The Zodiac Signs of Summer
Cancer Season
June 21 - July 22nd
*This post may contain affiliate links which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through links. I will only recommend products that I personally use and love
Cancer is the sign of the crab. It is the first sign of Summer and represents the Mother, the Healer, the Hermit. After fast paced Gemini season, the sign of Cancer comes along to take cover and slow things down a bit. Spring taught us that we were alive (Aries), we had a body and senses (Taurus) and a mind and voice (Gemini). Now that we are fully human in form, the natural progression of what’s to come next is Emotion. Cancer brings us into an entirely new world of feeling our feelings. What the heck is that tingly feeling happening in my body. Why do I feel weak? Or excited? Or scared? Or joyous? Welcome to Cancer…
Cancer is a Cardinal Water sign. Cardinal because it is the first sign of a new season…in this case, Summer. Water because it is emotional. Cancer Season begins on the Summer Equinox…the “longest” day of the year (or Winter Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere). The season of Spring woke up the Earth. Now Summer has us all in our feelings. That first time the Summer sun hits your skin can feel like the most blissful feeling you’ve ever had. But as the Sun intensifies and grow stronger, it can be miserable. And so the crab retreats to their shell to gain some safety and comfort. Summer has a way of bringing us into the highest high and the lowest lows, just like the spectrum of human emotion. The longest days and the shortest nights. The extremes help us to understand emotion for the first time and we realize that we are complex beings. We begin to understand empathy, compassion and what it means to be hurt and thus, to heal.
The sign of Cancer craves that healing. They are ruled by the Moon and have a way of going deep into the recesses of human emotion and enveloping others. They are the Mother and for them, healing is akin to life itself. They see what others feel and inherently yearn to care for them. But this can lead to a dark side. They can become porous and let other people’s emotions take over their own senses. Drawn to those that need healing, they can themselves become trapped. It’s important for Cancer people to set up boundaries and learn that it’s not always best to Mother everyone. They need to prioritize themselves too, especially because Cancer has a deep internal need for safety. They will retreat if they don’t feel safe. And this world presents so much that often does make them feel unsafe simply because they are so sensitive. They feel everything around them. They can feel other humans, the trees, the birds. At some unconscious level, they even feel the whole history of the world. It’s a heavy burden and also a special gift.
Ultimately, Cancer’s gift is to allow us to feel whatever we need to feel. To feel sad, hurt, joyous or excited. To cry when we need to and then to heal and grow once we’ve moved through the pain. The Great Mother shelters us in our pain, allows the tears to flow and reassures us that we are strong enough to go back out into the world. She heals us, helps us to feel safe and prepares us for the next phase of our journey so that we may shine like the beautiful beings that we are.
Ways to embody Cancer Season:
Spend time alone
Love on some kids
Make (or enjoy) homemade meals
Take a bath
Do a Moon ceremony
Go to the Beach, River, etc.
Have a picnic
Start therapy
Give someone a hug
Volunteer your time
Do an at home workout (bonus points if it’s intuitive)
Go antique shopping
Watch a sappy movie
Meditate
Connect with your ancestors
Cancer Health Tips:
Cancer is ruled by the Moon and thus does well to use the Moon and/or the Menstrual cycle to guide the flow of their workouts. This means they should allow and expect for fluctuations in their health routines. The other thing that is really important to Cancer is to feel safe in whatever they’re doing. Home workouts are great and eating foods that help them to feel nourished is also really important.
Cancer should always attempt to feel comfort before, during and after eating and workouts by taking a moment to find peace within their body.
Here’s a few ideas for some workouts that really benefit Cancer:
Anything done at home
Slow flow yoga (especially yoga done following your own intuition and with the use of supportive tools, such bolsters, blankets, etc.)
Belly dancing
Water aerobics
Tai Chi
All types of Self Defense
Snorkeling
*Check out the book “Body Astrology” by Claire Gallagher for more in depth health info on each sign and planet
Connecting with a Cancer:
Cancer have a deep need to feel safe, so anything you can do to help them to feel safe (both emotionally and physically) will go a long way
Support them and validate them when they’re feeling emotional
Take them to the water
Enjoy the Moon with them
Watch a sappy romance movie together
Buy them something sentimental or old (i.e. an item with some history)
Eat comfort food together
Cancer Seasonal Food (varies by region):
Apples
Beets
Berries
Cantaloupe
Cauliflower
Celery
Cherries
Citrus
Corn
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Figs
Grapes
Green Beans
Guava
Mangoes
Melons
Okra
Onions
Passionfruit
Peaches
Peppers
Plums
Potatoes
Strawberries
Summer Squash
Tomatillos
Tomatoes
Watermelon
Zucchini
Go to https://www.seasonalfoodguide.org/ for a more complete list for your area