Cancer: June 21 – July 21
Element: Water
Mode: Cardinal
Ruler: The Moon
Where You’ll Find Them: Walking down the beach, cooking soul food, snuggling in bed
What They Avoid: Confrontation, deadlines, and overly aggressive situations
Cancer, the fourth sign of the zodiac, is quite possibly the most sensitive — but you wouldn’t outwardly know it. Cancer’s symbol is The Crab, and this explains their tendency to hide in their shell whenever the outward world gets too tough to handle. As a Water sign ruled by the Moon, Cancer is deeply emotional, and easily absorbs the vibes in their environment. Cancer is full of compassion for the world, particularly the underprivileged, the needy, children, animals, and the oppressed. There is a nostalgic element to Cancer that can lead to them living in the past and having trouble letting go.
Professionally, Cancer is a great collaborator and team-player. However, sometimes they remain in the background for far too long, out of fear of stepping into the spotlight. Cancers make incredible artists, but sometimes they just keep their craft to themselves rather than letting their art be shared with the world. If Cancer is able to overcome such shyness, their art can heal the world. Cancer’s nurturing spirit also makes them great therapists, teachers, interior designers, cooks, and spiritual healers. There’s something about Cancer that is full of wisdom, making them old souls. That’s why people may joke around and call them the grandparents of the zodiac, even in their youth.
Cancer loves to take care of those they love, so having a Cancer as a friend is a true blessing. What Cancer must learn, however, is to establish healthy boundaries and not let their generosity or kindness be taken advantage of. Sometimes Cancer gives away too much of their energy, and if it’s not reciprocated it can feel very painful. Instead of directly letting the person know about that pain, Cancer may resort to passive-aggressive behavior, and that only exacerbates the problem. Cancer therefore will benefit from being more honest and assertive in friendships and relationships.
As a lover, while Cancer may be very slow to trust and open up to you, they are definitely some of the biggest believers in love. Many Cancers dream of having a family and being married to their soulmate, and this can lead to them becoming deeply invested in the relationships they pursue, to the point of sometimes being clingy or possessive of their lover. This can sometimes scare the lover away, but at other times it reassures their lover of Cancer’s love for them. Either way, Cancer would benefit from directing all of that love and attention they offer others back to themselves first and foremost. Cancer’s greatest lesson is to love themselves first, and in doing so, they’re able to extend the purest type of love into the lives of those around them. Cancer’s love is deeply transformative.