CelstialAZ23
Well-known member
What are triplicities? I don’t seem to understand. I have sun, mercury and Venus in capricorn. And the man I’m seeing has sun mercury and mars in cancer. Very opposite, but both cardinal? I’m confused 
Triplicities?
- Thread starter CelstialAZ23
- Start date
Osamenor
Staff member
You're asking two different questions here. Is your question really about triplicities, or really about the oppositions in your synastry with your boyfriend? Those are entirely different things. What does one have to do with the other?
Triplicity means, basically, sign elements. The triplicities are fire, earth, air, and water. There are three signs in each element. Cardinality, mutability, and fixity are modalities. That's not the same thing as triplicity.
Every sign has both an element (triplicity) and a modality. No two are the same combination. Each triplicity has one sign in each modality, and vice versa.
Capricorn is cardinal earth, and Cancer is cardinal water. Same modality, different triplicities. All oppositions (unless they're out of sign) are between signs in the same modality but not the same element.
Triplicity is actually used in traditional astrology, mostly, and traditional astrology does more with it than just name the element. Rulers come into play as well. Modern astrologers more often say sign element rather than triplicity. They mean the same thing, but in modern astrology, attention isn't usually paid to triplicity rulers. However, that's not about relational astrology, and not relevant to your synastry opposition.
Triplicity means, basically, sign elements. The triplicities are fire, earth, air, and water. There are three signs in each element. Cardinality, mutability, and fixity are modalities. That's not the same thing as triplicity.
Every sign has both an element (triplicity) and a modality. No two are the same combination. Each triplicity has one sign in each modality, and vice versa.
Capricorn is cardinal earth, and Cancer is cardinal water. Same modality, different triplicities. All oppositions (unless they're out of sign) are between signs in the same modality but not the same element.
Triplicity is actually used in traditional astrology, mostly, and traditional astrology does more with it than just name the element. Rulers come into play as well. Modern astrologers more often say sign element rather than triplicity. They mean the same thing, but in modern astrology, attention isn't usually paid to triplicity rulers. However, that's not about relational astrology, and not relevant to your synastry opposition.
Last edited:
JUPITERASC
Well-known member
briefly, the following table illustrates TRIPLICITIESWhat are triplicities? I don’t seem to understand. I have sun, mercury and Venus in capricorn. And the man I’m seeing has sun mercury and mars in cancer. Very opposite, but both cardinal? I’m confused
your thread is on our General astrology board
and so
input is encouraged from all perspectives
NEVERTHELESS
IF you ARE interested to learn specifically learn TRIPLICITES
then you have an option to commence a separate thread
on our Traditional board at https://www.astrologyweekly.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=92
with your question re: Triplicities
while continuing on this thread with SYNASTRY
CelstialAZ23
Well-known member
Ok! I was confused. Never even heard of triplicities. They are new to me, and confusing how they work.
The 12 signs can be divided into 3 groups of 4 signs (quality, mode or quadrature) and 4 groups of 3 signs (the triplicities or elements).
The three qualities are Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable (or Common). Cardinal signs are active, immediate, opportunistic, expedient. Their "mode of meeting the outer world" (which is what the qualities indicate) is geared to changing and directing the course of external events. "Cardinal" comes from the Latin for "hinge", and activation of this Quality may signify a "turning point" in the life.
The Fixed signs are not particularly concerned with events of themselves, but rather with the internalized significance of the event. Fixed signs tend to place emphasis on values, principles, ideals and such, and are engaged in a lifelong quest to get their inner self straightened out. They meet life's experiences like a big boulder in midstream...it just flows around the imperturbable self.
Common signs are people-oriented and tend to change themselves to fit circumstances, rather than changing circumstances to suit themselves, as the Cardinal signs do.
If one of the modes is "preponderant" [6 or more planets posited in the quality], then the qualities of the Quality will be a preponderant feature of the personality. They contain much more information than what is listed above. A formation, like T-square or stellium, adds extra emphasis.
The three qualities are Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable (or Common). Cardinal signs are active, immediate, opportunistic, expedient. Their "mode of meeting the outer world" (which is what the qualities indicate) is geared to changing and directing the course of external events. "Cardinal" comes from the Latin for "hinge", and activation of this Quality may signify a "turning point" in the life.
The Fixed signs are not particularly concerned with events of themselves, but rather with the internalized significance of the event. Fixed signs tend to place emphasis on values, principles, ideals and such, and are engaged in a lifelong quest to get their inner self straightened out. They meet life's experiences like a big boulder in midstream...it just flows around the imperturbable self.
Common signs are people-oriented and tend to change themselves to fit circumstances, rather than changing circumstances to suit themselves, as the Cardinal signs do.
If one of the modes is "preponderant" [6 or more planets posited in the quality], then the qualities of the Quality will be a preponderant feature of the personality. They contain much more information than what is listed above. A formation, like T-square or stellium, adds extra emphasis.
Last edited:
CelstialAZ23
Well-known member
Thank you! I guess I was wondering how it effect relationships. If both being cardinal but opposite elements
Osamenor
Staff member
Are you learning modern astrology, or traditional astrology? Or are you just using astrology to explore your relationship?
If you're studying traditional astrology, triplicities are a piece of it. If not, you don't really need them. As a modern astrologer, I look for the element balance in a chart: does this chart have the most placements in fire, earth, water, or air? And which elements are underrepresented? Some charts are balanced pretty evenly, but in most cases, one or two elements dominate and one or two have little or nothing in them. Knowing which signs are in which element comes in handy for getting a sense of the overall flavor of a chart, and for understanding the signs in more depth.
But you don't have to learn all the details of triplicity in order to understand that.
I don't do relationship charts.
But back to the Elements, or Triplicities. I am a modern astrologer with a great appreciation of the traditional (as befits my Aquarian Sun). I use the Elements and Qualities, always, as preliminary to reading any chart. They are very important because, when emphasized, they describe a powerful part of the inherent nature of the native, which influences everything he does.
Qualities tell us how the native will meet the outer objective world. Elements operate subjectively and describe how we perceive the world, or process it internally.
But back to the Elements, or Triplicities. I am a modern astrologer with a great appreciation of the traditional (as befits my Aquarian Sun). I use the Elements and Qualities, always, as preliminary to reading any chart. They are very important because, when emphasized, they describe a powerful part of the inherent nature of the native, which influences everything he does.
Qualities tell us how the native will meet the outer objective world. Elements operate subjectively and describe how we perceive the world, or process it internally.
I don't do relationship charts. I prefer to compare the 2 charts of Native A and Native B, throw out a couple of comments or questions, and then watch the couple get into a big fight.
My personal chart features 7 planets in a massive Fixed T-square (a preponderance in Fixed signs) and 5 planets in the Air Element (a preponderance of Air), forming a Grand Trine.
Knowing these 2 simple facts, we can easily write out a 2 or 3 page single-spaced description of some of the most basic, most deeply-rooted characteristics of the native, characteristics that deeply influence the operation of every aspect in the chart.
My personal chart features 7 planets in a massive Fixed T-square (a preponderance in Fixed signs) and 5 planets in the Air Element (a preponderance of Air), forming a Grand Trine.
Knowing these 2 simple facts, we can easily write out a 2 or 3 page single-spaced description of some of the most basic, most deeply-rooted characteristics of the native, characteristics that deeply influence the operation of every aspect in the chart.
Last edited:
CelstialAZ23
Well-known member
That makes sense to me. I get that.