The seventh sign of the year is Cancer. The body parts associated with Cancer are the chest, breasts, sternum, and digestive fluids. The energetic signatures of Cancer are nurturing, emotional processing and digesting, sensitivity, emotional safety, and protection. People who have their sun sign in Cancer often tend to have a heightened sense of intuition, mood swings, and the need to feel safe and connected.
Core Theme: nurturing oneself, learning to process emotions safely, and being able to let go of attachments.
Over the years, here’s what I observed about chest, breast, and digestive fluids:
- Protecting your heart
- A call to nurture yourself and be self-focused
- Learning the importance of processing feelings and differentiating from reacting to emotions
- Being able to ask for help and support
- Trusting your gut and intuition
Here is an excerpt from my book, Infinite Body Wisdom, to illustrate the season of Cancer.
Sally Struggles with an Uncomfortable Situation
Sally was recently diagnosed with acid reflux and hiatal hernia, which caused great discomfort. These afflictions were consistent not only with what she said, but also with her very “closed” body language. Most noticeably, both shoulders rounded forward.
Sally was trying to balance work and her personal life. Work, for the past six months had been becoming more challenging because of changes in management and company downsizing. Sally had worked for the company for twenty years and many of her coworkers she considered family. However, due to the sluggish economy and the consequent reorganizing, it was her duty in upper management to inform and let go some employees. Sally relayed that she was having a difficult time with one lady in particular, already knowing that lady’s situation and financial status. She didn’t know how to break the news, but had to inform her within two days.
Sally’s eyes were full of pain, and I could sense her inner turmoil. I began with, “I understand you’re concerned about this lady’s livelihood, but does she really like her job? Laying her off may seem like a death sentence, but what if you’re actually giving her the opportunity to move forward in her life and pursue a job or create a business that inspires her?” Sally’s expression shifted, and her shoulders relaxed a bit as she replied, “Oh, I never thought about it that way, but come to think of it, she has been complaining over the past three years. Hmmmm.” Sally brought her pointer finger to her lips and contemplated this new possibility.
I added, “If you look at it that way, you’re actually giving her a chance to make a change in her life by freeing her to do something she really wants to do. All she needed was a little or maybe a big nudge to shift out of her old pattern and embrace a world of potential and opportunity. It all depends on her and what she decides to do.”
“But she won’t have any money, and life is already difficult,” Sally countered.
I responded, “Since you have to let her go within two days and nothing’s going to change that fact, just keep in mind that this seemingly bad news doesn’t necessarily have to be negative. Not only will she try to find something she really wants to do, but she could also make more money than before.”
Sally became quiet, contemplating for a while. When she finally spoke, I noticed that her shoulders were now balanced and no longer hunched forward. “All this time I was worried about how her life would be affected badly, but I never considered how it might benefit her. This also makes me question, ‘What do I want to be doing?’” Sally sat bolt upright and continued, “For some time now I have been feeling restless at this job and wanting more out of life. I never saw how I was projecting my own feelings of insecurity and fear onto her. I’m getting paid a good salary, but for the past few years, I haven’t looked forward to going to work. And due to all the downsizing, I’ve been worried about my own job security as well, figuring I cannot lose this job either.”
Sally again grew quiet and then took a deep breath in and out. All of a sudden, she smiled and said, “Guess what? That burning sensation in my chest has subsided quite a bit, and that bloated feeling I’ve been experiencing is nearly gone. I can hardly believe what just happened, but now I know how to approach this lady. Thank you so much! That pressure I’ve been feeling has lifted, and I plan to start looking at what I want to create in my life now! I’m going to be proactive and not wait for something to happen, but instead I’m going to take the initiative and discover what truly excites me, and how I can inspire others!”
Such shifts in perspective are marvelous to behold! They can change a person’s feeling instantly. Simply by asking yourself the right questions, you have the power to look at a situation in a totally new light. The body may create symptoms that disturb your state of ease, inviting dis-ease, but, as we have seen, the body has good intentions – always! And the more in sync you are with your intuition, the better you can identify your body’s signs as the red flags that they are.
How Can This Apply to You?
Can you relate to having your job security or personal relationship threatened by circumstances beyond your control? How did you deal with those situations? Take this time to see the benefits of those experiences. Did the situation bring out the warrior in you – or was it perhaps the “Chicken Little” in you? Whichever trait showed, allow yourself to own that it. Examine your life and ask yourself, “Am I really happy doing what I’m doing?” If the answer is a resounding “YES!” it means you are living according to your truth. If the answer is anything but a resounding “YES!” remember, or decide anew, what it is you really want in your life, and focus on it. Ask, “What do I want?” when you first wake up in the morning and just before drifting off to sleep at night. This question is vital to connecting with your intuition and inner knowingness.