THE SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF CANCER

"The wisest and best of men is he who has collected and learned to manifest in himself the lessons found in all the signs."
Swami Kriyananda

Cancer is the first of the water signs, which is why its energy is turbulent, agitated, like that of a raging torrent that, in its whirls ("vritti"), brings back what interests it to the center of its orbit, letting the main current of life flow.

As a water sign, Cancer is aware of the flow of things and the impossibility of controlling everything, although its desire for possession may sometimes betray it.

The symbol of Cancer is the crab, which moves sideways and has strong claws capable of grabbing and holding on (as it does with the past, from which it struggles to free itself). It occupies the fourth house, the house of the domestic hearth, which it will indeed tend to make its own and protect with unwavering tenacity.

Thus, the power that Cancer exercises over the world is that of gathering, grasping, and bringing back to the center, towards its home and its deep soul, expressing a deeply personal authority.

In its highest manifestation, the nature of Cancer is maternal instinct, loyalty, and dedication in friendship as well as in love. Cancer will create a welcoming environment around itself, an extended home where all guests will feel welcomed.

But the personal authority of Cancer can manifest as selfishness and a desire to possess things and people, which inevitably may be lost or leave, leaving the native of the sign dismayed, exhausted. Cancer needs to physically own a place of its own, a refuge and home. And indeed, when Cancer's energy is directed downward, it tends to become excessively protective and exclusive, withdrawing into the warmth of a few intimates and shutting out the rest of the world, in an isolation that can hinder its evolution. It will take everything personally and feel a strong need to grab and hold on as its own.

In the ascending energy vortex, however, Cancer's receptive energy will find that its center need not be a physical place and that it is useless to protect it with bars. It can instead serve as a safe harbor for the people it loves, guiding and comforting the other signs for which it can represent a welcoming mother who, in her gentle whirls, leads home. The whirls will expand, and so will its center: and thus, it will discover that every place is home and that the whole universe belongs to it. In this way, the need to attract and possess the things to which it holds dear will tend to fade away.

In this way, Cancer will show how to balance altruism and selfishness, the desire for the good of others and concentration on oneself. Its gravitational vortex will attract towards a center of personal compassion and expand into a continuous pulsation of understanding and happiness in which the Ego will tend to dissolve.

MEDITATION FOR CANCER

The stones for Cancer are linked to the Moon and water and support the sign towards its mission of care. They invite the natives of the sign to open up to life and the Universe and to accept changes through greater emotional stability.

A mala made of moonstone, white chalcedony, or labradorite can support Cancer's meditation very well.

For Cancer natives, it is ideal to dedicate a room or an intimate corner to meditation, to fill it with the energy of peace, and to ensure that it is not affected by other energy flows; it is also extremely important to dedicate even just a few minutes a day, or regularly.

Sit quietly in a peaceful place and in a comfortable position, with your back straight, and hold your mala made of moonstone, white chalcedony, or labradorite in your right hand. Face east, if possible, or else north.

Focus on your divine center, in the middle of your eyebrows. After contemplating this point, and only when the vortex of thoughts has calmed down a bit, mentally draw a line that crosses your mind and connects this point with a point at the base back of your brain (brainstem or cerebellum). This is the seat of the ego, and the imaginary line represents the necessary connection between our divine "Self" and our "Ego," influenced by the Moon and attributing meaning to the perceptions we receive from the world.

Keeping your attention on the point in the center of your eyebrows, let every thought that distracts you be absorbed by this connection line, as if it were drawn from it and disappeared there. Let the whirls of your consciousness calm down.

Or bring your attention to your heart, your true home, and imagine that the positive radiations coming from the East (or from the north) radiate their pure light into your heart, bringing you peace and divine Love.

Repeat mentally (or even aloud if you feel the need): "I am infinite light, I am pure love."

"Above all, be loyal to God.
Dedicate more time to Him, not to the small duties of life that will one day vanish. And this is indeed the great illusion: to think that our material duties are more important than our love for God."
Paramhansa Yogananda

BIRTHDAY RITUAL FOR CANCER

For your birthday, place your mala made of moonstone, white calcite, or labradorite under running water or near an amethyst druse to cleanse and purify it.

Sit quietly in a comfortable position holding your mala in your right hand and bring your attention deep into yourself, find your calm and silent center.

Now bring your mala above the solar plexus and imagine a bubble of warm energy radiating from the crystal to surround your entire body. Feel the energy emerging from the stones and absorbing all negative emotions related to the past, purifying your center.

Place your mala in front of you. Now imagine that from your center emerges a light that envelops you and forms a protective shield full of energy that ignites your creativity and power of manifestation.

Imagine everything you desire for yourself flowing into the next year of your life.

When you are ready, bring your attention back to the room.

Repeat the purification process and then, with the first waxing (or full) moon after your birthday, recharge the energy of your mala by placing it under the moonlight for a few hours. All night long will work fine too, but be careful not to receive sunlight rays.

Place your mala where you will see it often when you are not using it.

SANKALPA FOR CANCER

The spiritual mission of Cancer is to take care of others selflessly, like a true Guardian Angel. However, the irresistible and vortex-like magnetism of Cancer natives tends to be very selective and guided by strong sympathies and antipathies. In order to spiritually evolve, it is necessary for its personal sense and center to be driven by divine love, rather than a desire to possess what it likes.

Since a sankalpa must always be in the positive - if you don't know why I invite you to read here - it can be useful for natives of the sign to adopt these intentions:

"My love encompasses all things and living beings";
"My energy is in the service of divine power";
"My home is everywhere";
"I am open to the world";
"I welcome others in their entirety";
"I am a safe harbor for all those in need";
"The Universe belongs to me."

Red jasper supports the altruistic mission

of Cancer and supports the souls born under this sign during periods of stress, giving tranquility, grounding, and integrity, and reminds the importance of supporting each other.