Hot, dry, cold and moist

A Yian

Well-known member
It is known that the four elements are made of hot, drya, cold and moist.

All we know the essence of each element and what it tell us in the astrological judgment. But, what is the essence of each qualitie?

Moisture is fertile, for example. What about the others?
 

sworm09

Well-known member
It is known that the four elements are made of hot, drya, cold and moist.

All we know the essence of each element and what it tell us in the astrological judgment. But, what is the essence of each qualitie?

Moisture is fertile, for example. What about the others?

I'm not sure what you're looking for specifically, but this is the way I've read it explained.

Heat expands and energizes, Cold contracts and leads to decline, Dry makes things rigid and draws distinctions, Moisture softens things and brings them together.
 

Kaiousei no Senshi

Premium Member
Yes, Sworm has it about right.

The keywords I always use for the qualities are that heat is active, coldness is passive, moisture is connective, and dryness is separative. Ptolemy had his own words for them as well; heat is nutritive, coldness is destructive, moisture is prolific, and dryness is noxious.
 

A Yian

Well-known member
Well, thank you. It isn't what i was looking for, but thank you. What I wanted to know was something more global.

I mean, this qualities were used as compounds of all. Talking about the weather, it's obvious, but what about potatoes and onions, or men's temperament. What the qualities means in a whole? Why heat is active and dryness is separative? What it means?

Whatever, thanks for your answers!
 
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Kaiousei no Senshi

Premium Member
I'm not completely sure it will answer your questions any further, but I did a series on Temperament on my blog and it does discuss the qualities a bit further and relates them to functions, psychological traits, and diseases. At the very least it may help you to gain a fuller picture of Temperament in general and some of the qualities. You can read the first one here
 

Larxene

Well-known member
This is how I perceive it in more concrete terms.


Fill a pot with cold water. The water does not move, unless we move the pot. Now, boil the water. When the water is boiling, it seems to be moving around and jumping, even though we are not moving the pot, because heat energy is being supplied to it.

Movement is a kind of activity, so heat promotes activity. Cold is the opposite of heat, so cold promotes inactivity or passivity.


Moisture and Dryness. Add some milk to a cup of black coffee. Stir the mixture. What usually happens is that the previously black coffee will turn dark brown or light brown. We have successfully combined milk with coffee. This is possible because being liquids, they are moist/wet.

Now, pour some milk and coffee onto an ice cube dispenser separately, and freeze the liquids. Dispense the milk cubes and coffee cubes into a cup. Stir them. They will not mix, rather, they will remain as separate cubes (until they melt). This is because they are solid and dry, so they remain separate from each other.
 
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greybeard

Well-known member
You have to teach yourself, same as with planetary rulerships of things and people.
Once you have a grasp of basic concepts you must go through your day noticing people and things, asking yourself, What is their composition in terms of hot, cold, moist, dry?
Practice of this sort brings skill in use.
How might the four tastes -- sweet, sour, salty and bitter -- fit into this scheme?
 
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