Healing

The elements of nature: how do they affect our personality?

Throughout history, philosophers from different countries have treated fire, earth, air, and water in their theories as patterns of nature and the principles of life.

By Anabel Anduaga

Sep 26, 2019
Photo by Aaron Huber on Unsplash.

In the 7th century BC, Thales of Miletus proposed water as the beginning of everything. Later, Heraclitus, Aristotle, and other thinkers wrote lengthy theories about the elements and their importance in nature.

The Greek philosophers considered four basic elements: water, earth, air, and fire. Other cultures further East -such as Hinduism, for example- added ether as the fifth element. In America, however, the Mayans also studied these vital elements and coincided with the Greeks in naming four of them. Furthermore, they considered that any alteration would inevitably endanger life on the planet.

What the four elements meant to the Mayans

WATER (Ja´). The essence of consciousness and sensitivity. Fundamental for the germination of seeds, it also represented the blood that ran through our veins. It was not only found in all seas, lakes, and rivers, but also in the spirit of rain.

EARTH (Ulew). The creative mother, provider of food and feminine energy. It symbolized all the valleys, mountains, hills, and volcanoes.

AIR (Iq´). Principle of purification and cleaning, giver of life’s breath. Essential for the existence of every living creature. It symbolized lightning, storms, and air currents.

FIRE (Qaq). The father, the source of energy, strength and greatness. It symbolized the spirit, the cycle of life, and unity.

Astrological meaning

Around 280 BC, astrological knowledge gained great importance for the Greeks and Romans. The constellations -zodiac signs- were grouped according to the four elements, giving them a more conceptual and interpretive meaning for the astral chart of each individual.

This division is still known today as triplicity, in which each element corresponds to three signs. Generally speaking, astrologers identify the personality of an individual according to the balance or imbalance of the elements on the day they were born.

Which element represents you?

This information is found in your astral chart. Here you can see the planets located in the different signs. The sign you have the most planets in, is the element that represents you the most. However, your personality will commonly be influenced by more than one element.

Predominance of water (Cancer – Scorpio – Pisces): Extremely sensitive and intuitive people. Their emotions are in full bloom and they are very good at helping and listening. They find safety in their family, so they are extremely protective of their loved ones.

Predominance of land (Taurus – Virgo – Capricorn): Practical, sometimes cold or dry when expressing their emotions. They possess a deeply seeded sense of duty and responsibility, so they are very good at planning the future. Their perception of safety or insecurity is based on the material assets they own.

Predominance of air (Gemini – Libra – Aquarius): Their mind works very fast, so they love to be in constant learning. They love to research and, at the same time share their wisdom. What they value most is their intellect, so they prefer to spend time with people who mentally challenge them.

Predominance of fire (Aries – Leo – Sagittarius): Great vital energy, which makes them good at starting new projects and developing their physical abilities. They gain wisdom from their life experiences, which gives them a high level of spirituality and makes them potentially great teachers.

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