Thread by @sfreynolds

Looking at my #Gucci, it's about that time. It's #Cancer time. (Older heads will know, I likely don't literally have a Gucci. But a stroll down hip-hop memory lane is apt for this sign, no?)

And this is special for me since there might be folks of a particular sign, either by Sun, moon or rising, who are your Ride-or-die folks. Well, #Cancers are mine. I don't have to go looking for them or that. It just happens. Consistently. So, they're dear people for me.

Once consciousness has explored dimensions of risk & curiosity in #Gemini, it seeks out safety, responsibility, containment & renewal in #Cancer

The crab symbolizes #Cancer cuz of its primary way of being: fundamental, indirect yet resolute, seeks safety & comfort though tough.

Let's clarify why we have a disease and a sign with the same name first.

The Greeks saw #cancer in the body as something that was hard (malignant) & moved sideways in the body like a crab

However, the Greeks may have named the constellation #Cancer for another reason besides observing a crab's sideway movement.

The first symbol for #Cancer was not the crab, but the scarab called Khepra from ancient Egypt or Kemet/KMT.

In KMT, the scarab became a symbol of renewal cuz she would lay her eggs in dung & make a small ball out of it.

Larvae would eat the dung. The larva symbolizes a renewal and this is also what #Cancer represents in the Northern hemisphere.

What literally happens in #Cancer is that, from a geocentric pt. of view, the Sun rises above a Northern pt. of latitude.

That's when the Sun rises above the equator toward the Tropic of Cancer. (Remember that from school?) At that Northern pt...

...we bask in the summer solstice. What had been nurtured in Spring comes into its own, into the heat

This is one of the reasons why #Cancer is known as the nurturer. I guess we should start with that concept first.

#Cancer is a grower, not always a nurturer. There's a difference. Ppl always picture a Mammy or something for a #Cancer.

#Cancer is not your mama/papa. They might feel attached to their mamas, but they're not here to nurture you as if you're a lost orphan.

In fact, the image of #Cancer as initially this touchy-feely, cry at the drop of a napkin sign is mostly off. It all depends on who you are to them.

Remember, #Cancer is symbolized by a Crab. You'll be greeted by a kind of hardness before you experience sweet, soft crabmeat.

So when you 1st encounter a crab, you'll either be met by a crusty side of them or sheer intellect.

You have to "earn" entry into their emotions, tho emotions are primary to #Cancers. They know the power of their own & those of others.

They're just not necessarily going to hand over to you the keys to their emo kingdom, though you can see the emotions brewing.

& this is where ppl seem to go wrong in gauging what happens w/ them. #Cancer is not always responding to you with their emotions.

Example: you approach your #Cancer friend. She winces. You think she's wincing abt you. You catch feelings. Think #Cancers are sometimey

Here's what really happened. Your #Cancer friend's bra was too tight. She knew she shouldn't have worn it. She sees you. She thinks…

"Great, I can't run home & change, because now XXX is here. Good to see her, though." But her thoughts showed on her face.

Most often that's going to be one of the problem with #Cancers. They project their emotions & we project ours onto them.

They will experience a set of emotions & either share them directly (if they know you) or indirectly. But those emotions may...

...have nothing to do w/ you. They're like #Geminis in that way but they do it more w/ their feeling nature instead of thoughts.

#Cancers can be great poker players, cuz they are natural masters of being indirect. One manifestation does not equal another.

Gonna get heady here. That's why I still laugh that Jacques Derrida, the father of Deconstruction, is a #Cancer.

Deconstruction is all about unpacking how a text never speaks for itself & never speaks directly. It's a true #Cancer philosophy.

Although they can be indirect w/ expressing feelings, if there's been outright misdirection, then things change quickly.

Although #Cancer's not in the #ZodiacMafia (), they can be deadly in the moment.

…when they feel they've been nurturing, caretaking enough & feel you've taken their emotions, efforts for granted. #StepBack

Hell hath no wrath like a #Cancer spurned or feeling taken advantage of.

#Cancer is very much informed by it's other key symbol & patron planet, the Moon.

The moon is lifeless, shows only 1 side of itself & orbits around our world. Yet it's a "planet" & endowed w/ lots of meaning.

In fact,the Moon is a symbol of life & represents how we embody our sense of purpose, how we inhabit our daily life with meaning.

#Cancer is much the same way. Wants to embody meaning & that's not always touchy-feely. It's a way of experiencing significance through feeling

This is why we have works like Marcel Proust's Remembrance of Things Past, where he relentlessly explores his past for meaning.

This accounts for some of the sentimentalism that's attached to #Cancer.

...and yes, #Cancer would be, in fact, the sign most likely to be on#Hoarders. *runs*

Cancers LOVE to fixate on things, especially something that seems buried. This what I meant when I wrote this: bit.ly/2Kbg5i5

However, this can flip too. Just as #Cancer embodies meaning & purpose, they can become a fixation for others to use as a vessel in some way.

This is why those w/ a #Cancer signature are often the subject of the artwork of others, photos, etc.

For instance, #Cancer influenced friends on facebook might have lots of photos of themselves or fotos period.

Some ppl will view some of this as narcissistic. Not that necessarily. It's a dutiful exploration of self & image.

Consider #Cancer Frida Kahlo. She has many self-portraits, but she wanted to explore, like the moon, all facets of herself...

..all facets of her pain. Like the moon, #Cancers love to reflect on the ever changing experience of the Self.

We get attached to certain images & want to protect those above all others. We can get fixated on that. #Cancer

That fixation can lead to idealized images of #Cancers or make them out to have more virtue than humanly possible.

There's also the amount of energy that we project on to Cancers. In fact, some of the biggest film stars have been Cancers:

Tom Cruise, Robin Williams, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Lena Horne, Forest Whitaker, Bill Cosby, David Alan Grier, Mel Brooks

You'll notice these folks are funny too. #Cancer reveals a vulnerability & zany aspect to life that's compelling & touching

Like the moon, we find it easy to project ourselves onto them & they find it easy to embody their/our own foibles of being human.

However, #Cancers are not here to be the screen for your failings, foibles or fortune. You can come to demand too much.

This is when #Cancer can retreat and need their shell to feel safe, to center themselves at someplace called Home.

Home is critical to #Cancers, both as place and concept. This relates to the idea of family, people, nation or tribe.

That reminds me of another powerful #Cancer entity: the United States of America.

Want to get a different appreciation of #Cancer? Consider why would a large country, surrounded by two oceans…

...densely populated coasts, develop the most powerful military in human history? #Cancer

I mean it would take an immense amount of work to invade this country. Almost astronomical.

Yet it's the only country to have ever used nuclear weapons on another. "I will protect my self above all costs."#Cancer

It's likewise no accident that #Cancer George W. Bush created the first US dept. of Homeland Security.

#Home becomes that idealized "self" image & you don't want to mess that up with #Cancer. You will have problems.

#Cancer doesn't want to go on the offense first, so it'll do its side-dance first. But if you block its lines of escape, you're done for.

And this country, for instance, likes to play that game. It's just not fun or funny.

Once you stir a #Cancer's nest, there is no other place for him or her to go but toward you.

It will be personal at that pt., tho sometimes loftier reasons are given. But a #Cancer will ultimately reveal their reasons.

Never forget what George W. Bush said about attacking Saddam: "He tried to kill my daddy." He messed with the wrong #Cancer

Although NYC has a #Capricorn chart, it's believed that New Amsterdam is, in fact, a #Cancer city.

In fact, #Amsterdam, Netherlands IS a #Cancer city by ancient designation. Makes sense for both as watery cities.

Another reason? There's a lady in NYC's harbor that says, "Give me your tired, your poor, your hungry, your huddled masses..."

& that lady isn't saying that cuz she wants to mother them. Like #Cancer, she knows the value of what looks like refuse and can tease out what's the very best in that person.

Another reason: An island city that's dedicated to mercantilism, incl. changing costs of commodities--foodstuff, is very #Cancer

...and there's someplace to eat on nearly every corner. #NYC is consumed w/ basic sustenance & security.

All things that connect one to home, security, growth & comfort is what keeps Cancer happiest.

Compromise those & you're guaranteed problems. This is why certain conditions can be tougher for Cancer people than others.

For example, #Cancer influenced children may have a harder time w/ divorce than others. More attention is needed to smooth transitions.

If you're an adult w/ a #Cancer moon, sun or rising, you may still be processing your parents' divorce or disruptions in your life.

In fact, you might experience problems in your own relationships because you harbor memories of insecurity & calamity from your childhood & parents.

Similarly, it may be hard to grapple w/ moments of financial insecurity if you have strong #Cancer in your astrological make-up

So certain kinds of businesses or careers could be hard, like freelancing or an unsteady gig. Or having a home office to greet customers.

Not everything here will fit all #Cancers. A lot depends on the dynamics of your personal horoscope, not just 1 sign.

There's a lot more I'd also like to say abt this complex & intriguing sign, but we have to get on with the rest of the day.

If you're interested in personalized info abt your chart, please consider booking a consultation at my.vcita.com/sfreynolds

I recommend getting a 60 min. consultation if it's your 1st time. For that, I'm offering special for #Cancer season: $35 off your 1st session. Use the coupon ASTROINTRO when you book the session.

or a report from here, with a FREE chartwheel: astrosoftware.com/astro/06297.htm

I also have more thoughts on astrology at unlockastrology.com

Also follow me at @sfreynolds for more about #CANCER astrology, etc. Or @unlockastrology for astrology ONLY.

Thank you for tuning in. I actually will tweet more about #Cancer. I have a new-old thing to share: #CancerLife. I recently re-discovered it in my files. I'll likely do that tomorrow or Monday. ;-)

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