Lesson 5: The Elements

Before Getting Started…

Video on the Eclipses: If you haven’t already seen it, I posted a video earlier in the month on my YouTube channel about the March 25th and April 8th eclipses. If you would like to watch it, just click on the link provided.

About this Article: This article is the next to last in the sign series. The focus is the elements. In the final article, I’ll go over the hemispheres, which will provide a big-picture context for the signs.

Assignments and Quiz: I got behind this week so have not yet written up the assignments or quiz. Rather than holding off until I got those done, I decided to go ahead and post the lesson. I should have the rest out within a few days. I will post the links in the chat so keep your eye out there.

I Highly Recommend: One of the reasons I got behind is because I had the good fortune of having a personal constellation done a couple of weeks ago. It was really eye-opening and helpful and my focus has been on the shifts that have come with it. I’ll have more to say about that later. If anyone is interested in having a personal or family constellation done, I highly recommend

Natalia Blagoeva

. She also leads societal constellations, which are pretty incredible. Her Substack is great, too!

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Introduction

In the previous two lessons, we looked at the sign groups derived from the quadrants. In this lesson, we are going to look at another sign group called the elements. In astrology, the elements are Fire, Earth, Air, and Water. These elements were defined before our modern conception of elements was conceived and delineated in the periodic table. Before the periodic table, these four elements were considered by some to be the building blocks of creation.

In astrology, the elements were incorporated into the wheel by assigning each sign to an element. The assignments were done in a systematic way such that three signs were assigned to each element group. We will look at how the signs for each group were chosen in the next section.

Each of the three signs within an element shares the symbolism of the element to which it belong. Thus, we can gain insight into the meaning of the signs by considering the symbolism of their element, adding this understanding to the other pieces we have learned.

The Elements

Before looking at the symbolism of the elements, let’s look at the signs in each group and how they were assigned.

As shown in the table below, the Fire element includes Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. The Earth element includes Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. The Air element includes Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius. And the Water element includes Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces.

How the Signs Were Assigned

Looking at the table, you will notice that if you read the table like a book from left to right starting at the top left, the signs proceed in zodiacal order. In the first row, we have Aries (Fire), Taurus (Earth), Gemini (Air), and Cancer (Water), the first four signs of the zodiac. In the second row, we have the next four signs, Leo (Fire), Virgo (Earth), Libra (Air), and Scorpio (Water). In the final row, we have the final four signs, Sagittarius (Fire), Capricorn (Earth), Aquarius (Air), and Pisces (Water).

In the wheel on the left below, the signs are shown in their natural order on the wheel, each assigned a background color to indicate their element. The wheel on the right below shows the element color scheme, with red representing Fire, green representing Earth, purple representing Air, and blue representing Water.

Looking at both wheels above and taking note of the three thick white lines on each, we can see that the element scheme divides the wheel into three equal-sized sections, with each section containing one Fire sign, one Earth sign, one Air sign, and one Water sign, in that order.

The second wheel above shows that each sign covers 30 degrees. If we count from one sign of a given element to the next sign of the same element, we find that the distance is 120 degrees. If we count from that second sign to the third sign in the group, we discover that we get another 120 degrees. And if we count from the third sign back to the first sign, we get 120 degrees, again. (For a visual of this scheme, see the four charts below.)

Let’s consider the Fire element. Looking at the first wheel below (upper left), we can see that when we count from Aries to Leo, we get 120 degrees. When we count from Leo to Sagittarius, we also get 120 degrees. And when we count from Sagittarius back to Aries, we get 120 degrees, again. Thus, all the signs in the Fire element are 120 degrees apart from one another. The same is true for the signs in the other elements, as shown in the rest of the wheels below.

Once we start working with aspects, or the distance in degrees between planets on the wheel, knowing the degree distance between the signs in an element will come in handy.¹

The Elements as a Process

Continuing to look at the four wheels above, notice that each element contains one cardinal sign, one fixed sign, and one mutable sign, each proceeding in the order of the modalities, though not always starting with the same modality.

We saw in the previous lesson that the modalities represent the flow of a process, represented by each quadrant, from its starting point (cardinal) to its middle point (fixed) to its end point (mutable). (See wheel below.) Because each element contains one sign from each modality, we can apply this same idea of an unfolding process to the elements.

Looking at the Fire signs shown in the first wheel below (upper left), we see that the first Fire sign, Aries, is a cardinal sign, sitting in the first quadrant. The second Fire sign, Leo, is a fixed sign, sitting in the second quadrant. And the third Fire sign, Sagittarius, is a mutable sign, sitting in the third quadrant. Thus, we see a pattern of cardinal to fixed to mutable.

Moving on to the Earth element, as shown in the second wheel above (upper right), we see a slight deviation from the pattern. While the order of the signs in terms of modality is correct, the starting point is a fixed sign rather than a cardinal sign. Thus, the Earth element flows from Taurus, a fixed sign, to Virgo, a mutable sign, to Capricorn, a cardinal sign. (See the table below.)

The Air element (lower left wheel above) also has a different starting point. It begins with the mutable sign Gemini, continues to the cardinal sign, Libra, and finishes up with the fixed sign Aquarius. (See table below.)

Finishing up with the Water signs (lower right wheel above), we see that we return to a cardinal starting point in Cancer. Next is the fixed sign Scorpio and then the mutable sign, Pisces. (See table above.)

While we won’t consider this feature of the elements in detail, as I have been writing this article, it has struck me that one can sense, even if only subtly, a hint of the quadruplicty in which each element starts running through all the signs in the element, not just the first sign. For example, I pick up on dynamism (cardinality) in all the Fire signs. I see a sense of routine (fixity) running through the Earth signs. I notice an ease with uncertainty (mutability) in the Air signs. And I see a birthing theme (cardinality) running through the water signs.²

While I would recommend walking lightly on this observation, I include it as a way of saying that noting our insights and observations as we go can be helpful. The idea isn’t to get attached to an idea but to note it and let it be there for inspiration to pick up on in the right moment, the right moment being when it may offer helpful insight or flesh out a pattern.

The Symbolic Meaning of the Elements

Below are my brief takes on each element and each sign within each element. It is always good to read the perspectives of others to give yourself a broad understanding.³ In addition to looking at astrology sources, information from non-astrology sources such as alchemy and other wisdom traditions can provide insight. Finally, noticing and engaging with the elements themselves in nature can give us a lot of insight. Regarding the natural elements, the following questions can be helpful to consider:

• What does an element feel like?

• What does it sound like?

• What does it look like?

• How does it make you feel?

• What are its different manifestations, etc?

Consider that each element in nature can be awe-inspiring, soothing, and frightening. But each is so in its own way. Contemplating all of these things and more can offer insight.

Now onto my descriptions. I invite you to write up your own.

The Fire Element

Core word: Spirit

The core word for Fire is Spirit. Spirit expands, which we see in Fire. Words like passion, personality (animation), and expression also fit with Spirit and are part of the Fire symbolism. Fire animates by lighting up what it touches. It expresses through its dance-like movements. Passion speaks to the intensity inherent in fire and also the suffering that, historically, has been part of the spiritual experience. Fire also represents our innate knowing, knowing that is based on our inner light. In the Fire element, it is as though Spirit is seeking to find, know, and express itself.

Keywords: Spirit, passion, expression, heat, light, knowledge, expansion, fun…

Fire Signs

Aries

Aries represents the cardinal aspect of Fire. In the first quadrant, it represents identity. Thus, in Aries, we see the identity aspect of Fire, with the primary knowing being I Am and the primary question being Who am I? Both the knowing and the question prompt it to take action. As both the seed underground and the pioneer in new lands, Aries finds its way in the dark by using its innate attunement to its light (identity). Aries is also the passionate warrior and the ardent suitor. Because Aries is the first sign in the unfolding process of Fire, we can look to see how identity unfolds through the Fire element.

Leo

Leo represents the fixed aspect of Fire. In the second quadrant, it represents expression. Thus, in Leo, we see the expression aspect of Fire. Leo is the innate light in the child that is unabashedly expressed. Sometimes that expression is in the form of drama and acting. When the child playfully dresses up and play acts different roles, it is as though she is trying on different identities, infusing them with life and perhaps weeding out those she is not interested in as she goes.⁴⁵ As a fixed sign, Leo’s rulership of fun, play, expression, etc., suggests that these are meant to be mainstays in our lives, sustaining our light throughout our lives, not just childhood.

Sagittarius

Sagittarius is the mutable aspect of Fire. In the third quadrant, it represents relationship. Thus, in Sagittarius, we see the relationship aspect of Fire. Sagittarius is called to explore new cultural territories of culture. In the process, it meets new people from different cultures and learns about their different perspectives, beliefs, knowledge, and experiences. Through its exploration, Sagittarius expands its awareness. As it does so, its sense of identity and its understanding and perspectives regarding the world and life shift and change.

The Earth Element

Core word: Manifestation

The core of Earth is manifestation, though we could also think of it as Body. It symbolizes the grounding and dynamic stabilization of Spirit in physical form. In manifested form on the Earth, we learn to survive and thrive, mastering the art of sustaining ourselves over the long term. To do so, we must learn the skills and practical realities relevant to the scarcity-to-abundance continuum. Ultimately, the work in the Earth element is to master the cycle of fertility and life such that the cycle of well-being in the body is fostered and sustained over time. Thus, the Earth element is about learning how to master physical reality, including our own bodies, to sustain abundance over the long haul.

Keywords: Manifestation, reality, limits, grounding, fertility, abundance, scarcity, form, cultivation…

Earth Signs

Taurus

Taurus is the fixed aspect of Earth. In the first quadrant, it relates to identity. In Taurus, we narrow and stabilize our sense of identity so that we can establish a grounded relationship with ourselves and the land on which we live. We do so via our inbuilt senses. Limits in Taurus are defined by what our senses tell us - what we like and dislike, what pleases us and what doesn’t, what is safe to move towards and what is not, what supports our well-being and what doesn’t. They are also defined by what our natural gifts and talents are and the resources the Earth makes available to us. Because this first sign in the Earth element begins in the identity quadrant, we can consider how identity unfolds through the next two signs.

Virgo

Virgo is the mutable aspect of Earth. In the second quadrant, it relates to expression. In Virgo, our focus is on the mutable quality of learning, with learning being a key to shifting from one level of development to another, or, we could say, from one level of identity to another. In other words, Virgo represents a transition period from childhood to adulthood. Before Virgo, we are carefree children expressing our light and receiving the support we need to grow and develop. After Virgo, we are independent beings able to form interdependent relationships with others based on equality rather than dependence.

Virgo’s work is to take the raw materials, gifts, talents, and sense of self we brought with us from Taurus and infused with light and animation in Leo, and refine them. To do so, we must enter into practices that develop the skills we need to know related to the ongoing upkeep of our bodies and minds and also related to our specific gifts and talents. By developing these skills, we cultivate humility and prepare the vessel of our body to be a vehicle through which Spirit can act in service to others.

Capricorn

Capricorn is the cardinal aspect of Earth. In the fourth quadrant, it relates to the greater good. In Capricorn, our work is to develop mastery of our material reality and our gifts and talents so that we can participate in and contribute to the greater good. To do so, we step onto a path in the outer world that will challenge us. A specific requirement on the mastery path is that of learning from masters. To meet this requirement, to some extent, we must conform to the expectations of others.

The challenge in this requirement is that, if we conform too much, we lose touch with our inherent sense of identity. Although we may master an outer path, we will not succeed at the more vital work of achieving mastery of ourselves. At the same time, if we don’t conform at all, we may never achieve the mastery of path we so require to be able to participate and contribute at this next level. Thus, in Capricorn, we may experience the classic one step forward, two steps back of cardinal energy as we seek to find the sweet spot that allows us to develop mastery of both ourselves and our outer path. (The other side of this coin is the challenge of the master to teach and guide while also allowing room for the individual to be who they are.)

Mastery in Capricorn, it should be noted, is also about the ability to sustain abundance even in conditions of scarcity by wisely using and managing resources. Failure means struggling with scarcity.

The Air Element

Core word: Thought

The core of Air is thought, though we could also choose Mind, instead. Thought, in all its forms, combined with emotion, is a precursor to manifestation. It is interesting to note on this front that Air always precedes Water on the wheel. To truly manifest what we want, our work is to choose those thoughts that elicit positive, life-affirming feelings. Thought also gives rise to communication, as communication is the result of translating our thoughts and ideas into symbols and words.

In addition to thought and communication, Air symbolizes the wind, which changes all the time, like thoughts. These changes can be positive or negative, indicating the need to practice awareness of our thoughts and how to work with them. When comparing Air to Earth, the element that always precedes Air on the wheel, we see that Earth relates to the practical skills of working with the material reality that is already there. In Air, we are working in the abstract realm to develop the skill of programming our future reality. Insofar as manifesting out of thin air is a form of magic, Air also relates to magic.

Keywords: Thought, communication, change, magic, relationship, ideas, curiosity, wind, exchange…

Air Signs

Gemini

Gemini is the mutable aspect of Air. I think of Gemini as the child at play. I also think of it as the leaves on the trees exchanging gases with the Air. Having narrowed down our preferences in Taurus, in Gemini, we enter the world of thought, branching out from that more stable inner and outer base as we become curious about our environment, ourselves, and others. Gemini asks questions, to which we seek answers from our environment. As we learn our immediate world, we gain perspective.

We also learn ourselves, expanding our sense of identity relative to the foundation we built up in Taurus. If our foundation is not strong, when we get to the work of Gemini, we can become overloaded with information, losing all perspective.

Gemini’s ruler, Mercury, is the trickster. Its rulership suggests that thoughts can trick us. Gemini is the precursor to Cancer, our emotional world. We need connection with our emotions to know what’s true. Gemini sets us up for emotional connection because thought naturally gives rise to emotion. Because this first sign in the Air element begins in the identity quadrant, we can consider how identity unfolds through the next two signs.

Libra

Libra is the cardinal aspect of Air. In Libra, we initiate one-on-one relationships, including friendships, marriage, and business partnerships. Unlike in Gemini, our focus is not on learning ourselves through our engagement with our environment but learning ourselves and one another through engaging in conversation and partnership with others, one at a time. In relationship with others one at a time, we gain new perspectives on our sense of self, including discovering areas that are out of alignment. Our relationships, in other words, serve as a mirror helping us gain perspective on who we are and also where we are in our relationship with ourselves.

Ruled by Venus and symbolized by the scales, Libra judges what it encounters - people, information, art, etc - against a standard of beauty and aesthetics. Libra is the diplomat, using discernment to artfully communicate with others regarding delicate matters.

Aquarius

Aquarius is the fixed aspect of Air. In Aquarius, we put what we think we know to the test to establish a more sound and grounded understanding of our world and experience. To do so, we rely on tried and true methods of inquiry (the fixed aspect of the sign), like the scientific process. By using these methods to test our assumptions, we can reason our way into the future (Aquarius). Because of our experiments, our reality can suddenly and unexpectedly change, surprising all of us. This sudden shift is also an aspect of fixity insofar as that which is fixed can become stuck, resulting in moments when the stuckness suddenly becomes unstuck.

Our experiments also apply to our identity; fresh from our experience in Capricorn and the realm of conformity, in Aquarius we experiment with who we are, breaking free of conventional molds and identities. Ideally, we are doing so from a foundation of mastery, now able to add our own flare or infuse our own essence into what we have learned. Ultimately, in Aquarius, we individuate according to the inner spark that is unique to each of us.

We also create organizations and affiliations that allow us to collaborate with other individuated humans, sharing our ideas, ideals, and findings with one another to elevate humanity. The vibe of Aquarius is enlightenment and awakening. In Aquarius, we awaken to our basic, innate humanity as individuals and as collectives and our goal is to live in enlightened communities.

The Water Element

Core word: Emotion

The core of Water is Emotion, but we could also think of it as Soul. Emotion is the precursor or seed of expression and creativity. Emotion allows us to experience ourselves and others, and so understand ours and another’s experience. The infant’s ability to come to know itself is dependent on others who respond to its emotions, helping it modulate them by providing empathy, nourishment, and comfort. In this way, the Water element relates to nurturance, nourishment, and comfort. As others respond to the infant’s emotions, it learns to process its own emotions. When we avoid emotion, we avoid self-knowing, growth, and empathy.

Emotion is meant to flow. When it becomes stagnant, like when water becomes stagnant, it becomes unhealthy. When it consistently flows too strongly, overtaking everything else, it also becomes unhealthy. In either case, we are blocked from healthy self-knowing and the growth that is possible from the processing of emotion.

While all of the astrological archetypes symbolize love in one form or another, the signs in the Water element symbolize those forms of love that evoke strong and bonding emotion. Interestingly, the Water element is the only element that does not start in the identity quadrant. Instead, it starts in the expression quadrant.

Water Signs

Cancer

Cancer is the cardinal aspect of the Water element. In Cancer, we initiate with our emotions, as seen in the infant crying when uncomfortable and in need in some way. The mother or caregiver in turn responds to provide the infant with the comfort and nurturance it needs to feel secure and gradually learn how to modulate its own emotions and experience.

In Cancer, our focus is on home and family, with familial roots going back through the generations. We are born into, are conditioned by, and inherit emotional patterns that shape our sense of reality. For some, if not many, these emotional patterns may trace back to the attachment patterns in the family lineage.

Cancer’s primary needs are protection, nurturance, nourishment, and empathy. The love symbolized by Cancer is that of the mother and child. Some of the deepest experiences of joy and pain arise from this bond of love. It shapes our ego identity and influences how we express ourselves as we grow. Cancer also represents literal birth.

Scorpio

Scorpio is the fixed aspect of the Water element and is fundamentally about the inexorable process of metamorphosis. Metaphorically speaking, what we go through in Scorpio is very much like the process the caterpillar goes through on the way to becoming a butterfly. In the Scorpionic chrysalis, we are brought to our knees as our old self dies as part of an unrelenting process of being born anew at a higher level of being. There is no escaping the chrysalis and the battle that goes on in Scorpio.

In this emotional free fall, we encounter the shadow side of life and ourselves and the power dynamics we and others engage in when faced with the fear that arises from a process we don’t understand and have no control over. Encountering the shadow side and moving through the rocky terrain of power struggles are both essential. Without them, we would exist in a fantasy realm, never able to penetrate to the depths where true choice is possible.

In Scorpio, our true power resides in our ability to process the intense emotions that arise in this realm. Processing these emotions, we empower ourselves to choose what is right, to choose what is good, and to choose love, because we now have the experience of the contrast to make those choices. Without that contrast, we would not be able to make such clear, genuine, and deep choices.

Scorpio also symbolizes deep, intense, sexual love, a love that can initiate us into the metamorphic cycle of Scorpio. As with Cancer, we can experience both intense joy and pain in the context of this relationship.

Pisces

Pisces is the mutable aspect of the Water element. In Pisces, we return to Source at the end of a cycle, letting go of what came before and preparing for our next cycle of incarnation and experience. Thus, we forgive and let go and release the past. We also dream the new into being. As the old ends, we can become lost and confused, not understanding that all things must inevitably come to an end.

As the final step in a long cycle, in Pisces, we meet all that came before. If all our foundations were soundly built and we enjoyed a good life, then our time here may feel like a satisfying time of completion and letting go. If we were not able to successfully build prior foundations, we may experience pain from the awareness of lack of one kind or another. Experiencing the pain of failure and lack, we can get lost in confusion, illusion, illness, and/or addiction to blunt the pain and fill the void we feel. We can see these experiences as signals inviting our awareness, the first step in the process of change. We can then enter into a process of rebirth and renewal.

The love that Pisces symbolizes is that between Source and us, which is to say, between the love that encompasses and pervades all and our individualized, egoic expression of love, or between the ocean and the wave. In Pisces, we can experience transcendent bliss, but also depravity and suffering rooted in a sense of estrangement from ourselves.

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who has subscribed to my Substack for your support and interest in what I do. I hope that what I share continues to be helpful for you as you travel your path.

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Updates

3/26/2024: I corrected the modality wheel for the Air signs. The original mistakenly had Capricorn highlighted as the final Air sign instead of Aquarius. I also made a couple of other minor edits.

References

Maree, Jordane. (2023, Dec 1). What Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable Signs in Astrology Mean for You. yoga journal. https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/astrology/modality-astrology/

1. If you go back and look at the quadruplicities from the previous lesson, you’ll notice that they are defined by the 90-degree distance and also the 180-degree distance. This information will also come in handy when working with aspects.

2. I was able to link the theme of birthing I see in the Water signs to the cardinal quadruplicity thanks to Yoga Journal’s article, What Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable Signs in Astrology Mean for You.

3. There are lots of great articles online that cover the elements. There are also lots of great books covering the basics of astrology, generally, including the meanings of the signs. It is just a matter of exploring what’s there and finding what resonates with you.

4. If this idea of play-acting helping to weed out identities that aren’t right for us is correct, this process is not unlike what we see in Taurus. In Taurus, we start with all of the experiences we generated in Aries and slowly narrow them down as we filter them through our felt senses. In Leo, we act out those we carried forward to try them on for size, so to speak.

5. To avoid clunkiness, I decided to stick with one pronoun. Of course, the statement is meant to apply to all people.