If your Sun, Moon or Rising sign is one of the three signs tied to the water element, or if a water sign is featured in another prominent placement in your birth chart, familiarizing yourself with your element and astrological modality is a great way to better understand yourself and your relationships with others.
What are the water signs?
In astrology, there are three water signs: Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. RELATED: These Water Zodiac Signs Are The Most Relationship Compatible, Per Astrology In addition to the similarities in their personality, each water sign has its own unique energy, in part due to their placement in one of another grouping known in astrology as modalities. There are three modalities in astrology — Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable — with four signs of the zodiac associated with each modality. Within the water signs, Cancer is a cardinal sign, Scorpio is a fixed sign, and Pisces is a mutable sign. Your sign’s modality affects the way you take in, process, and deal with factors in your external environment. Cardinal signs tend to be initiators, fixed signs tend to be steady and deliberate, and mutable signs tend to be go-with-the-flow types.
Water sign traits
Like waterfalls, these signs are brimming with a seemingly endless supply of free-flowing emotions, causing them to be known for their deeply sensitive, sentimental, and intuitive natures. Water signs are extremely deep people, just like the ocean itself. The ocean has depths we’ve never been to and has hidden creatures we’ve never discovered. It’s the same with water signs — they can always surprise us with something we thought we’d never find. The commonality between water signs is emotion. They are the prime empaths of the world. Water signs feel everything and most of the time take that emotion in and transform it into some form of art. Like a flowing current, the emotions are constantly moving within water signs. Water signs also make amazing artists because they are highly imaginative. Like waves are to the shore, water signs are loyal. They stick to the people they care about and are compassionate with others around them. If you catch a water sign on a bad day, their sensitivity can cause them to be easily hurt and they may take things too personally. Water signs, just like their element, can turn at any moment, meaning they can be moody and highly suspicious. RELATED: What Is A Grand Water Trine & Which Zodiac Signs Are In One, Per Astrology
Unique characteristics of zodiac water signs: Cancer, Scorpio & Pisces
Cancer (June 21 - July 22)
Symbol: Crab Ruling Planet: Moon Power Color: Silver or metallic grey Modality: Cardinal Key Personality Traits: Sensitive, empathetic, emotional Cancer is a cardinal sign, which means they value control. Because they thrive on taking initiative and being charge, they are known as the initiators of the zodiac. The Cancer zodiac sign is known to be nurturing, tender, and sensitive, but are also emotionally intelligent and tend to be withdrawn. An often misunderstood sign, Cancer has great awareness of their emotions, as well as the emotions of others. They are also easily hurt but express themselves in a gentle way. Cancer’s ruling planet is the Moon, which is fitting, since this planet is associated with femininity and emotions.
Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)
Symbol: Scorpion Ruling Planets: Mars and Pluto Power Color: Black Modality: Fixed Key Personality Traits: Passionate, assertive, loyal Scorpio is a fixed sign, meaning they are inflexible, have more control over their emotions, and don’t do well with adapting to change; they crave stability in this sense. As a water sign, Scorpio is emotional, but they hide their feelings from the world. This zodiac sign is known for its intensity and passion, ambition, and loyalty, as well as their need for control and tough exterior. Mars and Pluto rule Scorpio; the assertive energy of Mars plays into Scorpio’s jealous tendencies, while Pluto, associated with the subconscious, explains Scorpio’s nature being hidden and “underground.” Scorpios have the ability to turn a negative situation into a positive one. If they are put in a tough position, they always persevere.
Pisces (February 19 - March 20)
Symbol: Fish Ruling Planets: Jupiter and Neptune Power Color: Seafoam green or aquamarine Modality: Mutable Key Personality Traits: Intuitive, compassionate, creative As a mutable sign, Pisces has a knack for flexibility. But while they easily adapt to their environment, they tend to struggle to find a solid foundation. Pisces, like Cancer, is an extremely emotional and sensitive zodiac sign. Pisces is known for their compassion, empathy, understanding, and loving nature. They also tend to be insecure, weepy, and possessive. Both Jupiter and Neptune rule Pisces; Jupiter is the planet of abundance and luck, while Neptune is associated with imagination and dreams. These planets influence Pisces’ emotional and dreamy nature. Pisces is the most psychic of all the zodiac signs because they tend to trust their gut. Their ability to understand people and situations is top-notch. They enjoy doing things that bring them joy and excitement. Pisces bravely follow their dreams and ambitions, no matter how big they are. In fact, they are often living in their own dream world. RELATED: How Your Moon Sign’s Zodiac Element Affects Your Mood Each Month Jaycee Levin is the creator, founder, and editor of her lifestyle blog. She’s also a writer who covers astrology, spirituality, pop culture, and relationship topics.
