We currently have a stellium of planets in Cancer – Sun and Mars, Venus has just entered and Mercury on the cusp as it retrogrades through the sign and briefly visits the very end of Gemini before returning.
Cancer is ruled by the Moon – the Cosmic Mother, and Cancer is the womb, the home and our place of safety. As the original 4th house of the zodiac, Cancer represents our inner world, the most private aspects of ourselves and our sense of wellbeing. When Sun enters Cancer, the solar and lunar forces entwine and the radiant energy of the Sun shines his light on the internal realm concerned with our feelings, comfort and security.
The symbol for Cancer is the crab, and crabs are well known for hiding in their shells and their shy nature, never venturing into waters that are too deep or scuttling too far from the shore line. Similarly, when the Sun enters Cancer we find ourselves naturally more inclined to retreat and enter into our ‘heart space’, and now would be a wonderful time for heart-centred spiritual practice such as heart-coherence meditation and deep forgiveness practices such as the Hawaiian system of Ho’oponopono.
With Mars currently still debilitated in Cancer, a lot of our external drive is muted, and as the Sun moves ever closer to Mars we can expect increased temperatures not only on Earth but also emotionally.
With this added heat in Cancer, we all need to take the time to do the inner work that the outer pressures will all too readily reveal to us right now. Venus entering the sign wants to manifest new creative energies that are vision-based – here our evolutionary journey begins from the seat of creation itself, but frustrations and insecurities can arise, especially if we become too attached to outcomes and don’t feel safe enough to express ourselves. Mercury appearing in retrograde motion is the result of planet Mercury being much closer to the Earth in transit, orbiting between us and the Sun, and as this happens we can experience a ‘revisiting‘ of the energies associated with that planet; in the case of Mercury, this comes in the form of communication, but more deeply Mercury is really the conversation between the Soul being immersed in the material and then the potential to be released from such materialism.
In alchemy, the metal of Mercury has an ancient history associated with the transmutation of this base element into gold. Transmutation does not magically happen without the interaction of the right conditions, skill and intellect, which is allegory in itself for self-improvement. As Mercury (planet of skills, communication and intellect) moves between the Earth (grounded materialism) and Sun (the all-pervading light of Soul and consciousness – the gold we can attain within), we have the conditions to elevate our imbedded nature from our heart-centre (Cancer) to merge with the oneness of Creation and Creator.
”As a dusty mirror shines bright when cleansed, So shine those who realise the Self, Attain life’s goal, and pass beyond all sorrow. In the supreme climax of samadhi They realise the presence of the Lord Within their heart. Freed from impurities, They pass forever beyond birth and death. The Lord dwells in the womb of the cosmos, The creator who is in all creatures. He is that which is born and to be born; His face is everywhere.”
– The Shvetashvatara Upanishad 11.14-16
LESSONS FROM THE CURRENT CANCER TRANSITS
Every transit is teaching us something important about ourselves. But are we willing to learn?
1) DO NOT LIMIT MERCURY RETROGRADE TO THE MUNDANE LEVEL
We so often get caught up in negative thinking around Mercury retrograde and believe that it is limited to expressing itself as our computer crashing or documents getting lost in the post. Open up your awareness to the spiritual lessons of Mercury retrograde, when communing with the Solar life-force energy and bridging our earthly and spiritual aspirations becomes possible as this planet moves between planet Earth and the Sun.
2) WORK ON YOUR HEART CHAKRA
Cancer is the 4th sign of the Zodiac and our heart-centre. With so much energy from the planets currently focusing here, we can work on embodying emotions of compassion, love, forgiveness and appreciation and releasing pent-up frustrations, injustices and anger. You might like to try mediations taught by the Heart Math Institute and as mentioned in the article, utilise the beautiful practice of Ho’oponopono, which roughly translates as “to make right”, which can include reciting “I love you. I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you.”
3) FOCUS YOUR ENERGY WITHIN
Cancer energy is deeply internal and this is not a time for scattering or trying to gain notoriety in the outside world. Remember that you are the bedrock of all your interactions and God is the nourishing centre – if we want to make positive changes in society, we must first start with ourselves. Honour your being and go within to commune with Source energy, trusting that benevolence to manifest within you the qualities of gentle touch, conscious action and kind words.
4) FEEL THE HEAT AND LET IT BURN
With Mars and Sun bringing the waters of Cancer to the boil, let your old, stagnant and toxic emotions burn away to distil the pure essence of love. Feel everything and be open to transformation as you release and forgive. Instead of being heartbroken, let your heart be opened and a receptive vessel to be filled with the compassion, healing and grace of the Cosmic Mother.
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