Meet the Cardinal Signs, the CEOs of Your Group Chat
If you’re even the tiniest bit into astrology, you probably know your Sun sign. That’s your “main” zodiac sign, the one determined by your birthday, the one you tell people when they ask, “What’s your sign?” Like, you’re a Leo or a Cancer or an Aquarius.
You might also know that your birth chart contains much more than just your Sun sign. You have a Moon sign, a Mercury sign, a Saturn sign—a sign for every planet in the sky plus certain points too (like your Rising sign, determined by which sign was on the horizon when you were born).
There are 12 signs in the zodiac, and astrologers break them down in different ways. Each sign has an element—there are fire signs, water signs, earth signs, and air signs. You can say you’re a water sign if you’re, say, a Pisces, or you can look at your whole birth chart and say that although your Sun sign is a water sign, you also have a lot of planets in earth signs like Taurus and Virgo.
In astrology, the signs are also broken down into three different qualities—cardinal, fixed, and mutable. These are called modalities. The four cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. The fixed signs are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius, and the mutable signs are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. Take a look at your Sun sign—what’s its modality? Take a look at your whole birth chart—do you have a lot of planets in fixed, cardinal, or mutable signs?
So, let’s talk cardinal signs:
The cardinal signs are the initiators of the zodiac. Their sign corresponds with the changing seasons and, appropriately, they’re all about innovation and trying new things. When the Sun enters Aries, spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere; Cancer season coincides with the beginning of summer; Libra season marks the start of autumn; and Capricorn season brings winter.
The cardinal signs are the movers and the shakers of the zodiac. They don’t just dream big—they also make sh*t happen. They like to take action! Yes, sometimes their moves are a little self-centered, but hey, can you blame them?
There are four cardinal signs, one for each element. Aries is a fire sign, Cancer is a water sign, Libra is an air sign, and Capricorn is an earth sign.
Here are the four cardinal signs:
Aries
The first sign of the zodiac, Aries is known to be impatient and impulsive. However, if you take a deeper look, you’ll find that the ram is really a hardworking go-getter who won’t take no for an answer. In fact, they’ll use their fiery ruled-by-Mars energy to burn down walls so they can build newer, better creations. Just don’t get in their way!
In matters of the heart, the ram takes initiative. If they’ve got a crush, they’ll likely make the first move (and the second and the third). They don’t need any encouragement to slide into the DMs.
Cancer
Cancers get a lot of astrological slander. People tend to think the crab is super emotional and spends all their time crying. And while they may be tender and affectionate, they also have *drive* like no other.
Cancers like to use their ~feels~ and artistic vibes to create. Their emotions inspire them. When they’re at their best, they can make masterpieces. Like the ocean’s tides, crabs like to keep things flowing, whether that’s climbing the career ladder or taking care of their loved ones. Their hustle never stops!
You’re obsessed with all things astro. Same. Join Cosmo Unlocked for ~exclusive~ astro content.
Libra
Libra is the only zodiac sign that’s not represented by a living creature but an object (the scales). That means that understanding others’ feelings can be a little hard for this air sign—although they crave capital L-O-V-E. They use their Venusian vibes (their ruling planet) to critique art, dance, music, and fashion. They’re all about ~the finer things in life~.
Okay, on a bad day, they can be a tad gossipy and insensitive. But Libras can win their friends back by being loyal, diplomatic, witty, and chill. In love, Libras will make your head spin by flirting hard and pushing you to commit ASAP. TBH, you’ll probably want to!
Capricorn
The sea-goat isn’t as hard-natured as you may believe. They’re actually the watery part of earth because they’re goats with fishtails (basically goat mermaids! Yes, it’s a thing!). Caps can be a bit harsh at times, but at their core, they’re sensitive folks who feel their emotions on an extremely deep level. They just don’t always show it because they’re so protective of their energy and boundaries.
Caps have a rep for being meanies, but they’re actually ride-or-die besties—just don’t piss them off. They have no patience for those who waste their time or take without giving back. Capricorns have major CEO energy, whether they’re running their own business or planning a group trip with their crew.
You Might Also Like
