The depiction of Cancer the crab. Image copyright 2014 Roman Oleh Yaworsky, www.astrologyhoroscopereadings.com

 

The Crab

The image of the Crab for the sun sign Cancer is thousands of years old. It holds the qualities of a hard shell protecting a soft inside, but it also emphasizes the outer containment. Cancer rules the skin and containers in general. The other meaning of the Crab is that it carries its own home or protection wherever it goes.

The ancient Egyptian depiction for Cancer was the Scarab or Dung Beetle, in part because the scarab would push a ball of dung in the direction it wanted to go, and jump on top whenever the sands got too hot. It always took its home wherever it when, and the home was kept cool through evaporation.

Glyph of Cancer depicts two hearts, mother and child.

The relationship of the Sign Cancer to the body. Image copyright 2014 Roman Oleh Yaworsky, www.astrologyhoroscopereadings.com

 

The Cancer Sign and the Body

The sign Cancer is associated with the stomach and the skin.

Sun in Cancer

Cancer is finely attuned to feelings, sharing feelings and being receptive to the feelings of others. There is a natural affinity for family and nurturing. The Crab as a symbol for Cancer is a hard outer shell protecting the softness inside. Another meaning for the Crab is that it carries its home, the shell, everywhere it goes. Cancers do not like to be without a home.

Cancer is known for their memory, and is at risk for holding on to past hurts and negative emotional experiences. Their increased sensitivity puts Cancer at risk for absorbing and holding on to emotions, hurts and past experiences. When Cancer does this, they can become defensive, sensitive and protective of their feelings. The path to moving forward for Cancer is to extend their nurturing themselves. When Cancer takes responsibility for the caring and protecting of their own feelings, they invite their own healing.

Cancer rules containers, the stomach and skin. It is associated with family, the mother, home, nurturing, gestation and formative stages of processes and growth as well as beginnings and endings.

Key Words and Phrases

When Cancer is Established in Their True Feelings:

Feelings, Sensitivity, Emotional security, Nurturing Family oriented, Aware of other's feelings

When Cancer Does Not Take Care of their Feelings:

Holding Emotions, Over-mothering, Overly cautious, Protective, Defensive, Over-sensitive, Avoiding feelings

Famous People with the Sun in Cancer

Giorgio Armani, Dan Aykroyd, Anthony Bourdain, George W. Bush, Priyanka Chopra.John Cusack, Lana Del Rey, Princes Diana, Dalai Lama, Harrison Ford, Gerald Ford, Buckminster Fuller, John Glenn, Danny Glover, Ariana Grande, Nelson Mandela, Gregor Mendel, Michael Phelps, Freddie Prinze, Ross Perot, James Cagney, Carlos Santana, Sylvester Stallone, Meryl Streep, Nikola Tesla, Jesse Ventura, Robin Williams, Andrew Wyeth, Malala Yousafzai

Moon in Cancer

With the moon in Cancer, there are strong feelings and a need for emotional security. There is a natural affinity for nurturing, giving and receiving and sensitivity both tor their own feelings and to the feelings of others. Typically, there is a strong connection to the home, family and especially with their mother and a tendency to be cautious and over mothering of others.

When they do not take care of their feelings or hold on to their negative experiences, people with Moon in Cancer tend to seeking refuge with in the home, with family and close friends 

Cancer Sun and Mercury Retrograde

Cancer can set themselves up during the mercury retrograde cycle by being overly concerned with nurturing and taking care of the feelings of others and thus ignore what they feel themselves. For Cancer, it is important not to ignore the impressions and feelings that may let them know that something is off, unclear or not quite right. When the focus is on others through nurturing or taking responsibility for how others feel, then important hints may be ignored and the right choices may be overlooked.

Another contribution to the Mercury Retrograde Cycle can occur when emotional buttons are pressed and then appropriate actions, choices and communications are ignored by the resultant mood swings.