When the Sun enters tropical Cancer at 6:51 am EDT Saturday, feel the water. Nearly everything else about the astrology of the Cancer solstice will be available to see. The emblematic water that distinguishes Cancer from the other three cardinal signs (Aries, Libra and Capricorn) will likely not be seen, however. You will need to feel its presence.
Any Cancer solstice is one of the four times during a year when the season changes. You can probably see the day marked by the publisher of your calendar.
You can also see the Cancer solstice in the world. Just as with the other season changes (the Aries equinox of March, the Libra equinox of September, and the Capricorn solstice of December), you can actually see what tropical astrologers express with words and represent with charts and symbols.
By and large, what you will be able to see Saturday has to do with the Sun. No matter where you are, if you are fortunate enough to see the dawn, you will see the Sun rise on the Eastern horizon as far North as it will ever appear. Depending on your longitude (or time zone), that will be about the same time the symbolic Sun crosses the line (or cusp) from Gemini into Cancer. That’s a pretty impressive connection between the literal and and figurative for you take in.
The Sun will also set as far North as it ever gets on the Western horizon Saturday. Next week, the sunrises and sunsets will gradually take place farther and farther South. You will literally see the Sun appear to stop and change direction in its risings and settings, and you will see a season turn with it. That’s pretty amazing when you think about it.
What you see between the Cancer solstice sunrise and sunset will depend on your latitude. Those living on Earth’s Northern Hemisphere will experience the longest day of the calendar year. The further North, the longer the day. For those residing above the Arctic Circle, the Sun will not set at all. South of the Equator the obverse will be true, and most of Antarctica will be experiencing a long, unrelieved night.
All of those correlations between the Sun moving into Cancer and appearing to move in the sky will be there for you to see, but the water will be something you must feel. Perhaps feeling is one of the most fundamental things a Cancer solstice means.
The astrological year started again almost exactly three months ago when the Sun was directly overhead at the equator. At the same time, the symbolic Sun crossed the line (or cusp) from Pisces into Aries.
Aries is a cardinal sign, hence the first day of Aries was the first day of a new season — the Vernal Equinox. You saw it happen through the Sun as equal day and night with the sunrise at true East, and the sunset at true West, no matter where you were in the world.
Aries is also a fire sign. Since then, as the sunrises and sunsets have progressed steadily North, the Sun has passed first through the fixed quality and earthen element of Taurus, and then entered the mutable air of Gemini (where it is today). Now the cycle of qualities (cardinal, fixed and mutable) is about to start over, but the cycle of elements is not yet complete.
So far in this astrological year, we have not yet experienced the consciousness (represented by the Sun) of a water sign.
Yes, expansive Jupiter has been in watery Cancer for nearly a year, participating in some historically significant aspects in the bargain. Of course, Mercury recently crossed the cusp from Gemini to Cancer, stationed retrograde, and retreated back again in the span of a few weeks. And every month the Moon returns for a few days in its home sign. There have been meaningful experiences of cardinal water so far this year, but nothing reveals reality like the light of the Sun.
Now the Sun’s light will soon clearly illuminate a new season for all as the cycle of sign qualities renews. But the Sun’s warmth (or lack of same) will also provide something for you to feel — something not part of the solar experience so far in this astrological year — the simple, essential, elemental nature of water.
Your part in the grand scheme of things will entail being present to the simple, essential and elemental parts of human nature that water represents through your feelings without being utterly swept away by them.
It will mean knowing passion but choosing to learn and practice compassion, perhaps as never before. Included will be the challenge of self-mastery combined with tolerance of others who are working to master themselves. Perhaps most vital will be the need to ask for and/or provide some help because you feel both the need and the necessity.
Solar Cancer 2014 may not be the easiest of times, but it has the potential to be among the most rewarding of times if you do your part. See what is to be seen with awe and appreciation, then feel what is to be felt as part your responsibility to who and what you are. If you can do simply that, your place under the Cancer Sun will have been faithfully discharged for all to see as well.
Offered In Service
em>Len is available for astrology readings. You can contact him at lenwallick [at] gmail [dot] com.
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Mia, Bette Loreen, be, jere, liminali, SaraJo (welcome!), and Lunesoleil: Please forgive me having been swept away (in a sense) at the end of last week, and please accept my belated but truly sincere thanks for each of your heartfelt (and felt in my heart) comments. May the water you feel be worthy of the greatness each and all of you are as we cruise slowly south with the Sun.
Thanks Len for your article, here in France it is even not yet noon that the temperature has reached 20 degrees outside to receive this Summer Solstice.
The day is going to be hot
good weekend has you ♡♥☆★★★ 😀
I’m feeling the water all right, the tears are running down my cheeks as I think of another year half over and the beautiful sunlit days I’ve become accustomed to, since the Spring Solstice, slowly shrinking.
liminali, I’m grateful for your sharing this story here and for making me aware of this delightful publication which I will surely revisit often.
jere . . . . you just put a smile in MY face! Many thanks for that.
be
Interesting that you mention boundries, be. I had just read this article about boundries, and found it both timely and helpful.
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/06/08/taking-care-mother-earth-reconciling-boundaries-and-oneness-155204
Shared this article with a friend who is learning about astrology along with the comment that it was a good example of positive Saturnian energy.
Also in the news at this site, “Kit Carson Park Becomes Red Willow Park” AHO! Mitakuye Oyasin!
“I’m heartened by my own words..”, as it should be, Be! I laughed heartily, thank you! I’ll keep this smile for a bit…
Peace and Love,
Jere
One thing about the Cancer Solstice that could help the present situation(s) is that it’s feeling capacity has a clarity regarding boundary lines, ie. feeling within the family and feeling beyond the family. The Gemini New Moon with its challenge from the Pisces Neptune for almost a month now has left us with a decided lack of definition. Sometimes that can be a good thing and can provide flexibility (negotiability) when needed. But a cardinal sign is a cardinal sign, and lets be clear, cardinal signs are new beginnings.
To look at the chart for this solstice the Sun ironically has no tight aspects. What it does have is divisiveness. Neptune and Pallas are at their half-way mark two years after their conjunction and the start of their new cycle. Mars and Uranus are one year into their new cycle which began in March, 2013, when Uranus was also busy beginning new cycles with Venus and the Sun.
While oppositions can provide fresh perspectives they are still polarizing. All water signs provide a chance to dilute differences, but Cancer has boundary lines and permission is needed to cross them. To do so without permission will incense those who are the permission granters, perhaps not spoken aloud, but felt intensely by all. As the Sun moves forward to the New Moon on June 27th, we might be optimistic that the period of excessive confusion and much drifting across boundary lines will cease and desist.
With the U.S.A. being a country with a Cancerian Sun and a big heart (natal Sun conjunct natal Jupiter conjunct natal Venus) as well as being a big land, clarification of boundaries and how they may be crossed without angst for those within the family and without the family might be resolved. The Cancer Solstice also includes Chiron (healer) in Pisces trine Saturn (permission granter) in Scorpio, and a trine between Pallas (negotiator) in Virgo trine Pluto (transformer) in Capricorn. With Jupiter still in Cancer (and conjunct U.S. Sibly Mercury) and Mars in Libra (conjunct U.S. Sibly Saturn) there are new cycles afoot.
Jupiter is in the south bending of the nodes in the Solstice chart, suggesting a give-away (or giving up) of sorts and conjunct U.S. Mercury (data) in Cancer (family) might entail simplifying documentation for those seeking asylum in this country. The Solstice Mars conjunct the U.S. Saturn might initiate (Mars 🙂 ) updating the laws (Saturn) regarding immigration. I’m heartened by my own words Len and that feels so good!
be
Thanks for this, Len. I ordinarily love the Solstice, as it occurs within a degree of my 12 hse. NN, & feels like a new beginning of sorts.
This year, however, it seems otherwise, as I’ve been trudging through several weeks of really difficult times, from vehicle breakdowns to ill cats (my beloved companions, about whom I’m terribly worried) – all of which has me feeling depleted emotionally & literally depleted financially.
I can only hope that when the Sun crosses my ascendant on July 6th, some brightness may return.
Happy Solstice to all.
Great article Len. Thank you for this excellent information in regards to the solstice.
Richard Alan Miller has an interesting take on water that is most people are dehydrated from not enough of the right kind of water. He is an expert in agriculture, permaculture and lots of other things. Worth checking out. Like you, he is on the West Coast as well, I believe in Oregon.
I look forward to the Sun’s visit to Cancer and Jupiter moving into Leo!
Mia