There are 4 components that create a sign; Element, polarity, modality, and planetary ruler. Understanding these 4 means understanding a sign holistically.
Element
There are 12 zodiac signs, and 4 elements. Each element consists of 3 signs. The elements are
Fire: Fast acting, purifying, transformative, passionate. These signs relate to the self, to our enjoyment, and how we live our life. Aries, Leo, Sagittarius.
Earth: Slow moving, steady, stable, nourishing. These signs relate to material wealth, success, and security. Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn.
Air: Fickle, fast moving, communicative. These signs relate to our interactions with the society around us. Gemini, Libra, Aquarius.
Water: Flowing, nourishing, slippery. These signs relate to ourselves, to our emotions, to our spirituality, and karma. Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces.
Polarity
Yin/Yang, Masculine/Feminine, Shiva/Shakti, Purush/Prakruti. There are many words for this concept, but essentially, the idea is
Yang/Masculine/Shiva/Purush: the individual, the force of life
Yin/Feminine/Shakti/Prakruti: nature, the force that gives birth to life
The fire and air signs are considered yang energy, while earth and water are considered yin energy. Something to note is that yang represents concepts that are about choices, while yin represents concepts that are not choices, but rather, what happens to you.
Modality
There are 3 modalities, one in each element. Modalities show the way a sign operates. These are
Cardinal/Movable: These signs are initiators. They start things, and they follow through. In some ways these are the signs of the doers, ones who can adapt based on the situation. Ambitious, hard working, and goal oriented people. Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn.
Fixed: These are signs of maintenance and destruction. The aim of these signs is to create situations that are sustainable, and when they see any sustainability, they destroy it for the attainment of something sustainable. Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius.
Mutable/Dual: These signs are more cerebral than doers. These signs have to do with communication and philosophy, and so, these are signs which can change extremely easy, almost flip their mindset, like a coin. Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces.
Planetary Ruler
We already discussed the planets in part one, but when it comes to signs, the planetary rulers of a zodiac sign relate to the motivations, needs, and behaviour of the sign. Further, the house and sign of the planetary ruler will provide information on how the sign will play out in a chart.
Sun: Leo
Moon: Cancer
Mercury: Gemini, Virgo
Venus: Taurus, Libra
Mars: Aries, Scorpio
Jupiter: Sagittarius, Pisces
Saturn: Capricorn, Aquarius
Houses
Houses are very similar to signs. There are twelve houses, and they can be correlated to the signs. The biggest difference between signs and houses is that houses play a far more important role in interpretation of a chart. Within vedic astrology, houses and signs can be and often are used interchangeably.
First house: relates to Aries. Represents personality and body
Second house: Relates to Taurus. Represents wealth and possessions
Third House: Relates to Gemini. Represents siblings, communication, and local area
Fourth House: Relates to Cancer. Represents mother, home, roots, and ancestors
Fifth House: Relates to Leo. Represents interests, hobbies, casual relationships
Sixth House: Relates to Virgo. Represents daily routines, health, and enemies
Seventh House: Relates to Libra. Represents partnerships, marriage, and other people
Eighth House: Relates to Scorpio. Represents Death, Transformation, Trauma, and the Occult
Ninth House: Relates to Sagittarius. Represents Religion, Values, and Higher Education.
Tenth House: Relates to Capricorn. Represents Public Personality, First Impressions, Career, and Success
Eleventh House: Relates to Aquarius. Represents Friendships, Society, Wish Fulfilment, and Karma
Twelfth House: Relates to Pisces. Represents the unknown, isolation, and foreign lands
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