Cancer Astrology Study part 2: July 21 - Mayan New Year | Greg Thompson

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Cancer Astrology Study part 2: July 21 - Mayan New Year

August 25, 2008

Awhile back, I wrote a fairly in-depth look at the psychology of a Cancer man because, well, I’m a Cancer myself and if you are too (or if you are considering dating one) it’s definitely a good idea to take a look at the things that will help you understand some of his (or her) finer points.

While there are 12 major signs of the zodiac, creating twelve general base personality types, there are a TON of small tweaks and modifications to that base to create a whole, well-rounded, real-life person.

Basically, it goes like this:

Level 1 (the most simple, base level) - Your sun sign. In my case, Cancer, because I was born on July 21st - and anybody else born from approx June 22 to July 22 is also a Cancer. If this was all there was to astrology, it would be a pretty simple, and admittedly somewhat laughable, system.

But it’s not. As you’ll soon see, there’s far more to astrology than meets the eye.

Level 2 - Your ascendant (or “rising”) sign. This is the sign rising over the horizon at the exact time of your birth. It changes about every 2 hours or so - thus explaining why 2 people born on the exact same day can have different modifications to their base temperament… and why identical twins born minutes apart often lead strikingly similar lives, even when separated at birth. Likewise, it could also account for their differences, depending on how far apart they were born and what was happening with the rising sign at that moment. Where your sun sign is your inner personality - your “real” self - your rising sign has more to do with your outer world - how others perceive you, your outlook, and general disposition on a very surface level. Calculating this cannot be done very easily alone and usually requires the assistance of a good astrologer. However, you can estimate your rising sign here, though it may not be completely accurate. My rising sign is Aquarius.

Level 3 - The day you were born. Again, for me this was July 21st. We’ll take a closer look at this below, but for now just know that for each day within a zodiac time frame (in Cancer’s case, from about June 22 to July 22), slight modifications to the normal Cancer base are applied. And interestingly, I’ve found them to be extremely accurate across a wide variety of people I’ve tested. (And in case you’re thinking they’re the type of things that “can apply to anybody” - you’re wrong - these are very specific, as we will soon see.)

Level 4 - Your birthday’s numerological so-called “Root Number” - for me, this is the number three. I’ll show you what this means in a moment. The most widely used numerological systems were those pioneered by the Greek mathematicians, especially Pythagoras, who saw numbers as the basis of all art, science, music, and whatever. He and his followers also believed that by studying numbers, we could gain access to a sort of spiritual key unlocking the secrets of the divine.

If all this talk sounds like a lot of hooey to you, consider this: any math and philosophy buff will tell you these Greek guys really knew their shit. And when you get to a certain level of understanding about a particular subject, your interests always… ALWAYS… turn a tad bit mystical. If you’ve ever seen a really good theoretical physicist, you know precisely what I mean; the grunt work physics guys are too worried about cranking equations already done hundreds of thousands of times before, while the master physicists sound more akin to Voodoo Witch Doctors, hooping and hollaring about 11-dimensional string theory, Big-Bang-producing membranes of reality that bump into each other on a regular basis, and rips in the very fabric of space-time allowing inter-dimensional travel.

…So don’t get too cocky about your disbelief with this here. The fact is, we know very little about how the universe operates. And all testable facts need to be considered. Funny thing is that right now as I write this, astrology is even more testable (by far) than string theory in physics.

Anyway, here is how the Root Number works:

There are nine root numbers, and only one of them is associated with you and your birthday. The sum of any compound number, when reduced to a single digit, is its root number. The root number for your birthday is the day of the month on which you were born, reduced to a single digit. So if your birthday is on the 21st, like mine is, 2 + 1 = 3. If it was the 28th, then 2 + 8 = 10, and 1 + 0 = 1… so the root number for the 28th is simply 1.

These root number traits are then applied to each day of a particular month, which yields a separate, slightly modified personality from the base sun sign.

With these last two, I’m clumping them here at the end since I am not yet as knowledgeable about them as I need to be.

Level 5 - The year you were born. This falls in line with more of a Chinese tradition, but is still applicable in a very broad sense. Personally, I have not studied year modifications very much (yet) but they do exist and serve to further differentiate one July 21st birthday from the next.

Level 6 - The location (longitude and latitude) you were born.

Taking all of these things into account, it’s pretty easy to see the number of possibilities that exist here. Like I said before, a good astrologer can help you make more sense out of your chart than some website or dumb horoscope can.

Ok, so let’s start with my root number, which is three. Then we’ll move on to the exact date of July 21st and I’ll show you how that compliments my existing analysis of the Cancer sun sign, and ties in with my ascendant (rising) sign, Aquarius.

I drew these references from a number of sources and sort of synthesized them into one complete picture. Here is what was said, each followed by my comments:

Three is the number of self-expression, enthusiasm, optimism, and sociability. Threes are the friendly, the witty, the charmers of society. You are a born entertainer with a cheerful, easygoing manner and a gift for gab that endears you to all kinds of people.

There’s a little puff to this, but I’ve generally found it to be true. Except sometimes my desire for sociability conflicts with my Aquarius rising sign, canceling each other out or with one overpowering the other. It’s a fine line I have to walk all the time to maintain focus. But when I really want to be, I can make ‘em swoon. You just have to get me in the right mood to do it.

Three is also the number of good fortune. Some threes are so lucky they seem to be under the protection of a guardian angel. Even your difficulties usually have a weird way of working out for the best.

I’ve had a lot of people comment from time to time on this aspect of my life. It’s kindof strange, really… but I’m not going to argue with it. Actually I shouldn’t even be pointing it out here… I’ve often found its best to keep good fortune to myself, lest it come to an abrupt end shortly after telling. I’m a little superstitious like that. Too many good things in my life have went sour quickly after I told someone or (especially) boasted about them… and went wonderfully when I kept it all to myself. Have that happen with a few things YOU really care about and soon your lips would be sealed too!!

Despite your light-hearted approach to life, there is nothing superficial about your desire to succeed. Threes are inherantly ambitious and hard working. A genuine distaste for occupying subordinate positions fuels your climb to the top.

Yes! In most situations throughout my life, I have always been the leader and did not want to have much to do with anything where I was supposed to be subordinate. The few situations where that was not the case were very short lived. In a classroom setting, I was determined to hold the #1 spot or at the very least a respectable standing among rank and file. In a career/job/money setting, I’m not too happy unless I’m the “Golden Boy” who can do no wrong. The esteemed and respected. The guy who gets invited to fancy dinners and people’s houses on hearsay, myth, and rumor alone - because others have already vouched for him.

Threes are generally multi-talented and sometimes have difficulty choosing among various career options. Naturally artistic and creative, you have a knack of synthesizing and communicating your knowledge and ideas. Cleverness, versatility, and quick thinking make it easy for you to outwit the competition. However, a tendency to spread yourself too thin by scattering your energies in a number of different directions may hamper your success.

Oh yes. I have always had a terrible time choosing something on which to focus my laser-beam of concentration and expertise. This led to a “jack of all trades” mentality, still somewhat haunting me to this day, which is incredibly time-consuming and really gets nowhere in the long run. It’s good to have a wide body of knowledge, yes, but at a certain point, you have to CHOOSE something highly specific to focus on to accomplish the really big things. (Assuming “accomplishing something” is your goal, obviously. If you enjoy free-floating around from thing to thing, then so be it.)

In your personal life, you are devoted to friends and family. A generous, warm, and loving person, you enjoy interacting with people in social gatherings and intimate one-on-one situations.

I’ll admit this is fairly vague and kindof a small recap of what was said at the beginning, but still true nonetheless.

Well, that does it for my root number. Now here’s what it says for the exact day, July 21:

People born on this day have a way with words that make them fine writers, debaters, politicians, and salespersons.

I am a writer and a salesman; in short, that’s what a copywriter is. When I was little, I’d stand in certain sections of the store while mom did her shopping, and try to sell one of the nearby items to passersby. I remember that I often at least interested them, and sometimes even made a “sale” or two before mom came back from getting our groceries.

Although you’re an innovative thinker, you often feel caught between the innate originality of the root number 3’s vibration and the conventionality of your Cancer sun sign. You can cloak your insecurities in bravado, but they’ll continue to thrive just beneath the surface of your consciousness. Half the time, you’re the sensitive, imaginative, intuitive person who understands the world through feelings and emotions. During the other half, you are a cerebral, rational being living in a mental atmosphere of words and ideas. When one side or the other gains the upper hand, you can experience feelings of distraction, anxiety, uncertainty, and may even get eccentric at times.

This is a fine description of my personal tug-of-war between my desires to be creative (create 3d animated shows, short films, movies, and the occasional still image) and my love of science, philosophy, and exploring the strange and unknown. Sometimes the creative side takes over and I become weird in an “arty” sort of way. Other times the logic side hijacks control and I lock myself up in some room, working on mathematical relationships between sun spots, gravity, the I Ching, and the stock market. (Notably, it’s also around this time that I begin to see 11’s every time I turn to a clock… but I’ll talk about that in another post sometime.)

Your strengths lie in creative self-expression and ease of communication. You enjoy talking about your ideas and your feelings, and you encourage others to share theirs.

Yes, and I get very frustrated when people hide their real thoughts and feelings. I hate dealing with people on an artificial level and am sometimes perceived as unorthodox in how I usually say exactly what I mean.

You posess excellent money-making ability and know the worth of most goods and services. Whether in business, the professions, or the arts, you know what people will buy and how much they are willing to pay.

I’ve been pretty good with price points, and so far (knock on wood), I’ve done a decent job at keeping myself out of the traditional workforce by working at home on my own projects. In most cases, I actually loathe many things “traditional” and the United States job environment certainly takes the cake. I’ve never been much one for doing another man’s bidding.

In an intimate relationship, you make a loving partner. Perceptive and caring, you want the very best for your loved one. Nevertheless, you are unwilling to forgo companionship in favor of romance. Without a meeting of the minds, you may get bored and lose interest.

Yes, I’ve become bored with many girls in the past. Some people say the Cancer man wants what he can’t have. I’m not sure if that’s true or not, but I know there has to be something awesomely special about a girl before I’ll commit too many resources to her. The upside to this is it creates high quality, low-drama relationships. The BAD part is it considerably shrinks the pool of suitable women, thus making the recovery time between relationships unusually long… and if you ask me, often frustrating. As a result, some people have called me out, declaring me “too picky” or a guy with “too high standards” that can not be met by ordinary girls. Well, if my crime is wanting only the best in life… then I am surely guilty. Ordinary people can have the ordinary girls, for all I care

Now for my ascendant (rising) sign, which is Aquarius. This is especially interesting because my friend Jason’s SUN (main) sign is Aquarius. Here is what is said about Aquarius Rising:

Aquarius Rising gives you a detached, intellectual outlook, combined with considerable mental poise. You stay cool under pressure and take sudden shocks or unexpected changes in your stride.

Keep in mind that the rising sign has more to do with general disposition and outward perceptions than it does “inner nature” temperament like the sun sign. If this “detached, intellectual outlook” sounds like it conflicts with my Cancer creativity and sociability, that’s because IT DOES. I struggle with that almost on a daily basis. Speaking of staying cool under pressure, one time I remember driving down a very icy road with my friend Andrew, who is also known for his composure. The tires slipped on a turn and all of a sudden we were literally sliding down a hill sideways, which eventually became a full 360 degree spin. After awhile, miraculously the car spun back into place where it could be driven out safely which is exactly what we did. Throughout this whole time, Andrew and I had stone cold emotionless expressions, stared straight forward out the windshield and never uttered a word. After the car leveled out and we continued to drive, we looked over at one another and burst into laughter… which is the part that made is so memorable for me. There are several other stories I could tell about remaining calm in distress (like the time a gas pump blew up, erupting into a pillar of flame 8 feet away from my car…) but I’ll save those for another time.

An interest, not to say a fascination with the bizarre and unusual can lead you down some rather interesting pathways.

I have always been interested in the mysterious, strange and unknown areas of human experience. My friend Jason is too… but since I am Cancer with Aquarius Rising, and he is pure Aquarius, we go about it different ways. For me, science and discovery is about the sense of adventure and knowing forbidden fruit. For Jason, it’s more about finding an inherant truth to systems and existance. Same interest, different reasons.

Status, power, and wealth are of marginal value, for you are interested in people for their own sake, not the social trappings which accompany them. Friendships are easily made and not so easily broken, for your air of easygoing familiarity and pleasant demeanour is rather attractive.

Once the ties are secured, I am very loyal to friends. I am seldom impressed by status, power, and wealth and like to see straight through to the real person. A few months ago, I remember riding in this guy’s new Maserati. All the other guys around me were oogling the car and making jokes about excuses to take it out for a spin; maybe impress some girls or something. But I remember not being impressed and feeling quite odd about it. Sure, it was a fine car, but… when I heard about how it broke down on the way back from the east coast to Missouri… and how much time, hassle, and money it took just to find a shop who had the ability to get the parts and knowledge to repair it… and how my car has never failed me, and is an excellent-looking car to boot… it helped put everything into perspective. Reminds me of the tortoise and the hare or something like that

Ruled by Uranus (lord of reversals and unexpected upheavals) and Saturn, lord of karma (purification and restriction), your personality can be changeable, yet deeply focused and quite original in approach. Most likely your life will undergo one or more dramatic changes of direction, often through some twist of fate or circumstances over which you have no control. Changes can occur suddenly and unexpectedly, for though Saturn’s influence implies a calm and stable disposition, Uranus often reacts in quite unexpected ways.

There’s not a whole lot I can say about this part right now. Ask me again in 70 years.

Unpredictable and independent, you can be argumentative and love to play devil’s advocate. You need your personal freedom, so when you marry or form partnerships you should choose your partners with care, since you are quite unable to put up with possessiveness and over-dependence. You enjoy physical and mental stimulation and whilst you are keenly interested in the future and are fascinated by the past (especially the offbeat, little-known areas), you somehow lose track of what’s going on in the present. Ahead of your time, others may perceive you as out of step with the rest of society.

I’m all about personal freedom and doing whatever I want in this short time we’re on this planet together. I’m afraid of being “tied down” to something and feeling “trapped.” And it’s also true that I have problems with living in the present moment… but I’ve been working on that lately, trying to stay focused on whatever is happening around me in the here and now. It’s working, and things are better. As for being “out of step” with society, it’s true that I’ve never done anything the “conventional way” - but I do not go out of my way to be different… it’s just how things usually happen for me.

Your strong physique and reserves of stamina, combined with your notorious stubbornness makes it difficult to break undesirable habits and behaviour patterns. Your independence is legendary and, of course, you do tend to be somewhat opinionated, especially in matters that have stimulated your interest in the offbeat. Others stand little chance of changing your ideas, for you must become convinced on your own account that such changes are necessary.

More of the same, as above. Though I’m not nearly as stubborn as I used to be. I’m a LOT more free-thinking than in times past, less likely to be held to outdated ideas when new ones present themselves.

You probably like science, sociology, music and design, while your pursuit of hidden things and unusual research can lead you to an interest in astrology and other arcane matters. You are good with money, which tends to come your way unexpectedly, yet appropriately to your lifestyle.

Yes, and yes. Not a whole lot I can add to that.

You may have noticed how Aquarius compliments a lot of my Cancer attributes but conflicts with the creative and more “free-wheelin’” aspects… and I can tell you, that’s presicely what happens in my real life. It’s the reason my friend Jason and I are such good friends, despite being at odds sun-sign-wise, and the reason why we conflict on certain points of purpose, direction, and morality. It’s fun. It makes us interesting and most importantly… human!

Random Facts About July 21

July 21st marks the Mayan New Year, which is still celebrated in parts of Mexico and Central America. Indigenous people welcome the sacred day with special feasts and prayers in honor of the old gods. The day also honors the Greek seer Damo, daughter of the sage and philosopher Pythagoras, who entrusted all of his secrets to her.

Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21 as well. Just thought that was interesting. I like Hemingway

As I’ve shown here, there’s a lot more to astrology than first meets the eye. And I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, IGNORE THOSE STUPID HOROSCOPES YOU FIND IN NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES, AND TABLOIDS… they’re not done by real astrologers and are 99.9% of the time a complete waste of time - certainly nothing to base your opinions of astrology on, by any stretch of the imagination.

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