Whether you are a believer or a non-believer in Astrology or Zodiac traits, once you study your own sign and the signs of those closest to you, you are likely to come away thinking that there must be something to this.  In my own experience, even when I don't think a certain individual fits into his or her sign initially, as time goes on, I find that they indeed do fit with startling accuracy.  Certainly, lumping everyone on earth into 12 personality types seems absurd, but surprisingly it seems to work, and work well. 

Practical uses for knowing the personality traits of the various zodiac signs and adjusting accordingly are limitless.  Those who are dating should absolutely study their potential mate's zodiac sign for clues as to what they are really like.  Certain signs are just not compatible, and the potential for failure is much higher with these couples.  Employers could make good use of the basics of zodiac personalities to better fit prospective employees into their organizations, though most are totally unaware that this option is available.  Friends, family, co-workers - every single person we come into contact with in our lives carries with them zodiac traits that could vastly help us in our understanding of them and how they think and react. 

Remember, however, that you are always in control of your own fate.  If you were born under a sign that is stubborn, for instance, it is up to you to modify that trait in your own life so that it will not be a hindrance to you.  Remember, these are general traits, and you have the power to change anything you don't like in your own personal profile.

Having said that, there are certain terms that must be understood to fully reap the benefits of astrological profiling. 

First off, each zodiac sign is assigned a planet, or ruler with specific traits for each planet.  The relationships of the planets to zodiac traits is complex, with big differences in outcome based on where the plant was at the time of birth.  Note that two signs (Pisces and Scorpio) have two ruling planets.  This is because the relatively modern discoveries of Neptune and Pluto had to be worked into the mix.  A brief description of the meanings, both good and bad, are as  follows:

Sun - (Leo) The sun is the ruler of all the other plants.  It is the giver of life.  It represents the essence of self.  This can good, bringing fame and wealth, or it can be bad, bringing pessimism or poverty.  It is the most important planet in the zodiac.

Moon - (Cancer) The moon represents the inner self, intuition, and subconscious mind.  The moon can be a powerfully good force, but can also be an unstable, detrimental force particularly regarding the mind and thought processes, as alluded to in the term "lunatic." 

Mercury - (Gemini, Virgo) A fast, restless planet that is connected with intellect and communication.  It can mean great communication and "mercurial success", or it can mean trickery and lies. 

Venus - (Taurus, Libra) As most of us already know, Venus rules love, beauty, attraction, and possessions.  It can mean refinement and culture, or it can succumb to idleness and promiscuity

Mars - (Aries, Scorpio) Mars is connected with energy and action.  When controlled, it can mean steady progress towards the top through positive action, or it can mean violence and uncontrolled, impulsive energy. 

Jupiter - (Sagittarius, Pisces) As the biggest planet-type entity in the solar system, Jupiter is associated with luck, wealth, wisdom, and generosity.  Alternatively, it can also be associated with excessiveness, greed, lies, and selfishness.

Saturn - (Capricorn) Discipline and responsibility are the by-words for Saturn.  In the good sense, a Saturn influence can mean fidelity in marriage, ambition, and success.  Poorly influenced, it can mean inflexibility, selfishness, and lack of humor.

Uranus - (Aquarius) Things that are unexpected will happen with a Uranus influence.  Those with favorable aspects are independent and inventive, but under unfavorable aspects can be eccentric, stiff, and unreliable.

Neptune - (Pisces) Spirituality, psychic ability, and intuition are hallmarks of those influenced by Neptune.  However, if the influence is negative, expect deception, illusion, and secrets.

Pluto - (Scorpio) When favorable, the influence of Pluto can mean regeneration, rebuilding, and transformation.  Under unfavorable influence, Pluto can mean destruction and chaos. 

In addition to being ruled by the planets, each zodiac sign is classified by its nature or essence.  There are 4 Cardinal signs, 4 Fixed signs, and 4 Mutable signs in the zodiac:

Cardinal:  As with the Cardinal directions, North, South, East, and West, Cardinal signs in astrology are oriented to the seasons -  Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn) tend to be the people who take action.  They take initiative and jump right in  They are motivated and enterprising.  However, though they always get a running start, they may fail to complete projects and leave unfinished work in their wakes.  

Fixed:  People who fall into the fixed category (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius) are people who crave stability. They want to own things and be the boss.  They want other people to do the activity while they remain still, but they will stubbornly see to it that a project is completed, no matter how long it takes or who they have to push.  They can be inflexible, but will hold their stance even under pressure.

Mutable:  Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces) are communicators and mediators.  They will usually compromise and will listen to both sides of an issue.  When they are interested, they will remain with a job or in a relationship indefinitely, but if they become bored, they will be gone.  They are adaptable, but can be changeable and inconsistent. 

Lastly, each zodiac sign is ruled by Elements, which can be described as the basic character of the sign.  There are four elements - Earth, Air, Fire, and Water:

Earth - (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn).  Those with earth sign influence are well-grounded and down-to-earth types.  They are hard workers who will get the job done.  They are not risk takers and prefer a steady, stable path.  They are reliable, dutiful, conservative, logical, and responsible.  They appreciate all that can be seen and touched, and like to accumulate worldly possessions.  They love the finer things in life and will strive to situate themselves accordingly.  Under unfavorable aspects, they may become greedy and too materialistic, stepping upon others to gratify themselves. 

Air - (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius).  Those with air sign influence are smart and enterprising.  They love a puzzle or dilemma and will find unique solutions.  They are inventive and think out of the box.   They are generally optimistic and tend to think of the glass as half full.  They thrive on processing information and are curious and alert.  On the down side, they can be cold and calculating, not fully understanding the emotional needs of others. 

Fire - (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius).  Those with fire sign influence are self-sufficient, courageous risk takers.  They go at life with gusto, including in their relationships, and they are by far the sexiest of the elemental signs.  They are fun, engaging, and creative in all aspects of their lives.  However, they can also be terribly selfish, demanding and bossy under unfavorable conditions, and they often refuse to see any side but their own when confronted with an issue.  They can be very headstrong and will bully their way through life if life doesn't move over for them.

Water - (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces).  Those with water sign influence are the feelers of the world.  They are intuitive and "just know."  They are compassionate and receptive, and feel everything quite deeply.  They are artistic and love having beauty around them.  They form strong emotional bonds with others and are always willing to help.  They want to care for others and be cared for.  They are the psychics of the world.  On the down side, they can be moody and may tend to dwell on the bad things. 

In addition to the 12 zodiac signs, there are also 12 cusps - generally 5 days before and after the beginning or end of a sign.  If you were born within this category, then you probably have traits from both signs, such as Libra/Scorpio. This will be covered in these pages too, as these are sometimes vastly different personalities than the core sign they fall in.  If you have researched zodiac signs at all, you have also undoubtedly noticed that there is disagreement as to the start and end dates of some signs.  This is complicated and will be explained further later on, but for your purposes if you just adhere to the 5 days before and 5 days after cusp rules, then a day or two makes little difference.

So that's it for the preliminary stuff - I have finished the base astrological profiles and will do cusp personalities soon.  Stay tuned!

 

 

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