Decan: 20°-29° Cancer

Dates 2024: 12 July -22 July 2024

Ruling planet/luminary: Luna

Zodiac sign : Cancer ~ Cardinal Water 🜄

Tarot card: 4 of Cups

Golden Dawn Title: Lord of Luxury

Associated Major Arcana:

The High Priestess (the Moon) & The Chariot (Cancer)

Flow, interrupted

For me, the 4 of Cups is one of the most enigmatic or inscrutable cards in the deck. The Moon in Cancer is a double water situation. The quiet power of the High Priestess coupled with the sure hands and leadership of the Chariot surely would make for a most reassuring combination?

Or is it just too much of a good thing?

The law of diminishing returns is a phrase that always comes to my mind when I see the 4 of Cups. After the free flowing nature of the 3 of Cups where we see a group of three women enjoying themselves together, here is someone who is saying no. Their enjoyment or level of fulfilment or interest in something may have waned and they are opting out. Staying home. Refusing all offers. They’ve had enough and are sitting this one out.

Could this be a restorative rest – like we see in the 4 of Swords?

Is the card saying ‘it’s ok to sit this one out’ or is it saying ‘hey, it’s time to recognise what’s on offer to you and re-enter the flow.’? I guess that would depend on the situation and the surrounding cards.

As with previous Decans, I have found it useful to look at some keywords to see what ideas it may spark about the current Decan of Cancer III.

Could it be hormonal?

Energetically, this card is a bit ‘glass half full’. Rather than being in a state of serene meditation, I see the character in the Rider Waite Smith with his crossed arms and legs, as someone sending out a strong blocking message. He is resistant and self-protective. But then we all need be at times for our health and sanity.

Yet, I can’t help feeling that he’s being a little churlish. He’s not in the frame of mind to say yes to anything, good or bad, helpful or hindering. My Gran would have told him to ‘buck-up!’.

Not helpful really.

And I know myself how it feels to be in that state of mind when it’s ‘all a bit shit, really’. And I’m not looking for anyone to fix it, so don’t bother offering advice, please.

Hmmmn… 🤔

Now I come to think of it, this could be hormonal, and yes, lunar, because feeling like this often isn’t rational and tends to pass after a while and then you’re back in the flow. The Moon is definitely at work here.

It also reminds me in this very moment of the beloved and sensitive teenager in my life who sometimes has to shut herself away at the end of a long, hot day at school, after hours of dealing with friends and teachers and general life overwhelm, in order to regain some balance.

Sometimes you just can’t ‘deal’ until you’ve had some alone time and space, right? Sometimes you just need to say ‘stop the car, I want to get out’.

So, I’m liking this idea of relating the 4 of Cups to hormonal influence, and how it can derail you at times. I feel a little more understanding, a bit more Cancerian compassion, towards this individual in the 4 of Cups with this reframing in mind.

Prompts for 4 of Cups ~ The Moon in Cancer

When you feel like taking a back seat, or stepping off the Chariot altogether, considering your emotional state…

Ask yourself:

• Do you feel like you’ve lost your mojo?
• Have you had too much of something in an area of your life? 
• How can you give yourself or another more space to process?
• When and how can you re-enter the flow?
• What are you grateful for in your life right now?
• What would you like more of?
• How can you open yourself to more abundance?

Observations and synchronicities ~ on Cancer III

I’m making a space here to return to over the coming days of Cancer III to add any thoughts, ideas and synchronicities as they arise…

This Decan Walk process has been interesting. I’ve stopped beating myself up for not posting immediately or late. And I have found sometimes better insights have come simply because I have been slow or late. For this particular Decan, it took observing my teenage daughter act out the 4 of Cups in front of my eyes to make the connection that ‘cracked the case’.

In other obs: We see the black and white pillars of B & J repeated in the sphinxes that draw the Chariot… must go off an research the symbology of this later, but right now I have a teenager to feed.

Notes on the Decan Walk 2024/25

For more information on Decans, Astrology and Tarot and how they all synchronise please read this Substack article by Rebeka Kulcsar-Kurdi and T. Susan Chang’s 36 Secrets: A Decanic Journey through the Minor Arcana of the Tarot.

And, if you care to join me for this continuing solar return, you’ll find me on Facebook and Instagram hanging out on the corner of #decanwalk2024 and #decanastrology And I will be following @astroco_op and @tsusanchang

Here’s to another trip around the Sun!