Astrology and the classical elements

Four Classical Elements; this classic diagram has two squares on top of each other, with the corners of one being the classical elements, and the corners of the other being the properties

In Western tropical astrology, there are 12 astrological signs. Each of the four elements is associated with 3 signs of the Zodiac which are always located exactly 120 degrees away from each other along the ecliptic and said to be in trine with one another. Most modern astrologers use the four classical elements extensively, (also known as triplicities) and indeed it is still viewed as a critical part of interpreting the astrological chart.

Beginning with the first sign Aries which is a Fire sign, the next in line Taurus is Earth, then to Gemini which is Air, and finally to Cancer which is Water. This cycle continues on twice more and ends with the twelfth and final astrological sign, Pisces. The elemental rulerships for the twelve astrological signs of the zodiac (according to Marcus Manilius) are summarised as follows:

• Fire — 1 – Aries; 5 – Leo; 9 – Sagittarius – hot, dry, ardent
• Earth — 2 – Taurus; 6 – Virgo; 10 – Capricorn – heavy, cold, dry
• Air — 3 – Gemini; 7 – Libra; 11 – Aquarius – light, hot, wet
• Water — 4 – Cancer; 8 – Scorpio; 12 – Pisces – cold, wet, soft

Zodiac symbols (Vedic astrology) on the terrace of a temple in Kanipakam, Andhra Pradesh

Sidereal (Vedic) astrology shares the same system as Western astrology of linking zodiac signs to elements.

In addition, in Vedic thought each of the five planets are linked to an element (with space as the fifth). It was said in the Veda that everything emanated from the one basic vibration of "Om" or "Aum." From "Om" the five elemental vibrations emerged representing the five different tattwas (or elements). The five planets represent these five vibrations – Jupiter for Space, Saturn for Air, Mars for Fire, Mercury for Earth, and Venus for Water.

In many traditional Chinese theory field, matters and its developmental movement stage can be classified into the Wu Xing. They are Wood ruler Jupiter, Green, East and Spring, Fire ruler Mars, Red, South and Summer, Earth ruler Saturn, Yellow, Center and Last Summer, Metal ruler Venus, White, West and Autumn and Water ruler Mercury, Black, North and Winter. Note that the Wu Xing are chiefly an ancient mnemonic device for systems with 5 stages, rather than the notion of different kinds of material.

^aPtolemy[3] later modified the rulerships of Water triplicity, making Mars the ruler of the water triplicity for both day and night charts—and William Lilly concurred.[4]