Sway Calloway

The sign of Cancer (June 22 – July 22) has very little to do with that prickly crustacean, believe it or not. In fact, it’s hard to pin down exactly what constitutes the Cancer personality.  The ancient Egyptians perceived Cancer as the sacred scarab. It was a symbol of resurrection and immortality and they often placed a carving of a scarab in the body where the heart had been, as part of the mummification process.

Cancers are very imaginative and intuitive. They make great artists and musicians. They’re not risk takers, and will take the time to contemplate all sorts of outcomes and probabilities before taking on a new venture. They’re very sympathetic and protective of those around them. They will help out in whatever way they can, although not impulsively and will temper their generosity with calculating all the risks first. They’re emotional and loving, and great family and pet people.

Those with this Mercury position, are sensitive to what others think about them. They possess an almost sixth-sense for detecting signals from all around them. They believe that if we had to depend only on our eyes we would perceive very little. People with Mercury in Cancer are chameleon-like in the way they are able to adapt to various kinds of people. This is not to say that they don’t cling possessively to their own ideas.

They can be a bit closed-minded, but others would need to be as psychic as they are to discern this. They maintain a pleasant social face. Your viewpoint is always intensely personal—you’re fond of examining large issues in terms of your own feelings. Gifted with a potent imagination, a poetic mind, and an excellent memory, Mercury in-Cancer people flourish as scholars, historians, educators, and authors. They are expected to make a profit in real estate and may inherit wealth from the maternal side of their family. They are sometimes plagued with irrational phobias, such as a fear of flying.

Venus-Leos are able to effortlessly draw warm responses from others. There is something so fascinating, so irresistibly attractive, about you that you enjoy fabulous acclaim. You are exceedingly loving and charitable, purchasing costly gifts for those you cherish and adore them to the skies in the presence of other people. Of course, what you need in return is a strong commitment, loyalty, and loads of attention.

You must constantly be assertive in a love affair. “All the world’s a stage” was penned about your passionate nature. No one can make a fuss or confrontation as exciting as a Venus-Leo. Needless to say, you are attracted to the business of performance, and many of you are endowed with splendid artistic faculties. You also love dainty possessions—property, garments, gems, furs. Though self-indulgent and pleasure-seeking, you are able of making vast self-sacrifice for the comfort of someone else.

Mars’s strength becomes subtle in Cancer. You possess excellent energy of determination, but it is never pushed into the open. Similar to the tides, you wear down resistance by repeated attack. Each surge may achieve little, but the aggregated outcome is overwhelming. In sex, Mars-in-Cancer’s strategy is passionate. You are sensual but elegant, and your lovemaking is a deeply instinctive art.

Your lust, however, is reliant on what is forthcoming from a sweetheart. If a beloved is indifferent or unresponsive, he or she may determine that your get-up-and-go just got up and went. Still, as a native of this Mars position, you will stick to a relationship that does not make you content. You respond only in eruptions of passion and high-strung impatience. What you often expect is an outlet for your pent-up forces. You are regarded for your breadth of vision and highly spirited work.

Dogs in both the East and West are loyal, faithful and honest and always stick to their firm codes of ethics. It’s generally quite trustworthy itself — except for the occasional little white lies the Dog tells in order to make things go more smoothly. The Dog makes a wonderful, discreet and loyal friend and is an excellent listener.

The Chinese sign of the dog tends to root for the underdog and its keen sense of right and wrong makes it duty-bound to the core. The Dog’s motto seems to be, Live right, look out for the little people and fight injustice whenever possible. Dog people are usually cool headed in a crisis. They are the ones you can count on during hectic, stressful times. Honest, strong, intelligent, and practical, dogs will accept whatever fate throws at them and handle it with poise and grace. You can count on people of the dog to do their work thoroughly and well.

Those born in years of the Chinese calendar ending in either zero or one, are said to have the element of Metal. Combined with the person’s animal zodiac symbol, this is used to define and give clues to the personality and future of the person. The element metal is said to be associated with the Western culture, the season of autumn, the Planet Venus and the color white. Those born under metal element may have an affinity for Western religion or yearn to break away from tradition.

Being close to Venus means those with a metal element are typically romantic, sentimental and kind. Those with the metal element may be more likely to suffer diseases of the lungs such as asthma. Organization and stability are the earmarks of the metal element. Metal people approach life with persistence, emotional strength, and unyielding determination. A metal person knows their goals and will not stop until those goals are met. Self –reliant, sometimes to a fault, metal people can be viewed as aloof and unconcerned with others.