Cancer – Cardinal Water – the Crab

Cancer strengths and weaknesses:

Here’s the glyph for Cancer: a 69 turned on its side. It resembles a crab with its claws raised in a defensive posture.

Cancer is the cardinal water sign. Like its opposite sign Capricorn, Cancer is an active, ambitious, goal-oriented cardinal sign. However, Cancer is also an intuitive, emotional water sign.

 Since the sign Cancer is ruled by the Moon, which governs emotions, any planets in Cancer in your chart show where you are emotionally sensitive, moody, and always changing, like the Moon. In fact, every Cancerian should have a calendar that shows the sign of the Moon each day, because they respond so strongly to the Lunar rhythms.

Cancer is a natural at mothering. The Moon governs the home, and the condition of the home and surroundings is important to Cancer, for better or for worse. The mother also has a strong influence.

Cancer indicates a concern with the past. You’ll often see folks with planets in Cancer who collect antiques or study history. They often hold on to things regardless of their outworn-ness or outdatedness. This goes for material possessions, as well as situations and relationships.

Cancer in your chart shows a place where your strength is nurturing others.. but also where you feel so soft and vulnerable that you put up your defenses, and scoot sideways around difficult issues. This can create barriers if you avoid issues that need to be confronted directly.

Every planet in your chart indicates a need. Cancer needs something or someone to take care of. The trick is to be aware of this need and develop healthy, nurturing relationships, rather than unhealthy dependencies.

Chart reading tip
For more information about your Sun in Cancer, read the sign of the Moon, Cancer’s ruler, in your chart. This will add further information to your delineation of a Cancer Sun.