Element: Water
Quality: Cardinal
Simbol: The crab
Planet: Moon
The Cardinal Water of Cancer reaches its maximum height and growth peaks. Its task is to bring the produce, generate the power of bringing the newly formed fruit swells with its fluid. The water actively surges upwards and outwards from past to future.
It’s the warmest and longest light days are. While the Sun rides high in the day, the Moon hangs low in the dark of the night, exerting its most powerful pull on the tides and currents of life. The marriage between Heaven and Earth and Earth is pregnant with her bounty, the produce that will nourish and sustain living beings over the winter months to come. Not for nothing is Cancer called the sign of the mother!
The myth of Cancer
According to Greek mythology the giant Crab took part in a battle between a terrible the multi-headed Lernaean Hydra and Heracles. Hera, who had always hated Heracles, sent forth Crab to aid the serpent. He grabbing onto Hercules’ toes with its claws. But Heracles smashed the Crab with his foot after it pinched his toe. Hera, grateful for Crab’s heroic effort and courage, gave it a place in the sky.
Another interpretation of the Cancer constellation is that an enormous Crab called Crios was blessed with immortality, he protected Poseidon’s daughters, the sea nymphs. When Typhon was terrorising the Gods of Olympus, Crios sought help in protecting his brood in the form of a giant squid called Vamari. But Vamari or the Vampire Squid ate the missing sea nymphs. This led to a battle won by Crios, although he was badly hurt. Because he was immortal he had evermore to live in pain. Poseidon relieved him by placing him in the sky as Cancer.
The symbol
The astrological symbol of Cancer is the Crab. His round body depicts the moon and means wisdom, which manifests itself in this constellation in the form of disinterested love.