If you want to understand any sign of the zodiac more deeply, the modality is a good place to start.
As a whole, each sign of the zodiac is an archetype that exists within us; the signs speak to the style with which we approach the different areas of our lives.
What is a Modality?
On the most basic level, modalities speak to where in the season a sign falls. In terms of understanding a sign, the modality of the sign tells us how the sign expresses energy.
There are 3 modalities: Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable.
As we look at each a little more closely, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Every energy has constructive qualities.
- Every energy has challenging qualities.
- You have all 3 modalities within you.
You might be more “fluent” in embodying one modality, but modalities are like muscles: you can develop strength in all of them.
In fact, as will become clear, we need all three types of energies. Wisdom comes in knowing when to use each and how to work with them together.
Cardinal Modality
Cardinal signs initiate the four seasons of nature. They arrive with the solstices and equinoxes at the turning points of the year.
The Cardinal signs are:
The essential keyword for cardinal energy is initiate.
Cardinal energy is leadership energy. It’s good for starting things — whether those things are projects, relationships, businesses, or adventures.
This is trail-blazing energy. The cardinal energy goes first.
Cardinal energy is the spark that lights the fire — as indicated by Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, which is a fire sign.
In our culture, cardinal energy gets a lot of praise. We tend to value the traits of cardinal signs like being pro-active, taking initiative, and forging new paths. Consider that the leader or founder usually gets all the credit, rather than the people behind the scenes who did the work.
The challenge of cardinal energy is that it can struggle to finish what it started. Sometimes this is because it gets distracted and pulled to a new trajectory, leaving the current project behind. Other times it’s because it initiates too quickly and burns out.
Fixed Modality
Fixed signs are the middle signs of each season. They provide the anchor to the season.
The fixed signs are:
The essential keyword for fixed signs is sustain.
Once you have the spark that lights the fire, you must sustain the fire through your efforts. One you initiate a relationship, you must do the work of nurturing that relationship over time. Nothing grows without consistent efforts.
This is the energy of fixed signs.
Fixed signs maintain what’s been started. They apply persistent and consistent energy to build something from the initial spark of the idea. Fixed signs are steadfast and reliable; they are motivated to build what will endure.
In many ways, fixed signs are the workhorses of the zodiac: they toil for long hours to keep things going, often behind the scenes. They persevere.
They don’t always get the fanfare of the cardinal signs who initiate, but without the fixed signs most projects started by cardinal signs would just be a flash in the pan. If you’re looking for a
The challenge of fixed signs is that they can be stubborn, unyielding, and rigid. In contrast to a cardinal sign, who gets distracted by the next shiny idea and moves on, a fixed sign can hold on too long.
The word “quit” is anathema to a fixed sign.
Mutable Modality
Mutable signs are the last sign of each season. They transition us from the heart of a season into the next season, the period of time when the weather is often variable, feeling like one season one day and the next season the following day.
In ancient times, mutable signs were know as “double-bodied” signs, reflecting the dual nature of this final part of every season.
The mutable signs are:
- Gemini – Spring
- Virgo – Summer
- Sagittarius – Autumn
- Pisces – Winter
The essential keyword for mutable signs is adapt.
No fire is meant to burn forever. Eventually, you must put out the fire so that it doesn’t spread beyond your intentions.
Mutable signs bring change. As such, they are adaptable and flexible. They let go of things easily. Mutable signs teach us that nothing is meant to last forever, and that the end of a thing is as important as the beginning of thing.
The challenge for mutable signs is that they are often misunderstood as flaky and non-committal. Mutable signs can be confusing to others, because they appear as one thing one day and another thing the next day. Some might call them “two-faced,” representing their double-bodied nature.
But what looks like abandonment with a mutable signs might have more than meets the eye. Like a cardinal sign, mutable signs might leave a project and turn to the next thing. However, the mutable sign will come back to that project in time.
Mutable signs know that everything comes around in time.
While cardinal energy starts something and leaves it for the next thing, and fixed energy works on something to completion, a mutable sign might work on one thing for a while, let it go, and come back to it at a later time, with fresh perspective. Or, they might work on multiple things at once**, open to seeing what goes where.
What’s Your Dominant Energy?
Consider the various realms in your life, such as work, relationships, home, hobbies, learning pursuits.
- What is your dominant energy in each area?
- Which energy do you need to build strength in?
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