Four Elements Pendulum: Fire, Earth, Air and Water

How to use this board

The idea of four elements goes back to ancient Greece. In the fifth century BCE the philosopher Empedocles described four "roots" of all things (fire, air, water and earth) that mix and separate. Western astrology took up the idea and sorted the twelve signs into groups of three: Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are fire; Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn, earth; Gemini, Libra and Aquarius, air; Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces, water.

Use this fan when something feels off-balance and you want to name it: "What do I need to get my spirits back?" "What energy should I bring to this problem?" "Which element do I have too much of?" The answers don't sum up your personality for good; they describe a need of the moment.

As you read the answer, think in concrete actions. Earth might mean a walk or a to-do list; water, an honest conversation or some time to feel. To go further, try the zodiac signs wheel next, or the five Chinese elements, which divide the world in a different way.

The options

What each answer invites you to consider.

🜂Fire

Fire is enthusiasm, courage and the urge to begin. What would light you up today? You may need to get moving, say yes to something exciting or remember why you started. Just keep the flame from burning you.

🜃Earth

Earth is the concrete stuff: body, money, time, the steps you can actually take. Bring your question down to something you can do with your hands this week, and notice whether a routine is holding you up or asking to change.

🜁Air

Air is thought, words and perspective. Step back: how would you see this if it were happening to a friend? Talking, reading or writing can give you the clarity that strong feelings keep blurring.

🜄Water

Water is emotion, intuition and connection. Before you fix anything, let yourself feel what's there. What does your body tell you when you think about your question? Sometimes a few tears or a hug sort things out better than a plan.

Frequently asked questions

Which zodiac signs belong to each element?

In Western astrology, Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are fire signs; Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn are earth; Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are air; and Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are water. Each group of three is called a triplicity.

What does it mean when the pendulum lands on an element?

It means that element offers you a way to look at your question. It doesn't describe who you are or what's coming; it suggests a quality (drive, steadiness, clarity or sensitivity) that you might be missing, or that's already running strong right now.

How are the four elements different from the five Chinese elements?

They're two separate systems. The four elements come from Greek philosophy and are used in Western astrology. The five Chinese elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water) describe phases that generate and restrain one another. Paths has a wheel for each.

Go deeper

• Pendulum and Astrology: Signs, Planets, and Houses · How to use a pendulum with zodiac sign, planet, house, and element boards: astrology as a symbolic language for reflection, not for predicting the future.

Sources

• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, "Empedocles" (plato.stanford.edu/entries/empedocles)