There are four words to describe a relationship between a Libra man and a Cancer woman: Love At First Sight. A meeting between a Libra Man and Cancer Woman is one filled with a sense of kismet. In terms of love compatibility, the initial connection between these two signs is incredibly strong, it may almost feel karmic in nature.
It's as if you both were meant to meet, connect and grow together. Even if this relationship starts off platonically, which it typically does, you both will find that you have a fast and emotionally strong bond with each other right out of the gate.
Generally speaking, there is an inherent compatibility in the way you both relate to each other and to the world. You feel comfortable letting your guard down a lot quicker with each other than you typically do with other signs.
Contrary to the skeptics, naysayers and haters that this pairing typically brings, a relationship between a Cancer woman and a Libra man is able to stand the test of time - in spite of how quickly it progresses.
What attracts a Libra man and a Cancer woman to each other?
When a Cancer woman first lays eyes on a Libra man, she feels as if she's finally found a safe haven; a man who she easily connects with emotionally and intellectually. Contrary to past relationships with narcissists who aimed to take advantage of Cancer's deeply sensitive nature, the Libra male does not have any ulterior motives. Sensing this, Cancer steps out of her protective shell and finally lets her guard down.
Similarly, the Libra man is intensely drawn to his Cancer woman's classic femininity and vulnerability. Her sensitivity triggers a strong protective instinct in him. He feels deep compassion for her and wants to do whatever it takes to finally bring her peace and happiness. With his Cancer woman, the Libra man finally feels like a man; like a "knight in shining armor." Libra's subtle masculinity is affirmed and strengthened by his relationship with the female crab.
What is a relationship like between a Cancer woman and a Libra man?
Fair-minded and partnership-oriented Libra, a monogamist at heart who has a deep respect for women, ultimately wants to settle down. Looking for a life partner, Libra finds his Cancer woman's wifely, affectionate attributes irresistible.
In turn, the mature Cancer woman, typically overcoming a history of past relationships with toads and bad-boy types, is attracted to Libra's reassurance and openness. Cancer feels like she has finally found a safe haven in her Libra man. He is her happily ever after. She is attracted to his emotional intelligence, charm, confidence, and protectiveness.
What is sex like between a Libra man and a Cancer woman?
Sex between a Libra man and a Cancer woman is extremely balanced. There is a fair share of give and take during sex between these two signs. Both Cancer and Libra are extremely open in the bedroom; they will go above and beyond in making sure their partner is satisfied.
Cancer is intensely emotional, passionate, and sexually intuitive. She expresses her love, vulnerability, and repressed emotions through sex. She is happy to receive all that her partner has to give to her and knows the exact tricks for drawing out even the most stoic, nonchalant partners sexually and emotionally. Because of Cancer's deeply emotional nature, empathic Libra may find himself reaching new sexual heights with Cancer. Her sex is all-consuming and will literally leave him with his mind blown.
Libra enjoys light and fun sex. He prides himself on pleasing his partner sexually and catering to her physical needs. He makes a point to tend to his partner emotionally during the act, constantly checking in and reading her body language to ensure she is getting the most out of her experience with him. In bed, Libra makes Cancer feel extremely sexy, safe, and respected.
Sex between both Cancer and Libra is fun, open and explorative, and physically and emotionally fulfilling to both parties.
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What makes a relationship between a Cancer woman and a Libra man work?
A relationship between a Cancer woman and Libra man just clicks into place. Cancer women need reassurance, and Libra is happy to provide! In her Libra man, the Cancer woman has finally found someone to who she can safely open up emotionally. He patiently provides much-needed balance and objectivity to her life.
Libra wants an affectionate woman who is devoted to him; someone who can nurture and provide for him in ways that he may tend to neglect for himself. Appearances are incredibly important to a Libra man and his Cancer woman fits the bill, often presenting herself to the public in a demure and classically feminine way.
Libra likes to feel needed and Cancer effortlessly affirms this need. The love between the Cancer woman and the Libra man is incredibly balanced and flows naturally.
What may cause a Cancer woman and a Libra man to break up?
The incompatibility between these two lies solely in the conflict between Cancer's moodiness and Libra's deep aversion to conflict. Libra, while deeply empathetic, may reach a point where he feels repulsed by an unevolved Cancer's emotional murkiness. He may no longer be able to serve as her safe space, feeling overwhelmed and exhausted by the depths of Cancer's emotions and sensitivity. If this occurs, he is likely to detach from the relationship in an attempt to recalibrate and reclaim his sense of balance and peace.
Once Libra has decided he has had enough emotionally, he may return to his safe space - his highly social and flirtatious lifestyle. He prefers and enjoys the company of women - platonically and otherwise - which may trigger Cancer's deep insecurities.
In this worst-case scenario, Cancer runs the risk of feeling neglected or even betrayed. After finally letting her walls down and building up enough courage to express her deep emotions to her Libra man, she may find herself perturbed and feeling abandoned by Libra's sudden detachment and insensitivity.
The key to avoiding this disaster scenario is in providing each other with plenty of space and patience. Cancer will need space and patience from Libra, at times, to process and manage her fluctuating moods. Libra will need space and patience from Cancer when Libra is indecisive or stir-crazy and needs to express that restless energy through social interaction with others.
Even when the relationship is flowing smoothly, Cancer may often find herself at odds with Libra's estrogen-charged social and family circle. She feels threatened by the familiar and flirtatious charge of his relationships with other women. Libra's female friends, in turn, feel threatened by the Cancer woman, questioning her authenticity and worrying that she will take their beloved Libra away from them.
Summary
The relationship between a Libra man and Cancer woman is deeply emotional and has the strong potential to stand the test of time. Sexually, emotionally and intellectually, both parties naturally click and effortlessly fall into complementary roles. They see eye to eye on what their futures should look like and are able to work through problems openly and maturely.
The best way to ensure success between the Libra man and the Cancer woman is through maintaining open communication, respecting each other's unique emotional needs and love languages, and allowing each other plenty of room and freedom to recharge on your own.
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2023 was my year, and it was my turn. I had just completed an 8-month holistic detox. The glow-up was real and well-deserved. The way I have poured into myself is unmatched. Let me tell you, self-love is a love you have never known. After a five-year healing journey, I finally felt like myself again, and I was ready to play. My heart was open, my mind was clear, and my body hella transformed. I had told all my friends that I was ready to explore dating again, and at the height of summer, I did exactly just that.
This time I decided I wanted to take my time. I wanted to date the “right way” or the “healthy way.” You know, keep your options open, ask the right questions, believe actions and not words, observe patterns and pay attention to red, yellow, and green flags. I was never the dating app type of girl. I sincerely miss everything about human connection and dating from 2000 to 2012. Can we please bring all of that back into 2024? I prefer to feel a man’s energy and presence in real-time. Nonetheless, I still chose to dabble with a few dating apps. I was all the way outside and dating for practice.
Unfortunately, with today’s dating culture, social climate, and how some of these men move and/or behave, these dates were a dead end. Not one guy made it to my roster. What these men were was benched this season – not one of them could be my first-round select draft pick. It didn't seem like anyone I met was interested in a serious relationship. And it’s completely fine. Miss me with the ghosting, lack of effort, inconsistency, and poor communication. I continued to just do me because what is for me will not miss me.
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The universe must have heard me talking because I had specifically told my closest girlfriends that I wanted to meet someone who lived in the vicinity, no more than twenty minutes away, and no more long distance. And I did meet him (it’s crazy how I manifest exactly what I want). As we started to get to know each other, I liked his energy and effort. I liked the direction it seemed to be going to the point my girlfriends had to tell me not to run from him. Because every part of me wanted to run from something that seemed normal.
I liked what he was coming with until I became uncomfortable with my own feelings, and I didn’t know how to communicate them to him.
With that said, I knew if I truly wanted to experience the truest of loves, a reciprocal, requited love, and be in a healthy relationship this story had to come to a pause. What I didn’t know was that he was going to show me things I didn’t know I needed to work on. I didn’t know he inadvertently was going to help me continue to heal parts of me that were hidden.
As someone who has learned to self-heal, I am no longer the type that runs from herself. I am here for the growth.
The truth is I am emotionally detached from myself, and I am not actively dating at the moment. I am the one that has to work on herself. My reiki healer called it, too – she told me this year would not be a year for a relationship, but a year of continuous growth. And now I see why. After all the healing work I have done thus far – I am an unemotional mess. How?
At my big age of 39, I struggle to communicate my wants and needs.
I still struggle to communicate and process uncomfortable feelings. I would rather give myself anxiety, act nonchalantly, emotionally react, and choose non-communication when I am bothered with someone than address the issue (I will later explain why). I have been ignoring my feelings for so long it has become a habit, a defense mechanism, and more so a trauma response.
If you are someone like me who grew up in a household that didn’t discuss feelings, your emotional needs were unmet, and you don’t feel safe to share your feelings – emotional detachment is quite common.
Oftentimes, we always talk about men being emotionally unavailable, but what if it’s a woman who is emotionally unavailable or emotionally detached? How does she navigate herself, dating, or being in a relationship? As I navigate my emotions this season, let’s explore what it means to be emotionally detached, the signs of detachment, and how to reconnect with yourself emotionally.
Emotional Unavailability vs. Emotional Detachment
When we look at the terminology emotional unavailability and emotional detachment, one might argue that the two terms are interchangeable and have the same meaning. One could also argue that both terms mean that some people are not in tune with their emotions or lack the emotional capacity to be responsive to someone else’s emotions. Fair enough. However, there is a big difference. The definition of emotional unavailability is described as people who have difficulty with sharing their emotions and being receptive to the emotions of those around them.
According to Verywell Mind, signs of emotional unavailability can look like being distant or cold, lack of closeness, and emotional intimacy in relationships, inability to understand and relate to others’ feelings, defensiveness when asked to change or let others in, tendency to shut down or avoid topics that require emotional openness, or withdrawal from people or situations that provoke emotional reactions.
GIF by Kim's ConvenienceGiphyWhereas emotional detachment is defined as the inability to or willingness to connect with others on an emotional level. Furthermore, Psychology Today states emotional detachment can also mean that people do not engage with their feelings. Exhibit A – me. Emotional detachment has various causes – past neglect, childhood or adult trauma, PTSD, depression, personality disorder, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, or, in some cases, medication (i.e. antidepressants). It is important to note emotional detachment is a complex issue. For someone like me, it’s a coping mechanism.
It is easier for me to ignore uncomfortable feelings to protect myself from stress or getting hurt. Hence, my nonchalant demeanor. It is also true for some people it is a reaction to trauma, abuse, and unprocessed emotions. Exhibit B – me. As it is difficult for me to open up about my feelings at the moment. On the contrary – emotional detachment can be helpful in navigating some situations like listening to people’s opinions and gossip.
Unfortunately, emotional detachment is not a behavior that can be turned on and off at will. Please note that emotional detachment is NOT a mental health diagnosis but can be a symptom of a mental health condition such as an attachment disorder. And if you know anything about attachment theory, it is related to the relationship we develop in our childhood with our primary caregivers.
Signs You're Emotionally Detached
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According to Psychology Today and Verywell Mind, general signs of emotional detachment can look like difficulty showing empathy to others, sharing emotions, committing to a relationship, feeling numb, poor listening skills, lack of self-esteem, preferring to be alone, struggling to feel positive emotions, inability to identify emotions, lack of physical, verbal, or sexual contact and losing touch with people or maintaining connections.
In a romantic relationship, emotional detachment shows up as you or your partner not being available for connection, poor communication, or reduced affection.
For me, my experience with emotional detachment is collective. I am an empath to my core. I don’t have a problem relating to other’s feelings or circumstances. I don’t have commitment issues, nor do I have an issue connecting with others or maintaining those connections. I struggle with sharing emotions, at least the negative ones.
Due to the emotional abuse from my childhood and a toxic relationship, I learned sharing emotions just wasn't the safe thing to do. As a survivor of trauma, I learned to suppress feeling negative emotions in general as a form of protection.
How To Reconnect To Your Emotions When You're Emotionally Unavailable
Serious Kid Cudi GIF by Apple MusicGiphyExploring my emotional side in-depth started late last year simply by noticing my reaction to something that he did. I didn’t know how to properly communicate to him how I was feeling or what he did bothered me in the moment. So, I swallowed my feelings and said absolutely nothing. I intentionally chose to avoid the issue. I chose to rationalize the situation instead of acknowledging that my feelings at the time were valid. I chose to act like everything was all good because it was all good.
“It wasn’t that deep to begin with” is what I told myself. And this is where the problem lies.
The saying is true, “What happens in your childhood shows up in your adult relationships.” I came to realize that because I was not able to express my feelings as a child, I struggled to process them. I either hold back my feelings, take a long time to say how I feel, or don’t say anything at all. This is because I fear people will walk away from me like my mother did if I share what I truly feel. I fear my feelings won’t be validated, or they will be rejected.
With that said, I was completely unaware that I was emotionally detached from myself until recently. So, here we are with this article. It all started by reading Instagram’s @theholisticpsychologist, Dr. Nicole LePera’s newest book How to Be the Love You Seek: Break Cycles, Find Peace, and Heal Your Relationships, which was released on November 28, 2023. As I read through the first chapter, I became triggered.
How Dr. LePera describes her childhood with her parents and experiences with her romantic partners somewhat mirrored my experiences with my own parents and relationships. As Dr. LaPera stated in her book, I have no issue showing up for others or meeting their needs and wants. But when it comes to expressing my own needs and wants – I cannot or I don’t. This is mainly due to my hyper-independence.
At an early age, I learned to show up for myself because the people I trusted to show up for me failed. Given my home environment, I had internalized it is not safe to talk about feelings. I never knew my emotional responses and behavior were abnormal. But because I am willing to continue to do my inner work, I know that I can reconnect to my emotions, and undo four decades of repressed emotions.
If you are someone like me who struggles with emotional connection with yourself and others, here is how you go about it:
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1. Know Your Attachment Style
For me, the first step was to understand my attachment style. I asked my therapist if she could help me identify my attachment style to understand my triggers. She recommended The Attachment Theory Workbook by Annie Chen, LMFT. My therapist administered the associated online quiz – Attachment Quiz. If you haven’t figured out my attachment style yet by reading this article, I have an anxious attachment style.
This means I don’t do well with inconsistent behavior, especially from men (but I’m the type that holds men to standards too). People with an anxious attachment style have a need to feel close to their partner. It may come across as “clingy” or “needy.” However, this same need is often driven by fear of abandonment, mistrust, and low self-esteem. I would say knowing your attachment style is helpful because you can work towards having a secure attachment style (with practice) in your relationships – familial, business, work, platonic, or romantic.
2. Become Self-Aware
Most people who are not in the practice of self-care or self-healing are unaware of their triggers, patterns, and behaviors. We are so caught up in the daily minutiae of life that we forget to pay attention to the most important part of our days — ourselves. As Dr. LePera says, make it a conscious habit to pause throughout your day to check in with yourself. Ask yourself:
- How does my body feel?
- What am I doing right now?
- Am I present?
- Am I distracted and lost with other thoughts?
- What do I think or feel when I recall a specific experience with someone?
- What do I think or worry about?
- What would happen if I shared my authentic thoughts, perspective, feelings right now?”
This is what Dr. LePera refers to as exploring your embodied self or fulfilling your authentic needs in chapter two of her book. Consistent mindfulness and self-awareness are key to self-discovery and in any healing journey. Learning to focus on the present moment also includes paying attention to our emotional response to an event or how we think about emotions in general.
3. Practice Vulnerability
The idea of vulnerability is a tough one for me and so many other women for countless reasons. Whether it be toxic family, friendships, relationships, or trauma – trusting others with your thoughts and feelings is not easy. As much as I am open and transparent, I am not as vulnerable. And I believe there is so much power in the duality to be both. To trust someone, let alone a man with your authentic self is a delicate matter.
But it is emotional vulnerability that allows us humans to build authentic connections, create stronger relationships, and break down emotional walls. Emotional vulnerability is not something to be rushed – it takes time and practice from you and the people you choose to have in your life. Medical News Today suggests that we can learn to be vulnerable by opening up more to our closest friends, building our ability to become more trusting, and developing skills to regulate our emotions.
4. Seek Therapy
I have been in therapy for six years and counting. I would consider therapy one of my safe spaces. I am one of those individuals who recommend therapy to everyone as it has given me the tools and resources I need to navigate my life challenges. By choosing to get help, I was able to put my PTSD and depression in remission for four years now. I have also learned how to manage my anxiety.
I am fully aware that in this season of my life requires me to do the work to unlock new levels of self. And any time where I have consciously chosen growth – the universe or life has not failed me. I was able to heal my body, my heart, and my spirit. Now, it’s time to heal my inner child, this hurt little girl who lives in me.
I will say choosing a therapist is similar to dating; you might go through a few potentials until you find a therapist you connect with. Actually, one of my lifelong friends said to me the other day, “Your relationship with your therapist is one of the most important relationships in your life.” I needed her to say that, and I needed to hear it because it’s true. You are essentially trusting a licensed stranger to help you navigate your life on so many levels.
Be picky and ask the questions. Cut the cord at the first red flag given. Again, let me reiterate that emotional detachment is not a mental health diagnosis. It can be treated with the help of a therapist. Emotional detachment only becomes a problem when it starts to interfere with your daily life. Pay attention to changes in your daily behavior and make decisions to cope accordingly.
I am genuinely excited about reconnecting with my emotions. I want to feel all the feels – good, bad, and indifferent. I want to cry all the tears – especially the sad ones. I want to process and release negative emotions. I want to say how I feel in the moment with no fear.
If you are that girl who struggles with emotional connection or thinks you're emotionally detached, I hope that you become willing to face your inner child and show up for her. Don’t run – she has been waiting for you.
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