The
Elements
Earth, Air, Fire, & Water
What are the elements?
The traditional elements—Earth, Air, Fire, and Water—are a helpful way to categorize the energies of the zodiac signs. The three signs in each element form trines to one another, creating a triangle in the zodiac wheel. A trine is a positive, supportive aspect, and so the signs in each element tend to resonate with one another and get along.
As Stephen Arroyo points out (in his Chart Interpretation Handbook), Earth and Water fall on the receptive and self-contained side of the spectrum, whereas Fire and Air are active and self-expressive. As a result, Fire and Air are compatible energies, as are Earth and Water.
Learn more about the elements below.
Earth
The Earth signs are Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. Earth themes and keywords:
- Reliable
- Practical, realistic
- Grounded
- Focused on the material (Taurus: the senses; Virgo: the details; Capricorn: money, resources)
Air
The Air signs are Libra, Aquarius, and Gemini. Air themes and keywords:
- Abstract thinking
- Communication, creativity
- Flightiness, superficiality
- Talkative; love connecting with and connecting others
Water
The Water signs are Cancer, Pisces, and Scorpio. Water themes and keywords:
- High sensitivity to emotions
- Perceptive, empathetic
- Depth, profundity
Fire
The Fire signs are Leo, Sagittarius, and Aries. Fire themes and keywords:
- Confidence, strength
- Brave, enthusiastic
- Enlivening, inspiring
The gallery below filters the 12 zodiac signs by element. Check it out: what do you think about what the signs in each modality have in common? How might they resonate with one another?
Explore
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The modalities
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