Cancer I
The Two of Cups/Decan 10 of 36/ June 21-1 July
Venus Submerges Into The Temple Waters of the Moon
Cancer I | 21 June-1 July | 0°00’ - 9°59’ Cancer
painting by John W Waterhouse
“Once upon a time, when the world was as wild as the talons of a hawk, as fresh as the backside of a baby and as beautiful as the sun rising…”
Cancer season…
the next Cardinal sign in our decan walk series through the signs and the first chance to be submerged in the element of water.
Water brings us to the Land of capacity in the Empire of Cups.
Emotional, Artistic, Connected, Nourishing, Embodied
The sign of Cancer is one ruled by the Moon and Jupiter, influenced by the shifting tides and movement of circumstances. When the Sun reaches Cancer I, it has made its climb from the far reaching dark shadows of Capricorn, lifting over the equinox balance of light in Aries to the maximum light of Cancer. We witness the brightest day of the year.
Cancer I is a decan ruled by Venus.
How do we illuminate those things we hold most dear?
We start by recognizing them and, in turn, we are seen.
Cancer I is a decan of love, connection, and being seen by those closest to us. It is a hopeful, relational decan where we seek reciprocity in what we give as nourishment to others.
The heliacal rise of the fixed star Sirius was the time that the ancient Egyptians celebrated as the New Year. This rise of Sirius corresponded to the sign of Cancer and the flooding of the Nile river, the mother that provides the abundant flow of life. Life returns with the rising waters, a new year/new life is born again.
The Thema Mundi, the teaching tool of the birth chart of the world, has Cancer “on the rise” as my poetic friend Celestial Flows calls rising signs. Cancer is the sign of the Mother and the Moon, the body and the containers that we fill in our lives. When we reach the summer solstice, the beginning of Cancer, we return home to begin a new year. Our containers are highlighted, our cups are full.
What brightness is shining for you? What has been burning up and what seeks visibility? The shadows are stark when the Sun is this loud. We seek watery escape to make the changes needed during this crucible of the year.
Cancer I:
Tarot card: Two of Cups
Cancer I
Planetary Ruler: Moon
Decan Ruler: Venus
Remember: Decans are a 10 day “week” and at some point during that decan/week if you take the time to honor the things you’re noticing, that is all that is asked of you. Stay calm & keep walking.
Cancer I is sweet, receptive, delicate, silver lining
Austin Coppock names it “A Mother & Child”
The Golden Dawn titled it “Love”
Teucer of Babylon writes of the first decan of Cancer “Makes those engaged with public business, and they are grieved over children, exceedingly sorrowful in youth, but very fortunate in old age.”
The Empress (Venus) & The Chariot (Cancer)
Decan Transit:
This time is Venusian and this planet of love will be in Sunny Leo during the all of this decan.
Venus in Leo 09°09’ - 21°08’
Venus rules five decans, three of which she is either fallen or in exiled signs: Aries III, Cancer I, Virgo II, Scorpio III and Aquarius I. In Virgo II she is held in an earthly container but fallen in dignity. In Scorpio III, she is exiled but in a feminine sign. In Aquarius I, she is bound in Saturn’s temple, a planet that has some unexpected sympatico with Venus. In Aries III, the most recent Venus ruled decan, she is exiled, liberated yet worn. It really feels like this decan of Cancer I is the most comfortable decan she rules in a year. The Moon’s temple, Cancer, is a soft nourishing place. The Moon exalts in Taurus, Venus’ temple, so there is mutual reception between these two places and their ruling planets.
For this time, while Venus is in Leo, blind to her decan that the Sun is traveling, it is still a time focused on love, nourishment and connection.
This will be the last decan of exalted Jupiter year long ride in Cancer. Jupiter leaves this sign of exaltation on June 30 as it moves on to Leo, where Venus currently is at. This is the last hurrah for Jupiter’s exalted year and Venus offers a sweet welcome, from one benefic to another. xoxo
09°Leo Venus will be caught in between two wide trines from 04°Aries Neptune and 13° Aries Saturn for the first four days, but then separates from Saturn on 25 July as she squares the Scorpio Moon. Venus is in a whole sign house opposition with Pluto, a whole sign square from Mars and a whole sign sextile with Uranus.
She will be moving very fast through Leo, visiting all three of the Leo decans during Cancer I.
Natal Chart Consideration:
In your own chart, look to see if you have any planets or points in 0°00' - 9°59’ Cancer. The Sun will be traveling through & activating these degrees. Also consider if you have your natal Venus in aspect to 0°00’ - 9°59’ Cancer: Venus in Capricorn will oppose the Sun; Venus in Scorpio & Pisces will trine the Sun; Venus in Libra & Aries will square the Sun; Venus in Taurus & Virgo will sextile the Sun.
Personal Work:
If you’re writing during this decan, here are some journal prompts for this solar moment in the decan story.
What knowledge do you carry through memories & experiences with loved ones, lovers & your care-giving parent? Is there wisdom that was given to you to, not in a classroom, but through a family event, a recipe, a way to walk through the woods? This knowledge through memory is your connection to the past. How can you share that with those that are following you?
Can you draw twenty eight moons and fill each one in with a thing that you care for? Care about? Want to keep safe or contain for a little while longer? These moons of love are the eggs that you keep warm, allowing them to hatch into wishes as they grow from your attention.
Find a box and begin to decorate the outside with all of the things that you love. Cut out pictures or draw them yourself, paint it with your favorite colors or designs. Like a collector crab, adhere mementos to the outside, creating a shell of memory. inside, you can keep anything. A small book, a handful of miniature pine cones, seashells or star beads, letters you write to your past self or ancestors, declarations of hope for your future self and your ancestors. Create a recipe of personal magic into the activity of this decan.
For further connection to Venus, as the decan ruler, you can focus your practice on Venus’ Day (Friday) & Venus’ Hour. June 26th is the only Venus day during this decan but you can work within Venus’ hours on any day. Find the planetary hours for your location with this link: Planetary Hours Calculator Link
Bonus points for choosing Venus’ hour ON their day for a special honor. They like the color green, copper coins, lilies and roses, five pointed things, beeswax and honey.
Resources:
Inspired by a talk I gave last year locally, I made a simple Ferris Wheel of the Year download. It’s just a single dollar to download here
As a part of this project, I’ve invited new writers to share their voice on a decan. To close out this post, I hope that you will check out Mellie’s wisdom on Cancer I
Mellie Moon | Cancer I
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Thank you for constellating with me
End Credits:
Cancer I Natives
21 June Prince William (UK Royal) 22 June Octavia E. Butler (author) 23 June Oda Nobunaga (Unifier of Japan) 24 June Philippa of Hainault (queen consort) 25 June Antoni Gaudi (architect) 26 June Pearl S. Buck (novelist) 27 June Helen Keller (activist) 28 June Mel Brooks (comedian) 29 June Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (“Le Petit Prince” author, aviator) 30 June Anette Michel (actress) 1 July Estée Lauder (cosmetics entrepreneur)
🌙
spell it,
Christa