"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

"In this brief essay I will explain the history and some of the meanings and uses of the astrological decans. It is not a complete survey, and there are other sources I have not checked. It is mainly designed to give a student of the Western Mystery Tradition a general introduction.

"In the zodiacs around the world, Cancer is represented by a shellfish to denote the soft, tender emotional self under the shell or wall of protection created by this sensitive person. Cancerians are protective of their feelings that can be hurt so easily. They are naturally introverted and can be insecure. They have a need to be nurtured and taken care of by others. It's easy for this need to turn into selfishness if they feel neglected. They are very attuned to the emotional attitude of others and can read the psychological atmosphere of a relationship instinctually.

"As you read this article, you are invited to imagine three different kinds of camp fire.

" Empedocles, a fifth century BCE Greek philosopher, originated the terms Fire, Earth, Air, and Water. He explained the nature of the universe as an interaction of two opposing principles called love and strife manipulating the four elements. He stated that these four elements were all equal, of the same age, that each rules its own province, and each posseses its own individual character. Different mixtures of these elements produced the different natures of things.

"The Sun’s entry into these signs marks the equinoxes and solstices. The first day the Sun is in Aries is the first day of Spring (in the Northern hemisphere). The first day he is in Cancer is the first day of Summer. The first day in Libra marks the beginning of Fall, and the first day in Capricorn is winter."

"As recently as a few thousand years ago, Western scientists considered the whole earth to be made of 4 elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Even though science has taken a different turn, we can still use this ancient wisdom to make sense of the world."

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

"What happens when you count all the planets in each element and one type is missing? Some astrologers claim that you are missing whatever it is that the particular element rules. For instance, if you have no planets in water signs in your horoscope, they would say that you can’t express emotions (some even say that you have no emotions!). If you have no planets in earth signs, they would tell you that you are impractical. And if you have no planets in Air Signs, you are not supposed to communicate too well or do much writing."

"These reprocess and filter planetary energy. The signs themselves reveal psychic patterns and life-potentials which, when functioning freely and openly, are all balanced and whole in themselves, and have their own ways of manifesting completeness and enlightenment. But they each have characteristic ways of becoming obstructed, corrupted, twisted and hampered as well – and these aspects of the human psyche, and of society and civilisation, we are all nowadays well accustomed to.