Mars plays a very important role in our emotional lives. It says a lot about how we react to people and events but it also represents our sexual energy and how we behave when in love. In male chart, Mars represents how he behaves with the woman he loves, how he flirts, etc. while in the female’s chart it represents what characteristics she looks for in a man.

When Cancer inhabits Mars it is said that Mars is then in fall. “Fall” always means a very difficult position for the planet to be in. The energies of the planet don’t flow naturally and may be completely blocked. Since Mars is a planet that represents our reaction to the world as well as our fighting spirit, when Mars is in Cancer, a gentle, emotional and often insecure sign, the warrior energies of Mars get blocked by Cancer. At least in a direct way. Simply put, a Mars in Cancer is almost incapable of defending themselves but they are fierce defenders of their loved ones or their country (because Mars in Cancer is often patriotic).

When it comes to love, Mars in Cancer men are very shy and insecure. Even though Cancer is a cardinal sign and is supposed to initiate things, it is also a sign that rarely does anything straightforward and prefers to work their magic in roundabout ways. In Mars, this lack of straightforwardness is even more pronounced.

When Mars in Cancer man likes a girl, they will rarely approach her. At least not in a direct way. They would rather become her friend first and then try to gauge her response to him. Similar to a Cancer Venus in women, Cancer Mars needs a clear and direct confirmation that the girl is into them in order to make the first move. If they don’t get it, they will probably continue circling around or they will decide that they are never going to be with that girl and leave.

If Mars in Cancer men are not straightforward and direct in their approach, how can you know if they are interested in you?

As I said before, these natives will do their best to become close to you. They will like to spend time with you, to listen to you and generally behave as best friends would. They can be very reliable and you can find yourself relying a lot on them. They can even become your rock to lean on.

They are not very adventurous, so you won’t be doing a lot of physical, outdoor activities with them like you would with someone with Mars in Sagittarius. Instead, you will probably spend a lot of time on the phone or in their/your house or wherever they feel their heart belongs to. They are very sentimental, so expect to have “your” bench in the park, “your” cafe, etc. Unlike Mars in Sagittarius who will bring you to different outdoorsy adventures, you’ll find Mars in Cancer consciously or subconsciously going back to the same old places you used to visit (or at have visited once… if you’re just starting your relationship).

Mars in Cancer men like to reminiscent about all things past and they will often mention things you did together or places you went to in the past. This is another way you can find out if they like you on a romantic level.

These natives are very insecure and they need a huge amount of reassurance to open up and react. Even when they get into a relationship, they still need the reassurance that you love them. Because they are emotionally sensitive, they are prone to looking for usually non-existent clues about your lack of commitment to them. If you thought that getting in the relationship with them is a challenge, being in a relationship with them can be an even bigger challenge.

Cancer is a sign that rarely let others know how they are feeling. Instead, they think that you should intuit what is wrong with them and why they’re feeling hurt/unloved/etc. Cancer Mars man will rarely openly state what they want from a relationship with you (on an emotional level) but will want you to know intuitively how to meet their emotional needs. In this, they are similar to Venus in Cancer women. They are very emotional and can be oversensitive but they will rarely come to you and say “Hey, I feel bad because…”. No. They will sulk and pout and even act indifferent all the way hoping you will figure out your own what is wrong and why they feel hurt. In a sense, both Mars in Cancer males and Venus in Cancer females think that true love includes some kind of telepathic connection where words are not necessary. This can create a fair share of problems and misunderstandings in their intimate relationships.

Mars in Cancer man needs emotions in order to feel happy. Their ideas are to find a girl they can love and who will love them in the same way and intensity as they love her. But, and there is always a “but” with this position, because of their insecurities and the constant fear of rejection they are able to “see” millions of “clues” that “prove” that the girl they like doesn’t like them back. They can “see” this in a glance, in a pause, in a mispronounced word… It’s like they are on the lookout for clues of their unworthiness of being loved.

Bottom line, no matter how sentimental they are and how much they love you, it’s difficult for them to express this love in a free and spontaneous way because of their deep-seated fear of rejection.