The Zodiac Signs - Arrangement
The twelve zodiac signs are the HOW of the astrological language. They modify the planets and houses by giving them specific characteristics. They show show how the themes and topics in our life come about and describe the qualities of different life areas.
The natal chart shows up as a circle divided into twelve 30°-zodiac signs. In the simplest and my prefered house system (whole sign houses) each zodiac sign gets paired with one house. The planets are then located in one such sign-house combination.
The zodiac division is not random, but follows a smart organization that makes it easier to remember their qualities. The signs are arranged by polarity and element, modality as well as rulership.
Polarity
The polarity divides the zodiac in MASCULINE and FEMININE signs. They are alternating between each other within the zodiac circle; a masculine sign is followed by a feminine sign and a feminine sign by a masculin sign.
Masculine Signs – Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, Aquarius
Feminine Signs – Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, Pisces
Symbolically, the polarity shows the speed and overall direction of a sign. Masculine signs are fast-moving and outward directed, they take action first. Feminine signs are slow-moving and inward directed, they are receptive and re-active.
Elements
The four elements are an additional division of the polarity. The masculine polarity contains the FIRE and AIR signs and the feminine polarity contains the WATER and EARTH signs. Each element contains of three signs, one from each modality.
Fire Signs – Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Air Signs – Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Water Signs – Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Earth Signs – Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Symbolically, the elements show the overall focus of a sign.
Fire signs focus on taking passionate action.
Air signs focus on forming mental connections.
Water signs focus on forming emotional bonds.
Earth sings focus on existing in the physical realm.
Modality
The modality divides the zodiac into three. Each modality consists of four signs, one from each element.
Cardinal Signs – Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn
Fixed Signs – Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius
Mutable Signs – Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces
Symbolically, the modality shows how something is achieved and depicts a progression of events. CARDINAL signs initiate, FIXED signs stabilize, and MUTABLE signs transition from one state to the next. This can best be seen in nature’s seasons.
Cardinal signs show the start a season. Aries starts spring, Cancer starts summer, Libra starts autumn, and Capricorn starts winter.
The fixed signs are the stable middle of a season. Taurus is the middle of spring, Leo the middle of summer, Scorpio the middle of autumn, and Aquarius the middle of winter.
The mutable signs show the change from one season to the next. Gemini transitions from spring to summer, Virgo from summer to autumn, Sagittarius from autumn to winter, and Pisces from winter to spring.
The Thema Mundi
Each planet has one or two home signs. This is the sign in which the planet can best unfold its topics and themes because the sign’s qualities match the planet’s nature. Because of this some of the zodiac sign’s qualities can be derived from their ruling planet.
The THEMA MUNDI depicts the arrangement of these zodiacal homes. The two lumianries, the Sun and the Moon, have their home next to each other in the signs of Leo and Cancer. Mercury occupies the signs next to them, Virgo and Gemini. Then come Venus’ two signs, Libra and Taurus, followed by those of Mars, Scorpio and Aries. In turn, Jupiter resides in the next two signs, which are Sagittarius and Pisces, and finally, Saturn lodges in Capricorn and Aquarius, the sign opposite to Leo and Cancer.
