Astrology and the classical elements

Western astrology

In Western tropical astrology, each of the four elements is associated with three zodiac signs, which are always located 120 degrees apart along the ecliptic and considered to be in trine. Most modern astrologers use these four classical elements, also known as triplicities, as a critical part of chart interpretation. The elemental cycle begins with Aries as Fire, followed by Taurus (Earth), Gemini (Air), and Cancer (Water), repeating twice more to end with Pisces. According to Marcus Manilius, the elemental rulerships are: Fire signs Aries, Leo, Sagittarius (hot, dry, ardent); Earth signs Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn (heavy, cold, dry); Air signs Gemini, Libra, Aquarius (light, hot, wet); Water signs Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces (cold, wet, soft).

Elements of the zodiac

In traditional astrology, each triplicity has several planetary rulers that change with conditions of sect—whether the chart is a day chart or a night chart. Triplicity rulerships are an important essential dignity used by traditional astrologers to weigh the strength, effectiveness, and integrity of each planet. In ancient astrology, triplicities were more seasonal, with a season given the qualities of an element. The seasonal elements are: Spring (wet becoming hot) associated with Air signs Gemini, Libra, Aquarius; Summer (hot becoming dry) with Fire signs Aries, Leo, Sagittarius; Autumn (dry becoming cold) with Earth signs Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn; Winter (cold becoming wet) with Water signs Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces.

These seasonal qualities account for differences between signs of the same element. For example, all fire signs are hot and dry, but Aries as a Spring sign is also wet, Leo as midsummer gets a double dose of hot and dry, and Sagittarius as an Autumnal sign is colder. In the Southern Hemisphere the seasonal cycle is reversed, yielding secondary and tertiary elements for each sign. These associations are not given great importance in modern astrology but are prominent in modern Western ceremonial magic, reconstructionist neopagan systems such as neodruidism and Wicca.