Cancer 10°-20° — the Three of Cups
The second decan of Cancer runs Jul 2 - Jul 11, is ruled by Mercury under the Chaldean order, and carries the Three of Cups — titled Lord of Abundance by the Golden Dawn.
Three of Cups
Lord of Abundance
Upright: Celebration, friendship, creativity, collaborations
Reversed: Independence, alone time, hardcore partying, three is a crowd
Full Three of Cups meaning →Mercury in Cancer
Mercury in Cancer thinks in terms of memory and association rather than logic, which is exactly the register of the Three of Cups, Lord of Abundance. Three figures raise cups in a circle among fruit and vines. Cancer makes the gathering domestic rather than public, and Mercury makes it conversational - this is the decan of the shared occasion where the talk is the substance. The card's one caution comes from the same source: an abundance defined by who is inside the circle also defines who is not.
Using this decan for timing
In timing this decan marks a gathering with a date - the Three of Cups is one of the more literal pips in that respect. Answering 'when', it points at an occasion in the near term, usually one that already exists in someone's calendar.
Where it sits in Cancer
Cancer spans thirty degrees and divides into three decans, each with its own ruler and its own card from the Suit of Cups. This one is the middle ten degrees.
| Decan | Dates | Ruler | Card | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0°-10° | Jun 21 - Jul 1 | Venus | Two of Cups | Lord of Love |
| 10°-20° | Jul 2 - Jul 11 | Mercury | Three of Cups | Lord of Abundance |
| 20°-30° | Jul 12 - Jul 22 | Moon | Four of Cups | Lord of Blended Pleasure |
The sign as a whole is attributed to The Chariot in the Major Arcana — see why Cancer carries that card.