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Archetypal Cancer Zodiac Sign

Archetypal Cancer is the soft, tender, and caring, it is the protector, nurturer, and healer. It is highly in-tune with its heart and surroundings, considerate and sensitive. As a Cardinal Water Sign, it leads from the heart— the archetypal matriarch— able to bring about change in a fluid, emotive way.

Home + hearth, food + family, play a big role for Cancerians. It’s ruling body part is the stomach and chest/breasts— the first home and nourishment of all mammals. Listening to its gut instinct, feelings, and tending to hypersensitivity (or over-personalisation) can be useful for Cancerians. Allowing space for softness and flow with the ebbing tides, being a lunar Sign after all, can be supportive.

In a world that can be hard, Cancer knows that softness is a superpower.

Characteristics of Cancer

Cancer is a Nocturnal, Cardinal Water Sign. Nocturnal Signs (Earth + Water) are more receptive and inward-facing. Cardinal Signs are the four ones that come at the beginning of the seasons (the Solstices + Equinoxes)— they are initiators. Water Signs are the feelers, creatives, and intuitives.

Cancer is a Sign that is associated with food, family, the body, emotions, and nourishment. It seeks comfort, safety, and security, and is deeply sensitive to its surroundings. Spending time by bodies of water and nature, while accepting that we are all only human, can be supportive.

As Astrology is largely the study of the Planets, it helps to think about a Sign through which Planets are comfortable and at home in them, and which ones struggle in their domain.

Cancer is ruled by the Moon, our closest celestial body, the one we have been enamoured with for millennia. Historically we have planted by the Moon, timed periods and birth, rituals, ceremonies, and more. Astrologically it governs our needs, emotions, instinctive patterns, body, and maternal archetypes.

A Lunar deity, it is of the “nocturnal Sect”, being the main luminary for Night Charts (so if you were born at night you may resonate more with your Moon Sign)!

Luna/Selene is a Goddess of mystery, of the night, of magic, and intuition. Associated with Diana, Goddess of the Hunt, and Hekate, Goddess of Witches, it is a distinctly feminine archetype.

The Moon is in its “joy” in the 3rd House, the place of local community, siblings, relatives, crafts, and divination. It is also the place of learning, communication, and media.

Jupiter exalts in Cancer because as the Planet of expansion and generosity, it finds a warm and fertile place to share freely and generously of the heart to those it loves in Cancer. This is a distinctly heart-centric placement that can easily call upon its own sense of gratitude.

Saturn finds its detriment in Cancer as it is opposite its domicile, Capricorn. Capricorn is the Sign of tough love and stoicism, Saturn is at home here in the world of discipline and responsibility. In Cancer, it can struggle to call upon its usual maturity and capacity for doing hard things.

Mars is also “in fall” in Cancer, as it exalts in Capricorn. Mars is the Planet of action, drive, ambition, heat, and fire; in Cancer it can find it hard to move as directly as it would— rather, it may go about its goals side-to-side, like a crab (or passive aggressively). The Warrior Planet can feel at odds in the Sign of the lover! However, Mars does also have Triplicity Rulership in Cancer which can help mitigate this.

Continue reading for more details about the Cancer Zodiac Sign:

Planets in Cancer

The Zodiac Seasons are governed by where the Sun currently is in the Zodiac (which is a division of the ecliptic— the apparent path of the Sun— into twelve Signs). When it is in the Sign of Cancer, we are collectively in Cancer Season. This usually occurs roughly between the 20th June - 22nd July but depends on the day of the Equinox each year (which starts the Astrological cycle and is what the Tropical Zodiac Signs are based on, not the constellations as is commonly thought).

In the Northern Hemisphere (which “Western” Astrology is developed on), Cancer Season is the start of summer (the Summer Solstice)— we are fully in the heat now, the days are long (although they are now slowly getting shorter after the Solstice! Join my Spirit Subscription for Solstice rituals), and a sense of sweet nostalgia is in the air. School’s out and beach-and-barbecue season is in full swing.

Cancer Season

During Cancer Season the fruits are ripe for the taking, the days feel endless, and it is prime time for simple moments with loved ones, basking in the warm nights.

It can also be a useful time for reconnecting with your lineage, ancestry, heart, body, womb, and intuition. Bake, get crafty, swim in the sea, cry, wear comfy clothes, give many hugs.

-> If you would like rituals and magick to connect to the energy of this period, get our Cancer Season Workbook (created for all Zodiac Signs)!

Sun in Cancer

The Sun in Cancer is warm-hearted, sensitive, and caring. This is mama bear energy, able to connect easily with others from the heart, opening up like a warm embrace. Considerate (but potentially clannish), nurturing, protective, and emotional— feel all the feels! People may naturally feel taken care of around you.

-> If you’re a Cancer, book in your Year Ahead Reading with me for details about what your Solar Return heralds for you!

Moon in Cancer

The Moon in Cancer is domiciled and so extra strong, able to tap into the watery realms and access heart and instinct. The Moon in Cancer is sweet, kind, and caring. Listening to the wisdom of your body and tending to your surroundings, family, and food can be especially nurturing.

Mercury in Cancer

Mercury in Cancer is highly sensitive and receptive, it always considers the other and is kind, caring, and attentive. Eager to help, it is perceptive and creative. You might be nostalgic or hold onto memories (or people/places/things), and able to connect mentally with others.

Venus in Cancer

Venus in Cancer is sweet, tender, and soft-hearted, desiring for partners to feel like home. You might appreciate pastels and comfy fabrics, as well as retro or items that are nostalgic in some way. Food may also be important for you, and a sense of security in relationships (and finances) is key!

Mars in Cancer

Mars in Cancer is intuitive, fluid actions— follow your instincts! In its fall, it is less direct than other Mars’, allowing for space for flow can be useful. Lead with your heart and don’t be afraid of initiating or confrontation— we can be both candid and kind! It doesn’t need to be disagreeable to disagree.

Jupiter in Cancer

Jupiter in Cancer is big feels and big generosity! Here it is able to access its full depth of heart and capacity for generative, supportive creation. In its Sign of exaltation, Jupiter here is able to stretch its capacity for optimism with Cancer’s capacity for nourishment far and wide.

Its placement in your Chart can also speak to your Sagittarius and Pisces placements/Houses.

Saturn in Cancer

Saturn in Cancer appreciates softness, sensitivity, and tenderness, however this can veer into molly-coddling and pandering or enabling if not kept in check as it is in its place of detriment. Saturn in Cancer can prefer things to be kept amicable and pleasant, hard work for long-term gains are not favoured over comfort!

As another social Planet, along with Jupiter, people born within the same 2-3 years as you will have Saturn in Cancer, you can look to other placements for more personalised details (such as the House it is in, what aspects it is making, and the Capricorn/Aquarius Houses of your Chart, as well as where your Moon is).

Cancer in the Houses

In each of our Natal Charts, Cancer will occupy a House (regardless of whether you have placements in Cancer or not), bringing its sensitivity to this area of life for us.

When a Planet enters Cancer, it is transiting this House for us, bringing its energy/action to this area of life (this is how all horoscopes are written)! To learn more about what the Planets have in store for you, get your Zodiac Year Ahead Forecast Report!

Cancer in the 1st House - Cancer Rising

Cancer Risings can embody the quintessential Cancerian archetype— tenderness, sensitivity, ability to connect with others, nurturance. Food and family may play particularly important roles for them, and messages from their body might be loud!

Cancer in the 2nd House - Gemini Rising

With Cancer in the 2nd House you may be more risk-averse and prefer a safe income revenue stream. You might appreciate spending your money on food, your home, family, and your body and sense of nourishment.

Cancer in the 3rd House - Taurus Rising

Cancer in the 3rd House can you mean you are emotionally tied to your immediate surroundings— going for a walk around your neighbourhood, getting your favourite drink, knowing your neighbours— important facets of nourishment. You may also speak kindly.

Cancer in the 4th House - Aries Rising

Cancer in the 4th House can be strongly tied to hearth, home, family, lineage, and ancestry. This is the ultimate nest egg, comfort and familial relations— as well as tradition and food— can be key to emotional wellbeing.

Cancer in the 5th House - Pisces Rising

Cancer in the 5th House can bring a sensitive, intuitive capacity for creation. You may be emotionally in-tune with children, and you might like nostalgic hobbies (or baking) for fun. Sexual encounters need to feel safe and familiar.

Cancer in the 6th House - Aquarius Rising

Cancer in the 6th House can strongly tie in your emotional wellbeing into your physical wellbeing— it can be useful to make sure not to hold onto old feelings! You might like your work environment and colleagues to feel like family (and pets form part of yours too).

Cancer in the 7th House - Capricorn Rising

With Cancer in the 7th House you may appreciate partnerships that feel like home, and partners that are tender, sweet, considerate, nurturing, and sensitive. You might like to either take care of or be taken care of.

Cancer in the 8th House - Sagittarius Rising

With Cancer in the 8th House you may prefer investments to feel safe and secure, and any joint ventures to feel comfy and like family. You may be strongly tied to your inheritance (literal or figurative) and ancestral lineage. Healing the mother wound may be beneficial.

Cancer in the 9th House - Scorpio Rising

Cancer in the 9th House can bring a belief in traditional family values, as well as a capacity for an intuitive and creative worldview. You may also prefer to travel to places that feel safe or are connected to your family/lineage in some way.

Cancer in the 10th House - Libra Rising

Cancer in the 10th House can bring a desire for a career that feels comforting and like home. You may be attracted to the arts or industries related to food, housing, families, travel and creativity. In public or professional settings you may come across as warm.

Cancer in the 11th House - Virgo Rising

With Cancer in the 11th House you may be warm and emotionally connected with your friends, preferring them to feel like family. Your community needs to feel comforting, and you might enjoy being a part of groups and memberships that called to you as a child.

Cancer in the 12th House - Leo Rising

Cancer in the 12th House can make it hard to let go of emotional hurts— intergenerational trauma healing may be useful as well as working with your dreams and subconscious. Tap into your sensitivities and see where they may be the cause of any self-undoing.

Spending time with the Cancer House of your Natal Chart and paying attention during Cancer Season (and the transit of other Planets through Cancer) for what comes up for you is the best way to learn what this archetype means for you!

So that’s a brief overview of archetypal Cancer, I hope it’s insightful for you! Let me know in the comments section below if you have anything else to add or any questions.

For a personalised Astrology reading, book in a 1:1 session with me, I’d be honoured to be your celestial guide.

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