Moon in Cancer

FIND YOUR MOON SIGN

Cancer is the queen of Moon signs. Both the Moon and the sign of Cancer symbolize the mother,
mundane and divine, and the Moon's placement here suggests the role of the mother will be centrally important. Astrologically, the Moon is strong in Cancer, which emphasizes, even exaggerates, all things lunar - for better or worse. Cancer Moon is the queen of the cosmic zodiac court, symbolizing the principles of nurturing, protection, mental and emotional well-being, general good fortune, feelings, intuition, psychic abilities, digestion, house and home, land and place of birth, and relation to the feminine archetype, to name but a few.

The Sensitive Crab

One of the most important, but not immediately obvious, qualities of a Moon in Cancer is the need to protect name, reputation, appearance and personal dignity. Some may say that is important to everyone, but it is not quite as important to some as to others. The Cancer Moon is quintessentially sensitive, possibly one of the most sensitive Moon signs, and very private. Their inner world is sacred to them and they don't easily share it with others. They tend to be guarded and even defensive when it comes to reveal­ing their vulnerabilities, hopes and desires.

It is not by accident that the ancients attributed the symbol of the crab to this part of the zodiac. In fact, there are many good reasons, especially when the Moon is in Cancer. A crab, with its soft interior, is quite vulnerable. Its shell, sometimes natural and sometimes borrowed, protects it from its harsh environment. It is its primary defence and its source of safety. A Cancer Moon also has a delicate inner emotional world. Cancer is the first Water sign in the zodiac and a Cancer Moon can experience waves of emotion that defy description but which are expressed most easily as tears or as silence. The shell for a Cancer Moon is their well-developed and cultivated reputation and appearance.

In simple terms, the defence mechanism of Cancer is the pre­sentation of an image that keeps you from getting inside too easily. This is especially pronounced with a Cancer Moon. It's almost as though their external personality will keep you busy while they gradually begin feeling comfortable with you and learn to trust you. It is doubtful that you will ever find a Cancer Moon giving things away too easily when you first meet them. It takes time to develop a relationship with them and don't be surprised if you have to continually prove yourself along the way - and even much later in the relationship. Reaffirmation is a valued safety mechanism for them and in close personal relationships they will frequently like to know if everything is OK. The paradox of a Cancer Moon is that the emotional ego is strong, or let's say influ­ential, much more so than the external ego, but it's the external ego that you need to get past in order to understand how they work and where their real strengths lie.

The Intuitive Home-Maker

Cancer Moons are often good providers, good business people and can be socially active, especially when an issue hits close to home. They are strong and determined - even dogged. Setting their mind to a task means it will get done and they won't stop until it is. They are durable, ever more so when the odds are stacked against them, as long as they don't give in to their periodic melancholies or emotional insecurities. Their strong spirit makes them tremendous allies. If they are on your side, you can rely on them, as long as circumstances do not conspire to threaten their safety, hearth and home. They are mortified when compromised by adversity or fate and tend to carry such wounds with them for a long time. In general, their loyalty, especially in love, earns them a good reputation.

The Cancer Moon is nostalgia personified. Early life experi­ences create their emotional fabric and where this has been trau­matic, they will take a good deal of time to work through their issues - well into their middle age or beyond. The best medicine for any hurting Cancer Moon is lots of love and affection, a loyal partner who can mother them a little, putting a salve of reassur­ance on their hurts.

Like other Water signs, Cancer Moons are sometimes known for their pronounced psychic abilities. They rely more on gut instincts than they are comfortable admitting. This is because they are usually quite well-informed, down-to-earth people and like to make 'practical decisions' based on realism. Yet the more a Cancer Moon relies on their intuition, the more reliable it becomes. The well-known American psychic Lucille Van Tassel is a good example of Cancer Moon intuition, as she demonstrated her abilities from an early age and ranked in the top three gifted psychics tested in over 400 tests. While her case is exceptional and well supported by the other factors of her chart, most Cancer Moons have premoni­tions and deeper insights than many of us. This is especially help­ ful to them when they lack the 'hard evidence' they need. It's certain that they will tell you about the times they ignored their intuition only to regret it later. For this and other reasons the Cancer Moon can appear eccentric or unusual and not be easily understood at first. On first meeting them it quickly becomes obvi­ous that they march to their own drum, even if the beat is irregular.

Because the Moon symbolizes the mind and mental processes, Cancer Moons also tend to rely on their mental powers. The idea of mind over matter is natural for them, because they have often experienced it. This, too, can contribute to their 'peculiar' side, especially when it comes to explaining how it is they have formu­lated their thoughts and conclusions. It is this trait that lends originality to their ideas.

Cancer Moons make good providers and can sacrifice a lot for the greater good of their loved ones. They know where their priori­ties lie and are industrious in going about ensuring the safety and protection of those in their care. If this appeals to you, then a Cancer Moon will make a perfect partner. This is especially true for a Capricorn Moon, who is also industrious and is willing to shoulder more than their fair share of the burden to keep things on an even keel.

Expect that a Cancer Moon will put lots of energy and atten­tion into the home. A Taurus Moon thinks of home as a castle, whereas the Cancer Moon sees it as sanctuary - the secret hiding place away from prying eyes and busybodies, the place to cuddle and be secure. Assuming that other factors in the chart are supportive, they will love to decorate their home, making it very cosy, especially their bathroom and kitchen - food is our pri­mary nurturing agent, so expect that a Cancer Moon loves to cook, or at least has a specialized palette. Home for a Cancer Moon is an important place of solitude and regeneration, symbol­izing a reclusive part of their character that needs regular private time to remain physically and mentally healthy.

One of their quirky motivations is their silent competitiveness or sense of social striving that urges them to keep up with the standards that others are setting. This can make them victims of fashion, desirous of the latest gadgets or keen to improve the garden or add an extension to the house to create prestige and monetary value. They like to keep up with the Joneses.

Their ideal home has an ocean or water view, which mirrors their nature and is an impetus to their spirit and the uninhibited flow of their thoughts and emotions. Water is the perfect stimulus for Cancer Moon's creativity, even if all they have is the bath. They appreciate natural materials: wood, plants, fountains and the like, and also fine furnishings that are well designed, good quality and made from natural materials. Cancer Moons are born naturalists and enjoy being close to nature. Do you like pets? Animals are often Cancer favorites, helping them connect with their own deeply buried primitif within.

In cases where they don't get the home in good order (a rare occurrence), they feel out of place, unsettled and disconnected. This can be very unsettling to them and emotionally things will not be calm and peaceful in a Cancer Moon home that lacks the basic comforts (and then some). Don't.forget that the home is analogous to their crab shell.

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