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The Zodiac Signs: Part 1 · Astrology for Beginners

• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: Hello everyone!
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to the Astrology for Beginners podcast.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host Stefanie Kate Boucher and I am so happy to have you here.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: This is the podcast for you if you have ever wanted to learn how to read a natal chart or were kind of interested in astrology and wished that you understood more about it but you didn't know where to begin or it seemed too complicated and you didn't have the time or the resources to invest in learning it.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: My goal is to break things down for you episode by episode in the most simplified way that I can so that you can learn to speak the language of the stars.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you for sharing your time with me.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: As promised last week, today's episode is all about the zodiac.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: We are going to start talking about the 12 signs and what they represent as archetypes, their traits, their characteristics, what makes each one unique, and what they offer to the world.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I'm not going to try to get through all 12 today.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: I know that we did go through all 12 houses in one episode a couple weeks back, but house meanings are, for a lot of people, pretty straightforward and easy to understand.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: It's more about memorization with houses.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: But the signs, the signs involve a lot of nuance.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: So the descriptions may be a bit longer, and I just don't want to overwhelm anyone by making them attempt to soak in all this information at once.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm going to do half of them today, and half of them next week, which I think will work pretty nicely.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: Now there are just a couple of things I want to mention before we get into it.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: The first is that I think it's really important to listen carefully to all the sign descriptions.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: I know it can be tempting to focus in on your son's sign or the sign of a loved one,
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: and kind of tune out the rest because you think they're not as relevant for you, especially if you're new to the study of astrology.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: I know I kind of did this back when I was first learning.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: However, there are some good reasons why I think that's not a good idea now.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: One is simply that if you want to learn to read natal charts, you will, of course, need to understand all of the different signs, right?
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: But importantly for today's purposes,
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: You may remember back in one of the earlier episodes that I pointed out how everyone has all the signs in their chart.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: You have your sun sign, yes, but you're influenced by all the other signs, too.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_00: You have your placements, which are significant, like your rising sign, your moon sign, and the signs that each of the other planets are in.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, those are very important.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: But even if you don't have any planets or any angles at all in a particular sign, that sign is still in your chart and it's the ruler of a particular house for you.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: So, for example, I don't have any planets at all in the sign of Aquarius.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: But that doesn't mean that I don't experience any Aquarius energy in my life.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: Aquarius is still the ruler of my fifth house and so Aquarian themes are going to be very important for me in terms of how I express myself, the types of activities that I enjoy doing for fun, etc.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: because it's the ruler of that part of my life and it's symbolic of the way I operate when it comes to fifth house issues.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: So, in order to truly understand yourself and your chart, you're going to want to eventually understand all of the signs and where and how they're likely to appear in your life.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: The second thing I want to mention is that the energies I'm about to describe are archetypes.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: And these archetypal energies influence us and our personalities, but so do a lot of other things in our charts.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: And it's our whole chart that tells our unique story.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: So if we get to your sun sign or your rising sign and there's a detail or two that don't exactly sound like you, it may be because there's something else in your chart, like a certain planetary aspect, for example, that contradicts that trait or blocks that energy somehow.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: So if something confuses you or doesn't resonate you might just make a note of that and then down the road as you learn more and more things you can see if that shows up somewhere and suddenly makes sense.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: Okay let's get into them.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: We will start with Aries
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: And that is because the zodiac in Western astrology, or more specifically tropical astrology as it's called, begins with the sign of Aries.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: This is due to the fact that Aries energy, or cardinal fire energy, which remember is what Aries is, coincides with the vernal equinox, or the first day of spring.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: Tropical astrology is a season-based system.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: It is based around the four seasons, which is why I thought it was important to begin our discussion of the signs last week with the elements and modes, because having an understanding of that structure and the natural progression of that structure from sign to sign throughout the year helps you to understand why each sign possesses the qualities that it possesses.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: So in Western astrology the sun is considered to be moving into zero degrees of the sign of Aries on the vernal equinox marking the beginning of the astrological new year.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: That's in the northern hemisphere where it's the first day of spring.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_00: In the southern hemisphere it's the first day of fall.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: Aries is the sign of new beginnings and renewal, and it really signifies a springing to life, or in more practical terms, springing forward or springing into action.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: Now, because we're talking about cardinal fire energy, that right there tells you something about the types of traits that Aries embodies.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: Cardinal signs are initiators and all about new beginnings and leadership and charting new territory.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: And fire signs are brimming with energy and passion and enthusiasm.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: So when you combine this element and this mode together, you get a really dynamic and adventurous sign.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: This is considered to be the most fiery of all the signs, in fact.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: Which is pretty appropriate because the planetary ruler of Aries is the planet Mars, which was named after the Roman god of war.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_00: And war is indeed a very Aries-like activity, whether that be literal war or metaphorical war.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: Aries is the warrior of the zodiac system.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: And it's symbolized by the ram, in fact.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: Aries tends to be a very strong mind and opinion.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_00: It knows what it wants and it's going to try to make that happen courageously if it needs to.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: It is not going to, you know, sit by idly waiting for someone else to take action, nor can it even always wait for the right time for itself to take action.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: It can be really impulsive at times or impatient, and it's in its nature to act assertively and go for it.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: I'm thinking right now of the Nike slogan, Just Do It.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: That seems very Aries to me.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: This is a very proactive archetype we're talking about here.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_00: Now, all of this can be used for good, such as getting a new project off the ground, or getting a movement started, or fighting for a worthy cause, pushing back against social injustice, or fighting with or for someone who needs support.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_00: Aries can really excel at these types of noble things.
• 8:08
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• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: a bit like the starter's gun that signals the beginning of a race at a track meet or the bell at a horse race.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: There's this silence, this stillness, this anticipation and then a loud bang and it's off to the races.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: Aries is that loud bang followed by that sudden burst of strong energy.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_00: Now the sign that comes after Aries is Taurus because Taurus is what naturally happens when a project has been launched and that initial excitement and flurry of activity that feels so all-encompassing at the beginning starts to give way to more realistic concerns like security and practicality, right?
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: In order for the project that's been started to ultimately come to fruition in the way that you're hoping, you've got to steady yourself and stay with it and see things all the way through.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_00: Desired outcomes
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: Don't just happen all by themselves and they don't often happen right away.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: So you've got to exercise patience and you've got to have stamina and determination, persistence.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: You've got to show up again and again and tinker with things until you come up with the right solutions.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: These are the builders of the zodiac.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: They like to make things and construct things, and they like to ensure that the things they create are not only just useful, but beautiful and enjoyable as well.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_00: Now some people might disagree with this thing I'm about to say, but it is, in my opinion, one of the hardest working signs.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_00: When it wants to be.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_00: And the when it wants to be part is really important.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_00: I can't stress that enough.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_00: When it doesn't want to be, for some reason, often because the project isn't motivating to them or they just don't see the point or the importance in it.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_00: That's a whole other story.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_00: It's really, really hard to move a Taurus who doesn't want to participate.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: It can be really stubborn.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: It's symbolized by the bull, after all.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, a bull is not easy to move.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_00: And that can be mistaken for laziness sometimes by the other signs, but really, there's just a really strong will there.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: Either way, Taurus is not a lofty archetype.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: This is the fixed Earth sign, after all.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_00: Fixed signs being very steady and reliable, and Earth signs being very grounded.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: So, kind of like the way Aries gets a double dose of dynamism, Taurus gets to double down when it comes to groundedness.
• 11:09
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• 11:30
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• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: and also nature because nature is fantastically beautiful and engages all of the senses.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_00: And this is an earth sign that we're talking about here.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_00: Physical affection can be prized by Taurus and in relationships of all sorts Taurus is pretty loyal and steadfast.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_00: This is like your ride or die friend.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_00: Because Taurus loves security and comfort, though, it can veer off into materialism and overconsumption.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_00: Greed and even hoarding can't be ruled out in extreme cases, but overall, these are some solid folks.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: Gemini is up next.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_00: The Sun in tropical astrology is considered to enter Gemini around May 21st and that lasts through most of June.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_00: Gemini is the mutable air sign.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_00: It's ruled by the planet Mercury, which is the planet known for intellect, communication, and travel.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_00: And Gemini certainly embodies all those things.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_00: At its core, this archetype is a very mentally, physically, and socially busy sign that has lots of different interests and it wants to dabble in them all.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_00: And so they might look like little honeybees flitting from flower to flower as they go throughout their day or their life.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe they're more like butterflies because they certainly could be described as the social butterflies of the zodiac.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_00: They are represented by the twins in astrology, so they are known for having a dual nature.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_00: And what those two natures can look like can vary from person to person.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_00: But often in my observation, it can show up a lot as being extremely social and active some of the time, or maybe most of the time.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_00: while still also having the ability or desire to retreat into some alone time where they can think and learn and make plans.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_00: Regarding the former, as an air sign, Gemini is an extrovert who flourishes or can flourish if they choose to in a variety of social settings.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_00: Gemini is a conversationalist who tends to excel in everything from small talk and witty banter to intellectual exchanges of ideas and opinions.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_00: The mutable part of their nature makes them very adaptable and not only are they willing to look for something new, but they can also feel like it's their duty to do so.
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_00: So there's a restlessness there that keeps them moving and looking ahead.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_00: The other side of that dual nature can sometimes be that because they're so mentally sharp and intellectually curious and agile they do need some time to engage their mind or find some solitude so that they can learn or do their research or think about different things so that eventually they have more to share with people when they step back out into the world.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_00: The fourth sign is the sign of cancer.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_00: Cancer begins around the 21st of June at the moment of the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and it stays there until around the 21st of July.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_00: Cancer is sort of like the empath of the zodiac.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_00: This is a very intuitive sign that tends to have a strong sense of how other people are feeling and the kind of moods that they're in.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_00: It also has very deep feelings of its own.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_00: The emotional well runs very, very deep with this sign, as does the well of imagination, by the way, and those emotions can ebb and flow like the tide.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_00: The ruler of cancer is the moon, in fact, so if you think about the moon,
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_00: its phases change very quickly much like the sign does which can go from being dark and shadowy one minute to glowy and luminous the next and it cycles in and out of these things on a regular basis or it can
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_00: Now remember, this is a water sign as I mentioned in the last episode.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_00: It's the first of the water signs and it's the cardinal water sign, right?
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_00: So we've gone through the progression of cardinal, fixed, and mutable with the first three signs and now we're repeating that cycle and we're back to cardinal again.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_00: So even though it's a very compassionate sign, a very loving sign, there is a fierceness about it too in a way.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes that comes out as acting like a protector for those that they love.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_00: Like there's a real mama bear energy here.
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_00: That can also morph into control occasionally if they're trying too hard to steer your ship to safety or at least what they see as safety.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes there's a tendency to hold on too tight and not let go of something or someone they care about.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_00: There's actually a lot of tenacity with this sign.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_00: Cancer does tend to focus on home and family a lot, but if they don't have a structure in place that looks like a traditional family, that's quite all right.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_00: They'll find someone to look out for and nurture anyway.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_00: This sign, the sign of cancer, likes to be a welcome wagon, so to speak.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_00: So if you look like you need nurturing, they're typically more than happy to bring you into the fold.
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_00: One of the things that tends to be difficult for this sign, in addition to the aforementioned emotional intensity, is that because they're empaths and because they want to help, they run the risk of making other people's problems or other people's wounds their wounds in an attempt to fix them or help them heal.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_00: which does not always work out so well for them.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_00: So this side has to be really careful about discerning what is their responsibility versus what falls under someone else's responsibility and then setting the appropriate boundaries.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_00: not always an easy thing for deeply compassionate people to do.
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_00: Cancer can also be really sensitive and maybe, I don't know, get their feelings hurt a little more easily than some of the other signs.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_00: So if they've been burned a few times they can start putting on an exterior or projecting a version of themselves that looks a lot more hardened than what they really are on
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_00: The Inside.
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_00: Cancer is represented by the crab in astrology so if you think about a crab with its hard shell and its kind of mushy insides that makes a really nice analogy for this sign.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_00: After the sign of Cancer comes the sign of Leo.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_00: Leo season typically spans from around July 21st to August 21st.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_00: The ruler of Leo is the sun and it is the fixed fire sign.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_00: Of any of the archetypes, Leo is the one most naturally inclined to be found in the spotlight, whether they're placed there by other people or whether they seek it out themselves.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_00: They shine in the spotlight, much like the sun itself, and they are the stars of the zodiac.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, again, when I'm talking about all of these descriptions, I'm talking about archetypes here.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_00: Of course, people with any sun sign or any rising sign or any sign that's predominant in their chart can and often are in the spotlight.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_00: So I don't want anyone taking that statement too literally.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_00: But in talking about archetypes, we're just categorizing the energy that's available under the sign of Leo.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, Leo, as a fire sign, has charisma in spades, and it kind of knows it, which can lead to a lot of confidence and pride, so it tends to carry itself with a lot of dignity, much like the lion that symbolizes it.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_00: there can be a real flair for drama at times but you know I mean Leo wouldn't have it any other way because life is a stage and the show must go on at least that's how Leo sees it this is another very active sign and so they also make very good leaders because people look up to them and want to follow them and they're ambitious so they're typically going places
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_00: It's a lot of fun being in Leo energy.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_00: Where it gets tripped up on occasion is self-absorption.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_00: Leo can take on a diva-like role if it's not careful, and so it has to be careful not to put too much importance on getting all the attention and let others go ahead and take the lead sometimes.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_00: But overall, Leo is a very warm and sunny type of energy.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_00: Last up for today's episode, we've just about made it halfway, is Virgo, the lovely Virgo, or the maiden, which is its symbol.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_00: Virgo season begins around August 21st or 22nd and goes until around September 22nd, give or take, depending on the year, and it is the mutable Earth sign.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_00: If you want something to get done and you want it done really well, ask a Virgo to do it or a Virgo Ascendant or someone with a lot of Virgo in their chart.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_00: Virgo is the employee of the month every month.
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_00: Now like Gemini, Virgo is also ruled by the planet Mercury, but each of these signs expresses that mercurial energy in different ways.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_00: Both signs are very intelligent, they're both analytical, and they're both able to learn and pick things up quickly.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_00: Both are busy looking at their day and seeing a lot of things that they need or want to do.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_00: But where Gemini can hop from interest to interest exploring all of its options and checking everything out at least on a more surface level
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_00: Virgo is the steady, reliable perfectionist who sticks with something, goes deeper, takes its time, and pays attention to every last nitty gritty detail to make sure that everything is just right.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_00: And just right is a very high bar to reach as a Virgo.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_00: They have a very critical eye and can spot an error or a flaw a mile away.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_00: This is true in their work.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_00: This is true around material things or objects in their space.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_00: This is true of situations and sometimes people.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_00: They do like to try and improve other people too.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_00: If you want your book edited and you want to make sure that every little typo is filtered out,
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_00: Find a Virgo.
• 23:15
  SPEAKER_00: If you're building a house and you want a contractor who will notice that the electrical outlet that was just installed is three quarters of an inch too far to the left, hire a Virgo.
• 23:27
  SPEAKER_00: If you want an actuary for your business who can spot every potential looming risk that needs to be managed and prevented, Virgo's your sign.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_00: If you want a roommate who
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_00: keeps everything in its place and their surroundings are clean and organized and tidy, you need Virgo energy.
• 23:47
  SPEAKER_00: Earth signs in general make for really productive people that make life go more smoothly, but Virgo really strives for perfection in everything that it does.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_00: And because it's a mutable sign, it has the added advantage of always looking for better and better ways of doing things.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_00: So there's that innovative energy there too.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_00: In relationships, there
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_00: quote-unquote nitpicky tendencies can be a little tough for some people to handle.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_00: But it's not personal.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_00: They really do just want to make the world better and they want other people to get on board with that.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_00: There's no arrogance to it really at all.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_00: They're actually pretty humble and unassuming people.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_00: and they're surprisingly sensitive, so they also tend to make really good friends, partners, and family members.
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_00: It really pays to have a healthy dose of Virgo in your life.
• 24:47
  SPEAKER_00: Alright, so that is the first half of the sign descriptions.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_00: We will do the second half next week, which I think is good.
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_00: Twelve of anything is a lot to try and remember all at one time.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_00: So I encourage you to just take your time, especially if this information is relatively new to you and you haven't thought much past your own sun sign before.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_00: I would go back also and check out some of the prior handouts for the first few episodes.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_00: I think it was back in episode one where I included a handout that had
• 25:21
  SPEAKER_00: not only the elements and modes of each sign, but also the planetary ruler of each sign.
• 25:27
  SPEAKER_00: So you can go back to the show notes for the first episode and download that from Substack if you want.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_00: I believe it's on the last page of the handout.
• 25:37
  SPEAKER_00: In the meantime, if you are enjoying this podcast, I would love it if you could subscribe either by signing up on Substack or simply by pressing the follow button on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or wherever you're listening.
• 25:52
  SPEAKER_00: That will ensure that you never miss a new episode when it's released.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_00: You can also rate or review the podcast and if you do any of these things it will really help out the show a great deal and I thank you for that.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, thank you, thank you for dropping in today and spending this time with me.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_00: I hope you all have a wonderful week and I will see you next time.