Our Decan Walk has brought us into the Zodiac of Cancer. Today, let’s explore the three Cancer Decans and understand how the imagery of the 2 of Cups, 3 of Cups, and 4 of Cups embodies Venus in Cancer, Mercury in Cancer, and the Moon in Cancer, respectively.
Quick Note: I do apologize for being late with my posts. We had a family gathering on the calendar, which took up a lot of my time. An interesting coincidence, considering we are in the Sign of Cancer (which has a lot to do with family stuff), and the 2 of Cups and 3 of Cups are literally about meeting people and gathering with people you have deep connections with. There are no coincidences, right? 🤷🏻♀️ Plus, I felt that the format was getting a bit repetitive, and since I’d already missed the deadlines for the 2 and 3 of Cups, I thought I might as well switch things up a bit. I hope you like this format. Let me know what you think, because I might continue with this till I feel like switching it up again. 😊
Cancer Decans: Venus in Cancer + Mercury in Cancer + Moon in Cancer
Today, we’ll dive into the Zodiac Sign of Cancer and explore the 3 Decans of Cancer through the imagery of the 2 of Cups, 3 of Cups, and the 4 of Cups. We will also explore their astrological connections: Venus in Cancer, Mercury in Cancer, and Moon in Cancer, respectively.
Astrology: Cancer ♋︎
The sign of Cancer corresponds to when the sun is in the Cancer zodiac, typically from June 21 to July 22. So, we are currently in the Cancer period. Let’s dive into what Cancer is all about!
First and foremost, Cancer is a water Sign ruled by the moon. This connection underscores its emotional depth—Cancer energy is largely driven by feelings. Imagine Cancer individuals as crabs, showing how they often have a protective shell around themselves while also providing support and nourishment to others. Cancerians are known for their compassion and strong emotional presence. They often experience intense emotions and can have vivid dreams, sometimes even tapping into psychic energies or visions. Romance and unconditional love are also central to this Sign, reflecting a deep devotion that feels almost pure, like water.
Motherhood is another key aspect associated with Cancer, linked closely to the nurturing qualities of the moon. Cancers value home and safety, often striving to create secure spaces for themselves and their loved ones. This also extends to family and a sense of belonging to one’s homeland. In astrology, the fourth house corresponds to Cancer, representing the home and the people of a country, illustrating how deeply rooted Cancer’s energy is in community and emotional connection.
However, the flip side of Cancer can include moodiness and fearfulness. Some Cancer individuals may exhibit childlike behavior, displaying emotional dependence and resistance to growth. They can also be passive-aggressive and may resort to emotional manipulation. Emotional blackmail is a common negative trait found in water signs, and Cancers can sometimes wield their emotions in both positive and negative ways.
So, that’s the essence of Cancer—rich in emotion, nurturing, but also complex in its challenges.
Cancer Decans + Tarot: The Chariot
Let’s look at the Tarot card associated with Cancer, which is The Chariot. When you look at The Chariot from purely a Tarot perspective, it represents travel, movement, success, and victory. I mean, what do you do when you get into a Chariot? You go somewhere, and you drive it to where you want to go. Right?
I used to wonder how the Chariot relates to Cancer, but as I was preparing this presentation, it suddenly clicked for me. The Chariot covers the canopy here, which invites a comparison to the protective outer shell of a crab, as seen in the imagery of the card. The Chariot card imagery in the Rider-Waite-Smith, Thoth, and Telos Tarot decks also features water and waves, indicating a connection with the water element, which is associated with Cancer. In the Tarot de Marseille, we have blue horses. Horses are a means of movement, and combined with the blue color of spirituality, they signify spiritual movement. The energy of the Chariot also embodies success, power, and individuation. The moodiness associated with Cancer is reflected in the happy and sad faces on the Charioteer’s shoulders. The figure is fully covered with armor, similar to a crab’s protective shell. You also see the moon here, adding to the Cancerian vibe.
Personally, I find it challenging to directly connect these interpretations of The Chariot card with the meaning of the Zodiac Sign of Cancer, except for the imagery of water and the canopy. But we can try to find ways to do that, I suppose. The figure on The Chariot card is about to ride out and win a war, symbolizing conquest. In fact, this card is also linked to the story of Oedipus, who solved the riddle of the Sphinx and ultimately became the King of Thebes. He also fulfills a prophecy whereby he kills his own father and ends up marrying his own mother. I suppose, in a twisted way, we do end up having a weird connection with the mother energy here? Additionally, from a Psychological perspective, this card relates to the process of Individuation—bringing different parts of oneself together to form a cohesive whole. I suppose one could go out on a limb and say that this is similar to how a crab gathers all of itself under a single protective shell.
Overall, the Chariot is about success, travel, and creating your identity through individuation. Although I find it a bit of a stretch to connect the Chariot directly to Cancer, these visual and symbolic elements suggest various links.
Let’s explore how the energy of Cancer manifests across its 3 Decans, each linked to a different planet.
Cancer Decan 1: Venus in Cancer: ♀ in ♋︎ : Meaningful Connection – Loving Devotion
The first card is the 2 of Cups. This is the first Decan of Cancer, between the 1° and 10° of Cancer, starting from 24 Jun to 1 Jul.
Picatrix describes this Decan as: “A man with a curved face, and fingers that look like a horse. He has white feet and tree leaves are attached to his body.”
We see a figure in the Telos Tarot deck who also corresponds to these features. We see him depicted as half-man, half-horse, with white horse-feet and tree leaves attached to his body.
The meanings associated with this Cancer Decan are: wittiness, mindfulness, friendliness, delicacy, and cleanliness.
I could probably connect the horse imagery with the horses of The Chariot. But then, I can’t help but ask myself: Are we grasping for meaning?
Astrology: Venus ♀ + Tarot: The Empress
Venus is about romance. Venus is about beauty, art, and aesthetics. Venus is also the expression of that beauty. Importantly, Venus is about values: what you value in yourself, what you value in others, what you value in whatever you are manifesting, making, creating, your moral values, your ethical values — essentially, all kinds of values that you hold in your life. Venus is about creativity, pleasure, sociability, friendships, generosity, attraction, and affection. Venus is a very feminine energy. Venus energies are attached to beauty.
On the negative side, Venus is about vanity, manipulation, and superficiality.
Venus is associated with the element of Earth and rules the Zodiac Signs of Taurus and Libra.
In the Tarot, Venus is associated with the card of The Empress, which is all about abundance, creation, beauty, and manifestation. The Empress loves making her world lovely and nourishing. The Empress is all about motherhood and mothering. She is about nourishing and providing nourishment, often with food. The Empress symbolizes love, beauty, and fertility — all of which are splendid aspects of Venus.
We can also see a slight overlap with the energy of Cancer, particularly in the motherhood, nourishing, and protective aspects of The Empress.
Astrology: Venus in Cancer: ♋︎ in ♀
Let’s look at the depiction of Venus in Cancer in the Oracle of the Radiant Sun.
The keyword assigned to this card is ‘Birth‘, and according to the book, what we see is the angel of birth above a newborn baby. The rocky cavern containing the baby represents the hard protective shell of Cancer and the Mother’s Womb. We also have the Sun and Moon in the skies, watching over and safeguarding the birth. We also see 2 Sigils: the Seal of Venus and the Spirit of Venus.
The keyword for Venus is Love, and the keyword for Cancer is nurturing attachment. Together, Venus in Cancer has a very sensitive and romantic vibe, as both Venus and Cancer share those energetic connections. Both of them are about mothering and caring. Venus in Cancer is about home and family. This is a family that is nurturing, happy, and the children are well-fed and cared for, while the house is cozy and comfortable. This home is likely to have a garden, which could also be aesthetically laid out. This combination is all about security and stability.
There’s also an emphasis on demonstrably showing affection. They need to see the love not just in theory, but in practice. While Venus in Cancer loves to spend time at home, they can also be quite social. They bring their cozy energies wherever they go.
This combination can also be about reunions with childhood friends, the birth of a child, family, and motherhood. The flip side can be a sense of overwhelm, smothering, and possessiveness.
In this manner, Venus in Cancer combines the energy of love, beauty, and value with the energy of emotions, nourishment, safety, and security.
The Number: 2
The energy of the Number 2 is about duality. 2 brings cooperation where the two energies work together, it’s an association. 2 is also about choices. It’s about partnership, connection, imbalanced feelings, sensitivity, and an energy of either / or.
The energy of 2 is about the various ways in which 2 energies come together and go apart. During each interaction, a certain amount of tension is present.
Cancer Decan 1 + Tarot: 2 of Cups: Venus in Cancer: ♀ in ♋︎ : Meaningful Connection – Loving Devotion
Venus in Cancer is associated with the 2 of Cups in the Tarot.
In the Rider-Waite-Smith card image, we see two people facing each other, holding a cup in their hands. They are wearing nice clothes, and flowers in their hair. And in the distance, there’s a home. This image is often associated with the ritual of handfasting, implying that they intend to live together and decide if they wish to marry each other. In a reading, this card can indicate the meeting of two people and the formation of an emotionally-powered connection. It could be their first date. This could be the beginning of a profoundly emotional and/or deeply healing friendship. This is a business partnership founded on a shared emotional connection and mutual comfort.
The head of the lion with wings is an interesting connection to Leo. The rod with the two snakes is connected with healing. The rod is linked to the story of Mercury, who stopped two snakes from fighting each other by throwing his rod between them, thereby creating a peaceful resolution. Mercury is also the God of Communication, thus implying that communication can help resolve all sorts of conflicts. Another place where we see a similar symbol (a rod with a single snake) is on ambulances, as well as in the logos of hospitals and clinics. This is the Rod of Asclepius, the God of Healing and Medicine, who is also the son of the Sun God, Apollo. This symbol is essentially about communication that creates healing and a resolution of conflict. And while this card is associated with Venus, we see an interesting connection with Mercury. This makes me feel like the combination of Mercury in Venus may also work for this image (although it is linked with the 3 of Cups).
In the Tarot de Marseille card, we see a similar vibe. We have 2 Cups and a flower between them. Below the Cups, we see a royal shield with the alphabets G and M (which are likely connected with the names of the King and Queen at the time). Now, from the flower between those cups, we see a fruit emerging. The stem of the fruit also grows two fish that surround the fruit and look at each other (with a bit of a weird expression). In the Tarot, the imagery of the Fish is often connected with the story of Jesus, where he fed his followers from baskets of Fish and Loaves of Bread, which somehow never got over. Fish, therefore, symbolize the endless abundance of sustenance and nourishment that Faith in the Divine provides.
Thus, the image of the 2 of Cups in the Tarot de Marseille can be interpreted as emotional connections and bonds that bear fruit to provide nourishment and abundance. This is an alliance, a partnership, that has its foundations in deep emotions.
We see similar imagery in the 2 of Cups of the Thoth Tarot. Here, similarly, a lotus flower emerges from the waters, with two fish entwined about the stem of this flower. Nourishing water flows out of the Lotus flower and into two cups. This card has the keyword: Love. Again, this symbolizes emotionally bonded connections that can manifest as romantic relationships or even business partnerships. The people coming together have a deeply nourishing and emotional connection.
We can also see a similar imagery in the Telos Tarot. Here, the 2 of Cups card image has two Dolphins and two Lotus flowers. The stems emerge from the Earth and entwine with each other, creating a Cup of sorts. Venus (or could it be Aphrodite?) emerges from that water.
Venus is love and values. Here, the two people who are bonding and partnering with each other value themselves as well as their partner. One could even say that because they value themselves, they can correctly value their partner. Between the two partners is a mutual understanding and a loving partnership. The Cancer energy helps them form a nurturing environment that creates and sustains fruitful outcomes. However, as I mentioned earlier, I also see a hint of Mercurial energies that foster communication and cooperation.
Cancer Decan 2: Mercury in Cancer: ☿ in ♋︎ : Meaningful Communication – Intellectual Nourishment
Now we are in the second Cancer Decan, which is linked with Mercury in Cancer, and the 3 of Cups in the Tarot.
This Cancer Decan 2 spans from 11° to 20° of Cancer, and lasts from July 2 to July 11. The Picatrix description is: “A beautiful woman longing for pleasure and singing, wearing a wreath made of green basil on her head, and holding a rod of nenuphar (water lily) in her hand.”
The image of the Telos Tarot also depicts a lady holding 3 Cups and a Harp. She wears a wreath on her head. The LWB says that the image was inspired by the Goddess Saraswati, who has several Mercurial traits. That explains the Peacock in the background.
An interesting side note: Goddess Saraswati is associated with two birds: the Swan and the Peacock. The Swan symbolizes the ability of discernment because it is said to possess the ability to separate milk from water. The beautiful Peacock symbolizes artistic ability and beauty. The Peacock also eats poisonous snakes, which is why it also represents the ability to turn negative energy into positive.
We also see 3 moon-like planets around her. I’m not sure if they represent the Moon or Mercury. The LWB doesn’t provide much information. I am looking forward to the companion book for this deck, which will give me more information about the card symbolism and much more. I don’t want to guess, but if you have any insights, please feel free to share them in the Comments section below.
The keywords associated with this Cancer Decan are: Entertainment, Enjoyment of Music, Grace, Honor, and Wealth.
Astrology: Mercury ☿ + Tarot: The Magician
Mercury is linked with the element of Air. It rules the Signs of Gemini and Virgo.
Mercury is the mind, the intellect, reason, expression, and communication. All the things that you do with your mind and logic are connected to the energy of Mercury. Mercury is associated with skills, learning habits, interests, and curiosity. Mercury is also associated with travel, commerce, change, adaptability, and transitions.
Mercury is associated with the Trickster archetype. Mercury is also the Psychopomp: a guide that accompanies you as you travel to the Underworld, the land of the Dead.
Within the Greek Pantheon, Mercury, and within the Roman Pantheon, Hermes, both can travel through all the realms. They can ascend to the Heavens, travel to the Mortal realm, and visit the Underworld, the realm of the dead. This is a very unique ability possessed by this Messenger God.
The flip side of Mercury is fickle and superficial. Thoughts become shallow and scattered. This is the energy of prejudice, dishonesty, and mistakes that happen when you rush through or hurry with something.
In the Tarot, Mercury is linked with The Magician. The Magician is someone who has a uniquely powerful ability to think and manifest their thoughts into the real world. This is someone who is creative and has a penchant for communication. They are also capable of manipulation and trickery. They use their powers to conduct a mental sleight of hand, if you will. We see the creative manifestation in the image of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. The trickster, gifted with the ability of misdirection, shows up in the Tarot de Marseille card image. The image of the multitasker, flying through the realms with the winged boots of Hermes, shows up in the Thoth Tarot. The intellectually gifted master of creativity and words shows up in the Telos Tarot accompanied by the ape of Thoth.
Mercury is the ability of creative expression, communication, as well as manipulation, and even mediation. The Magician fits perfectly with this energy.
Astrology: Mercury in Cancer: ☿ in ♋︎
Now let’s look at the card from the Oracle of the Radiant Sun.
Here, they have the keyword “Intuition” for the Mercury in Cancer. Mercury is given the keyword “Change“, while Cancer is “Nurturing Attachment“. With Mercury associated with communication, we can see the connection with expression. All of this is within the very nurturing, deeply sensitive, intuitive energy of Cancer. Intuition, therefore, doesn’t seem very out of place as an interpretation of this combination.
The accompanying LWB states that the three discs depicted in the card image are: a Pentacle, the Seal, and the Angel of the Moon. There is also a meditating figure floating above a cloud, holding two lotus flowers. These represent intuitive and inspired creativity.
This combination describes individuals who have thoughts and feelings that are inseparable from each other: thoughts originate from Mercury, while feelings stem from Cancer. All of their decisions are based on feelings and thoughts. The past plays a significant role in their decision-making process. These people compare everything with similar experiences from the past, and then decide accordingly.
These people have a very intuitive response to everything. There is also a lot of mental activity within the comfort of their home. These are individuals who read extensively. They have many books and absorb things very quickly. They collect snippets of knowledge and have excellent memories. They are talented at writing. They love long conversations with friends, especially those they trust. They enjoy gossip and tend to hold traditional views. A lot of their personality traits are based on early childhood conditioning. The thoughts and opinions of close family and friends hold a great deal of importance to them. They also cherish their shared history and memories. This combination can also indicate a visit from someone known from the past, or studying at home, or advice from family and friends.
The Number: 3
The Number: 3The number associated with the corresponding Tarot Card is 3. This is a number that speaks about Creativity, Growth, Abundance, Expansion, Development, Manifestation, and both Loss and Gain.
Cancer Decan 2 + Tarot: 3 of Cups: Mercury in Cancer: ☿ in ♋︎ : Meaningful Communication – Intellectual Nourishment
Now let’s take a look at the imagery of the 3 of Cups, linked with Mercury in Cancer.
In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, we see three ladies raising their cups to the sky. They are often connected with the three Muses. We see fruits, grapes, and a pumpkin — representing the harvest. As far as timing goes, Cancer time is during Summer in the Northern Hemisphere, and Winter in the Southern Hemisphere. So, even if it isn’t harvest time, per se, the symbolism conveys a time when one is certainly reaping benefits and advantages. Perhaps these are a result of the deep, meaningful connections formed between the ladies in the card image. Alternatively, this could be a fruitful result of that meeting or friendship, especially from a business and networking perspective. Mercury does have a connection with business activities, after all. This is a party or a get-together — either with friends or family.
In the Tarot de Marseille, we see two cups at the bottom, with the third one on top of them. A seed planted between those two cups grows towards the third cup, along with leaves, fruits, and flowers. The 3 of Cups, in this manner, indicates birth — it could be the birth of a child, or the birth of something new that emerges from the alliance of two, bringing joy through this new creation. Other meanings associated with this card include caring for a child, common projects driven by feelings, and collaboration fueled by creativity and emotions.
We see “Abundance” as a keyword on the image of the 3 of Cups in the Thoth Tarot. Lotus flowers shower emotional energy into the three cups. The card indicates fulfillment, joy, and fertile exchange, well-being, rich harvests, good business dealings, teamwork, and celebration. It’s fascinating how Mercury enhances the meaning as the realms of business, communication, and networking come alive within the context of cups. Therefore, this card could represent a business party or a networking event.
In the Telos Tarot, the 3 of Cups talks about a time of plenty, enjoyment of good things in life, abundance of riches, friendship, games, joy, and singing. We’ve already seen this card earlier. The Peacock represents discernment and the ability to transmute negativity into positivity.
I believe this card could also be associated with Venus, as Venus represents creativity, joy, and beauty. Isn’t that interesting? I had a similar feeling with the 2 of Cups, where I thought that Mercury could also have an interesting space in that card. Both of these Cancer Decans could have their Astrological Associations interchanged, and yet, the imagery of the cards would easily accommodate these connections. What do you think? Let me know your thoughts in the Comments section below.
Cancer Decan 3: Moon in Cancer: ☾ in ♋︎ : Emotional Stability – Emotional Stagnation – Ennui
Finally, here’s the third and final Cancer Decan. This is from 21° to 30° of Cancer and spans from 12 Jul to 22 Jul. The third Cancer Decan is linked with the Moon in Cancer.
The Picatrix describes this Decan as: “A man holding a snake in his hand, having a foot similar to that of a turtle, and possessing golden jewelry.”
The image in the Telos Tarot card image is associated with Artemis, the Lunar Goddess of the Hunt. Those are her Dogs that we see running beside her.
This decan is associated with trickery, driving away by force, and achieving objectives through struggle and repulsion.
Astrology: Moon ☾ + Tarot: The High Priestess
The Moon rules the Sign of Cancer. Therefore, it is considered to be Exalted in this position. Additionally, both the Moon and the Sign of Cancer are linked with the element of Water. So this combination is Water and Water.
The Moon represents personality, feelings, emotions, family, and motherhood. Cancer is also about nourishment, family, and motherhood. The Moon in Cancer thus embodies a double maternal energy. The Moon is associated with nurturing, receptivity, feminine energy, instinctive responses, intuition, and inner motivations. The Moon is also about emotional undercurrents and emotional security.
On the flip side, the Moon can depict insecurities, anxiety, and defensiveness, along with personal defenses and inner fears.
In the Tarot, the Moon is associated with The High Priestess, who is all about intuition and contemplation.
She sits at the gates of the Unconscious, with access to secret esoteric knowledge. This is not just book knowledge, which is valuable, but also an inner knowledge that comes from someone who is intuitively attuned to spiritual insights. She is the guardian of the veil, and only those who are deemed worthy are allowed beyond it.
The Moon’s energies are often represented in the flowy, watery clothes she wears. She represents silence, wisdom, and intuition. Interestingly, this card also represents virginity and purity.
On the other hand, this card can also suggest manipulation, as well as someone who is passive and holds secrets, or someone who can reveal them.
Astrology: Moon in Cancer: ☾ in ♋︎
Let’s look at the image of the card from the Oracle of the Radiant Sun.
The keyword associated with this combination of Moon in Cancer is: “Friendship“.
The Moon represents security, while Cancer embodies nurturing attachment. Additionally, the Moon is exalted in this Sign. The Moon simply thrives in this space. In this image, we see children playing in a wheat field among cornflowers, sharing delight as a heron flies above them. The crescent moon signifies fulfillment, and on either side are the ancient alchemical symbols of the moon metal, Silver.
People with Moon in Cancer are very comfortable with their emotions, exhibiting empathy and psychic sensitivity, as well as an awareness of the feelings and thoughts of those around them. They have a motherly vibe. Someone with the Moon in Cancer certainly has a close bond with their mother or mother figure. They can be extra-loving and might even lean towards being “helicopter parents.”
Additionally, this combination indicates someone who has a passion for good food. They’re typically good cooks and enjoy sharing meals.
Feelings and emotions drive every aspect of their lives. They can be protective and defensive, and friends and family mean everything to them. Their parental influence, or lack thereof, plays an essential role in shaping their personality.
There is a strong emphasis on family gatherings, such as anniversaries and other family celebrations. This combination also indicates inheritance of heirlooms, genealogy, distant relatives, moving houses, and sharing family members’ problems.
The Number: 4
The Number: 4The number 4 is about stability, foundation, order, and structure, but it also signifies rigidity and stagnation.
Anything that remains unchanged can become stagnant and rigid.
Cancer Decan 3 + Tarot: 4 of Cups: Moon in Cancer: ☾ in ♋︎ : Emotional Stability – Emotional Stagnation – Ennui
The card associated with this Cancer Decan is the 4 of Cups.
Every time I see the 4 of Cups from the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, I remember a line from a song titled “When the Music’s Over” by The Doors. It’s the first line of the song, and it goes like this: “When the music’s over, turn out the lights.” Whenever I look at the guy from this card, sitting there with his hands folded and looking glumly at the cups in front of him, I can’t help but think of someone who is done with the party. Even when the hand pops out from the clouds, offering him a cup, he disregards it. He no longer wants to drink. It is likely that he already had way too much to drink in the previous card, the 3 of Cups. The party is over, and he might even be nursing a horrible hangover!
I also interpret the energy of this card as emotional stagnation. This is the flip side of all the connected elements of this card. Cups can be emotional, and the energy of the number 4 can also imply the stagnation that comes from remaining still. The Moon, likewise, brings emotions, and Cancer brings the urge to enclose oneself within a protective shell. Put it all together, and we get listlessness, boredom, and procrastination. We see, even in his posture, the lack of any desire to take any action.
In the Tarot de Marseille, though, we see a very different portrayal of this energy. Here, these four cups aren’t stagnant at all. We see leaves and flowers blooming and growing. Emotions come together, creating stability. This is emotional stability. Here we see a family, a collective of people, or a community, bonded by their shared emotions. These emotions have created a stable framework that provides security and comfort for them. This symbolizes the collective sense of belonging — very much in line with the Moon in Cancer energy.
We see a similar picture in the image of the Thoth Tarot. The keyword here is: Luxury. The Moon brings an emotionally rich vibe in its home Sign of Cancer. This card is about being taken care of and enjoying life to the fullest. You experience emotional security. There’s a well-established family and work culture. You have the company of well-connected groups. Thus, there’s a sense of security; you are being nourished and taken care of. I see this image representing emotional luxury more than monetary luxury.
In the image of the Telos Tarot, we see the Lunar Goddess Artemis. She’s running and participating in the hunt, and her dogs are there with her, along with the cups. This card is about blended pleasure, luxury, initial comfort, and security that transitions to stability and satisfaction. An excess of resources prompts the acquisition of more, which can be taken via conflict. This is quite a fascinating aspect of this card.
Another interesting connection is that the Sign of Cancer also represents the Country. And if you’ve read the news lately, many of the conflicts and wars have arisen from this desire to acquire more through conflict. Greed pushes you, despite or probably because of your emotional stability, to grab more and more. If not peacefully, then through conflict — you simply want more!
Here, too, I feel that both Venus and Mercury could play a small role in the card’s energies and be a part of the meaning.
Cancer Decans: The Big Picture: Astrology + Tarot
As I created the presentation for the Zodiac Sign of Cancer and its three Cancer Decans, I wondered how all three associated planets could have easily been part of the meaning and imagery of each of the cards. Venus, Mercury, and the Moon — all three of these planetary bodies could easily be seen in the energies of the 2 of Cups, 3 of Cups, and 4 of Cups.
I wonder why this is? Could it be that this is because we are dealing with a Water Sign? Or could it be because Venus, Moon, and Cancer — all represent various shades of feminine and motherly energies. Mercury, on the other hand, fits into this dynamic because of its dynamically changeable nature. Communication, after all, is a very essential aspect of feminine and motherly energies. Mercury, thus, flits in and out of these spaces quite effortlessly.
Isn’t this quite fascinating!
Cancer Decans + Tarot: The Supporting Cards
Ace of Wands + Page of Wands + Queen of Cups + Knight of Wands
The Ace of Wands and Page of Wands support all three Cancer Decans, while the Queen of Cups supports the first two Cancer Decans. The Knight of Wands supports the third Decan of Cancer.
The Ace of Wands represents the Root of the Powers of Fire. This is the full force of passionate fire energy manifesting into this world, ready to create. This is a positive, optimistic energy that is full of life and ready to embark upon the adventure of romance and creative pursuits. Here’s the creative spark in full force, prepared to take on the form you give it and manifest into its full, powerful potential.
The Page of Wands takes this energy and embraces it. He/She is Earth of Fire, and thus he wants to manifest the implied potential of this fiery, passionate energy into the material world. The Page or the Princess is a young and dynamic person who is talented and passionate about their desires. They want to take center stage and showcase their talents. They are intense and can be volatile and spontaneous. They could also be shallow and unreliable. But that’s because the Pages are often immature and starting on their journey.
This passionate energy supports all three Cancer Decans, helping the cards in different ways. In the 2 of Cups, we see the passion between the two people holding their Cups towards each other. In the 3 of Cups, this energy helps the bonding and networking embark on a creative journey. In the 4 of Cups, this energy is quite likely the only reason that the stagnation doesn’t linger too long.
The Queen of Cups embodies the motherly Cancer vibes, along with the loving Venus energies and the communicative Mercury energies of the 2 of Cups and 3 of Cups. She supports these cards by being creative and intuitive, and opening up access to understanding and empathy. All of this facilitates the various levels of connection depicted in the 2 of Cups and 3 of Cups.
The Knight of Wands and the Prince of Wands represent an adventurous and passionate energy that is ready to embark upon their adventures. They are eager to start something but struggle to maintain consistency in their efforts. Their passionate nature, a combination of Air and Fire, makes them interested in every new and shiny thing that comes along. These youthful and romantic people are very daring and confident and quite preoccupied with their sexual lives.
However, they are perfect for the energy of the 4 of Cups — shaking up that stagnation and helping the Ace of Wands and Page of Wands to create the necessary positive (and perhaps even the war-like energy) of this card.
Please Note: I made a mistake and used the wrong card from the Telos Tarot in the video, which I realized while I was writing this blog post! 🤦🏻♀️ I sincerely apologize! I’ve fixed the error in the PDF handouts and the infographics, but you will see the wrong card in the video, which I can’t go back and fix at this point. I promise to be more careful in the future!
Cancer Decans: Putting it All Together
📸 The Infographic + ⬇️ The Download
Cancer Decan 1 + Tarot: 2 of Cups: Venus in Cancer: ♀ in ♋︎ : Meaningful Connection – Loving Devotion
Cancer Decan 2 + Tarot: 3 of Cups: Mercury in Cancer: ☿ in ♋︎ : Meaningful Communication – Intellectual Nourishment
Cancer Decan 3 + Tarot: 4 of Cups: Moon in Cancer: ☾ in ♋︎ : Emotional Stability – Emotional Stagnation – Ennui
Click here to Download the Infographics
Click here to download the Presentation Slides PDF
Click here to copy the Decan Walk Worksheets to your Google Drive
🎞️ The Video
Take a look at the video I created about the three Cancer Decans, exploring the astrological connections through the imagery of the 2 of Cups, 3 of Cups, and 4 of Cups from the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot, Tarot de Marseille, Thoth Tarot, and Telos Tarot decks.
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📣 Shoutout
And, of course, be sure to check out Valerie’s posts, as they are always amazing and insightful.
- 2 of Cups: Uneasy Blends: The Messy Alchemy of Early Connection
- 3 of Cups: The Thread Between Us
- 4 of Cups: [TBD]
📚 Homework
📓 Things to Think (or Journal) about the Cancer Decans
2 of Cups [Venus in Cancer]
- Think back to some of your memorable first meetings, whether personal (like new friendships), romantic (first dates), or professional (work or business colleagues). Think about the way you mutually bonded with each other in that meeting. Which elements of the 2 of Cups card imagery metaphors showed up in the encounter? How about the energies of Venus and Cancer?
- Briefly (and very detachedly) consider how each of those meetings played out in your life. Which elements from the various Tarot Cards showed up in these stories? If any of the cards from today’s post showed up in those stories, which aspects of the card imagery metaphors, both from the Tarot and from Astrology, showed up in the story?
3 of Cups [Mercury in Cancer]
- Think back to some of your memorable get-togethers and celebrations with close family and friends, both personal and professional. Think about how those interactions fostered (or didn’t foster) your bonding within the group. Which elements of the 3 of Cups card imagery metaphors + the energies of Mercury and Cancer showed up in the encounters?
4 of Cups [Moon in Cancer]
- Now think back to after those parties and get-togethers. How did you feel the morning after the party? Which elements from the 4 of Cups card, and energies of the Moon and Cancer, showed up in that situation?
- Think about the times when you felt emotionally stable and secure. Which elements from the 4 of Cups card, and energies of the Moon and Cancer, showed up in that situation?
- Finally, think about the times when you felt listless, bored, and disinterested in participating in life events. Which elements from the 4 of Cups card, and energies of the Moon and Cancer, showed up in that situation?
Venus + Mercury + Moon + Cancer
- Consider the energies of these planets and the Zodiac Sign. And then take a look at the situations you’ve journaled about from above. Could the energies of the planetary bodies, Venus, Mercury, and the Moon, be switched around in those stories? Would the energies align better with the energy of those stories? Why do you think that is so?
- If you are a student of Astrology, or if you have your birth chart, take a look at the House in your Chart where the Sign of Cancer shows up. How has the energy of Cancer shown up in that area of your life?
- Do you have any of these placements (Venus in Cancer, Mercury in Cancer, or Moon in Cancer) in your Chart? In which House? How has this energy shown up for you? Does it match the energy of the card(s) we just looked at? Or does another card better align with the energy?
- How about the placements of Venus, Mercury, and the Moon? In which House have these planets shown up in your Chart? Does this energy match their respective Tarot Cards: The Empress, The Magician, and The High Priestess?
Phew! These were the three Cancer Decans, where Venus in Cancer showed up in the 2 of Cups, Mercury in Cancer showed up in the 3 of Cups, and Moon in Cancer showed up in the 4 of Cups.
Do you have any additional insights to share regarding the interpretations we’ve developed? Please do share them in the Comments section below.
Additionally, please do share your thoughts about this new comprehensive format of presenting the material from our Decan Walk. Do you like this style? Or if you have another engaging style/format of presentation, please feel free to share it with me. I’ll totally be willing to give it a try! 😃
Enjoy the nourishing and tender energies of Cancer season, surrounded by friends, family, comfort food, and piles of books. Invoke the energies of Venus, Mercury, and the Moon in Cancer and dive into unconditional self-care!
- Decan Walk – Connecting Astrology and Tarot
- 2 of Wands: Mars in Aries: The Adventure Begins
- 3 of Wands: Sun in Aries: Slay The Dragon
- 4 of Wands: Venus in Aries: Celebrate the Successful Union
- 5 of Pentacles: Mercury in Taurus: Resisting Material Changes
- 6 of Pentacles: Moon in Taurus: Manifesting Satisfaction
- 7 of Pentacles: Saturn in Taurus: Overthinking Creates Failure
- 8 of Swords: Jupiter in Gemini: Disruption in Pattern Expansion
- 9 of Swords: Mars in Gemini: Weaponizing Mental Sharpness
- 10 of Swords – Sun in Gemini – Overwhelming Mental Exhaustion
- 2-3-4 of Cups – Venus-Mercury-Moon in Cancer Decans – Exploring Emotional Security
