The Astrology of Summer - The Aestival Zodiac Signs of Cancer, Leo & Virgo
The Aestival Triplicity
When we explore the meaning of the twelve zodiac signs, we often perceive them as embodying twelve distinct personality archetypes. However, the wizened astrologer knows that the zodiac is truly a representation of nature’s life cycle throughout the changing of seasons. The signs of the zodiac mark various stages throughout this cycle, and represent corresponding psychological forces within ourselves.
Cancer marks the Summer Solstice. It is the beginning of Summer as symbolized by the longest day of the year. It is our gateway into the summer season that brings about the flourishing and fruition of the seeds of Spring.
Leo is the height of Summer. The summer sun at its hottest and brightest, providing all the light and warmth needed for both our own enjoyment in the out of doors and for the seeds to come to full maturity.
Virgo is the liminal period between Summer and Autumn. The cooling off and dissipation of the Summer heat, and the final coming to fruition of the seed commencing the harvest.
“All nature finds expression in cycles of becoming, being, and dissolution, and the human race, as a part of nature, is inescapably involved in these cycles. The metamorphosis observable over the course of a year here on Earth appears to be symbolized in the succession of signs in the zodiac...”
The Psychology of Cancer,
Leo & Virgo
“We are born at a given moment, in a given place and, like vintage years of wine, we have the qualities of the year and of the season of which we are born. Astrology does not lay claim to anything more.”
From a psychological perspective, the zodiac is a representation of human psychological growth as mirrored by the growth, maturation, and decline of nature throughout its yearly seasonal cycle.
Each sign represents a different stage in this cycle, each dependent on the last and laying the groundwork for the next.
The three summer signs themselves represent the maturation of the ego as it strives to find its place in and relate to the world-at-large.
Through the sign of Cancer, we discover the power of love, sentiment, and nostalgia. We learn to surround ourselves with what makes us feel safe and at home. We are motivated and spurred into action by the rising swell of deep-seated feelings and emotions.
Through Leo, we establish our footing in the realm of self-expression. We find our confidence, the brazen attitude with which we make ourselves known and heard. We learn to define ourselves, loudly and clearly, and let no other have a say in who we are.
Through Virgo, we refine ourselves, balancing our desires with our necessities, all while chasing the dream of perfection. We learn the power of analysis, of always trying to become more efficient and more effective in order to maintain a sense of individuality against all the demands of mundane life.
The following are poetic explorations of each of the three aestival zodiac signs inspired by their astrological, psychological, and seasonal correspondences. In exploring the signs as archetypal, psychological forces, we can better identify how they manifest in our own psyches and form a relationship with those facets of ourselves.
Cancer is the nourishing water of the soul; The activating stir of deep-seated emotions
and oft-felt longings;
The powerful rush of impressions and feelings that tell us when life feels right, and good, and joyful; The warmth of sentiment, the fondness of nostalgia,
the magic that breathes life into any space to make it feel like home.
Cancer is the commencement of Summer;
The saturating of the fertile earth that nourishes life, promising growth through careful nurturing;
The freedom found in venturing out in pursuit of wherever the heart and soul take us;
The joy in abundance that only the warm summer sun can provide.
Cancer is lunar, deeply connected to the wisdom of the body, to instinct, and intuition,
to the waxing and waning tidal pull of the heart, to the cyclical rhythms of nature, rooted in ancestry, tradition, and heritage, forever upholding the foundations of family, lineage, and culture.
“His wealth of emotions and his inclination to assimilate impressions from the outer world via his feelings means that someone of the Cancer type is in great need of emotion, intimate experiences and petting and pampering…
As a water sign, Cancer is very active internally even though considerable passivity is displayed on the outside…
His feelings are not only spectacles through which [he] looks, but also a tool he must learn to handle. In human development, the [Cancer] phase means that emotions aroused by the environment have to be assimilated and that the inner emotional side of life has to be recognized and understood because man cannot function perfectly without it.”
Fiery, bold, audacious Leo;
like a crackling bonfire that invites any and all to gather round and bask in
Leo’s warm and revitalizing light.
Magnetizing, polarizing, never shying away from what feels authentic,
never forgetting who they are and what they stand for, always searching for their pride.
Leo is magnificently Solar,
ruled by the brilliant golden Sun, exuding a radiance and joy of their own making;
Expressing themselves with unabashed individuality,
instilling the world an invigorating and unapologetic take.
Fiercely courageous, beautifully unique, yearning for the recognition and esteem
they know they deserve.
Leo is the height of Summer, the Sun as its hottest and brightest, the expression the creative self with the same heat and intensity as the scorching summer sun;
The warmest of days that invite us to give in to the call of adventure, to remember our childlike sense of curiosity and wonder, to simply let go, be ourselves, and have fun.
“In the phase of Leo, the leading theme is the ‘dramatic’ presentation of the personality as a means of gaining recognition… Leo’s great stability can produce resoluteness and valor and make him chivalrous, magnanimous, sympathetic and idealistic…
In the Leo phase, we observe…man sets to work on himself. Hobbies and other forms of creative self-expression are taken up at this stage. In nature, the fruit is ripe and ready for the picking; cropping can begin…
The intensity with which [Leo] is aware of his own personality and the resulting pride and willpower with which he meets life can give him the feeling that he has much to offer — a feeling that can produce great liberality.”
Persephone, Earth Goddess, Queen, Virgo.
Virgin in the archaic sense of the word: Independent, autonomous, sovereign;
Allowing no-thing and no one to define them but themselves. Self-owned, self-made,
and self-critical, always striving for that impossible degree of perfection
that only Virgos know how to attain.
Virgo is the beginning of the harvest season,
overseeing the end of Summer and ushering us into Fall;
Bringing us from a time of frivolity under the Sun and grounding us back down to Earth,
to a season requiring diligence, hard-work, and dedication;
Entering the Autumn-time with a keen eye for detail, a penchant for efficiency,
and an unmatched shrewdness.
Virgo, like Gemini, is ruled by Mercury, the planet of intellect, communication, and skilled trade.
Thus, Virgo is analytic, methodical, and organized; Skilled, masterful, and resourceful; The practical and tangible application of all that has been acquired, learned, and harvested, everything, all at once, organized towards the singular goal of ensuring everyone their independence.
“In the [Virgo] phase discrimination is developed... man feels his own vulnerability and learns to see his own faults, so self-criticism is an important factor in this phase.
[In Virgo] the phenomenal world is approached with the function of perception; the individual is preoccupied with tangible reality and prefers to deal with concrete and material things. However... attention [is devoted to] gaining an insight into the diversity of forms and motives...
With her practicality and the detailed way in which she looks at the world, she is a good planner; nothing escapes her attention and she has a strongly developed sense of proportion... A methodical approach, a desire for knowledge, orderliness, acumen, and sobriety are virtues which assist Virgo in this work. ”
