Astrological Modes: All About Cardinal Zodiac Signs

Western astrology has 12 signs that can be divided and categorized in several different ways. One of these ways is modalities. There are three modalities: cardinal, fixed, and mutable. There are four signs within each modality.

Astrology signs also have one of four elements: fire, earth, air, and water. Each element has one sign in each mode.

The modes reflect where the sign falls within the seasons. Cardinal signs come at the beginning of a season, fixed signs are at the middle, and mutable signs are generally during seasonal transitions. The mode of a sign is part of what gives it characteristics, as well as its element, ruling planet, and other traditional associations.

The Zodiac Modalities, Their Signs, and Their Elements

What Is a Cardinal Sign in Astrology?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word cardinal means “of basic importance.” It often signifies a leader. It is the name of a high-ranking official in the Roman Catholic Church. The bird cardinal gets its name from its deep red color, which is a similar hue of red to the Catholic Cardinal’s robes. However, Cardinals (the birds) are also a sign of springtime as they are one of the first birds to appear towards the end of winter in snowy climates. So, it is appropriate that cardinal signs in astrology are the leaders of a season. They come and bring with them a new era of the year.

Cardinal signs are natural leaders. They can be a bit stubborn, but in different ways than fixed signs, which are renowned for their stubborn qualities. They are more flexible when they are in a leadership position. If they are playing second fiddle, they are more likely to put their foot down until they get their way. Cardinal signs are big on action. They make things happen and are great at coming up with ideas and starting projects. However, they may need the help of others to completely execute their ideas as they can dream big.

Both mutable signs and fixed signs get along with others of their own modality. However, when cardinal signs come together, they may get along, but they can also clash. Two people with strong leadership qualities may butt heads if they are both vying for the same position of power. Most projects can handle only one visionary. However, cardinal signs can work together easily by having clearly defined roles.

Aries: Cardinal Fire Sign

Ruling Planet: Mars

Symbol: The Ram

As a cardinal sign and the first sign of the zodiac, Aries is kind of like a “fire starter.” This passionate zodiac sign is great at motivating people. However, they are also hot-headed. They can have power struggles or feel easily slighted when their ideas aren’t taken seriously. They are very initiative in every area of life. They are not shy when it comes to asking someone out or asking for a promotion. People with an Aries sun are bold and love competition. An Aries can easily take a good-natured debate a little too far. However, they let things go pretty easily because they are onto the next adventure before they’ve had too much time to remain mad about things.

Cancer: Cardinal Water Sign

Ruling Planet: The Moon

Symbol: The Crab

In terms of cardinal qualities, Cancers often take people by surprise. This watery, emotional, and tender sign doesn’t always seem like a leader. However, their loyal and trustworthy nature makes them leaders over time. They aren’t necessarily the ones proposing big projects and getting others excited like Aries. However, Cancers are masters of comfort. They know how to make people feel comfortable, especially when it comes to home and family. They are super creative and can be quite productive in that realm. They are likely to become reliable leaders that others look to for guidance because of their deep intuition and the way they watch out for others.

Libra: Cardinal Air Sign

Ruling Planet: Venus

Symbol: A Pair of Scales

Libras show their cardinal nature in a unique way. They are often trendsetters and tastemakers. People tend to look to them for ideas on what to wear, what to eat, and even how to behave. Libras love gossip and can talk a lot. However, they love keeping the peace and never forget to listen in addition to talking. Their love of words and thinking allows them to elaborate on ideas thoroughly. They will often explore every option out loud before picking a path. If a conflict arises in their life, they will work very hard to resolve it. With Venus’s influence, Libras are also in love with love. They generally prefer to be in a relationship, and they also have deep love for their friends and family.

Capricorn: Cardinal Earth Sign

Ruling Planet: Saturn

Symbol: Sea-Goat

Capricorns are known as the ultimate boss of the zodiac. It’s pretty obvious to see how the cardinal mode shows up here. There are plenty of memes joking about their love of spreadsheets and CEO nature. Capricorns are heavily boundaried people. Some believe they don’t have any emotions. They can come off as cold people to many. However, that’s not true. It’s just that they only show their emotions to a select few in their inner circle. They also don’t take nonsense from anyone. Capricorns are often very serious and focused on earthly pursuits such as health and wealth. They can play as hard as they work, but they take their play very seriously.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Evheniia Vasylenko