Jupiter in Cancer - A love letter to Cancers and those who love them
Big Papa Jupiter began its grand stroll through the sign of Cancer on June 25th, 2013 and stays in this cardinal water sign until July 16th, 2014. July will be here before you know it so, as you can see, we're nearing the end of it's benevolent stay and as such Im looking back over some of the affect it's had on this sign so far. Now, let me be clear, I dont purport to speak for each and every Cancer because; impossible. But as a Cancer moon myself, I have had my own personal experiences with this transit and discovered that they have been felt in similar ways by some of my Cancer prominent sisters and brethren. So don't get it twisted. ;)
But hold up, before I really start to dig into this, let's back it up a bit and talk about what exactly Jupiter represents. In astrology, Jupiter is known as the "good luck" planet. It is the planet of growth, optimism, expansion. It brings on a desire to question and grow our personal philosophies/core belief systems, deepen our well of knowledge, further our life experiences, hunger for travel to places we've never been before (literally and figuratively). Basically, it is here to help us broaden our horizons; get us up on our tiptoes and reaching upward and outward to the very ends of the tips of our fingers.
Sounds de lish, right?! Now, most of the beings in the zodiac zoo would give a hearty "Yeah! Sign me up!" But.....some signs are a little less gung ho. Some signs like maybe... Cancer the crab? Yup. Because to Cancer, change does not sit comfortably. Like....at all. You can call it "growth" if you want to, but all it equates to to the crab is having their comfort zones abruptly and thoroughly re-mapped. You will not find their claws flung high and waving enthusiastically in the air unless and until it is 1.) 100% their idea. 2.) At their chosen speed. In order to better understand their nature, let's take a look at some of Cancer's traits, in balanced and unbalanced expression.
Balanced: Artistic, Intuitive, Loyal, Determined, Imaginative, Loving, Emotional, Protective, Tenacious, Nurturing, Home-loving/Family-oriented
Unbalanced: Moody, Pessimistic, Clingy, Over-emotional, Guarded/Suspicious, Passive-Aggressive, Nagging, Childish, "Mommy" issues, Agoraphobic/Xenophobic
Any of that strike a cord or two? :)
So, with these traits in mind, if I were to pick a fictional character that best resonated with the perfect blend of this sign and this transit, it would be Linus from Peanuts/Charlie Brown.
Linus was a highly intelligent kid. He was deeply philosophical and spiritual. He was Charlie Brown's best friend and confidante; patiently listening to Charlies' woes and insecurities. He was also loyal and loving to his borderline abusive older sister Lucy whom he, in true Cancerian form, learned to handle with passive resistance.
However, the main identifier in regards to Linus is his beloved blue blanket. His security blanket. So well known in American pop culture that in sessions with clients I can simply make reference to the "Linus blanket" and be understood. Linus's psychologically dependent connection to his blanket was so strong that any separation from it for any length of time whatsoever would cause him actual physical illness! Dizziness, weakness, extreme anxiety, insomnia...all over not being able to have his security blanket. He truly believed that he had to have that faded, tatty, blue piece of fabric with him at all times or his world will not be safe.
Startin' to see where Im goin' with this Jupiter transiting through Cancer thing? Let's keep walking.
All of us, each and every one of us, has the sign Cancer somewhere in our birth chart. Which means all of us, each and every one of us, has a Linus Blanket somewhere in our lives. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to paint the crab as some sad hot mess! As noted earlier in this writing, Cancers have some pretty stellar strengths. (Just Google Historical or Famous Cancers to see the amazingness that this sign has contributed to the world...Tesla, much?). What I AM saying, though, is that until we have a sizable force bump up against us in these Linus blanket arenas in our lives, we will stay deeply attached to that blanket and sit in emotional arrest with it, stagnating.
Oh, did I happen to mention that Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system? Bump fah dayyyys!
What this means for the Cancer Sun, Moon, or rising person is that Jupiter's very essence and presence through their sign - however benevolent it's intent - can initially feel like it's working in complete contrast, direct opposition to their core nature. And that is greatly upsetting. For example; have you ever observed how a crab moves? It doesn't just march right over in a straight line to what it's wanting. It scuttles to the left. Stops/Hides. It scuttles to the right. Stops/Hides. It may do this a few more times before finally, always in a sideways fashion, it goes for what it's after. Unfortunately, not being known for tact or subtlety, this is not at all how Jupiter rolls.
Jupiter just doesn't know what it feels like to be a Cancer.
There is a deep and true frustration in this transit; Jupiter is trying to get Cancer to unwrap themselves from the tight self hug position and, truth be known, there's a part of Cancer that would really LIKE to fling their arms wide, opening themselves up more fully and letting life in all it's various colors and textures take them in and fill them up. But, Ohhhhhh! The FEAR! The Cancerian attachment to that Linus blanket is a complex and layered love-hate relationship.
So.....what IS the fear? Well, it goes deep. In astrology Cancer rules the 4th house of Mother/Childhood/Home/Family/Ancestors. To me this house represents the very root of where we come from and the experiences we have here will color to greater or lesser degree our every thought, feeling, conclusion ever more. In astro-speak, the Nadir sits on the 4th house cusp. (Think of 'cusp' as the front door.) Here's what the dictionary says about nadir:
"Nadir was originally strictly an astronomical term and is the opposite of the word zenith, which is the part of the sky located directly above a person’s head or, “high point.” In fact, nadir is derived from the Arabic nazir, which means “opposite to.” It is still used in astronomy to indicate the part of the celestial sphere located directly below an observer, or the "lowest point".
I personally view the nadir as the deepest part of one's "self-ness". It's where we learn, healthily or unhealthily, how to make a 'home' within ourselves. In this home within ourselves we self soothe, we psychically patrol the parameters of everything that makes it in or out of this inner sanctuary. Cancer's key phrase is "I Feel" and it is in this inner home where we come to conclusions on how we feel about the world. And to a large extent, how a Cancer 'feels' about a thing is automatically considered the 'truth' of a thing.
Descending from the very sky: Jupiter, slowly and relentlessly pushing against, then pushing past the well guarded parameters of Cancer's front door. All but destroying the meticulously controlled internal environment that has worked so well- even when truthfully it's not really working at all- up to this point. THE FAAAAAHHK?!
Cancer's view of Jupiter's "pushiness"
NO ONE particularly likes being shaken up but, while fixed sign Taurus may not LIKE the changes and be grumpily resistant about it, or a mutable Pisces might at times anxiously swim in and out of a passive denial about it, no other sign feels as threatened by this transit as Cancer because to a Cancer the internal 'home' environment is itself the Linus blanket.
Unfortunately, this is just the medicine that Cancer needs. Remember, the love-hate relationship to the blanket is complicated. Many times, because of this deep need to cling to the known (blanket) Cancers can unwittingly trap themselves into experiencing their lives through a voyeuristic lens. Losing days/months/years on the inside of that 'safe' cocoon while looking out into a world that is passing them by. The truth of this can't help but pinch at some point (pinch...see how I did that? Heh heh) and the rub lies in being brave enough to take some steps past the patrolled parameters.
Earlier I mentioned that Cancer is a Cardinal sign. Cardinal signs, in my own language, are the movers and shakers of the zodiac. They need windmills to tilt at and dragons to slay. They need to feel like they are getting somewhere, making and meeting goals, or depression sets in. The crab is very good at strategics, planning, organizing, pushing a plan through to victorious completion. When they feel safe and confident, they really shine. They are tenacious when they are full out going for it. If you doubt that, know that a crab would rather lose a claw than let go of something they really want. When pushed, Cancers can come out with surprising ferocity! Though that will greatly take a toll on their well-being and they will have to retreat into themselves again for equilibrium.
I say all this because Cancer has it in them to MOVE.MOUNTAINS. A mover and shaker who's motto is I FEEL? Honey, that's power! When a Cancer can fully allow Jupiter entrance it is a dynamic self affirmation; it is a statement to the Universe that they are worthy of a life lived in 1st person. An acknowledgement to one's self that devil they know is still The Devil. That the pain and discomfort of laying down that Linus blanket pales beside the pain and discomfort of being forever trapped by it. A realization that the familiar stale embrace of it will never compare to the immense pride of overcoming deeply ensconced fears. Remember; Jupiter is the planet of BENEVOLENCE. It is trying to GIFT you! The catch is you can only reach and benefit from these gifts after you've stretched and grown.
Below I have listed the ways that each placement of Cancer is likely to experience this Jupiter transit if they've been willing to grow:
Sun in Cancer:
The Sun defines your personal identity/ego/unique self expression. It's the core of who you are...your
spirit/soul/consciousness. For you Cancer suns, Jupiter has been providing golden opportunities that stretch you in ways that force you to look deep within at your core self. Situations arise in this fashion: You're presented with the choice of retreating or advancing. In that moment you have to ask yourself "Who Am I"? The answer in your spirit says "Someone willing to take a chance!" You walk toward the opportunity/situation and STREEEETTTCCCHHHH! "Whoa! I aced that?! Who am I NOW?" (Repeat) Jupiter has been kindly helping you take off the training wheels and most days you havent even noticed they're gone. This has been a great year for seeing what you are truly made of and I bet you've managed to shock yourself a time or two with how far you've managed to travel away from your personal Linus blankets. Since the Sun can represent Men/Masculine energy, Cancer sun females may have found that their concept of/relationship with men and even how her own masculinity (for each gender has both feminine and masculine traits) has been and is being expressed. For both Cancer females and males, this could be a year in which healing of "Daddy" issues begin to take place, or at least the beginning of acceptance and/or closure around the parenting - or lack thereof- by your father. On a side note: Since Cancer rules all issues of Home/Family and Jupiter rules Growth/Expansion, a lot of Cancers welcomed new family members to the fold this year via babies and in-laws. Also, a lot of you either moved, thought about or are planning to move, or started to put real effort into making wherever it is you're living a home instead of just a crash pad. If your new digs aren't literally bigger than the old one, then it's of better quality somehow. If you did NOT move or improve your current space, hopefully you did some soul searching regarding what it is you truly need to feel like you are 'home'.
For Cancer sun males specifically, Jupiter's transit may have required you to do some profound soul searching regarding what it truly means to be "a man". Issues around mentally and emotionally conceiving/redefining/maintaining a BALANCED masculinity, what it means to be a provider (in gender and hetero-normative roles), and for some being a father yourself, came up for inspection/clarification/definition.
Cancer Rising:
The ascendant/rising sign defines your "social mask", how you present yourself to the world during one on one interactions. Jupiter here has required you ask yourself: "How am I being perceived based on who Im showing people I am?" Most of you probably became hyper-aware of Self Concept VS How you're actually being viewed only to find they were not in alignment. In asking yourself why and how it could be that the two were so at odds you may have found that you weren't getting the understanding/respect/opportunities you deeply wanted because you simply weren't projecting the confidence/competence/willingness/desire to be viewed that way. The only way to fix this issue was to do the work to make your outside and your insides match. There can be a kind of childishness to Cancer- either through insulted/disappointed petulance, lack of emotional control, lack of directness, or through an age inappropriate naivete born of fearfulness. This transit required that you grow- simply and bluntly put - by growing up. By being emotionally responsible, making your own decisions, forcing yourself to handle the difficult things you may have leaned on your family/lover/friends to do for you in past, having adult speech/conversations... these things showed a mature adaptation in how you represent yourself. Many of you showed growth through maturity by taking a deep breath, holding your head up high and putting yourselves out there career wise. By choosing to be DIRECT in your intent and approach Jupiter blessed you with every thing/one you needed to get your foot in the door and beyond. Good! Because you are actually QUITE capable.
Cancer Moon:
The moon represents our emotional self, our deepest personal needs, our basic habits, instinctual reactions, and our unconscious. It represents Mother and the feminine principal. I believe that Cancer moons were hardest hit by this transit and as such had the most room to improve, heal and grow as well. In order for you to grow, Jupiter's transit here required you to look at your deepest needs and at if they were or were not getting met. HOW they were or were not being met. Did you even know what those needs were? That they existed? What were your beliefs around getting them met? Guilt? Entitlement? Shame? Rage? Apathy? In astrology the Moon is 'at home' in the sign Cancer. So with Cancer moon you are dealing with the most Cancer of Cancer...the most Crab of Crab...the most I Feel of I Feel...the most Linus of Linus. This transit asked you to look at your feelings/habits/patterns honest and true and showed you how/where they were blocking you from a fuller life. It asked you to look at WHY you needed the blanket in the first place. And then it begin the slow and relentless tug of war with your inner crab to get you to unswaddle yourself.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wouldn't be surprised if many to most Cancer moons started some form of therapy/counseling/rehab during this transit as anxiety born of facing facts hit the ceiling. Deep digging back to childhood and around mother burbled through to the surface, especially for those either looking to start having children, or mothers/fathers with children. The issue of FEAR was a big thing with this transit because, as stated earlier, Cancer gets really control-freaky when it comes to change. The beauty of Jupiter sitting on your moon though, is a breaking down of life long inner walls, leading to PROFOUND emotional break-through. Finding a fighter inside of yourself and resilience. Making a decision to not be a spectator to life in whatever area you've been one, and to RISK. This transit can help you find healthier ways to love yourself, acknowledge and meet your needs and create new habits and patterns. That is no small feat.
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I write this love letter to you, my fellow Cancer Sun/Moon/Rising darlings, because I want you to know that I get it. I GET IT. I've been doing these Soul Pilates right along beside you. This has been some incredibly deep and hard and soulful and, at times, gloriously rewarding work!! I see you and I applaud you. I know what it took to get here. And we're not done yet.
An interesting point in the Linus story is that he often said that the only person who had the power to make him put the blanket down was his mother. That if his mother told him to he would be done with it. But she never did. Sometimes, we have to be our own and best mothers and love ourselves enough to do the hard end of healthy things. Just because Jupiter leaves this sign in July doesn't mean the growing stops there. It is my wish that ever Cancer prominent person takes the lessons you've been learning and the opportunities that have presented themselves to you and remember where you started. Run with it! Because the good news is that it will be another 12 YEARS before Jupiter comes back around! The bad news though is that it will be another 12 years before Jupiter comes back around. Let's pinky swear to use this lesson well, my loves.
For those of you that are not Cancer prominent but love someone who is, I hope you got a deeper understanding of who your little crab is and the intense internal things that they have been going through. Your Cancer needs your kindness and your gentle - but persistent and firm - proddings forward. Help your Cancer loves by helping them hold themselves accountable, refusing to indulge their fear-based back peddling, being their loudest and biggest cheerleader, and continuing to encourage they use that blanket less and less. They will shine more and more for it.
Oh, and Crab? You dont have to throw the blanket out. Just fold it lovingly and tuck it away for the occasional really really really hard day. Or when you are feeling lovely dovey and want to share it by wrapping yourself and a loved one, or a friend in need, up in it. <3
