once
was a child. The soul experiences similar changes when it evolves into
the sign of Cancer.
Like the phases of the moon rule the cycles of the body, the soul now is easily swayed by Lady Luna and her cycles of lunacy. Unpredictable and dramatic mood swings (courtesy of the moon cycles), and powerful dreams, cause the Cancerian child to cry out aloud in the middle of the night (even when they're octogenarians, Cancerians will always be children). They need tender yet secure bear hugs from their mothers, and their teddy bears to hold onto. This is because all sorts of terrors--real and imaginary--are very real to the emotionally fragile Cancerian, who, like an adolescent, fears what’s out there in the big-bad-world. How they will survive without the security of their mother to protect them? If you ever meet a man who measures every woman in his life against his mother, and his mother always wins, rest assured, he's probably a Cancer (by sun, or other heavy chart influences).
Unlike their Gemini predecessors, Cancerians find it difficult to express their feelings and apprehensions verbally, causing them to turn secretive--dreaming, alone, hiding and pouting, crying in a lonely corner a la Cinderella--imagining that no one understands them, now, or ever. Cancerians, like Cinderella, feel like they are lonely damsels waiting for Prince Charming to sweep them off their feet and provide them a life of love, security, and mutual understanding. Trouble sometimes arises with young Cancerian girls who devote themselves to the first man who pays them the slightest attention, leading them to a downward spiral of dysfunctional relationships. All this internalization and heightened inner-drama can lead Cancerians to be (like other water-signs) delusional. It is always wise to encourage young Cancerians with means to express themselves through creative pursuits. This way they can flourish as individuals and get rid of the majority of their pent up fears and frustrations.
The motto of Cancer is I FEEL. This sign is all about feelings. Being the first sign of the element of water, Cancerians experience feelings in ways the signs before it (and most after too) cannot even fathom. Don’t be fooled by their initial shyness. Like Aries, Cancer is a cardinal sign of leadership. What other people might consider illogical fears, a Cancerian treats as sensible caution--a trait impulsive Cardinal leader Aries needs to learn time and again.
The emotions of astrology’s adolescent need to be handled with care; they are fragile. Masters of hiding their true feelings, they crack jokes and mimic friends and family superbly, creating laughter all around them. But only if you stare into their wet dewey eyes, would you be able to see whether that jovial Cancerian is secretly frowning. It’s not what they say, but how they said it that matters. And it’s not just what you say to them, but the way you say it, that they watch. Actions do speak louder than words to them, and gentle gestures of affection and appreciation meet with generous rewards. True, Cancerians can stretch a dollar, and love saving for a rainy day, but they’ll always surprise their loved ones with their abundant generosity.
The Karmic goal of Cancer is to nurture one’s Self and others. The maternal instincts in those born under this sign are extremely high, and they need to learn the difference between clinging to others (for fear of losing them), and nurturing them to be independent. They can’t help but care for the people around them, perhaps because a part of them feels that no one was around to take care of them. The inner nature or destiny of this sign is Power.
| Ruling Planet | Moon |
| Color | Pale blue, silver, smoky gray |
| Dates | May 22 - June 21 |
| Polarity | Negative |
| Duality | Feminine |
| Element | Water |
| Quality | Cardinal |
| Body Area | Breasts, chest |
| Direction | North |
| Geography | Algeria, Holland, New Zealand, North Africa, Praguay, Scotland, West Africa |
| Cities | Algiers, Amsterdam, Berne, Cadiz, Genos, Istanbul, Magdeburg, Milan, New York, Stockholm, Tunis, Venice, York |
| Trees | All trees which are rich in sap |
| Flowers and Herbs | Acanthus, convolvulus, geranium, honeysuckle, lilies, saxifrage, waterlilies, white poppy |
| Foods | Fruits and vegetables with a high water content, such as cabbage, cucumber, lettuce, melon, mushroom, pumpkin, turnip |
| Positive Traits | Imagination, tenacity, tenderness, sensitivity, care, and caution |
| Negative Traits | Stinginess, irritability, melancholy, clinging and cowardice, possessiveness and moodiness. |
After this insider’s look at the shell of the crab, next time, we'll enter the den of the fiery lion--Leo! Until then, have a blessed Samhain!
:) Zorian