THE SIGNS
Essential Dignity
The twelve horoscope signs each occupy one of the twelve houses of our birth chart the moment you were born. The first house is where the light first touched the eastern horizon at the moment of birth. The sign of the first house is your Ascendant or Rising sign.
Each sign represents an element (fire, earth, air and water), and a mode (cardinal, fixed or mutable), and may be masculine, feminine or neither. Cardinal signs kick off a season (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter) and hence are inspiring with leadership qualities. Fixed signs appearing mid season are fixed in temperament and less adaptable, and mutable signs are the months falling at the end of each season when energy is shifting to a new season, representing flexibility.
Although planets have a natural ruling sign (domicile), the planets also have a sign of exaltation, fall and detriment. In exaltation, a planet is not in its home sign but able to perform at its peak through being challenged. In detriment and fall, a planet experiences the least possible synergy as it is placed in a sign in direct opposition to its ruler. For example, Sun is at home in Leo but exalted in Aries. The Sun is in detriment Aquarius and fallen in Libra.
Planetary essential dignity is a core part of my astrological readings - how comfortable a planet is in a sign.
Aries. Element of Fire. Mode is Cardinal. The ruling planet of Aries is Mars. Initiator of the zodiac, first spark, inspiration, passion, stimulating, instinctive, brave, pioneering, fearless, warrior, masculine. Shadow: tactless, impulsive, unthinking, insensitive, rash, domineering, reckless, primitive, violent, destruction, rage.
Taurus. Element of Earth. Mode is Fixed. The ruling planet of Taurus is Venus. Beauty, possessions, luxury, art, home, stability, trust, nourishment, sustenance, abundance, fertility, maternal, feminine. Shadow: stubborn, inflexible, lethargic, sluggish, possessive, materialistic.
Gemini. Element of Air. Mode is Mutable. The ruling planet of Gemini is Mercury. Communication, language, sharing, dissemination of ideas, language, social, spontaneous, clever, animated. Shadow side: fickle, indecisive, crafty, superficial, shallow, deception.
Cancer. Element of Water. Mode is Cardinal. The ruling celestial body of Cancer is Moon. Private, domestic, family orientated, shy, sensitive, receptive, protective, private, intuitive, unconscious, receptive, emotion, maternal, feminine. Shadow: meek, weak, fragile, moody, irritable, overly sensitive, inert, pathetic.
Leo. Element of fire. Mode is Fixed. The ruling body of Leo is the Sun. Ego, self expression, confidence, vitality, joy, generosity, fun, fulfillment, motivated, striking, theatrical, ruling, imposing, regal, masculine. Shadow: selfish, arrogant, vulgar, competitive, grandiose, jealous.
Virgo. Element of Earth. Mode is Mutable. The ruling planet of Virgo is Mercury (also its sign of exaltation). Discerning, intelligent, detail orientated, organized, meticulous, analytical, observant, purity, health. Shadow: inflexible, inanimate, dull, pedantic, perfectionist, critical, hyper vigilant, compulsive, obsessive.
Libra. Element of Air. Mode is Cardinal. The ruling planet of Libra is Venus. Partnerships, harmony, balance, justice, diplomatic, discerning, charming, intelligent, love, beauty, art. Shadow: co-dependency, disharmony, vain, superficial, narcissism.
Scorpio. Element of water. Mode is Fixed. The ruling planet of Scorpio is Mars and Pluto. Transformation, innovation, originality, instinct, impulse, secrets, rebellious, innovative, passion, intuition, psychology, psychic, detective, investigative, inheritance, tax. Shadow: cunning, calculating, base, seedy, deceptive, manipulative, destruction, cruelty.
Sagittarius. Element of Fire. Mode is Mutable. The ruling planet of Sagittarius is Jupiter. Philosophy, ideas, expansive, adventurous, just, humanitarian, pioneering, compassionate, optimistic, teaching, higher education, morality, Shadow: intolerant, dogma, ideology, judgement, arrogant.
Capricorn. Element of Earth. Mode is Cardinal. The ruling planet of Capricorn is Saturn. Resilient, challenge orientated, unstoppable, discipline, tough, structure, dominant, powerful, masculine. Shadow: oppressive, inflexible, brutal, cold, heartless, insensitive, greedy, sociopathic, abuse of power.
Aquarius. Element of Air. Mode is Fixed. The ruling planet of Aquarius is Uranus. Connectivity, innovative, evolution, ingenuity, networks, lateral thinking, inspiration, genius, cooperation, progressive. Shadow: unpredictable, lack of empathy, cold, aloof, detached.
Pisces. Element of water. Mode is Mutable. The ruling planet of Pisces is Jupiter and Neptune. Creative, spiritual, inspiration, imagination, intelligent, art, transformation, transcendence, dreams, vision, limitless potential, feminine. Shadow: distraction, indecision, gullible, illusion, delusion, excess, addiction, undoing, dissociation, madness.