Signs: Cardinal Cross—Cancer

I build a lighted house and therein dwell

Material life: refining the outer to match the inner: the natural instinct of matter

Cancer: esoteric meaning

Details to follow.

Cancer: rulers

• Orthodox: Moon
• Esoteric: Neptune
• Hierarchical: Neptune

Orthodox: Moon ⇧

Details to follow for Moon as orthodox ruler.

Esoteric: Neptune ⇧

Details to follow of Neptune as esoteric ruler.

Hierarchical: Neptune ⇧

Details to follow of Neptune as hierarchical ruler.

Decanates

See the notes about the inconsistency of decanates in Esoteric Astrology. For comparison, Stephen Pugh’s decanate rulers are listed, alongside current orthodox rulers and those given in the book.

Esoteric/developmental: conscious development (annual signs from Aries via Taurus to Pisces)

0-9°: Moon B: Cancer, Strength and the “knowledge of form” (Moon, EA 127)…

10-19°: Mercury C: Scorpio, …through conflict and constant struggle (with the Moon, both Ray 4)

20-29°: Venus D: Pisces, illumination from the right use of the mind, leading to the Piscean opportunity to “reunite the severed lives but with no binding thread” (EA 129-130)

Exoteric/experiential: humanity in general (precession from Aries via Pisces to Taurus)

29-20°: Jupiter F: Pisces, the “benificent” (Ray 2) gradual learning process of incarnation and the “way of love-wisdom” (EA 127)

19-10°: Mars E: Scorpio, the tension between ideals and desires vs reality

9-0°: Moon B: Cancer, immersion in the instinctive life and tides of “form life”

• Orthodox: Moon, Mars/Pluto, Jupiter/Neptune (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces)
• EAst e/o: Moon, Mercury, Venus / Jupiter, Mars, Moon
• Pugh e/o: Moon, Mercury, Venus / Venus, Mercury, Moon

In Esoteric Astrology both sets of decans are given in reverse order. For the esoteric decans, the Moon in its mundane Ray 4 role joins with Mercury, symbolising “strength through conflict and constant struggle” while Mercury echoes the hierarchical ruler of the Scorpio decanate, and Venus is exalted in the Pisces decanate, hinting at the “final tests” of discipleship on the Fixed Cross (Scorpio), and the wisdom gained in the process (Pisces). Venus is also the Hierarchical ruler of Capricorn, Cancer’s complementary sign.

Esoteric

Moon, Mercury Venus (given as: Venus, Mercury, Moon). illumination from the right use and control of mind, through meditation when the aspirant awakens to spiritual opportunity. Strength and the “knowledge of form” (Moon, EA 127) through conflict and constant struggle (Moon and Mercury) builds up steadily that reserve of strength and power for the final tests of discipleship, so that in the final (Pisces) decanate ruled by Venus there is the opportunity to “reunite the severed lives but with no binding thread” (EA 129-130)

Exoteric

Moon, Mars, Jupiter (given as: Jupiter, Mars, Moon). The mind (the Moon as a 4th Ray planet hinting at Mercury as Hierarchical ruler of Scorpio), the uses of conflict (Mars) and form life (Moon) lead the soul along the “beneficent” (Second ray) learning process of incarnation, under Jupiter and the “way of love-wisdom” (EA 127)

Curiously it is Sepharial who places the rulers of the decanates more accurately than does Leo. […] Sepharial gives us Venus, Mercury and the Moon whereas Leo apportions the Moon, Mars and Jupiter to these decanates. The mind, the uses of conflict and form life are the contributing factors, leading the soul along the way of incarnation. The instrument of release is, in the last analysis, the right use and control of the organ of illumination which is the mind. Hence the necessary emphasis ever laid upon meditation when the aspirant awakens to spiritual opportunity. The strength which comes through conflict and constant struggle builds up steadily that reserve of strength and power which enables the aspirant to take the final tests of discipleship in Scorpio and to brave in Capricorn the trials of initiation and the breaking of all the bonds which the processes of incarnation have forged. (EA 342-3)

Esoteric Astrology: 342-3