Polarities of the zodiacal signs

Within this article we will talk about the planets polarities. We will especially analyze the information these provide us regarding the way our personality behaves on the exterior.

When we talk about polarities, we don’t mean good and bad, masculine and feminine or positive and negative, we mean Yin and Yang.

Grown from the Chinese philosophy, Yin and Yang express the dualist nature of the universe. They have numerous meanings, but we will only talk about those who apply to us astrologically:

Yang – the action, the active and aware part
Yin – the passive, unaware, receptive part

Each zodiacal sign represents one of the two polarities: either Yin, either Yang. In the table below you can find the list of all zodiacal signs and the polarity each represents:

Aries: Yang
Taurus: Yin
Gemini: Yang
Cancer: Yin
Leo: Yang
Virgo: Yin
Libra: Yang
Scorpio: Yin
Sagittarius: Yang
Capricorn: Yin
Aquarius: Yang
Pisces: Yin

If a planet is in a Yang zodiacal sign, it becomes more active and it expresses itself more energetically. At the opposite pole, a planet in a Yin zodiacal sign acts more secluded and becomes more passive.

Our personality and the way we behave in the human society are reflected in astrology mostly by two elements: the Sun and the Ascendant. At these we can add the Moon as a symbol of emotions, instincts and the way we express our feelings. We will now analyze these three elements through the looking glass of the zodiacal signs polarities.

The Sun represents our basic personality, the fundamental energy, our self. The position the Sun can take in a sign indicates the fundamental characters with which we came to this life, our character. It also shows the aware part.

The Ascendant reflects our exterior personality, the way we behave towards others and how we express the qualities the Sun gave us. The zodiacal sign in which is our Ascendant shows the characteristics we will grow during our lifetime, regardless if we will be aware of that or not. At birth the Sun has the maximum influence. As we grow old, our personality gains new characteristics and new dimensions because of the experiences we’ve been through and our evolution. This new dimensions are represented by the Ascendant as a shell of the basic energy and it indicates the way we express that energy.

The Moon marks by its position in the zodiacal signs our emotions and feelings and the way we express these emotions and feelings. It shows the instinctive, unaware part.

The combinations between these three elements, polarity (Yin/Yang) speaking, show a certain characteristic of the way we express in the society and of our possible inner conflicts. In the table below I tried to draw these characteristics without pretending I showed all the possible combinations. Please remember that these meanings might be a little different because of the other elements of the natal chart.

Sun(Yang) - Moon(Yang) - Ascendant (Yang)
This person is very active, has a very dashing personality and a very strong emotional structure. Communication is very good and very active. Very clear expression of the emotions and feelings. Good equilibrium between the inner and outer world.

Sun(Yang) - Moon(Yang) - Ascendant (Yin)
The basic personality manifests itself easily in the outer world. Emotions are difficultly express. Often the awareness (will, intellect) imposes over the unawareness (instincts, emotions).

Sun(Yang) - Moon(Yin) - Ascendant (Yang)
The interior personality and the emotions cannot be easily expressed. There can be conflict between the way we think and feel and the way we express our self. Possible impossibility of expression and communication.

Sun(Yang) - Moon(Yin) - Ascendant (Yin)
Strong and active personality but who cannot always find an outer correspondent. We cannot always express what we want to.

Sun(Yin) - Moon(Yin) - Ascendant (Yin)
This person is very receptive to everything that happens. Very good communication between the personality and the emotional structure. They usually act passively to everything that happens, and never make the first step.

Sun(Yin) - Moon(Yin) - Ascendant (Yang)
Emotions and instincts are very strong and active which comes as a contradiction with the basic energy and the way we want and can express

Sun(Yin) - Moon(Yang) - Ascendant (Yin)
Conflict between the inner structure (what we want, our feelings, our emotions) and the way we communicate in the outer world. The outer world has a powerful influence on the personality and the feelings.

Sun(Yin) - Moon(Yang) - Ascendant (Yang)
Emotions are strongly and clearly expressed which sometimes drives to an inner conflict with the basic personality and the way the person usually behaves.

Usually when the Sun’s polarity differs from the Ascendant’s polarity, the individual suffers a radical change of personality and expression. Mostly, this change comes around the age of 30. If the Sun is Yin and the Ascendant is Yang the individual will change from a passive, meditative person to a more active one, dashing and determined. If it’s the other way around, the Sun is Yang and the Ascendant is Yin, this person will slow down to be more secluded and reflexive.