Zodiac Signs

ZODIAC is defined as an imaginary belt in the heavens, which are the paths of the Sun, Moon, principle planets and 12 main constellations. Another translation of Zodiac is "circle of animals". Ptolomy described and listed the original 48 constellations in the second century, A.D. and most were given the names of common and mythological animals. The constellations are human inventions for reference and orientation, to be used as Earth makes her way through the cosmos. The Twelve Zodiac signs of the horoscope define twelve areas of our life. The beginning of each of the signs is called the cusp, the time when signs actually overlap. Every Zodiac Sign has what is called a natural ruling sign and natural ruling planets. That is the sign and planet that is associated with that house in the natural chart that begins with Aries and ends with Pisces.

 

The Modalities

The Cardinal signs Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn correspond to the beginning of the seasons Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Cardinal signs are therefore strong initiators - they begin things, they start the ball rolling. Whatever the element, i.e. air, fire etc. when a person is under a Cardinal sign, they are motivated to start something. People with Cardinal signs are always concerned with the question of identity.

The Fixed signs, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius, correspond to the seasons being well under way. Fixed signs tend to stabilize and give form to what the Cardinal signs started. (Cardinal signs are great at starting things, but generally have trouble with seeing anything to completion.) Fixed signs are about putting down roots and settling in. People in fixed signs are strong and determined, but they tend to lose quite a lot of flexibility. Fixed signs don't generally like to change unless the change was their idea. People with Fixed signs are concerned with the question of self-worth.

The Mutable signs, Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces correspond to the times when one season is giving way to another. Mutable signs are the most flexible, the most changeable. Mutable signs are concerned with finishing up what has been started by the Cardinal signs and stabilized by the Fixed signs, to get ready for the next cycle. People with Mutable signs will are more adaptable, but may also lose some direction. Mutable signs are concerned with the question of completion.

Keep in mind when reading the following descriptions that the Sun sign alone does not give a complete picture of one's personality traits. To get a true representation a chart must be completed to find out an individuals Rising sign at time of birth, and the house the sign was in. The information on Zodiac Houses will be added soon. At this time I do not have the steps to do a chart contained on this site. Bookmark this page then proceed to AstroDienst, complete your chart and come back here for the info on the Zodiac and Rising Signs. Note I have included as much as possible on the individual signs. Some descriptions are much longer then others, those signs which are covered in more depth are the more complex of the zodiac.

 

Aries

Aries is a Cardinal Fire sign, and is therefore, the sign that is the most concerned with starting things. The spring equinox, March 21, is the beginning of the new zodiacal year and Aries, the first sign, is therefore that of new beginnings.Traditional Aries traits: Adventurous, energetic, pioneering, courageous,enthusiastic, confident,dynamic and quick-witted. On the dark side.... Selfish and quick-tempered, Impulsive and impatient, Foolhardy and daredevil. Keywords for Aries are "I AM". Aries are also great leaders with a true concern for their sub-bordinates, though they will not hesitate to use those below them to get ahead. When it comes to following others Aries don't do to well. They do not take orders very well they are to self reliant and self centered, and concerned with their own personal advancement and physical satisfaction to the point of greed. Their immense energy makes them aggressive and restless, argumentative, headstrong, quick tempered, easily offended and capable of holding grudges if they feel themselves affronted. Thus, if at work superiors cooperate well with their Aries employees, approving of their good qualities, they will receive from them complete loyalty; but if Ariens consider themselves unappreciated or exploited, they are likely to give notice impulsively. In personal relationships Aries are candid and reliable friends. As lovers they tend to have a high sex drive and make considerate partners. As per usual with this sign there is a negative side to their relationships. They loose patience with friends when they do not meet the ideals set by the Arien, though they are themselves very sensitive they are extremely insensitive towards other peoples feelings. And their high sex drive tends to make them promiscuous and not very loyal. Mentally Ariens are intellectual and objective, but can be bigoted and extremist in religion and politics. They are good champions of lost causes and last-ditch resistance. They are quick-witted but foolhardy and overoptimistic, lacking thoroughness and the ability to evaluate difficulties in the undertakings into which they often rush impulsively. The great need of Aries natives is to exercise an iron self-control, to discipline the qualities and tendencies of their character to the advantage, not the detriment, of the society in which they move. Aries governs the head and brain, and Ariens are said to be prone to headaches, particularly migraines, sunstroke, neuralgia and depression. Indigestion and nervous disorders are also threats to them, and their rashness, impetuosity and wholesale physical commitment make them liable to accidents and physical injuries. Aries is ruled by the planet Mars.

Taurus

Taurus is a Fixed Earth sign; in other words, Taurus planets tend to act as if they were set in stone. Traditional Taurus traits: Patient, reliable, warmhearted, loving, persistent, determined, placid and security loving. On the dark side.... Jealous and possessive, Resentful and inflexible, Self-indulgent and greedy . Keywords for Taurus are "I HAVE." The Taurean's characteristics are solidity, practicality, extreme determination and strength of will, they will willingly and loyally follow a leader they trust. They are stable, balanced, conservative, law-abiding citizens and lovers of peace. As they have a sense of material values and physical possessions, respect for property and a horror of falling into debt, they will do everything in their power to maintain the security of the status quo and be stupidly hostile to change. Mentally, they are keen-witted and practical rather than intellectual. Mentally, they are keen-witted and practical rather than intellectual, but apt to become fixed in their opinions through their preference for following accepted and reliable patterns of experience. They are generally dependable, steadfast, firm and unshaken when faced with difficulties. Their vices arise from their virtues, going to extremes such as being too obstinate, self-righteous, unoriginal, rigid, ultraconservative, argumentative, querulous bores, stuck in a self-centered rut. They need their egos stroked often. They are faithful and generous friends with a great capacity for affection, but rarely make friends with anyone outside their social rank. In the main, they are gentle, even tempered, good natured, modest and slow to anger, disliking quarreling and avoiding ill-feeling. If they are provoked, however, they can explode into violent outbursts of ferocious anger in which they seem to lose all self control. Because of their taste for all good things in life; pleasure, comfort, luxury and good food and wine and they may have to resist the temptation to over indulgence, leading to drunkenness and gross sensuality. In their work, Taureans are industrious and good craftsmen, and are not afraid of getting their hands dirty. They are reliable, practical, methodical and ambitious, within a framework of obedience to superiors. Physically the Taurean is a heavy, thickset type, sometimes hefty or even clumsy, and unusually strong. They range from average to shorter than usual height, with broad shoulders, and tend to be slow walking and inclined to corpulence. Taurus governs the throat and neck and its subjects need to beware throat infections, goiter and respiratory ailments such as asthma. They are said to be at risk of diseases of the genitals, womb, liver and kidneys, and of abscesses and rheumatism. Because their body type has an inclination to physical laziness, Taureans can be overweight. Taurus is ruled by the planet Venus, which accounts for Taurus' love of beauty.

Gemini

Gemini is a Mutable Air sign and is by far the most mobile of any of the signs. Traditional Gemini traits: Adaptable, versatile, communicative, witty, intellectual, eloquent, youthful and lively. On the dark side.... Nervous and tense, Superficial and inconsistent, Cunning and inquisitive. Keywords for Gemini are "I THINK." Gemini, the sign of the Twins, is dual-natured, elusive, complex and contradictory. On the one hand it produces the virtue of versatility, and on the other the vice of two-facedness. They take up new activities enthusiastically but lack application, constantly needing new interests, flitting from project to project. To them life is a game which must always be full of fresh moves and continuous entertainment. If things go against them, they sulk like children. Also like children, they demand attention, admiration, and the spending on them of time, energy and money, throwing tantrums if they don't get what they want. Geminians have a keen, intuitive, sometimes brilliant intelligence and they love cerebral challenges. But their concentration, though intense for a while, does not last. Their mental agility and energy give them a voracious appetite for knowledge from youth onward, though they dislike the labor of learning. In love they are fickle, not intentionally so but because of the basic inconsistency in their emotional nature. Gemini subjects take nothing seriously. So, in love, in spite of their temporary depth of feeling - for the intensity of involvement lasts only while it is new - they are superficial and lighthearted. Because they are dispassionate, logical, rational and analytical they make good scientists, especially medical, astronomers and mathematicians. Negatively they can degenerate into confidence tricksters, thieves and even adepts in the black arts. Their faces are also inclined to be long and sallow, with large, piercing hazel eyes, often in contrast with dark complexions. Their hair is often dark, almost black. Gemini rules the arms, shoulders, hands, lungs and nervous system and its subjects need to beware of diseases and accidents associated with the upper part of the body, as well as nervous and pulmonary disorders such as catarrh and bronchitis. Gemini is ruled by the planet Mercury, which also rules our communication and reasoning functions.

Cancer

Cancer is a Cardinal Water sign.Cancer initiates (Cardinal) emotions (Water) and is the sign where a planet recognizes emotional needs and seeks to find ways to meet them. Traditional Cancer Traits: Emotional, loving, intuitive, imaginative, shrewd, cautious, protective and sympathetic. On the dark side.... Changeable and moody, Overemotional and touchy, Clinging and unable to let go. Keywords for Cancer are "I FEEL". The Cancer [person is the least clear-cut of all those associated with the signs of the zodiac. They can range from the timid, dull, shy and withdrawn to brilliant, extroverted and exciting. They are fundamentally conservative and have a home-loving nature, a secure base to which the male can retire when he needs a respite from the stresses of life, and in which the Cancerian woman can exercise her strong maternal instincts. The latter tends to like and to have a large family. `Nest like' is an appropriate adjective for the Cancerian home. Cancerians are not unsociable, just that for them there is a time to socialize and a time to be solitary, and this is part of the apparent contradiction in their nature. Outwardly they can appear formidable - thick-skinned, unemotional, uncompromising, obstinately tenacious, purposeful, energetic, shrewd, intuitive and wise, sometimes with a philosophical profundity of thought verging on inspiration. Their intimates, however, may see a very different character, one with a sympathetic and kindly sensitivity to other people, especially those they love. They are often over-imaginative and prone to fantasy, sometimes trying to shape their lives to fit some romantic ideal. In their personal relationships they are mentally a mixture of toughness and softness, often emotional and romantic to the point of sentimentality in their fantasies; but in real life and in marriage, their loving is not so sentimental but tenaciously loyal. They are too easily influenced by those they love and admire, they are also loyal friends. The negative side of their faithfulness being clannishness, and closing ranks in suspicion and coldness toward outsiders. The Cancerian has many potential faults. They can be untidy, sulky, devious, moody, inclined to self-pity because of an inferiority complex, brood on insults (very often imagined), yet are easily flattered. They can be tactless and difficult, because they are ambitious, they will side with majority opinion. Physically they are average to below average in height, with a fleshy body and short legs in comparison with the rest of them. Their hair is usually brown, their faces round, their complexions pale, their foreheads prominent, their eyes small and blue or grey in color, their noses short, perhaps upturned, and their mouths full. Cancer governs the chest, breasts, elbows, stomach and digestion, womb and female reproductive organs. Cancer is ruled by the Moon.

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