Groups of signs in astrology share certain characteristics that are classified according to four earthly elements fire, air, water and earth. It helps explain why some signs are more compatible than others. The Fire signs are Aries (March 21 to April 19), Leo (July 23 to August 22) and Sagittarius (November 22 December 21). Fire people are leaders, dynamic. They light up everything around them.

Because Fire needs Air to exist, Fire signs are most compatible with the Air signs. Water is anathema to Fire and a Water person could try to dampen the dynamism and enthusiasm that defines Fire. The Air signs are Aquarius (January 20 to February 18), Gemini (May 21 to June 21) and Libra (September 23 October 22). These are the idea signs, the air that breathes a spark into a flame. They cant be tied down. They require freedom of movement and thought. The water signs of Cancer (June 22 to July22), Scorpio (October 23 to November 21) and Pisces (February 19 to March 20) are characterized by the phrase still waters run deep.

They are emotional and sensitive, given to deep thoughts and conversations. Just as water can blur an image or hide secrets within its depths, so do Water signs have secretive emotions and abilities. The Water signs are most compatible with Earth signs. The Earth signs are Taurus (April 20 May 20), Virgo (August 23 to September 22) and Capricorn (December 22 to January 19). They are stable and consistent. While not as compassionate as the water signs, they are nonetheless nurturing. They can be rigid (stick in the mud) and easily stuck in routines. They are most compatible with Water signs, as Water is necessary for the Earth to properly nurture growing things. Earth helps Water contain itself, which is often necessary for survival on the planet.

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Astrology has used the concept of classical element from antiquity up until the present. In Western astrology and Indian astrology four elements are used, namely Fire (classical element) Earth (classical element) Air (classical element) and Water (classical element)

Western astrology

File Four elements representation.svg In Western astrology there are always 12 astrological signs; thus, each of the four elements is associated with 3 signs of the Zodiac which are always located exactly 120 degrees away from each other along the ecliptic and said to be in [[Astrological aspect|trine]]with one another. Most modern astrologers use the four classical elements extensively, (also known as Triplicity and indeed it is still viewed as a critical part of interpreting the natal chart Beginning with the first sign Aries which is a Fire sign, the next in line Taurus is Earth, then to Gemini which is Air, and finally to Cancer which is Water. This rotation continues on twice more and ends with the twelfth and final astrological sign Pisces. The elemental rulerships for the twelve astrological sign of the zodiac (according to Marcus Manilius are summarised as follows: * Fire — 1 - Aries (astrology) 5 - Leo (astrology) 9 - Sagittarius (astrology) - hot, dry, ardent * Earth — 2 - Taurus (astrology) 6 - Virgo (astrology) 10 - Capricorn (astrology) - heavy, cold, dry * Air — 3 - Gemini (astrology) 7 - Libra (astrology) 11 - Aquarius (astrology) - light, hot, wet * Water — 4 - Cancer (astrology) 8 - Scorpio (astrology) 12 - Pisces (astrology) - wet, soft, cold

Elements in classical astrology

Triplicity rulerships

In traditional astrology, each triplicity has several planetary rulers,which change with conditions of astrology of sect – that is, whether the chart is a day chart or a night chart. Triplicity rulerships are a very important essential dignity – one of the several factors used by traditional astrologers to weigh the strength, effectiveness and integrity of each planet in a chart. Triplicty rulerships (using the "Dorothean system") are as follows: Late Classical Astrology: Paulus Alexandrinus and Olympiodorus (with the Scholia of later Latin Commentators) Translated by Dorian Gieseler Greenbaum.] Archive for the Retrieval of Historical Astrological Texts ARHAT] http://www.robhand.com/availpub.htm], 2001. P.6. (This is a translation of Paulus Alexandrinus Introductionalong with the Commentaryby Olympiodorus the Younger and related Byzantine scholia.) | class"wikitable" |+Triplicity Rulerships |- ! Triplicity ! Day Ruler ! Night Ruler ! Participating Ruler |- | Fire (Aries (astrology) Leo (astrology) Sagittarius (astrology) | Sun (astrology) | Jupiter (astrology) | Mars (astrology) |- | Earth (Taurus (astrology) Virgo (astrology) Capricorn (astrology) | Venus (astrology) | Saturn (astrology) | Mercury (astrology) |- | Air (Gemini (astrology) Libra (astrology) Aquarius (astrology) | Mercury (astrology) | Venus (astrology) | Uranus (astrology) |- | Water (Cancer (astrology) Scorpio (astrology) Pisces (astrology) | Neptune (astrology) | Pluto (astrology) | Moon (astrology) |} "Participating" rulers were not used after the Hellenistic period. Joseph Crane, A Practical Guide to Traditional Astrology. ARHAT publications (Reston, VA). 1997, 2007. ISBN 978-0-9662266-1-4. Pp.6-10.

Triplicities by season

In ancient astrology, triplicities were more of a seasonal nature, so a season was given the qualities of an element, which means the signs associated with that season would be allocated to that element. The seasonal elements of ancient astrology are as follows: * Spring (wet becoming hot) - Air - Aries, Taurus, Gemini * Summer (hot becoming dry) - Fire - Cancer, Leo, Virgo * Autumn (dry becoming cold) - Earth - Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius * Winter (cold becoming wet) - Water - Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces Using the seasonal qualities accounts for the differences in expression between signs of the same element. All the fire signs are by their very nature hot and dry. However, the addition of the elemental qualities of the seasons results in differences between the fire signs. Leo being the midsummer sign gets a double dose of hot and dry and is the pure fire sign, but Aries being a Spring sign is wetter (hot & dry, hot & wet), and Sagittarius being an Autumnal sign is colder (hot & dry, cold & dry). In the Southern Hemisphere the seasonal cycle is reversed.http://www.astrologycom.com/qual.html This yields secondary and tertiary elements for each sign. | class"wikitable" !Sign !Element !Qualities !Season: North !Season: South |- |Aries |Fire |Hot & Dry |Hot & Wet (Spring/Air) |Cold & Dry (Autumn/Earth) |- |Taurus |Earth |Cold & Dry |Hot & Wet (Spring/Air) |Cold & Dry (Autumn/Earth) |- |Gemini |Air |Hot & Wet |Hot & Wet (Spring/Air) |Cold & Dry (Autumn/Earth) |- |Cancer |Water |Cold & Wet |Hot & Dry (Summer/Fire) |Cold & Wet (Winter/Water) |- |Leo |Fire |Hot & Dry |Hot & Dry (Summer/Fire) |Cold & Wet (Winter/Water) |- |Virgo |Earth |Cold & Dry |Hot & Dry (Summer/Fire) |Cold & Wet (Winter/Water) |- |Libra |Air |Hot & Wet |Cold & Dry (Autumn/Earth) |Hot & Wet (Spring/Air) |- |Scorpio |Water |Cold & Wet |Cold & Dry (Autumn/Earth) |Hot & Wet (Spring/Air) |- |Sagittarius |Fire |Hot & Dry |Cold & Dry (Autumn/Earth) |Hot & Wet (Spring/Air) |- |Capricorn |Earth |Cold & Dry |Cold & Wet (Winter/Water) |Hot & Dry (Summer/Fire) |- |Aquarius |Air |Hot & Wet |Cold & Wet (Winter/Water) |Hot & Dry (Summer/Fire) |- |Pisces |Water |Cold & Wet |Cold & Wet (Winter/Water) |Hot & Dry (Summer/Fire) |} These associations are not given any great importance in modern astrology, although they are prominent in modern Western neopaganism druidism and wicca

Elements in modern astrology

In modern astrology each of the elements are associated with different astrological signs. | class"wikitable" !Element !Signs |- |Fire (classical element) |Aries (astrology) Leo (astrology) Sagittarius (astrology) |- |Earth (classical element) |Taurus (astrology) Virgo (astrology) Capricorn (astrology) |- |Air (classical element) |Gemini (astrology) Libra (astrology) Aquarius (astrology) |- |Water (classical element) |Cancer (astrology) Scorpio (astrology) Pisces (astrology) |- |}

Indian astrology

Indian astrology shares the same system as Western astrology of linking zodiac signs to elements. The following table gives the correspondences: In addition, in Vedic thought each of the five planets are linked to an element (with ether as the fifth). It was said in the Veda that everything emanated from the one basic vibration of "Om" or "Aum " From "Om" the five elemental vibrations emerged representing the five different tattwas (or elements). The five planets represent these five vibrations – Jupiter for Ether Saturn for Air Mars for Fire Mercury (planet) for Earth and Venus for Water

Chinese astrology

In many traditional Chinese theory field, matters and its developmental movement stage can be classified into the Wu Xing. They are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Note that the Wu Xing are chiefly an ancient mnemonic device for systems with 5 stages, rather than the notion of different kinds of material. For further information, see Wu Xing

Notes

Claudius Ptolemy|Ptolemy]] http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Ptolemy/Tetrabiblos/home.html] Claudius Ptolemy, [[Tetrabiblos]]online tr. by Frank Egleston Robbins] in the Loeb Classical Library, 1 volume, Greek text and facing English translation: Harvard University Press, 1940. Pp. 79-83. later modified the rulerships of Water triplicity, making Mars the ruler of the water triplicity for both day and night charts--and William Lilly concurred. William Lilly, Christian Astrology, Book 3: An Easie And Plaine Method Teaching How to Judge upon Nativities 1647. 2nd ed., 1659. Re-published by Astrology Classics (Bel Air, Maryland), 2004; by Ascella Publications, ed. D. Houlding, London, 2000; and in facsimile of 1647 edition] by Regulus Press, London, 1985. orig.] P. 104.

References

Category Alchemy Category Esoteric cosmology Category Classical elements Category History of astrology Category Astrological triplicities Category Technical factors of astrology Category Astrological signs