Description of sign elementes and qualities: cardinal/fixed/mutable , fire/earth/air/water, active/receptive.

"In describing a personality, it's important to check the mode of activity or the manner that a person adapts to circumstances in his/her environment. These modes of activity are sometimes referred to as the quadruplicities.  Modes or quadruplicities are divided into three groups of four planets each. Each group has one sign from each of the four elements. The three groups are the cardinal signs, the fixed signs, and the mutable signs.

"Astrology is mainly concerned with a narrow “belt” of space around the Sun’s apparent path across the sky. We call this belt the Zodiac and we divide it into twelve equal portions called Signs. Each sign is unique and has its own influence. They can, however, be grouped according to certain similarities. One way is by Element, or basic character. The other way to group signs is by Quality, or by how they tend to act. "

"In delineating a chart, one of the first steps after setting up the chart is seeing what sign the Sun, Moon and the Ascendant are in, in order to give a general overview of the individual in question.  The next step would be seeing what the elements and the modalities of planets are, to provide a more precise general view of how the individual will react and how quickly.  Most everyone is aware of the four elements which is fire, earth, air and water.  The modality of the planets are less emphasized and generally less well known or used by the general public, although i

"Trying to understand and write about this ongoing t square is difficult given all of its astrological complexity, but in a nutshell, this cardinal t square seeks to instill radical, total and complete change in our lives (more intensely so if you have planets at the early cardinal signs: 0-3 degrees Libra, Capricorn, Cancer, Aries) It asks that we purge our old ways of doing things...business as usual dies. It wants us to build new structures in our lives, based on higher spiritual truths.