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Cancer Sun, Aries Moon Part II: The Stay at Home Force
Both Cancer and Aries are “cardinal” signs which means they each like to initiate things albeit in very different ways. Cancer Sun likes to initiate when it comes to feeding the emotions, Aries Moon like to initiate when it comes to starting the fights. With the masculine side of the psyche (the Sun) in the most feminine sign (Cancer) and feminine side of the psyche (the Moon) in the most masculine sign (Aries), this pairing can have trouble deciding if its theme song is “Dear Mama” by Tupac Shakur or “Raising Hell” by Run DMC. Cancer is the most maternal sign but also the most moody. Aries is the most enthusiastic but also the most combative. Pair the two together and you get a very combustible emotional ecosystem, one that alternates between scalding hot and soothingly warm.
When it gets firing on all cylinders Cancer Sun, Aries Moon can be a very potent combination. Fill a cast iron pot with the feminine emotionality of Cancerian water, heat it with the masculine bravado of Aries fire and the result can be likened to a steam powered locomotive barreling down the tracks at full speed, whistles and horns blasting all the way:
At its best the Cancer Sun, Aries Moon individual will be caring yet courageous, emotionally sensitive yet extremely enterprising, with a shy disposition that belies near superhuman levels of energy. Astrologer Sue Tompkins says this combination is excellent for fighting on behalf of children or housing issues. (Source) Imagine Superman bottle feeding a baby or Wonder Woman running an orphanage and you’ll have a pretty good idea of how this combination’s modus operandi once it reconciles the feminine (Cancer) and masculine (Aries) sides of its psyche.
Mixed Martial Arts superstar Bobby Lashley is a Cancer Sun, Aries Moon and about as close a real life example of “Superman bottle feeding a baby” as you’re likely to find. (Chart) A collegiate wrestling champion in the mid-1990s, Lashley spent a few years as a professional (choreographed) wrestler before moving into the world of professional cage fighting. He now runs a Denver Colorado gym where he trains children in the martial arts. Fast forward to :49 for a great example of somebody whose combined a Cancer Sun’s nurturing capabilities with an Aries Moon’s instincts for competition:
According to astrologers Suzi and Charles Harvey, one of two metaphoric images for the highest expression of the Cancer Sun, Aries Moon pairing is “A suffragette takes to the barricades in aid of her cause”. (Source) Lashley’s not a “suffragette taking to the barricades in aid of her cause” to quote the Harveys’ metaphoric image for this pairing but he is a fighter whose taken to the martial arts ages in aid of those kids. The second metaphoric image for Cancer/Aries according to the Harveys is “A quiet homebody becomes a sports champion.” (Source) That too is an excellent approximation of Lashley as he is a sports champion whose love of home and family comes through quite clearly in the above video.
Cancer Sun, Aries Moon: A Superman Complex, Sense of Defensiveness
At its highest expression, Cancer Sun, Aries Moon is the pairing of “the heroic spirit” who “goes to the mat” for a cause. There are, however, downsides to being so heroic all the time. Astrologer Jefferson Anderson warns of the Cancer Sun, Aries Moon individual’s propensity for burnout and breakdown:
It’s not easy to live up to that Superman or Wonder Woman self-image of yours. Self acceptance is the key to many of the problems you encounter. It’s nearly impossible to meet all the goals you will set for yourself, so stop racing around risking heart attack and nervous breakdown . . . (Source)
Lashley has never had a heart attack or nervous breakdown but his single loss as a professional fighter came during a bout with mononucleosis, most likely brought on by over-training himself to the point of collapse. (Source) Following that loss he was ordered by doctors to take four months off from physical activity. Those months must have felt like near-death as Cancer Sun, Aries Moon is one of the most impatient of the 144 Sun/Moon pairings.
The other big challenge for this pairing is taking things too personally. The Harveys warn that this pairing “can easily develop a chip on the shoulder”. (Source) In each of the above videos, Lashley mentions “the critics”. What he’s referring to is the peanut gallery of cyber-haters who give him static via the internet for having spent a few years as a WWE performer in between his collegiate wrestling and professional fighting careers.
Objectively the guy shouldn’t be the least bit concerned about what a bunch of losers on the inter-tubes have to say as he’s got money in the bank, almost reached the Olympics as an amateur wrestler, has a burgeoning career as a professional fighter, and is clearly doing the right thing by the kids who train at his gym. But neither Cancer or Aries are known for their objectivity.
Cancer Sun, Aries Moon Astro-Twins: Half Crab, Half Ram, All Hero
Lashley has several astro-twins worth mentioning. The first is cult film RoboCop starring Peter Sellers as a deceased Detroit cop reborn as a cybernetic bad-ass. The film was released (born) July 17th, 1987 making it a Cancer Sun, Aries Moon just like Lashley. (Chart) Astro-twins often bear an impossible to ignore resemblance to each other even if not related by blood. In the case of Bobby Lashley and Robocop, it’s hard not to notice some similarities between the two at least in terms of physical build and basic modus operandi:
In the film’s concluding scene Robocop arrests the corrupt CEO of Omni Consumer Products, the mega-corporation that has been plotting to destroy Detroit and replace it with a corporate paradise called “Delta City”. The film thus centers around a bad-ass (Aries) who goes to the mat for home and family (Cancer).
Stunt pilot Melisa Pemberton, recently featured alongside her husband Rex Pemberton in an Outside Magazine article entitled “As Long as They Both Shall Live” is also a Cancer Sun, Aries Moon. (Chart) Like most natives of this pairing, she combines the feminine sensibilities of a Cancer Sun with the risk-taking instincts of an Aries Moon:
At first glance you might not think she and Bobby Lashley would have much in common as she’s a cute white chick and he’s a ginormous bald headed black man. If, however, you look beyond their immediate appearances they actually do have similar career arcs. Lashley makes his living by taking to the mixed martial arts cages to do heart pounding battle with foes. Pemberton makes her living by taking to the skies to do heart pounding stunts with her plane. Like Lashley, she is a sports champion whose love of home and family comes through quite clearly in the above video.
Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to climb Mt. Everest, is a Cancer Sun, Aries Moon. (Chart) When not prepping for one of his many adventures, Hilary spent most of his time in the privacy of his home in New Zealand.
Hillary didn’t “take to the barricades in aid of a cause” but he did take to the mountain tops from where he provided much needed aid for the Nepalese people by way of non-profit trust he created.
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Cancer Sun, Aries Moon Part II: The Stay at Home Force
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10 Comments
Thanks for doing Cancer Sun-Aries Moon! I hear you’re one, too, right? I’ve lived with this schizoid pairing this entire incarnation — and I’ve gotta say there’s been a lot more sparring, sabotaging and mutual ignoring than any “pairing” I’d care to be in!
You totally scored with the whole “champion for children” archetype — that’s been me, all my life, in various permutations! Though when it came to my own kids, I was a bit too demanding and trigger-happy to make a good mom … with that Aries Moon in my 4th, squaring off against half the other players in my chart, I’m afraid my own kids got the short (tempered) end of the stick.
You scored with the martial arts thing, too (traditional please!) Union organizer, educational reformer, political activist and …you name it. Now I’m an Aztec dancer, another warrior tradition but one that has evolved into rhythmic communal energy-sharing and rituals of kindness, deeply rooted in a tribal past (OK, it’s not MY tribal past, but it still works for me). Oh, and traditional Mesoamerican healing…
I just have to ask: ever wish you could’ve been Aries Sun and Cancer Moon? Like maybe you were switched at birth or something? Life would’ve been so much easier ….
Yes, a Cancer Sun, Aries Moon here. A very combustable combo indeed.
“Cancer Sun, Aries Moon natives tend to alternate between being intensely combative and intensely agoraphobic.”
This observation from your expanded “Crab of War” article really stuck with me — probably because it SO elegantly describes a major personality “flaw” that has been painfully baffling (bafflingly painful?) all my life but which I could never put my finger on. I put “flaw” in quotation marks because as astrologers we are “supposed” to tell people that there are “no bad” natal configurations …. yeah right. Just stuff we’re here to learn in this incarnation and all that. I suppose some “lessons” require more hitting-over-the-head with karmic two-by-fours than do others (or could it be the student?)
You wrote,
“. . . Considered the most intuitively shrewd of the twelve signs, Cancer perceives shifting tides of emotion as accurately as its animal symbol the crab perceives shifting tides of the ocean. Associated with the “Great Mother” archetype, Cancer is oriented to nurturing children. It’s also considered the comedian of the zodiac as its emotional intelligence endows it […]
Just curious: in your opinion, and speaking very generally here, is there any sign that is LESS accurate than Aries in perceiving the shifting tides of emotion? I say this because Aries is so totally wired to DO that there’s rarely a moment to feel into the nuances of emotions, including their own; also because Aries is so about ME that it often has a very limited perception of other people, except as a projection of ME. My experience with Aries is that they’re great as direct conduits of Spirit, receivers of creative inspiration and warriors leading the charge, but not so good at picking up on what’s going on emotionally (or even perceiving that there IS something going on, emotionally). Leo has the same tendency for ME being the filter through which it perceives the world, but is much less trigger-happy and so has a greater chance of tuning into its “audience” (and itself) emotionally. Your thoughts?
This is a very interesting article. Nice although I could not relate much except for being a homebody, a private person, and someone who takes things personally. I am not the hero who fights for a cause (although injustice angers me). I am more of an idealist.
Cancer Sun 3rd house – Aries moon in the 12th. I’m not a warrior. Martial Arts is interesting but not the fighting. I hate fighting of any sort although I could place myself in such situation from time to time if I need to defend myself, my loved ones, or anyone bullied/treated unjustly. I’m more inclined to the artistic side of things. With regards to Aries being a ME person all the time. I am not sure. I also have a Leo Venus and Venus is the ruler of my chart (Taurus). So it could mean I am very selfish. I’ve been told so but in my opinion it really is the objectivity that makes me selfish. I have a strong heavily-aspected saturn. I don’t react but I do care a lot. So it’s probably the 12th house that obscures this bravery and selfishness of the aries moon. The combination of the aries moon in the 12th seems like a capricorn moon. Aloof, yet very hardworking.
Have any fatigue related disorders?
I ask because I’ve encountered 2 Cancer Sun, Aries Moon women claimed they “are not warriors”. They both have CFS type issues. My theory is the war spirit doesn’t get expressed and goes internal. Then the body shuts down, deeming the warrior spirit socially unacceptable to express. But I only have a sample size of two to go on so whether my theory has any merit is far from clear yet.
@Liz Swan
Not to imply there isn’t something to what you’re saying as there is. But you might be overdramatizing it just a bit, which is something Cancer Sun Aries Moon peeps tend to do.”
@Matt Savinar
Very intersting you say that, Im Cancer Sun (2nd House) and Aries Moon (11th house) (With Gemini on the Ascendant) I go through peaks and troughs in terms of energy and did question some years ago weather I suffer from CFS. I don’t believe that I do, but my energy levels are pretty low for much of the time. The opposite can be true as well but more often than not the former.
Intersting theory, I internalize my warrior, and usually avoid conflict where possible. My aries moon needs feeding!
@Liz Swan
Hi Liz, I’m an Aries Sun, Cancer Moon and my mother (Pisces Sun) and brother (Taurus Sun) both have Aries Moons. I noticed I’m a little more patient than they are and they tend to lose their tempers quicker and more often than me. I can lose my temper but I have a longer fuse. I don’t know if life would be any easier as an Aries Sun/Cancer Moon. I’ve never considered my life easier at all. I have my own challenges as I’m sure everyone does. Nobody said life was easy but somebody said it was worth it.
@Matt Savinar
I think there is something to that Cancer/Aries combo and repressed energy contributing to fatigue. I think it takes a lot of subconscious energy to control it. I am an Aries Sun/Cancer Moon and I noticed when I become less physically active, I tend to become more fatigued than most. If I’m not careful, it can be difficult getting out of that. When I’m exercising regularly, I do much better. Another Aries Sun/Cancer Moon mentioned we are the type who can hit you but will probably get ice for your face afterwards. I don’t like to hurt people but I sure as hell will fight back if someone tries to hurt me, a friend, family member, and especially a child. I also had a back injury during my high school years and needed physical therapy. I thought I was recovered but perhaps I might have something misaligned that could be contributing to fatigue problems. My doctors haven’t been much help so far. I also noticed during transiting Aries Moons I tend to have more energy or it effects me in some way such as feeling angry. So far, I usually don’t notice a difference with other transiting Moons. I would be interested in any further updates about Fatigue/Cancer/Aries combo. I won’t say how to get out of CFS fatigue. But for others who have some fatigue, I think regular exercise helps relieve that repressed anger/energy. Japanese Jujitsu is an interesting martial art. It uses your enemies energy/force against themselves. So its redirecting their energy for self defense and not really aggressive but still physical activity. Some people don’t like being aggressive but don’t mind taking a defensive stand. That might be one way to deal with Aries energy. I think any physical activity will help but its so hard when a person is fatigued.