So You're A Cancer Rising — Here's How To Thrive, According To Experts

You may know your sun sign in astrology, and maybe even your moon sign—but your rising sign can clue you in to how you show up in the world and how other people perceive you.

Your rising sign, also known as your "ascendant," is the zodiac sign that was rising over the eastern horizon the moment you were born.

Your rising sign reveals how you interact with the world, from your appearance to your attitude to the first impressions you make on others. For example, a Leo sun with a Cancer rising will likely exhibit Cancer-like traits you wouldn't expect from typical Leo energy, or will even physically look more like a Cancer.

Your rising sign also determines where your first house of identity falls in your chart (your ascendant is always your first house), which sets the stage for the rest of the houses in your chart.

Cancer is the fourth sign of the zodiac wheel and is represented by the crab. A water sign ruled by the moon, Cancer (called Karkata in Vedic astrology) energy is emotional, homey, and comforting.

Cancers also tend to be very in tune with their environments. Like the moon mirrors the light of the sun, this sign can reflect the energy of the world around them.

In astrology, the moon also speaks to the home: where we came from, our roots, and how we recharge. So feeling at home is often very important for typical Cancerians, as is having time for rest and reflection. (Think of the crab retreating into its shell.)

Cancer risings are sensitive, sentimental, and highly attuned to the moon. According to astrologer Kayse Budd, M.D., they also happen to be some of the moodiest (and most intuitive) people around, because their ruling planet is the moon—which, of course, changes signs roughly every 2.5 days.

"The sign of the current or transiting moon dictates the quality of a Cancer rising person's day," Budd tells mindbodygreen. For instance, they'll feel more generous on Leo moon days, more chatty during Gemini moon days, and more emotional during Pisces moon days, she explains.

Your rising sign also influences your appearance, with Cancer rising's faces tending to mimic the moon. "They often have a sort of luminous glow to their appearance, especially in the face. Some of them have a rounded face, like the moon, with shining eyes," Budd adds.

In terms of their strengths, Cancer risings are extremely compassionate, loving, caring, and gentle. Cancer represents the archetypal mother in astrology, so these people have an inclination towards nurturing, supporting others, and being kind. "They're usually a good cook and excellent at creating a homey environment with a sense of comfort and worth," Budd notes, adding they also typically have great memories and enjoy history.

In terms of their weaknesses, however, they can tend to live in the past. Budd tells mindbodygreen they might have a hard time letting go of old loves, heartache, what could have been, etc. "They take things super personally. They feel exposed and vulnerable easily and have a low threshold for feeling like something they said was an 'overshare,'" she adds.

In love, Budd says your typical Cancer rising will like a lot of emotional connection and sensitivity in a partner. "They also usually appreciate and are balanced by someone with grounded stability," she adds.

That's because Capricorn—which happens to represent the Father archetype and is all about structure and stability—rules over Cancer risings' seventh house of longterm partnership. Their fifth house of romance and fertility, however, is ruled by Scorpio, the sign of sex and mystery. So don't be surprised if your sweet Cancer rising love interest is spicier in the bedroom than you'd anticipated.

That said, Budd notes they don't usually enjoy feeling rushed or pushed. "They like to flow and follow their own momentum when possible," she says, adding that they'll naturally take on a nurturing role in relationships and are very domestic.

Whether it's cooking, cleaning, gardening, sewing, baking, crafting, or taking care of the plants, pets, children, or family members, a Cancer rising will want to do it.

At work, Cancer risings do well in roles that involve emotional connection and any of their strengths (compassion, nurturing, etc.), according to Budd. They do well in care-giving roles, she explains, whether that's nursing, social work, therapy, or any other healing modality.

And sticking with their domestic strengths, Budd adds Cancer risings will also do well in careers involving food, homes, gardens, women, and children.

But homemaking and nurturing aside, they can be found in plenty of other professions, so long as the job suits their strengths. As Budd explains, "They generally are more indirect in their approach—others are likely to come to them for support and they'll get their feelings hurt if criticized."

Each of the 12 risings signs have different ways they thrive and feel their best, and for Cancer risings, according to Budd, they thrive when they are able to nurture others in some way. "They are loving and compassionate and generally enjoy sharing this energy with others," she explains.

And according to the AstroTwins, not only do all the water signs want security and a comfortable home base, but they need activities that foster the mind-body-spirit connection, too. "They do well with yoga or anything by the water," the twins previously told mindbodygreen, adding that "movement is important for the water and emotions to flow."

And speaking of emotions flowing, learning how to manage those emotions in a healthy way is part of the growth journey for Cancer risings. Otherwise, the twins explain, they can feel oversaturated and bogged down by their own emotional world.