An Introduction to Element, Modality, and Gender

[Arian Maverick]

Here is yet another guide, the third part of my series! ;)

It can also be found in a thread called[HELP] Strange Mars (http://www.astrologyweekly.com/forum/showthread.php?p=13159#post13159) in the Natal Astrology Board (http://www.astrologyweekly.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=7)

But I don't exactly understand modality and gender in this context.

Johan,

Element, Modality, and Gender refer to one of the many qualities of a sign.

Element: Fire (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius), Earth (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn), Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) and Water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces)

Modality: Cardinal (Aries/Libra, Cancer/Capricorn), Fixed (Taurus/Scorpio, Leo/Aquarius), and Mutable (Gemini/Sagittarius, Virgo/Pisces)

Gender: Masculine (Aries/Libra, Gemini/Sagittarius, Leo/Aquarius) and Feminine (Taurus/Scorpio, Cancer/Capricorn, and Virgo/Pisces)

As the lists below illustrate, there is a definite pattern in assigning element, modality, and gender to a sign:

Element: There are four elements in the twelve signs of the zodiac; 12/4 = 3 signs of any particular element

Aries: Fire
Taurus: Earth
Gemini: Air
Cancer: Water
Leo: Fire
Virgo: Earth
Libra: Air
Scorpio: Water
Sagittarius: Fire
Capricorn: Earth
Aquarius: Air
Pisces: Water

Modality: There are three modalities in the twelve signs of the zodiac; 12/3 = 4 signs of any particular modality

Aries: Cardinal
Taurus: Fixed
Gemini: Mutable
Cancer: Cardinal
Leo: Fixed
Virgo: Mutable
Libra: Cardinal
Scorpio: Fixed
Sagittarius: Mutable
Capricorn: Cardinal
Aquarius: Fixed
Pisces: Mutable

Gender: There are two genders in the twelve signs of the zodiac; 12/2 = 6 signs of any particular gender

Aries: Masculine
Taurus: Feminine
Gemini: Masculine
Cancer: Feminine
Leo: Masculine
Virgo: Feminine
Libra: Masculine
Scorpio: Feminine
Sagittarius: Masculine
Capricorn: Feminine
Aquarius: Masculine
Pisces: Feminine

The combined list looks like this:

Aries: Fire, Cardinal, Masculine
Taurus: Earth, Fixed, Feminine
Gemini: Air, Mutable, Masculine
Cancer: Water, Cardinal, Feminine
Leo: Fire, Fixed, Masculine
Virgo: Earth, Mutable, Feminine
Libra: Air, Cardinal, Masculine
Scorpio: Water, Fixed, Feminine
Sagittarius: Fire, Mutable, Masculine
Capricorn: Earth, Cardinal, Feminine
Aquarius: Air, Fixed, Masculine
Pisces: Water, Mutable, Feminine

Now let us return to Draco's post and see how this all fits together:

No Johan, you are not alone. I also understand that trines are based on element, squares are based on modality, sextiles upon gender.

A trine aspect equals 120 degrees and is 1/3 of a circle (360 degrees/3 = 120 degrees). We have already established the pattern of elements: There are four elements in the twelve signs of the zodiac, which can be expressed as the fraction 4/12. This is may be reduced to 1/3.

A square aspect equals 90 degrees and is 1/4 of a circle (360 degrees/4 = 90 degrees). We have already established the pattern of modalities: There are three modalities in the twelve signs of the zodiac, which can be expressed as the fraction 3/12. This may be reduced to 1/4.

A sextile aspect equals 60 degrees and is 1/6 of a circle (360 degrees /6 = 60 degrees). We have already established the pattern of genders: There are two genders in the twelve signs of the zodiac, which can be expressed as the fraction 2/12. This may be reduced to 1/6.

I hope this guide helps you and others better understand the concept of element, modality, and gender ;)

Arian Maverick

[Arian Maverick]

Here is part two of this series, which can also be found in the thread Anyone care to take a shot at interpreting a T-square? (http://www.astrologyweekly.com/forum/showthread.php?p=13891&posted=1#post13891) in the Natal Astrology Board (http://www.astrologyweekly.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=7).

I do not believe it is possible to have a common element in a T-square configuration when you consider the attributes of the polarity pairs that compose the opposition. However, as the chart below illustrates, the modality and gender of any natural polarity pair must be the same:

Aries: Fire, Cardinal, Masculine
Libra: Air, Cardinal, Masculine

Taurus: Earth, Fixed, Feminine
Scorpio: Water, Fixed, Feminine

Gemini: Air, Mutable, Masculine
Sagittarius: Fire, Mutable, Masculine

Cancer: Water, Cardinal, Feminine
Capricorn: Earth, Cardinal, Feminine

Leo: Fire, Fixed, Masculine
Aquarius: Air, Fixed, Masculine

Virgo: Earth, Mutable, Feminine
Pisces: Water, Mutable, Feminine

Now let us examine the two possible T-squares of each Grand Cross--the Cardinal Cross, the Fixed Cross, and the Mutable Cross--of which the T-square is essentially "missing a leg":

The Cardinal Grand Cross:

Aries: Fire, Cardinal, Masculine
Libra: Air, Cardinal, Masculine
Cancer: Water, Cardinal, Feminine
Capricorn: Earth, Cardinal, Feminine

The Cardinal T-Squares:

Aries: Fire, Cardinal, Masculine
Libra: Air, Cardinal, Masculine
Cancer: Water, Cardinal, Feminine

Aries: Fire, Cardinal, Masculine
Libra: Air, Cardinal, Masculine
Capricorn: Earth, Cardinal, Feminine

Cancer: Water, Cardinal, Feminine
Capricorn: Earth, Cardinal, Feminine
Aries: Fire, Cardinal, Masculine

Cancer: Water, Cardinal, Feminine
Capricorn: Earth, Cardinal, Feminine
Libra: Air, Cardinal, Masculine

The Fixed Grand Cross:

Taurus: Earth, Fixed, Feminine
Scorpio: Water, Fixed, Feminine
Leo: Fire, Fixed, Masculine
Aquarius: Air, Fixed, Masculine

The Fixed T-Squares:

Taurus: Earth, Fixed, Feminine
Scorpio: Water, Fixed, Feminine
Leo: Fire, Fixed, Masculine

Taurus: Earth, Fixed, Feminine
Scorpio: Water, Fixed, Feminine
Aquarius: Air, Fixed, Masculine

Leo: Fire, Fixed, Masculine
Aquarius: Air, Fixed, Masculine
Taurus: Earth, Fixed, Feminine

Leo: Fire, Fixed, Masculine
Aquarius: Air, Fixed, Masculine
Scorpio: Water, Fixed, Feminine

The Mutable Grand Cross:

Gemini: Air, Mutable, Masculine
Sagittarius: Fire, Mutable, Masculine
Virgo: Earth, Mutable, Feminine
Pisces: Water, Mutable, Feminine

The Mutable T-Squares:

Gemini: Air, Mutable, Masculine
Sagittarius: Fire, Mutable, Masculine
Virgo: Earth, Mutable, Feminine

Gemini: Air, Mutable, Masculine
Sagittarius: Fire, Mutable, Masculine
Pisces: Water, Mutable, Feminine

Virgo: Earth, Mutable, Feminine
Pisces: Water, Mutable, Feminine
Gemini: Air, Mutable, Masculine

Virgo: Earth, Mutable, Feminine
Pisces: Water, Mutable, Feminine
Sagittarius: Fire, Mutable, Masculine

Thus, although the individual aspects composing your Taurus-Virgo-Scorpio combination may meet the required orb settings, this may not be considered a T-square configuration by some astrologers.

Arian Maverick

[Howl]

Nice work :) Although, aren't there four possible T cross combinations for each modality, rather than only two? I don't know how to do your cool coloured writing, but here is what I mean:

For example, from the Cardinal Grand Cross (Aries, Libra, Cancer, Capricorn)

You can create a T square of

Aries, Libra, Cancer (as you say)
Aries, Libra, Capricorn (as you say)

but also,

Cancer, Capricorn, Aries
Cancer, Capricrorn, Libra

Aries doesn't always come first, my friend ;) nor is it always even involved :D :D

[Arian Maverick]

Howl, thank you for pointing this out...I believe the mistake has now been corrected! ;)

Aries doesn't always come first, my friend nor is it always even involved

Ha ha! :D

I actually did not mean to be biased in this regard; I simply went through the list in the order of the natural zodiac to organize my thoughts.

Arian Maverick