Astrological Modalities (Cardinal, Fixed, Mutable)
Astrological elements and modalities are fundamental concepts in astrology that provide insights into personality traits and behaviour patterns of each sign.
Modalities, also known as qualities, describe the way each sign expresses its element. There are three modalities in astrology:
- Cardinal (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn):
- Characteristics: Cardinal signs are initiators, representing the start of each season.
- Fixed (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius):
- Characteristics: Fixed signs are stabilizers and are associated with persistence and determination.
- Mutable (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces):
- Characteristics: Mutable signs are adaptable and flexible, representing the transition between seasons.
Cardinal Signs
The Cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn; and have largely to do with physical activity. These signs are ruled by Mars, Moon, Venus, Saturn. These four signs form the cardinal cross and are all in square or opposition aspect to each other, and in affliction. Thus, a person born with many planets in the cardinal signs may tend to have an unbalanced condition of mind and body, and with less harmony in the system. The cardinal signs are mental in temperament. An affliction in one cardinal sign tends also to afflict the parts ruled by all the other cardinal signs, and this is also true of all the fixed and common signs, as all Signs of the same group afflict each other.
The cardinal sign Aries rules the head; Cancer, the stomach; Libra, the kidneys, and Capricorn, the knees. These signs are affiliated with the Angles of the map, the Equinoctial and Tropical
Points, the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th Houses, which are known as the cardinal houses. The cardinal signs on the angles at birth give an active nature, a restless energy, and considerable ability to throw off disease.
People born with many planets in these signs, or when they are upon the angles, have more power to throw off disease or trouble, and to start life anew after failure, being hopeful, aggressive, and optimistic. They try hard to get well when sick, and to cooperate with the Healer. The cardinal signs denote the head, stomach, kidneys, and skin.
Fixed Signs
The four Fixed Signs are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius, and are ruled by Venus, the Sun, Mars, and Saturn respectively. These four signs form the Fixed Cross, and are all in square or opposition aspect to each other, and planets in any one of them tend to affect all the other parts under the rule of the fixed signs. The Fixed Signs correspond to the Succedent Houses.
Fundamentally these signs rule the vital parts, as the throat, heart, blood, and the generative system, and all parts or organs under their rule, such as the vocal organs, nose, neck, trunk, sex organs, urinary organs, bladder, excretory system, rectum, urethra, the legs below the knees, as the calves and ankles.
The fixed signs give general strength of constitution, endurance, patience of mind, and are thus called the Strong, or Foundation Signs. They are more robust than the cardinal and common signs. They tend to arouse the Desire Nature, and to give stamina and persistence in action. They relate to Feeling and Emotion; are Vital in Temperament and correspond to the Heart and Life. The Fixed Signs are also called "The Vicious Circle” because of their fixed and unyielding nature.
Fixed Sign people are strongly bound by their habits, and are difficult to change or influence.
Their principal diseases are those of the throat, heart, blood, sex organs, and lower limbs, as in the calves and ankles.
Mutable Signs
These mutable signs are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces, and are closely allied with the cadent houses, the 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th Houses. These signs relate to Thought. Flexibility is the main characteristic of the mutable signs, and people born with many planets in them are more amenable to suggestion and treatment. These signs form the Mutable Cross and are all in square or opposition aspect to each other, and planets and afflictions in any of them tend to affect or afflict parts or organs ruled by all the common signs.
These signs are ruled by Jupiter and Mercury. Resistance to disease is low with many planets in common signs at birth.
The Virgo people especially court disease and think and brood much about their health conditions. The Virgo and Pisces signs, and the 6th and 12th Houses, both have to do with matters of health and sickness.
People born under these signs are more passive and amenable to suggestion. People born with all four of the common signs on angles are more vacillating, changeable, and difficult to cure, as they are apt to change Healers frequently, go from one Healer, or System of Healing, to another.
Pisces is considered the weakest of the common signs, and this sign on the ascendant at birth tends to give a very weak constitution, and to corpulency, flabbiness of muscle and tissue, a watery constitution, and less vitality. Afflictions in Pisces tend to affect the lungs, bowels, thighs, and feet. Gemini is the strongest of the common signs, is a positive and highly intellectual sign, and gives more power to resist and fight off disease. Also, Sagittarius is a strong, fiery, masculine, and vital sign, and when on the ascendant at birth gives good vitality.
The mutable signs correspond to the legs, and motion.