Signs: Cardinal Cross—Cancer

d 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

There’s nothing ill can dwell in such a temple:
If the ill spirit have so fair a house,
Good things will strive to dwell with’t.
William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act 1 Scene 2

In Cancer, you have the devotion of the soul, developed to such an extent that the urge to manifest overcomes all other urges, and the processes of incarnation impose themselves upon the soul. (EA 220)

As one of four signs… of birth, of beginning and of renewed cyclic realisation (Aries, Cancer, Leo, Capricorn) the general influence of Cancer is as:

the “birthplace into the life of form,” the door into physical incarnation. This is the sign in which humanity, as a whole integrated unit, is born, the scene of the emergence of the fourth kingdom in nature. Humanity has “emerged from rock and water and brings its habitation with it” (as the Old Commentary expresses it) and mass instinctual consciousness comes into being. (EA 102)

In Cancer, the purificatory waters of experience begin their beneficent work. This is begun upon the Cardinal Cross because that cross deals only with wholes and, therefore, with mass experience. (EA 287)

Details to follow re connection to Neptune, Mars, Ray 6.

Cancer: rulers

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

The triple rulership of Cancer by the Moon veils Neptune at the esoteric and hierarchical levels. This involves the groups of lives that (in the case of humanity) make up the various bodies into which we incarnate. In Esoteric Astrology, those connected to humanity are known as the “lunar lords” but in the broadest sense, Deva lives create not only the forms of our individual selves, through which we are able to interact consciously with the world and each other, but also all the forms in existence through which consciousness is able to function. The three principles of Life/Consciousness/Form are also expressed by the first three rays of attribute—Cancer expresses rays three and seven, which govern the third principle of form. Hence the “Lighted House” in the esoteric motto for this sign.

For details on how Neptune is veiled by the Moon across three signs, reflecting our placement in human development, see the triangle Cancer-Virgo-Aquarius

Orthodox: Moon ⇧

There is a hint in the exoteric interpretation of the Moon’s rulership in Cancer about how it veils the esoteric rulership of Neptune. For many people, the Moon veils Neptune as they are just beginning to grasp the stage of the individual Christ consciousness of Virgo to which they are related by the same planet (EA 322). “Christ consciousness” here (as elsewhere) means the “love-wisdom” aspect of the individual soul at its most evolved.

the Moon and Neptune (…) lead to the unfoldment of the form of life and of the emotional-astral body. (…) …without the form and without the ability to bear in mind the need to respond sensitively to the environing conditions and circumstance, the soul would never awaken to knowledge in the three worlds (EA 323)

This rulership is about the basics of existence: the need for an inherited material form (Moon) in order to respond to emotional experience (Neptune) and feel the impact of incarnated life.

in the two rulers of this sign—the Moon and Neptune—you have the symbols of a close relationship between the Mother of all Forms and the God of the Waters… this esoteric marriage [is] a major synthesis of form and of desire-sensitivity and, consequently, a true statement of the stage of consciousness which we call Atlantean [or emotionally polarised]. There is much of this today and of this stage, mass sensitivity and mass identification with form and with forms is the significant indication and the outstanding characteristic of Cancer and its subjects. (EA 321)

Esoteric: Neptune ⇧

Neptune as esoteric ruler is veiled by the Moon, and leads to an ability to provide a “lighted house” for the developing self and eventually a group (inner or outer), and the facility to respond with compassion to what lies beyond the personal.

This sixth ray influence coming from three angles—orthodox, esoteric and hierarchical—and hence involving both Neptune and Mars—predisposes [both humanity and the individual] to become one-pointed disciples in Sagittarius. This latter constellation is ruled by Mars, bringing [us] into control or closer touch with the lunar lords, the sixth Creative Hierarchy. (EA 218)

Basically, this means that we are no longer passive to our material existence and circumstances (as provided by the “lunar lords”), but are able to shape and construct our lives so that they express the core self or soul.

Hierarchical: Neptune ⇧

Neptune—as veiled by the Moon again—here represents the lives that sustain the various bodies that our personal selves “inhabit”—as they are visibly drawn from “Mother Nature”, and also from the subtler levels. This is the sign that symbolises humanity’s coming into existence millennia ago as the “fourth Creative Hierarchy”:

for Cancer is the sign of birth; it is the door into incarnation and the sign of generation … in the connection between the sixth and seventh rays… that potent “desire for incarnation“ was aroused… (EA 218)

This desire (Ray 6) led to the origins of humanity through our original incarnation en-masse as a species in material form (Rays 3 and 7). See Mars as hierarchical ruler of Sagittarius, where the lunar lords of the form nature [are eventually] sacrificed (Ray 6) to the higher spiritual aspect and brought under the control of the solar Angel (EA 210) or human soul.

Cancer-Neptune is expressive of the seventh ray which rules and controls the eighth Creative Hierarchy [of “mass life” and which is the ultimate state of a fully-developed humanity or the “Christ principle”]. This is one of the five Hierarchies whose names are unknown to us and this particular one stands upon the verge of liberation. At the same time it is closely connected with the mind principle as it works out through the solar Angels or through the human [the fourth] hierarchy. (EA 217-8, 34-5)

Cancer, in which both Jupiter and Neptune are exalted, is named the great sign wherein the desire for incarnation finds its fulfilment (EA 171). In this sign of rebirth, these two planets indicate the successful development and eventual use of the form aspect and the development of psychic sensitivity both in the higher and the lower senses (EA 341). This is therefore an important exaltation to grasp esoterically, both for both humanity and individual development.

As this is the sign of rebirth, these two planets indicate the successful development and eventual use of the form aspect and the development of psychic sensitivity both in the higher and the lower senses.

These are important developments for the soul who has chosen to incarnate. The building of adequate forms and the use and control of form are essential […] Jupiter guarantees this in Cancer from the very initial stage of birth. Love as relationship to divinity and wisdom as relationship to form lie behind the soul’s intent. …for long aeons, form controls and hides the soul. This is equally true in regard to the fluid psychic nature. These (the form aspect and the psychic nature) reach an eventual concrete perfection in Capricorn to become again in Cancer the perfect instrument of service which the initiate wields [while seeking] to render mass service instead of being involved and lost in the mass. (EA 341-2)

This describes the initial incarnation into form and the building of the triple personality as the “house” of the indwelling consciousness that gradually refines the material of the three bodies so that they are eventually able to become more expressive of the expanded and more inclusive consciousness of the indwelling soul.

Cancer therefore represents both the “sea of matter” in which humanity exists, as well as the actual “waters of birth” of individual incarnation. “Building the lighted house” in Cancer means refining the personality. The dedicated “light worker” is able to separate themselves from majority consensus and the thoughtless acceptance of everyday culture, build the necessary capabilities, thus enabling us to “give back” to the inner development of humanity in general.

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 (EA 127, Moon) 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