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The Action Modes of the Signs of the Zodiac
The Basic Concepts of Astrology
Part 4
By Sally Lloyd DMS Astrol., MAPAI
In the previous article I discussed the Elements of Fire, Earth, Air and Water and how they describe the basic tendency of
each of the zodiac signs, but not all Fire behave the same, so in this article I will expand on this behaviour with an
additional quality they each have and how this affects the way they take action.
The Action Modes of the Signs
The Modes, or Qualities to give them another name, are Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable and describe the way in which the
Zodiac Signs tend to ‘act out’ their natures. You will often find the term “ Quadruplicities” when researching these because
four zodiac signs fall in each group.
Those of you who have some knowledge of astrology will have come across these, but I know in my early studies I found
them difficult to grasp and relate to the signs of the zodiac because each of the Elements is combined with each of these
Modes, by that I mean that Fire, for instance, can be either Cardinal Fire, Fixed Fire or Mutable Fire, and so on with each
element. First let’s look at what they are in terms of the qualities they inherently bring to a sign and/or the, Sun, Moon or
planet that is in that sign in the astrological chart.
Cardinal
The signs that fall into this group all fall at the Solstices and Equinoxes, in other words the turning of the seasons, as they
were defined by Rameses II, who was the 3rd Egyptian pharaoh in 1250 BCE.
The Spring Equinox occurs when the Sun is at 0° Aries (20th March*), Summer Solstice, when the Sun is at 0° Cancer (24th
June*), Autumn Equinox 0° Libra (22nd September*) and Winter Solstice 0° Capricorn (21st December*). They have a
similar quality to Fire in that Cardinal signs are about getting things started, stirring things up to get them moving and the
ideas that open doors; it also about the things that give us confidence and the ability to continue ‘no matter what’ and
survive.
Of course if you stir things up they may not always produce a pleasant result and while motivation can get you going, it can
also be self-seeking and become manipulative with unpleasant results, but vitality is the key here, the will to get anything
going needs vitality, initiation and survival.
* These dates are approximate the actual date can vary slightly from year to year as the Earth takes 365.24237 days to complete one orbit of the Sun.
Fixed
‘Fixed’ can mean many things but here we are talking about the immovable, similar to the Earth element, these signs are
resistant to change and, whether we like it or not, change is a necessary part of life, changes makes us grow. However, on
the positive side Fixed can also be seen as ‘the holding of things together’, a necessary part of life.
So astrologically Fixed signs are those that want to be the pivot of life, the controllers, but they can also be rigid in their
views and obstructive to progress, which in turn leads to stagnation and inactivity.
It might interest you to note that exactly halfway between each Cardinal sign, at the 15° of Fixed the signs, we have in the
following Celtic festivals Beltane, Lammas, Samhain and Imbolc, respectively.
Mutable
The dictionary definition of this is “liable to change, fickle” and these words fit perfectly as the signs that are Mutable are
the ones that are operative at such times as mid-winter, mid-summer, in other words as one season begins to turn toward the
next one.
So with this in mind it should be clear that the Mutable signs are adaptable and flexible, which gives the ability to deal with
and have the resilience to survive the storms of life. By changing with the nature of anything, or even changing the nature of
something, they continue to move forward. Want an example, put an ice-cube in a drink and watch it change into a liquid to
adapt to and become part of its environment, this mutability at work.
Of course being so adaptable and changeable means that there is a certain lack of stability and a lack of resistance to things
that are not the best interest of a person’s life and personality, there is also a tendency to avoid things like taking
responsibility, unpleasantness, and so on.
Putting them together with the Signs
At the end of this section I have created a quick reference chart of the signs showing which Element they belong to and
which Mode that Element is in, but first let’s look at the different ways the Elements can behave according to these Modes.
Cardinal
Cardinal signs get things going, and as you can see by the symbol it is the seed sprouting.
Fiery Aries is the first Cardinal sign, and when you put the two together, Fire and Cardinal, you have a picture of
this active initiator, as is to be expected of the first sign of the zodiac, and this sign does things in a direct and
forceful manner. Fire has no control, it wants to live, and to live it must burn so it takes only the heat source to get
going. However, once it as burned everything in its reach, it dies down, smoulders for a while and turns to ash. A very apt
description of how Aries as a sign manifests, I think!
0° Aries is the Spring Equinox and we all accept that spring is the start of the seasons, don’t we? Some of us, myself
included, regard it to be the true start of the year.
In Jessica Dawn Palmer’s book “Animal Wisdom”, she talks about these characteristics and how the Ram was regarded as
sacred by many ancient societies, from the Egyptians to the Shoshone tribe of America. She also adds that the Ram is good
at getting things started but not so good at the follow through, something that Aries is well known for. So its designation as
a Cardinal Fire sign is very apt, fire delights in starting but without fuel it will fade.
Cancer is Cardinal Water, initiatory and determined to get there and to survive, even if it does mean moving
sideways, wearing your home as armour and scuttling down into the sand when the environment is hostile. Can’t see
Water in this sense? Think about what a drop or two of rain can do! When it lands on the ground it begins the
transformation of the ground and the more raindrops there are the greater the transformation set in motion. The sea also
initiates changes, in the weather (after all that’s where rain orginates), in the coast line, and so on.
Cancer is instinctive action, natural and unstoppable, and by its very nature cyclical, just as Spring turns to Summer (the
Summer Solstice is marked as 0° Cancer), so it must also give way to Autumn and the next Cardinal sign.
Libra is our next Cardinal sign and it marks the Autumn Equinox and is undeniably Cardinal, the Scales balance or
judge the differences it two things and it is a sign of reaction, but where Aries is individual action, Libra is joint
action. The keyword there of course is “action” and when people do or start things together, they are a force to be
reckoned with, but as has been seen time and again what they start can fizzle out when they lose impetus or interest, as
history shows time and again.
Now Autumn gives way to Winter and finally in this group Cardinal signs we come to the sign of Capricorn, the
start of Capricorn is the Winter Solstice.
Earth might seem fixed but it can and does move, and when it does the consequences can be dramatic (a Cardinal word if
ever there was one). Whereas Cancer is instinctive action, Capricorn is planned, calculated action, that will defeat almost
any obstacle in the pursuit of its goal, and make no mistake the “goal” is all important to this sign.
To sum up the Cardinal signs, each element is capable of “initiating” action and when you put the signs in you can see how
the zodiac signs come together in this way. Aries is always quick off the mark, just like Fire, and neither plan what they are
going to do, they are uncontrolled. Cancer, the crab, constantly and instantly changes (Water) its tack according to what it
happening with the sole intention of keeping itself safe. Libra is the focus on others and sharing (a commincating word that
goes with Air) always striving to find the balance for others, sometimes neglecting themselves in the process and Capricorn
is always looking ahead to the next target, but is the grounded (Earth) one who plans what action to take and then puts its
whole energy into achievement.
Fixed
Fixed signs get things done, because the have tremendous willpower, but they don’t like change!
The first Fixed sign of the zodiac is Taurus, the Bull is a steady creature so it makes sense that it is a Fixed sign.
Yes, I know a bull can be aggressive but remember why it is so, it’s protecting its herd of females and calves, its
standing in the herd, even the cow will become extremely aggressive it feels its calf is threatened, you ask a farmer.
Before a bull charges, mind, it will stamp and snort, you get no such warning from a Ram, but once it starts it charge it is
next to impossible to stop it. The Bull, like the Lion (the next Fixed sign), likes things to remain as they are, too.
The Bull’s resistance to change takes the form of the need to “ruminate” over new situations or developments, they will not
be rushed, moving only when they are sure it the right thing to do in terms of how it benefits them.
Nothing is more reassuring than Fixed Earth, is it, but, and if you are a gardener you will know this, undisturbed earth
allows for little growth.
Next is Leo, which is a Fire sign but it is Fixed Fire, like the glowing coal without a flame, it gives light and
warmth, and is, in turn, enjoyed by all who love an open fire because it is the steady heat. The open hearth is a
contained and controlled Fire, one which benefits everyone, but it does need “feeding” and that “feed” is a change of status.
Now think about the Lion, there are similarities here to the Bull, when the pride is threatened it stands it ground and roars its
defiance, only if necessary will it fight to hold. Once he has established himself as the centre of the pride he sits back and
lets everyone else maintain his lifestyle. You could think of this as really putting your heart into whatever you do, when you
are doing something, but, as the lion shows, as long as everyone is happy it’s quite happy to be in the background.
It doesn’t take much imagination what uses contained Water can be used for, and and the depth will very with the
container. The scorpion also has a tough outer casing, but this Fixed sign doesn’t change its tactics, the rock is a
secure place where it can hide from the merecat, or any other predator that will eat it if it sees it, and if it is attacked
it will fight back with that terrible sting in its tail. Leave him in peace and he’ll carry on as normal. Strongly Scorpio people
are just the same, they will only accept change that hasn’t been thoroughly investigated and proved to be necessary.
Now Aquarius, how do you get Fixed Air? Well, one example might be in a cave! The very nature of Fixed Air is
that of suffocation, stillness. Now look at the sign picture for Aquarius and you see the water contained in a jug the
water is pouring out in a steady stream; it’s in control.
Aquarius is often defined as having a universal style, one without boundaries, but in reality it is a sign that tries to break
restricting boundaries through communicating its ideas and where do these ideas come from but from the “constructs” of the
individual’s life and mind.
To sum up the Fixed signs, a little thought is all that is needed to see how the resistance to change can come about, and the
characters of the zodiac included here only go to reinforce this, especially in view of the willpower Fixed signs exhibit. We
all need some stability in our lives and having the Sun, Moon or planet, or evn a rising sign in a Fixed sign will give an
individual grounding, unfortunately not everyone has this and they must seek it in others.
Mutable
Mutable signs are alternating; adaptable, flexible, as inconstant as the Fixed signs are constant.
Gemini is the first sign in this grouping and being the “Twins” and so it’s not surprising that is a Mutable sign,
twins often have their own language and switch places when they choose to. Gemini is the only sign that has the
ability to multitask to perfection. Another aspect of this sign is that Air is constantly moving and adapting to temperature
changes, even becoming a gale when the environment supports it.
Whereas with the Air sign of Gemini it is easy to grasp mutability, when we come to Virgo, we have to think of
what it takes to make Earth so flexible, the change could imposed by outside influences. However, think about the
the woman holding a sheaf of wheat, as Virgo is depicted and the constant change is more easily grasped. Again it is
cyclical because the adaptation, in a natural sense, is to do with the seasons and the environmental conditions.
Just as Air can easily adapt to change so can Fire, given the right circumstances. Sagittarius as a Mutable Fire sign
brings together the symbol of two characters the hunter and the horse, the centaur as a depiction of the alternating
nature of this sign. This sign loves change, it’s a vital part of life for the person whose Sun is here. The horse cannot
graze the same field all the time, the grass would run out and the archer is subject to the same situation. Fire, as I have said
before needs fuel to continue to burn so it naturally follows the line of least resistance to keep going.
And finally we come to Pisces, perhaps the sign that is most Mutable because it is a Water sign and water adapts its
shape to its container, it ebbs and flows under the influence of the Moon and wends its way on its journey from
spring to sea in a meandering way. It’s inconstancy comes from a different source, as I said in the section on the Cardinal
Cancer, the cycle of water is never ending ffrom sea to air, from air to land and from land to sea again, to “go with the
flow” really does apply here.
To sum up the Mutable signs, I think it is safe to say that these are probaly the easiest to grasp in terms of the sign/element
combination as each of the signs contain a certain duality in their pictorial images – Gemini’s Twins, Virgo’s maiden with a
pair of wings and a sheaf of wheat, Sagittarius, the centaur (a joining of two beings) and Pisces with the two ever circling
fish.
Combining the Modes
As a tip, Bob Marks, an astrologer I came across several years ago, says that as a rule of thumb: ‘Whenever any two Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn) get together, the question is always: -“Who’s
going to lead?” - because they all want to.
When two Fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius) get together, the question is always: - “Who’s going to rule?” because they all want to.
But when two Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces) get together, the question is: - “Who’s going to take
responsibility?” - because none of them want to.’
This is a really good way of understanding and remembering the Action Modes.
Of course, just as with the Elements, each of the Modes can be strong, weak, absent or balanced in a chart, so here I will
look at the combinations of them: 1. Cardinal / Fixed
When working together the inclination is toward constant activity, rigid views and convictions and the efforts are directed at
the here and now. Combined the have the inherent ability to achieve whatever is undertaken, purely from the strength of
determination. The Cardinal influences may make a person charge off in many different directions but the Fixed signs will
mean they try to finish everything that they start. However, this can lead to overloading and over-extending oneself.
2. Cardinal / Mutable
The combination of most planets in Cardinal and Mutable signs suggests that the person is inclined toward constant activity
that provides variety and change. Efforts are directed at the here and now, but decision-making can sometimes be a
problem, as can a tendency to act immediately, without forethought or reflection on past experiences. Conversely, when past
experiences are considered there is a tendency to become stuck in the past. Positively expressed, Cardinal signs produce
constructive initiative, while the Mutable gives flexibility.
3. Fixed / Mutable
When Fixed and Mutable signs are in preponderance there can be conflicts because these two approaches are quite different
and contradictory, the Fixed action is a rigid and unyielding, persistent and determined in approach, while Mutable the
action adaptable, changeable, and works around obstacles when it becomes clear that flexibility is the only way to win. This
gives two ways of approaching things and is very difficult to balance.
Finally: There is a great deal more that can be said about the above combinations, but one
of the most important points I would like to make is that when all of the planets are
placed on a chart the balancing up of the number of ‘planets’ both in the Elements
and the Modes may show up one of these that are either weak or even absent in the
chart, as well as those that are strong. Compensation for a lack of an Element
and/or Mode is often found through the people we meet in our lives who have our
missing Element or Mode strong in their chart and, therefore, in their character. If
there is something we lack we must either seek it elsewhere or strive to develop it
in ourselves somehow, this is what an astrologer can help you with.
So now we have another layer to add to those twelve zodiac signs, one that gives
another dimension to the way in which they behave.
Figure 1
Element and Mode Reference Chart
In the next article I will talk about another component of the astrological chart wheel, The Houses, then once we have
discovered all of the layers that make up the astrological wheel, we will put the planets into it and begin to travel down
through the layers of a chart.
As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me through my website - Astro-Pathways Astrology,
where there is a forum, by email or visit my Facebook page, I’m always happy to discuss astrology with anyone who wants
to know more.
Sally.