The Four Elements: Fire, Earth, Air and Water

tags: air, earth, elements, fire, water

Understanding the Four Elements

As recently as a few thousand years ago, Western scientists considered the whole earth to be made of 4 elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Even though science has taken a different turn, we can still use this ancient wisdom to make sense of the world.

Fire signs

As you can see, every fourth sign is a fire sign. If you were to connect them, they would form a perfect triangle, also known in astrological terms as a grand trine. In fact, this works for each of the four elements.

The fire signs are Aries , Leo , Sagittarius
Fire symbolizes passion, energy, impulse, enthusiasm, inspiration, idealism, faith. Fire signs are the leaders and the cheerleaders of the zodiac. They provide us with much needed inspiration, motivation and creative energy.

A person with 2-4 planets in fire in her chart will be enthusiastic and idealistic, and could also be insecure, egocentric and impractical.
5 or more planets in fire appears deceptively quiet and shy until she feels safe enough to open up.
0-1 planets in fire indicates a person with a lower energy level who seeks out others to inspire or motivate her.

Earth signs

Earth signs are Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn.
Earth represents practicality, stability, materialism, realism.
Practical and dependable, earth signs provide the resources necessary for the functions of life. There is usually a deep affinity with nature. Earth signs are the builders of long-lasting structures.

Someone with 2-4 planets in earth signs is resourceful and possesses talent in dealing with reality and material things, such as money, business, or crafts.
A person with 5 or more planets in earth signs can get so stuck in the material aspects of things that they do not see the deeper meanings.
A person with 0-1 planets in earth signs usually does not have to worry over finances. Bill Gates, for example. Although they do tend to be impractical and out of touch with their bodies.

Air signs

The air signs are Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Air symbolizes mental processes, language, intellect, reason, human communication and social relationships. Air signs provide the ideas that make things happen.

An airy chart represents a person with many ideas to share. He may lack grounding, however, and tries to do too many things at once.

5 or more planets in air in a chart often manifests as someone who feels disconnected from what is happening around her. People with 0-1 planets in air usually have no problem with the intellectual side of life and are often highly educated.

Water signs

Water signs are Cancer, Scorpio , Pisces
Emotion, psychism, mysticism, intuition.
Water signs are the “feelers,” the nurturers, the caretakers.

A person with 2-4 planets in water is a very sensitive and emotional person. He will have intuitive and even psychic abilities.
A person with 5 or more planets in water signs is so sensitive that she holds back, and may appear detached or aloof.
A chart with 0-1 planets in water does not mean the person has no feelings! In fact, they are quite emotional, although sometimes are out of touch with their feelings.

Each sign corresponds to an element (these are fairly well-known) and a modality (these are not so well known). The 3 modalities are cardinal, fixed, and mutable.

Comments:

1. HelLz YeAh NiGGa…..IM FiRe…
   thats fucking tight…

   
   
   — donb    6 March 2006    #

2. Airborne baby

   
   
   — matt    13 March 2006    #

3. I am earth. sounds cool to me.

   
   
   — UnderGod    18 March 2006    #

4. I strongly belive that my sign fits the person that I am. (water sign, Pisces)

   
   
   — Jennifer Cook    29 March 2006    #

5. ya’ll are freaky

   
   
   — bj    31 March 2006    #

6. I’m fire but wat does that do?

   
   
   — Christine    1 April 2006    #

7. I have 4 planets in air, 4 in earth, and 4 in water…NONE in fire.

   My lover has 2 in fire, 3 in water, 3 in air, and 3 in earth.

   What does this mean for us individually and as a couple?

   
   
   — Kellie    6 April 2006    #

8. man im fuckin air that sux

   
   
   — Relyt37    7 April 2006    #

9. Dude… I’m water…

   why? cuz water rocks…

   
   
   — Anime-Prophecy    7 April 2006    #

10. hahaha Earth baby… bring it on…

    
    
    — Weaver    8 April 2006    #

11. I’m fire but I’d rather be air

    
    
    — Sophia    8 April 2006    #

12. I like this website I’m fire

    
    
    — Anonymous    8 April 2006    #

13. Yo, Rockyz ma name. EARTH AND FIRE BABY MWAHAHAHAHA! The ultimate two are together, yayay! ive got 4 fire 4 earth 2 water 2 air.
    I c ya baby shakin dat ass, shakin dat ass!

    
    
    — Megan    13 April 2006    #

14. Molly, is there something wrong with the conclusion about “people with certain amount planets in the element”?

    It really sounds wired and I feel you may write them upside down

    B.T.W sorry for my English, it’s not my mother tougue

    
    
    — StarGazer    14 April 2006    #

15. o yeah baby… am earth and my ascendent is earth too !! damn that feels goed :D

    
    
    — ScarFace    26 April 2006    #

16. im fire!WOW!thats cool!but i like water than fire!water is more powerful than fire!aqua powers can easely cease fire! am i right?

    
    
    — mark joenel castillo    14 May 2006    #

17. I’m a Fire type. I’m glad too. Fire can transform water into a gas (steam), can fuel itslef by taking oxygen from the Air and transform Earth into LIQUID fire (lava)! Although in nature it seems to be the hardest element to control…Fire is alive. Fire is good.

    
    
    — Spiritgun    17 May 2006    #

18. im fire..oo im hott

    
    
    — kat    19 May 2006    #

19. sometimes i feel like my pauz is hot like FIRE.. but when it gets wet its WATER?? haha maybe when i take my skirt off i feel a little bit of AIR, no but seriously i dont see what earth and air have to do with it!!

    
    
    — tHeCRAFT251    26 May 2006    #

20. Yah! I totally get the same feeling like all the time! Wow everthings really crazy

    
    
    — ShielaLovesSheesha    26 May 2006    #

21. water rocks

    
    
    — mojo    12 June 2006    #

22. is there somthing wrong with me because my singh is Aquarius and is air but i feel most powerfuf and at peace when im in water i love the water and air is my second fave but i sill love water the best
    help me please

    
    
    — sara    12 June 2006    #

23. ew what

    
    
    — wizardy    13 June 2006    #

24. i am fire and that rocks dude

    
    
    — lora    17 June 2006    #

25. What do you mean exactly with “People with 0-1 planets in air usually have no problem with the intellectual side of life and are often highly educated.” ??

    sorry I think I didn’t get it well….

    
    
    — shalla    19 June 2006    #

26. What don’t you understand, Shalla?

    
    
    — Molly    20 June 2006    #

27. in what way they have no problems in intellectual life and in what way they are highly educated…
    I thought people with no signs in air instead had problems with intellectual things, problems in education and learning also…

    
    
    — shalla    21 June 2006    #

28. Elemental lacks are weird, Shalla--

    I know a few people with no air, and they all hold advanced degrees. No problems learning at all. On the contrary, they are quite intelligent. The problems seems to be knowing what to do with their intellectual gifts.

    People with no earth tend to have few problems with money and resources (Bill Gates for example). Again, the problem is knowing what to do with what he has.

    People with no water tend to be quite perceptive and deeply emotional, but often don't know what to do about their feelings, or how to go about getting their needs met. It's doesn't indicate a lack of feeling or intuition. In fact, one of the greatest psychics I ever knew, one with gifts on par with Edgar Cayce, had no water in his chart.

    No planets in an element seems to mean nothing standing in the way, no obstacles. It's the opposite of what you would expect. Weird, I know.

    
    
    — Molly    21 June 2006    #

29. Wow, that is weird. I didn’t realize that, but thinking on a few people I know, that makes sense.

    
    
    — Hannah Slattery-Quintanilla    21 June 2006    #

30. that explains many things to me—-the problem is, in other sites I found simple descriptions about it so this is why I was surprised…

    thank you much for your answer :)

    
    
    — shalla    22 June 2006    #

31. I am an air…...........=)

    @}—->———-

    
    
    — Stephanie    5 July 2006    #

32. Word up to the FIRE signs represent!! What! What!!

    
    
    — Cinderelli    13 August 2006    #

33. What elements are the other elements compatible with? Like, what is fire good with, etc?

    
    
    — Tabitha    3 September 2006    #

34. I’m water, and perfectly happy with that :] That means we are very warm hearted people:]
    And im cancer by the way xxx

    
    
    — Sophie    5 September 2006    #

35. hell ya!i am fire!

    
    
    — ali    10 September 2006    #

36. i’m a firebender leader!!!!oh yeah!!!!

    
    
    — diane    11 September 2006    #

37. im an air that sucks i wish i was a fire

    
    
    — stephanie    13 September 2006    #

38. I’m a Cancer/Monkey, Gemini rising. How lucky is that…

    
    
    — Chris    23 September 2006    #

39. Massive shout-outs to all my air brothas out there. Air rulz. I’m wicked stoked to be an air cuz you breathe air and you can’t breathe fire or water or even earth. Awesome. Holla back yo!!!

    
    
    — Starshine Moon-beam    25 September 2006    #

40. yeah i am water i don’t get what it means but awsome yes i rock!!!

    
    
    — OON    2 October 2006    #

41. Sorry, i’m Earth; I don’t beleive this crap!...and that was being Earthy…

    
    
    — Karl    5 October 2006    #

42. Sorry, i’m Earth; I don’t beleive this crap!...and that was being Earthy…

    
    
    — Karl    5 October 2006    #

43. I be water, even thought by birth I’m earth
    (that rhymes!)
    But really, I be WATERRRR!

    
    
    — enrique    6 October 2006    #

44. im one of my favourite element air air is also powerful even tho u cant see it think about tornadoes hurricanes ect….never under estimate the power of air and wind so if u say air sucks think again i love that element and i would never be anything else even if i could =P

    
    
    — juliana    8 October 2006    #

45. I have a question for you. I was looking up a question that asked “Does Earth and Fire get along with each other”? And I was wondering if you could answer that for me! Email me and let me know please!

    
    
    — Laura    10 October 2006    #

46. I’m 1 fire, 1 earth, and 3 water and air.

    
    
    — Daemon    14 October 2006    #

47. ok i’m confused..my sun sign is aquarius, my moon sign is pisces and my rising sign is sagittarius.

    i also have a 21 degreee thingie next to my chart reading.

    anyways, does this mean i’m 1 air, 1 fire, and 1 water??

    
    
    — aggy    24 October 2006    #

48. Sorry, Aggy, I don’t know what a “21 degree thingie” is.

    Having Aquarius Sun, Pisces Moon and Sag rising means you have at least 1 air, fire and water, but most people count the planets too.

    If you want to book a chart reading with me, I’ll be glad to analyze your chart and tell you everything I can in an hour.

    
    
    — Molly    25 October 2006    #

49. I am the earth, the steady and the good to go’s, we bring forth the life of this world, unite my earthly brethren!! DEEP

    
    
    — sand    20 November 2006    #

50. i am earth, taurus, it really rocks cause i finally realized what attitude i should have. Thanks.

    
    
    — robeguy    27 November 2006    #

51. im air that is so cool. it’s all about air baby.

    
    
    — deserai    11 December 2006    #

52. Water girl baby, to bat i can slightly move water and i love swiming and i cant stand a day with out water.

    
    
    — Jess    15 February 2007    #

53. dude & dudette fire roxs u kno dude & dudette

    
    
    — Darius    15 February 2007    #

54. lol u people are idots.. =]

    
    
    — tiffany    16 February 2007    #

55. earthly grounded

    
    
    — Tia    31 March 2007    #

56. I’m a water boy, that’s the reason I’m the fastest distance and open water swimmer in Australia for under 20 year olds, that makes me a fish, SUCK IT FIRE, EARTH, and AIR you’ve got no chance water rules we can use all three physical states liquid, solid and gas. We are elegant useing Thi Chi as our technicke that can be deadly, we are the only elment that can heal. Take that Earth, and we can manipulate the human body since humans have about 60% of water in there body’s so we can use our enimies like pupiets

    
    
    — blake collis    13 October 2007    #

57. ehhee…
    Oh my.

    Them’s fightin’ werds.

    har har.

    Uncle Hannah

    
    
    — Uncle Hannah S-Q    13 October 2007    #

58. i’m air (aquarius) but it dose not really fit me i’m i like my sigh but i’m confused.

    
    
    — c    25 November 2007    #

59. i’m air and i like it nothing can really destory air water can be evaporated fire can be put out by fire and earth can be burned by fire so its pretty cool.

    but I don’t know if being a aquarius fits my personatilty.

    
    
    — c    25 November 2007    #

60. Earth!!

    
    
    — 16 jan    26 November 2007    #

61. Water is made of air and fire can’t exist without air to begin with… plus all the plants and trees grown from the earth would die if they didn’t have carbon dioxide, so therefore Air is technically the best element.
    Hellz Yea!!

    
    
    — anonymous    3 December 2007    #

62. So nobody actually bothered to think about this and just said “YEAH!”, O.K. Haha.

    Also Comment 61 Seems To Confuse The Periodic Table With This Very Different System Of “Elements”, Sounded A Bit Chinese, Haha.

    
    
    — D Brammer    3 December 2007    #

63. what does 4 planets mean or whatever?

    
    
    — dude    16 December 2007    #

64. yea dud im water i have psychic abilities

    
    
    — jordy    19 December 2007    #

65. wat does it mean i am a earth can i move like bolders like a earthbender

    
    
    — jony boy    22 December 2007    #

66. i’m air and i love everything it.!

    
    
    — bronte    2 January 2008    #

67. Then again, if we’re all a mixture of different elements, then that would make some sense, but what of the magnitudes and refinities?

    
    
    — Brammer    2 January 2008    #

68. This says I’m air, however, I see myself more as fire, so do my peers, so I guess this is not completely right, however I do have many of the characteristics which air describes. I am also dominant, loud, enthusiastic and energetic … as descrbied for fire.

    :)

    
    
    — jordana    24 January 2008    #

69. hell yeah! I’m water and I’ve know it from the day I was born!!! It makes a lot of sense to cuz I’m a fishy and. Have been swiming without help since 2!

    
    
    — angel    2 February 2008    #

70. My sun, moon, mercury, mars and neptune are all Sag (fire). But, neptune doesn’t really count as much, does it? My Ascendant is in Cancer. I really identify with some of the qualities of the Cancer sign. I’m very emotional, which I don’t get because I have so much fire in my chart. Oh yeah, my venus is in Cap. In fact, sometimes I feel like I’m way too emotional. ?? Oh yeah, and I think my MC is Aries.

    
    
    — monica    3 February 2008    #

71. im the water element and im happy of it

    
    
    — catangel49    6 February 2008    #

72. i liked it

    
    
    — firestar    4 March 2008    #

73. i’m water…. And it rocks!!!! i can put out fire!

    
    
    — firestar    4 March 2008    #

74. can air and earth ever mix in a relationship like (idk) say aquarius and virgo?

    
    
    — c    15 March 2008    #

75. You’re asking an Aries in a 5-year (and counting) relationship with a Cancer… obviously I don’t put much importance on Sun sign compatibility. So yes.

    
    
    — Molly    17 March 2008    #

76. I was born on the cusp of scorpio/sagittarius that makes me water and fire my rising sun sign is aquarious wich is air and my moon sign is virgo wich is earth wow i have all four elements thats cool

    
    
    — sophie    3 April 2008    #

77. yea babyy..FIYAHHHHHHH!!!

    
    
    — d    9 April 2008    #

78. Fire =DDDD

    
    
    — April    22 April 2008    #

79. I’m water, that’s cool! Many of the water’s characteristics suit me: I’m very emotional, and understand other people’s emotions, I’m falling in depression many times (water is heavy and falls to the ground, unlike fire and air). Please Molly, can you tell me what should I do to use the power of the water, and with which other elements does water match!!!

    
    
    — Vlada    4 May 2008    #

80. thats amazin!
    im air and earth..
    hottness dawg!

    
    
    — Yvette    5 May 2008    #

81. We are all a combination of all or most of the elements. That’s why you may have an air sun sign, but look like an earth sign if you have earth rising. We are all a combo of everything! I’m Gemini sun with Cancer rising. Therefore I don’t look like a straight-forward Gemini. I’m short with dark hair. Not a tall blonde. Oh, well. NO sign is BETTER than another, they all have their strong points and complement each other. As it should be.

    
    
    — Kathy C.    11 May 2008    #