If you've been keeping an eye on the cultural diaspora in the last decade or so, then you'll know that the rise of spirituality, the zodiac, and the "Astrology Girl" has been meteoric in recent years.
Steadily increasing in popularity since the mid-2010s, knowing your birth chart became the gateway to full-blown spirituality in 2020 during the peak of the pandemic and the strictest of lockdowns. As the world seemed bleak and Netflix ran out of content to offer us, the world of astrology and spirituality gave us all a sense of discovery, newness, and hope.
But does anyone really know what it all means? If not, no worries— you're in the right spot.
We'll focus on Western Astrology and the 12 Zodiac signs as well as what your "Big 6" mean.
The 12 Zodiac Signs
- Aries
- Taurus
- Gemini
- Cancer
- Leo
- Virgo
- Libra
- Scorpio
- Sagittarius
- Capricorn
- Aquarius
- Pisces
A zodiac sign is the portion of the zodiac occupied by any given astronomical body at the moment of your birth. Most people know their sun signs. Because the sun resides in each sign of the zodiac for about a month, those signs are also known as sun signs. But at the time of your birth, the moon, Mars, Venus, etc. were also in different signs.
That's why two Leos don't have the same personality— there aren't only 12 personalities in the universe. A Leo sun with a Pisces moon is different from a Leo sun with an Aries moon. And so on and so on...
The 12 Zodiac Signs are also divided according to element and modality.
Elements
Fire Signs
(Illustration: Emma Darvick)
The Fire Signs are Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. Fire Signs tend to be bold, charismatic, passionate, creative, and risk-takers.
Earth Signs
(Illustration: Emma Darvick)
The Earth Signs are Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. Earth signs share similar traits of being grounded, practical, stable, and loyal.
Air Signs
(Illustration: Emma Darvick)
The Air Signs are Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius. These three signs are known to be witty, curious, and free-spirited.
Water Signs
(Illustration: Emma Darvick)
The Water Signs are Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. Watery signs are known for being emotional or empathetic, intuitive, and artistic.
Modalities
Aside from elements, each sign also has a modality. There are three: Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable. Each modality will have one from each element.
Cardinal Signs
These signs are initiators. They'll have the urge to start something or have new ideas but they might not always have the best follow-through. They tend to be great leaders for a team to carry out their vision. They include Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn.
Fixed Signs
These signs are the doers. They finish whatever Cardinal signs may start. Often focused, determined, and stubborn, they include Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius.
Mutable Signs
These signs are multitaskers. They are adaptable, flexible, and resourceful but can sometimes be scatterbrained. They're made up of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces.
Your Big 6
Your Big 6 consist of your Sun, Moon, Rising, Mercury, Mars, and Venus signs. You can have any of the 12 signs in each of these placements and altogether, they help to explain the different of your personality. It's much more in-depth than just knowing your sun sign but not quiet as nuanced as if you also dive into your houses. But for now, we'll discuss just these placements!
- Sun: this is the sign everyone knows. You use the date of your birth to determine this. For example, my birthday is August 4, so my Sun is in Leo. The Sun sign is a manifestation of your core self and reveals your most pronounced personality traits or the personality traits you'll grow into over time
- Moon: just like there's a dark side to the moon, the sign in your Moon placement embodies the deepest parts of you that may not be obvious to those around you unless they know you well. It represents the emotional parts of you and as the Moon is the mother of the zodiac, it also represents your relationship with any maternal figures in your life
- Rising/Ascendant: this is the placement that requires your exact time of birth as it is the sign that meets the horizon/rises at the moment of your birth. This changes approximately every 2.5 hours, which is why birth time is necessary. Your rising sign is the first impression you give off and represents how you carry yourself physically
- Mercury: this is the sign that rules your way of communication, logic, and thought processing. It explains how you take in information and express yourself.
- Venus: venus is the planet of love and beauty and feminine energy. Therefore, this planet rules and influences how you express and receive affection in relationships, things you find beautiful, and your values
- Mars: the antithesis to venus, mars is the planet of aggression and action. Your Mars will influence how you harness and express your energy, whether through sex, conflict, and overall drive
For more information or to understand your big six, look at Busy Gallivanting's Birth Chart Reports— specifically the Explorer Tier.
