Absence of element/modality means strong?

I have a lack of earth in my chart, but barely. I have Neptune in Capricorn in a fire house (9th). Unless you count my north node, that's only one aspect in Earth. It's a water planet in an earth sign in a fire house so I wonder if any of the Earthen energy is expressed at all.

From my own personal experience, I lack alot of earth energy, especially that of Saturn. I'm not patient, I dont set goals to accomplish, material possesions and public status are not my thing. However, I feel like my north node in Taurus is driving me to make up for a lack of this element, along with the normal compensation.

I agree with the people saying a lack of an element makes it strongest but the lack of it brings out the need to develop the energy of said element, so in an indirect way makes it the more important element. Perhaps this is what they mean when they say it?

I lack earth big time and also lack water in my chart, having nothing in earth (if we don't count Chiron), and only Mars in an earth house, which can be fully interpreted in the 11th house though I think. And the only water placement is a generational Uranus in Scorpio in the 4th. Sun and Moon placements and Neptune aspects make up here a little though I think. I don't think I ever tried overcompensating my lack of earth. Earth hasn't ever been my strongest or a focal point in my life. I never had a connection with much material values for instance. I usually handle my little money well that I have (Virgo on 2nd house cusp and Mercury conjunct Saturn in 1st). But sometimes, for instance, if I buy something and someone later asks me how much it cost, I usually can't remember because it's not worth remembering or taking note of it for me. But with the lack of earth, for once, I think I can be a little thankful for my Saturn on the Ascendant , if it only is to keep me grounded, or get me always back to earth again. I'm also not completely unpractical because of that.

With my lack of water, I can resonate with what many have said already about it. The main thing here for me is also that I'm not good at expressing my feelings and emotions among people and for the people I'm close to. But I am very much in connection with my inner feelings. In fact, I'm emotionally moved very quickly and get shivers and wet eyes very often at the slightest things sometimes when watching movies or listening to my favorite songs etc., I like to dwell on my inner feelings and on atmospheres, but usually on my own, so for myself I'm completely in tune with my sensitive side, but mostly I don't like people seeing it, I like to hide it. It might be a protection thing also a little possibly. I'm not the best at giving out hugs and little kisses and openly showing strong love and affection towards the people I love and am close to. I find it easier to write about my inner feelings than actually expressing them openly and publicly, which is indicative of my 3rd house (conjunct IC) Moon exactly sextiling my 1st house Mercury I'd say.

What I found interesting, with my heavy emphasis on air (and fire) in my chart, is that I can have a very hard time internalizing and "getting" logical processes. It usually takes me longer to fully apprehend something new or something that takes a little more complex logical steps to go through. For example, I have a hard time realizing some simple connections from a family tree, if it goes back just a couple of generations or so, or expands to grandfather's brother's son or something like that. Wouldn't a heavy air chart show a good and quick logical understanding of thought processes? It also takes me a little longer than most to learn and fully internalize about all the different connections and things in astrological charts. I haven't found out about that one in my chart yet, but I'm sure it's there somewhere. Just wondered about it since I have air strong in my chart. (Nevermind, I'm not gonna intrude this thread with posting my chart. I'm sure I'll find out sometime later, no big deal. It's probably also connected with my Saturn inhibiting and slowing down Mercury in the 1st there. Heh, Saturn can be blamed for almost anything can't it? Well he can take it I think, lol)

I am intrigued by the idea of someone with little or no water planets in her chart needing actual, literal water; someone with no fire in her chart lighting candles, and so on.

On the one hand, we could take this as-is. People who feel that they lack just about anything in themselves will often seek it out externally.

Another possibility is that people who lack an element may have a very watery, firey, airy, or earthy planet very strongly placed. So I would see the moon and Neptune as inherently watery, the sun and Mars as firey, Venus as earthy, and Uranus as airy.

I have a fair bit of fire in my chart, and I also like to light candles in the winter to compensate for the lack of solar fire in my northerly environment.

Way, to add to what you've said here, I have a Leo friend with a heavy weighting of fire in her chart-shes a firewalker!
Also a client of mine, with sun moon and asc all in leo is a firefighter!
So it does seem to work both ways.
I have a preponderance of Earth in my chart. I am a permaculture/companion planting gardener. Have been for years. Its in the garden that I feel most at home.Currently one of my sideline home industries is propagating plants.
Despite a few air placements (3 in Libra), I dont like being off the ground.Air travel is outside my comfort zone and with Uranus in H8 that could be a life preserving consideration.
Cheers
Lilly
(Interesting subject)

A close relative has no Earth in her chart, she is simply not interested in the issues of money making and is not very practical but she has Taurus rising so she is very skilled in using and utilizing resources very economically. But when it comes to making money, savings, material securities these are not her priorities. She has a lot of fire in the chart, so it is about creativity and meaning for her.
Another observation: people tend to attract the opposites in their partners and friends (that's common in my experience). For e.g. I have predominance of Earth and Fire in my chart and my hubby is all Water and Air. We are complete opposites on all spectrum yet it seems to be complementary. Sometimes it is just too funny. I say: "It feels really hot and stuffy in this room, " and he says: "Really, I've been feeling so cold here..." I like large dogs, and he likes tiny dogs, the list goes on an on.

Gimzo said,

I lack earth big time and also lack water in my chart, having nothing in earth (if we don't count Chiron), and only Mars in an earth house, which can be fully interpreted in the 11th house though I think.

What I found interesting, with my heavy emphasis on air (and fire) in my chart, is that I can have a very hard time internalizing and "getting" logical processes. It usually takes me longer to fully apprehend something new or something that takes a little more complex logical steps to go through

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Heavy air/fire tends to produce a bookworm

I'm not the best at giving out hugs and little kisses and openly showing strong love and affection towards the people I love and am close to. I find it easier to write about my inner feelings than actually expressing them openly and publicly, which is indicative of my 3rd house (conjunct IC) Moon exactly sextiling my 1st house Mercury I'd say.

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I would prob put this down to Saturn conj Asc and not talking about feeling is saturn conj mercury. Espec angular would retard anyone, at least you have found a wound around this

With my lack of water, I can resonate with what many have said already about it. The main thing here for me is also that I'm not good at expressing my feelings and emotions among people and for the people I'm close to. But I am very much in connection with my inner feelings. In fact, I'm emotionally moved very quickly and get shivers and wet eyes very often at the slightest things sometimes when watching movies or listening to my favorite songs etc., I like to dwell on my inner feelings and on atmospheres, but usually on my own, so for myself I'm completely in tune with my sensitive side, but mostly I don't like people seeing it, I like to hide it.

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I lack water but to compensate have planets in water houses, but I'm easily moved to tears too. Even when people are being 'sick' it makes me wrench in sympathy.... Again not being able to talk and show loved ones is affected by your Asc is how things comes out and your Saturn again I feel is responsible for this. But if you have got round this by quoting poetry of love notes to get the point accross, what does it matter.

I lack water and air, so to compensate 'music' romantic ballards moves me emotionally to tears plus having sun/moon opp neptune brings in this energy. Air asc get lots of challenging aspects like uranus opp, neptune square, sun &moon square and mars in gemini are well aspected. Mabye I'll start another thread about Asc being 'challenged' do we 'see ourselves' as other see us.... prob not

I don't think I lack any of the elements. I'm very earthy and I have much air. My planets have aspects with Neptune and I have 3 water ones, so I don't miss water either.
My ASC is the only fire I have, but I have 4 planets in fire houses and also planets in cardinal signs and sun and jup conj the MC.
I can't think of something, that I hate - I like flowers (earth), candles and sports (fire), clean mountain air and the seas and rivers. Interesting is that all my closest friends lack of an element. That irritates me a bit (I mean a complete lack), but with those who lack fire I go in for sports, I discuss astrology or religion with those who lack water, etc. It's just that I feel like nobody understands me completely, and my feelings are too changeable, so I can't keep up with myself, too. xD
Still I believe that those who lack something are supposed to learn to tolerate, and try to understand people who have it and "devote their life" to that lack.

three possible responses, to all

all,

Thanks for all the great feedback and examples! I really feel like I am beginning to "wrap my head" around this idea! It seems like there are three types of response to the "missing" issue:

• Try to use your own energies and focuses in a way that "mimicks" the missing energy in some way
• Surround yourself with other people who have that missing energy
• Accept that the energy is missing and live life without that energy

Learning all the time,

Tim

Tim,

A good topic for discussion, so thanks for drawing my attention to it. I have myself wondered about this. However, nailing a person's nature down one way or another on the basis of a missing element can be a bit dodgy, as you need to consider many other things. For instance, how active/well-placed and strong the planets of that missing element might be in the chart. A chart always has some very intricate balance of energies or different energies at play, and such factors often do not immediately meet the eye, as we usually look for answers/aspects to specific queries. There are many ways that a native with a missing element in his chart might be compensated for its energies - say, if water were missing, but the person had an elevated/dignified/'aspectually-active' Moon, or even a well-networked Neptune, one of the angles in that element's signs (quite often the case), etc. On the other hand, a person without planets in water signs/houses might say that s/he has difficulties expressing his/her emotions. Yet, this does not automatically or solely have to do with missing planets in water signs. There too could be an active Saturn aspecting, say, the lights- esp the Moon, and inhibiting it from expressing its real nature.

Anyways, leaving aside all dodgy but often-occuring configs, as some e.gs. even on this thread show; IMO, there is some truth to the subject of discussion here. People with an element missing or weak in their charts would consciously or unconsciously feel an inner urge to compensate for it, fill that lack, and to balance their lives and environments. Now, the difference between, say, gentleman X, with a lot of air and another, Y, with lack of air would be, IMO, that 'X' would naturally behave in an airy way, ie, he might be naturally gregarious, talkative, interested in intellectual pursuits, more-a-mind-than-a-heart person - all or most of which might constitute his nature, and this will come from the inside/this IS him. Y, on the other hand, might feel an internal coercion to compensate and make up for that lack of missing air from the outside (adapt and adopt these energies), say, by working in a job that involves a lot of using the head, or by going for/attracting partners/friends that are airy. If he has a lot of water, he might try to balance this out through the opposite element of air or fire. So, Y might feel a yearning to get this air from the outside in order to feel complete on the inside. Now, silly me can't remember where I read a lovely comparison, in the light of the subject in question, of Marilyn Monroe's and Elvis Presley's charts. Whilst the former hardly had any earth and water, the latter was poorly off as far as far as personal planets in air and fire go (though Elvis did have a Sag Asc). Now, Elvis' fast, fiery and dynamic style of rock n' roll (through his music career) is well-known. Marilyn was known for her almost innate sex appeal; and, from what I had read some moons ago in that article, and can recall now was that she would often say that she longed for stability the most in her life.

Tim, to draw some sort of a parallel, this is something like your explanation on threads re an unaspected planet; a person with an unaspected Merc might blabber a lot, for instance.


AQ7

astrologer50 said:

Heavy air/fire tends to produce a bookworm

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It does? Wouldn't have guessed this. I would have seen more of a connection to earth or water with reading books. I can see the air connection though, but wouldn't reading be considered to boring for heavy fire people? But I can resonate with it a little, I liked to read books in my childhood and early teenage years, then it got lost mostly. Today, the internet has taken over for me. Can read and get lost for hours.

I would prob put this down to Saturn conj Asc and not talking about feeling is saturn conj mercury. Espec angular would retard anyone, at least you have found a wound around this

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Yes I think so too. Saturn(/Mercury) is big there. It definitely adds in a big way to the lack of water with the restraining of emotional expression. But with the strong lack of earth I guess that Saturn placement can have its positives too. And thanks to Neptune, I can express my softer side naturally in the public too in the little things and how I relate to people and how I do things, depending a little on the people and the situations/surroundings. So I'm not completely Saturnized and can come off as sensitive and caring and at the same time a little emotionally restrained too, I guess.

I lack water but to compensate have planets in water houses, but I'm easily moved to tears too. Even when people are being 'sick' it makes me wrench in sympathy.... Again not being able to talk and show loved ones is affected by your Asc is how things comes out and your Saturn again I feel is responsible for this. But if you have got round this by quoting poetry of love notes to get the point accross, what does it matter.

I lack water and air, so to compensate 'music' romantic ballards moves me emotionally to tears plus having sun/moon opp neptune brings in this energy. Air asc get lots of challenging aspects like uranus opp, neptune square, sun &moon square and mars in gemini are well aspected. Mabye I'll start another thread about Asc being 'challenged' do we 'see ourselves' as other see us.... prob not

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So do you think you feel a need to actually consciously compensate the lacking element by maybe listening to romantic ballads that get you in touch with your inner feeling nature or with the missing element, like others described in wanting to take long showers, needing to dring much water or being near waters with a lack of water in their charts? Or do you think the lack is already compensated by the aspects and your strong 4th house, so that the desire actually comes naturally from within to find its outer expression, as it's a part of your inner being? I hope I make sense here. Or did I understand the compensational thing wrongly maybe?

Gimzo,

So do you think you feel a need to actually consciously compensate the lacking element by maybe listening to romantic ballads that get you in touch with your inner feeling nature or with the missing element, like others described in wanting to take long showers, needing to dring much water or being near waters with a lack of water in their charts? Or do you think the lack is already compensated by the aspects and your strong 4th house, so that the desire actually comes naturally from within to find its outer expression, as it's a part of your inner being? I hope I make sense here. Or did I understand the compensational thing wrongly maybe?

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Basically, No but if i'm upset my moon/neptune, sun/neptune is soothed greatly by music somehow. My old astrol teacher always said it's the 'antedote' for hard Neptune aspects. So maybe if others have hard neptune aspects they may resonate with this.....

I have 4fire planets in air houses, plus air on Asc Aquarius, mars in gemini 5th. So don't feel I lack air particular.

I think what's been suggested here is that it can go both ways. I have 4earth planets in water houses. But I would say that I'm not keen on overly emotional/water people and don't do 'tea and sympathy' (I'm a doer very practical and have lots for fire engery) and being Aquarius Asc like my physical space, it's not a touchy feel sign is Aquarius and I have had to learn to be more 'huggy' as I've aged. Hey in private it's completely different aries/taurus is highly sexed and I do have jupiter in 8th 3planets taurus is rather sensual...

lack of water, no I'm not attracted to be near water, live on water or travel by water at all prefer flying myself. Don't feel, sense or see that I lack emotion, perhaps just a little lack of empathy on occasions.

Thanks for elaborating on that, Astrologer. By the way, I forgot to add in my last post, your thread suggestion about challenged Asc and if we see ourselves as others see us would sound interesting.

Tim, I think you nailed 3 principles about how someone might express a missing or nearly-missing chart element.

The ascendant is an interesting question. I would rate the angles pretty highly, but kind of in this order: AC, MC, IC, DC. As the gal with only a challenged Mars in Pisces in the water department, I also have just my DC in a water sign. Whereas I think someone with a water sign rising or on the MC would be a more watery person, notably if the AC water sign ruler aspected the moon or Neptune.

It looks like there is compensation going on in most cases. The question is, is it internalized or externalized? In my case, I would call it internalized, in the sense that I drew upon my "air qualities" to compensate for a handicap in feeling with other people. To externalize might mean to affiliate with other people who do have the missing element; or to surround oneself with that element (fire, water, &c.) in a more literal way, like trips to the beach or lighting candles.

Maybe the chart itself would provide some clues as to how one would go about doing it.

BTW, I once read a chart for a boy who had nearly all of his planets in Aquarius and Capricorn--missing two elements. His father described him as a real loner; but also extremely mentally gifted. This might be your third option--just learn to get along without the missing elements and the life experiences they convey.

BTW, I once read a chart for a boy who had nearly all of his planets in Aquarius and Capricorn--missing two elements. His father described him as a real loner; but also extremely mentally gifted. This might be your third option--just learn to get along without the missing elements and the life experiences they convey.

I remember that period when all of those tight bundle patterns were being born. And I wonder how much progressions will or will not be felt in their psyches. I mean if you have no water or fire, essentially, and your personal planets progress into Pisces, will you begin to integrate the water element successfully? I am not really sure.

I have like no fire at all, and I really dont feel I overcompensate for that. I really do just naturally have a lot of energy, am enthusiastic, optimistic, all of that. But maybe me having no fire is remedied by having Mars (Fiery) in Scorpio (where it's strong) conjunct Sun(Also Fiery) in the Ninth House (which is a fire house)

I, for some reason, seem to attract people with no water in their charts. And they all just seem to be either over-emotional, over-sensitive, or just over-exaggerative. And like..I'm not a callous or insensitive person, but the relationship always turns to the issue of me not expressing my emotions and them being too overly needy and sensitive for me to live with..

It's like reversed, with me being made to be the under-sensitive, under-emotional one, (even with all my water planets, Sun,Mars, Mercury(10th), Pluto(10th) in Scorpio, and water houses, Moon in 4th house, Venus in 8th, and Saturn in 12th)
I dont really know many people with other imbalances, but I'm surrounded with people lacking water, from my parents to my friends and partners, I guess I have something to learn..

Haizea,

I have 4 fire, 4 earth, 4 water and 2 air. And do you know what? I consider myself Air. The element I see myself as more alien to is Water. I see how Water people move, react, express themselves...all that mode of expression is totally alien to me. I understand that their mind setting and their values are totally different from mine.

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There are only 10planets in the sky and you have 14 ?? split between elements

You also get free listing on your www.astro.com chart

I've found water element people rather moody, sulky and use the emotions to get what they want from people. Air elements are more likely to debate and argue and be logical, fire wants to act and now...... earth just want to 'do things'

In my experience, the absence of an element can be compensated for by strong aspects between planets of the nature of the missing element. For example if a person had no fire planets but had strong aspects between Sun/Mars/Jupiter (The choleric or "hot" planets) then this would more than compensate. For missing water, look to aspects between the Moon, Venus and Neptune. For missing earth, Saturn aspects with Venus or Mars. For missing Air, Mercury aspects with Uranus or Saturn and Jupiter to a lesser extent.

I am not a believer that houses have an element/quadruplicity associated with them - in my view, only signs can have elements/quadruplicities attributed to them.

This thread really intrigues me. When I first started studying astrology I was alarmed to discover that I have no planets in earth signs and no fixed signs. In earth houses I have Neptune in the 6th and Mercury in the 10th. Also, for fixed houses I only have my Moon and Uranus in the 5th and my Sun is in the 11th. That's it. Lol, I'm not a very grounded person. I have a very air heavy chart with quite a bit of water (all in Pisces) mixed in. I have found that I have always been fairly creative and a natural communicator. I am very easily distracted and on my own following through with my ideas is a real problem. However, I have also found that I attract fairly grounded people who force me to follow through. In both my romantic relationships and friendships. When I have another person who fully expects me to do what I said I'm going to do, I will follow through. All the Pisces in my chart makes me not want to disappoint them, lol.
I recently did a Davison chart with my new GF (who also has very few earth/fixed signs). It's interesting that together we have 4 planets in Taurus in the 10th house alone. So it seems like we are drawn together to help ground one another.


edit: I also have Saturn in my first conjunct mars in my 12th. This may help me out a little bit at least.

I think it is important to recognize that Tim wanted to see what would happen if an element was missing from a chart entirely.

Not that this hasnt been a totally interesting and productive thread though! I feel better about having only one H2O planet

I am glad Vinyasa pointed her chart out, very interesting.

Haizea said:

I know. I was trying to show my perception of my own water (I seem to have a lot).

It could be summed up saying that I am very much interested in Water affairs , but cannot see Water characteristics in my personality and mode of expression.

And the other point I have in mind when saying all this is that I consider that we all lack especially one element (if not two), some realms which are a bit foreign to us, because our Sun sign element is the strongest field of action for us.

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Oh Haizea I was not directing my comment towards you. I too am interested in water affairs myself, but I lack them.
I felt compelled by your post to start a thread regarding a lot of elements and how they affect you. Interesting how they dont seem to make you feel very watery. What is your sun sign?
I totally agree with that, my sun sign is in an air element and I find that I identify more with that even though I have more earth than air. I think maybe the sun sign "takes over" so to speak?