In many traditions, the Moon has long been associated with incarnation: Mother, the body, home. Cardinal water-sign Cancer is ruled by the Moon. This clues us into some of Cancer’s most notable traits.
Cancer Season.
Cancer is a nurturing, emotional, home-loving sign. It is the part of us that wants to care for others, but also wants to be well-cared for ourselves. Balance is key when it comes to the care and keeping of our Cancerian selves. There is an ebb and flow to giving and receiving. When we give more than we receive, we may become bitter and burned-out. On the other hand, when we hoard our gifts, we fall into patterns of entitlement and scarcity fears. Neither of these expressions support the flow of universal abundance.
Participating in the cycle of care means not only caring for others, but also deeply caring for ourselves. There is much confusion around the term “self-care”. Understandably so! The significance and practicality of self-care has, in many ways, been diluted by a materialistic message that tells us that to love ourselves means to buy ourselves more STUFF! This gives us the impression that it is a luxury for the few. The truth is, in the United States, with a lack of universal healthcare and an adequate social safety net, good self-car is a necessity for all of us, but particularly those who are the most poor, marginalized, and vulnerable… and, sadly, the least likely to receive it.
Self-care need not take a lot of time or money. However, it does require our willingness to make an effort to do it. Self-care is highly individualized. For some, it may be taking a daily walk. Others may require 10 minutes of quiet meditation to feel their best. The key is for us each to discover what we need to feel our best and do it as often as we can. When we take good care of ourselves, we are better able to care for others.
Goddess Guidance: Hestia.
Hestia is the Greek goddess of the Hearth. She is the personification of the hearth-flame. In ancient Greece, communities had public and household fires that were never allowed to die out. The household fires were lit from the flame of the public fire, symbolizing communal connection. As the goddess that governed the hearth fires, Hestia is the essence of home.
Home is not always a place we dwell. Home is a feeling we carry with us… a feeling that lets us know we belong. From this perspective, we can make our home wherever we go.
Cancer Season Questions for Reflection…
· The astrological sign Cancer is symbolized by a crab. Crabs carry their home with them wherever they go. Likewise, the ancient Greeks symbolized the essence of home through Hestia’s flame which was always kept burning. What does home mean to you and how do you carry home with you wherever you go?
· What does home feel like in your body?
· What rituals do you keep to honor your home?