The Zodiac --- The Sign of Cancer the Crab

Cancer / J.P. Rhea

Cancer The Crab is the fourth sign of the Zodiac. It rules the Fourth House of domestic life, motherhood, and nurture. The Fourth House also concerns itself with the end of life. Cancer is ruled by the Moon, the planet of emotions and sensitivity. Due to the negative association with the disease, many modern Cancers refer to themselves as "Moonchildren" but that overlooks Cancer's long relationship with the Sun and stars.

In the Maslow Hierarchy of Needs, the representational person, coming into existence under Aries, establishing their foundation under Taurus, and having become aware of the outer environment through Gemini is now free to react to their experience on a gut level through Cancer. The central concept of Cancer is "I Feel". It is considered a Feminine ("Inner") sign, since women were traditionally thought to be ruled by their emotions to a greater extent than men. (The topic of emotional repression in men is for another day.)

Cancer is the first Water sign of the Zodiac. Water is connected to the subconscious mind, to the emotional centers, and to the flow of energy. 

It is perhaps no mistake that the disease of cancer evokes such profound emotional reactions.
According to Tropical astrology the Sun enters Cancer on June 21st relative to the Summer Solstice (the First Point of Cancer), which means that people born prior to the moment of Solstice are Geminis. Its relationship to the Solstice makes Cancer a Cardinal sign. In Sidereal astrology,the Sun enters Cancer on July 16 and leaves on August 15. In Chinese astrology, Cancer is the 23rd of the 28 Mansions, and is known as "Ghosts," flowing and diaphanous, ephemeral beings. 

 

As a rule, people born close to the boundaries of signs are said to be "on the cusp" and thus experience a mixture of the adjoining signs. In fact, astrologers posit that people born in the first ten degrees of a sign are influenced by the prior sign to a diminishing extent while people born in the last ten degrees of a sign are influenced by the coming sign to an increasing extent. Only people born in the 11th to 19th degrees of a sign are "purely" of that sign. The Sun leaves Cancer on July 22nd in the Tropical system (Tropic of Cancer anyone?).

The Tropic of Cancer, by the way, is the point on the Earth upon which the Sun's rays will directly shine on the day of the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (the region between the Tropic of Cancer and the corresponding Tropic of Capricorn in the south, bisected by the Equator, is called the Tropics). There's more about this in the index of the Nautical Almanac.

 

Cancerians are compassionate and sensitive people who, even more than Tauruses, want to create a safe and secure space for others. They love culture and comfort, and they like to share their interests. Cancers like such pursuits as genealogy. They enjoy entertaining and have an affinity for good food. They are supportive friends who want to lend an ear. At best, they are empaths. 

At worst, they are people who imagine slights, pull back emotionally, and "crab" or complain about their personal lives on a constant basis. Their sensitivity and ability to attune to others is a strength; however the same traits can cause them to have poor personal boundaries, violent mood swings, a deep sense of pessimism, and to be attracted to codependent relationships. In some ways, Cancers are like the eponymous disease --- once they get going they have to know when to stop --- for good and for ill. 

The glyph for Cancer resembles the number 69 which has been the basis for some prurient jokes. Milquetoast sources describe the glyph as the claws of the Crab. However, it has deeper symbolism, too. It can be seen as a mother and child embracing, a mother with child in utero, two individuals in a corresponding relationship, a symbol for eternity, or a Western version of the Chinese symbol of Yin-Yang, all of which fit this astrological sign very well. 

 

Famous Cancerians include President George W. ("Dubya") Bush, President John Quincy Adams, Helen Keller, Julius Caesar, Alexander The Great, The Duke of Windsor (King Edward VIII), General Nathan Bedford Forrest C.S.A., Charles Lindbergh, King Henry VIII, O.J. Simpson, the XIV Dalai Lama, Alfred Kinsey, Hermann Hesse, Pablo Neruda, Robin Williams, and Mel Brooks.

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