December 20, 2008

The Element of Earth



The second element in the astrological cycle is that of earth. A prominent mythological figure that comes to mind when discussing the element of earth is the Greek god Kronos, which was known to the Romans as Saturn. This god was a patron deity of agriculture and also of law and order. Unlike the fire signs that burst onto the scene before earth, this element is concerned with, first and foremost, maintaining a realistic role in the material world. Mythology states that the time when Saturn presided over the earth coincided with the golden age of man, and the Romans dedicated a week around December 17th which they called "Saturnalia" which celebrated the order and prosperity that abounded during Saturn's rule.

Earth does not live in fantasy and the future like the fire signs that precede it. Instead, earth focuses the majority of its efforts on the "here and now" and maintaining prosperity and security in an ever-changing material world. This element is apt to look with disdain on its fire sign associates as child-like and irrational. Earth is always planning, preparing, and organizing so as to ensure order and stability.

The signs that correspond to the element of earth include the triad of Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. The planets associated with this element include Mercury (through its association with Virgo), Venus (through its association with Taurus) and Saturn (associated with Capricorn).

Think of a warm, sunny day. All around, hills rise up against a bright, blue sky. Mountains tower overhead with a sense of permanence and strength, while birds quietly chirp their odes to mother nature amidst the green trees dotting the quiet, peaceful countryside. This is the image that the earth signs strive to project - a sense of order, stability, and strength in an often chaotic and unpredictable world.

When earth arrives on the scene, they find that the fire signs have already started many projects, established a strong sense of identity, and invested in a future full of possibilities. Earth, however, looks at the situation with immediate concern: what use are all these projects and plans for the future if the present situation is out-of-control? Earth immediately begins to organize its resources, establish boundaries and rules for maintaining order to the upmost, and hordes its resources for the possibility that chaos ensues when order has a meltdown.

The earth signs immediate concerns are with security, stability, and maintaining order. Think of that tranquil countryside once again. It gives the impression that time has stood still in its presence and that it has existed for millenia without interruption. It is the epitomized version of Mother Earth. Unlike the changing, dancing flames of fire before it, earth gives an impression of permanence. It is the element that is least comfortable with change. Like the roots of a tree that is over a thousand years old, this element plants itself firmly on solid ground and prepares for the test of time and disorder, and manages to do so while projecting an image of strength and tranquility. The earth signs appreciate the menial tasks of day-to-day living that the other signs often dislike: earning money, paying bills, maintaining a stable residence, cleaning up messes, and following a routine schedule for however long it takes to build a life that is stable and full of security. Consistency and reliability are the modus operandi of these signs, which makes them great for handling details and heavy responsibility

Being the most realistic and "down-to-earth" of the elements has its downside, however. The earth signs will be the first to admit their shortcomings, as they have a "shoot-from-the-hip" approach when it comes to communicating their thoughts and opinions. Yes, fire is honest and often times blunt, but earth signs just tell it like it is. They will be the first to admit that they abhor disorder and chaos. And they will also be the first to admit that they dislike change greatly. Simply put: earth has a hard time with the fact that things break, disappear, spill, get interrupted, or get delayed. This makes earth the least capable of dealing with change or chaos, whether it lies in the realm of finances or in the realm of human relationships.

Fire lives in its imagination and excitement for the future, as we saw in our previous discussion. Earth, however, is more than content to live in the present. Earth signs do not care for use of the imagination. They just see what appears right in front of them. To these solid souls, it does not exist unless it is able to be sensed through one of the five senses: sight, touch, taste, smell, or sound. Earth is, therefore, sensual in that it appreciates good tasting food and soft feeling sweaters, as well as the smell of hard-earned cash. It has a much harder time with speculating about the existence of a "higher power" and such things as the supernatural, let alone the unspoken nuances of human emotion. "What you see is what you get" is definitely the predominant motto of the hard-working earth signs.

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