Zodiac signs are unquestionably the most popular part of astrology. Most of us are familiar with our zodiac sign and horoscopes. You may know what the different traits of your zodiac sign is and your sign’s symbol. The zodiac is an important part of astrology as each sign is part of the 360-degree orbit of the sun. They also represent other things, such as seasons. In this post, I will do a brief overview of each of the zodiac signs.
Classifying the Signs
Before getting into the different signs of the zodiac, we first need to define the different classifications each sign has. Each sign has an element, mode, and ruling planet and these all play a role in the traits of the signs.
Elements
There are four elements: Air, Earth, Fire, and Water. Each of the elements represent different aspects of ourselves as well as different chakras.
Air
Air is the element of life. All living things need air to survive. It governs the mind. It is a masculine element and lives in the throat and heart chakras. It represents spring, knowledge, communication, and creativity.
Earth
Earth is the most grounded element. It provides a home to all living things. It governs the body. It is a feminine element and lives in the root chakra. It represents winter, nourishment, fertility, and stability.
Fire
Fire is the first element that was created. It protects living things from darkness and cold with it’s light and warmth. It governs the spirit. It is a masculine energy that resides in the solar plexus. It represents summer, assertiveness, love, anger, and energy.
Water
Water is the most soothing and cooling element. All living things need water to live. It governs the soul. It is a feminine element that resides in the sacral chakra. It represents autumn, healing, rebirth, and intuition.
Below is a chart showing the zodiac signs and their corresponding element.
Modes
There are three modes: Cardinal, fixed, and mutable. Modes are the position that each sign is in of the season they belong to.
Cardinal
The cardinal signs are those signs that start a new season. They are known as the starters. They love starting new projects, but may not always complete them. They are driven, ambitious, enthusiastic, and clever.
Fixed
The fixed signs are those signs that follow the first month of the seasons. They are the doers of the zodiac. While cardinal signs come up with the idea, the fixed signs do the work to make the idea a reality. They are stubborn, immovable, loyal, and grounding.
Mutable
These are the signs that are in the last month of a season. They are the finishers. They are the signs that are the flexible to change. They tend to be wiser than the cardinal and fixed signs. They are nonjudgmental, impressionable, and adaptable.
Ruling Planets
Each sign is ruled by a planet or planets. The planets have a direct impact on your personality and some say it is as important to know your ruling planet as it is to know your sun sign. I plan on going into more detail on the planets in a separate post, so for now, I’ll share the graphic below which shows the ruling planets of the zodiac signs.
That’s it for classifying the zodiac signs! If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them. In the next blog post, I will discuss the zodiac signs in more detail.