All About Fire in The Four Elements

TL;DR

Do you ever wonder why you have certain characteristics or why you have an affinity for a certain lifestyle? Or do you sometimes wonder why you fall for certain people over others? The Four Elements has a big impact on who we are and all of us belong to one of the four. So, knowing this, we can better understand who we are most compatible with, what personality traits of ours need balancing and how we interact with the world around us.

The Four Elements

The Four Elements is a concept that has stood the test of time. It has existed throughout various different ancient civilizations, although was first posed by the Greek philosopher, Empedocles. The names of the Four Elements have varied over time with some cultural interpretation including additional elements such as Wood and Metal. However, the principle message of the elements is about balance; balance within the physicality of earth, within our astrological charts and even within the workings of the human body itself. For instance, in Ancient Greece, it was believed that the Four Humors of the body directly corresponded to the Four Elements, and when these elements were misaligned, we would encounter physical problems. Alongside this, it is considered that the Four Elements form the makeup of the entire Universe, operating as the foundation of life and permitting our existence on Earth. In Buddhism, the ‘Four Noble Truths’ presents a similar message and for Native Americans, the ‘Four Directions’ also had similar connotations of balance, physicality and structure. In fact, almost all traditional religions and spiritual communities believe that the same elemental archetype underpins the world and everything in it. Therefore, by studying the Four Elements, we can connect with the teachings of our ancestors and appreciate the harmony of the natural world around us. We can use their wisdom to understand more about ourselves, our relationships and even how the Universe’s elements interact with each other. So, with that said, the Four Elements in astrology consist of Fire, Earth, Air and Water. Each of these elements rules over three zodiac signs and imparts their individual traits and characteristics onto them.

What is the Element of Fire?

The element of Fire is passionate, dynamic and energetic. People ruled by Fire have a zeal and an insatiable blaze within them. Often described as warm and loving people, Fire is the element of emotions - but in a bold, sparky sense. Unlike the sensitivity of similarly emotional Water, Fire is quick to react and won’t hold back from expressing every thought, feeling and instinct that runs through them. As such, Fire people are seen as incredibly charismatic and possess a natural charm and authority about them. In fact, they thrive in social settings as it gives them a chance to bounce off the energy of other people. Unsurprisingly, therefore, these individuals make powerful politicians, team-leaders and influencers. However, despite their affinity for power and influence, Fire people are often seen as compassionate and fiercely loyal, putting the needs of others well before their own and protecting their loved ones to no end. That said, Fire people are prone to losing sight of reason and rationality; instead of calmly analyzing a problem, Fire may let their emotions get the better of them and fly off the handle. When some situations can be resolved by discussion or contemplation, Fire leads with the passion of the heart and, thus, can sometimes exacerbate the issue at hand. Not only this, but the Fire element instills impatience and restlessness into those it governs. These people think quickly and react strongly, constantly seeking action, even when it is not in their best interest. Unlike the diplomatic element of Air, Fire may also struggle to see a oppositional point of views as they are truly slaves to their soul’s fiery, instantaneous instict. 

What are the Fire Zodiac Signs?

Ruled by the element of Fire are Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. All of these signs are beautifully unique but share many of the qualities exuded by Fire. 

Aries

As a Cardinal Fire sign, Aries are the zodiac’s pioneers. They are staunchly ambitious, driven and proactive people, constantly thinking about how they can next cause a stir or incite excitement into the present. As such, it’s rare to find an Aries wallflower - they are proud non-conformists and take pleasure in inspiring others to follow suit. They stand up for their beliefs with little regard for the potential repercussions. These bold, audacious character traits may be jarring to some, but for many more, provide the motivation necessary to be bold in one’s individuality - Aries really are trend-setters and encourage us all to do the same. Alongside this, Aries is possibly the most competitive zodiac sign going; they thrive when it comes to friendly rivalry and love any opportunity to showcase their talents. Just think carefully about whether or not winning against an Aries is worth it! This fiery bunch have a famously short-fuse and are known to let their temper get the best of them. All in all though, Aries are an exciting, powerful and dynamic group of people. They make fiercely loyal friends and are often the source of encouragement that we all need from time to time.

Leo

Leo is Fire’s fixed sign in the zodiac and the embodiment of bravery, warmth and energy. They leave a bold impression everywhere they go and attract many friends on account of their charisma and charm. As confident and self-assured lions who can command a room, they are often the subject of envy from others; being the life and soul of a party is a wonderful trait, but with it comes expected backlash. That said, Leos are known to let their natural extroversion run away with itself from time to time - they are prone to arrogance and love to be the center of attention. While singing our praises is a healthy thing every now and again, Leos may lose sight of how this can appear to other signs - especially non-Fire signs, who may shy away from the limelight. Nonetheless, Leos are a fun and bubbly bunch who can inject excitement into even the most dull occasion. They have a rich and varied social calendar and want to bring us all along with them for the ride.

Sagittarius

The Mutable Fire sign of Sagittarius is the zodiac’s optimistic and adventurous pleasure-seeker. These people are inherently enthusiastic for life and passionate about trying new experiences. They are restless by nature and can only find fulfillment when being active and learning new things. As a true Fire sign, Charisma and charm are second nature for Sagittarius, meaning they are usually very popular people and thrive in social settings. Interestingly though, restriction and structure can feel stifling for this free-spirited sign, so Sagittarians fare far better in careers that allow for spontaneity and flexibility; the 9-to-5 office stint is certainly not the calling of a Sagittarius. Not only this, but Sagittarians find their energy can be zapped by those who do not share a similar sense of positivity and enthusiasm as they do - this sign needs to surround itself with like-minded people who wish to embark on similar journeys to them in order to feel fully satisfied. 

Fire Signs Compatibility

The Four Elements are not individual entities that stand alone. All four are deeply entwined with one another and form an overall system of balance and discord. That said, when we discuss the compatibility between the Four Elements, we are not simply looking at how we interact with those ruled by the other three elements, but we are also analyzing how the elements themselves impact our day-to-day lives on a broader scale. For example, we can gauge interesting insight into our personality and the way we approach life by looking at the distribution of each element in our natal charts. Also, by understanding how the Four Elements exist and function in the physical world, we can witness the interplay of the elements within ourselves and others too.

Fire and Earth Signs Compatibility

Earth and Fire signs are an interesting force when they come together. In one way, they are incredibly dissimilar, yet this creates excitement and intrigue for both parties. For example, Fire teaches Earth how to love life and let go of the little things, while Earth teaches Fire to ground itself and control its hot-headed temper. That said, Earth’s emphasis on structure and groundedness can feel uninspiring to Fire and Fire’s emotional outbursts can feel obnoxious to Earth at times. So, in short, there is a lot of potential between these two elements, but we can expect plenty of strife and disharmony too. However, Earth and Fire are united by one main quality - the two elements share a similar sense of drive and ambition. They are both highly goal-oriented and understand that to get what they want, they need to work for it. Despite this unity, Fire and Earth’s means of achieving their goals are approached in very different ways; Earth is known to knuckle down quietly, while Fire prefers to play bold and stick its fingers in all the pies. 

Fire and Earth Love Compatibility

When these two elements get together in love, there are a lot of lessons to be had. Firstly, 

Earth can remind Fire of the importance of stability and structure in a partnership, showing their fiery partner that sometimes it's okay to take it slow and smell the roses. Similarly, Fire can encourage Earth to express how they feel with a little more zeal, teaching them that sometimes we need to get things off our chest in order to grow. However, the romantic success between Earth and Fire signs is certainly hit-or-miss as often these couples may fail to stick it out when rough-patches arise. 

Fire and Air Signs Compatibility

Fire and Air compatibility is interesting as both elements have very different ways of viewing the world. On the one hand, Fire is a powerful, assertive element. Fire knows exactly what it wants and exactly what it needs to do to get there, even if that means sparking chaos or causing offense. On the other hand, Air is a contemplative, big-thinking element. For Air, every decision or every action has a subsequent reaction and it is Air’s job to figure out what this is before jumping in head first. In short, Fire wants Air to seize the day and take control a bit more! Despite these differences, these two elements do make a compatible team in other ways; as Fire cannot burn without Air, we see that these elements have a powerful bond and an unbreakable energy between them. Put simply, Air brings unique, intellectual perspectives to the table while Fire has the passion and drive to turn it into reality.

Air and Fire Love Compatibility

Conflict is a harsh reality in a relationship between Fire and Air. This is because Fire shows its love through intimacy and action, while communicative Air feels more fulfilled by the use of affirmations. However, this pairing is likely to learn great things from one another - with Air learning to do more than think and Fire learning to contemplate potential repercussions of its actions. These two are a whirlwind to say the least, but make for a very exciting, dynamic coupling.

Fire and Water Signs Compatibility

The most interesting thing about Fire signs and Water signs is that they mirror each other’s way of thinking, but are completely different in their way of acting. Firstly, both Fire and Water are the more emotional ruling elements of the zodiac; they have strong, visceral gut feelings towards people and situations and they find it hard to regulate how they feel - they both feel with the heart rather than think with the head. Secondly, Water is driven by sensitivity and is easily bruised, leading this sign to withdraw and question their next steps. Fire, on the other hand, is like a bull in a china shop when caught up in the emotions. In other words, Fire has no trouble letting you know exactly what is going on. 

Fire and Water Love Compatibility

At their best, Fire and Water can find themselves in a rich and passionate love affair - they are both expressive and emotional entities so being affectionate and loving is second nature for them both. However, Water can dampen Fire into mere ashes; Water’s sensitivity is likely to clash with Fire’s reckless attitude, leading to misspoken words and plenty of hurt feelings. So, for these two to survive, Fire needs to learn how to cool it when times get tough and Water needs to speak up for what they believe in.

How to Balance Fire Element?

Despite our ruling element, all of us can demonstrate aspects from the other three. This duality comes from the distribution of the Four Elements in our natal chart and not just in our ‘big three’. This distribution helps us remain balanced and centered, especially when we take time to appreciate how the elements manifest in a physical sense in the Universe. For example, Water nourishes the Earth, while Fire cannot burn without Air. Air influences the movement of Water, while the stability of Earth can be decimated by Fire. Whatever way you wish to envisage it, the symbolism behind how the Four Elements interact is profound and meaningful.

Do you still want to know more about the Fire element in astrology? There are many resources at Mysticsense that can guide you with your learning and provide insight for any other questions you may have. Get started learning more about the Four elements at Mysticsense today!