The 3 Modes: Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable
tags: cardinal, fixed, modes, mutable
Most people know about the four elements — fire, earth, air, and water. However, far fewer people know about the three modes, even though they are just as important to know, if you want to read charts.
Cardinal Signs
The Sun’s entry into these signs marks the equinoxes and solstices. The first day the Sun is in Aries is the first day of Spring (in the Northern hemisphere). The first day he is in Cancer is the first day of Summer. The first day in Libra marks the beginning of Fall, and the first day in Capricorn is winter.
Cardinal signs are energetic, dynamic, proactive, and unafraid to try new things. A preponderance of cardinal signs in a chart indicates a person who is always in “do” mode and needs to take time to rest.
Aries is the cardinal fire sign: always first, known for being subtle as a sledgehammer.
Cancer is the cardinal water sign, and represents Motherhood, the first nurturing we receive.
Libra is the cardinal air sign, and represents one-on-one relationships, the basis of communication and relating.
Capricorn is the cardinal Earth sign— ambitious, driven to achieve and gain status.
Fixed Signs
Fixed signs have persistence, perseverance, and immobility, stability and resistance to change. This is a major strength and a blessing at times— fixed signs are reliable and determined. But unwillingness to change can also lead to getting stuck in ruts.
Taurus, the fixed earth sign, is known for being stubborn and inflexible, and reliable.
Leo, the fixed Fire sign, is loyal, and absolutely dedicated to an ideal.
Scorpio, the fixed water sign, is powerful and determined, jealous and controlling, unstoppable when they really want something.
Aquarius, the fixed air sign, is logical and objective. Can be quite hard-headed.
Mutable Signs
Mutable means flexible, changeable, adaptable, suggestible. They have a talent for being “in the moment” and are good with relationships and the details of day-to-day life. They are good at multitasking (doing many things at once). Their weakness is that they can get too scattered. Too many mutables in a chart indicates nervous energy, difficulty settling down.
Gemini, the mutable air sign, has mental flexibility that gives them intelligence and ability to grasp new ideas and handle a lot of information.
Virgo, the mutable earth sign, can easily recognize the reality of the present situation and serve where they are needed.
Sagittarius, the mutable fire sign, has a talent for seeing the “big picture” in situations. Good with philosophy, good at inspiring others.
Pisces, the mutable water sign, has an emotional flexibility that makes them so sensitive that they can often feel other people’s feelings.
Putting it to the test
Count up the total number of planets in each modality in your chart. Some charts are balanced, others are heavy in one modality or the other. How do your totals describe you as a person?
Comments:
- Introduction to the planets
- The Sun: ego
- The Moon: feelings
- Mercury: the messenger
- Venus: the love goddess
- Mars: the warrior
- Jupiter: growth
- Saturn: limits
- Uranus: the enlightener
- Neptune: compassion
- Pluto: power
- Who's Your Valentine? A look at Venus
- Planetary Rulership in Astrology
- Retrograde planets and Karma
- Which planet rules your world?
- Chiron: the wounded healer
- Retrograde planets
- Solar and Lunar Eclipses
- Mercury Retrograde
- The New Moon
- Comments from Venus Retrograde 2005-2006
- Saturn in Leo (July 2005-September 2007)
- Rules for choosing surgery dates
- Mars Retrograde (November 2007 - January 2008)
- Venus Retrograde (July 27 - September 8, 2007)
- Jupiter square Saturn and the local Fuzz
- Choosing a wedding date
- A few notes on Jupiter in Sagittarius
- Saturn in Virgo - September 2007 to October 2009
- Moon Void of Course (v/c)
2 fix
4 mut
2 fix
4 mut
5 fixed
0 mutable
2 fix
4 mut
That’s great y’all.. but let’s explore these ideas. How do these numbers describe you as a person? Do they “fit”?
ehhe…
Ummm let’s see. I think I’m about equal parts mutable and cardinal. That definitely “fits” because in some ways I am very emotionally and otherwise flexible (since the mutable signs are Pisces/Sag) and I can be pulled along a path and see it change before me. One way it (unfortunately) manifests is an insecurity, a sort of feeling that I am not ever really right, that other people’s ideas might sway me, or might be more important than my own.
The cardinal side of things strives for goals, starting projects, seeking out possibilities, wanting to get people going (which is sort of a control issue, but not quite in the same way as a fixed sign, I think).
So, I am definitely grateful for having both of these influences, since I think it makes me a little more well-rounded, but there are pros and cons to this. One con is that I don’t think I’m quite steadfast/determined enough (very few fixed signs). Not to mention very few earth signs, but that’s another story…
XOXOXO
p.s. my daughter (the double Sag) has lots of fixed signs …oh me. hehee.
p.p.s. my husband (the double Libra) has lots of cardinal signs…
I’m scaaaaaaaaaaaaaaared!
So if I am looking for “Cardinal” days which are the best for signing new contracts and beginning something that will move to fruition without conflict, the days would be those with the cardinal signs?
Hi Cindy—having the Moon in a cardinal sign will help move things along. It’s a hint I read that I recommend to realtors for days to list property. But that’s not the only thing I look at when considering days to sign new contracts. A cardinal Moon is only part of the picture. You also want to see “kisses” (easy aspects) between planets in the sky, and “kisses” between the chart of the day and your natal chart, as much as possible.
i have six planets in cardinal sign and one planet in mutable sign
Wow ujjawal – do you ever sit still? I have 4 fixed, 3 mutable and 3 cardinal. I waiver between action and continuity.