“Summer” Signs

►Astro-documents ►General theories ►The zodiac ►Signs and seasons

“Summer” Signs

by Richard Pellard
English translation by Julien Rouger

Far from being an archaic myth or a disembodied symbol, the zodiac is as real as day, night and their durations which change periodically throughout the year. To be born under the Sign of Cancer, for example, is not to look like a crab or a crayfish, it is to have come to Earth when the Sun, at the height of the Tropic of Cancer, began its descent in the northern hemisphere. and that, like the crab walking sideways, the days begin to “to move back” while the nights grow in length. Our astrologer ancestors did not refer to the constellations, but to the eternal rhythm of days and nights which founds the zodiac…

Contents

Cancer Leo Virgo It is in an improper but practical way that we evoke the Signs of Spring, of Summer, of Autumn and Winter. Indeed, the seasons only exist for the Sun. For example, while the Sun is in Gemini, Venus can very well be in Cancer. The diagram above describes the decrease of the dominant day in duration (for the Sun) or day arcs (for the Moon and the planets) from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox (from the Tropic of Cancer to the equator).

The symbolic zodiac of summer

Let us recall that, in the astro-symbolist conception of the zodiac, the Hot and Humid Spring (Air Element) is followed by the Hot and Dry Summer (Fire Element), which will be followed by the Cold and Dry Autumn (Earth Element) and by winter Cold and wet (Element Water). The allocation each season of a elementary quality arising from the combinations of hot, cold, dry and wet stems from the belief in an ideal or chimerical astro-meteorology. Indeed, the rainfall or the drought, the heat or the cold which reign in a given place and time depend on multiple parameters (terrestrial latitude, geographical area, chaotic nature of meteorological phenomena).

If you are a lover of tanning on sunny beaches by warm seas, let us hope for you that, according to the seasonal zodiac, summer will be for you. “Hot and dry”, therefore of Fire. But do not count on serious astrology to issue weather forecasts: it is totally incapable of doing so, simply because it does not belong to its field of competence…

The astronomical zodiac of summer

In the northern hemisphere, from an astronomical point of view and whatever the weather conditions, summer begins on June 21, (summer solstice), when the Sun is at the height of its course at above the equator. From June 21 to September 21, regardless of where on Earth you spend your summer vacation, a universal phenomenon occurs: during the three summer months, the Sun will slowly descend from the Tropic of Cancer to the equator.

If you are on vacation in Libreville (Gabon), Quito (Ecuador) or Pontaniak (Borneo), you will hardly notice it: these cities being in the immediate vicinity of the equatorial circle (0° latitude), they do not know throughout the year only a monotonous alternation of days and nights which never exceed approximately 12 o’clock. If, on the other hand, you are in the temperate zone (of which France is a part), you will notice that the days, dominant in duration, will continue to decrease in favor of the nights, while the Sun at noon will be lower and lower. above the horizon.

In Cancer (June 21-July 21), the difference between daytime durations and nighttime durations is at its maximum in favor of the day. In Leo (July 21-August 21), the gap narrows, but the waning days remain greater than the nights. Finally, in Virgo (August 21-September 21), the lengths of days and nights tend to equalize.

The summer type

Cancer Leo Virgo The three Summer Signs are characterized by their faculty of openness, of presence (dominant day length) and their concentrated retraction (decreasing day length). The other side of the coin: they make closing attitudes difficult or problematic, the reflexes allowing one to be absent (duration of non-dominant nights) and the deployment of the faculties of dynamism, expansion (growth of non-dominant nights).

Excitation slowness Strong points: if the Signs of Summer are dominant in your chart, an important part of yourself is expressing itself in an extremely slow, patient, stubborn way. You only open up with extreme caution and are always ready to gradually and methodically invest yourself in the outside world. Open but circumspect, you mobilize your energy little by little for what interests you or excites you.

Unadapted Inhibition quickness Weak points: you generally find it difficult to weave between the drops, to zigzag between the obstacles, to get rid of your “Yes, but”. You too often ignore the virtues of maneuverability, tactical flexibility, tactical subtlety. Your too measured openness to the world prevents you from leaving it flexibly when necessary. When your patient efforts do not bear the fruits you expect, you tend to adopt the fearful policy of the ostrich.

Natural Cancer in the northern hemisphere

Cancer Astronomy: decreasing and dominant days, diurnal durations much higher than nocturnal ones.

Astrology: strong points: cautious openness, restrained presence, sense of syntheses. Weak points: lack of defensive mobility, of dynamic dodging, ultraparadoxical phase.

Excitation slowness Strengths: slow, tenacious and patient, the Cancer cautiously opens up to the outside world and to the beings that inhabit it. For him everything is contained in a closed world: he would like everything that seems outside to be inside him. His patient presence constantly seeks to invade and colonize the forces of absence, of indifference. His self neglects that of the other by imposing himself in a quiet, progressive way. He is in search of the lowest common denominator, he engages calmly, always with a unifying perspective.

Unadapted Inhibition quickness Weaknesses: fearful, too defensive, Cancer can fail due to a lack of dynamism and mobility. Ambiguous and hypo-reactive, he can’t stand being pushed to react too quickly, and his judgments and reactions lack clarity. He lives in a shambles where everything is mixed up, by refusing to make clear choices. It retreats into its protective shell to avoid having to situate itself clearly in the outside world. He risks being the victim of his security phobias, his cautious withdrawals, his often irrational fears.

Symbolic Cancer

Cancer Astronomy: nil.

Astrology: Sign of Water Cardinal, Cold and Wet. The Water of Cancer is Cardinal: its humidity is therefore conquering, dirigiste: everyone must be aquatic or not be. the moon, its master planet, is rather Cold and Dry (although we recently found some tiny traces of frozen water on its surface). Between micro-humidity, selenity and traditional dryness, the cancer sufferer tries out an improbable synthesis.

Natural Leo in the northern hemisphere

Leo Astronomy: decreasing and dominant days, diurnal durations appreciably greater than nocturnal ones.

Astrology: strong points: cautious openness, restrained presence, sense of proportions. Weak points: lack of defensive mobility, of dynamic dodging, paradoxical phase.

Excitation slowness Strengths: persevering, tenacious and conquering, the Leo intends to diplomatically maintain its domination, its mastery over the outside world and the beings that inhabit it. For him, everything is a matter of dosage to maintain his power by granting the minimum necessary to others. Its controlled but imposing presence seeks the submission of the forces of absence, of indifference. His ego imposes itself on the other by dominating it in a brilliant way, while practicing the liberal policy of “long leash” to prevent him from rebelling.

Unadapted Inhibition quickness Weaknesses: whole, ambitious, the Leo can fish for lack of discrimination, selectivity when he is on the defensive. Imbued with his own imposing presence, he tends to overestimate the threats that others represent, to be alarmed for nothing as soon as they pretend to want to escape his yoke which he believes to be liberal. He overvalues his own power to better hide his concerns, ignores the tactical subtleties of dodging. He fears above all to lose his self-control, to be overwhelmed in an unexpected way.

Symbolic Leo

Leo Astronomy: nil.

Astrology: sign of Fire Fixed, Hot and Dry. The Fire of Leo is Fixed: hence its burning and ambitious character, its incandescent passions which sustain themselves by crackling. Her master planet is the Sun, Hot and Dry (for once, the analogy works well: our star is indeed very, very hot and very, very dry, although water molecules have recently been discovered there). The Sun and Leo being both Hot and Dry, they bring nothing to each other: they inter-confirm their torrid character, their dry thirst for light and brilliance.

Natural Virgo in the northern hemisphere

Virgo Astronomy: decreasing and dominant days, diurnal and nocturnal durations almost equal.

Astrology: strong points: cautious openness, restrained presence, sense of opposites. Weak points: lack of defensive mobility, of dynamic dodging, egalitarian phase.

Excitation slowness Strengths: patient, discriminating and stubborn, the Virgo draws clear boundaries between his personal world and the outside world. Enduring, she traces her path without being distracted by what does not concern her. His discreet but enduring presence seeks to methodically eliminate the forces of absence, of indifference. His ego reduced to the essential protects itself effectively from that of the other to maintain its integrity. It is by gradually eliminating obstacles that his prudent and determined choices are made.

Unadapted Inhibition quickness Weaknesses: fearful, always on the alert, Virgo can fail due to a lack of adaptive flexibility, of dynamism in their refusals. Her fear of being invaded makes her sectarian, blocks her initiatives, hinders her mobility. Unable to quickly improvise defense mechanisms, everything is a pretext for him to suspect others, to be wary of the outside world. Friend or enemy, the other always appears to him as a potential danger. No matter what, she protects her territory, even when those around her are obviously just out to help her.

Symbolic Virgo

Virgo Astronomy: nil.

Astrology: sign of Earth Mutable, Cold and Dry. The Earth of the Virgin is Mutable: hence its unstable and friable side, its fear of earthquakes and other disasters. Her master planet is Mercury, planet of Cold and Dry Earth (in reality, the temperature of Mercury oscillates between 430 °C at noon and −170 °C at midnight, which on average makes it a rather hot and dry planet). Both cold and dry, Mercury and Virgo communicate in nervousness. But where is Mercury’s down-to-earth and cautious side? Mystery…

This article was brought to you by Richard Pellard
English translation by Julien Rouger

Next article — “Autumn” Signs