This week someone asked the following question on our LinkedIn Soul Astrology Group:
"If my Ascendant is Sagittarius and my Sun and Moon are in Leo is the element of fire important, what needs to be expressed here?”
Which then of course led to those with Rising Signs, Sun and Moon in Earth, Air and Water signs to also become curious! So I addressed all the elements in my answer, and thought to share it here with you:
First it's important to note that the form of Soul Astrology which I practice originated in the work of Alice Bailey and has been carried forward by Soul Astrologers such as Alan Oken and Errol Weiner. This is significant because there are subtle distinctions between the interpretations in Esoteric Astrology and those taught by other astrological schools of thought.
There is a basic commonality in the meaning of each element - fire signs are all about mastery of our actions; earth signs are about mastery of the physical (which includes our physical body); air signs are about mastery of the mind and water signs are about mastery of our emotions. Of course we are all working on all of these things all the time, but where there is a predominance of one element in the natal chart this becomes a major life theme.
Esoteric Astrology takes the view that we are progressing - we are evolving from instinct, through intellect, to intuition. This is our collective spiritual journey and the evolution of human consciousness. Within this overall evolutionary pattern, each individual Soul is passing through 'developmental stages' which can be described using the signs of the Zodiac. In her book "The Twelve Labours of Hercules: an astrological interpretation" Bailey uses Hercules' tasks, and the twelve signs of the Zodiac, as metaphors for our Soul's journey. This is important because it denotes a sense of progression. In other words, in terms of our perception and consciousness, we are progressing from the densest, tangible, physical vibrations, to a very subtle consciousness that lies beyond thought.
Within that, it is said that fire signs bring three 'gifts' - in Aries we have the gift of existence, in Leo we have the gift of opportunity through individuality and in Sagittarius we have the gift of power. We can see a thread of progression from the first fire sign, through to the second, culminating in the third. As the cardinal fire sign Aries creates the space for existence, as the fixed fire sign Leo establishes the sense of self-purpose and so (in terms of our spiritual journey) it the sign of Self-realization, and Sagittarius is the sign of Self-empowerment.
To determine where we are on our individual Soul's journey we look to the Rising Sign (also known as the ascendant) - see my article "Your Rising Sign- Your Soul's Purpose”
Some Soul Astrologers believe that we can have the same Soul Sign (Ascendant) for up to eight incarnations - such is the timescale we are speaking of when we talk about our Soul's development. So in considering elements within an individual natal chart it is important to consider this idea of the Soul developing (or unfolding) in stages. In addition to that we need an understanding of energy, and the difference between the quality of spiritual energy - not only cardinal, fixed and mutable but in terms of gross, fine and extremely subtle - for example our Soul has an extremely subtle quality to it, much more subtle than the consciousness of thought.
So when you say you have Sagittarius as your Ascendant - in Soul Astrology terms this denotes both the subtlest quality of spiritual energy that is wanting to be expressed into the world at Soul level in the form of love-wisdom, AND the more tangible energy of self-empowerment that is wanting to happen at the personality level. The Sun and Moon are also indicators of what your personality is working through in this lifetime so, with Sun and Moon in Leo we can see that you are working through Self-realization to get to Self-empowerment which will allow you to flow the subtlest spiritual energies of love-wisdom into the world.
With the earth signs you are working on mastering and manifesting light in physical form. Taurus recognizes the light of Divinity within the form (Esoterically this relates to the opening of the third eye, and it is said the Buddha himself had 6 planets in Taurus), Virgo relates to flowing Divine love into the world through our work, and this path culminates in Capricorn where ones 'vocation' (Divine work) is realized by a capacity to 'build heaven on earth' through esoteric knowledge of how to manifest light into physical form. Esoterically Capricorn is the sign of the disciple, and no accident that we celebrate Christmas during Capricorn season. The highest, subtlest, vibration of Capricorn is an engineer of light.
Likewise with the Air signs what begins in Gemini, develops in Libra and culminates in Aquarius. Esoterically air signs are about the interplay of light (in Gemini), and right relationship between head and heart (in Libra) resulting in the flowering of human consciousness in Aquarius. With the water signs it is said that all incarnations begin in Cancer (the cardinal water sign - associated with birth). In Cancer we are developing intuition, finding our Soul light and keeping it lit, and cultivating compassion, in the fixed sign of Scorpio we are mastering passion and we learn to 'fix' our attention on our light, transmuting negative emotions into powerful spiritual energy. In Pisces this path (and indeed the whole journey of our Soul) culminates in an experience of Universal Love through the opening of the Sacred Heart of Humanity.
::phew:: that's a very brief overview of how it all fits together - and it really is only the tip of the iceberg!
I have written many in-depth articles about the esoteric and Soul-Centered meaning of individual signs, planets and elements which you can find in the Living Soul Astrology section of Life Coaching Magazine.
… and for a more personal interpretation of your own Soul's journey of course you're always welcome to connect for a consultation!
with very best wishes,
Ruth
Artwork: "Wings" by Josephine Wall
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Soul Path Astrologer Ruth Hadikin specializes in supporting you on your own greatest adventure: using Soul Astrology to explore your Soul Path and Life Purpose. Read more articles like this in her free newsletter.