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More Than Just Pictures in the Sky

As I said, everyone has 14 signs that make up their personality. No one can be a "pure Aries" or a pure anything for that matter. We are all a mix. But by studying each individual sign and figuring out where they fit into our system, we can learn quite a lot about ourselves.

The first thing you need to know is that each sign has 3 distinct characteristics. Each sign has an element and a quality and a polarity (either masculine or feminine/positive or negative, similar to the Yin-Yang principle).

The 4 elements are the elements that ancient humans thought the whole world was comprised of were Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. In Astrology, these elements are equivalent to the 4 personality types. You are "down-to-earth," "air-headed," "fiery," or "wishy-washy" as it were. Of course, most people have a mix of all 4 elements in their system. Like I said, no one is a pure anything.

The Qualities are: Mutable, Fixed, and Cardinal and determine the "motion" each sign contributes to you. A Mutable sign is adaptable, versatile, multi-talented, flexible, lovers of change and growth, and possessing of many varied skills and ideas. A Fixed sign is almost the opposite. They dislike change. They try to keep things together, as they were, all neatly organized as they always have been. The Cardinal signs are the leaders, the initiators, the activists, the shapers of society. Rather than adapting to the world around them, or trying to keeping the world they way it is, they want to make the world what they think it should be.

The Masculine and Feminine signs are pretty stereotypically straight forward. Masculine signs tend to be more energetic, extroverted, logical, aggressive, in other words, all the stereotypes associated with men. Feminine signs therefore are more emotional, tied to the family, introverted, introspective, etc.

Remember, just because you have one sign that falls in a certain category doesn't mean you are exactly that thing and nothing else. These categories mix together into more combinations than you can imagine (no wonder there's so many screwy people on this planet), so don't complain to me that only one or two of the characteristics fit you or something, look at the other signs then. There is no such thing as Vanilla ice cream in the Human world, we are ALL Neapolitan.

So here I have a basic rundown of the characteristics and symbols of each sign. Some information was borrowed from my favorite Astrology books. I have them listed at the bottom. I also threw in notes on my personal experiences with members of each sign as well as how each sign would answer the Great Astrological Light Bulb Joke. How many members of your sign does it take to change a light bulb? (I didn't write this joke or its answers. I got it in an email forward a long time ago and decided to put it here because it's so bloody accurate.)

Aries
Symbol: The Ram
Colors: Red and Black (colors of war and blood)
Element: Fire
Quality: Cardinal
Polarity: Masculine
Planet: Mars, named after the Roman God of War
Numbers: 1 and 9
House: 1st House
Tarot Card(s):
Tarot Suit: Wands/Staves/Rods/Clubs
Day of the Week: Tuesday, named after Tiws, the Norse God of War
Gemstone: Diamond
Metal: Iron
Flowers: Honeysuckle, Thistle
Trees: all thorn-bearing trees
Animals: Sheep and Rams
Countries: England, France, Germany
Characteristics: Willpower, impulse, initiative, courage, energy, activity, adventure, overlooks details, direct, self-oriented, uncooperative, objective, frank and uncomplicated, impatient, competitive, spontaneous, self-reliant
Just like real rams, they have a tendency to "butt heads" with everyone and everything.
Personal Notes: Every Aries I have ever known has been crazy, hyper, sarcastic, cynical, and very funny. It's my Moon sign, so it adds its energy and power, as well as its childishness, to my emotional realm. O.O
How many Ariens does it take to change a light bulb?: Just one...you wanna make something of it!

Taurus
Symbol: The Bull
Colors: Green, Brown (colors of earth)
Element: Earth
Quality: Fixed
Polarity: Feminine
Planet: Venus, named after the Roman Goddess of Love
Numbers: 2 and 6
House: 2nd House
Tarot Card:
Day of the Week: Friday, named after Freya, Norse Goddess of Love and Beauty
Gemstone: Sapphire, Emerald
Metal: Copper
Flowers: Rose, Poppy, Foxglove
Trees: Ash, Cypress, Apple, vines
Animals: Cattle
Countries: Ireland, Switzerland, Iran
Characteristics: Sensuality, pleasure-seeking, steadfast, stubborn, strives for security, romantic, acquisitive, penny-pinching, sustaining, subjective, hard-working, patient, productive, conforming, cautious, rigid, uncompromising
Just like a bull, Tauri "see red" when provoked over and over again for a long time.
Personal Notes: My dad and my best friend in the whole world are Tauri. They're can be emotional and a bit erratic but you can trust them with your life. They'll never let you down.
How many Taurians does it take to change a light bulb?: One, but just try to convince them that the burned-out bulb is useless and should be thrown away.

Gemini
Symbol: The Twins
Colors: Yellow and Sky Blue
Element: Air
Quality: Mutable
Polarity: Masculine
Planet: Mercury, named after the Roman God of Communication (the winged messenger)
Numbers: 3 and 5
House: 3rd House
Tarot Card:
Day of the Week: Wednesday, named after Wodnes, Norse God of Intelligence and Communication.
Gemstone: Agate
Metal: Mercury
Flowers: Lily-of-the-Valley
Trees: Nut-bearing trees
Animals: Small birds, parrots, butterflies, monkeys
Countries: Wales, Belgium, U.S.A.
Characteristics: Mental type, has wit, communicative, mobile, takes pleasure in learning and transmitting, volatile, talkative, needing variety, inquisitive, interactive, versatile, gregarious Like the winged messenger god, Gemini are often up in the clouds but not detached from the world. And like the Twins, they seem to possess two completely different sides, almost like a split-personality.
Personal Notes: I have a friend who is a rather flamboyant bisexual black woman, same age as me, hits on me all the time and loves it, she's just plain fun. Her "twin" side is very serious, mature, religious, and intelligent.
How many Geminis does it take to change a light bulb?: Two, but the job never gets done-they just keep discussing who is supposed to do it and how it's supposed to be done!

Cancer
Symbol: The Crab
Colors: Silver and Pale Blue (colors of the Moon)
Element: Water
Quality: Cardinal
Polarity: Feminine
Planet: The Moon
Numbers: 4 and 2
House: 4th House
Tarot Card:
Day of the Week: Monday, named after the Moon
Gemstone: Pearl
Metal: Silver
Flowers: Acanthus, Convolvulus, any other white flowers
Trees: Those rich in sap
Animals: Creatures with a shell covering
Countries: Scotland, Holland
Characteristics: Emotional type, stubborn, seeks safety, security, and closeness, super-sensitive, very defensive, moody, family-oriented, maternal, protective, intuitive, romantic, sensuous, sentimental, clings to the past and to tradition, conservative, cautious, retentive, tenacious, imaginative. Just like crabs: hard outer shell, soft gooey inside. This sign is the reason moody, complaining people are called Crabs.
Personal Notes: Ack....Don't ask....My oldest brother and my first boyfriend...I hate them both...Cancers are EVIL I TELL YOU!!! No, I'm just kidding....it's just my Sag Fire doesn't work well with them. They are homebodies and family-hooked (the very opposite of me), especially to their mothers, even the guys. I don't think there is a more messed up soul on this planet than a male Cancer...the poor dears just can't handle all this "feminine" influence from the Moon and the Water, it drives them insane when they try to co-exist in the Male World. They can't relate. They are by far THE most emotional sign in the whole zodiac and are prone to things like suicide, self-destruction, etc., unless they have a grounding, stabilizing sign somewhere else in their system and/or a wonderfully loving, caring, supportive home life (which my boyfriend most definitely did not have). If they are not brought up in an environment where they are taught to handle their extreme emotions, they can lose control and often do.
How many Cancers does it take to change a light bulb?: Just one. But it takes a therapist three years to help them through the grieving process.

Leo
Symbol: The Lion
Colors: Gold and Purple (colors of royalty and the Sunset)
Element: Fire
Quality: Fixed
Polarity: Masculine
Planet: The Sun
Numbers: 5 and 1
House: 5th House
Tarot Card: Strength
Day of the Week: Sunday, named after the Sun
Gemstone: Ruby
Metal: Gold
Flowers: Sunflowers, Marigolds
Trees: Palm, Bay, Orange and Lemon, Laurel
Animals: big game, especially the cat family
Countries: South of France, Italy, Romania, Sicily
Characteristics: Glamour, generosity, organizer, the center of attention, desires to be prominent and entertaining, tries to impress and influence, extravagant, habit-prone, rigid, uncompromising, impatient, opportunistic, persevering, ambitious, generous, demonstrative Just like lions, these people are the Kings of the Jungle, the Royalty of all civilization...at least according to them. Ego is their middle name, but they are not malicious, just arrogant. You know Shania Twain's "That Don't Impress Me Much." All three of the guys she sings about in that song would qualify as Leos. They think they should be the most important thing in anyone's life.
Personal Notes: Another of my best friends is a Leo and you can tell. He is very assertive. If he doesn't like something, he tells them he doesn't like it and demands they change it. He's been a manager at just about every job he's ever worked because he does things right and keeps everyone and everything organized and if someone screws up, he doesn't hesitate to them about it. He's not mean, though, he just tells it like it is.
How many Leos does it take to change a light bulb?: Leos don't change light bulbs, although sometimes their agent will get a Virgo in to do the job for them while they're out.

Virgo
Symbol: The Virgin
Colors: Dark or Golden Browns, Navy Blue (colors of wheat and twilight)
Element: Earth
Quality: Mutable
Polarity: Feminine
Planet: Mercury, named after the Roman God of Communication (the winged messenger)
Numbers: 6 and 5
House: 6th House
Tarot Card:
Day of the Week: Wednesday, named after Wodnes, Norse God of Intelligence and Communication.
Gemstone: Sardonyx
Metal: Mercury or Nickel
Flowers: All small, brightly colored flowers such as the Anemone
Trees: All nut-bearing trees
Animals: All domestic pets
Countries: Greece, West Indies, Turkey, the state of Virginia, U.S.A., Brazil, New Zealand
Characteristics: Precise, differentiates, does what is necessary, utilitarian, critical, discriminatory, rational, look for the core of the matter, attentive to detail, methodical, systematic, logical, modest, detached from emotions, perfectionistic, intolerant, pedantic, skeptical, industrious, the Analyzers Extraordinaire. Virgos embody the idea of "down-to-earth." They are also symbolized by grain, as it is harvested at this time of the year.
Personal Notes: Had a Virgo boyfriend, he was cute, sweet, and intelligent but I thought he was kind of stuffy and a bit boring. He's gotten better about that since, much more fun now. :) My other brother is also a Virgo but he's a bitchy one. He never smiles, barks at everyone, but that's not typical of Virgos, just typical of him. ;)
How many Virgos does it take to change a light bulb?: Approximately 1.000000 with an error of +/- 1 millionth.

Libra
Symbol: The Scales
Colors: Medium Blues and Greens
Element: Air
Quality: Cardinal
Polarity: Masculine
Planet: Venus
Numbers: 7 and 6
House: 7th House
Tarot Card: Justice
Day of the Week: Friday, named after Freya, Norse Goddess of Love and Beauty
Gemstone: Sapphire, Jade
Metal: Copper, Bronze
Flowers: Blue flowers, Hydrangea, large roses
Trees: Ash, Poplar
Animals: Lizards and small reptiles
Countries: Austria, Burma, Japan, Argentina, Upper Egypt, Canada
Characteristics: A sense of beauty and proportion, tactful, seeks balance and harmony with environment and others, appreciative and needing appreciation, validation and security, artistic, sense of justice, flatterer, indecisive Just like the Scales, Libras seek balance and often have a real hard time finding it.
Personal Notes: All the Libras I've known have had a hell of a time making decisions. They sway back and forth between one side and other for hours, ask other people for their input, and then go back to the balancing act. They also have a tendency to be introverted and extroverted at the same time, as they can't make up their mind about that either.
How many Libras does it take to change a light bulb?: Er, two. Or maybe one. No, on second thought, make that two. Is that OK with you?

Scorpio
Symbol: The Scorpion
Colors: Dark Reds and Violets (colors of passion and vengeance)
Element: Water
Quality: Fixed
Polarity: Feminine
Planet: Pluto, named after the Roman God of Death and the Underworld (Scorpio's planet was Mars before Pluto was discovered in 1933)
Numbers: 8, 9, and 11
House: 8th House
Tarot Card: Death
Day of the Week: Tuesday, named after Tiws, Norse God of War
Gemstone: Opal
Metal: Steel, Iron
Flowers: Geranium, Rhododendron
Trees: Blackthorn and thick, bushy trees
Animals: Crustaceans, most insects, Eagles
Countries: Morocco, Norway, The Transvaal, Algeria
Characteristics: Extremely intense, corrosive, passionate, piercing, penetrating, prone to jealousy and hatred, scrutinizing, strong convictions, subtle, secretive, manipulative, magnetic, dislike of the superficial, concentration, rigid, uncompromising, suspicious, dominant, sarcastic, possessive, vengeful, forceful, easily hurt. Just like the scorpion, they'd carry poison with them everywhere. They will fiercely defend themselves against any predator and would rather sting themselves to death than die by the hands of a mortal enemy.
Personal Notes: I have an awful lot of this sign in me and those of you that know me will recognize what I mean. This is the Vegeta in me. All the jealousy, the hatred, the deep resounding passion of the world rests in this sign. Its power is amazing but unlike the forceful, directed power of Aries or the willpower of Capricorn, Scorpio's power is in its terrible, wonderful, terrifying, beautiful power of emotion. Scorpios feel deeper than anyone else in the zodiac. Hell hath no fury like a Scorpio's scorn I like to say. When they love, they LOVE, when they hate, they HATE! They are also very protective of themselves and those they care for, in fact, sometimes viciously protective. This often makes them secretive. They keep all their secrets hidden away in the deepest darkest corner of their self-made cage and bottle up those incredible emotions of theirs until they explode (and I mean explode!). One of my Scorpio signs is in Venus, the Planet of Love and therefore guides and guards my love and family life...and I don't think I have to tell you there is nothing closer to Hell on earth than when the most violently emotional sign in the Zodiac guards your love life!! However, when Uranus, planet of Sex and Chaos, is ALSO in Scorpio, as is mine...that's a totally different story. Venus and Uranus together in Scorpio are one hell of a kinky little pair and make their owners the best lovers on the planet!.....oh Goddess, why the hell am I telling you horny men, who are already after me, this! Great...now I've done it....>;)
How many Scorpios does it take to change a light bulb?: That information is strictly secret and shared only with the Enlightened Ones in the Star Chamber of the Ancient Hierarchical Order.

Sagittarius
Symbol: The Centaur (mythical half-man, half-horse) or The Archer
Colors: Dark Blues and Rich Purples
Element: Fire
Quality: Mutable
Polarity: Masculine
Planet: Jupiter, named after the Roman God of Luck and Thunder and Lightning, and the King of the Gods
Numbers: 9 and 3
House: 9th House
Tarot Card: Temperance
Day of the Week: Thursday, named after Thor, Norse God of Thunder and Lightning
Gemstone: Topaz
Metal: Tin
Flowers: Pinks and Carnations
Trees: Lime, Birch, Mulberry, Oak
Animals: Horses, dogs, animals that are hunted
Countries: Spain, Australia, Hungary, South Africa
Characteristics: Free spirit, carefree, love of movement, cheerful, wanderlust, often seems to be elsewhere, optimistic, social, outgoing, talkative, idealistic, generous, good-natured, lucky, absent-minded, irresponsible, reckless, adventurous, explorative, expansive, interpreting and translating rather than inventing, very independent, philosophical, risk-taking, likes to gamble, loves challenges, accident-prone, curious, blunt, direct, frank, open, talks before thinking, tactless, always means well but often doesn't realize how much their honesty can hurt more sensitive people, seems to possess the secret of Eternal Youth.
Just like the Centaur is split in half, half man, half horse, so is the Sagittarius. One side of them is serious, intelligent, intent on learning everything there is to know, seeing everything there is to see, doing everything there is to do, on their never ending quest to expand their horizons as far as they will go. The other side doesn't know the meaning of serious or of reality. They embrace the eternal child in them and like a child, refuse to accept negative or to grow up. They want to believe the best in everything and everyone and they never refuse a challenge. Sound familiar to all you DBZ fans? Sounds like Goku doesn't it!
Personal Notes: ME! ME! Hehehe, I'm a Sag in the Sun and let me tell you, it's all true. We Sags are nuts...just plain nuts....We're also really smart, we just don't use our brains all the time. I really think the Sagittarian tactlessness would kill me if I didn't have super-emotional Scorpio in there to remind me of how sensitive some people are...like me! Yeah, I know, what a contradiction huh!? Super-sensitive and serious Scorpio forced into the same mind, body, and spirit with this...this...5 year old! Seriously, when my Sag half is in control, I really do act like a 5 year old. Then Scorpio commandeers my brain and slaps the brat around and bitches at her for a couple hours until I get a Migraine or something. I can contradict myself every 10 minutes depending on who's in charge. My Scorpio side will want to listen to Metallica or Rob Zombie, but Sag will want to hear Meredith Brooks' "Bitch" or "Get Along," the Slayers theme. Then Libra and Capricorn come along and want to hear Celine Dion and some New Age piano. I'm not kidding! I once actually listened to Metallica, Celine Dion, and Meredith Brooks all in the same 15 minutes because I couldn't decide what I was in the mood for! (Libra's indecision of course...)
How many Sags does it take to change a light bulb?: The sun is shining, the day is young, we've got our whole lives ahead of us, and you're inside worrying about a stupid burned-out light bulb?

Capricorn
Symbol: The Goat or Goat-Fish
Colors: Black, Dark Grey, and Indigo (bluish-purple)
Element: Earth
Quality: Cardinal
Polarity: Feminine
Planet: Saturn, named after the Roman God
Numbers: 10, 1, and 8
House: 10th House
Tarot Card: The Devil
Day of the Week: Saturday, named after Saturn, a Roman God
Gemstone: Turquoise, Amethyst
Metal: Lead
Flowers: Ivy, Hemlock, Medlar, Heartsease
Trees: Pine, Elm, Yew
Animals: Goat, all cloven-hoofed animals
Countries: India, Mexico, Afghanistan
Characteristics: Enduring, has a sense of purpose, proud, ambitious, serious, constructive, calculative, logical, plans out, dutiful, disciplined, economical, resourceful, conservative, slow, undemonstrative, unimaginative, direct, fear of insecurity, practical, cautious, self-reliance, prudence, authoritarian, patient, persevering, determined, matter-of-fact, materialistic, pessimistic, selfish, procrastinating.
Just like the goat, Caps can get stuck in craggy heights and are very stubborn.
Personal Notes: My mom...I'm a fun-loving Sag with an ever-serious and realistic Cap for a mom...AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!
How many Caps does it take to change a light bulb?: I don't waste my time with these childish jokes.

Aquarius
Symbol: The Water-Carrier
Colors: Yellow and Aqua
Element: Air
Quality: Fixed
Polarity: Masculine
Planet: Uranus, named after the Roman God of the Heavens, Father of the Gods (Aquarius's planet was Saturn before Uranus was discovered)
Numbers: 11, 2, 8, and 4
House: 11th House
Tarot Card:
Day of the Week: Saturday, named after Saturn, a Roman God
Gemstone: Aquamarine
Metal: Aluminum
Flowers: Orchid, Golden rain
Trees: Fruit trees in general
Animals: Large birds with long-flight ability
Countries: U.S.S.R., Sweden
Characteristics: Communicative, humanitarian, progressive, fraternal, universal spirit with occasional astonishing obstinacy, innovative, observant rather than participant, scientific, inventive, progressive, original, unorthodox, unconventional, unusual, eccentric, complex, contradictory, idealist, reformer, theorist, keeps thoughts secret, detached, attentive, curious, independent, imaginative, perceptive, inquisitive
Personal Notes: I have dated an Aquarian, and I'm not sure I ever will again. Though their intellect, imagination, and drive for knowledge are incredibly appealing to me, their tightfistedness when it comes to emotion and feeling is a big put-off. The person I dated had a tendency to get on other people's backs if he didn't think they were being as logical and rational as they were capable of being, no matter what their current situation. He also tended to disregard my feelings as being less important than my mind. He believed in pushing people to excel in life, to continuously evolve. That's all well and good, but not all of us are capable of thinking that way or of doing it even if we are. Just like most Aquarians, this guy was insanely stubborn and obstinate and insisted that my arguments, if they contained a shred of emotion, were illogical and irrational (yes, he was a hypocrit). The rest of the Aquarians I have known I haven't known well. They're not easy to know well anyway. They keep their secrets almost as tightly wrapped as a Scorpio, especially if those secrets are of a personal, emotional nature. Bottom line, if you are an emotionally expressive person, these people will probably get on your nerves real quick.
How many Aquarians does it take to change a light bulb?: Well, you have to remember that everything is energy, so....

Pisces
Symbol: The Fishes
Colors: Light Blues and Greens, Sea Green (colors of water)
Element: Water
Quality: Mutable
Polarity: Feminine
Planet: Neptune, named after the Roman God of the Sea (Pisces' planet was Jupiter before Neptune was discovered)
Numbers: 12, 3, 5 and 7
House: 12th House
Tarot Card:
Day of the Week: Thursday, named after Thor, Norse God of Thunder and Lightning
Gemstone: Moonstone or Bloodstone
Metal: Platinum or Tin
Flowers: Water lily
Trees: Willow, Fig, trees that grow near water
Animals: Fish of all kinds, mammals that live in water
Countries: Portugal, The Gobi and Sahara Desert
Characteristics: Sensitive, compassionate, helpful, sociable, very adaptable, hard to get a hold on, impressionable, blending, immersing, receptiveness, sensitivity, easy-going, intuitive, secretive, creative, artistic, shy, sensitive, reflective, absorbent, romantic, idealistic, dependent, timid, drifts easily into habits, cries easily, unpunctual, untidy, undisciplined, intimate, sympathetic, assimilative, compassionate, escapist, careless, impractical, gullible, over-dramatic
Personal Notes: I know almost nothing of Pisces. According to a friend of mine who knows Astrology like the back of her hand, I act more like a Pisces than anything else and based on some of the qualities listed above, I think I see what she means. Those of you who know me on the net would probably never use any of those words above to describe me, but MANY of them actually do. I think somehow the Jupiter from Sagittarius and the Water from Scorpio must have combined to create this effect...how odd....0_o
How many Pisceans does it take to change a light bulb?: Light bulb? What light bulb?

Sources:
Teach Yourself: Astrology, 3rd Ed., by Jeff Mayo
The Sun Signs Library, by Julia and Derek Parker
"Astrodienst," http://www.astro.com
Your Personal Horoscope Series by Joseph Polanski