Our tipping point from the changeability of spring to the cradle of warmth and sunshine that is summer is what ushers in Cancer season. If the gift of Gemini is adaptability, then Cancer brings us what we need for nourishment and growth.
To move with the energy of Cancer is to learn the rapture of love meant to nurture and protect. It’s felt in the moment a kitten toddles up to you, all wide eyed and tiny, full of trust, or in the first time your eyes meet those of your newborn baby. The primal power of this impulse means you don’t mind that your heart is now in the clutches of love. This urge, born more from instinct than desire, means you’re ready to return that embrace with every ounce of your being.
As the first of the water signs in the zodiac, Cancer brings the basic building blocks of our emotional security. It’s the foundation for nurturing ourselves as well as others and it holds the secret of recognizing our vulnerability and coaxing it into becoming stronger. This is the everyday magic that is hiding behind the archetype of ‘Mom’ and the caregiver; it’s the support that encourages the growth and strength we need to meet the world.
As the ruler of Cancer, the moon is not only responsible for the ebb and flow of the tides that move our oceans, but she is also ever changing, waxing and waning. Unlike the sun which burns all the time, we see a different face of the moon depending on her position between the earth and the Sun. By doing this, she ensures that we continue to benefit from the light of the sun through a gradual sequence that modifies the quality and value of the light. It’s because of this that we don’t live in a world of absolutes (light and dark) and that we are able to adapt, shift, and evolve.
By observing the ebb and flow of the tides we can very clearly see what is necessary for growth and evolution that we’re all participating in. The desire to hold is equal to the need to let go, and as the wave rushes towards the shore it is never content to stay there. From childhood to elderhood, aren’t we all learning the dance of when to grasp and when to let go?
While nobody loves homemade cookies on the couch more than a Cancer native, seeking too much comfort builds an inertia that betrays the potential for the capacity for deep contentment and satisfaction at the heart of this sign and energy pattern.
Cancer natives are wonderfully complex yet simple. If they can manage to discern between comfort for indulgence and when it’s necessary for support, they can attain deep and lasting contentment. They make wonderful life coaches because they know that challenges give you the chops you need to succeed in the world.
If that discernment is not made, or if there is no nurturing presence at all then the ‘muscle’ that helps us adapt to the challenges of the world doesn’t get to grow. The person who suffered from neglect as a child will become just as ill-equipped to handle the world as the person who had all of their needs met from a comfy bubble. Cranky is the keyword when Cancer has lost the soft spot and doesn’t know why.
To balance the softness and vulnerability that can come from too many planets in Cancer or a Cancer placement that’s amplified by transit, look to the energy of Capricorn, the sign opposite. Capricorn knows all about working to feel secure in the world, which provides Cancer with the structure, support and protection they need and are so gifted at providing.
To learn more about how to work with your vulnerability or soft spots, look to the placement of the moon and the house ruled by Cancer in your natal chart. If you’d like a reading to help shed light on your emotional patterns, book a free discovery session with me today.
Suzana is holistic counselor, homeopath and astrologer. She holds a multidimensional approach that supports the individual in their evolution of self and healing journey. Passionate about healing for over 30 years, she loves seeing the patterns of the universe and helping people integrate their experiences of the collective, transpersonal worlds into their daily lives.