(by element, modality and polarity)
The Elements
In the Tibetan tradition, it is said that everything manifests from the dharmakaya (wisdom body) realm, through the sambhogakaya (energy/light body) realm and into the nirmanakaya (physical body) realm.
“the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters”
– The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology
In other words, from the Divine formless realm of pure awareness there is first a movement into subtle form: a thought, flicker, impulse, which then translates through the elements into a gross physical form (earth), action (fire), emotion (water) or written or spoken word (air).
The Tibetan tradition teaches that forms manifest from the formless realm through the elements in a specific order: that as consciousness arises from the pure wisdom realm it creates movement or wind (air), this gives rise to heat (fire), which condenses into water and finally creates earth.
At the time of death it is said that the reverse happens:
the energy of earth dissolves in water
the energy of water dissolves in fire
the energy of fire dissolves in wind (air),
the wind energy dissolves into consciousness,
and the consciousness dissolves into the base of all (pure, formless, awareness).
So the elements are considered the most basic foundation of our experienced reality. A basic understanding of the dominant elements of your chart can give you a simplified ‘snapshot’ of your own ego-personality. For example, generally speaking:
Air signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius), think their way through life;
Water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) feel their way forward;
Fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) focus on energy/action and
Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) approach life practically, organizing physical resources and putting infrastructures in place.
Within each element there are three ‘modalities’, or ways through which the energy expresses: cardinal, fixed and mutable. Modalities tell us something about the way energy moves, or flows, and it's purpose. The three modalities are: Cardinal, Mutable and Fixed.
Cardinal energy has a creative quality to it. It is the energy of spring and creation and it’s purpose is to initiate and make manifest.
Fixed energy has a stabilizing quality to it. It is the energy of summer and it’s purpose is to act as a place-holder to stabilize creations for the duration of their lifespan.
Mutable energy has a dissolving, changing, quality to it. It is the energy of autumn and it’s purpose is to dissolve creations and release the energy so it may be re-used by cardinal energy again in the next cycle.
In the modalities we see the three essential energies that comprise the cycle of life: cardinal (creation), fixed (stability) and mutable (destruction).
There are three signs in each element, one corresponding to each modality:
Fire:
Aries is the cardinal fire sign
Leo is the fixed fire sign
Sagittarius is the mutable fire sign
Earth:
Taurus is the fixed earth sign
Virgo is the mutable earth sign
Capricorn is the cardinal earth sign
Air:
Gemini is the mutable air sign
Libra is the cardinal air sign
Aquarius is the fixed air sign
Water:
Cancer is the cardinal water sign.
Scorpio is the fixed water sign.
Pisces is the mutable water sign.
Generally in Astrology the polarity of a sign is whether it is considered ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ (Note: this is different from the ‘six polarities’ that we speak of in Soul Astrology).
This is often misunderstood, because the tendency in modern times is to equate ‘positive’ with ‘good’ and ‘negative’ with ‘bad’ as the popular expressions ‘positive thinking’ or ‘negative thinking’ reflect, but the polarities in astrology are nothing to do with moral judgements of good or bad, but are specifically referring to the direction in which we flow energy.
Positive signs are considered to be electric, in the sense that they are sending energy outwards. They are active, radiant, enthusiastic, and are traditionally associated with masculine or ‘yang’ energy. These are all just different ways to describe energy that radiates or emanates outwards away from itself.
Negative signs are considered to be magnetic in the sense that they are receiving energy inwards. They are passive, attractive, reflective, and are associated with feminine or ‘yin’ energy. These are all just different ways to describe energy that magnetizes, or attracts in towards itself.
Positive “Electric” Signs:
All the fire signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius;
All the air signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius;
Negative “Magnetic” Signs:
All the earth signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn;
All the water signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces.
Once you understand how your energy flows it can support you in staying healthy, balanced, and using your energy in the most effective way to support you on your journey of spiritual awakening through self-exploration.
