Knowing yourself is manifestly more important than any external indicator. A knowledge of ones form will open your eyes not to the symbolism but potentials they imply. Otherwise the symbol is as dead as a misunderstood language.


[link to embracingthecontradiction.org]

Khepr Ra was used as the embodiment of self generation, cancer the crab is the equivalent sign.

Here is the applicable exerpt from the paper:

To denote an Only Begotten," says Hor-Apollo, "the Egyptians delineate a Scarabaeus, because the Scarabaeus is a creature self-produced, being unconceived by a female. The Scarabaeus also symbolizes generation and a father, because it is engendered by the father solely." Massey adds: "Khepr, the beetle, buried himself, with his seed, in the earth; there he transformed, and the father issued forth as the son."

The sun was the type of the male creative power in the universe, but he was portrayed with feminine attributes to indicate his subjection under matter when involving his energies in creation. He was a kind of male-mother. His growing weak in the autumn was likened to the feminine weakness in menstruation. "When the sun becomes weak, he lets fall the sweat of his members and this changes to a liquid; he bleeds much." Then he was called the sun bound in linen, and wrapped as a woman. He was known as Osiris Tesh-Tesh, in his bloody sweat in Smen. The male as sole reproducer was spoken of in female terms. He is god the mother. Num, Egyptian deity, was the Mother of Mothers as well as the Father of Fathers. "In like manner Jove is designated by Orpheus ‘the mother of the gods.’ He was Ju-matter, or Jupiter creatress." Proclus in Timaeus says: "All things are contained in the womb of Jupiter." Brahm is likewise feminized. "The great Brahm is the womb of all those forms which are conceived in every natural womb." "The great Brahm," says Krishna, "is my womb and in it I place my foetus and from it is the procreation of all nature"