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How to read your Birth Chart   Part Three: The Elements and Qualities

Your birth chart or horoscope, is usually shown in the form of a wheel, symbolising the cycles periodically undergone by all living things on this planet. The symbols ("glyphs") displayed stand for the astrological signs, planets and other chart factors representing forces which may affect your life at any given time.

Each of these astrological factors represents a coded set of drives in your sub-conscious. Drives may be activated and brought to your awareness by circumstances in your life, presenting you with a range of choices. Of course, your choices are to a considerable extent limited and determined by your character, which is itself revealed through an understanding of the symbols that make up the chart.

More on How to Read your Birthchart
The Elements

the elements and qualities
(view table)



Astrological signs are categorised by their ancient, elemental identities of
Elemental Fire Symbol fire (spirit & energy),
Elemental Air Symbol air (intellect & communication),
Elemental Water Symbol water (emotion & nurture) and
Elemental Earth Symbol earth (material things & security).
These elements are considered the building blocks of existence at all levels. They interpret a much broader range of experience than the "chemical elements" of modern science, and should not be confused with them. They are also known as the quadruplicities.

Each sign is also identified by its quality, that is whether it is
cardinal (creative),
fixed (determined) or
mutable (changeable) in character.
These features are known as the triplicities and are usually interpreted in conjunction with the elements or quadruplicities.

The Fiery signs, for example, are Aries, the Ram (cardinal-fire), Leo, the Lion (fixed-fire) and Sagittarius, the Centaur (mutable-fire). The other signs follow a similar pattern (see table).


Astrology on the Web
TABLE OF ASTROLOGICAL QUALITIES & ELEMENTS
Sign Quality Element
Aries Cardinal Fire
Taurus Fixed Earth
Gemini Mutable Air
Cancer Cardinal Water
Leo Fixed Fire
Virgo Mutable Earth
Sign Quality Element
Libra Cardinal Air
Scorpio Fixed Water
Sagittarius Mutable Fire
Capricorn Cardinal Earth
Aquarius Fixed Air
Pisces Mutable Water

For a much deeper examination of the Signs, Elements and Qualities, please click this link to go to our article on Elemental Qualities.

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This page was last modified on Tuesday, 8 April 2008

Click here to go to Pisces Click here to go to Aquarius Click here to go to Capricorn Click here to go to Sagittarius Click here to go to Scorpio Click here to go to Libra Click here to go to Virgo Click here to go to Leo Click here to go to Cancer Click here to go to Gemini Click here to go to Taurus Click here to go to Aries