Remembering the names and order of 12 different zodiac signs can feel like a lot, let alone knowing all the associated traits! Like with anything, practice makes ‘perfect.’ However, there are some tips and tricks to help you get ahead.
Knowing the element and modality of each sign helps provide foundational knowledge that will help you interpret signs and their placements, as well as someone’s chart as a whole. In this blog post, I am going to break down the different elements and modalities, as well as what signs relate to which.
Another really helpful way to deepen your understanding of astrology is through exploring numerology, but I will talk more about that in a future blog post about the 12 houses. Stay tuned!
Elements
There are four elements: Fire, Earth, Air, and Water. Each element is associated with three signs. Below I break down basic traits associated with each element.
Fire (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius)
Fire is associated with life and energy. As such, fire signs are typically passionate and creative. They’re always on the hunt for action and welcome challenges or competition with open arms. Although charismatic, they can be maddeningly impatient and even domineering at times. These signs can be quick to start projects, but don’t always have the best follow-through as they can ‘burn out.’
Earth (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn)
Earth = grounded. These signs tend to be practical and more on the traditional/conservative side when it comes to life decisions. They’re all about manifesting success through hard work and determination and place a lot of importance on the material. These signs also get a bit of a reputation for being stubborn and slow to change.
Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius)
Air signs are the intellects of the zodiac. They tend to be logical and analytical, living in their heads and rationalizing their emotions. When they’ve achieved mental clarity, they can be quite the communicators (read: they can talk your ears off!). Because of their mental acuity and fast processing speed, they can be quite restless and at times scattered.
Water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces)
Still waters run deep with Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. Water signs are known to have intense feelings, but not always the faculties to express or understand them fully; they may often feel like they are ‘drowning’ in their emotions. As a result, they can be a bit misunderstood. Water signs are also known for being intuitive and sensitive to others’ feelings.
As you get more familiar with astrology, you will begin to notice patterns with how different signs interact with each other. For example, when you combine fire and air, you’re bound to get an explosion. But when you combine fire and water, you end up fizzling energy.
Modalities
There are three modalities: Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable. Each modality is associated with four signs. Below I break down basic traits associated with each modality.
Cardinal (Aries, Capricorn, Libra, Cancer)
Cardinal signs are kind of like fire signs in the sense that they bring great activity and enthusiasm to their tasks, and particularly enjoy staring new projects. They’re the born leaders of the zodiac – the movers and the shakers. The last thing they will do is sit around and just wait for things to happen. Instead, they initiate change.
Fixed (Leo, Taurus, Aquarius, Scorpio)
Once cardinal signs spark kick off a project, the fixed signs are who you want to carry it out to completion. They have unmatched stamina and focus, which is supported by structure and routine – simply put, they are creatures of habit. Fixed signs are driven to keep things on an even keel, and as a result can be a bit rigid.
Mutable (Sagittarius, Virgo, Gemini, Pisces)
Mutable signs are flexible and adaptable. They handle change better than any other signs in the zodiac, and excel in roles that offer variety and put their flair for objective thinking to work. Though helpful and easy-going, mutable signs can have difficult making decisions and can be restless, unreliable. and inconsistent.
Using the above information, you can interpret a sign more fully. For example, Scorpio is both water (emotional intensity) and fixed sign (unmatched staying power), which contribute to the sign’s characteristic intensity and determination. Here is a chart to help you remember a sign's element and modality.
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