Over the years the study of the symbolic universe of Astrology was thoroughly organized. The analysis was made in comparison with the seasons, and in this organization, the sky was divided into 12 equal parts, each one corresponding to a sign. We call this the Zodiac.
It was then observed that some signs have a certain similarity in their manifestations of energy, so some of them were grouped according to the elements of nature – fire, earth, air, and water – and according to their modalities (which we call triplicity) – cardinal, fixed, and mutable.
In this text you will learn more about the Earth element, its characteristics, positive and challenging aspects, its complementary element, and tips for balancing excess or lack of this element in the Astrological Chart. But before we go on, let’s understand better which elements exist, modalities, and axes of the signs.
Elements and Modalities
- Fire – Aries, Leo and Sagittarius
- Earth – Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn
- Air – Gemini, Libra and Aquarius
- Water – Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.
- Cardinals: Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn.
- Fixed – Taurus, Leo, Aquarius and Scorpio.
- Mutable – Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.
In addition, a study was made separating the signs into six axes, formed by opposite and complementary polarities.
- Aries – Libra
- Taurus – Scorpio
- Gemini – Sagittarius
- Cancer – Capricorn
- Leo – Aquarius
- Virgo Pisces
The study of polarities has enormous weight within Astrology, because it is considered that difficulty with the energy of a sign in a person can be complemented with the integration of the energy of the complementary sign. This awareness about the lack of a certain energy and the orientation about which energy integrations are necessary enables the development of the individual as a human being.
The elements have also been included within the classification by polarities, being:
- Fire – Air
- Earth – Water
Understanding about each element can give us an indication of how to channel our energies in a more harmonious way, understanding and accepting our way of being.
The energy of the fire element is more pulsating, instinctive, and impulsive. The Earth element is more objective, pragmatic. The Air element, on the other hand, is more cooperative, rational, and reflective. Finally, the energy of the Water element is more subjective, sensitive, and introspective.
The Earth Element
The Earth element symbolizes the perception of the world through the five senses. With it we learn the importance of materiality, work, limits, and contact with reality.
The Earth is firm, representing the world through its physical form. The experience of life is perceived through the five senses.
Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn are the signs that compose the Earth element, and the Astrological Houses corresponding to these elements are: 2, 6 and 10.
Keywords of the Earth Element
- objectivity
- work
- materiality
- perseverance
- patience
- persistence
- attachment
- pragmatism
- stability
- stubbornness
- productivity
- organization
- limit
- time
Here, the understanding of things happens through empirical experimentation.
The planets and houses that are in the Earth signs of the Astrological Chart indicate that understanding happens in a practical way, and theories are of no use as long as there is no daily experimentation.
It is an element that stimulates the development of achievement through work, discipline, and the stubbornness necessary for the realization of our desires and goals.
Since it talks about realization through materiality, the experimentation happens through the physical senses, also associated with the physical body and the Earth.
The Earth transforms needs and desires into reality!
Watch the video: The powers of the Earth element at work – TOURO, VIRGO AND CAPRICORN
The excess of the Earth element in the Star Chart:
When we have too much of an element in the Chart, its potency is exacerbated. Its traits become marked, and there can be either an ease in dealing with this energy, or a tension and need to learn how to channel it.
The excess of the Earth element in the astrological chart manifests itself through a very strong and perhaps exaggerated involvement with the world of work and material matters.
In this case these people can become extremely skeptical, critical, rigid with themselves, addicted to work, and have difficulties to deal with situations that affect them emotionally. It is necessary to give vent to the playful, creative world, to get in touch with emotions.
The tip for those who have excess of earth is to do artistic, therapeutic, and bodily activities that put them in contact with their sensibility.
The lack of the Earth element in the Astrological Chart:
The lack of an element in the Chart indicates a greater difficulty in dealing with and accessing certain energy and making use of its strength.
People lacking the Earth element in their birth chart feel a greater challenge in dealing with practical, material and objective day to day matters, with a certain detachment from reality.
Making commitments and having discipline can be a difficulty. So can recognizing your ability to produce, your gifts and talents at work. The care of the physical body tends to be neglected when this element is lacking.
Here, a tip is to work on body awareness and to establish a regular routine, with a schedule that makes them develop discipline and organization, will help them land.
Positive and challenging aspects of the Earth element:
All elements have challenging positive aspects, light and shadow. The Earth element teaches us to deal with reality, with the practicality of life, to work and persevere with what we want to accomplish, to have discipline, and to recognize the importance of our physical body as an instrument that will help us enjoy the comforts of materiality.
The imbalances of the Earth manifest themselves through pragmatism, severity, stubbornness, attachment, and bitterness.
Earth and Water Element Dynamics:
Earth and Water have energies that manifest from the outside in. The signs grouped in these elements have a greater energy of acceptance and introspection.
They are considered complementary, because while Earth speaks of objectivity, practicality, materiality, empirical experience of things and the physical body, Water symbolizes the universe of imagination, illusion, sensitivity, feelings, and subjectivity.
Water permeates everything. Remember that without water there is no life on planet Earth.
The Earth teaches us to live in the now, but also to plan, to take care, to organize our routine, to promote our well-being, and to have the necessary resources to enjoy comfort in life, and Water complements this energy by teaching us that it is necessary to dive in and make contact with emotions, with sensibility, with the ludic that there is not only the objectivity of things.
The rigidity and demands of work that can make a person stressed, emotionally limited, and overload their physical body are balanced with the awareness that many of the issues that make practical life difficult are solved and relieved if we slow down the pace and allow the expression of subjective issues that are beyond them.
For this reason, the excesses and lacks of one of these elements are balanced by activating the energy of its complementary one.
The Earth element is what makes us aware of the importance of work in our lives, to value ourselves, to seek security, stability, discipline and organization.
Finally, where we have Earth in the Chart, we are practical, objective, experimenters, careful, and we take into consideration the need for time and the limits we need to bear in order to realize our desires.
Read more: The Element of Earth in Relationships
