Cancer is one of the 12 Zodiac signs in astrology, and this is the fourth sign of the Zodiac. Each Zodiac sign has its own energy, and this shows how the energy is expressed for different planets, bodies, and other positions. You're likely most familiar with your Sun sign, and a Cancer Sun is sensitive and supportive in some way.
Cancer Astrology & Your Natal Chart
Wherever Cancer is present in your natal chart, this is an area full of emotion. If you have any natal planets in Cancer, you can feel the Cancer energy strong personally with whatever that planet rules.
Cancer is a water sign, along with Scorpio and Pisces, and the water signs are full of emotion. Cancer is also a cardinal sign, along with Aries, Libra, and Capricorn, and the cardinal signs are the ones who take action. Cancer connects with the 4th house of the home and family, and is ruled by the emotional Moon.
Cancer is a water sign, along with Scorpio and Pisces, and the water signs are full of emotion. Cancer is also a cardinal sign, along with Aries, Libra, and Capricorn, and the cardinal signs are the ones who take action. Cancer connects with the 4th house of the home and family, and is ruled by the emotional Moon.
At-a-Glance Cancer Keywords:
- emotion
- support and nurture
- creative
- fluctuating
- home, family, roots
- comfort and familiarity
- inner foundation
- subjective
Cancer in Astrology: Emotion
Cancer is the sign of emotion in astrology. Cancer is a sensitive water sign and ruled by the watery Moon, so Cancer can feel everything. It may not be super open about this sometimes though, and can hide behind its hard shell. When it becomes the crabby Crab, it's probably been holding it in for some time.
Cancer in Astrology: Support and Nurture
Cancer rules support, the support we get and give, and craves a solid support system. Cancer is the nurturer as the sign of the mother, and can be extremely nurturing, supportive, and encouraging of loved ones. Cancer is a great cheerleader.
Cancer in Astrology: Creative
Cancer can be surprisingly creative, and creativity serves as a great outlet for all of its emotions. Cancer can channel what it feels into a creative project or hobby, and can take charge with creative ventures with zeal.
Cancer in Astrology: Fluctuating
Since Cancer is ruled by the Moon, Cancer can fluctuate, just like the tides with the lunar phases. Cancer is deeply in tune with the fluctuations all around us, and so it ebbs and flows. This can give Cancer some degree of adaptability, and it can ride with the tides.
Cancer in Astrology: Home, Family, Roots
Cancer rules the home and family in astrology, and is our roots in life. This ties to our early lives, our childhoods, and upbringings. When we want to get back to our roots or back to basics, this is Cancer. Cancer craves a solid home base, and a healthy definition of family.
Cancer in Astrology: Comfort and Familiarity
Cancer is astrology rules comfort and familiarity. This sign wants to settle down and be in a space that it knows well. Cancer doesn't care for anything too new or too unconventional. It wants to stay within its comfort zone, and can work with that well, but it often needs to learn how to work with change.
Cancer in Astrology: Inner Foundation
Cancer is our inner foundation, as well as the foundation of most things in our lives. Cancer wants a strong core to build from, and without that, can become difficult. Cancer needs that strong internal foundation, and can thrive with it.
Cancer in Astrology: Subjective
Cancer is a subjective sign, and this is because it can get really wrapped up in what it's feeling that it kind of forgets everyone else. Cancer has to learn how to be more objective, how to take a step back and perhaps a step outside of itself so it can get a better view of the big picture.
Where Your Cancer Energy is Found
If you have any natal planets in Cancer, the way those planets express themselves is via Cancer, so they are emotional, creative, and supportive. The more Cancer planets you have, the more Cancer-like you can be.
Even if you have no natal planets in Cancer, you will have at least one natal house with Cancer. The house that falls in Cancer (has Cancer on the house cusp) can show areas of life where you take an emotional approach. If you have no Cancer house cusps, Cancer is intercepted (contained) in the house that falls in Gemini, and your Cancer energy can manifest subconsciously with whatever that house rules.
Even if you have no natal planets in Cancer, you will have at least one natal house with Cancer. The house that falls in Cancer (has Cancer on the house cusp) can show areas of life where you take an emotional approach. If you have no Cancer house cusps, Cancer is intercepted (contained) in the house that falls in Gemini, and your Cancer energy can manifest subconsciously with whatever that house rules.
Transit Planets in Cancer
When the transit (moving) planets are in Cancer, this can give all of us some Cancer energy to play with. The transit Sun is in Cancer roughly every year from mid June to mid July, and this is Cancer Season, which brings greater emotions and support for us all.
Transit Mercury in Cancer can merge our hearts and minds; transit Venus in Cancer can make for stronger emotional connections in love; transit Mars in Cancer makes emotions motivate us; transit Ceres in Cancer emphasizes nourishment and support; and transit Jupiter in Cancer makes us extra supportive and brings opportunities for strong foundations to build on.
Transit Saturn in Cancer can bring out issues we have with Cancer, so issues around taking care of our emotional needs, feeling emotionally stable and secure, having a solid home life, and having a strong foundation. Anu issues around that, we can struggle with, and Saturn can prompt us to work it out. Saturn won't be in Cancer again until 2032 (and last was 2003-2005).
Transit Uranus also moves to Cancer in 2032, and we'll experience a lot of changes with our home and family lives, our foundations, and this can have a strong impact on us emotionally. Transit Neptune won't be in Cancer until 2065, but at that point, we'll have strong emotional connections to our spiritual selves. Transit Chiron moves to Cancer in 2038, and we can tackle emotional healing.
Transit Pluto isn't in Cancer until 2157 (hello vampires?), and that can bring major transformations of foundations, homes, and emotions.
Make sure to sign up for the free monthly worksheet so you always know which signs the planets (and some other bodies/asteroids) are in every month!
Transit Mercury in Cancer can merge our hearts and minds; transit Venus in Cancer can make for stronger emotional connections in love; transit Mars in Cancer makes emotions motivate us; transit Ceres in Cancer emphasizes nourishment and support; and transit Jupiter in Cancer makes us extra supportive and brings opportunities for strong foundations to build on.
Transit Saturn in Cancer can bring out issues we have with Cancer, so issues around taking care of our emotional needs, feeling emotionally stable and secure, having a solid home life, and having a strong foundation. Anu issues around that, we can struggle with, and Saturn can prompt us to work it out. Saturn won't be in Cancer again until 2032 (and last was 2003-2005).
Transit Uranus also moves to Cancer in 2032, and we'll experience a lot of changes with our home and family lives, our foundations, and this can have a strong impact on us emotionally. Transit Neptune won't be in Cancer until 2065, but at that point, we'll have strong emotional connections to our spiritual selves. Transit Chiron moves to Cancer in 2038, and we can tackle emotional healing.
Transit Pluto isn't in Cancer until 2157 (hello vampires?), and that can bring major transformations of foundations, homes, and emotions.
Make sure to sign up for the free monthly worksheet so you always know which signs the planets (and some other bodies/asteroids) are in every month!
Strong Cancer Energy in Astrology
When multiple planets are in Cancer in your natal chart, this can give you strong Cancer energy in your life and personality. You can be emotional, creative, and nurturing. This can be the case if you have a Cancer stellium (3+ planets in one Zodiac sign), or if you have 2 of your primary triad (Sun, Moon, Rising) in Cancer.
You can also feel that you have strong Cancer energy if your natal Moon is strong, which is the planet that rules Cancer. This can be the case if your natal Moon is conjunct your natal Sun or Ascendant, or your 1st house ruler, or if your natal Moon is a singleton (only planet in an element, modality, or house type).
When multiple transit planets are in Cancer, this gives all of us a strong dose of Cancer energy all at once. We're all emotional and in need of comfort. How we end up feeling this personally is usually focused on the house in your natal chart the Cancer energy occurs in.
Suggested Reading: The Cancer Sun sign page
You can also feel that you have strong Cancer energy if your natal Moon is strong, which is the planet that rules Cancer. This can be the case if your natal Moon is conjunct your natal Sun or Ascendant, or your 1st house ruler, or if your natal Moon is a singleton (only planet in an element, modality, or house type).
When multiple transit planets are in Cancer, this gives all of us a strong dose of Cancer energy all at once. We're all emotional and in need of comfort. How we end up feeling this personally is usually focused on the house in your natal chart the Cancer energy occurs in.
Suggested Reading: The Cancer Sun sign page
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