The four Zodiac Elements...Fire, Earth, Air and Water...are also known as the Triplicities since there are three signs belonging to each Elemental category. Thus, this trio of Signs share something of a similar basic character. These Elements are also known as the Four Humors, utilized in Astro-Meteorology to describe a type of wind and in other matters associated with the weather. Empedocles, a Fifth Century Greek philosopher, originated the terms "Fire," "Earth," "Air" and "Water," explaining the nature of the universe as an interaction of two opposing principles called "Love" and "Strife" who manipulated the four Elements. Empedocles also stated that these four Elements were all equal and of the same age, each ruling its own province and each possessing its own individual character. Thus, different mixtures of these Elements produced the different natures of things.

Many historic philosophers and alchemists also believed that the four Elements exhibited themeselves in humankind as four varying natures and that one would be more prevalent in each individual than the other three. Elemental signs are basic, being general or generic in nature. The related characteristics may be tempered by other factors, but the Elemental influence nonetheless refers to core human behavior and temperament. The Elemental quality associated with a Sign is dependent upon which of the Twelve Signs of the Zodiac the Sun was residing at the time of an individual's birth.

NOTE: In the Wiccan culture and some other Western traditions, there is also a Fifth Element known as Pure Spirit, "Quinta Essentia," or Akasha. Akasha is the life force...the basic substance of the Universe and the soul or spiritual being of an individual. It is the subtle spiritual essence that pervades all space...not precisely ether, but an ether-like substance of a spiritual rather than material nature which, in ancient writings, is said to operate by mean of sound or vibration. Thus, it is often identified with the Element of Air, but in a spiritual sense...the "Breath of God" concept. Essentially Akasha stands apart from the Four Elements of the Zodiac and is not depicted within an individual's horoscope. Akasha hints at the freedom of mankind and is a reminder of the "great mystery of the eternal."

Libra is governed by the Element of Air...an Element it shares with the Signs of Gemini and Aquarius. Air is also the ruler of the Third, Seventh and Eleventh Houses of the Zodiac. Air is the power of movement, of freshening and of intelligence. Air is also the symbol of the intellectual, representing the power of the mind and clarity of thought. It is believed to be the subtle material realm between the physical and spiritual planes, representing creative imagination and new beginnings. It is from this Element that all thoughts are initiated and where the human spirit ascends to be nourished. Air is traditionally associated with breath...the spirit and/or soul of all living creatures. Sound is a manifestation of the Element of Air. It was once believed that spirits and ghosts possessed the power to wrap themselves inside the wind, thus becoming endowed with invisibility. Associated with this belief is that the presence of a ghost may be indicated by areas of cold air. Howling winds were formerly thought to carry spirits of the night and due to the association of Air, sudden gusts were attributed to spirits and poltergeists. Air is principally concerned with communication, analysis and theory. Those who fall under its jurisdiction are smart-thinkers who are adept at handling abstract reasoning. In short, those who are governed by this Element love to analyze, synethesize and probe. Air describes the part of an individual which perceives himself or herself to be separate from the surrounding environment and seeks to form relationships by understanding how the various pieces can fit into a logical system or overall plan. The traditional symbol for Air is a triangle pointing upward with a horizontal line through the middle.

Air Signs are chiefly associated with communication. Individuals governed by this Element are alert, curious, clever and perceptive souls. They are able to perceive all sides of any equation and can determine the best approach. Balance is of paramount importance to Air natives. While these subjects are often cool, calm and collected, they can become cold if their equilibrium is upset. Freedom of thought and movement are the most cherished desires of those ruled by this Element. They advocate truth and justice and possess the ability to change circumstances with incredible speed. As thinkers, Air individuals tend to rely upon rationality rather than intuition or emotion. They also possess a philosophical approach to life which allows them to endure hardships. Natives of Air can tolerate almost any circumstance provided there is a rational explanation for the situation. They possess magnificent leadership capabilities and have a reputation for being fair. Air is associated with a mental approach, where experiences are processed by way of analyzing, thinking, reasoning and generally making sense out of any given situation. The influence of Air is apt to manifest itself in a most humane manner and those under its influence are blessed with the ability to "walk in another's shoes." These are objective and cooperative individuals who truly desire to make the world a better place. Air subjects are rarely prejudicial and possess a bright idealism which can often accomplish much.

As previously mentioned, the Element of Air is principally concerned with movement and the communication of ideas. Those who fall under its jurisdiction are restless individuals who hunger constantly for new concepts and notions. In short, they require an abundance of stimulation. Air natives are rational, versatile, verbal, quick and alert...possessed with the knowledge that they can charm their way out of anything and resourceful enough to make good things come from difficult situations. Gregarious and social, subject of Air adore collecting information...the main object being to study such information objectively and then disseminate it to everyone else. In essence, these are the informational processors of the Zodiac. Counted among the most unemotional and objective of all Zodiac Signs, those ruled by this Element value truth and realism, can see both sides of opposing issues and have the ability to offer balanced views of each.

Individuals ruled by Air can become negative when their expectation that everyone uphold the same standards is shattered. They cannot seem to grasp why each and every individual does not think and act as they do themselves. Rationalizing of mistakes may also occur, which limits the ability to perceive any situation as a learning experience. Air Signs are devoted to abstract ideas and, at times, may have difficulty in making decisions. This tendency leads others to view them as elusive and often exasperating characters. When those who fall under the influence of this Element are unable to cope with reality, they frequently retreat and attempt to live a "fairy tale" lifestyle. There is a tendency here toward constant movement...much like the wind itself...and even if the body appears to be still, the mind of one influenced by this Element is forever racing from one thing to another. Generally talkative, Air individuals are gregarious and work diligently from an early age to develop their social skills. However, they do find it difficult to make committments...mainly because they truly believe there to be far too many possibilities they have yet to explore. Though blessed with lightning quick mental abilities, natives of Air are apt to struggle in the world of emotions. Thus, those who fall under the jurisdiction of this Element need assistance in such areas.

Air individuals frequently attract those governed by the Element of Water (Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces). However, Air frequently finds the nature of Water to be something of a "closed book." The world of feelings is vague to Air individuals and they fail to comprehend it. To Air, feelings are illogical...psychological at best, which is something Air can only smile about. Nevertheless, it is the native of Water who can offer much in the way of emotional aid to Air since Water tends to breathe more naturally in emotional pools. Air is prone to have a difficult time with Earth in the truest sense of the word. The unwavering sense of reality associated with Earth tends to smash those beautifully created "castles in the Air." However, this can be a valuable combination because the ideas of Air only become useful in the practical sense when they interact with Earth. Air natives are generally most compatible with Fire Signs since Fire needs Air in order to generate heat...and Fire stimulates Air, motivating the inception of new ideas.

ASPECT/POLARITY: Masculine, which is not a reference to gender but to the associated type of energy. In the case of the masculine aspect, the energy is projective and traditionally conceived as being more active, less receptive and focused on the spiritual/mental world, lending spirituality and activity (both physical and mental) to the character. Masculine signs (Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius and Aquarius) are diurnal or day-oriented by nature, viewed in the same light as the Yang (or bright) polarity of the Tao.
ANGEL OF AIR: Raphael, Archangel of the East.
SEASON: Spring...the time of freshness.
VIRTUE: Knowledge...which is not to infer that Air is more intelligent than the other three Elements, but is generally well-rounded and perhaps better informed. Air is a good communicator, possesses an excellent grasp of language and usually knows a little something about everything. Air is blessed with a good personality and is easy to get to know.
CORE/INDIVIDUALITY: Seer...also known to the ancient philosophers as a priest. Air is mentally inclined, actively acquiring knowledge by means of experience, education and association. In times gone by, the only educated people were either priests or royal personages who took it upon themselves to acquire knowledge. Air is curious, original and possesses initiative, in addition to being (as a general rule) well-disciplined and a quick thinker.
NATURE: Mental and keen-witted. Air rationalizes by thinking things through rather than falling victim to emotional influences or physical factors. Air enjoys any type of entertainment where intellectual capacity and the ability to think quickly and accurately comes into play. Indeed, under such circumstances, Air is almost certain to get the upper hand.
EMOTION: Self appraisal. Air is prone to judge itself extremely harshly and tends to set certain personal standards in terms of hygiene, clothing, education, job performance and family. With the exception of Fire, Air is the most ego-oriented Element of the Zodiac.
EVILS: Chief fault is trickery. Air is crafty, underhanded and ingenious when it comes to evil...though not prone to physical violence. At its worst, Air is the epitome of mean-spiritedness and will invariably harbor a grudge. Air is swift to express opinions and is exceedingly opinionated. Air will not hesitate to verbally express anger, but physical violence is not generally a first choice in terms of an attack.
HUMOR: In Medical Astrology and Astro-Meteorology, the humor of Air is Sanguine, being hot and moist.
COLORS: White, Bright Yellow, Crimson, Pale Blue and Pastels.
MOON PHASE: First Quarter...New Moon (Waning).
POSITIVE CHARACTERISTICS: Intelligence, Diligence, Optimism, Dexterity, Persuasiveness and Psychic Abilities.
NEGATIVE CHARACTERISTICS: Lack of Communication, Tendency to Gossip and Memory Problems.
SENSE: Smell and Hearing.
SYMBOLS: Staff, Wand, Broom, Athame, Sword, Censer, Sky, Wind, Circle, Bird, Bell, Sylph, Flute, Chimes, Breezes, Clouds, Plants, Herbs, Flowers and Trees.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Flute and all Wind Instruments.
PLANTS AND TREES: Almond, Broom, Clover, Lavender, Frankincense, Pine, Mhyrr, Pansy, Primrose, Vervain, Violet, Yarrow, Dill and the Aspen Tree.
STONES: Topaz, Yellow Flourite, Crystals, Amethyst, Alexandrite, light stones such as Pumice and transparent stones such as Mica.
METALS: Tin and Copper.
LOCATIONS: Mountaintops, Tree Tops Plains, Windy Beaches, High Towers Airports Schools and Libraries.
ANIMALS: Birds (especially the Eagle, Hawk and Raven), Insects and Spiders.
ELEMENTAL SPIRITS: Sylphs (ruled by Paralda), Zephyrs and Faeries who inhabit the world of trees, flowers, winds, breezes and mountains.
POINT IN LIFE: Childhood and Infancy.
BODY PARTS: Chest, Lungs, Throat and the Brain.
HOUR: Dawn.
PENTAGRAM POINT: Upper Left.
DIRECTION: East...the place of Sunrise and direction of the greatest light...ruled by Eurus, God of the East Wind, who was said to have built his home near the palace of Helios (the Sun) and was credited with bringing warmth and rain. The East also symbolizes the light of wisdom and consciousness. Its color is yellow, like the Sun itself and the sky at dawn.
MOTTO: To Know.

Within each of the Triplicities or Elements is found a category known as the Qualities...also referred to as the Quadruplicities, Modes or Common States. There are three Qualities: Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable. Each Quality addresses the manner of expression which will be displayed by the individual who falls within its jurisdiction, based upon which of the four Elements predominates. Thus, the Element (either Fire, Earth, Air or Water) will dictate the core characteristics, while the Quality (Cardinal, Fixed or Mutable) will dictate the way in which those characteristics are expressed.

Libra is a Cardinal Quality Sign (a Quality it shares with Aries, Cancer and Capricorn). The world "cardinal" derives from the Latin for "hinge" and the four Signs which fall under its jurisdiction are, in essence, the Signs upon which the entire Zodiac hinges, marking the Seasons in much the same manner as the Cardinal points of the compass mark the directions. The job of Cardinal Signs is to initate the Season...the leaders or "scout signs" which bring forth the individual Seasons of the Year. As the first Zodiac Sign of Autumn, Libra is the initiator of this Season. Cardinal Signs govern creativity, being pioneering and enterprising, indicative of a restless, self-motivated and ambitious character. Those who fall under the jurisdiction of a Cardinal Quality are intensely active and enthusiastic in their pursuit of life's experiences. Indeed, such natives are inclined to live life at a rather rapid, action-packed pace. They prefer to channel their energies into external events and their response is apt to be immediate reactions which can result in a crisis-driven way of life. Nevertheless, this is infinitely preferable to bordedom in the eyes of the Cardinal individual. Passionate about getting things moving, these individuals are active and quick. Many projects are started courtesy of the Cardinal initiative...although a vast number of such projects never seem to reach completion. This is due to the fact that Cardinal individuals are much more fond of beginning things rather than actually finishing them. Nonetheless, Cardinal Signs will never be found "slacking off." They are brimming with vim, vigor and rampant energy while possessing a drive and ambition which is unmistakable. Enthusiastic with a zest for life, the Cardinal individual can sometimes appear to be domineering and may forget about the "pack" when focusing busily on a personal endeavor. These are clever souls with an immense desire to win. They know how to use their abilities and dislike delay. Cardinal Signs represent centrifugal radiating energy and correlate with the principle of "action in a definite direction." The essential nature of Cardinal energy movement is to initiate action, get things started and get things going. Libra is a positive Cardinal Quality Sign, concerned with action in the present, based upon future considerations. These natives can, at times, be somewhat domineering but such a trait is part-and-parcel of such individuals' best qualtiies. In summary, Cardinal Signs are independent, spontaneous and forceful.

As an Air Sign with Cardinal Quality, Libra natives are great matchmakers and know how to get things "cooking" by introducing individuals to one another in a relaxed social situation. This particular Sign of the Zodiac mixes with lots of people and communicates often. Thus, Libra is something of an oxymoron...somewhat akin to the sound of one hand clapping, where the bewildered Libra would wonder what happened to the other hand. Trying to do anything without the "other half" of the unit seems pointless to those governed by this Sign. They do their best work when bouncing ideas off others and working in partnerships or team situations. Their active, authoritative Cardinal Quality brings them in contact with successful over-achievers much like themselves, so they quickly build a database of influential friends and associates. Since they do fall under the jurisdiction of Cardinal traits, Libra natives can be bossy, but they express their dominance in such a charming fashion that others become easily...and sometimes joyfully...wrapped around the little fingers of these individuals.