Defining Ourselves: Tarot and Tea for Cancer Season

Welcome to Cancer Season and my latest post on tarot practices and herbal allies for the twelve seasons of the zodiac (you can learn more about the series here).

The season of Cancer begins at Solstice - the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere and the shortest day of the year in the southern hemisphere. There is an intensity to the energy of Cancer that isn't always as apparent at first glance, but there is a lot going on beneath the surface. If Gemini season has a tendency to stir things up, it's in Cancer season that we mull it all over. And then we might mull it over again. And then take a nap. And then remember that one time that was similar to the thing we're currently mulling over…

We've met the first three of the four sacred elements through the signs of Aries, Taurus, and Gemini, and now we meet our first water sign, Cancer. Cancer, like Aries, is a cardinal sign which lets us know that it marks the start of a new season and it is a sign that is actively engaged with the energy it embodies. For Cancer, that is engaging with our feelings and the depths of our emotional experience. Another way to understand Cancer energy is to think about being at the shoreline, looking out into the vastness of the ocean, ready to jump in.

One of the really magickal qualities of Cancer is its ability to straddle the worlds between. It is fitting then that the symbol of Cancer is the crab, a creature that can live both in water and on land, representing our ability to move between different states of consciousness, different points along our timeline (i.e. exploring our memories), and to move back and forth skills and wisdom gained in both our inner and outer worlds. With Cancer we have an opportunity to really feel out what it is we have perceived ourselves and our world to be, to honor the depths of our feelings, and to learn how to always find our way back to the comfort of the shoreline or the adventure of open waters.

Defining Ourselves
Cancer Season Tarot Spread

The guardian planet of Cancer is the Moon, which is a planet that helps us to understand and explore our experience of our consciousness, subconsciousness, and unconsciousness. While astrology has been Sun focused for many generations, it was actually the Moon which was the focal point of our most ancient forms of astrology because it is through the Moon that we understand ourselves. The Moon guards our most tender and honest truths and it is through the sign of Cancer that we can begin to understand where we might have hidden away and protected those stories of ours, as well as the places in our life where we might feel most guarded. For it is our feelings, our inner Moon, that defines how we experience the world.

Cancer asks us, "What do you feel defines you?"

The question of Cancer is not "what defines you" which can include all sorts of elements out of your control from class and ethnicity, gender and sexual identity, family and social cultures, and more, but what you feel defines you. The question is asked from a self-defining and felt perspective. The following spread helps you to walk between your inner and outer worlds, discovering what is known and unknown in order to help you better understand yourself. 

Card 1 . That Which Is Known

This card highlights something which you feel defines you and which you know defines you. The card acts like a mirror and an affirmation of something about yourself which you know to be true, even if you might struggle to acknowledge it or not give this part of your story much credit.

Card 2. That Which is Unknown

This card is like looking at the back of the mirror - it's something about ourselves that we don't quite understand just yet. It might feel connected to a certain memory or experience, but it doesn't have to be. Pay attention to the sensations, the feelings, that arise when reading this card.

Card 3. That Which Unsettles Us

This card acts similarly to an obstacle or challenge card in another spread - it is something that trips us up on our journey of self-knowing.

Card 4. That Which Shelters Us

One of the sweetest energies of Cancer is its ability to teach us about the things which feel comforting and sheltering. This card helps you to discern the places, practices, and/or people that help you feel secure and sheltered in the world, which is part of what defines you.

Card 5. A Message for Cancer Season

A general message, signs to pay attention to, and perhaps next steps to take as we move into Cancer season.

Bonus Card: That Which Guards the Cancer

If you feel connected with the philosophy of astroherbology you can pull an additional card to help you understand the current energies of your stomach, chest, uterus and ovaries (if you have them), including physical experiences and energetic ones, what tension or wisdom you might be keeping there. I encourage you to take a somatic approach with this card - when you pull it and see the energy, follow the feelings and sensations that it evokes from your body to understand its meaning. 

image via @yoyoqua

A Tea for Cancer Season

How do we nourish the energies of Cancer? As a sign that has us deep in our feelings, it's important to support our body's ability to process what it is feeling. One of the parts of the body that Cancer traditionally guards is the stomach (click here for a full list of traditional correspondences for Cancer) so I've created a digestion tea to help support healthy digestion on both a physical and energetic level. Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) is a classic herb of digestion but also one which supports emotional wellbeing, helping us to process that which we're feeling. Robust Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) helps to bring us courage and the power of will as we journey through the season of Cancer and our own inner season of deep feeling whenever that may arise. I think that it's important to have a sweet remedy with us as an ally whenever we plumb the emotional depths which is why I've included Fenugreek (Feoniculum vulgare), another Cancer herb, in the blend.

• 3 parts Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)

• 1 part Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)

• 1/4 part Fenugreek (Feoniculum vulgare)

These proportions are only suggested guidelines, so feel free to play around with them to your liking. As you make your tea, slow down, breathe deep, and infuse the blend with your intentions for the season (or whenever you’re drinking this tea to connect with the energy of Cancer). If you’re looking for more breathwork practices to help you connect with the energy of the season, come this way.

image via @hystad

Seasonal Reflections

What does the land feel like, look like, smell like this season?

What is coming to the surface from within me?

What is receding within me?

What am I feeling grateful for?

What am I grieving for or feeling challenged by?

What am I feeling inspired and where is it calling me to this season?

What am I calling to me?

What am I called to give?

♋︎

I’ve been writing about the intersections between plants, stars, and planets for years, so if you’re feeling inspired to keep reading about all things astroherbalism, check out the Cancer Astroherbology Profile as a great next step.

The energy of Cancer can be a very lunar one so if you’ve resonated with what you’ve read in this post or just want to learn more about ways that the Moon can help us understand ourselves, how about learning to make some lunar baths? Or if you’re ready to dive deep, check out The Lunar Apothecary.

May Cancer season provide you with illumination and inspiration, helping you walk steadily between and within all the worlds that are calling to you.

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤ Thanks, friends. ❤

Powerfully Vulnerable : The New Moon in Cancer

Faith is small movement
slow but steady and sure,
holding all experience
in a clear circle
of compassionate light.
- Kaveri Patel -

The New Moon in Cancer asks one thing of us - to access our power through vulnerability. I know, not everyone’s most favorite way to be powerful in the world. While vulnerability is often associated with weakness and victimhood, when we choose to be vulnerable as an act of trust and magick it's a truly powerful thing. When I think about accessing power through vulnerability I am drawn to those moments of being held by someone I love (whether a parent, lover, friend or even the branches of my favorite childhood tree), I think about how safe and expansive I have felt. It’s like being in a cocoon of protection where inside I’m able to be soft and free. That is a powerfully Cancerian way of being - a hard outer shell which protects the softness within. The work of Cancer is to not get too stuck in either way of being where one ends up too hardened or too lost within. 

image via toa heftiba

While we might have been telling stories under a New Moon in Gemini, we are re-living and reminiscing them under a New Moon in Cancer. It’s a good time to feel the feels while traveling the edges between what was and what is. Spend time reflecting on your path and how far you’ve come. It’s less about your eye on the horizon and more about your eye on your own inner world. And that’s vulnerable work, too, in our culture of continuous growth and movement. Choose to not fill every moment of every day with measurable "purpose" but instead to allow times to just play or sit or stare out the window at the rain. To recognize that our being here and breathing is an achievement and to take pleasure in that.

With the New Moon in Cancer we have an opportunity to take it slow. Take a long bath or a luxurious walk through summer fields. Smell those flowers instead of trying to identify them, name them, study them, tincture them, sell them… Find a safe space to get soft in, whether that’s making a pillow fort in front of your altar or spending time snoring next to your dog. Remember, the guardian planet of Cancer is the Moon so whenever the Moon is in the sign of the Crab things feel extra lunar. Thoughts and feelings will bubble to the surface, drawn upwards by the watery New Moon as you are drawn inwards by the same force.

image source

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)
New Moon in Cancer Plant Ally

Passionflower is a plant with many Moon-like qualities. Cooling and sedating, Passionflower is an excellent remedy for overworked nervous systems needing genuine rest. If you tend towards spasmodic conditions from muscle twitches to restlessness to hiccoughs, Passionflower’s anti-spasmodic effects might be the friend you need. It’s a great herb for tension headaches or headaches due to nervous exhaustion. As a plant of Cancer, Passionflower helps us to step out of a feeling of being caught up in our head when it comes to reliving memories again and again. It's also good for a busy mind in general. For those with a natal Moon in Cancer, the herb helps to invoke the inner peace and quiet needed for wellbeing while at the same time gently encouraging the ability to accept change as it arises (something many Cancer Moonfolk struggle with). 

Magickally, Passionflower helps us to remember what we love most. Dress your altar with a Passionflower vine to invite peace and harmony into your home. Passionflower is useful during times of examining trauma or experiencing a healing crisis, acting as an initiatory herb that assists us in reconnecting to our spiritual purpose. 

Flower + Gem Essences for the New Moon in Cancer: Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), Sturt Desert Pea (Swainsona formosa), Centaury (Centaurium umbellatum), Honeysuckle (Lonicera caprifolium), Pink Yarrow (Alchillea millefolium), Moonstone, Amethyst, Chalcedony.

Essential Oils of Cancer: Blue Chamomile (Matricaria recutita), Bergamot (Citrus bergamia), Orange (Citrus sinensis).

image via michael hirsch

Stones Throw Ritual

As healers we ask our clients to get vulnerable with us whether they are sharing their health story with us or letting us feel their wrists for pulses or even ask them the simple but revealing questions such as “When did the pain start for you?” I believe that our ability to hold space for the vulnerability of another is only as sturdy as our ability to be vulnerable with ourselves. Vulnerability is powerful because it helps us to realize our limitations (i.e. recognizing when the needs of your clients is beyond the scope of your care), our boundaries of protection, and the experiences which have powerfully shaped us - no matter how imperfect or difficult they may have been.

Begin in a sacred way (read the New Moon in Aquarius post for further inspiration). This ritual is best performed at a liminal place such as the shoreline or at the crossroads. Gather a small handful of stones - garden stone or gemstone, it doesn't matter which. Holding them in your hands think of times when you have felt most vulnerable in your life. Begin to jumble the stones together so that they make some noise. Consider how your points of vulnerability have shaped who you are today. How has your vulnerability revealed your strength? Feel the sturdiness of the stones in your hands as well as their smallness.

Begin to walk and toss the stones behind one-by-one as you say: 

Stones of Shell
Stones of Bone
Memory is the shaper
The present is my home

When all of the stones but one have all been tossed, begin speaking power to your vulnerability. For example say:

I walk away from my fear of making mistakes.
I walk towards towards the success that taking risks brings.

Keep the one stone with you as a reminder that you carry the power of vulnerability with you always.

Oracle

With a divinatory tool of your choosing ask the following question. You can also ponder it during meditation or through journaling.

What in my past draws me away from my future?

Additional queries to consider:

• When I think of my identity as a healer, what memories arise?
• How do I want to be remembered?

Tarot Cards of Cancer

Every card within the tarot deck has an astrological association. The following correspondences follow the system laid out by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. You can add these cards to your altar as part of your New Moon in Cancer magick or use them in readings to help with determining celestial influence or timing (i.e. this will come to pass at when the Moon is in Cancer).

• The Sign of Cancer: The Chariot
• Venus in Cancer: 2 of Cups
• Mercury in Cancer: 3 of Cups
• The Moon in Cancer: 4 of Cups
• The Water Signs of Cancer, Scorpio, + Pisces: Ace of Cups

Find all of the New Moon Healers Project posts right over here. Be sure to share your insights and experiences in the comments below or via instagram with the tag #NewMoonHealersProject.

Need more astroherbology in your life? You can learn more about the astroherbology of Cancer by reading my in-depth profile on the sign. Check out the magick of each phase of the Moon. For those of you ready to learn how to live your magick and create your herbal remedies by the cycle of Moon and star, you're invited to join the The Lunar Apothecary.

Blessed New Moon, wise healers.
May your healing be healing to us all.
May our healing be healing to you.
Blessed be! Blessed be! Blessed be!

The Longest Day : Herbs of Midsummer

The day grows long and when the Sun enters the sign of Cancer the Crab, the festival of Midsummer or the Summer Solstice has arrived. The Summer Solstice is a dance of fire and water where we bathe in dew for beauty and burn bonfires for protection. The following herbs are some of my Midsummer favorites for both their magickal and medicinal qualities. 

Hypericum perforatum flowers via wikipedia

St. Joan's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) ☉

An herb of the Sun, St. Joan's Wort is a wonderful herb to incorporate into your Midsummer festivities. Traditionally, the flowers of St. Joan's Wort (also known as St. John's Wort) are collected on Midsummer day to be made into remedies. It is said to be best to harvest the flowers while naked. The Summer Solstice is a prime day for love magick and charms including the use of St. Joan's Wort in charms and spells. Since the herb is very protective, use it in charms to protect against heartbreak and to develop a courageous heart.

A brave nerve restorative, St. Joan’s Wort steadies the spirit and calms a nerve-wracked system, making it very useful for conditions such as neuralgia, anxiety, and tension. St. Joan's Wort combines well with other nervines such as Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) and Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) for nerve pain and relief of tension. 

Lavandula officinalis by author

Lavender (Lavandula officinalis) ☿

The cooling blue flowers of Lavender are a welcome relief to the Summer Solstice's heat. The flowers are a traditional Midsummer strewing herb, bringing peace and serenity to the home when cast into the bonfire. An herb of Mercury, Lavender brings peace and compassion, calming without creating drowsiness but instead cultivating focus. A prime cooling remedy, Lavender works well to soothe the nervous system when experiencing agitation, nervousness, and insomnia and especially when overheated conditions such as anger and irritability are present. Lavender is a great herb for colic-y and cranky kids (and adults, too!). Add some tea to their bath water or better yet, give them Lavender hydrosol sprays to play with during their evening bath (I’ve done this combined with flower essences to excellent sleepy-time results).

Artemisia douglasiana aka Dream Plant by author

Mugwort (Artemisia spp.) ☾

While Midsummer is certainly a celebration of the brightest day of the year and the warmth it brings, it has a lunar leaning, too. The holy day is marked by the Sun entering the sign of Cancer whose Guardian Planet is the Moon. So it is that Mugwort, known as the oldest of herbs in indigenous Northern European traditions and a Moon herb, finds its way into the Midsummer magick. The Summer Solstice is a time of divination and Mugwort opens the psychic pathways. Drink a brew of your local Mugwort tea to awaken your vision. When night is shortest and hours usually hidden are revealed to us, Mugwort's magick works in revealing veiled mysteries. Cast Mugwort into Midsummer fires for energetic cleansing and healing. Mugwort has an affinity to womyn beyond the confines of gender. Mugwort is womyn as culture and has a special affinity for queer women and gender rebels of all sorts.

The herb has long been used as moxabustion in which the dried leaf is burned either close by or directly on acupuncture points to move energy and relieve pain. Place a few leaves beneath your pillow for prophetic dreams and burn in your bedroom to transform it into a dream incubation space. 

My friendly, neighbohood Verbascum thapsus by author

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) ♄

The mighty Mullein is also known as Hag's Tapers as the thick stalks were dipped in fat or wax and burned as a primitive candle for late night witcheries. The bright yellow flowers glow with the power of the sun and the soft leaves are an excellent remedy for many a skin and musculoskeletal complaint (hence its Saturnian guardianship). Burn Mullein in your Midsummer bonfire for protection and gather the ashes to use in protection and healing charms throughout the year. 

Like many other Midsummer herbs, Mullein has a relationship to Midwinter as a primary remedy for clearing phlegm from the system. As a remedy, Mullein opens and clears the lungs. It combines well with Elder (Sambucus nigra) and Peppermint (Mentha piperita) for a lung-opening, immunomodulating blend. Topically, the mucilaginous Mullein is excellent for dry skin conditions but also as a healing compress or salve for boils, bruises, inflammation, hemorrhoids, eczema, sciatica, and joint pain. Mullein and garlic ear oil is a trusted remedy for ear infections helping to relieve pain and infection.

Sambucus nigra by author

Elder (Sambucus nigra) ♀♇

If you are brave (or foolish) enough to sit under an Elder Tree on an important night of the year (namely, Midsummer and Samhain), you just might see the Good Folk march by in all of their finery. The spirit of the Elder is a gatekeeper between the realms of life and death - she is fiercely protective and very no-nonsense. Astrologically, Elder is a plant of Venus and Pluto for its beautifying and harmonizing qualities, its sweet scent and taste, and it dark underworld berries.  Midsummer is a time of celebrating not only spiritual but physical beauty. Find an flowering Elder tree on Midsummer morning and wash your face with the dew on the flowers to beautify your features within and without.

While the Flower is associated most with Midsummer - it's heady scent saturating the air is a sign that summer has arrived - the Berries are a Midwinter medicine. Read about Elder's medicinal qualities in my Tree of Medicine post. 

Wherever your Midsummer festivities finds you, I wish you an abundance of magick and wonder that our longest day can so often bring. 

Be sure to research about your local Midsummer blooms and learn about other traditional herbs of the Summer Solstice including Vervain (Verbena officinalis), Calendula (Calendula officinalis), Sunflower (Helianthus annuus), and Yarrow (Achillea millefolium). From an astroherbology perspective, Sun herbs are particularly potent at this time of year.

If you're looking for some divinatory inspiration, check out my Bonfire Offerings : Summer Solstice Tarot Spread. For my southern hemisphere darlings, check out my post on Winter Solstice Herbs. Enjoy!

Cancer: The Astroherbology Profile

It's time to explore the sign of Cancer!

I will be exploring all twelve signs from a medical astrology perspective with an emphasis on herbal healing. Learn more about the series and what all the correspondences mean check out the introduction to The Introduction to Astroherbology Zodiac Series. Missed the other signs of the Zodiac? Find out about the astroherbology wisdom of Aries, Taurus, and Gemini!

Element: Water
Mode: Cardinal
Guardian Planet: Moon
Direction: South
Season: Summer (NH), Winter (SH)
House: 4th House / Angular
Lunar Mansions: 7th, 8th, and 9th Mansions
Solar Gemstone: Rose Quartz
Tarot: The Chariot, The High Priestess, 2 of Cups (6/21 - 7/1), 3 of Cups (7/2 - 7/11), 4 of Cups (7/12 -21), Queen of Cups
Tissue State: Damp/Stagnation, Cold/Depression (learn more about the energetic system of traditional western herbalism)

Body Systems: The Chest, Breasts, Stomach, Uterus, Ovaries, Diaphragm. Bone Marrow. Pituitary Gland and hormones. Upper Alimentary System. Brain covering. Ribs, Sternum, and Elbow joint. Lungs. Serum of Blood. Thoracic Duct. Peristaltic pump. Pleura and Pleural Cavity. Bladder. Protective coverings of the organs including the Pericardium and Meningeal coverings.

Imbalances + Diseases: Digestive diseases and indigestion including gas and bloating, ulcers, Crohns disease, and diseases of the gall bladder. Fluids in the joints. Asthma with excess fluids. Tuberculosis, consumption, and wet coughs. Infectious lung diseases. Sinus infections. Lack of or overproduction of fluids in the body, including excess mucus, edema, water retention, and fluids in the lungs. Swollen gums and soft teeth. Cysts in the breasts and breast diseases. Breastfeeding complications including mastitis. Bone marrow disease. Ovarian imbalance and diseases including infertility. Peristaltic dysfunction. Bladder infections. Abscesses. Lack of vitality. Shortness of breath. Indigestion, including diarrhea, gas, heartburn, and leaky gut. Excess mucus of the digestive tract. Pituitary imbalance, including lack or excess production of oxytocin and ADH. Lack of or excess saliva. Nausea. Poor relationship with food including overindulgence in food or lack of eating, including eating disorders such as anorexia and  bulimia. Depression and emotional stagnation. Lack of drive, including physical drive whether for fitness or sexual intimacy. Lack of bodily tone. Unwanted excess weight. Fixating on the past and not present circumstances. Self-isolating and highly defensive. Oversensitivity to other’s emotions and the environment in general can lead to paranoia. Inappropriate and harmful relationships full of emotional coercion, closing off from the world, apathy, giving but not receiving, issues of trust and faith in others.

Disease Degrees: 0 degrees: drowning, eyesight; 1 degree: sixth rib, eyesight, drowning; 2 degrees: seventh rib; 3 degrees: eighth rib, eyesight; 4 degrees: ninth rib; 5  degrees: tenth to twelfth ribs, sleep and trance; 6 degrees: diaphragm, sleep and trance; 7 degrees: thoracic cavity; 8 degrees: esophageal opening of the diaphragm, paralysis; 9 degrees: pylorus, azimene; 10 degrees: fundus of stomach, azimene, alcoholism; 11 degrees: gastric veins, azimene, chronic glomerulonephritis, alcoholism; 12 degrees: greater curvature of the stomach, azimene, alcoholism; 13 degrees: lesser curvature of the stomach, azimene. 14 degrees: stomach walls, azimene, blindness or defective sight; 15 degrees: gastric nerves, azimene, blindness or defective sight; 16 degrees: Pancreas; 17 - 18 degrees: duodenal opening of pancreatic duct, chemicals, poisons, gas; 19 degrees: Ampulla of bile duct, bile, chemicals, poisons, gas; 20 degrees: Superior pancreaticoduodenal artery; 21 degrees: inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery; 22 degrees: gastric mucosa, weak or impaired vision; 23 degrees: gastric blood vessels, weak or impaired vision; 24 - 25 degrees: blood vessels of digestive organs, danger through water, gas, poisons, dog bites; 26 degrees: mammary glands; 27 degrees: nipples, digestive troubles; 28 degrees: cartilage of ribs, hair, digestive troubles, depression mental and emotional difficulties and instability, spleen; 29 degrees: spleen, bronchitis, depression mental and emotional difficulties and instability; 30 degrees: twelfth thoracic vertebra, bronchitis.

Remedies for Imbalanced and/or Weakened Cancer: Learning to trust. Choosing healthy relationships with emotional give-and-take. Taking time for periods of retreat, but not isolation. Becoming self-soothing. Warming and drying herbs. Dry skin brushing.  Lymphatic tonics and cleansers. Diuretics. Mineral rich herbs and supplements for grounding.

Gifts of Cancer: Emotional depth and intelligence. Ancestral heritage and wisdom. Security and developing a nourishing home environment. Intuition and psychic gifts. Empathy.

Rituals of Cancer: Trance and journeywork. Psychic development. Past Life work. Visionary dreaming. Fertility rituals. Self-empowerment.

Cancer Guardian Herbs: Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis), Chamomile (Matricaria recutita), Burdock Root (Arctium lappa), Red Clover (Trifolium pratense), Fenugreek (Feoniculum vulgare), Chickweed (Stellaria media)

Cancer Remedy Herbs: Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), Chamomile (Matricaria recutita), Angelica (Angelica archangelica), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis), Cleavers (Galium aparine), Yellow Dock Root (Rumex crispus), Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Flower + Gem Essences: Clematis, Agrimony, Red Chestnut, Honeysuckle, Chamomile, Moonstone
 

The Sun in Cancer

I think that one of the quickest ways to understand Cancer  is to take a look at the sign’s zodiac symbol, the crab. The crab is a liminal animal, straddling both land and sea. Cancers are creatures of the water, but they dwell mostly on the shore. Their strength lies in their emotional experiences of the world. It is through their emotional sensitivity that they perceive the world and they place a lot of self-worth in their ability to be sensitive. We live in a world that does not value sensitivity - being sensitive is dangerously subversive because it requires us to be aware of the way we are impacting the lives of others including the life of our beautiful ocean planet. Another aspect of the crab to pay attention to is that it carries it home with it everywhere and has a hardy, defensive exterior with a soft interior. Being sensitive requires the ability to retreat and recuperate because deep feeling all the time can be overwhelming. Carrying their homes with them, Cancer folk are also often concerned about home life in general and creating homely, welcoming, and nurturing spaces.

While the sensitivity of Cancer and their ability to move between the world of the physical and the emotional with ease can be a great gift, it can also be one of Cancer’s greatest struggles. Their sensitivity can become overwhelming and they can retreat from the world of large, becoming apathetic, depressed, defensive or some combination thereof. If they haven’t invested enough time in or valued the importance of emotional intelligence, they can find themselves in inappropriate relationships that can be codependent, draining, and emotionally coercive. All of this can dampen Cancer’s ability to trust and have faith in the goodness of others. They risk shifting from a liminal creature of wisdom  to something a bit more crabby. Sometimes, Cancer folk can get caught up in past emotional experiences, placing priority on those memories and that version of reality rather than the current reality of the present. Yet, when Cancer folks are dwelling in their power, they have an incredible gift to journey into the past, return, and teach us about healing our ancestral heritage and tapping into a lineage of wisdom. 

Within the context of medical astrology, Cancer folk are typically not the most inherently energetic of the signs of the zodiac. They have to pay close attention to how they expend their energy, but with care they can do well. Time for retreat and relaxation is important. Since they are a sign that is very lunar-oriented, spending some time in the sun (especially in the early morning) is good for recharging their energetic centers, but should not be overdone. They should also give themselves space to be quiet and creative under the light of their guardian planet, the Moon. A consciously consumed diet is important and being aware of the relationship between feelings and eating is one of their keys to longevity. While exercise is not the favorite activity of many Cancer folk, like everyone, the crab needs to move their body. Swimming, gentle yoga, and breathing exercises will all be beneficial. The gifts of Cancer folk are manifold and include the ability to connect with parts of our emotional landscape we thought we would never find again. They help us find the shore and that is such a gift as we remember to return home to ourselves again and again. 
 

Cancer Guardian Herbs 

Aloe Vera via wikipedia.org

Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis)

The form of Aloe Vera is reminiscent of the energetics that Cancer embodies - a hard, spiky exterior filled with soft, liquid wisdom. The inner gel of the plant is cooling and moist, alleviating inflammation in the body both internally and externally. The gel of the plant’s inner lining can be drunk daily as a nutritive and immune-building remedy. Excellent for burns, Aloe is also good for emotional, mental, and spiritual burn-out that is so common during these times of great change. The regenerative quality of Aloe means that it helps us to form new tissue cells, which is why the plant is useful in the treatment of scars. Aloe is moistening not only topically but internally as well assisting with hydration and re-hydration after exertion or prolonged sun exposure. The plant is also useful for moistening dried out bowels, improving digestion, and general vitality.

Aloe is used topically for a variety of conditions including sunburn, burns, bedsores, athlete’s foot, bruises, wrinkles, ulcers, herpes, abrasions, ringworm, shingles, dandruff, insect bites, eczema, psoriasis, hemorrhoids, and the itch of chicken pox. Deeply nourishing, Aloe helps us to relax and be present in the moment to what we need now which is a primary gift of Cancer folk.

Want  access to more information on a variety of healing herbs for Cancer folk including a full medicinal and magickal profile on Aloe Vera? Join the Lunar Apothecary!

Cancer Remedy Herbs 

Chamomile by kallerna via wikipedia.org

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)

Chamomile is both a Guardian and Remedy herb of Cancer. It is an herb with an affinity for the stomach, which Cancer guards. Chamomile is also an herb for emotional upsets that manifest in the stomach and digestive tract. Think about the person (maybe you!) who gets a nervous or upset stomach during emotionally challenging times - Chamomile is a fantastic ally. The herb is bitter and sweet which helps us to produce fluids such as bile for digestion, but also helps us to digest our emotions properly. Do you see how Chamomile is both an herb of Guardianship and Remedy for Cancer? 

Chamomile is an herb forcolic-y children and young ones who have great emotional sensitivity that can make moving through the world difficult. Yet, because it is also an herb of Cancer, it has the ability for all of us at any age to connect with our inner kid, which is an exceptional quality when it comes to emotional healing. Many of us are carrying around emotional baggage from our young and formative years that can keep us floundering or stagnating in our present life. Chamomile can help us to process these difficult emotions, by gently reconnecting us with who we were before so that we can move on to who we are becoming.

Sun in Cancer Flower Essence

Since Cancer is so deeply situated within the realm of the emotions I could easily list out a hundred essences I could recommend for Cancer Sunfolk. I have chosen to go with Agrimony, alsoknown as the remedy for the tortured smile. Agrimony is for folks who are experiencing a storm of emotions inside but maintain a cheerful exterior at all costs - hence the tortured smiling. Cancer folk can sometimes fall into this pattern when they don’t feel like they have a safe space to express their emotions and have them be valued. Sometimes, Cancer folk can get so caught up in hiding their emotions from others that they successfully hide what they are feeling from themselves. Such emotional hiding suppression can lead to all sorts of discomfort and imbalance in their lives. I think Agrimony essence is also useful for those folks coping with post-traumatic stress disorder as it is very good at helping us to connect with what we are feeling deep within as opposed to connecting solely to how we are reacting in the moment. Agrimony assists us in expressing our true emotions and through that actually cultivating an authentically cheerful disposition.

Ready to learn more?

• Check out the rest of my Astroherbology series including Starry-Hearted + Wild-Rooted: An Introduction to Astroherbology which includes additional study resources and the other posts in my Astroherbology series.

• Need a visual guide? Starmaps: The Astrological Body is for you!

• Explore The Lunar Apothecary - a full length course using the tools of moon-centered herbalism and ritual to help you discover who you are as a healer.

The 12 Paths of Healing: An Introduction to the Astroherbology Series

Ever since I created The Lunar Apothecary and started to talk about astroherbology, I have met amazing folks who are just as inspired by roots and stars as I am.

I've also had lots of folks asking to know more and this series is, in part, my answer. I have learned so much and to keep the conversation going I wanted to start a series exploring the medical astrology correspondences of each sign with a focus on herbal healing. For those of you who are thinking wait, what is astorherbology? - come this way.

Find the Astroherbology Profiles for each sign of the zodiac:

• Aries

• Taurus

• Gemini

• Cancer

• Leo

• Virgo

• Libra

• Scorpio

• Sagittarius

• Capricorn

• Aquarius

• Pisces

Every post will use the same template and I wanted to begin the series by taking a look at just what I'm going to be writing about. 

Element: Western astrology has four elements – Earth, Air, Fire, Water – and each sign is predominant in one of these elements.

Mode: There are three modes in astrology which describe the movement of energy. Briefly, Cardinal signs have fast-moving and quick to start energy, Fixed, is sturdy and foundational, while Mutable tend to be fluid and flexible.

Guardian Planet: Also known as Ruling Planets or Rulership, I use the language Guarding and Guardian because a) it pleases my collective heart and b) I think it more accurately describes the relationship between signs and the planets that love them.

Direction: The wheel of the zodiac corresponds with the terrestial wheel of the year, so each sign can be directionally situated.

An Ottoman Calendar made for Sultan Abdulmecid I, drafted by Mehmet Sadullah, Turkey, dated 1260 AH/1844 CE.

Season: See above!

House: There are twelve astrological houses and each sign corresponds with one of them, embodying the energy of the that house.

Lunar Mansion: The Lunar Mansions or Mansions of the Moon is one of the oldest forms of astrology worldwide. There are 28 Lunar Mansions and the Moon visits a new one every two days or so completing the cycle in about a month’s time. Each Lunar Mansion is corresponds with one or two of the signs of the zodiac. I think the Lunar Mansions are incredible tools of healing and magick and I explore each one in the Lunar Apothecary.

Solar Gemstone: There are several gemstones associated with each sign and I will list the one that I most often use in my practice.

Tarot: The Tarot is based off of the astrological system codified by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Each card has an astrological correspondence that can be used for timing in readings as well as remedy making.

Tissue State: The tissue states are a way of describing physical and energetic qualities of a person, herb, and imbalances similar to the five element systems of Traditional Chinese Medicine or the three doshas of Ayurveda. These are my current correspondences between tissue states and signs that I have developed as part of my ongoing explorations as an astroherbologist.

Body Systems : Each sign has resonance with certain parts and systems of the body. To learn more check out Starmaps: The Astrological Body.

Imbalances + Diseases: Every sign has the opportunity to become weakened or imbalanced when overexposed to food, environments, thoughts, and practices that pull them out of their happy flow. I’ll be listing the ways these imbalances manifest and the diseases each sign is more prone to.

Disease Degrees: Each degree of the zodiac has an associated disease and these correspondences have been observed and recorded by herbalist such as Elsbeth and Reinhold Ebertin, Charles Carter, and Judith Hill.

Remedies: These suggested activities and healing modalities that can help bring a sign back into balance.

Gifts: Every sign has healing gifts and energies to offer.

Rituals: These are suggested ritual and magickal actions you might take to tap into the energy of a sign.

The phases of the moon from the 17th-century Ars Magna Lucis et Umbrae (The Great Art of Light and Shadow).

Guardian Herbs: These are herbs that embody the energy of a sign. Aries herbs, for example, are generally warming and invigorating such as Ginger (Zingiber officinalis).

Remedy Herbs: These are herbs that help bring errant, imbalanced or weakened signs back to a place of balance.

Flower + Gem Essences: I think Flower + Gem Essences are accessible, easy-to-use, and effective remedies so I’ve included some of my favorite for each sign.

The Sun in {Sign}: I will be including brief descriptions of people whose natal Sun is in the sign being discussed. There are many talented astrologers provided wise and in-depth description of each sign of the zodiac, so I will be focusing medical astrology traits of each sign.

I will also be briefly discussing one Guardian Herb, Remedy Herb, and Flower or Gem Essence of each sign. If you are interested in more in-depth plant profiles and recipes and exploration of herbalism from a lunar-perspective, I invite you to join the The Lunar Apothecary.