Today is the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the Sun moves into Cancer. Cancer is ruled by the Moon and belongs to the element of water. The Moon has no light of her own; she can only reflect the light that's given to her by the Sun. In Cancer, we enter the world of emotions and feelings, as well as needs, intuition and the ability to bond with another human being. The rational Gemini self-awareness leads readily into Cancer's intuitive self-reflection and its personalized, feelings-based assessment of life. We now enter the realm of the non-rational, not necessarily irrational, but that which does not adhere to conventional logic or cause-and-effect. Feelings and emotions are like invisible forces made perceptible by external events that cause internal ripples. Our feeling state can be affected by internal psychological dynamics and includes emotions, but also includes the intuitive senses. You can have a “feeling” about something without necessarily having an emotional response to it.
Our first experience of being emotionally affected by others is our family, initially by the mother or mother-figure. Whether we experienced our childhood as nurturing, supportive and safe, or as painful, erratic and dysfunctional, our internal emotional growth tends to take on the shape of the environment in which it grew. Unconscious dynamics which are passed down from generation to generation also have their roots in Cancer and the 4th House. Hence, Cancer also governs family, childhood, mother, our ancestry, and the past in general. Our initial symbiosis with the mother-figure, combined with our subsequent ability to separate ourselves, matures into a capacity for empathy. The roots of our needs and behaviors in adult relationships are found deep in our Cancer past. The archetypes of Aries, Taurus and Gemini form the foundation of the Self in its own right. Cancer involves a deeply personal encounter with others. In Cancer, it is enough to return to our roots and past to discover the dynamics which enabled us to grow into the person we are today. If we try to go forward without knowing where we came from, we risk becoming aimless, reckless and disconnected.
Some Famous Cancers: Nikola Tesla, Henry VIII, Elon Musk, Tom Hanks, Pearl S. Buck, Meryl Streep, Princess Diana, Helen Keller.
Not just the Sun transits into Cancer, so do the other planets. This is the sign of moods and mood swings. Any planet placed here will tend to express itself through the emotions.
The Moon in Cancer: This is the most subjective position of the Moon. The Moon is “at home” in the sign of Cancer, as the Moon is the natural ruler of the sign. Moon in Cancer natives have a large potential to be able to get in touch with the feelings and moods of others. Often, they are quite wrapped up in themselves. Their memories of the past are outstanding, especially for all things emotional. Moon in Cancer people are never detached; they cling to things, their home and people they care for. They seek out security and familiarity in all they do. They look for peace and quiet. Their attachment to all that is safe means they are a little leery of change. These peace-loving souls dislike superficiality in all of its forms. They are devoted and accommodating.
Mercury in Cancer: Since this sign doesn’t like to get rid of things, the mind will tend to remember all sorts of trivial, random memories. Cancer is the sign of emotions and feelings. Anything will be remembered that makes an emotional impression. These folks also tend to be convinced by arguments that have an emotional appeal. They are inclined to put feelings first and logic later. If you have a friend with this placement, be prepared to have them cry on your shoulder a lot while they are telling you about the complaint of the day. On the positive side, they will let you return the favor. Communication, to them, is about emotion.
Venus in Cancer: There is no more tender and loving sign than Cancer and when Venus is here, feelings are more easily expressed. Venus moving into the sign of home and hearth, this brings us a time to relax and enjoy the people and parcels of home. Cancer is a sensitive, caring sign, a sign where the Venus' energy is easily expressed. Empathy comes freely and there is a real desire to provide nourishment to those around you. On the negative side, Venus in Cancer may want to suffer in love, seeking out one bad relationship after another.
Mars in Cancer: Mars is in its “fall” in Cancer as the energies don’t blend well. Mars can be explosive, while Cancer exudes love. There will be times when it feels like you are the rope in your own private tug-of-war, but this is also an opportunity to discover what works or doesn’t for you. Mars gives a boost to Cancer’s need for security, and the strength to throw caution to the wind, allowing healing and forgiveness to begin. Family rifts are likely to become less wide and parents, children and siblings are more inclined to reunite. Mars is the driving force behind our sexual desires, and Cancer infuses that physical desire with emotional power. Passion and romance will be awakened and renewed, because the Mars/Cancer blend has a knack for helping people to come together physically as well as emotionally.
Jupiter in Cancer: Jupiter is exalted in this sign, meaning that it functions exceptionally well. Here we have a supremely nurturing and protective presence. When Jupiter enters this sign we have the opportunity to increase our understanding of emotions and the private sphere. Enlarging our family could become a meaningful task, as could the pursuit of nurturing and caring for others. Jupiter in Cancer expands our feelings and thus is a feel-good placement.
Saturn in Cancer: Saturn is considered in detriment (or in difficulty) in the sign of Cancer. The combination of Saturn in Cancer means that the home and family life is not easy or necessarily positive. People with Saturn in Cancer are likely to have had a difficult upbringing. This could have taken the form of them having strict parents, or there being an emotional coldness in the home, where feelings were not easily shown or expressed or it could have been the person having to take on a lot of responsibility an early age. Whatever, the childhood would not have been simple and was unlikely to have been joyful. The people with Saturn in Cancer are challenged in this life to work at their expression of emotions and their family relations and will work very hard at making their own families a success. People with this combination may make good relationship or family councilors because of their own experiences and the difficulties they have had to work through. Emotional expression for the person with Saturn in Cancer will always be an issue and a challenge but will ease as they get older until hopefully they find some sort of balance.
Uranus in Cancer: If Uranus is the only planet in a Water Sign or a Cardinal Sign, then it will be able to focus much of its energy here. People with this one tend to be a bit hysterical and have extra trouble committing to an emotional relationship. You’re dedicated to your home and family, but you may be someone who wants to change conventional family, and the family that you have may not be the family that you share blood with. You can be a sensitive person and it plays with your energy levels.
Neptune in Cancer: The generation born just before World War I had this placement. The fantasies will tend to be more emotional in nature and center around things connected with the sign of Cancer, such as domestic matters and homeland.
Pluto in Cancer: This was a generation that was obsessed with home and homeland. These folks were born between 1914 and 1939. When they grew up, the suburbs in this country exploded. Everybody had to have their own home. Around the world, most of the colonies became independent. Cancer Pluto can be healing, nurturing and caring. They can also be responsible for escalating dangers by trying to always be one step ahead of their competition. It is their overprotective nature that keeps them striving to protect those they love. Family helps them feel needed and wanted. Individuals born when Pluto was in Cancer are destined to go through many changes that may affect their sense of security. They may develop compulsive emotional needs due to not getting their needs met during childhood.