AS ABOVE, SO BELOW: YOUR SUNSIGN QUALITY

This much quoted phrase from the ancient ‘Emerald Table’ of Hermes Trismegistus, captures the astrological worldview. It doesn’t mean that astrology is about making divisions like “good signs/bad signs”. On the contrary, astrology is about integration and understanding. Those large cosmic beings above - the planets, and the small cosmic beings below - humans, are all part of ‘the One Thing’. Astrology helps us understand the threads of inter-connection.

The Emerald Table goes on to outline the path of progress, for “performing the miracle” of consciously integrating the spiritual and physical dimensions of life. This famous document is at once an astrological template and a guide for personal transformation. Progress could be defined as refining your astrological substance. Understanding what you have to work with, is a good beginning.

Let’s now explore the three astrological qualities of cardinal, fixed and mutable. These are three different modes of action. Examine the lists below and see which quality your Sunsign carries.


CARDINAL SIGNS

ARIES: Cardinal Fire
CANCER: Cardinal Water
LIBRA: Cardinal Air
CAPRICORN: Cardinal Earth

FIXED SIGNS

TAURUS: Fixed Earth
LEO: Fixed Fire
SCORPIO: Fixed Water
AQUARIUS: Fixed Air

MUTABLE SIGNS

GEMINI: Mutable Air
VIRGO: Mutable Earth
SAGITTARIUS: Mutable Fire
PISCES: Mutable Water

The Quality that Makes the Difference
Are you cardinal, fixed or mutable and how does this show? If your astro element describes your kind of energy, your astro quality shows how you use it. Read your Sunsign below, then read your Moonsign if you know it. In fact, why not get astro savy and check out all your planets on the net.(1) Count how many fall into each quality group, noting any clusters. You might get a surprise, like Jan, the so called ‘easily influenced’ Pisces, who suddenly discovered why this rarely applied to her. Pisces is a mutable, receptive sign, but Jan found that a large group of her other planets fell in fixed Air Aquarius and her Rising Sign was fixed Water, Scorpio. Jan’s dominant quality is therefore fixed. She is fiercely independent, with fixed likes, dislikes and beliefs which are not easily influenced. Based on this understanding, she has learnt to concentrate on letting her Pisces Sunsign shine by holding firm to her highest spiritual aspirations. Meanwhile, she has moved on from her once favourite Pisces trap of getting depressed when some people react to her strong opinions and willpower.

You may have a birth pattern which contains two dominant quality groups, or all three relatively balanced. Or you may be a Jan, whose Sunsign stands alone in its group. In any case, understanding your own patterns and those of the people in your life will increase your appreciation of the “One Thing”.

Different qualities within yourself and your differences from others are just some of the “wonderful adaptations” that the Emerald Table refers to. Since “The father of it is the Sun and the mother of it is the Moon”, pay particular attention to Moon and Sun in your chart. No matter how different these might be, their free balanced expression is the key for your happiness.

Since sexual relationships frequently bring together two opposite types, use this information to help you strengthen your relationships. When you understand and adapt to the quality of energy of your lover, mistaken resistances and futile frustrations begin to disappear.

IN CARDINAL DRIVE

You cardinal signs are the drivers of the zodiac who like to direct the action. The cardinal gift is an initiating spirit which drives you towards your goals, but if you become excessively tunnel-visioned, its easy to drive people away! Your quality expresses itself through the energy of your element, thus Water sign Cancer is less obviously a ‘driver’ than Fire sign Aries. Yet Cancer is just as initiating as Aries, except with an emotional focus and more subtlety. Since you are all quite different in the way you initiate action, your attraction to each other can mean some interesting lessons! Your happiness depends on each partner encouraging the initiatives of the other.

ARIES
Cardinal Fire, sign of the ram and spontaneous self expression.
Self starter of the zodiac, there’s very little you won’t initiate - it’s completion of the boring details that challenges your patience. Your courage and vivacity win you success when you hold them as inner strengths, instead of ramming everything that opposes you. Joyful action is your speciality, but excessive self-importance can spoil it for everyone concerned.

CANCER
Cardinal Water, sign of the crab, of security, family and home. Instinctively canny and nurturing, you drive yourself relentlessly to protect everyone that you care about. Your bonding needs are primal and like the crab, you don’t let go! Beware emotions that pull the plug on you and let all your energy drain out. The way to recharge is to renounce worry and open your heart to a wider kind of love.

LIBRA
Cardinal Air, sign of the scales, of balance and relationships.
Charming behaviour and gracious words help you initiate relationships. Dipping your scales, you dispense checks and balances to partners, making advances then drawing back to even things up. This can get you a reputation as being indecisive or slippery. You seek harmony and beauty, only finding true peace when you recognise them in everything.

CAPRICORN
Cardinal Earth, sign of the goat and the ambition for success.
Capable, cautious and strategic, you master the serious business of life by leaving little to chance. You work hard to keep fate at bay by staying ‘in charge’ of your life and sometimes that works against you. In relationships the best things happen when you aren’t in charge, just following the flow. This also regenerates your awesome energy.

FIERCELY FIXED

You are fixed in your purpose and proud of it, when you belong to this group. Your mode of action is the most stable and settled of the qualities. It is for this reason that the four symbols which represent the fixed signs - the bull, lion, eagle and human - are depicted in many ancient diagrams as the four sacred forces which hold the universe in place. Yet your fixed nature can bring you power and success or simply incline you to ‘get stuck’. Your quality expresses itself through your element. Thus earthy Taurus will be most attached to physical, material needs, while fiery Leo gets attached to ideas and concepts. When two fixed signs end up together, their happiness depends upon sharing fixed goals.

TAURUS
Fixed Earth, sign of the bull, the fertile earth and material values.
You lovingly design your personal habits and like to keep it that way, thank you very much! Others discover that your serene manner masks a rigid inner stance, if they try to introduce change. Sort through your stash of essential values and see if you’re holding onto a few that weren’t even yours in the first place. Let go and notice the renewal - like a tree outgrowing its bark.

LEO
Fixed Fire, sign of the lion and the search for personal significance.
Your creative goals and loyalties burn steadily in your heart and mind, producing a warm blaze of activity. Your fixed need is to shine and be acknowledged for your worth. If you become too intent on this, you roll right over lesser mortals and don’t even notice the bump. Shine some light on the little insignificant things when you feel stuck.

SCORPIO
Fixed Water, sign of the scorpion/eagle and the desire nature.
Your passions simmer beneath an exterior that can be deceptively quiet. Hidden fixed desires plus the willpower and tenacity to reach them, can make you a mystery even to your nearest and dearest. This gives you magnetism and strength. Beware desires that have any taint of payback or jealousy. These are the blindspot that can bring you undone.

AQUARIUS
Fixed Air, sign of the waterbearer and the human community.
Sociable yet cool, you set your sights on high ideals, using your keen mind and people know-how to get there. Your fixed opinions, no matter how well researched they are, get you into sticky situations. They can blind you to the emotional dimensions of an issue and hurt people’s feelings. Try saying “how do you feel about it?”, every second time you say: “I think”.

MUTABLE MAGIC

You live to mutate, exist to relate, when the mutable group is your camping ground. Two fish, two twins, virgin and her sheath of wheat and the composite horse/human archer - all your symbols speak of duality. While flexibility and powerful relationship skills are mutable gifts, too much duality comes out looking like flakey and uncommitted. Different signs of the mutable group can find it hard to understand each other, since you are the group constantly trying to understand yourself. Thus while watery Pisces juggles numerous emotions and visions, Air sign Gemini might twist into a mental pretzel trying to figure out their logic-defying fishy friend. Happiness between mutable signs depends on regular debriefing and effective communication.

GEMINI
Mutable Air, sign of the twins and the curious mind.
You communicate and connect, as easily as you breathe. Absorbing information and experiences, you move on quicker than most. This agility and speed is both your gift and your curse. Usually your work and relationships benefit from more attention to the larger issues and simply staying put long enough to just be. Try meditation to balance your information overload..

VIRGO
Mutable Earth, sign of the virgin and the harvest.
You are the raunchy virgin, sensual yet choosy, quite capable of playing ice queen or king when it suits you. Your strategies and plans change frequently - only because they ‘have to’ of course! Bear this in mind the next time you mutate between the ever-helpful one and harsh critic of human failings. Beware the danger zone of “holier than thou”.

SAGITTARIUS
Mutable Fire, sign of the archer and the spirit of adventure.
Your half-human, half-horse symbol symbolises your dual needs to extend your knowledge and to roam the plains of your life free from restraint. Your ability to roam between assorted ideas, gives you mental flexibility and a philosophical mind. Unless you sort out the unworkable ideas before making suggestions, people stop taking you seriously.

PISCES
Mutable Water, sign of the fish and the unconscious mind.
Most mutable of all signs, you flow between inner emotional states and outer tasks. A sense of service drives you on, but sometimes you get confused as to who or what you are serving. If you become self-serving, it usually turns against you. Daily affirm your highest vision, set priorities, then make a detailed plan. This way you weave your dreams – then you can step into them..

FINI

Christine Broadbent is a full-time astrologer who loves her work. Christine is currently in Auckland and will be available for personal consultations in Sydney from mid April to early June. She will also offer consultations in Melbourne in late June. Please phone +61 402 664 101 to make a booking.
Christine also offers telephone consultations, which are taped. Or you can order printed astrological profiles or transit reports as an unusual gift.

Christine@astrologyspot.com.au You can also leave a message on 0402 664 101. Printed or email reports detailing your personality patterns or the influences of the coming year, are also available.