The twelve signs are sorted by four elements (Fire, Earth, Air, Water) and three modalities (Cardinal, Fixed, Mutable). These basic groupings decide each sign’s temperament and how it moves.
Four elements — the base of temperament
Fire (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) is passion and intuition, Earth (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) reality and stability, Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) thought and communication, Water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) emotion and intuition. Which elements are abundant or scarce in your chart shows your overall balance of temperament.
Three modalities — how you move
Cardinal signs initiate and lead, Fixed signs hold and push through, Mutable signs adapt and change. Even within the same element, a different modality changes how that energy is used.
Frequently asked
A skew is an emphasis of character. Lots of Fire is passionate but can be hasty; lots of Water is sensitive but can be over-tender. A lacking element becomes a growth task you consciously develop.