ORIGINS OF THE ZODIAC
THE MYTHOLOGY OF CANCER
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Latin Name: Cancer meaning 'crab' Constellation: Cancer Archetype: The Crab Associations: Carcinos Planetary Ruler: The Moon |
While modern astrology is saturated with references to Greek mythological figures, the zodiacal sign of Cancer is a case study in how myths travel and become absorbed by different cultures over time.
The Greeks linked Cancer to Carcinos, a giant crab sent by Hera to distract Heracles during the second of his twelve labors: his fight with the deadly many-headed Hydra. Carcinos played more of a secondary role in this myth. He was too small to be a primary challenger for Heracles - who simply crushed him. However, the constellation of Cancer had long been known as the crab by the Babylonians, the Mesopotamian civilization pre-dating the Greeks by more than a thousand years. The ancient Greeks wanted to preserve this imagery in their system and needed to create an excuse for its inclusion.
CONNECTION TO CANCER
CANCER: THE CRAB
nterestingly, the preservation and transmission of tradition is central to the contemporary astrology of Cancer, which links this sign to home, family, and feminine receptivity. In observing how the symbol of the crab survived - and shapeshifted - through the ages, we get a perfect example of the Cancer archetype at work.
One feature of Cancer is ubiquitous across cultures: its hard shell. In Egypt, Cancer was depicted as a scarab. Manuscripts from the Middle Ages consistently portray Cancer as a lobster or crayfish. There is even a lobster-like carving representing Cancer on the wall of the Notre Dame Cathedral. This characteristic underscores that Cancer is a sign concerned with protection. With its claws and armor, Cancer defends boundaries.
THE SECURITY OF CANCER
The fourth sign of the zodiac, Cancer is oriented to security. It is the first of three 'water signs', correlated to emotion and memory. It is also the second Cardinal sign, following Aries. Cancer begins the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere and the winter season in the Southern Hemisphere, periods where 'family time' is prioritized.
Gemini season, with its social nature, its encouragement of idea exchange, allowed us to identify 'our people'. In Cancer season, we build upon those bonds and cultivate kinship. When the sun transits Cancer, emotional and physical comfort take primacy. We want to relax, which by default means surrounding ourselves with familiar faces and sticking to familiar territory. The downside of this mentality can manifest in tribalism, an 'us-versus-them' ethos that keeps us in separate camps, divided by ideology, upbringing, or aspiration.
However, shutting out the world isn’t the mark of a well-expressed Cancer. In Cancer season, the aim is to nurture our inner world. This is a sign ruled by the moon, after all. Here we are meant to develop trust in our instincts. We are meant to let emotion and memory guide our movements, not to use them as excuses to shrink from experience. When we learn to discern the difference between instinctive action and reflexive self-defense, we will come to feel safe in whatever environment we find ourselves in, whether we are near from home or far, scuttling along the ocean floor or washed up on shore, gently tugged by the tides – that is to say, cocooned in whatever shell we choose to occupy next!

MYTHS AS MAPS
In the quiet pull of the stars, there lies a map - spiralling back to our origins where myths and mysteries once intertwined with breath and bone. Reconnecting with these ancient stories in the realm of astrology is like stepping into an old song, whose melody we somehow remember yet cannot fully place. Each constellation a whisper, each planet a pulse, guiding us through a universe that knows us deeper than we know ourselves.
Here, myths are not merely tales but ancestral truths, woven into the fabric of our being, inviting us to reclaim fragments of ourselves lost in the modern rush. In the language of the heavens, we find our names written across epochs, asking us to listen, to remember, to understand that the vastness above is mirrored within. To know the stars is, in a profound way, to know ourselves.
Working with Cancer mythology
Working with Cancer mythology guides you on a journey of nurturing, emotional depth, and the power of belonging. Here are three paths to weave this lunar wisdom into your story:
1. Dive into the Crab’s sheltered waters
Cancer, symbolized by the crab, carries the strength of vulnerability wrapped in protective armour. Let this image guide you to honour your emotions while safeguarding your boundaries. Reflect on the tides within you - do they flow toward connection and self-care, or call for balance and replenishment?
2. Align with the Moon’s rhythms
Ruled by the Moon, Cancer embodies cycles of change, intuition, and emotional renewal. Look to myths of lunar deities and maternal figures as maps to embrace the ebb and flow of life. Chart where your instincts guide you - do they illuminate your path, or urge you to retreat and recharge?
3. Follow the keeper of the hearth
Cancer ties to myths of caretakers and protectors, like Hestia tending the sacred flame or Selene guarding the night. These stories inspire you to nurture both yourself and others, creating spaces of warmth and safety. Reflect on how you can cultivate a home within - an inner sanctuary where you find strength, comfort, and belonging.
CANCER JOURNALING PROMPTS
In your journal, let myth guide you to explore the below prompts during Cancer Season.
1. What traditions from your upbringing or ancestry resonate with you?
You are the inheritor of a legacy. What pieces of your past are you excited to preserve and pass down to future generations? Alternately, what stories or lore will you cease to memorialize?
2. Who do you see as an 'other'?
Could it be that you have more in common with them than you thought? It’s easy to vilify people who we assume are nothing like us. Consider your supposed enemy and strip them of convenient cliches. Focus on your similarities rather than your differences.
3. What defence mechanism do you use as a shell?
Anger, humor, making it about them, not you — these are all convenient ways to avoid facing what you fear. What is your go-to? The next time you’re in a pinch, experiment with a different tactic. Be in the moment without seeking to escape it and write about your results.
We all embody each of the twelve signs within us, share this with others in your life.
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