Fixed signs dominated in July’s disruptions and with Pluto moving into Aquarius there will be a culture shift ahead from the restless, go-getting Pluto in Cardinal Capricorn years since 2008.
Fixed energy can be enduring, steadfast, unchanging but also inordinately stubborn and inflexible. It was most notable in the case of Queen Elizabeth 11 with a Fixed T Square dominating her chart of Moon Neptune in Leo opposition Mars Jupiter in Aquarius square a Saturn Midheaven in Scorpio. Never was a chart better designed to plough the same (and often excruciatingly boring) furrow for decade after decade. Joe Biden also comes to mind with four planets in Scorpio with Mars square Pluto and a Taurus Moon, good for the long haul but obdurate when it came to accepting that change is inevitable.
An old astro-axiom comes to mind that in a hopeless situation, Cardinal will up-sticks and be off elsewhere to start again. Mutable will bend in the breeze and sigh regretfully as they adapt to new and unwanted circumstances. Fixed will dig in its heels and expects the world to change in their favour and won’t budge until it does. Although even they have to give in to reality at some point.
On the extreme negative end of fixed, is wilfulness and possessiveness, the latter acting in emotional relationships and in the acquisition of material goods and money. ‘Bull-headed and absolute in demands’. Mars and Pluto are particularly awkward in Fixed signs.
Recent examples in the news of the worst of the worst of Fixed energy include Gavin Plumb, 25 February 1987, who plotted the kidnap, rape, and grisly murder of tv presenter Holly Willoughby and targeted four other women and teenage girls. He was a Sun Pisces trine Pluto, sextile Neptune but his chart was dominated by Mars in Taurus opposition Pluto in Scorpio almost certainly square an Aquarius Moon.
Another is Hongchi Xiao, 5 February 1963, convicted of gross negligence manslaughter when a 71-year-old diabetic woman at his ‘slapping therapy’ workshop died, having been persuaded to come off insulin. He had assured that her condition could be healed by a method of self-healing which is said to expel ‘poisonous waste’ from the body through slapping and stretching. He is a Sun Saturn in Aquarius opposition Mars square Neptune – an overdose of Fixed, with a punitive streak from Mars Saturn and inclined to off-the-wall notions with a focal point Neptune. Tom Cruise born the previous year with a proliferation of Fixed signs, North Node, Venus and Uranus in Leo, Saturn in Aquarius, Neptune in Scorpio and Mars in late Taurus has some similarities – certainly enduring but holding unorthodox beliefs.
Another (minor) example which caught my eye is former tv presenter Jan Leeming, looking good at 82, but complaining she has had ‘such bad luck’ with men, having five failed marriages behind her. Lack of self-awareness – of being able to learn from life – also seems to be a negative Fixed characteristic. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. She is a Sun Capricorn, but has Venus in Aquarius opposition a Leo Moon square Saturn Uranus in Taurus, with Pluto in Leo square Mars in late Aries.
In the hothouse atmosphere of family relationships an overdose of Fixed can cause problems. Tv presenter Nadia Sawalha, 18 November 1964, has a famously stormy relationship with her younger sister Nadia, 9 September 1968. Admittedly both were born in the tumultuous Uranus Pluto marked in their charts which would not help. But both have strong Fixed qualities about their charts. Nadia has a Scorpio Saturn and Neptune square Saturn in Aquarius; and Julia has Mars in Leo square Neptune in Scorpio. When stubborn meets stubborn head on, finding a compromise is not easy.
The greatest strength of Fixed is also its greatest weakness. Bamboos bend in the breeze. Oak trees, which can’t bend, fall over if the wind is strong enough.
This is a bit of a stretch (above) but I am feeling satiated with US political shenanigans and with the endless repetition of the world’s woes – Gaza, on and on and on, financial cliff edges, climate change/net zero.
Though come to think of it Israel has the Fixed chart to end all Fixed charts with an 8th house Taurus Sun and Mars plus Saturn Pluto in Leo in the 10th. As admittedly has the UK but maybe two world wars and loss of empire finally let in some daylight.
Fixed sign natives are often incredibly sexy.
Nadia’s younger sister is Julia, known for playing Jennifer Saunder’s daughter in Absolutely Fabulous.
May I ask if you could provide a reference, thank you
My colleague – whom I have worked with for the past six years – was born a few days after Hongchi Xiao. She has Sun-Satun (conjunct), opposite Mars-Moon in Leo. All of it square Neptune in Scorpio. She can be very self-righteous and courses as straight ahead as one of those huge container ships which nothing can throw off course. On the plus side she has incredible endurance and gets a lot done. What I find particularly challenging sometimes, is the impenetrability of her mind. It can be hard to get through to her…
Do charts without any fixed signs reveal anything? I can only think of Russell Brand/Angelina Jolie off the top of my head…
It can be balanced out elsewhere in the chart. I have only one Fixed sign planet being mainly Mutable and Cardinal. But I have an anchored Saturn on my Midheaven and a central Pluto holding scattered ends together.
Thank you for sharing about the Saturn ‘anchoring’ and Pluto ‘cement’.
Hanging on by a thread…
Saturn has a really positive side, as does Pluto. Backbone and perseverance
I have Sun, Moon, Midheaven and Mercury in the 9th house, as well as Pisces in the 9th, with a Leo Ascendant in the 1st. I don’t know if it makes me stubborn, but it does (unfortunately) make me super opinionated and self righteous about things, and I am doing my best not to get involved in crusades when I really need to work on myself! 🙂 Thanks
Jody, at least you sound self aware. Self reflection is a great gift
Ouch! I have four fixed planets in Leo, Mercury /Mars conjunction and Sun/Pluto conjunction. Ic in Leo and MC in Aquarius, along with the Nodes in these respective signs. I reckon if the atom bomb had not been invented I may have been a test case for a prototype!! My saving grace is a Capricorn Moon and Neptune/Saturn conjunction in Libra, also Jupiter on a Gemini Ascendent – my mind doesn’t stay long enough on anything, to get too fixed.
Fixed signs can be stubborn to the point of pig headedness but they can also have fantastic endurance when encountering adversity and they generally get things done even if they are not initiators of change. I have 6 planets in mutable signs which means I need a lot of self discipline to achieve things. Too much mutability can end up causing people to run in circles from thing to thing going nowhere which in the end is not much different from being the worst type of Taurean stick in the mud. Fortunately I have Saturn conjunct my Sun which helps focus effort a lot even if it can be a bit of a downer at times.
Taurus rising, Scorpio Sun, Mercury, Mars Uranus
Moon in Aquarius. Always felt like one is against the wall (the world). It does tire one out. You learn to give in when it is not directly affecting you. Wish I’d learnt it sooner. Also it runs in families, fixed cardinals and mutable.
I’ve got five planets plus nodes and Asc/Dsc axis in fixed signs and until my mid-20s I could be very stubborn but with four mutables, I’d also be a little deceptive and side-stepping to keep what I wanted. Then Pluto hit my 8th and I worked only on claiming my own power. I still have a lot of perseverance, so I will dig in and explore every reasonable avenue possible to make a situation work before giving up on it. In recent years, it has become a goal to give up earlier and not expend as much energy on situations that seem doomed. Some of this is due to planets progressing through mutables and into cardinal; and some because I have Neptune in aspect to just about everything in my chart and four planets (incl Neptune) in mutables. And I’m getting older!
Interesting, thank you. My chart is more dominated by fixed signs than many of your examples, bar Jan Leeming perhaps. A lot of them, particularly the first two, seem far more mutable to me – I take it you’re giving more weight to configurations rather than the overall balance?
The Scorpio looks deeply into the decision, the Aquarius looks at the future consequences, creative Leo will look at something from every angle, and Taurus will consider the practicalities. By the time that is all finally done, I’m pretty sure. But you can put all that work in to a decision and someone will still say to you “oh you’re just being stubborn” 😀 But it’s very true that I find transitions uncomfortable.
I am a Taurus. I will mull over a decision for a long time, but once made it is full steam ahead and I do it. If often takes people I know by surprise, as if this came out of thin air – but it did not – it may have been years in the making via ruminating and planning. So sometimes Fixed is thinking things over. Once on a new course – little can be done to dissuade me – as I have already covered all angles. This includes major moves, job transitions, graduate school while working full time. So sure, I may look like I am not moving – but there are things going on inside that I am not talking about. When stuff starts to happen, it happens, and I know that about myself, which is why I take my time with major decisions.
I know exactly what you mean Liz, the bit about taking people by surprise is very familiar.
This resonates, strongly, Jupiter conjunct Mid-heaven in Taurus in opposition to Neptune.
Deep thinking to determine best approach/ strategy to take action.
People always seemed surprised when I delivered some quite amazing results in my work (and life). Took me a long time to figure out that a lot of people underestimated me and thought I never did anything… I was/am always planning, thinking and was very ambitious in my career.
Neptune invisibility?
Tara – I think you’re saying, one of the things non-fixed people don’t understand about fixed signs is that we’re in it for the long haul. We look before we leap. We think about whether we want to be involved or take on the responsibility because we know we won’t just quit when the going gets tough. At least that’s my experience.
I have 4 planets in Scorpio and a Uranus/Leo NN, but my Leo is in the 12th. I absolutely agree that we’re in it for the long haul, as you say. But the other positive quality of Fixed signs is that we’re incredibly loyal and we don’t give up easily.
Yes. I think we are wary of getting stuck with things which is why we are cautious. I think another thing that is misunderstood is that I will very often give way in a disagreement – it’s the long game of seeing how that pans out for them. If they are right, it’s all good and I have learnt something- if I am right, maybe they will listen to me next time! Long range thinking is the key
Forgot to add, I have a Taurus ascendant, but not much Earth (Saturn at 0 Virgo only). Perhaps I wouldn’t give way as much if I had more Earth, my chart has more Water. With more Air, I might’ve tried to negotiate more. As always, the whole chart needs to be considered.
I have read that when there is a missing element in a chart it often becomes the main focus in the native’s life. A good example is Virginia Woolf who has predominantly Earth and Air planets but no Water, yet water themes dominated her work, ‘The Waves’, ‘To the Lighthouse’, ‘The Voyage Out’, and ultimately became her way out when she drowned herself.
@Claire
Interesting observation, thank you
Air is mostly ‘missing’ in natal… yet most midpoints there…
I do experience difficulties with communication and am frequently, severely, misunderstood…
Beth, I’m not sure communication is not difficult for most of us, just look at the world, and social media is a whole new minefield, but it’s the reasons for our difficulties which I think are unique to each of us.
The only Air I have is my Ascendent in Aquarius. Increasingly (I’m quite old) my focus has been on reading/writing/study, which I suppose is me trying to understand more, and working on clarifying my thinking. The missing Air element perhaps.
Thank you Marjorie, heavily fixed charts do, as you say reflect immovable people. I knew someone with a chart similar to that of the late Queen, in fact they were born just a few weeks later. They were permanently dissatisfied, constantly comparing themselves to others and resentment of what others had or possessed. A very difficult person, very envious of others and overly concerned with what others possessed. I had to cut contact with them and their daughter who had a T Square on Neptune in Scorpio opposing Jupiter in Taurus, Mars/Venus in Leo opposition Moon in Aquarius just to regain my mental health! Their own mother was a carping critical religious bully (they had Moon in Leo opposition Mars square Saturn.) They had a grand cross of Moon in Leo conjunct Neptune square Saturn in Scorpio, square Mars Jupiter in Aquarius square Venus in Taurus. They’re still alive in their late 90s – I find this with fixed persons – they’re built to last.
Envy is a very interesting psychological phenomenon.
yes i think it is a genetic predisposition…you either can be envious or not… very odd emotion.
Both jealousy and envy probably come into Pluto’s realm but are different. Jealousy gives rise to possessiveness and is most often (though not always) directed towards a relationship – you’re mine and no one else is having you. Or he’s my doll not yours.
Envy is aroused by a quality or advantage that another has that the envious one covets. Not having – good looks, money, sporting prowess – arouses feelings of inferiority. If the hateful quality is erased then the envious one feels less inferior. So it gives rise to defensive reactions such as scorn, contempt and narcissism, which have in common the use of contempt to minimize the existential threat posed by the advantages of others. Envy tends to be be vengeful and aggressive since it seeks to remove the quality which arouses unbearable feelings. Destroy the good looks, dream of bankrupting the wealthy, breaking the leg of the athlete etc etc.
Not sure I would associate envy with Fixed signs, but possessiveness certainly. I have a faint feeling that envy is a more primitive (which is earlier to develop) emotion than jealousy.
You just described my brother by describing envy. That is him. He is a Leo Sun – August 20th, oppose Aquarius. He also has Moon conjunct Pluto in Virgo. I did put this down to a family thread that I am not fond of – has to be. I just avoid him as best I can.
So interesting, everyone! I really feel like these emotions are very intriguing, and I’m glad anna brought up the possibility of it being a genetic trait. Do people who are envious have a way out? Or is it a mark, a wound of sorts, for life?
I would perhaps ascribe vengefulness and feelings of getting revenge and similar fantasies with Scorpio.
I don’t know. I think Pluto opposite mars not in scorpio might also produce vengefulness.
I can get quite angry and intense as a 4 planet Scorpio with Pluto rising, take ages to process hurt feelings, have never really indulged vengeful feelings but don’t forget pain caused. But in general I’m of the ‘live well’ and ‘dig two graves’ school of thought when it comes to vengeance.
I’m so fascinated by this, because envy or anger are feelings that people know do them no good, yet it is so difficult, takes a lot of work and time, to shake it off and consciously shift as if nothing. Some will tell you these feelings have a purpose and can be put to good use for you to evolve or something like that. But I think everybody knows people would be better without them. At least it looks that way.
Today I bumped onto a very interesting passage in the book The Thirteen Petalled Rose, by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, about good and evil, and I’ll try finding it again and write it here. Puts a different light on issues of good vs. bad.
My Scorpio is in the 3rd. Grew up with a challenging and volatile sibling. As humans we all experience darker emotions. But Scorpios are inclined to dig to get to the bottom of things and so an interest in psychology can be common with them. I notice I have a sharp tongue and have to watch myself, with Mars in the 3rd – I’m overly defensive – but I do try very hard to own my own darkness and not project it onto others. It’s not easy as you say. The book you mention sounds fascinating.
Think it was Clare Martin who says possessiveness is a Taurus trait and that when you get too much Scorpio (i.e. being controlling) that becomes possessive. Archetypally, Scorpio being an emotional being doesn’t value ownership of stuff
Not just emotional. Paranoia is something I really struggle with, plus with Pluto rising, I often feel like I’m a bad person.
My brother, a Leo with Saturn in Aquarius is a jealous envious person. I do my best to avoid him. I am not like that. I don’t want to be around it. He is also hypercritical of other people.
Marjorie, so true with fixed signs. Fixed grand cross with Aquarius Sun/Chiron 1st opposite Leo Uranus 7th square Taurus Mars oppose Scorpio Neptune. Plus, the nodes! I had a pattern that I kept going back to my ex(es), former employers, bosses. However, I have finally learned that if it didn’t work out the first around, let it go. This process took a very long time; after my 2nd Saturn return. I think I learned my lesson eventually due to my mutable Saturn is in Sagittarius which exactly sextile Sun/Chiron conjunction. Thanks so much for changing the subject back to Astrology.