If you are a Cancer, then the blessing ritual described in this article will resonate with you deeply. This is the water sign that is the most concerned with matters of nurturing, preservation, and protection, and this ritual includes all three. If you are not a Cancer, don't fret because everyone contains all twelve signs of the zodiac in the same way that you contain the four elements. This blessing ritual can be used by anyone that needs more comfort, warmth, and security at home, work, or in your travels. This working can be done at any time, but it is given a boost if you can wait until the Moon is full or in Cancer during any phase.

The more you understand the context and the power source for any ritual, the better you will be able to perform it. Some have reported that this blessing ritual feels like a warding or shielding even though no walls or barriers are put up. However, unlike some protective workings, there is no exclusion of separation from the flow of energy in the world. The Cancerian blessing creates a zone of higher vibrations, and the pressure of the positive energy repels unwanted things much like a warding would. It is a Cancerian blessing because it relies upon the power of the myriad of good things both small and big that are present in the world. More importantly, these are the treasures often found in the heart, the hearth, and the home.

Through resonance and synchronicity, like calls to like, and when you meditate on the blessings that you have or have had it energizes those memories and feelings. This in turn attracts more goodness and encourages you to accept them. The power of a blessing is often underestimated, and its use is neglected in favor of flashier workings and spells. Blessings are very Cancerian because they are nurturing of a spiritual sort. This blessing also acts as bubble that acts as a portable home and sanctuary.

To prepare for the Cancerian blessings, there are four concepts that must be understood. I think that gratitude, caring, unity, and love function in similar roles to that of the four elements in this working. They provide a container, information, and help raise the energy needed for the blessing. You'll be calling upon these four principles in the Cancerian blessings, so I'll be sharing a few ideas to prime your words in the working.

Gratitude
Much of the power of a blessing comes from gratitude. Moreover, gratitude inspires courage because it reminds you of why you strive to preserve or regain those things that make life a wonder.

Caring
When you care for a person, place, or thing, you pay attention to it so that you can deepen your understanding. You try to discern what is needed and become vigilant against that which is harmful.

Unity
Feeling connected to the universe helps you to feel grounded. Some connections are stronger and closer, but all of them embrace you in a matrix that makes you solid and stable. This is one of the strongest defenses you can have.

Love
Love is a mystery that cannot be summarized, only expanded upon. One of its qualities is that love seeks to create and recreate harmony in the flux of the world. Love is healing, ever seeking a better state of wellness.

The Cancerian Blessing Ritual
You will need:

• A candle and stick incense with holders.
• A cup or small bowl filled with plain water, no salt.
• A small shell or stone to anchor the blessing.

Begin seated with the items listed above on a table or counter. Light the candle, and when the flame has steadied, light the incense from the candle. If for some reason you can't use a lit candle or burn incense, you may substitute a light from a window or a lamp and a few drops of a fragrance you like on a cotton ball or in a diffuser. Partially close your eyes so only a little of the glow of the light can be seen. Take several deep breaths, paying attention to the pleasant aroma in the air.

Take as long as you like to find the calm, still point, within you. Let the light from the candle guide you to find the warmth of your heart, your soul. Let the incense open the way to the memories that your hold dear, that have lasting meaning, and are filled with beauty. When you feel at ease and in a state of equanimity and composure, begin to think on gratitude, caring, unity, and love. When you are ready, move on to the next step in the ritual. Now, put a few fingertips into the bowl of water and let the energies and patterns that have been collecting flow into the water. Then take a deep breath and blow over that water, imparting it with a connection to your voice and your wishes.

Pick up the shell or stone and touch it to your heart, your throat, and your brow. Then hold it over the water and speak about those things in your life that fill you with thanks, with gratitude. When you run out of words then say:

"May all that remained unspoken, held in my heart, mind, and spirit, let it be shared."

Take the shell or stone and dip it into the water and then touch it to your heart.

Now repeat the process for the remaining three principles. For caring, speak about both that which you care for and that which nurtures you. For unity, speak about what makes you feel rooted and embraced as well as how reach out to connect with all of life. For love, speak about the elation of feeling alive when you love or are beloved. Love is the last one in this sequence because it binds them all together.

Hold the shell or stone tightly and feel the blessings anchor deeply. Next, lift it up and imagine it shining brightly to the above. Then lower it and imagine it shining brightly to the below. Lastly, see it shining as you move it in a small horizontal circle as it sends its light into the world around you. Take a few centering breaths and then repeat three times:

"Ever blessing and ever blessed in all time and all places let this be a beacon and a shelter.

The shell or stone can be kept for your use or given to another that you wish to help. You can put it in a pocket, a pouch, or simply placed on an altar or a safe spot in your home. Another option is to plant it in the ground near one of your doors or windows. If you travel, keep it with you, not in your luggage. When you reach your destination, place it near your bed when you sleep. You can make as many of these blessing charms as you like. You may wish to create one for your workplace that you can leave there or any other location that you frequent regularly. The effect of the Cancerian Blessing ritual lasts for a few months. You can renew the same shell or stone or start with a fresh one. If you are replacing it with a fresh one, please bury the old one, or better yet, place it in a body of water.

If this ritual has worked well for you and you want to take it a step further, these are some options:

• Use a silver or a silver-plated bowl as silver is the metal of the Moon that rules Cancer.
• Fill the bowl with water that has soaked up the light of the Moon.
• Use a moonstone as the anchor for the blessing or a shell you personally collected.
• Use lotus or elemi for your incense or fragrance.

This is a simple but powerful blessing ritual that has many applications. One of its lasting benefits is that each time you perform it you awaken and strengthen the safe harbor and welcoming sanctuary that is always within you. Every repetition builds confidence and daring because you know you are blessed.