Western Zodiac
Cancer

The fourth sign of the Western zodiac, Cancers are forever imprinted with the time of early adulthood. Like a twenty-something beginning to make their own way in the world, Cancers find their attention continually shifting inward. On the physical plane, this manifests as a priority to establish and care for their own home and family. On a more abstract level, it means a fascination with individual identity, empathy, and the formation of close personal bonds. As with all three Water signs, Cancer has a natural variability, a tendency to hide away at times in darkness, yet at others to fill the horizon like an ocean. As a Cardinal modality, Cancer represents Water at its most essential, fluid, reactive. Thus Cancers are sometimes accused of being easily disturbed, yet when at peace they can enter effortlessly a rich dreamworld, filled with compassion, sensitivity, and reflection.

Perhaps less obvious, but with plenty of potential, are the signs Cancer shares a minor aspect with—the semi-Sextile connections of Leo and Gemini, and the Quincunx connections of Sagittarius and Aquarius—and of course, kindred natives of Cancer. Finally, there are the Square matches of Libra and Aries, which can be more challenging but equally rewarding.