Elemental Understanding

I love the simplicity of the four elements and resonate with their rich imagery. The four elements form the backbone of the twelve zodiacal signs. We can see these forces play out in nature and in our personalities. Understanding how they interact can give us a deeper understanding of our relationships. How we express them relies upon our self-awareness, our path, and our intention for wielding personal power. Balancing them is a moving process, like walking back and force along a seesaw.

The four elements are:
The creative, assertive force of FIRE
The steady, building energy of EARTH
The intellectual, inventive vibe of AIR
The deep, emotional content of WATER

FIRE MEETS EARTH, POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE
A volcano erupts across the sky after seething dormant for millennia
A potter molds clay, creating a fine porcelain vessel
An abundance of earth snuffs the flame into darkness
An abundance of fire scorches the earth beyond desert.
(Aries, Leo, Sagittarius inspires Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo)
(Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo stabilizes Aries, Leo, Sagittarius)

AIR AND FIRE COLLIDE, AN EASY EXPLOSIVE COMBINATION
Balanced, the hearth fire burns, community gathers around for spirited discourse
Or sheets of fire in a wildfire, taking thousands of acres, a cleansing process in the long view, destruction of the current paradigm
A fire being drained of air becomes smoke, blinding the eyes of all.
(Libra, Aquarius, Gemini aerates Aries, Leo, Sagittarius)
(Aries, Leo, Sagittarius ignites Libra, Aquarius, Gemini)

FIRE AND WATER STEAM
The geyser cascades shots of elemental brilliance from the earth’s crust
A natural sauna making sweat, passionate embrace
Water drowns the flame, dominates or
Fire scalds the bottom of the kettle as water disappears into steam.
(Aries, Leo, Sagittarius brings Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces to a simmer)
(Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces cools Aries, Leo, Sagittarius)

AIR AND EARTH, THE MAKING OF A CANYON
Wind whips across the spires of red Utah, pulling grains of sand into sculpture
The unbridled freedom of dust particles across the planet, or the deep earth canyon trapping air in a spiral dance
An ancient interplay between matter and energy, stillness and movement
The dust devil dances in the desert.
(Libra, Aquarius, Gemini dances with Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo)
(Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo grounds Libra, Aquarius, Gemini)

AIR AND WATER, SURFING THE WAVES OF HAWAI’I
Spray blows off the top, the inexorable power of water, the wind sprite dances
Sheets of rain blown upside down, a brief flouting of the natural order of things
Mental concentration meets the well of compassion
Or, unbalanced, mindless heart*, sensitivity without focus
Or heartless mind*, cutthroat cerebral control.
(Libra, Aquarius, Gemini lifts Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces)
(Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces surfs with Libra, Aquarius, Gemini)

WATER AND EARTH, SUCH A NATURAL ATTRACTION
Water penetrates the opaqueness of the Earth, loosening it
Continuing until the dam breaks, crashing towards the ocean to be swallowed
A marsh, riparian habitat, elegantly designed for filtration, the natural proclivity of the Earth to cleanse and renew
A mudslide in the Californian redwoods, saturation reached.
(Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces nourishes Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo)
(Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo anchors Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces)

*Concept taken from The Five Keys to Mindful Communication by Susan Gillis Chapman

The Luminaries: The Essentials Of The Sun And Moon

In ancient times, those who watched the skies noticed that certain heavenly bodies moved around beyond the relatively fixed patterns of the constellations. The movement of these bodies seemed to vary in speed, trajectory, and even in direction. The Greek astrologers of antiquity grouped them together, calling them planetes asteres, which translates into “wandering stars,” or planets. Early astrology developed around these seven “planets”: the two luminaries of the Sun and Moon, and the five visible planets of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.

As the two luminaries, the Sun and the Moon are the most obvious and dominant objects in the sky. Astrological shorthand still refers to the Sun and Moon as planets. We know of course, that the Sun is actually a star, and without it, no life would exist in our solar system. The still mysterious Moon has various hypotheses accounting for its origin, but we know it revolves around Earth as our very own satellite. The term Luminaries suits these two central heavenly bodies, as it describes their dual roles as sources of actual and metaphysical light. They illuminate our skies, and also serve to powerfully illuminate our consciousness through the magic of astrology. In calling the Sun and Moon Luminaries, we elevate them to the high role of our most illustrious teachers, advisors, and emissaries.

In the natal chart, the luminaries represent the core foundation of the personality. The Sun symbolizes our Essential Character, incorporating our conscious purpose into the vitality that we shine outward. In complementary fashion, the Moon symbolizes the primary Emotional Need, describing internal feelings, receptivity, and intuition. These two powerful symbols draw our attention to the greatest struggles and growth in our personalities. Understanding how the two work together in sacred union provides a profound framework to better understand ourselves and how we relate to others.