This is the second of seven posts teaching you how to interpret your birth chart. Check out the previous post here.
Before we start,
*Alexa, please play “Signs” by Beyoncé Feat. Missy Elliot*
Honestly, with Beyoncé’s contribution to zodiac signs and their archetypes, we could just stop here and continue on with the next post. Yet, even though her interpretations are SPOT ON, I want to use this post as an opportunity to move past other people’s interpretations of zodiac signs so we can start to create our own.
In astrology, zodiac signs represent the patterns that show up within our lives when planets pass through specific constellations.
This post seeks to help you consider how signs behave, and therefore, pattern the way we experience life. By understanding these patterns, you can create your own interpretations of each sign based on the context of your situation.
Picking up where we left off
In the last post, we left off with something that looks like this.
This chart tells us which sign each planet was in on the day we were born. For this post, We’ll focus on the first five planets: sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars. The three-letter abbreviations in blue, on the right column, represent the signs that you’ll be analyzing today.
In this example, the sun was in Libra, the moon was in Pisces, Mercury was in Libra, Venus was in Libra, and Mars was in Leo on the day this person was born.
Zodiac Abbreviation Key:
Ari -Aries
Tau - Taurus
Gem - Gemini
Can - Cancer
Leo - Leo
Vir - Virgo
Lib - Libra
Sco - Scorpio
Sag - Sagittarius
Cap - Capricorn
Aqu - Aquarius
Pis - Pisces
How The Signs Behave
For the most part, when people write horoscopes or make assumptions about zodiac signs, they’re actually referring to the element, modality, and polarity of a sign.
These concepts help us understand the qualities of each sign, their relationship to each other, and how they pattern our lives.
KEY TAKEAWAY: No sign has the same combination of qualities, making them all different from each other.
Starting With Elements
The element of a sign helps us think about its temperament, nature, and the way it expresses its energy. Astrology considers our interpretations of the four organic elements: Fire, Water, Earth, and Air.
From a humanistic perspective, elements help us think about what animates us, our relationship with the material world, our feelings and emotions, and how we process our thoughts.
Fire Signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
These signs focus on the energy that animates our spirit and helps us recognize our identity.
If you have fire signs, you can consider what drives you to connect with your life purpose.
Earth Signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
These signs help us consider our need to cultivate material substance, or how individuals use their resources.
If you have earth signs, you can consider how you use resources like money, land, or other people to create the life you want.
Air Signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
These signs help us create social and intellectual connections. How individuals process information and communicate with each other.
If you have air signs you can consider how you express yourself and life purpose through your thoughts and social interactions
Water Signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
These signs help us connect with emotions and intuition.
If you have water signs you can consider how your emotions and intuition guide your daily life.
CHECKPOINT: Of the five signs you identified above, which elements show up in your chart? Do you have an even mix of all the elements? Do you have a concentration of planets in one element? Are there elements where you don’t have planets?
For the example above, they have three planets in Libra, an air sign; one planet in Pisces, a water sign; one planet in Leo, a fire sign. With this, one might interpret that this individual leans more on the social side, but maintains a connection with their emotions, and identity. However, they may not be as focused on cultivating material wealth.
Modalities
While the element of a sign helps us understand how a sign’s energy manifests, the modality of a sign helps us understand the behavior of each sign. You’ll notice, each element is represented within each modality.
Cardinal Signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn
These signs are associated with creation, initiation, or new beginnings. They choose to behave in ways that allow them to intiate new ideas. Although many times they may delegate or neglect the work needed in order to manifest their ideas.
An easy way to think about this is through the Earth’s seasons. Aries starts Spring, Cancer starts Summer, Libra starts Fall, and Capricorn starts Winter.
Fixed Signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius
These signs are associated with their ability to preserve and focus their energy within a situation. They tend to be steady and pace their energy.
In connection to the Earth’s seasons, fixed signs represent the mid-point of a season. Taurus represents the midpoint of Spring, Leo represents the midpoint of Summer, Scorpio represents the midpoint of Fall, and Aquarius represents the midpoint of Winter.
Mutable Signs: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces
These signs are associated with their flexibility when they approach situations. They can be either Cardinal or Fixed or gracefully transition between both.
In connection to the Earth’s seasons, mutable signs represent the transition between seasons. Gemini represents the transition between Spring and Summer; Virgo represents the transition between Summer and Fall; Sagittarius represents the transition between Fall and Winter; Pisces represents the transition between Winter and Spring.
CHECKPOINT: Of the five signs you identified above, which modalities show up in your chart? Do you have an even mix of all the modalities? Do you have a concentration of signs in one modality? Are there modalities where you’re lacking?
For the example above, they have three planets in Libra, a cardinal sign; one planet in Pisces, a mutable sign; one planet in Leo, a fixed sign. With this, one might interpret that this individual is someone who’s great at getting things started, although they may not always be great at sustaining their energy for long periods of time, or as flexible as other people. Although, with intention, they can access the mutable and fixed sides of their chart.
Polarity
The polarity of a sign helps us understand the ways in which individuals choose to assert themselves or repress themselves in any given situation. However, it’s important to note that these qualities oftentimes complement each other rather than oppose each other.
You may hear others describe polarity as masculine and feminine, or yin and yang. To avoid gendered stereotypes about masculine and feminine energies, I choose to refer to polarity as yin and yang.
Yang: Fire Signs and Air Signs
Yang signs need outlets for self-expression and need ways to externalize feelings and thoughts. Yang signs tend to be focused on living life at the moment.
Yin: Earth and Water Signs
Yin signs may internalize feelings and thoughts in order to process them alone before they choose to express them with others. Yin signs are also more focused on cultivating a sense of security within their lives.
CHECKPOINT: Of the five signs you identified above, do you have more yang-related signs or yin-related signs? Or, do you have an even mix?
From the example above, they have three planets in Libra, and one planet in Leo. Meaning four of the five signs are yang motivated. Based on this information, one may assume this person is more self-expressive and needs to externalize their thoughts and feelings.
The 12 Signs
Now that we’ve considered the qualities of the twelve signs, now we can consider how each sign may be different from each other. Below, is a list of all 12 signs and their qualities along with a description to help you conceptualize each sign.
Aries: Cardinal Fire, Yang
The sign of Aries uses its energy to express itself (Yang) and chooses to assert itself (Cardinal) in ways that allow for making meaning of one’s identity (Fire).
Taurus: Fixed Earth, Yin
The sign of Taurus is more focused on practicality rather than self-expression (Yin) and uses its energy to cultivate the resources around them (Earth) to create a sustainable lifestyle (Fixed).
Gemini: Mutable Air, Yang
The sign of Gemini seeks to externalize individuals’ thoughts (Yang) by giving and receiving information (Mutable) to understand themselves and others (Air).
Cancer: Cardinal Water, Yin
The sign of Cancer envokes individuals’ emotions (Cardinal) as a way to help individuals connect with their soul and intuition (Water) and helps individuals sit in their emotions before they express them (Yin).
Leo: Fixed Fire, Yang
The sign of Leo shares constant energy (Fixed) through expressing their identity (Fire) to connect with others (Yang).
Virgo: Mutable Earth, Yin
The sign of Virgo uses its resources (Earth) to accommodate their needs or the needs of others (Mutable) in order to cultivate security (Yin).
Libra: Cardinal Air, Yang
The sign of Libra initiates relationships between people (Cardinal) to express itself (Yang) and to build social and intellectual connections with other people (Air).
Scorpio: Fixed Water, Yin
The sign of Scorpio uses its energy to focus on (Fixed) on the complexity of their emotions (Water), so they can unpack their feelings before expressing them (Yin).
Sagittarius: Mutable Fire, Yang
The sign of Sagittarius uses its energy to experience the world around them (Fire) and shares its experiences with others (mutable) to make meaning of their life purpose (Yang).
Capricorn: Cardinal Earth, Yin
The sign of Capricorn uses its energy to create new structures (Cardinal) that give them discipline and security (Yin) so it can make better use of its resources (Earth).
Aquarius: Fixed Air, Yang
The sign of Aquarius focuses energy (Fixed) on understanding their ideas (Air), and how they choose to share them with others (Yang).
Pisces: Mutable Water, Yin
The sign of Pisces focuses energy on floating between (Mutable) both shallow emotions and deep emotions (Water) to experience their emotions (Yin).
CHECKPOINT: Consider how the energy of the five planets you identified above shows up within your life. Do you relate to the various elements, modalities, or polarities that show up within your chart?
If you’re feeling ready, you can consider how the signs in which Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto are in, influence your relationships to the elements, modalities, and polarities.
In the next post, we’ll dive into what the planets signify in your chart.
Questions?
Leave a comment and I’ll do my best to help <3.