The Astrological Signs of the Zodiac – A Description of the Twelve Signs

Let us have a look now into the specifics of each astrological sign and how that might apply to us. It is easy to see how each month in the unfolding of the year is different.

If you live in a place that has four seasons, you can strongly sense that your life has an ebb and flow related to the seasons. You may be acutely aware of changes in your energy, emotions, sleep patterns, and ambitions as the seasons change. The astrological signs represent that cycle of evolution of energy.

Below are the astrological signs with their dates, element, and gender, and characteristics of people born under each sign. Notice how as the signs progress throughout the astrological year they represent new stages of learning, evolution, and personal growth in the circle of life.

Aries: The Initiator & Warrior

March 21–April 20

Ruling Planet: Mars

Element: Fire

Gender: Masculine

Aries begins at the Spring Equinox, the point when the Earth enters into a period of longer days and shorter nights. Aries is a powerful symbol of new beginnings, energy, light, and creativity. People born under the sign of Aries may well turn out to be great leaders—if they can keep their aggression and tendency to dominate others in check. Aries must always be undertaking new projects, especially creative endeavors, to keep their high energy occupied. They are extroverts and tend toward impulsivity. Their challenge is to properly channel their energy.

TAURUS: Planter and Beautifier of Life

April 21–May 20

Ruling Planet: Venus

Element: Earth

Gender: Feminine

At this point in the year the Northern Hemisphere is free of its winter snows and it is time to attend to caring for the Earth and planting crops. Taurus people are very much in tune with the Earth. Due to the influence of Venus, they have a great love for beauty found in things such as art, jewelry, and the natural landscape. They are loyal, patient, and deliberate in working toward their goals, just as farmers must be in tending their crops from planting through harvest. When a Taurus person undertakes a project, it most likely will be completed! Grounded in reality and the physical world, they excel at professions such as artist, farmer, the financial sector, and politics.

Gemini: Inspired Communicator and Curious Butterfly

May 21–June 21

Ruling Planet: Mercury

Element: Air

Gender: Masculine

Geminis have great minds! They are fast learners and interested in a great variety of topics, so they accumulate a large store of knowledge. Additionally, the have the ability to communicate their knowledge very well and make great conversationalists. They need the stimulation of moving like a butterfly from one thing that catches their interest to the next. This gives them flexibility—they don't get stuck for long in one place and are always ready for a new challenge. A drawback of their fascination with details is that they might miss the bigger picture. They excel in all fields involving the written or spoken word.

Cancer: The Archetypal Mother

June 22–July 22

Ruling Planet: Moon

Element: Water

Gender: Feminine

The symbol for Cancer is the crab, symbolizing Cancer's strong association with water, a feminine element. On planet Earth, water is the origin of all life, so Cancer is associated with giving life. The Cancer person is the consummate mother, always concerned with caring for others, whether family, friends, or associates. Cancers also need to acknowledge that they need to be cared for themselves in order to be emotionally balanced! They are more emotional than practical. Their creative side might lead them into professions in the arts, theater, and music.

Leo: The Lion King

July 23–Aug 22

Ruling Planet: Sun

Element: Fire

Gender: Masculine

By the end of July the summer sun is blazing and crops are bursting with their life force. Leo is a highly energetic, masculine fire sign. Leos can be none other than kings, leading all types of enterprises with their strong personalities. They need to be independent in their work, not submissive to others. They have a sense of entitlement and expect to be served. Fortunately, their strong, egocentric, masculine side is balanced by devotion to their children, a warm heart, and generosity. Leos' courage pays off in the business world, where they take risks that lead to success.

Virgo: The Analyzer and Organizer

Aug 23–Sept 22

Ruling Planet: Mercury

Element: Earth

Gender: Feminine

By September the summer Sun is fading, and crops are ready to be harvested. Virgos have none of the fiery dominance of their summer predecessor, the Lion. They are reserved people who don't boast about themselves or behave flamboyantly. They are quietly reliable, attending to the smallest details of any project in an organized way, making them good lawyers, doctors, and scientists. That trait can be carried to a fault when they fail to see the bigger picture. They are more intelligent and analytical than emotional, which serves them well in complex tasks but may prevent them from establishing deep relationships. Virgos are practical people, good with their hands, and combining those qualities with their attention to detail they could excel in professions as jewelers and dentists.

Libra: The Judge and Harmonizer

Sept 23–Oct 22

Ruling Planet: Venus

Element: Air

Gender: Masculine

The symbol for Libra, a scale, indicates Libra's strong need for balance. Libras are very oriented toward other people and skillfully tuned into their needs and emotions. Their preference in relationships is for harmony and love—they are peacemakers. Others are drawn to them for their sociable charm. Putting together those qualities, they make wonderful psychologists and mediators, as well as friends and partners. Because they have the ability to see both sides of things, it can be difficult for them to make decisions. Their love of harmony and balance draws them to beauty in the arts and wherever else they can indulge their aesthetic sense.

Scorpio: Phoenix Rising from the Ashes

Oct 23–Nov 22

Ruling Planet: Pluto

Element: Water

Gender: Feminine

Scorpios are powerful, intense people who pursue their goals with great determination. Once they've decided to do something, they give themselves over to it and nothing can distract them from their purpose. They are perfectionists, sometimes to the point of obsession. They are deep, complex, brilliant people who excel in their endeavors. Their single-mindedness can make them rigid and lead to black-and-white thinking. That lack of flexibility, combined with their tendency to manipulate others, can make it difficult to be in an intimate relationship with a Scorpio. Because Scorpios are drawn to extremes, they find themselves continually transformed by cycles of death and rebirth—such as the end of a relationship and the beginning of another. This is how they learn.

Sagittarius: The Adventurer Searching for Deeper Meaning in Life

Nov 23–Dec 21

Ruling Planet: Jupiter

Element: Fire

Gender: Masculine

It's hard not to like Sagittarians, for their openness, generosity, and sociable nature. They are deep thinkers in search of universal wisdom, attracting them to philosophy and religion. Their minds can grasp both the details and the bigger picture: they can think with intellectual precision but also intuitively. That unusual combination of thinking skills allows them to be at the forefront of creative ideas. They are idealistic and care about the state of the world, leading them to take up vocations in medicine, education, religion, and politics. They need to be highly independent in their work and in their personal lives.

Capricorn: The Conservative Pragmatist

Dec 22–Jan 20

Ruling Planet: Saturn

Element: Earth

Gender: Feminine

As people mature, they move from self-centered to be more oriented toward others. They begin to have a sense of their responsibility toward society. Capricorn is the first sign in the last quarter of the yearly cycle, representing this social stage. Capricorns seek to be in visible positions of power and prestige in society. Their high degree of organization, discipline, ambition, and intelligence make them perfect as leaders of organizations of all types, in government, business, and the military. Their conservative values and black-and-white thinking can make them inflexible with respect to morality. They are bent on success, holding high standards for themselves and others.

Aquarius: The Daring Visionary, Role Model, and Artist

Jan 21–Feb 19

Ruling Planet: Uranus

Element: Air

Gender: Masculine

Contrary to rule-bound Capricorn and Leo, Aquarians are such revolutionary thinkers that they are said to herald a new world, the Age of Aquarius. Indeed, the social revolution of the 1960s and 1970s represents the nonconformist, idealistic Aquarians and their rejection of the established order. Their inventiveness leads them to great discoveries in the sciences, as well as great works in the arts. The keyword for Aquarians is "new," and their lives are full of change and innovation. Their life path may appear to take many detours as they are drawn to new ideas, interests, and ways of living.

Pisces: The Wise and Mystical Servant

Feb 20–March 20

Ruling Planet: Neptune

Element: Water

Gender: Feminine

By the end of the astrological year, all that has been learned in the previous months is integrated in Pisces. The gentle and sensitive Pisceans see life through a spiritual framework based on a deep sense of connection with others and with the entire universe. This gives them the gift of love, compassion, and empathy for others and they may choose careers in medicine, psychology, or spiritual work. They seek a higher consciousness, beyond the physical world. This is not a practical, earth-bound sign: Pisceans live in a mental world of dreams and fantasies that are expressed in artistic and spiritual ways. Of all the signs, they are the least invested in their own egos. They are not interested in winning conflicts and will avoid confrontation whenever possible.

You might want to go and read the article "Introduction into the Astrological Signs of the Zodiac, Part I"which gives you the bigger picture of how it all fits together with the stars in the heavens...

In my book Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul I teach you the basic concepts we use in astrology, how to read your personal horoscope and how to find the main themes in your chart. Then you will be able to balance and heal yourself with your 12 main healing gemstones, you could call your true birthstones. You can find me at http://www.JewelryandGemsforSelfdiscovery.com .

You can also visit me at the Astrological Signs Weather Report & Healing Gems Blog where I discuss the actual universal, astrological forces and inspire you to use them wisely for a successful and joyful life. Healing gemstones are suggested as tools to balance and come into alignment with the cosmic flow and can be used to create custom designed soul jewelry.

I hope you enjoyed this look into the mysterious world of the universal forces and their interconnectedness with us.

Aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author