The period of Cancer's influence is approximately June 22nd to July 23rd. During the month of Cancer, the great surge of the life-force prevalent in the previous signs stops and a secondary growth process begins, enlarging the size of the maturing plant. In the animal kingdom, many of the newborn, though still not completely independent of their mothers, have grown strong enough to become established members of the community. In Cancer, one still feels the energizing sensations of spring but the force of the new yearly cycle is subdued and mellowed.

Cancer is the sign of the World Mother who gives form to the seed implanted in her womb by the Father. From the physical world, the glyph depicts the breasts, two small circles each attached to a semicircle. One semicircle is turned upwards; the other faces down. This means that Cancer is constantly occupied with gathering in the necessary resources so that her children are always given the nutrition vital to life. So, we can see that there is a dualism inherent in the Crab's character. On the one claw, people are extremely generous with their feelings and possessions, but on the other, they are constantly plotting to possess the object of their generosity.

Cancers are born under the sign of emotional sensitivity. Cancer is the mothering, sustaining, nurturing sign of the zodiac. It is the sign of the womb, the house, the home, the interior of all things. The key phrase for Cancer is "I feel." Cancers possess highly developed protective and defensive instincts, which are aimed at material and domestic security. The Crab carries its house upon its back and retreats into it when threatened by exterior forces. Cancer is the most subconscious of all signs, everything is latent and hidden. No issue is clear or direct. Like the crab who sidesteps any object approaching him, Cancerians are not forthright and direct in action. Unlike Gemini, who responds to life through his mind, Cancers respond to life through their feelings. You cannot reason with them when they are emotionally upset. They have difficulty separating what they feel from what they think and can be at the mercy of their moods, up one day and down the next. They absorb any atmosphere around them without realizing it. They should obviously surround themselves with happy people.

With kindness, Cancers can be directed easily, as they are basically understanding. If forced, they become immovable. They are averse to being told how to do things and must complete tasks on their own. If involved in a responsible position, they are punctual and efficient, willing to guide things to a successful conclusion.

One of the Cancer's main goals should be trying to live more in the present. They have a habit of worrying about the end before beginning. They must learn that the future lies in the present. What is done or thought of now determines what will manifest itself in the future as a result of those thoughts and actions.

The Sun is in Leo from approximately July 23rd to August 24th. It is the heat of Leo's sun which ripens the fruit brought forth from the earth by the vibrations of Cancer. Man's crops are thus developed to their most abundant state of growth before the harvest of Virgo reaps the rewards of Man's previous efforts. Man is now called away from his labors, for the heat of August is overwhelming. He has a chance to pause and turn away from his usual duties and get the strength that he will need in order to bring in the harvest.

Leo is the sign of the life-giving Father. It is through this sign that the true personality of Man can be expressed. Leo can call forth the courageous and masterly lord of the jungle or the cowardly pussycat who, like the lion in The Wizard of Oz, needs a heart to animate him with the force of life.

It is the heart, the central pulse of one's being, which is the part of the body ruled by the fifth sign. If we examine the glyph for Leo, we will see that the first open circle is the vein leading to the main coronary chamber (the large semicircle). The second open circle is the artery which takes the newly pumped blood from the heart so that it may be distributed by the circulatory system to the rest of the body.

We have seen that Aries, Taurus, and Gemini have paved the way for the evolution of the tribal unit as symbolized by Cancer. Leo is not the one elected as chief of the tribe but rather a ruler of a tribe of his own. Leo is the sign of self-consciousness, as Cancer is the sign of the instinctual consciousness. There is dignity, self-respect, courage, and integrity in the evolved individuals. They are honest, direct, and fully dependable when they are evolved; arrogant, and egotistical when they are involved with their own ego rather than their higher self.

Leos' faith and loyalty to those they love is very strong; sometimes they are too attached and have to learn true detachment. All energy and power comes from the Sun which rules Leo, but Light and Power can warm or scorch, create or destroy. A Leo's will must become God's will, or he is in trouble.

The symbol of this sign is the lion, denoting majesty, power, and dignity. Leo is a kingly sign, and Leos express pride in every movement and a stateliness that will not escape the keen eye. Power will increase Leo's self-confidence amazingly, to the point where the Leo seems actually to glow. As long as Leos feel that they are in a position of authority and responsibility, they will leave no stone unturned in order to justify the confidence that has been placed in them. Leos function well in positions of responsibility and management, expressing their creativity by setting policies.

Leos are practical, philosophical, and spiritual. They come into life with an inner confidence which they radiate into their environment. It is this quality which inspires people to place their faith and trust in them. If self-confidence turns to vanity, however, Leos will find that others will just as easily turn away.

Leo's virtues are big; so may be his faults. The Leo destiny is a high one. No man can be a true leader until he is willing to be a servant of all.

The Sun is in Virgo approximately August 24th through September 23rd. Virgo is the month of summer's harvest, for the crops have ripened in the heat of Leo's sun. Man has rested during the month of August so that he may have the strength to go back to the fields and reap the bounty of the Earth. Virgo signifies movement on the land; it is the sign of work and of rewards earned through diligence in one's service.

Virgo is the fully ripened harvest, untouched as yet by the farmer's hands and still filled with all the potential vitality of the abundant crops. Thus Virgo is the virgin who, in her chaste state, is potentially endowed with the fruits of womanhood.

Virgo's strength rests in the latency of the power contained within the unreleased energy of her being. The glyph which depicts Virgo is symbolic of its ruling the intestines. The coils of the symbol for Virgo, therefore, are seen as illustrations of those segments of the digestive tract ruled by the sixth sign.

For those born under the earth sign of Virgo, the hub of the universe is work. They are forever seeking knowledge, which will bring matter under the control of the mind. Through this seeking, they learn that the mind of man is a good servant but a bad master. Virgos have to learn that although the body must serve the mind, ultimately the mind must serve the spirit.

Virgos are meticulous in their work, paying a great deal of attention to detail and doing things carefully and efficiently. They like to bring order out of confusion. In its best form, this sign makes for efficiency and a brilliant performance of duty. At times, however, it bestows a narrowness of outlook when the sole concern is work. Virgos subject their world to a microscopic analysis. Occasionally, they are engrossed with trivialities to the extent of becoming blind to the significance of the issue as a whole. Eventually, developed Virgos learn discrimination between the essential and the trivial. Once this power of making distinctions evolves, Virgos are able to become great scholars. constructive critics, excellent editors — all exacting perfection. The key phrase for Virgo is "I analyze."

Virgo also rules health. In this phase of their evolution, Virgos must learn that wise men do not exhaust their body energies by worrying, fretting, or overworking. Fears and apprehensions can lead to illness, although Virgos have a marvelous physical resistance to disease, once the mind develops discipline. Virgos must be careful of being too critical. Their analyzing mind can cause them to criticism, irritability, and faultfinding.

In the universal scheme of things, Virgo represents the sign of the hidden Christ in every man, the seed planted in earth that must root in the darkness and break its sheath and struggle towards the Light. Virgo is the last of the personal or involving signs and is the threshold of the birth of the inner man. The personality is developed from Aries to Virgo; the soul is developed from Virgo to Pisces.
  — Barbara Joiner
  — Rays from the Rose Cross Magazine, September/October, 1995