How to use a Claw
By far the biggest emphasis in the zodiac at this time is in the sign of Cancer: the fourth sign of twelve which has to do with nurturance, care, emotions, foundations and motherhood. Yesterday there were five (of nine)planets posited there. Today there are eight, as Mercury retrograded back to Gemini to take care of something he forgot.
Cancer is a sweet sign, symbolized by the apparently not-so-sweet creature the crab. But as with all of the signs and symbols of the zodiac, there needs to be some study of the the habits and homes of the representing symbols to understand something about the energy of the sign.
The most prominent feature of a crab is its claws, which serve many functions: protection, communication, digging burrows (another form of protection), attracting mates, and gathering food. I see these as the many different ways in which the energy of Cancer can enter our lives. With so many planets here right now it is an interesting time to observe our relationship with self-protection (whether through going to battle with the claws or digging burrows for hiding), desire for attention in partnership, and how we are using food (as nourishment or distraction).
The planets are showing karma wherever they are posited in the horoscope and in the sky in transit. Because the individual birth chart exists only in relationship to the larger living horoscope—called the Kala Purusha or Body of God—our individual karma will always be effected by and have some effect on the world around us. From an astrological perspective, this is the case because we are born at specific moments, which configure the birth chart in a certain way according to the larger Kala Purusha. Some people will be born at the knees of God (Capricorn), some at the feet (Pisces) and others at the heart (Cancer). This says something about their purpose on this earth and the nature of their personality and fructification of their karma as well as their impact on the larger world.
The nature of karma is that it must manifest, but the way in which is manifests can be a matter of pure reaction and habit pattern (karma at its most unconscious. which will take exactly the shape of the birth chart) or of pleasant improvisation, which is possible only when we are paying attention, and which opens up some space in the horoscope and in the life. So, the example of the crab claws and the many ways in which they can be used are different ways that energy of Cancer—which must manifest, with so many planets there right now—can be utilized.
This is an opportunity to see yourself digging a hole to hide in and decide instead that you want to use that energy to care for yourself in a different way. Or you might suddenly notice your need for attention from your partner and decide instead that you’re going to give yourself what you’re looking for from your partner. This is where things get interesting and true music can be made through the art of intelligent improvisation (definition: produce or make something from whatever is available; create and perform spontaneously or without preparation). This becomes especially interesting when others are wiling to improvise with you, creating a symphony of creative karmic expression. The opposite, of course, is incredibly uninteresting and is in play when we are all acting according to our habit patterns with no consciousness.
Cancer is concerned with care and emotional protection. if this falls in the 7th house of your horoscope (the place of partnership) then your partner will take on these qualities. If your ascendant is here then this will describe you. There can be a hard outer shell which develops over time for Cancerian people due to their innate sensitivity (soft inner core). Mars is debilitated in Cancer, where it is now transmitting, due to its inability to be soft and sensitive (Mars can be a callous fighter). In this watery, emotional sign he’s not sure what his purpose is or where to put his energy. You may feel this in your life as a confusion of the fire element (ruled by Mars) which has to do with energy and initiative, ability to complete tasks and follow through, assertiveness and anger. The digestive fire can also be dispersed causing stomach or intestinal issues. There may be an emotional root to these, as this is the sign of the heart.
The most important piece in all of this is that you remain aware of your emotional reality inside whatever chaos may be present in your life. We’re collectively trying to work something out in the heart, so to have compassion for both ourselves and others in the process is perhaps the most positive step one can take. The negative side of this would be to recoil into persistent self-protection and jealousy, excessive attachment and self-destructive “comforts.” The question of what genuine nourishment looks like comes up, as we are all aware that some of the ways in which we attempt to care for ourselves and others are not ultimately helpful.