How to Recognize Someone Born Under Cancer
The picture of this native may blur in your mind, and rightly so, for those born under this sign come in two types when it comes to outward appearance.
The first type has a face that closely resembles a child’s, or the moon on the nights of its fullness. A lovely round face, round eyes, a large mouth, and a laugh that may be the most charming of all.
The second type has a massive head and a furrowed brow, prominent facial bones and large teeth. He looks stern, yet he is not without appeal.
The most notable features the two share are a wide nose, a rounded chin and a chest of modest breadth. As you speak to him, look into his eyes, where there is a vastness of dreams and a ray of romance. He loves humor very much, and loves both telling jokes and hearing them.
General Traits of Cancer
Look for those born under Cancer on moonlit nights, on the shores near the water. If luck is on your side and you come across one of them (and he is sure to be absorbed, oblivious to you and the world, in his dreams and fancies), study him for a while and ask yourself: does he not remind you of that silver planet floating in the heart of the sky? Don’t laugh. The Cancer native truly resembles the moon in appearance, and in temperament he is moved by the moon’s pull just as the waters of the ocean are in the ebb and flow of the tide. And the crab, as we know, is that small creature that spends half its time in the water and the other half on dry land, where lovers of night strolls can watch it. This very point is where we must begin our journey of discovery into the personality of the Cancer native.
The most striking thing about the Cancer native is his famous “lunar” laugh. It begins in his throat, muffled and slightly hoarse, then gradually rises until it sounds like the beating of drums, and that is one of his best-known states. Another similar state consists of sending out jokes and witticisms in an unmatched, ceaseless stream, which seems strange from someone who is usually calm. A third state, the opposite this time, finds him so downcast and low in spirit that everyone who comes near him comes to feel what he feels. In addition, his soul harbors many fears, often groundless, that accompany him night and day despite his superb skill at disguising them. It is his weak point, which at times keeps him from soaring as he should in the sky of his fertile imagination, and it may also be the source of the pessimism that always lies in wait for him. His copious tears pour forth at the slightest cause, and they are sincere tears, nothing like the famous crocodile tears. When he is deeply hurt, he withdraws behind a wall of complete silence and isolation. His nervous fits are accompanied by a feeling of cold and a drop in body temperature.
The feelings of the Cancer native are sharp and far from shallow; they rise from his depths and are multiplied by his imagination and the power of his memory. His focus, besides the moon, is distant times and old things, of which he collects a great many. His love of secrecy makes him the keeper of other people’s secrets, yet he refuses to answer candor with candor, for he is like a deep well, both about his own affairs and about the affairs of others. His generosity in feelings is beyond reproach, but he is stingy in material matters. If his heart softens for someone in need, he hesitates long before extending help, hoping someone else will get there first. He takes a roundabout path toward his goals. He weighs everything before each undertaking or experiment. Rashness is not in his nature, and reassurance about the outcome is, in his view, an essential condition. All his moves proceed from solid foundations, and if the results turn out contrary to what he expected, he feels regret and remorse for a long time.
The Cancer native holds his home sacred and finds comfort and happiness nowhere but in it. He returns to it after travel and wandering, longing and swept by nostalgia. His love for the members of his family is likewise beyond description. Motherliness is part of his nature and his instinct, and it dictates all his dealings with relatives and friends. Alongside home and family, he loves money and is careful to gather it, spending only the little that is necessary. He believes in the saying: “Save your white coin for your black day.” He pretends to have little even when he holds thousands. This carefulness also shows in the way he stockpiles supplies and provisions. His house, crammed with canned goods and the like, suggests that the world is on the brink of war or famine.
The Cancer native is drawn to the shore, to water, and to all the sports played in that setting. His ailments are more psychological than physical, owing to his imaginary fears. What he fears most is poverty and death. The best protective remedy for the Cancer native is cheerfulness, laughter and optimism.
If we wanted to sum up the things this person cares about, we would find they come down to three main ones: children, money and food. And if we wanted to give a true portrait of him, we would draw him as a creature half sane and half mad, wandering in the moonlight, made to laugh and weep by things that exist only in his imagination.
The Cancer Man
Reserve is a word synonymous with this man, whom even those closest to him do not know. If his trust in them is this limited, how must it be with strangers? In any case, whether little or much, his courtesy and kindness remain complete and never lacking. So too is his honesty with himself, which does not change however circumstances and conditions shift.
This man swings between depth and shallowness, between steadiness and fickleness, and at times he is seized by fits close to madness. If he fears losing something dear to his heart, he turns mean and ill-tempered. His contact with people produces a strange feeling in them, which begins cold at first and then turns into warmth and heat. He is careful and never squanders his money. He pretends to be in need and succeeds in this role so well that some even offer him money, not knowing that he has plenty of it in banks and elsewhere. He is an economist of the first rank who knows when and how to spend. If he splurges once for compelling reasons, he never repeats it, whatever happens. He frequents luxurious restaurants because he knows that what he eats there is worth what he pays. He wears fine clothes after buying them in the sales season. He acquires valuable things that last a long time.
The wife of this man will surely feel reassured, with no fear of a bleak future. The money is there, savings are guaranteed, and debts are out of the question. Only one thing might spoil her life, if she is overly sensitive: her husband’s preoccupation with hoarding money. Let her know in any case that for him wealth is an end, not a means.
The Cancer man is clean and elegant. He does not like to show off and prefers formal or classic dress over any other. If he decides to buy a car, he chooses the best and the costliest, knowing it is sturdier and longer lasting than others. His wife’s coat is of genuine fur for the same reason. Despite his carefulness and awareness, he is sometimes exposed to losing something and replacing it with the like and more. A love of art is surprising in such a man, yet he is an artist, inclined especially toward photography and drawing, and it is not unlikely that he will produce fine paintings which he turns to trade and profit.
In the realm of love, the Cancer man hesitates long before taking the step, certain that the woman who deserves him is rare. One reason for his hesitation may be his attachment to his parents’ home and to his mother, whom he reveres and esteems beyond measure. If he loves a woman, he holds on to her with all his strength and treats her as one treats a child, but at first he hesitates to reveal his true feelings, preferring that she take the first step. His beloved’s weapons with him are an elegant dress, a clever perfume, and an atmosphere filled with music and flowers. These means are enough to steal his mind and heart. But if she wants their love to last, she must master the art of listening when he tells her about his origins, his family and his past, especially his mother, who is almost her rival and adversary in his love.
The Cancer man is a tender, patient father who personally oversees his children’s comfort, food and sleep, and he gives his daughters a large share of his care. Whether they are boys or girls, it pains him deeply that they will one day grow up and become independent.
In short, the Cancer man is an ideal husband in the eyes of a woman who seeks a secure living and the possession of everything precious and costly. It is said that in the home of every husband of this sign there is at least one fur coat. But it is not unlikely that beside the fur there will appear an old shoe or a worn-out jacket that the master of the house refuses to part with.
The Cancer Woman
Any man who ties his fate to this woman finds himself facing the following question: “Which of the creatures is my wife, exactly? Is she one of the enchanting nymphs, or a wandering butterfly, or a fierce beast, or just a slightly obsessive woman?” No one can say for certain. The Cancer woman herself does not know the truth of her nature, though she knows she is not ordinary. Her sadness comes and goes without reason, her laughter always prevails over her other feelings, her fertile imagination is in constant flight, and there is an undeniable charm in her behavior and habits.
If we analyze her personality in detail, we find that carefulness comes first. She is so careful that she keeps small, worthless things that have stayed with her since childhood: for example, a purse full of tiny coins, a few dolls, or even some colored ribbons that will never be used. Is there any explanation for such hoarding other than miserliness? She may not be miserly, but it is certain that extravagance is not in her nature. Her spending is far below her income. If she spends, she does so deliberately, with prior resolve and according to a set plan. And if some extravagance appears in her on rare occasions, the cause is most likely an emotional crisis she wants to get past and take revenge on. Her thoughts and conversations revolve constantly around money. Among the words that enchant her are bank, balance, shares, security, and so on… Still, we must not think too ill of her and suppose that her happiness lies in money alone. In truth, her qualities even in money matters are very fine. For example, if luck does not favor her husband and his earnings stay below the level she hopes for, she keeps quiet and accepts the situation, knowing that his efforts and attempts are sincere.
This woman’s natural atmosphere, the field of her happiness and release, is the seashore, especially at the full moon. She lives then in a state of complete relaxation, and her inclination to imagination and to confiding in love grows. In Cancer there are two kinds of loving women: the first shy and hesitant, the second frank and positive. But most of them prefer to give the man the chance to take the first step, and all of them generally hate criticism and mockery, and the pettiest things wound their pride.
The love of the Cancer woman is sincere and deep, her jealousy slight, and her devotion great. Her great carefulness shows in how she treats her husband: she refuses to let him go and holds on to him with all the strength she has. Her emotional troubles spring from within, from her lack of self-confidence. She often wonders whether she is beautiful and clever enough to secure her husband’s love and tenderness. For this reason she is easily hurt, and once hurt she withdraws and curls into her shell, just as the crab, her symbol, does.
The Cancer mother is ideal in her indescribable tenderness and affection. Her care for her children shows at all times and in all circumstances. She oversees their comfort, food, clothing and outings. If they fall ill, she stays up through the nights, and if they need something, she sacrifices her own comfort to provide it. So it is no wonder that her children regard her as their only refuge. This mother’s fault, if we count it as a fault, is that she grants her little ones freedom only with difficulty and later accepts their marriages reluctantly.
Among this woman’s chief virtues are courage, patience, carefulness, and reverence for home and family, and among her most charming habits is how easily she laughs and cries.
The Cancer Child
From his first weeks, the Cancer child appears moody, passing from one state to another as swiftly as he passes from wakefulness to sleep and from hunger to fullness. The center of his little world is food and drink and the various colorful images that pass before his eyes, which his sharp memory snatches up, even at that early stage, to keep until they are needed. Nor are these sensory images all his mind holds. He absorbs many feelings and sensations, then brings them out after a time entirely unaltered, like pictures coming out of a finely made camera.
There is real delight in the company of this child because of the successive expressions that play across his features, swinging between laughter and tears. It is certain that his emotional needs are greater than those of children his age. And because a sense of estrangement and isolation always accompanies him, we find him in constant longing for the affection of others and their attention. But his innate shyness keeps him from voicing what stirs within him, so it remains the duty of his family to recognize those needs and to work to meet them by suitable means.
This child is also quick to laugh and to cry. Once he lets his tears go, they rush out like a flood. That is his way of winning sympathy and attention. When he succeeds, he turns into a merry, supremely happy creature; when he fails, he becomes withdrawn and sullen. His many fears are mostly imaginary, born of his own imagination. He is afraid of the dark, of fire, of cars, of noise and more. His family must treat this negative state in him and share his joy and his sorrow, or else he will lose his trust in them and in himself and become, in the future, a hostile person who shuns people. On this note, we say that falling rain stirs varied reactions in this child, differing with his circumstances and his emotional state: he either feels fear and anxiety toward it, or is moved by it in a positive way, which he expresses through drawing, poetry or music.
The Cancer child appears either very thin or very plump, depending on his emotional state and on how eagerly he takes to food, which is one of his weak points. In school he shows a particular inclination toward history, memorizing names, events and dates with astonishing ease. His many talents lean toward photography, the theater and the arts in general. From his earliest childhood he seems fond of money and thrift, and it is not unlikely that he will earn his first coins while still a child of only a few years, in return for some work he does for his family or the neighbors.
His fertile imagination sometimes pictures him as an unloved or unwanted child, which leads him into difficult emotional states. Convincing him otherwise is a binding duty of his mother above all, especially since his attachment to her and his reliance on her on every occasion leave others little room to get close to him. In any case, the mother of this child cannot help wondering about the best way to raise him, and whether gentleness or firmness works with him. Besides his attachment to his mother, this child shows a devotion to his brothers and sisters that lasts until adolescence. In that period he may turn into a rebellious, defiant youth without any direct reason for the change. Before that, he is an easily guided child despite his mood swings and his many fancies.
One of the things that draws attention to him from an early age is his care for his money, his belongings and his toys, a care rooted in the maternal instinct, and his ability to invent one or more imaginary friends with whom he spends his time. From early on he is also marked by a green thumb that turns soil into flourishing gardens. It is one of the traits that deserve his family’s encouragement.
This laughing, weeping child holds his home sacred and cannot bear to be parted from it. However far he strays or however long he is away, we see him hurry back to where a good meal awaits him and his tender mother’s arms.
The Cancer Manager
The Cancer man in a position of authority differs from what others expect, for the merriment he is famous for does not necessarily accompany him during working hours. On the contrary, he is somewhat strict, requiring those who work with him to be serious in thought and execution and to be well-groomed and well-behaved. Two things never leave him in his office: a picture of his mother and a picture of his family, if he is married. The first thing that strikes one about him is his alertness and quickness of attention. Few can keep pace with him in this. And he is not only quick to notice; he also has a sharp memory that records every matter, large and small. He can recall, for instance, how many times employees stepped out of their rooms, or how many hours of overtime each one did individually. And since his strong memory is coupled in him with integrity, it works to the benefit of his employees, not to their harm.
His basic aim is to make money, and the love of trade runs in his veins; he knows by instinct when and how he can push a product on those who consume it. This is not strange when we learn that he is the model of the self-made man who formed himself, preferring to descend early into the arena of work. He is also the model of the student who deliberately cut his studies short or pursued them while working at the same time. The word self-made does not necessarily mean he rose from nothing. He may have inherited wealth and standing from his family, but instead of resting on his laurels, he preferred to achieve what he aspires to by his own means.
The Cancer person, if he is the boss, is sensitive, delicate and anxious in feeling. To wound him to the core is very easy. When he suffers, he withdraws into himself, hiding his torment in silence and isolation. Yet despite that, he is kind of heart and sincere of intent, and he lends a helping hand when needed, though he firmly believes in the common saying: “Start with yourself, then others.” In his sure success lies compensation for his many fears. Love for him is two things: affection and money. This very feeling leads some Cancer women to take on men’s work instead of the role expected of them, and they succeed without doubt, thanks to their apparent gentleness and their hidden toughness.
Whether the employer is a man or a woman, there is no doubt that he or she has a refined sensibility, keen perception and a marvelous ability to read thoughts. Their working methods are both stimulating and useful. Their employees learn more from them in a month than others learn from anyone else in a year. Perhaps good treatment is the best thing their pupils take from them. For they are upright, even in competition, hate exploitation and follow fairness and justice. Among their best qualities are also patience, vigilance and watching for opportunities. On the other hand, they seem full of fancies and dreams, though most of these rest on a solid and realistic foundation. Their love of fun is plain, and in telling jokes no one can match them. And although their famous laugh comes from their depths and spreads among those present, what irritates them most is their employees’ attempts to turn working hours into clowning and joking.
If we sum up this person’s character in the role of leadership, we would say he is a self-made man, generous of heart and hand, whose mind is always on guard over all that comes from him or from others.
The Cancer Employee
Having an employee born under Cancer is considered good fortune for employers, because he is the truest example of a person who works without stopping. The source of this perseverance is a fundamental aim within him: good earnings that guarantee a decent living. That alone is the goal of the employee born under Cancer, and everything else does not stir him, at least for the present. His sole concern is to advance step by step and to show tangible improvement in his work, which puts him in a better position and earns him a bigger salary accordingly. He is the very picture of the diligent, persevering man.
If he aspires to moral and material advancement, it is for all the things he dreams of obtaining and knows cost a great deal. Among his many hobbies are valuable history books, antiques, rare paintings, fine photographs, and houses with the character of a bygone age. He also knows that money is needed for good food, for keeping up the family’s standard, and for helping a relative or friend in need. For all these things together, this employee shows patience and obedience as far as he can, even though his nature is to lead, not follow; but he submits to those above him while waiting for the chance that will put him in a good administrative position, if not at the head of the administration.
His need for affection equals his need for money, which sometimes leads him to substitute moral appreciation for material gain. Honesty, moreover, is among his traits. Others’ kindness is balm for his emotional wounds. As for the female employee, she is known for reserve and shyness before strangers. But in the course of her work she behaves with boldness and respect, especially if her superior gives any sign of a possible romantic tie between them. In that case she hastens to reciprocate in kind, or more, if she is single; but if she is attached to someone else, she flatly rejects the romantic game. There is a chance that the employer is married and some relationship develops between them. Here things become more complicated, for the loving Cancer woman cannot easily give up the one she loves.
The employee born under Cancer, of either sex, holds his home and his family sacred and does not hesitate to sacrifice his position, however prestigious, for their comfort. Nor does he hesitate to carry his private troubles to the workplace, and often gloom and misery settle over the office because of him, and many times his colleagues share his tears and wailing. Among the main troubles that beset his life are separation, divorce, or anything that threatens the family with breaking apart. He also finds happiness in a good meal and drinks plenty of liquids, though he seldom becomes addicted to alcohol. He is quick-witted and fluent of tongue when he wants to be, and he prefers telling a joke to hearing one, for fear that someone will mock him and wound his pride. Besides this, he is truthful and warm, strives to serve others, though only after hesitation, and loathes exploitation, both material and moral.
The Cancer employee is skilled at buying and selling, especially foodstuffs, decor items, children’s supplies and real estate. Other jobs he does well include farming, teaching, banking, politics, maritime shipping and museum management. He loves children, flowers, pictures, music, good food and, of course, money, and he prefers warmth to cold while at work.
In short, he is polite, upright and free of fantasy. More important than that are his competence and sense of responsibility, which put his superior’s mind at ease, certain that he can rely on him whether he is present or absent.