Sun Sign Secrets (11 page)

At Home

In order to nurture the ones they love, Cancerians must first feel secure. They want their home to be comfortable, a true sanctuary where they can relax and enjoy family life and activities. Because Cancer is the Cardinal Water sign, it follows that emotion in action is the key to understanding how Cancerians relax.

Behavior and Abilities at Home

Cancer typically:

• enjoys feeling safe and relaxed
  
• is handy with home improvements
  
• enjoys entertaining guests
  
• has lots of cookbooks
  
• has plants or a garden
  
• may have collections of family heirlooms
  
• doesn't like to throw things away
  

Leisure Interests

Cancerians may join health clubs, but they prefer yoga, swimming, and meditation to weight lifting and aerobics. They enjoy relaxing on the beach with a good book. And they love to just hang out with friends and family, enjoying a good meal, surrounded by the warmth of a contented atmosphere.

The typical Cancer enjoys the following pastimes:

• gardening or tending plants
  
• playing with his pets
  
• collecting antiques
  
• engaging in team sports or playing games
  
• keeping a journal
  
• boating, sailing, or swimming
  

Cancerian Likes

• anyone who has a kind heart
  
• mementos from family and friends
  
• comfort food
  
• shopping sprees
  
• history and psychology books
  
• sentimental gifts
  
• birthday cards
  
• old friends
  
• a beautiful home
  
• cuddly pajamas or soft blankets
  

Cancerian Dislikes

• harsh words
  
• fast food
  
• people who forget important dates
  
• not being acknowledged for her contribution
  
• talking to strangers
  
• a messy home
  
• having to respond quickly, without time to think
  
• moving
  
• not having money
  
• being nagged at or lectured
  

The Secret Side of Cancer

Cancerians are often affected by the time of day they decide to do something. Plans made at night become harder to make real in the daytime and vice versa. If they find themselves forgetting to put the plans of last night into practice the next day, they must be as patient and forgiving of themselves as they would be with the mistakes made by a child.

The Moon

The Moon, which is considered a planet in astrology, is associated with the sign of Cancer. The way in which the Moon seems to change size and shape, along with the Moon's effect on the constantly shifting ocean tides, resembles Cancer's ever-changing moods; however, the Moon's changes are a lot more predictable.

Astrologers of old associated the Moon with our emotions, our emotional intelligence, our intuition, and the expression of all of these things. Because it changes shape from full to new on a schedule so close to that of a woman's menstrual cycle, the Moon is associated with women, fertility, planting, childbirth, mothering, and nurturing in general. It also rules the relationship between mother and child. Watching over us all the time, though not always seen, the Moon represents our unconscious attitudes, patterns, and past conditioning. This celestial body rules the breast and stomach.

Bringing Up a Young Cancer

Cancerian children love to use their imaginations and are easy to get along with, provided they are given lots of warmth, approval, and attention. Usually gentle, complacent souls, they most of all are sure of what they want and need.

Cancerian youths need to feel free to express their emotions through art, music, writing, or any other form of creativity. They need plenty of outlets for their vivid imaginations. Thus, young Cancerians should be taught the basic techniques of any art form and given the proper materials and space within which to be creative.

The parents of a Cancerian child must find a way not to be too possessive or overprotective. They may worry too much about their little Cancerian child, as children born under this sign are deeply sensitive to emotional hurts and rejections and are prone to withdrawing into their little shells. If the child feels unloved or neglected, she could grow up to be a reclusive, withdrawn adult who is overly self-protective and reluctant to trust or get too close to other people.

Like those born during the other Water signs, Pisces and Scorpio, Cancer children can be very intuitive; many may display what appears to be psychic abilities. Their caregivers need to value this while guiding them to develop their logical faculties too.

The Cancer Child

The typical Cancer child:

• likes to be hugged
  
• may cry a lot
  
• changes moods from day to day
  
• likes to save money
  
• can manipulate to get what he wants
  
• loves mealtime
  
• is fascinated by picture books
  
• gets her feelings hurt easily
  
• withdraws if unhappy
  
• can play alone for hours
  
• conjures up imaginary playmates
  
• likes traditional fairy tales and myths
  

Cancer As a Parent

The typical Cancer parent:

• likes to organize birthday parties
  
• supports creativity
  
• is overprotective
  
• is very reassuring when fears arise
  
• enjoys playing with the kids
  
• will do anything to help
  
• displays affection
  

Health

Cancerians are emotional types who may suffer from stomach problems when under stress. They tend to bottle things up and are prone to ulcers. As they do not like to burden other people with their problems, they tend to suffer in silence. Typical Cancerians need material security, plenty of affection, and a sense that they are needed. As long as these needs are met, they can handle a lot.

Wholesome food and regular meals are important to Cancer. Overindulgence in sweets can result in extra weight gained in later years. Since theirs is a water sign, Cancerians should try taking long, warm baths to relax.

FAMOUS CANCERS

Louis Armstrong

Bill Blass

Mel Brooks

Bill Cosby

Tom Cruise

Diana, Princess of Wales

Harrison Ford

Bob Fosse

John Glenn

Tom Hanks

Ernest Hemingway

Frida Kahlo

Lindsay Lohan

Nelson Mandela

George Orwell

Gilda Radner

Ginger Rogers

Carlos Santana

Carly Simon

Sylvester Stallone

Ringo Starr

Meryl Streep

Robin Williams

“We are born at a given moment, in a given place and, like vintage years of wine, we have the qualities of the year and of the season of which we are born.”

—
CARL GUSTAV JUNG

LEO

July 23–August 22

Planet:
Sun

Element:
Fire

Quality:
Fixed

Day:
Sunday

Season:
summer

Colors:
gold, orange, yellow

Plants:
marigold, sunflower, nasturtium

Perfume:
orange blossom

Gemstones:
amber, carnelian, citrine, ruby

Metal:
gold

Personal qualities:
Creative, dramatic, proud, organized, and romantic

Keywords

We call the following words “keywords” because they can help you unlock the core meaning of the astrological sign of Leo. Each keyword represents issues and ideas that are of supreme importance and prominence in the lives of people born with Leo as their Sun sign. You will usually find that every Leo embodies at least one of these keywords in the way he makes a living: