THE SIGNS

Introduction to essential dignity

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The twelve zodiac signs each occupy one of the 12 houses of your birth chart the moment you were born. The first House is the eastern most point of the horizon at the time of your birth. The sign of the first House is your ascendant sign.

 

Each zodiac sign represents an element (fire, earth, air & water), and a mode (cardinal, fixed or mutable), and may be masculine, feminine or neither. Cardinal signs start a season (spring, summer, autumn, winter) and hence are active & inspiring with leadership qualities. Fixed signs appearing mid season are fixed in temperament and less adaptable, and mutable signs are the months falling end of each season when energy is shifting to a new season, representing flexibility. When looking at a person's birth chart, strong energetic influences can come from dominant signs and their unique characteristics, as well as the planets operating in synergy with the signs.

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Each planet can be in domicile, exaltation, detriment and fall in astrology. Here is a description of the signs in domicile (or essential dignity).

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Each planet or celestial body (e.g, sun & moon) is at at Home in a ruling sign & house. The planet is at home in the sign in which it shares synergy or harmony. Here is a description of each sign including its ruling house & planet.

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Aries. Element of Fire. Mode is Cardinal. The ruling planet of Aries is Mars. Belongs to the first House of the Self & body. Action orientated. The initiator of the zodiac. The first spark of inspiration. Impulsive, instinctive, brave, pioneering,  fearless, warrior energy, masculine. Shadow side of Aries is tactless, impulsive,  domineering, reckless, aggression & rage 

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Taurus. Element of Earth. Mode is Fixed. The ruling planet of Taurus is Venus. Belongs to the second House of material comforts, possessions, home, finances & all that which supports the physical body, including the support of parents. Represents  stability, trust, material things, nourishment, sustenance, beauty, luxury, femininity. Shadow side of Taurus is stubborn, inflexible, lethargic, sluggish, possessive, overly materialistic.

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Gemini. Element of Air. Mode is Mutable. The ruling planet of Gemini is Mercury. Belongs to the third House which is concerned with necessary skills needed to acquire the possessions of the second House. How to relate with the world. Including all forms of communication, language, sharing & disseminating ideas, language, local travel. Social, spontaneous, clever, lively, animated. Shadow side is fickleness, indecision, shallowness, indiscretion, deception

 

Cancer. Element of Water. Mode is Cardinal. The ruling celestial body of Cancer is Moon. Belongs to the fourth House of Home. Represents the private sphere. How one thinks & responds on emotional level. Family life,  security, intuition, unconscious impulses, receptivity, emotion. Relationship with the mother. How one responds to the world on an emotional level. Feminine. Shadow side is weakness, fragility, moodiness, irritability, over sensitivity

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Leo. Element of fire. Mode is Fixed. The ruling body of Leo is the Sun. Belongs to the fifth House which is the core of the Self, soul. How the internal is translated into the world in terms of self expression, creativity,  confidence, joy, generosity. Where one experiences pleasure, fulfillment & motivation. Masculine. Shadow side is selfishness, arrogance, attention seeking, vulgarity, competitive, jealous

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Virgo. Element of Earth. Mode is Mutable. The ruling planet of Virgo is Mercury (also its sign of exaltation). Belongs to the sixth House of daily life, work, schedules, tasks. Health & what erodes your health, including ability to discern friends from enemies. Discerning, detail orientated, organized, meticulous, analytical, observant, intelligent. Shadow side is rigid, inflexible, inanimate, dull, perfectionism, obsessive, hyper vigilant

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Libra. Element of Air. Mode is Cardinal. The ruling planet of Libra is Venus. Belongs to the seventh house of relationship & romantic love. How one forms partnerships, harmony, balance, expressions of love, beauty, art, feminine, belonging to Venus. Shadow side is dependency, disharmony, vain, superficial, narcissism

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Scorpio. Element of water. Mode is Fixed. The ancient ruler of Scorpio is Mars & its modern ruler is Pluto. The ancient rulership by Mars is still primary. Belongs to the eighth House of death & rebirth. Represents psychological depth, uncovering secrets, primary instinct & impulse, passion, intuition, psychic ability. Investigative, relentless, perseverance. Inheritance, tax & other people's money. Shadow side is cunning, secrets, psychological baseness, destruction, cruelty

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Sagittarius. Element of Fire. Mode is Mutable. The ruling planet of Sagittarius is Jupiter. Belongs to the ninth house of morality, philosophy & higher learning. Represents teachers, higher education, morality, expansion of ideas, beauty of art. Enterprising, adventurous, justice, humanitarian, intelligent, compassionate, optimistic. Shadow side is intolerance, dogma, rigid ideology, judgement

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Capricorn. Element of Earth. Mode is Cardinal. The ruling planet of Capricorn is Saturn. Belongs to the tenth house of career, accomplishment, position in the world. Corresponds with the Mid-heaven (MH), the most outward expression of our achievements. Represents status, challenge, assertiveness, rules & discipline. Represents masculine & father figure. Shadow side is oppressive, dominating, inflexible structures & hierarchy, abuse of power

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Aquarius. Element of Air. Mode is Fixed. The ruling planet of Aquarius is Uranus. Belongs to the eleventh house of social networks. Represents teamwork, lateral thinking, connectivity, sudden inspiration, genius, cooperation, progressiveness, innovation, ingenuity & evolution. Shadow side is sudden shocks, unpredictability, lack of empathy, emotional detachment

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Pisces. Element of water. Mode is Mutable. The ancient ruling planet of Pisces is Jupiter, and its modern ruler is Neptune. Belongs to the twelve house of the unbounded psyche, the unseen realms, spirituality, feminine. Transformation, transcendence, dreams, inspiration, vision, limitless potential, creativity. Shadow side is distraction, gullible, illusion, delusion, addiction, undoing, unraveling, dissociation, madness

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Although planets have a natural ruling sign (domicile), the planets also have a sign of exaltation, fall & detriment. In exaltation, a planet is not in its home sign but able to perform at its peak. In detriment & fall, a planet experiences the least possible synergy as it is placed in a sign in direct opposition to its ruler. For example, Sun is at home in Leo but exalted in Aries. The Sun is in detriment Aquarius and fallen in Libra. More about exaltation, detriment & fall soon >

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Reading your personal birth chart gives a precious glimpse into how your psyche operates energetically as a whole. The major influences. Ultimately, an indication of your important life path

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