Elemental Quality of the Zodiac

Every zodiac sign has an element attached to it. Your sign is one of these: Fire, Earth, Air or Water. But the quality of that element changes as the signs change. There are three qualities in the zodiac: Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable. Only one of them applies to your sign's element and this combination is the essence of your zodiac sign, giving a great personality description about the fundamentals at the core of your being.

The Three Qualities Are:

• Cardinal Quality

Cardinal signs like to start things. They are first, often by accident, but also by design. They tread off the beaten path and make it a new highway. Cardinal individuals may get lost as they go off on their own, but the discoveries they make benefit everyone. These are the trailblazers and the visionaries, but they don't necessarily stick around to enjoy what has been established.

• Fixed Quality

Fixed signs are steady. They learn how to do something and stick with it. They take orders well and delegate along a systematic line. Leadership is their specialty when the rules are known. A person born under a fixed sign may strike others as rigid, but sticking with what is known and making discoveries by following a method is safe and guarantees that what is learned is certain.

• Mutable Quality

Mutable signs are always changing. They have an experimental nature that plays with the information codified by the Fixed signs and brings along the improvisational zeal of a Cardinal sign. Always free to try new things, they are dogged by inconsistencies that are part of their free-form nature. Putting it all together, they soar with masterpieces of creativity. Pulling it all apart, and they swoon with confusion.

Elemental Qualities of Each Zodiac Sign:

Each sign of the zodiac has a unique combination of one quality and one element – no two signs carry the same two of these together. Read below to see what your sign promises to deliver at the core of your personality on the drive toward understanding yourself.

Aries March 21 – April 19

This Cardinal Fire sign is known as "The Spark" – it uses the Cardinal quality of starting new things and the Fire element of spreading energy quite fast. This might be perceived as an avoidant personality, always off to new things.

Taurus April 20 – May 20

This Fixed Earth Sign is known as "The Stone" – it relies on the Fixed quality of stability and the Earth element's natural pragmatism to stay consistent. Some might even call this stubborn.

Gemini May 21 – June 21

This Mutable Air sign is known as "The Cool Breeze" – it embodies the Mutable quality inherent in a refreshing shift of consciousness. This burst of insight is the core nature of the Air element. Some might consider this a personality that is a lot of flash and no substance.

Cancer June 22 – July 22

This Cardinal Water sign is known as "The Rain" – it manifests the Cardinal quality's invigorating nature with the nurturing possibilities inherent in Water signs. Others could consider the drenching of an otherwise good day to be more like it.

Leo July 23 – August 22

This Fixed Fire sign is known as "The Bonfire" – the Fixed quality's stationary nature enlightens all those that gather around the warmth of its Fire element. A difference of opinion with a Leo could lead one to believe that the lion never wants to leave its throne.

Virgo August 23 – September 22

This Mutable Earth sign is often referred to as "The Landslide" – the Mutable quality's nature of change and motion makes a real impact in the Earth element's material world. Another viewpoint could see this as a capitulation to the elements.

Libra September 23 – October 22

This Cardinal Air sign is best described as "Exhaling" – the Cardinal quality of putting new energy out into the world combines with the Air element's nature of shared consciousness. Others might insist that it is all talk and no action.

Scorpio October 23 – November 21

This Fixed Water sign can only be thought of as "Ice" – The Fixed quality of a certain position is manifested by the solid nature of the Water element. Others will, of course, point out that this very consistency can be … oh, so cold.

Sagittarius November 22 – December 21

This Mutable Fire sign is understandably referred to as "The Wildfire" – the Mutable quality of raging unhindered energy manifests in the Fire element as a sudden engulfing sensation. Others might note that the unbridled energy of the wildfire burns itself out.

Capricorn December 22 – January 19

This Cardinal Earth sign is commonly called "The Meteor" – the Cardinal nature of flying independently into new worlds manifested in the Earth element's solid, absolute nature. It could be pointed out that many look at a meteor and say, "You're not from around here, are you?"…

Aquarius January 20 – February 18

This Fixed Air sign is referred to as "The Deep Breath" – The Fixed quality holds in that which the air element has shared with the people. The Aquarian nature for knowing what the masses want is often derived from being among, but not of them.

Pisces February 19 – March 20

This Mutable Water sign is best described as "The Flood" – The Mutable quality manifests as reaching everywhere without regard to convention. The Water element leaves its mark here long after it appears to have receded. Some people might call this behaviour mass co-dependency, but some floods do have a nourishing nature amidst the chaos.

Interactions between Element Qualities

Shared Elements are what attract us to others, but shared qualities have a friction and tension that make animosity a likely outcome. If you are in a relationship with someone whose zodiac sign carries the same quality as yours, you might share some similar attributes that actually upset you. The tension between signs of the same quality is a natural manifestation of seeing what we don't like about ourselves embodied in someone else.

• Cardinal Sign Tension

If you were born under a Cardinal sign, you might notice that others who share this sign's quality will challenge your originality and question the premise of why you are doing what you are doing.

• Fixed Sign Tension

Two Fixed signs will inevitably butt heads over protocol, regulations and other ways of doing things that might be open to interpretation. The danger is when one Fixed sign lets the other feel too in control and applies late pressure to release or share that control. Tension flares indeed.

• Mutable Sign Tension

Two people born under mutable signs may work at cross-purposes so independently of each other that they will not realize how sabotaged their efforts are until they see the progress each other has made. There must be a cosmic reason the letter M starts off both the words Mutable and Mess.

Vedic astrology shares the same system as Western astrology of linking zodiac signs to elements. The following table gives the correspondences: 

Number	Sanskrit	International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration	Sanskrit gloss	Western name	Greek	Gloss	Tattva (Element)		Quality	Ruling Planet
1	मेष	Meṣa	ram	Aries	Κριός	ram	Tejas (Fire)	Cara (Movable)		Mars
2	वृषभ	Vṛṣabha	bull	Taurus	Ταῦρος	bull	Prithivi (Earth)	Sthira (Fixed)		Venus
3	मिथुन	Mithuna	twins	Gemini	Δίδυμοι	twins	Vayu (Air)	Dvisvabhava (Dual)		Mercury
4	कर्कट	Karkaṭa	crab	Cancer	Καρκίνος	crab	Jala (Water)	Cara (Movable)		Moon
5	सिंह	Siṃha	lion	Leo	Λέων	lion	Tejas (Fire)	Sthira (Fixed)		Sun
6	कन्या	Kanyā	girl	Virgo	Παρθένος	virgin	Prithivi (Earth)	Dvisvabhava (Dual)		Mercury
7	तुला	Tulā	balance	Libra	Ζυγός	balance	Vayu (Air)	Cara (Movable)		Venus
8	वृश्चिक	Vṛścika	scorpion	Scorpio	Σκoρπιός	scorpion	Jala (Water)	Sthira (Fixed)		Mars
9	धनुष	Dhanus	bow	Sagittarius	Τοξότης	archer	Tejas (Fire)	Dvisvabhava (Dual)		Jupiter
10	मकर	Makara	sea-monster	Capricorn	Αἰγόκερως	goat-horned	Prithivi (Earth)	Cara (Movable)		Saturn
11	कुम्भ	Kumbha	pitcher	Aquarius	Ὑδροχόος	water-pourer	Vayu (Air)	Sthira (Fixed)		Saturn
12	मीन	Mīna	fish	Pisces	Ἰχθεῖς	fish	Jala (Water)	Dvisvabhava (Dual)		Jupiter

The Nine Planets of Vedic Astrology

Sun or Surya is a royal planet and is considered the king in astrology. He represents the soul, will power, father, paternal relations, the king or the high officials. It’s hot and angry, colour is red, metal is gold and gem is ruby. Sun represents the eastern direction.

The sun stays in each rashi (zodiac) for one month and takes one year to complete the round of the zodiac. Its motion is quite fixed and a lot of Indian festivals are as per the suns entry into the various signs. For example on January 14 it enters Makara and this day is celebrated as Makara Sankranti, On April 13th/14th it enters Mesha and this day is celebrated as Baisakhi. The change in seasons is also linked to the suns entry into various signs and nakshatras. He is the Pitrukaraka or the planet that is connected with father.

Given below are the basic qualities and nature of the 9 planets:

Moon or Chandra is also a royal planet and is the queen in astrology. It represents the mind, emotions, sensitivity, the mother, house and domestic comforts, milk, sea and all things connected with the sea, hotel and food industry, textiles and apparels. It’s cold and calm. Its colour is white, direction north-east, metal is silver and gem is pearl.

The moon is the fastest moving of the 9 planets and takes approximately 2-1/2 days to travel a sign. When the sun and moon are in the same rashi it is called Amavasya or new moon day or the 1st day of the dark fortnight. The lunar days or Tithi changes with every 12 degree difference between the sun and the moon. When the sun and the moon are in the exact opposite signs or 180 degrees apart, it is called Poornima or the full moon day or the 1st day of the bright fortnight. He is the Matrukaraka or planet that is connected with mother.

The sign in which your Moon is placed in the birth chart is called your Janma Rashi. The star constellation in which your Moon is placed is called your Janma Nakshatra.

Mars or Mangala or Kuja is the commander in astrology. He represents energy, courage, younger brothers and sisters, armed forces, the police forces, commanders, administrators, men in high position, land, engineering, metals, real estate agents and surgery. Its metal is copper and gem is coral, colour is red and direction south.

Mars takes about 45 days to travel one sign. He is the Bhatrukaraka or the planet that is connected with brother.

Mercury or Budha is the prince in astrology. He represents speech, intelligence, maternal uncles, short journeys, medical profession, trade, computers and the web, astrology and knowledge of the shastras, accounts, mathematics, journalism, printing and publishing. Its metal is bronze, gem is emerald, and colour is green and direction north.

Mercury takes about a month to travel a rashi. It is always within 27 degree distance from the sun from astrological point of view.

Jupiter or Guru or Brihaspati is known as the “Devaguru” or the guru of the Gods. He represents higher knowledge, spirituality, priests, temples, teachers, research and scientists, lawyers and judges, children and knowledge of the sastras and astrology. Its colour is yellow, metal gold, gem yellow sapphire and direction north – east. Jupiter takes about one year to travel a sign. He is the Putrakaraka or planet that is connected with children.

Venus or Shukra is the “Daityaguru” or the guru of the demons. He represents spouse, sex life, kidneys and sex organ, dance, music, arts, gems and jewellers, wines, bars, gambling places, acting, fashion, cosmetics and beauty products. Its metal is silver, gem is diamond, direction is south-east and colour is white.

Venus takes about a month to travel a sign and completes the round of the zodiac in 12 months. From astrological point of view it is always within 48 degrees of the sun. He is the Kalatrakaraka or the planet that is connected with spouse.

Saturn or Shani is the servant in astrology. He represents hard work, sorrow, old men, servants and the lower level workers, people in the iron and steel industry, municipality and drainage works. A well placed Saturn can bestow excellent power, prestige, name and fame and a badly placed Saturn can devastate you. Its metal is iron, colour is blue, gem is blue sapphire and direction is west.

Saturn is the slowest moving of the 9 planets and takes approximately 2-1/2 years to transit a sign and completes the round of the zodiac in 30 years. He is the Udyogakaraka or the planet that is connected with profession.

Rahu or Dragons Head or North Node represents foreigners, foreign countries, foreign travel, engineering and the technical trades, smoke, old men, grandparents, theft, gambling, drinking, nonconformists, the underworld and the bad elements in the society. Its colour is black, metal mixed-metal and gem is Gomedh.

Rahu takes approximately 1-1/2 years to travel a sign and hence completes the round of the zodiac in 18 years.

Ketu or Dragons Tail or South Node represents grandparents, technical trades, spiritual inclinations, superstitions and electronics. Its colour is brown and gem is cat’s eye. Ketu is always in the opposite sign to Rahu, i.e., exactly 180 degrees away. Ketu also takes approximately 1-1/2 years to travel a sign and hence completes the round of the zodiac in 18 years.

Each of these 9 planets produce different results, and at times totally opposite results, while placed in the 12 different rashis. Again each has some good results and some bad results in each sign. This is an important aspect of astrology which must be remembered. You will learn about these results later.

While placed at various specific distances from the sun, the planets Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn become retrograde or appear to move in the backward direction. Sun and moon do not have any retrograde motion. The motion of Rahu and Ketu is always opposite to that of the other planets.

The seven main planets rule the seven days of the week.

Sun rules Sunday.

Moon rules Monday.

Mars rules Tuesday.

Mercury rules Wednesday.

Jupiter rules Thursday.

Venus rules Friday.

Saturn rules Saturday.

Rahu and Ketu do not rule any day.