Cancer is the fourth zodiac sign. The name Cancer is derived from ‘karkinos’, the ancient Greek word for crab. If you have a Cancer Sun, Moon or rising sign in Cancer you may be accused of being ‘crabby’. However, before you retreat into your shell, let me tell you some of the kindest people you will meet are Cancerian. Cancer qualities may be present if you have a strong Moon in your natal chart, for example, if the Moon is in the first house or if the Moon conjuncts the Sun or is in Cancer – its ruling sign. Cancer energy may be dominant if this sign is influential in your chart – but what is that energy?
Cancer | Energy Type
The zodiac signs represent fundamental energy types, and each sign determines how those energies are expressed – ‘how’ being the key word. When the Sun, Moon, planets, cardinal points and house cusps in your natal chart fall in Cancer, they express in that sign’s unique style. The luminaries and planets represent ‘what’ is being expressed and the natal chart houses signify ‘where’, but the ‘how’ part of the equation is always governed by the zodiac sign’s particular qualities.
In astrology, energy types are defined by the zodiac sign’s element (fire, earth air or water). Each element has a characteristic form of motivation and influence on behaviour. In addition, elemental energy is expressed in a particular mode: energy is one thing, but how it’s applied is something else. Modality (cardinal, fixed, mutable) determines how the raw energy functions. And then there’s polarity: is the sign positive or negative? Polarity determines how energy is processed, by being externalised (extroverted) or internalised (introverted). Cancer energy type is water-cardinal-negative. What does that mean?
Cancer | Key Qualities
Water
Water signs are intuitive, sensitive and emotional, and Cancer is the most outwardly emotional of them all. Sympathetic and protective, you are happiest when your home life is harmonious and your family meets regularly around your kitchen table. You bond over your shared history and you love to be at the centre of family life. Your emotional ties are binding and inform everything you do.
Cardinal
Cardinal signs initiate, take action and have notable leadership qualities. Cancer acts from its emotional base and this may make you inspirational to others. Many people are often surprised at how forceful and dominant an apparently ‘gentle’ Cancer person can be. When you want something, you go for it – but you do so in a way that you hope will be unnoticed by other people!
Negative
Cancer is a negative, introverted sign, so its cardinal-water energy is internalised. Cancer is often recognised as a shy sign, despite its cardinal nature, but it would be more accurate to suggest Cancer is a subtle sign: those influenced by this sign feel their way, using intuition. You initiate action when it feels right to do so – and not before. Retreat is always an option for Cancer subjects: if the vibe shifts, you’ll withdraw until your feelings improve.
The Cancer Myth
Each zodiac sign has a myth that emphasises its core characteristics. The myth of Cancer the Crab is a simple one: the ancient Greek myths tell of a giant crab, ‘Karkinos’ who was sent by the Goddess Hera in an attempt to defeat the hero, Heracles, in his battle against the monstrous Hydra. The Hydra was a difficult, multi-headed adversary; when Heracles lopped off a head, another one grew to replace it. The last thing Heracles needed was a crab pinching his feet during a fight to the death.
The crab was loyal to Hera (she was not a fan of Heracles, which explains a lot) and it held on fast in an attempt to distract the hero from his fight. The only way for Heracles to survive was to kill the crab, so he crushed it to death. Hera rewarded her brave, tenacious crustacean with a place in the heavens. It’s a good story, and it highlights some of the qualities we associate with the sign of Cancer: strength, tenacity, loyalty, courage, fighting against the odds, even when you know – deep down – that things are unlikely to go your way.
However, there is one more thing this story represents – and it goes much deeper than the story of one man’s fight. The story of Heracles and Karkinos, is retold by psychology as a ‘separation’ myth. The process of individuation requires the mother’s influence to be cast aside, as the child learns to identify with the father – the hero. In astrology, we recognise this as the process of growing into your solar potential, as you develop a conscious awareness of ‘selfhood’. In this myth, the goddess Hera is the archetypal matriarch; the crab symbolises her reluctance to ‘let go’ and allow Heracles to become the hero he was meant to be.
Cancer | Ruled by The Moon
Humankind has always worshipped the Moon. Every civilisation had a Moon goddess, and Moon goddesses have always represented the feminine side of human nature, and all that it represents: both the loving, maternal, nourishing and protective parent, to the dark, emotionally dangerous, irrational, hysterical, clinging and destructive force we know bad parents can be. Motherhood, parenting and families; the roles and situations that we associate with both love and support – and fighting and feuds – derive from the Moon’s influence on this sign.
Cancer is ruled by the Moon, with its symbolism of the universal mother. Much as we love our mothers, we know that Mama is not always the parent we want her to be. The soft and gentle Moon can smother as well as nurture. The Moon rules history, heritage, home, family and the complex and changeable nature of our emotional lives. Cancer subjects often find their moods and feelings as changeable as the phases of the Moon.
Cancer Archetype | The Caregiver
Cancer’s archetype figure is the Caregiver, and this figure brings together many of the Cancer attributes described above. The Caregiver is nurturing, loyal and protective of people and places. the Caregiver flourishes where they perceive need. That places the Caregiver in many roles that you’ll recognise, almost all of which involve the care of people, the care of land and property and the care of heritage. Attachment is a major concept, as the caregiver becomes attached to whatever – or whoever – is being cared for.
Separation is often a difficult process, as the Caregiver’s need to care makes it hard to release emotionally; neediness and dependency are seen in this archetype. There is often a need to gain approval, a need to please and a need to control, as protection against hurt. The caregiver can be easily hurt, especially if they feel taken for granted. At best, the Caregiver is altruistic in support and encouragement of others, but at its worst, those who align with this archetype can be taken advantage of, and may excuse inexcusable behaviour in those they care for.
Cancer Character
Cancer’s fundamental character is derived from the sign’s energy and the influence of its ruling planet, the Moon. The mythology and Caregiver archetype demonstrate how Cancer’s traits are internalised, but how is the this character-type expressed in the real world? Regardless of your gender you’re likely to have maternal qualities. However, that means more than simply being a mother or playing a mother-type role; to be maternal means you have the characteristics we often associate with being a mother, while being ‘motherly’ goes beyond that, to describe your inner nature.
Let’s focus on your maternal qualities: you are deeply protective of those you love and nothing comes between you and the people, places or causes you are attach to. This is not an aggressive sign, but you will fight your corner and you will refuse to let go of an issue until the matter is closed. You hold fast to your feelings in any situation and you’re not averse to re-litigating old arguments. The vibe is strong with this sign; whether it’s moodiness or empathy, you sense feelings better than anyone.
Your inability to let go of the past – plus your innate defensiveness – can cause passive aggressive behaviour, but your strong bonds with the past are mostly positive ones. You have a deep appreciation of the connections between people and places, of home and homeland and the importance of family and shared history. Home is important to you, as it’s the place you feel safe and secure. Home is your private space, and that’s important to you, as you’re a private person. Home – however it’s defined – is where you feel able to be yourself.
Cancer Keywords
The keywords associated with this sign provide you with a useful checklist of all of the qualities we associate with Virgo. The keywords are categorised as ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ and if you have planets or natal chart angles in this sign, the parts of your life that they represent will manifest in ways that accord with the keywords set out below. You will probably recognise many of those qualities in yourself.
Positive
Collector, Comforter, Cooking, Deep Feelings, Empathy, Family, History, House, Home loving, Kind, Instinctive, Intuitive, Maternal, Motherly, Memory, Nostalgia, Nurture, Quiet, Protective, Sensitive, Shrewd, Sympathetic, Tenacious, Tender, Vulnerable.
Negative
Bossy, Broody, Clingy, Defensive, Demanding, Easily hurt, Easily offended, Fussy, Hard, Hoarder, Insecure, Irritable, Manipulative, Moody, Over Emotional, Possessive, Restless, Reticent, Sarcastic, Smothering, Snappy, Sullen, Sulky, Touchy.
Cancer in Love
When it comes to the ocean of love, Cancer falls in deep. You need to possess and be possessed. Love for Cancer often becomes a dependency issue, as you have a profound need for two to become as one. The key word for Cancerians is ‘need’. You need a deeply intimate and emotional bond, which to you is ‘manna from heaven’, as nourishing as a feast. Outside of your relationship absolutely everything else takes second place – just beware, however, you may be neglecting other people and relationships that are also essential to your sense of wellbeing.
However, there’s no-one like you for trust and commitment. Or is there? You may be seen as somewhat clingy in relationships, but should your partner fail to deliver the emotional bond you crave, you will test the waters elsewhere – secretly – until you’re sure you won’t be taken for granted again. Mostly, you avoid such complications by waiting until you are sure the time – and the person – are right for you. Until then you’re happy to keep your shell (personal and domestic) to yourself.
Cancer & Family
Family is important to Cancer; it’s a family oriented sign. However, there is more to Cancer than a drive to create a traditional family, as we have come to understand the term. Many Cancer subjects will have a close-knit family, an extended family or nuclear family comprising their blood relatives, but ‘family’ can be defined in other ways too. Cancer subjects who don’t fit the traditional mould, will often create a non-traditional family to give them people, animals or situations to care for. Being par of a family unit is important to you.
Cancer’s drive in a familial context is tribal and clannish: you are either part of the family or you are not. That ‘need to belong’ underpins the family orientation of this sign. When someone is invited to become part of your family – however that family is defined – you are likely to feel that they belong to you. Cancer collects people and objects; an affluent Cancer subject may collect homes, but it’s more usual to see a Cancer influenced home filled with memorabilia and items of sentimental value that have been collected over the years. You have a long memory, and your memories are precious to you.
Cancer & Money
Cancer is good with money – especially if the sign’s collecting and hoarding traits are exercised financially. Money represents safety, so you may save purely as a hedge against any threat to your future security, rather than with any specific purchase in mind. Cancer is one of the signs associated with homes and property in general; those of you who are financially fortunate may invest in property as a home, or as a way of accruing for the future. This is a shrewd sign; you are good with investments because of your ability to sense both opportunity and danger in the material world.
Saving is one thing, but you also know how to spend. Some Cancer subjects may tread a fine line between financial caution and extravagance and this tends to be emotionally Purchases are often emotionally driven a d may satisfy an emotional need. What you spend and what you buy will vary according to your mood. Many Cancer subjects are great collectors, so you may have a collection of artefacts that represent both emotional attachment and financial security. Collecting antiques is often associated with this sign.
Cancer Careers
The best careers are those that suit your nature, your personality and where your inner character feels most at home. That latter point is important to Cancer, so any career where your Cancer traits feel ‘at home’ has the potential to be the right one for you. The most obvious choices are usually connected to the caring professions i.e. nursing, childcare, senior care etc. However, nurturing comes in many forms, and Cancer-influenced subjects thrive in the food and catering industry, horticulture (nurseries are not just for infants), and any profession that requires, empathy and emotional intelligence.
This is a cardinal sign, but many Cancer people are happy in support roles. Cancer’s leadership skills work best if they can create a family unit within the workplace. A familial feel to the workplace is often essential; being supported, having loyalty rewarded and working collaboratively are preferable to an impersonal or aggressive working environment. Home working will suit some, as it enables the work place to be a safe space and helps to prevent emotional stress. Homes may be your job; real estate is a natural fit with Cancer. Working connections with history are also common.
Cancer | What To Look For
Houses, Property, Gardens, Horticulture, Agriculture, Farmers, Milk, Mothers, Breasts, Midwives, Nursing, Health and Safety, Nerves, Memories, The Past, History, Historians, Antiques, Antiquarians, Museums, Curator, Host, Kitchens, Food, Seafood, Stomach, Grit, Pearls, Silver, The Sea, Waves, Tides, Tears.
Go To | Planets in Cancer
Next: Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces | Aries | Taurus | Gemini
Further Reading
Cancer Rising: The Cancer – Capricorn Axis
The Sun in Cancer: Stranger on the Shore
The Moon in the Natal Chart Houses
Sara Shipman | Real Life Astrology: Planets Signs and Houses
Sara Shipman | Real Life Astrology: The Cross of Matter
Return to The Zodiac Signs main page
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