Astrochat: Cancer

Happy Cancer Season, waterbugs! Cancer season serves us all a time to settle deep into our feelings. It lets us identify our protectors—the things that make us feel safe—as well as identify the things that we believe we can and want to protect. The Sun entered Cancer on June 21, and will remain there through July 21. Cancer is the fourth sign of the Zodiac, and the most motherly of all Zodiac energies. Cancer season calls us to take things personally, to defend the things we care about, and to retreat into our sanctuary spaces with the beings we love most. We are reentering watery depths and honoring tradition as we dive in. While the Sun is in Cancer, now more than ever, we will be looking to pick up every broken piece and to put them back together with some old-fashioned TLC.

Cancer is a cardinal water sign. Cardinal signs are the explorers, and for Cancer, that means exploring emotional depths, with themselves and within their relationships. Unlike some of the other cardinal signs, Cancer does not always aggressively seek independence or feel the need to lead. They’re happy to assess what each situation calls for and go with the flow. They’ll have a back up plan and make the final call when no one else wants to, but they’re usually more content to concede to the group. Cancer is ruled by the Moon. The Moon is considered a planet in Astrology, and has some of the greatest effects on us here on Earth. The Moon fuels our internal dialog and feelings. We see the Moon each day. We see it evolve and move through cycles of lumination and shadow. We see this personified in Cancer. Cancers aren’t concerned with concealing their opinions and beliefs, and they let their emotions—negative or positive—shine and settle, just as the Moon does each night. And just as the Moon is our greatest source of light to lead the way through the night sky, so too is Cancer. But so too, can Cancer get carried away in the shadow of it all, and sometimes make our journey’s much more complicated than originally anticipated. The brighter they shine, the more capable they are of leading the way through shadow.

Cancer is symbolized by the crab: hard shell, tender insides, and pinchers to boot. When a Cancer clutches on, you’re likely in their grasp for good. Signs with claws (Scorpio too) tend to hold on tightly and never let go. The hard outer shell is home to the crab, and it’s the same for Cancer. They’ll put on as tough a front as necessary to keep the things they love safe. Cancer also loves a super comfy home though, and feels most themselves when they’re there. For even the home-bodiest of Cancers, home is only homey when the people and pets and objects they love most are present. Retreating into the shell is common practice for Cancer. They like to dig way down to ensure their loves will be hidden away, cozy and cared for.

The Tarot card associated with Cancer is The Chariot. The Chariot drives forward, with two horses before them (fantasy and reality), and that is what Cancer is capable of at their highest and best. Allowing their fantasies and realities hold equal space as they make plans to proceed with life. Cancer can have tendencies to let what they want to believe dominate what’s actually happening, or has happened. When The Chariot steps in, it is not about rewriting the past to a narrative you want to fit, it is about progressing forward. Our past hurts, fears, and setbacks are fully behind us, and if we want to move forward with clear purpose, we have to draw the map ourselves and ride into that path. The Chariot says “Create a clear course for yourself, have grace in your missteps, but own them as they are, and then proceed.” It is racing, but not recklessly.  It is calculated and whip-smart. It does not allow itself to be overwhelmed by feeling. Cancer has all of that capability when they are willing to step into it.

When cultivating Cancer energy, think of summer whites and shiny things. The way water glimmers in the sunlight. Soft greys, light blues, and all shades of cream. If you’re working with crystals this Cancer season, try carnelian for some serious grounding and strengthened connection to you body and sexuality. Use moonstone to activate that Cancerian connection to the Moon and deepen your relationship with your own intuition. Reach for opal in times of self-doubt to ignite confidence and personal power.

Ruling body parts for Cancer are the breasts and stomach. You can usually find a Cancer trying to feed and nourish everyone in their sight.  They are the Italian grandmother of the zodiac, making sure everyone is comfortable, and more importantly, well-fed. Cancers are the ultimate dinner party hosts. They think of all the little details that make everyone feel right at home.  You can find them slinging cocktails while they work the room and try to spoon-feed anyone who will let them. Cancers are also especially in tune with that “gut feeling” or getting a “pit in your stomach” about a situation. Cancers tend to sense danger in that way much more than other signs, and since it’s such a physical reaction, makes them likely to return to their shells and hide out there when they feel overwhelmed. This Cancer season, tune into that “gut feeling,” but don’t let it get the best of you, or keep you from missing out on joyful, expansive experiences! Do things that feel good for your body—actually good, not just numbingly good—because when you nurture yourself first, you can do it the way you dream about doing for others.

I am certain in this lifetime, every Cancer that’s been put into my life has come with a message I need to learn, and I think that’s what they do for everyone who’s lives they touch. And most of that time that message is that we’re all human. We’re all trying to figure it out, and it can be best approached with being a little easier on yourself. They let us know it’s okay to feel. It’s okay to cry at work, or cry at the movies, or cry because it’s a beautiful day and your windows are down and your favorite song from high school comes on.  You can always count on a Cancer to be there for you when you’re down in the dumps. They are some of the best listeners, and even though they aren’t known for being big into immediate solutions, they’ll make you feel seen and understood where others might want to brush your concerns aside. They’ll hear you out, feed you a hearty meal, and then take you dancing for a night on the town. Cancers are known for being deep in their feels, and they carry a variety of comfort blankets at all times. They want everyone in their presence to feel good, and can sometimes get overwhelmed being so sensitive to the feelings of others that they feel their best course of action is a mental escape. Aside from a glass of wine or six, Cancers also love retreating into novels and movies. They fly through book series and can binge watch with the best of em. Cancers do their absolute best to make everyone who comes into their life feel like family. They rarely keep people on the fringes, even when they really really want to. In relationships, they live to be the caretaker. They thrive when they get to use their hands, and will show you their adoration through acts of service much more often than with their words.

Cancers show us that we can hold joy and grief in both hands with equal weight. They also warn us about playing the victim and using guilt as a weapon, which Cancers are known to do. The pinchers come out when they’re in full defense mode. Cancer season gives us space to question our triggers, and observe what causes us to lash out.  It also gives us a chance to make peace with our reactions and responses. Cancers have an inner world that is unimaginably profound. And a lesson we can all learn during Cancer season is, when we strive to align our inner worlds with the one that exists around us, we’ll find an entirely new level of peace and contentment.

I would not be the person I am today without the powerful Cancerian influence of two very important people in my life. My best friend, Meaghan, who pulled me out of a shell I didn’t even know I was in, and has continued to do it into our adult lives. She has endlessly inspired me to always keep pushing for the life I really want, not the one I (or society) think I should have. She introduced me to Rocky Horror, beer towers, and has never judged me for a single thing I’ve done literally ever. Which brings me to the next person who has never judged me for a single thing I’ve done literally ever, my mom. She’s birthed 4 children, all naturally. She has a backyard vegetable garden that is the stuff of fairy tales. She makes her own jams, jellies, salsas, and sauces, and gives them away free of charge to nearly every person she knows.  She has preserved through trauma I cannot begin to fathom and created a home where myself and my friends always felt safe to be exactly who we are. So, that’s what Cancer season means to me. Creating an environment that anyone who encounters will know they are safe from judgment, safe from harm, and safe to live in a way that inspires them.

And so, HAPPY CANCER SEASON MY LOVES, I hope you feel every single feeling that comes your way, the sticky ones too, and find strength and comfort knowing you are in control of everything you do. I hope Cancer season shows us all that while sometimes things do happen to us, things happen to us, they also often happen for us. Submerge yourselves in a new book series, watch Riverdale for the third time, and let yourself sip that martini while you float along on a sunny day in the big beautiful swimming pool of life. Put your judgments aside and let nostalgia hold your hand. Heck, let a person hold your hand, for no other reason than that it just feels good. I hope Cancer season brings you so many new answers to “Who am I?” and that it encourages you to keep searching.

As always, I’ve got to give an enormous shout to my glam fam. We really upped the production value here y’all! Cheers to these ladies who are instrumental in bringing this vision to life. My photographer, Victoria. My makeup artist, Jamie. My hairstylist, who colored AND styled my hair for this shoot, Maggie. It is an honor simply to know you all and an even greater one to work with you as often as I get to. HUGE thank you to Kim Toporoff, who led us to Joanie and Abel who so generously let us shoot in their glorious home, by this perfect pool. I could never have imagined it would have turned out so beautifully, and it definitely would not have without all of these people. Finally, THANK YOU, reader, if you’re still here. We’re halfway through these Astrochat posts! Tell me every Cancerian thing that happens during this season, and I will too! Loving you all, as I pick petals from flowers wondering if you love me back, like a Cancer would.

xx 

T