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The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow The elements and modes (or modalities) offer the basic building blocks of astrology. They help us to determine the essential nature of the person represented by the birth chart. The elements offer information that describe the 'quality' of the energy that is present, the underlying influence. Here are some very basic keyword descriptions for the elements: Air - Mind oriented, thinking, focus on ideas, communication, fair-minded, detached Fire - Action oriented, spontaneous, enthusiastic, assertive, reactive Water - Feeling, intuitive, emotional, sensitive, reflective, responsive, fluid Earth - Grounding, stabilizing, manifesting, hardworking, practical, resourceful I've added the 'element' to the table I shared on the last blog: ***The Element indicates the 'quality' of the energy that is present, the underlying influence The Planet indicates what energy is present The Zodiac Sign indicates how the topics of the signs 'express' themselves The House indicates 'where' or what area of your life these energies are playing out The Elements in the Signs Each of the zodiac signs, as well as the planets have their own elemental associations. In order to determine what your elements are you would begin with the Sun - and see if it's in an Air, Fire, Water or Earth sign? Repeat this with the Moon, Asc/Rising Sign, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. You can also find a 'snapshot' of your elemental balance on your birth chart. It's usually found on a separate table, and includes all of the glyphs for the planets in your chart, together with their elements. Then you can see at a glance which elements might be more dominant, or might be in shorter supply. There is more information on this a bit further down. As with all things 'astrology' you can go much deeper, but you'll get quite a lot of information just by doing this! Just by looking at the elements of your Sun/Moon and Rising Signs, you can begin to get a sense of the energies that are in play. For example if your Sun Sign is in Leo (Fire element) and your Rising Sign is in Aries (another Fire element), and your Rising Sign is in Sagittarius ('another' Fire element), chances are you have a rather fiery personality! Elemental Combinations Some elements get along , but others don't necessarily play well together. If you have a lot of fire in your chart together with a lot of water - you may have a lot of passion and drive, but it's 'put out' (in a sense) by the water, so that you find it hard to get anywhere. On the other hand if you have a fire and earth combination, you have both the drive, and the commitment to move forward. This could lead you towards accomplishing any tasks that take time and require persistence. If you have the combination of Air and Water, you have the sensitivity of water combined with the mind - this could make you very intuitive, and able to both understand and communicate your feelings with others. A few other combinations might be: Fire and Air - Fire consumes air, and air feeds fire Earth and Water - Earth absorbs water and water shapes the earth There is a lot to unpack here, but analyzing your chart in this way can be very helpful. I share this not as a comprehensive list of all of the combinations, but as a further consideration of how the elements can blend in your chart. The Modes or Modalities of the Signs The other thing to factor in, is the 'mode' or 'modality' of the Sign. The modalities introduce the aspect of change, helping to anchor the elements into the signs. In order to better understand this, it's helpful to look at the birth chart as a wheel of the year, with Spring in Aries, Taurus & Gemini; Summer in Cancer, Leo & Virgo; Autumn in Libra, Scorpio & Sagittarius and Winter in Capricorn, Aquarius & Pisces (reverse in the Southern Hemisphere). (in the image below you will note that the positive and negative symbols, they represent receptive and active energies respectively) Cardinal Signs are the signs that begin each of the seasons: Spring Equinox - Aries; Summer Solstice - Cancer; Fall Equinox - Libra & Winter Solstice - Capricorn.
*The Cardinal mode represents the birth process, it radiates outward in a definite direction. It has the qualities of: - initiating energy, action oriented, creative, decisive, can be impatient Fixed Signs are the signs at mid-season. Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. *The Fixed mode takes this new energy and builds a recognizable, mature entity or form, that radiates inward, creating a strong centre that resists change. It has the qualities of: -sustaining, seeing things through, determination, purposeful, strong willed, slower starting, can be stubborn Mutable Signs are the signs at the end of each season. Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces. *The Mutable mode this form or entity becomes more adaptable and less well-defined in order to move the fixed nature toward a new level of consciousness or action. It is a spiralling energy that alternates between moving outward and inward. It has the qualities of: - embracing change, flexible, open minded, adaptable, can be indecisive Using this information you can assess your modality balance. Just by focusing on the elements and modes, you can get a lot of foundational information about your birth chart. This information is found in a table on your birth chart (as mentioned earlier). If you have created a birth chart at astro.com the elements are listed along the side (F, A, E, W) and the Modalities or Modes are listed on top (C, F, M). Each Planet or aspect is listed according to its element and modality, making it easier to see what the balance is. As an example, if you have someone with Air as their dominant element, and Earth as their weakest, you have someone who is in their head a lot, and maybe needs more grounding! If their dominant mode is Cardinal then you have someone who might be great at starting projects, but not necessarily good at finishing them. If you put the elemental balance and the modality balance together, you can see that this is someone who may get a lot of creative ideas, but needs to find ways to sustain that energy so they can follow through and complete any projects they've started. The birth chart is much more complex than this, but hopefully you can see how the pattern begins to build. So how does this apply to your chart? I'd encourage you to play with this, and see if it feels like 'you'. You could begin by just looking at your Sun/Moon/Rising Sign, and later add in the others. What is Remediation, and How Can It Help You? Although it might be interesting to know what your elemental/modality balance is, you might be asking what you can do with this information, how can knowing this be helpful for you? For thousands of years, Vedic, and Ancient Astrology have had traditions of using gemstones and talismans in order to help balance a person's birth chart. I'll share the link below, to an article you might find interesting: Astrological Remediation: The subtle art of creating a brighter future, one transit at a time by Andrea L. Gehrz For the purpose of this blog, I'll share some practices or strategies that might also be helpful. A few years ago I took a course in Astro Herbology as I feel that plant medicine is a useful ally, and I know that it has served me well. This particular topic opens up into medical astrology, which is another vast area that is fascinating, but outside the scope of this blog. Your homework is to figure out where your elemental/modality strength is, and where you might benefit from some remediation. In the next post I'll share some different balancing strategies, including practices, herbs, flower essences and crystals. If you have any questions regarding any of this please leave them in the comments below. Until next time! Carol Resources: *Mountain Astrologer Magazine: Chart Synthesis - Mary Plumb Astrology, Psychology, and The Four Elements - Stephen Arroyo
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"Astrology is a language, if you understand the language, the sky speaks to you" - Dane Rudhyar In today's blog post I'll be sharing information about the Zodiac Signs, Planets, and Houses. Although what I'm sharing here is really a simplification of a much more comprehensive process, I'm hoping that it will be enough to help you to begin to put the pieces together. It's important to remember that each individual part of your chart doesn't exist in isolation, they all work together and are part of the greater whole, which is your birth chart. Using your birth chart, you will notice that there are 12 sections, with various symbols or glyphs scattered around them. The pie shaped sections are the 'houses' and the glyphs inside the houses of your chart, represent the planets. The sign glyphs will be shown on the outer edge of the chart, and will begin in House 1, where your Ascendant or Rising Sign is located. (This diagram shows the bare bones of the chart - the houses and the sign rulerships, which always go in the same order around the wheel, beginning with Aries, and moving counter clockwise towards Pisces in the 12th house. Your chart will look very different, as you will likely have a different sign in the 1st house) For our purposes today, we'll be creating keyword phrases for the Planets, Signs and Houses as follows: The Planet indicates what energy is present The Zodiac Sign indicates how the topics of the signs 'express' themselves The House indicates 'where' or in what area of your life these energies are playing out The basic formula for you to do this is in your own chart is: Planet + Sign + House = What this means in your chart, and in your life! I've included elemental associations, as they may help you understand the quality of the energies that are present. I'll share more about the elements in the next blog post, as they really underpin all of this, and add an important layer that helps to put all of this together. I've also included the planetary rulerships, of the signs, again to help you to better understand how they work together. (Below you will find the glyphs or symbols for the Signs and Planets) Planets
What energy is present Sun - the Activator Fire element Self expression, will, assertion, vitality, identity, creativity, outer world Changes signs every month Moon - the Intuitive Water element Emotions, reflective, nourishing, subconscious, cycles, sensitivity, inner world Mercury - the Messenger Air element Communication, thought processes, movement, curiosity, changeability, learning Venus - the Lover Earth element Harmony, love, beauty, social interactions, pleasure, values Mars - the Warrior Fire element Dynamic force, courage, initiating, impulsive, aggression Jupiter - the Sage Fire element Expansion, achievement excess, growth, optimism Saturn - the Taskmaster/Teacher Earth element Structure, limitation, containment/boundaries, discipline, time, responsibility Uranus - the Innovator Air element Change, rebellion, liberation, humanitarian, innovative, original, disruptive, seeks freedom Neptune - the Dreamer Water element Imagination, illusion, spirituality, psychic abilities, escapism Pluto - the Transformer Water element Transformation, renewal, metamorphosis, death/rebirth Zodiac Signs How the topics of the signs 'express' themselves Aries Fire element Ruled by Mars Pioneering, innovative, direct, ambitious, competitive, an initiator, bold, ambitious, independent, action oriented, impulsive, may lack perseverance Taurus Earth element Ruled by Venus Ambitious, strong, dependable, stable, practical, enjoys earthly pleasures, generous, independent, stabilizing, grounded, stubborn, uncompromising Gemini Air element Ruled by Mercury A good communicator, sociable, gentle, affectionate, versatile, flexible and adaptable, intellectual, witty, quick reflexes, curious, can be indecisive Cancer Water element Ruled by the Moon Nurturing, tenacious, nurturing, loyal, highly imaginative, sympathetic, sentimental, family oriented, protective, sensitive, caring, can be moody Leo Fire element Ruled by the Sun Dramatic, outgoing, expressive, fiery, self assured, proud, generous, passionate, creative, cheerful, action oriented, optimistic, can be arrogant Virgo Earth element Ruled by Mercury Practical, logical, modest, hardworking, kind, analytical, loyal, detail oriented, discerning, thoughtful, wise, can be critical, blunt Libra Air element Ruled by Venus Social, fair-minded, diplomatic and gracious, partnership, social, seeks harmony, objective, likeable, team player, can be indecisive Scorpio Water element Ruled by Mars (Modern - Pluto) Passionate, introverted, magnetic, charismatic, determined, resourceful, brave, controlling, spiritual, strong willed, secretive, intense Sagittarius Fire element Ruled by Jupiter Expansive, fun loving, likes to travel, adventurous, takes risks, optimistic, extroverted, sense of humour, can be impatient, restless, undiplomatic Capricorn Earth element Ruled by Saturn Responsible, disciplined, self-control, serious, independent, strategic, good planner and organizer, goal oriented, ambitious, can be stubborn Aquarius Air element Ruled by Saturn (Modern - Uranus) Original, unconventional/eccentric, independent, innovative, seeks social justice, intellectual, rebellious/free-spirited, friendly but cool and reserved Pisces Water element Ruled by Jupiter (Modern - Neptune) Imaginative, idealistic, artistic, impressionable, intuitive, creative, generous, sensitive, self-less, compassionate, introspective, spiritual, day-dream Houses Where or in what area of your life are the energies of the Planet and the Sign are playing out. (Each house represents different areas of life, people/relationships, environments, ideas, and life circumstances.) 1st House - Self-Image Fire element I AM (Awareness of self) The Self (self awareness/ self image), physical appearance, identity, the mask that you wear in the world/ outward personality, how we initiate, how we're impulsive *This is the house that indicates what your ascendant or rising sign is. It's one of the most significant points in the birth chart. Your Sun sign represents who you truly are, underneath it all, and the Rising sign is the self you show to the world (how others perceive you). We'll be talking more about the Rising sign on the next blog post. 2nd House - Self-Worth and Resources Earth element I HAVE (Personal Resources) Physical resources, your desires and values, skills, sense of self worth, attitude towards wealth and material possessions 3rd House - Communication Air element I THINK (Immediate Environment) Communication, siblings, neighbours, early environment, short journeys, all forms of transportation, mental activity, learning, early education 4th House - Family, Home, Roots & Security Water element I NURTURE (Inner World) Home (and everything associated with it), family, land, personal foundations, parental influence (esp. Mother), your roots, ancestry, inner security 5th House - Self-Expression, Creativity & Pleasure Fire element I SERVE (Personal Creativity) Creativity, self-expression, fun, romance, offspring, personal interests, hobbies, risk-taking, pursuit of pleasure 6th House - Work & Health Earth element I SERVE (Daily Life) Service to others, issues of sickness and health, daily life and work, habits/routines, pets, lifestyles, self improvement 7th House - Partnership Air element I PARTNER (Awareness of others) One on one relationships of all kinds (marriage, partnerships etc.), contracts, how you fit into the world of others 8th House - Transformation Water element I TRANSFORM Issues around crisis and change, rebirth, sexuality, transformation, life lessons you need to learn, other peoples money/possessions, losses, secrets, wills/inheritance, regeneration 9th House - Belief Systems & Higher Learning Fire element I EXPLORE (Expanded horizons) Religion/Spirituality/Philosophy, higher education/learning, ideology, ethics, morals, long journeys, travel, foreign countries 10th House - Career, Responsibility & Reputation Earth element I ACHIEVE (Outer World) Career/Profession, social status, reputation, how society sees you, public life, authority figures, paternal parent 11th House - Aspirations & Groups Air element I ASPIRE (Group contribution) Friendships and groups, hopes and dreams, community involvement, social change, humanitarian interests, inner purpose 12th House - Soul Growth & Self Sabotage Water element I TRANSCEND (Spiritual life) Things that are unconscious, hidden or beneath the surface, inner worlds, shadow self, karma, past lives, soul growth, hidden strengths/weaknesses, dreams, confinement, self sabotage, escapism, transcendence Putting It All Together I will offer myself as an example of how this works. So please, feel free to play along at home! My Sun Sign is in Virgo - and so according to what I've just shared, this would suggest the following: The Sun is my 'identity' and shows how I'm active in the World, Virgo shows how the energy of the Sun is being expressed in my life, and the area of life this is happening is the 3rd House. Using the keywords above, it would indicate that my identity has to do with being practical and hardworking, but I might have to watch a tendency to be critical. (I cannot argue the critical part!) This happens in my 3rd House of communication and learning. I can take this further, and say that a lot of who I am, centres around learning, and communicating with others. I have a practical approach, and work hard to make things happen, but should watch a tendency to criticize others (ok, I'll try!) I'll share one more, and then it's your turn! My Moon Sign is in Aquarius. The Moon is my feelings/emotions, and Aquarius is the Zodiac Sign the Moon was in when I was born. Aquarius indicates how the energy of the Moon is being expressed in my life - the lens through which my inner world is experiencing my outer world. The area of life this is happening in is my 8th House which adds a layer of intensity (among other things). So again, using the keywords above, this placement would indicate that my emotional life, my inner world is felt deeply, though I can be so much in my mind that I feel detached from my feelings. I will add that it was when I began to understand my 'Moon' that astrology really clicked for me. My Aquarius Moon really felt so much like 'me', and finally I had someone or something to blame (just kidding!). I'd always felt different, and maybe that was part of the plan! Now it's your turn!!! I hope you enjoy doing this, and that it is helpful for you. There is so much information available on Astrology, it really is a life long journey, and even then I know that I'll never grasp it all!!! It's a matter of gradually layering in information from various sources, in order to gain a better understanding of myself. I'm glad that you're joining me, as it's more fun to do this with company! I'd encourage you to create a journal, or make some notes in some way. You might want to practice writing the 'glyphs' for the planets and signs, and/or you might want to get a book on astrology, to deepen your understanding of the planets, signs and houses. There are a few I would recommend in the 'Resources' section, and online there are several good places as well (CafeAstrology is one). If you don't have a birth chart yet, you can get a free one at Astro.com (or various other places), or on the Time Passages app. These are the ones I'm most familiar with. If I can help you, please let me know! Until next time - Carol Virgo Sun, Cancer Rising, Aquarius Moon, Chart Ruler - The Moon |
Hi, I'm Carol - Thank you for visiting my Blog! I can be found most nights looking up at the Moon & the Stars, no matter what the weather. It was after I began learning Astrology and better understood the 'symbols' in my birth chart, that I felt 'seen', and gained some valuable perspectives about myself and my life!
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