-Just your typical granola hippie & Astorlowhore-

Even if someone cannot understand or share the feelings of someone else does not mean that they cannot show sympathy, compassion or kindness

A quick and accurate reading of any astrology chart is based on four parts: 1.) understanding the zodiac signs, 2.) the angles and houses 3.) the planets/luminaries, certain asteroids and a few special points, and 4.) the meaning of aspects.

The signs are the most important and are easy to read for yourself once you get away from superficial meme culture and realize they represent archetypes of the principles of human life forming complete cycles. Having a pattern and an order makes them easier to memorize with time.

UNDERSTANDING SIGN ARCHETYPES

Again, I am talking about the signs as archetypes, NOT AS PEOPLE’S SUN SIGNS. Very important distinction. The meaning of each sign is deeply spiritual and not arbitrary. There is a perfect pattern that can be unfolded several ways:

Three modalities– the modalities represent the movement of energy. They are cardinal, fixed, and mutable– and four elements– fire, earth, air, and water– but we’ll come back to the elements in a minute.

Cardinal energy is proactive, moving things forward, and associated with the ascendant, descendant, midheaven (or MC) and lower heaven (commonly called the IC). Every sign that is naturally on an angle in the original zodiac wheel (like the one in the photo below) is a cardinal sign. The angles are the most important houses of the zodiac. We’ll get to the houses further down in another post because this one is already too long.

So the cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn… that’s one in each element. Each modality has one sign from each element.

The next modality is fixed. Fixed energy is settled, stubborn, an anchor, reliable, steady. There are four fixed signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius… one from each element.

And there are four mutable signs. Mutable signs are flexible, transitional, versatile, multi-talented, and service-oriented. The mutable signs are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.

So to recap, in the fire element, there is one cardinal fire sign (Aries), one fixed fire sign (Leo), and one mutable fire sign (Sagittarius)…

In the earth element, there is one cardinal earth sign (Capricorn), one fixed earth sign (Taurus) and one mutable earth sign (Virgo)…

In the air element there is one cardinal air sign (Libra), one fixed air sign (Aquarius) and one mutable air sign (Gemini)…

And in the water element there is one cardinal water sign (Cancer), one fixed water sign (Scorpio) and one mutable water sign (Pisces).

So, fire and air are supposedly “masculine” - meaning outward/extroverted energy, acting upon– these are the fire signs, Aries, Leo and Sagittarius, and the air signs, Gemini, Libra and Aquarius…

The elements in Western astrology are traditionally split into two polarities, often called “masculine” and “feminine”, and completely unrelated to gender roles whatsoever.

In the chart I included below, they are represented by a plus or minus sign, which makes more sense. I highly recommend the book this picture is from, by the way: Astrology, The Divine Science, by Marcia Moore and Mark Douglas.

and water and earth are supposedly “feminine” - meaning receptive and more introverted– this includes the water signs, Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces, and the earth signs, Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.

Once again, these expressions do not necessarily relate to any given person with a particular sun sign. For instance, not all Pisceans are introverted or flexible and not all Leos are extroverted and stubborn. But that doesn’t change the pure archetype of the zodiac signs.

Modalities through the elements: let’s start with fire. The element of fire is passionate, courageous and creative. 

So…. there is one cardinal fire sign, (Aries)

one fixed fire sign, (Leo)

and one mutable fire sign, (Sagittarius).

The element of earth is practical, goal-oriented and concerned with material things. And there is

one cardinal earth sign, (Capricorn)

one fixed earth sign, (Taurus)

and one mutable earth sign, (Virgo).

The air element is an expression of mental, intellectual energy and communication– and there is

one cardinal air sign, (Libra)

one fixed air sign, (Aquarius)

and one mutable air sign, (Gemini).

The water element is all about emotions, emotional needs and attachments and the spiritual realms. There is

one cardinal water sign, (Cancer)

one fixed water sign, (Scorpio)

and one mutable water sign (Pisces).

Now, the first four signs (Aries, Taurus, Gemini and Cancer) represent the child and youth (ages 0-21) and Self - (“me”)…

The second group of four signs (Leo, Virgo, Libra, and Scorpio) represent young adulthood and relating between two people (“me and you”)…

The third group of four signs (Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces) represent mature adulthood and universal relating or community (“us” and “them”).

So each element (fire, earth, water and air) has one sign in each maturity/development group….

ARIES is fire as it expresses through Youth and Self, LEO is fire as it relates through Adulthood and Relationships, and SAGITTARIUS is fire through Maturity and Universal truths.

TAURUS is earth as it expresses through Youth and Self, VIRGO is earth as it relates through Adulthood and Relationships, and CAPRICORN is earth through Maturity and Universal truths.

GEMINI is air as it expresses through Youth and Self, LIBRA is air as it relates through Adulthood and Relationships, and AQUARIUS is air through Maturity and Universal truths.

CANCER is water as it expresses through Youth and Self, SCORPIO is water as it relates through Adulthood and Relationships, and PISCES is water through Maturity and Universal truths.

Again, this is NOT SUN SIGNS. These are the ARCHETYPE systems that astrology is based on. Understand these, and you understand most of astrology.

Complementary signs

Furthermore, each of the signs on the zodiac wheel is perfectly complemented by the sign exactly opposite to it. As an archetype, each sign is an incomplete or unbalanced theme without its counterpart.

These are the opposite signs with their complementary themes:

Aries (self, raw energy) - Libra (diplomacy, harmony, justice)

Taurus (material possessions, foundations, security) - Scorpio (psyche, transformation, legacy, crisis)

Gemini (self expression, your story and community/neighborhood) - Sagittarius (higher learning, other cultures, finding your place in the world/universe)

Cancer (mother, home, nourishment and security) - Capricorn (father, responsibilities, reputation and tradition)

Leo (creativity and leadership) - Aquarius (idealism and activism)

Virgo (service, discipline, health) - Pisces (sacrifice, universal love, understanding)

1st House: Defined by the Ascendant, the First House defines you. It covers the all “firsts”: first impressions, the self and appearance, leadership, new initiatives, fresh starts and beginnings. The sign on the cusp, or starting edge, of this house, is referred to as your rising sign or ascendant, as mentioned before. (Ruled by Aries)

2nd House: The second house covers all matters related to your immediate material and physical environment—taste, smells, sound, touch, sights. Natal planets in the Second House tend to seek security through their material world. Planets transiting the Second House reveal changes in resources or self-esteem. The second house also rules income, money, and self-esteem. (Ruled by Taurus)

3rd House: The third house rules all forms of communication—talking, thinking, gadgets and devices (cell phones, pagers, Instant Messenger, etc.). Natal planets in the Third House are motivated by expression and often build close relationships with their peers, including siblings, coworkers, and classmates. When planets transit the Third House, we often receive important information about our immediate network. The third house also covers siblings, neighbourhoods, local travel, libraries, schools, teachers and community affairs. (Ruled by Gemini)

4th House: The fourth house sits at the very bottom of the zodiac wheel, and thus, rules the “foundation” of all things. Natal planets in the Fourth House reveal an individual’s relationship with the maternal figure, as well as their unique outlook on domesticity. Planets moving across the Fourth House often encourage us to invest in our infrastructure by creating more private, nurturing spaces within. This includes your home, privacy, your basic security, your parents (particularly your mother), children, your own mothering abilities, nurturing, and TLC. (Ruled by Cancer)

5th House: The fifth house is ruled by Leo, and it governs self-expression, drama, creativity, colour, attention, romance, fun and play. Natal planets in the Fifth House are linked to your intrinsic artistic expression, while planets transiting the Fifth House often deliver eureka moments that boost our confidence. (Ruled by Leo)

6th House: The sixth house is the domain of health and service. Whereas the body you’re born with exists in the First House, the choices made over a lifetime create the body found in your Sixth House. It rules schedules, organisation, routines, fitness, diet and exercise, natural and healthy living, helpfulness and being of service to others. Those with natal planets in this zone are often fuelled by organisation and structure and tend to focus on time and calendar management. Planets transiting the Sixth House help us form habits and redefine our schedules. (Ruled by Virgo)

7th House: The seventh house is the sector of relationships and other people. It governs all partnerships, both business and personal, and relationship-associated matters, like contracts, marriage, and business deals. The Seventh House (the Descendent) sits directly across from the First House Ascendant. Up until now, all the Houses explore an individual's immediate world: Their money, home, and friends. In the Seventh House, however, the concept of perspective is introduced. Simply put, the Seventh House symbolises your “cosmic plus one.” Those with natal planets in the Seventh House tend to be very focused on relationships, gravitating towards partnership in all areas of life. Planets moving through the Seventh House help us close deals, securing our bonds by signing contracts and making things official. (Ruled by Libra)

8th House: The eighth house is a mysterious sector that rules birth, death, sex, transformation, mysteries, merged energies, and bonding at the deepest level. The eighth house also rules other people’s property and money (real estate, inheritances, investments, et. al. I often refer to the Eighth House as the “haunted house” of the birth chart. Those with natal planets in the Eighth House are often attracted to supernatural or occult topics, intense romances, and will likely regenerate often within their lifetime. Planets transiting this area help us understand the underbelly of any situation and serve as a reminder of life’s complexities. (Ruled by Scorpio)

9th House: The ninth house covers the higher mind, expansion, international and long-distance travel, foreign languages, inspiration, optimism, publishing, broadcasting, universities and higher education, luck, risk, adventure, gambling, religion, philosophy, morals and ethics. Those born with natal planets in the Ninth House are extremely curious and inquisitive, with deep-rooted wanderlust. When planets move across the Ninth House we often begin studying a new topic, move to a foreign location, or adopt a completely different perspective. (Ruled by Sagittarius)

10th House (midheaven): The tenth house is at the very top and most public part of the chart. The tenth house governs structures, corporations, tradition, public image, fame, honours, achievements, awards, boundaries, rules, discipline, authority, fathers and fatherhood. The cusp, or border, of the tenth house is also called the midheaven, and it clues astrologers into your career path. Natal planets in the Tenth House reveal an ambitious individual, and changes in the profession often occur when planets transit this zone. (Ruled by Capricorn)

11th House: The eleventh house rules teams, friendships, groups, society, technology, video and electronic media, networking, social justice, rebellion, and humanitarian causes. It also rules originality, eccentricity, sudden events, surprises, invention, astronomy, science fiction and all things futuristic. Those born with planets in the Eleventh House are often defined by their revolutionary ideas. Transiting planets through this domain help us broaden our reach as we define our role within society. (Ruled by Aquarius)