Elements in Astrology: All About Earth Signs

Each of the 12 zodiac signs falls into one of four elemental categories: Fire, Earth, Air, and Water. They cycle through the zodiac in that order. There are three signs to each element.

These elements are common in many spiritual practices, including tarot, ayurvedic medicine, and Chinese astrology. Some of these practices also have a 5th element, ether, but in Western astrology, there are only the four mentioned above.

How Do Signs Get Their Qualities?

The signs in astrology get their qualities from a variety of factors including their element. They also derive qualities from one of three modalities: cardinal, fixed, or mutable. Their ruling planet, contributing mythology, constellation, and symbol also contribute to their qualities, among other things.

Qualities of Earth Signs in Astrology

Earth Sign Quality: Practical

Many people see Earth Signs as logical and practical. They often see a sensible way through a logistical challenge and are often great at earthly matters like managing money, making appointments, or organizing events. Because of this practicality, Earth Signs can seem inflexible or even boring to some of the more adventurous air or fire signs. Some Earth Signs can indeed learn to loosen up a bit, but it’s really about finding the balance between practicality and flexibility.

Earth Sign Quality: Sensual

While the Earth Sign Taurus is particularly hedonistic, the other two Earth Signs are also into comfort and pleasure. Here, sensual doesn’t mean strictly sexual, but it also refers to that. It more generally refers to physical comfort. Earth signs stereotypically have the most comfortable beds, love to eat good food, and may enjoy buying luxurious, high-quality clothing. A hard side of this quality is that they can allow a fear of discomfort to hold them back from doing things in life.

Earth Sign Quality: Slow and Steady

Your Earth Sign friend may not be the one who is going to go on a last-minute trip to a foreign country. But they are the one who will be there when you get back! Earth Signs are very dependable and somewhat tenacious. They will keep working on something until it is done, finding ways to work around roadblocks. They prefer planned events to spontaneous ones. For this reason, they are sometimes not as compatible with more spontaneous fire and air signs.

Earth Sign Quality: Loyal

Earth Signs tend to have long, stable friendships and relationships. They may prefer more predictable people. That is because they are quite loyal themselves. They enjoy long-lasting relationships and can be quite forgiving until someone pushes them too far. They are very forgiving until something has crossed that threshold. At that point, there’s probably no coming back for the friendship. You should consider yourself privileged to be in the inner circle of an Earth Sign.

Earth Sign Quality: Hard Working

Work comes easily to certain Earth Sign placements. With the combination of loyalty, organization, and methodical thinking, Earth Signs, especially Capricorns, are extremely hard workers. For the most part, this is a great quality, especially in our work-focused society. However, those with strong placements can work too hard, and forget about the importance of work-life balance. This is only difficult for the people around them. To them, it feels like they are exactly in the flow of what they are supposed to be doing.

Earth Signs of the Zodiac

While many people talk about Earth Signs in terms of their Sun Sign, the qualities of each sign apply to any planet, luminary, house, asteroid, or angle where they are present.

Capricorn: The Cardinal Earth Sign

Most Compatible Signs: Taurus, Scorpio, Virgo

Capricorn is known as the business boss of the zodiac. Ruled by structure-loving Saturn, this sign knows how to get things done. Stereotypes about Capricorns include a love of spreadsheets, rules, and tradition. Even their hobbies might look like hard work to others. They proceed with caution when it comes to new adventures. Caps can be daring, as long as they feel prepared.

This sign is incredibly serious, but they do have a sillier side. Their humor is often sarcastic and is not for everyone. Emotionally, Capricorns are extremely logic-based. To many, they can seem cold. But they do have emotions. They only show them to the absolutely closest people. Perhaps only their romantic partners and best friends get to see their innermost feelings and thoughts. When asked for advice, they don’t usually respond with emotional support. They will more often respond with a logistical plan or physical support.

Capricorns can seem to be controlling. But they’re really not. They just want to make sure everything is taken care of. So, unless they trust that someone else can do the job properly, they naturally take the reins as a cardinal sign.

Taurus: The Fixed Earth Sign

Most Compatible Signs: Cancer, Virgo, Capricorn

Stereotypically, Taureans are hedonistic and stubborn. Sure, these things may sometimes be true, but as with all things in astrology, there are deeper reasons for these things that seem so simple on the surface. As an Earth Sign ruled by Venus, they are very much into the combination of comfort and beauty. They are the most likely to live in a comfortable home, know all the best and most stylish places to eat, and be the best at making athleisure look somehow comfortable and posh.

Tauruses are cautionary but in a different way than Capricorns. Caps fear being caught unprepared. Tauruses fear being uncomfortable or lacking resources. So, they tend to proceed into new things relatively slowly. This comes across as stubborn, but that is just their way of protecting themselves. They are slow to change, but very steady once they initiate a change. However, they do have trouble with sudden change.

Some people like to joke that Tauruses are lazy. Yes, they love spa days, lazing in bed, and taking long showers. They are not lazy. They work hard and play hard. They know how to take care of themselves so that they can work hard for another day.

Virgo: The Mutable Earth Sign

Most Compatible Signs: Taurus, Pisces, Capricorn

Of the three Earth Signs, Virgos are known for being the most organized. They are also very practical and service oriented. They are most likely to show their appreciation for others by helping them with errands rather than giving them roses or jewelry. Virgos are loyal friends and enjoy deep connections over shallow ones.

Ruled by Mercury, Virgos have very active minds and are great with words. When Mercury’s energy combines with Earthy vibes in Virgo the result is someone great at planning and analyzing everything. However, some Virgos are prone to anxiety with all of Mercury’s mental energy. However, their exterior usually seems calm, cool, and collected. They don’t like to put their problems on other people, but they do love supporting those around them.

Virgos tend to be perfectionists. However, sometimes this manifests in the opposite way. They can get so frustrated that things will never be perfect that they let things completely fall apart. Virgos who are like this generally have deep shame about their imperfections. As you can see, Virgos are extremely detail oriented. They are sometimes picky eaters and fussy about certain details in life. They like things just so and don’t usually like people meddling with their belongings.

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