EVOLUTION OF THE ELEMENTS: by Gina Lake
Excerpt from: Symbols of the Soul: Discovering Your Karma Through Astrology (2000)
FIRE SIGNS: The element of fire serves a different purpose than earth or water. Fire is the inspirational element. It motivates, inspires, creates, and transforms. Fire brings into manifestation new insights, new approaches, new outlooks, and new ways of being in the world. With the addition of fire to the evolutionary process, we are able to grow and expand beyond what we have known or already created.
Fire has its place. Its place is not in the beginning stages of evolution, when stability and steadfastness are being learned. The qualities of fire - courage, extroversion, independence, initiative, and physical strength - can be dangerous unless we have gained some basic stability and emotional development. Because of this, fire is usually not chosen in the early cycles except to teach a particular lesson or balance dependency. Not until the Mature cycle are we apt to choose several lifetimes with the fire signs to expand our potentials.
When we first experience fire, we usually express it crudely and awkwardly. This is true of all the elements. However, fire has the potential of being more destructive than the other elements. It is expressive and active, and when expression and action are ill advised or poorly executed, the results can be devastating. Because of this, we may incur more karma in our first lifetimes with fire than with any other element.
ARIES
Teaches Us: courage, extroversion, independence, initiative, physical strength, self-reliance, self-sufficiency
Baby Cycle: fire signs are unusual in the Baby and Young cycles, but if fire is needed, Aries is chosen because of its physical strength, prowess and strong ego, which aid survival; Aries (like Capricorn) develops the self-reliance and self-sufficiency needed in the early cycles
Young Cycle: Aries is less helpful in late Baby and Young cycles, as a major task then is bonding with family and community; Aries may be useful in transforming the dependency of many Cancer or Piscean lifetimes into caring for others
Mature Cycle: Aries serves several purposes in the Mature cycle, even when the life task doesn’t entail leadership or exploration; Aries energizes our goals, drives us to expand our inner potentials; it fuels the drive to explore inner frontiers in mature souls; it may be used to overcome dependency or fearfulness; also chosen by mature souls whose life task involves scientific investigation, exploration, athletic prowess, business ventures, promotion, sales, political leadership, or inventing new products or technology
Old Cycle: fire signs motivate us to develop our talents and other potentials; encourage leadership needed by many life tasks; Old souls might avoid leadership and authority without fire signs
LEO
Teaches Us: leading, teaching, self-exploration, self-development, creative talents
Baby Cycle: Leo is not particularly helpful in the Baby cycle, because it does not enhance survival or relationships
Young Cycle: Leo is not particularly helpful in the Young cycle, because it does not enhance survival or relationships
Mature Cycle: favorite sign in the Mature cycle, chosen for leading, teaching, self-exploration and self-development; many choose Leo to develop their creative talents; Leo does not reflect the inward, psychological, and spiritual bent of Mature lifetimes
Old Cycle: fire signs motivate us to develop our talents and other potentials; encourage leadership needed by many life tasks; Old souls might avoid leadership and authority without fire signs
SAGITTARIUS
Teaches Us: extroversion, independence, exploration, understanding, optimism
Baby Cycle: Sagittarius is not particularly helpful in the Baby cycle, because it does not enhance survival or relationships not helpful, as does not enhance survival or relationships
Young Cycle: Sagittarius is not particularly helpful in the Young cycle, because it does not enhance survival or relationships
Mature Cycle: chosen by Mature and Old souls more frequently than any other sign, except Pisces and Scorpio, because it meets both their need for self-development and understanding
Old Cycle: fire signs motivate us to develop our talents and other potentials; encourage leadership needed by many life tasks; Old souls might avoid leadership and authority without fire signs; chosen most often by Mature & Old souls, except Pisces/Scorpio
