3 modes of EARTH

After a bit of time out, let us return to the zodiac signs from the perspective of their elements and qualities. The 3 Fire signs were worked on in a previous blog now we move on to the 3 Earth signs.

The ‘Triplicities’ or sign groupings are according to one of the classical elements of Fire, Earth, Air and Water. Let us look again at the qualities of Earth when combined with each of the 3 modes of Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable.

At the beginning of the world, Shu god of Space separated Sky Nut from the Earth Geb.

L. Lamy, ‘Egyptian Mysteries’

The Egyptian god of earth is Geb, seen here reclining beneath the sky goddess Nut.

The earth gives the physical form and function of life. It is the arena within which the spiritual path is pursued through being efficient and productive. Earth people utilise the material world in a way that it will aid and assist humanities spiritual growth and development, for the spirit and the material are but two sides of the same coin. Thus earth people strive to give to society and the world something that can be put to use in a visible and tangible way.

[From Budge, ‘The Egyptian Zodiac’]

TAURUS is the first of the earth signs and is of the fixed quality. Thus these Earth people are the most practical and down to earth of all the earth signs, which means they can be quite stubborn about what they want to achieve and quite resistant to objection, as they mould earth materials into useful things for their own purposes, and this includes money. However, you will see a completely different aspect of the Taurean nature when his/her softer side is appealed to through love, the sight of what is beautiful or a sumptuous meal, for they are ruled by the planet of harmony, Venus. From this it can be concluded that our little [or big] bulls are much easier to convince when led gently by the nose and soft words rather than forced down a path with a big stick or rigidity equal to their own. Everything for the Taurean should be practical but erring on the side of pleasant harmony and beauty.

[From Budge, ‘The Egyptian Zodiac’]

VIRGO is the second earth sign and it has the quality of mutability. Here we find that the practical qualities of earth become more flexible yet still hold to the need to see  meaningful and useful results for all their hard labour. Virgo can therefore comfortably deal with the necessity of irritating detail that is required to produce a concrete result in this world. Such detail is seen in number crunching, careful looking after and in the work of the craftsman that needs concentrated persistence. These are practical, useful and earthbound pursuits that help us to get through our daily routine and move life forward, to nurture the seed potential into a blooming flower. The Virgo person being ruled by Mercury also needs to feel that they are applying their intellect to the constant adaptation of material things and solving practical problems. They need to feel useful.

[From Budge, ‘The Egyptian Zodiac’]

CAPRICORN is the third earth sign and it has the cardinal quality. Of the three earth signs this makes Capricorn probably the most industrious and driven to achieve through action. The cardinal signs always need to be active and seen to be so, always going somewhere and usually with the determination to put their stamp on society. This is earth with an ambition, the sign wants to take all the material affairs of man, from buildings to politics and make them work for the good of all. They like to see life structured and ordered so that all people can work towards a useful end goal. In some ways you can find a hint of Aquarius here, the other sign ruled by Saturn before Uranus came along and caused havoc. Saturn has the reputation of a hard task master, but that is only when we strive to shirk our practical and realistic responsibilities and duties.