I know, I know. Astrology seems to have the internet split—some people think it’s complete crap, others live their whole lives by it, and then there are people like me; I don’t really know if I think astrology is real or not, but I have enough signs memorized that I use my knowledge as a party trick. It’s interesting! It’s fun to think that the world is so lovingly interconnected, and our personalities so special, that the stars have some influence on all of us.
Perhaps I’ll start a series on this topic. Maybe? A series in which I break down my elementary knowledge of natal charts and force myself to learn more about myself and others along the way.
Everyone knows sun signs, even if you don’t know them by name, so I thought that would be a fitting place to start this series! Sun signs are also known as zodiac signs or star signs, but slightly deeper levels of astrology use the entire sky to comprehend personality and character. Therefore, discussions of a person’s natal chart—snapshots of the sky at the exact time and day you were born—focus on your dominant sign, or sun sign.
Sun signs are perfect for an introduction to astrology because they are not dependent on the time or place, simply the day you were born, so it’s easy to calculate (especially if you are like me and have somehow managed to memorize the entire list of zodiac signs and their corresponding dates).
In the grand scheme of astrology, sun signs are part of what Astro Twitter likes to call the Big Three, which includes your sun, moon and rising signs. These three culminate in your overall presence and sense of self. Your sun sign defines essentially who you are in a generalization, a quick summary. Your moon sign is your inner core, who you are at your most intimate. Lastly, your rising sign, sometimes called your ascendant, is the language that the rest of your chart should be read in, the way others perceive you and what rules your chart, which, in my opinion, is more important than the sun sign, but that’s an article for a different day.
There are two different ways these signs can be sorted. They can be divided into the elements: earth, water, air and fire. The earth signs are Taurus, Capricorn and Virgo, known for being down-to-earth and organized. The air signs are Gemini, Libra and Aquarius, known for being jacks-of-all-trades and socially conscious. The water signs are Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio, defined by their depth and emotion. Last, but not least (haha, because I’m a Leo), are the fire signs, Aries, Leo and Sagittarius, governed by passion and drive. Party!
On the other hand, we can organize the sun signs by the three duplicities, which are a little more complicated. Within the duplicities are one sign of each element. The cardinal signs, which arrive at the start of the season, include Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. They are known to be innovators bursting with ideas. The fixed signs, which fall during the middle of the season, include Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius, who are able to incorporate practical application with the ideas produced by the cardinal signs. Lastly, the mutable signs, which arrive at the conclusion of the season, include Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces, who are thoughtful enough to follow these ideas through to completion.
I’m sure you already know about your sun signs, and, if you don’t, there are thousands of Instagram astro pages. Sun signs are a fun place to start, as well as a good foundation for the rest of your chart.
Signing off, your adoring Leo guide.