Cancer is the Fourth Sign of the Zodiac. Its name derives from the Latin "cancer...literally "the crab." Cancer individuals are "tried and true." They tend to cling to tradition as though they were a part of it, yet their moods and even their purposes may become as changeable as this Sign's ruling celestial body...the Moon. Thus, such self-contradiction is understandable, given that it is part of the Cancer person's innate nature. Much like their representative symbol, the Crab, Cancers are well protected on the outside but are prone to be soft on the inside. They are good at sustaining others and appear to have a mission to take care of not only people in and of themselves, but also their means of making a living. The association of this Sign with water dates back to the very emergence of astrology itself and is Babylonian in origin. In Egypt, Cancer was represented by two turtles known as the "Stars of the Water" and occasionally as an obscure aquatic creature known as Allul. Perhaps more than any other Sign, Cancer is symbolic of the passive, receptive but profoundly powerful and emcompassing female force in nature...the all-nourishing or all-devouring mother. The Crab itself is associated with the sea...the cradle of life. Those born under the Sign of Cancer should strive to find a safe haven in which their exquisite sensitivity can bloom and flourish. If this is not achieved, then they will find themselves dominated by the prickly and grasping aspect of the Cancer personality.

The origin of the symbol...or glyph...of Cancer has been given diverse interpretations. Some sources describe it as a representation of the breasts, an area of the anatomy ruled by Cancer and which is also indicative of the inherent nurturing nature of this Sign. Other sources liken the glyph to a pair of crab claws, intertwined in such a manner as to represent the dual nature of the Cancer individual. In this latter interpretation, it could well be considered similar to the Asian symbol of the Yin and the Yang. In Vedic Astrology, this glyph signifies the Womb of Time, in which all manifestation takes place and is symbolic of the caring qualities associated with motherhood, as well as spiritual creativity.