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The
Elements have to do with
your way of Being, with
the basic foundations of your life. The distinction is very ancient.
Astrologers gave these groupings the names of what at the time were thought
to be the four elements: Fire, Earth, Air, and Water. Today we know that
Earth and Air are mixtures, Water a compound, and Fire a chemical reaction.
Nevertheless, the distinctive traits of the element groupings still hold
true. In simplest terms, Fire is inspirational, Earth is practical, Air is intellectual, and Water is emotional.
What is the difference
between an Element and a Quality? Qualities show how we Act. In astrology, there are
three ways. We can charge right in and solve the immediate problem (the Cardinal Signs,
Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn) take our time, consider the long range
consequences, and take action based on principle (the Fixed Signs, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius) or
endlessly discuss things and reach a decision based on negotiation and
compromise (the Mutable Signs, Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and
Pisces).
Elements introduce another dimension. For instance, we
can act directly (Cardinal) action inspirationally (Fire) emotionally
(Water) intellectually (Air) or practically (Earth).
If you have a majority (at
least five) planets in any one element, the characteristics of that element
will stand out and be clearly recognizable in your life. A word of warning.
ALWAYS consider the whole
horoscope before jumping to conclusions. While a majority of planets in an
element is important, having a planet stand out from the rest by chart
shape or by being the only planet
in an element, quality, or house type is more important when it comes to describing the well known facts
of someone's life. We will see this with some of the examples below.
Also, before we start, it is
important to remember that everybody has every element represented
somewhere in their horoscope. Even if there are no planets in one element,
the signs of that element and the
planets that rule those signs must be placed somewhere on the wheel. That
means that the effects will come out somewhere in your life. Knowledge of
astrology will tell you the place.
Fire
Sign Majority
A majority of planets
in Fire
Signs (Aries,
Leo, and Sagittarius) can make a person more self-centered. On the positive
side, this is confidence, inspiration, self-assuredness. On the negative
side, this can be a total lack of empathy, the inability to believe that
other people are alive and have rights.
A negative example would
be Henri Landru, the serial killer who married ten
women, got them to take all their money out of the bank, and then made them
disappear. He had Eight planets
in fire signs. Six of these were in Aries (direct action) in his 12th House (psychological problems).
Now don't go thinking that
everyone with several 12th House placements is a serial killer. Landru had
the planet Saturn standing out by chart shape in his 8th House (death). so it focused the chart's 揺nergy?to
that area. He also had Pluto the natural ruler of the 8th House powerfully placed right on his Ascendant. On top of that, Pluto was his only planet in an Earth Sign (practicality and a concern with
material resources). Even with this, there was no 揻ate?here. 揟he Stars
impel, they do not compel.?Landru became a murderer by choice. Pluto and the 8th
House can heal as
well as kill. His horoscope also gave him the potential to become a doctor!
Pete Rose is a somewhat more positive example.
His chart has five planets in fire signs, and fire gives energy and
enthusiasm.?The nickname he had
during his playing days was 揅harlie Hustle.? Unfortunately, the extra
strength these planets gave to his ego made it difficult for him to
acknowledge that he had a gambling problem.
Brynn
Hartman
had five planets in fire signs and no singletons to focus the chart's
揺nergy.?Little is known of her personal life, but, regrettably, she will
be most remembered for two sudden impulsive acts:?shooting her husband and taking her own
life.
Marlon
Brando has
five fire planets. His whole life was fiery, from the wild affairs and
stormy marriages to running off to Tahiti. Like many people who are
successful in show business, he has Jupiter (expansion, optimism, luck)
in aspect to his Mid-Heaven (career).
J. P. Morgan had six fire planets. He built an
empire, ruled Wall Street, and personally pulled the economy out of several
financial crises. The energy and enthusiasm of his fire sign planets was
funneled to accumulation of material resources because his Moon in Virgo was the only placement in an Earth Sign.
Earth
Sign Majority
And that's a good introduction to discussing the meaning of a majority of
planets in Earth Signs (Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn). Earth
is practical, solid, slow but steady. Fire
signs are
inspirational, always wondering what's on the other side of that mountain.
Earth sees the mountain, period. Anything else is, to an earth sign, mere
speculation.
Louis Pasteur had eight planets in Earth Signs, six of them in Capricorn. Pasteur was originally a chemist. He
was the first to discover that some crystals could be right-handed or
left-handed. But inspiration comes from Fire
signs. Pluto, planet of extremes (death and rebirth) was his
only placement in a Fire sign. It was located in his 5th house (creativity) and it made a close trine aspect
(120 degrees) with his Mid-Heaven (career). Of course, Pasteur is best
known for his work fighting microbes. Compare the different paths chosen by
Pasteur and Henri Landru.
His other Singleton
was the Moon in Gemini. It was his only Air
sign placement. According to Paul De Kruif in 揟he Microbe Hunters? Pasteur
would rather have a public debate than discuss research details.
William
James
the philosopher, had six Earth placements. Pluto was his only Fire planet
and Neptune was singleton twice
over. It was his only Air sign planet and his only planet in a Fixed sign.
Unfortunately, since his birth time is not known, we cannot see which areas
of his life they were influencing. Nevertheless, the sign positions of the planets remained the same all that day.
Six planets in Earth signs. And what philosophy was he famous for?
Pragmatism!
Clara
Barton
had five Earth Sign planets. Four of them were in
Capricorn, sign of organization. She founded and organized the Red Cross.
?/span>While the Earth
Sign placements
made her practical, they did not show the area on which she would focus.
That was shown by her Singleton Pluto (Pluto again!) which was her only
planet in a Water Sign, and Venus, her only Air
Sign planet. Both
of these sSingletons were in her 12th House (restrictions and places of restriction, such as
hospitals).
Once again, please note
that there is always a choice that has to be made: to be positive or
negative. Compare Barton's life with that of Henri Landru above. Both
horoscopes had a strong 12th House and a strong Pluto. One healed. The other killed.
Air
Sign Majority
Air Signs (Gemini,
Libra, and Aquarius) specialize in ideas and communications. Strong emotions (a Water Sign specialty) tend to throw them off balance
because emotions can't be figured out. They are just there.
By way of contrast, Fire Signs work by inspiration (揕et's go over that
mountain; I bet there's something real interesting on the other side!) Earth Signs by practicality (I'll believe it when I see it) Water Signs by emotion (I抦 not in the mood to over that
mountain today).
An Air Sign would say:
揟hat's very
interesting. What reasons do you have for thinking that there is something
on the mountain's other side? What are the possibilities here??/i>
Barbara
Walters, has five planets in Air Signs. Three are in Libra, sign of
partnership. and she usually works with partners. Her work is pure Air. But
how did she get to be a famous reporter and media personality? The sign of
Cancer is at the top of her horoscope (her Mid-Heaven, her career) and its
ruler, the Moon, is one of those Air Sign placements. It sits in Gemini,
the communications sign. Pluto is also strong. It's her only planet in a
Water Sign, so it is singleton. It?focuses her chart's
揺nergy?to the 10th House (career). And people with a strong Pluto are
always interested in getting at hidden secrets, a plus for a reporter.
Gennifer
Flowers, another reporter, also has five planets in air signs. However, in
one famous case, she became part of the story. Ms. Flowers was the first woman to
reveal publicly that she had an affair with Bill Clinton.
Jennifer
Jason Leigh has Seven planets in air signs, and they are all
in the same sign, Aquarius. She is different, to be sure. We will deal with
this very complicated chart in depth in other chapters.
Fanny
Brice had five Air Sign planets. Perfect for communications of all sorts,
including singing and songwriting. Five planets are also in Fixed Signs. So even though
she was a Scorpio Sun sign, she frequently came across as kooky and
eccentric, like an Aquarian.
John
Belushi had five Air planets. Again, a good setup for communications He did
everything from the comedy of Saturday Night Live to singing (The Blues Brothers)
to a more serious attempt at drama (Continental Divide).
Swami
Vivekananda had five Air
Sign
planets. He was one of the first to popularize yoga in the west both through
lectures and books.
Water
Sign Majority
Water Signs (Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces) emphasize
feelings, emotions, and instincts over logical analysis (which is an Air Sign
specialty). Marc Edmund Jones was the first to point out that while Fire Signs
will ignore anything that they are not interested in at the moment, Water Signs, by contrast, want to embrace everything. What he didn't
mention was that they also don't want to let go. Ever.
Arthur Miller has five planets in Water Signs. His
time of birth is unknown, but that doesn't change the sign positions of the
planets. Even though his Sun Sign is Air (he is a Libra) that Water Sign
majority focuses his concern on emotions. His play 揟he Crucible? for
instance, was about the hysterical outburst of the Salem witch trials. 揟he
View From the Bridge?concerned a man's subconscious passion for his niece.
William Kunstler had five Water planets. Mars in was his only Air Sign placement and
that directed his horoscope's 揺nergy?to aggressive speech. But Gemini
would just as easily represent a large corporation accused of polluting the
environment. Kunstler mostly defended radicals and misfits.
Drew
Barrymore has six Water Sign planets. I read once that she
didn't want to take acting classes because they would interfere with her
instincts. The negative side of Water Signs emerged early with her. She was
in rehab for substance abuse when she was thirteen.
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