All about Cancer. Originally a thread of tweets from @PeoplesOracle, this article describes the nature of Cancer rising, Moon, and Sun.
Cancer is a movable/cardinal water sign. In Cancer the Moon has rulership by domicile . Jupiter has rulership by exaltation. Saturn is in its detriment. Mars is in it’s fall. In my thread on Pisces I tied together all 3 water signs. (Cancer, Scorpio, & Pisces)
As a water sign Cancer deals with the sensate experience of emotions, feelings, intuition, creativity, & connection. You know I love to challenge and reframe stereotypes about signs, so you know what’s coming!
- Stereotype #1: Cancer is sensitive.
- Stereotype #2: Cancer is moody.
- Stereotype #3: Cancer is a homebody.
All stereotypes have some truth. But they lack nuance & aren’t universally applicable. To challenge these stereotypes, I’m going to go back to the basic premise of Cancer being ruled by the Moon.
The Moon is called the lesser light, while the Sun is called the greater light. We can take that very literally. The Moon is illuminated when it reflects the light of the Sun, but it never shines as brightly. But, 24 hours of Sunlight would kill everything just like 24 hours of Moonlight would kill everything.
Of the moon, Vettius valens says: “…lit by the reflection of the Sun’s light and possessing a borrowed light, in a nativity the Moon indicates a man’s life, body, the mother, conception, beauty, appearance, sight, marriage, nurture…housekeeping, THE QUEEN [emphasis mine], the mistress of the house, possessions, fortune, the city, the assembly of the people…” and so on.
Responsive
The new keyword I want to implement for Cancer? Responsive.
Instead of sensitive, RESPONSIVE.
Instead of moody, RESPONSIVE.
Think of the Moon, as a tool of a kind of photosynthesis. The Moon (emotion) takes the light of the Sun (perception) and synthesizes it so that we can use it. The Sun directly perceived will burn you and blind you.
Let’s apply this to Cancer.
The sensitivity of Cancer is about processing emotion. Emotion is defined by the physiological response the body has to stimuli. Anger? The heart pounds. Teeth and fist clinch. Fear? Your body shuts off non life threatening functions so all of your energy can be used to run. Happiness? The muscles relax. Serotonin and sometimes oxytocin is released making you feel safe.
Cancer is attuned to these physiological experiences in a way that would drive most of us crazy. And it actually drives a lot of Cancers themselves crazy. For this reason, some folks find them unbearable.
Water, Water Everywhere
This is the water trigon/triplicity/element.
When we perceive/experience Cancer as moody, we are witnessing the responsive nature of water.
Cancer is a cup of water. A truck drives down the street and the surface of the water trembles. The table shakes and the water sways back and forth to the edges of the cup. The cup is knocked over and they spend the next six months trying to pull itself back together. Ha! Okay, not six months. But, Cancer will emotionally regroup until it recalibrates its ability to process and filter again.
In comparison, Scorpio is trying to keep anyone and everyone out of it’s cup. And Pisces is trying escape the cup.
Think of that cup as Cancer’s home. It’s what’s keeping Cancer all together, in one piece. Water is easily contaminated when not kept separate from other substances. This is the struggle of Cancer Sun, Moon, & rising; the constant process of filtration in order to keep the water clean.
But Cancer also knows that nothing alive can live without water. So, it gives of itself as nurturer, mother. A Cancer who is not nurturing someone or something is a sad Cancer… They’re actually a Scorpio. (No shade)
Mars is fallen in this sign because the will to protect the self when governed by the Moon becomes responsive rather than courageous (Aries) or precise (Scorpio).
Home is Love
Cancer is tasked with nurturance. So they need their own well from which to refill, and that is home. But it’s not a physical home. Home is about the feeling of familiarity and safety. It’s often about the relationships more than anything. They struggles when they don’t have a solid foundation of relationships where they can feel safe and at ease. Those kinds of Cancers are reactionary. They take everything personally. And they are defensive.
They thrive when they take time to develop and nurture relationships that feel like home. There is a saying, “Home is where the heart is”. And this is most true for Cancer. Wherever they feels]s like they belong is where home is.
Cancer must learn to be stewards of their own emotional well-being rather than blaming others for how they RESPOND. While it’s true that a truck did drive by and disturb the water in your cup, only you are in control of how you respond.
As always, I’m interested in your personal experience with Cancer. I have LOTS of stories! Tweet me @PeoplesOracle.