The Sun enters Cancer, the sign of the crab, tomorrow at about 1:17 pm EDT, marking a solstice. This one is commonly known as the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere and the first day of winter below the equator. An annual event, it is always a powerful moment of transition that many people can actually feel. Concurrent circumstances make this one exceptional.
In the natural world, the crab is a creature that lives inside of a shell and moves sideways on the bottom of the ocean. The very word, in English at least, implies a defensive temperament. All of that imagery is somewhat at odds with Cancer’s position as a cardinal sign, initiating a new season. As the very first water sign, ruled in orthodoxy by the Moon and esoterically by Neptune, the nature of this beginning is therefore implied to be a sensitive one. Feelings are a big part of the moment, but it’s more than that.
As a representation of our consciousness, the Sun is compelled to change direction at a solstice. You can see it for yourself. At this time, we observe the sunrise and sunset as far north along the horizon as they ever get. That corresponds to Sol stationing directly over the Tropic of Cancer. Soon those events will gradually move south. The nature of the experience is a matter of perspective.
From a linear point of view, it can seem like the Sun turning back. Altering that perception is both the challenge and opportunity of this time. It is a matter of evolution and development. Growing beyond the idea of moving in one direction to a new awareness and appreciation of cycles is the essence of this initiation. That, besides the profound feelings that go along with it, is what this solstice is all about. The sign of Cancer is thus a rite of passage. It leads to a new way of being which is more in harmony with the realities of life on Earth.