Even the most seasoned astrologer will tell you that learning how to interpret birth charts ain’t easy. Granted, it’s worth the effort. The birth chart, a map of the planets in the sky when you were born, is like an instruction manual for your soul. And that is undeniably handy to have.
Let’s be honest though: Most people are far too busy with the duties of modern life to immerse themselves in the stars like the ancient Alexandrians did.
Fortunately, there’s a workaround for the modern mystic—or basically anyone who wants to understand what their Co-Star app is trying to tell them. It involves calculating your “chart dominants” or the dominant element (fire, earth, air, or water) and dominant quality (cardinal, fixed, or mutable) that the planets in your birth chart fall into.
The benefit of this lazy girl’s way of doing birth charts? You can tap into the overall essence of your birth chart without having to memorize all the planets, signs, and houses.
This short code is an incredibly helpful tool for making decisions that line up with your complete astrological profile, not just your sun sign. We use it regularly (water- and cardinal-dominants here) even though we know every planet, sign, and house down to the degree in our charts. Life is busy for astrologers, too!
How Do I Calculate My Chart Dominants?
To find your chart dominants, use this handy calculator that we created for this very purpose.
The calculator uses 13 points in its equation: the “big three” (sun, moon, and rising sign), plus the planets from Mercury to Pluto, and the lunar nodes which are the two “destiny points” in your birth chart.
Within those 13 points in your birth chart, we look at the element (fire, earth, air, water) and quality (cardinal, fixed, mutable) that each one falls into.
For the record, people’s chart dominants can range wildly. Some people have an even balance of elements and qualities. Other people might have zero planets or placements in water signs or the majority of their planets in cardinal signs. It’s also possible to have an equal number of three elements or two qualities. It really does depend on your time, date, and place of birth—just like the traditional birth chart.
How Can I Use the Chart Dominants in My Life?
No matter how your chart stacks up, it’s incredibly useful to look at the blend of elements and qualities. If you’re lower on one, you might consciously want to dial up that energy in your life. The opposite holds true as well. High levels of one element or quality can cause you to lean too heavily into its energy. It can be helpful to dial down some of those traits to avoid burning out or overwhelming the people in your life.
The four elements are fire, earth, air, and water.
- Fire is passionate, creative, and flamboyant.
- Earth is stable, organized, and sensual.
- Air is communicative, innovative, and intellectual.
- Water is emotional, nurturing, and intuitive.
The three qualities are cardinal, mutable, and fixed.
In our book, The Astrology Advantage, we’ve given the three qualities new names: Innovator, Authority, and Maven, which becomes the acronym “I am.”
- Innovator (cardinal) energy is pioneering, ingenious, and future-focused.
- Authority (fixed) energy is structured, consistent, and past-focused.
- Maven (mutable) energy is interactive, curious, and focused in the present.
Once you know your chart dominants, you can apply the wisdom to every area of life. With water as our dominant element, we were lucky enough to design a career that lets us use both our empathy and intuition. This shows up in other ways, too. With friends and romantic partners, we gel well with emotionally sensitive types who aren’t afraid to peer beyond the surface of life.
The cardinal/Innovator dominance in our chart keeps us interested in what’s ahead, including what’s happening a month or a year from now in the stars. It might also account for why we have been obsessed with astrology long before anyone could look up their moon sign on an app.
How Does This Match Up With My Zodiac Sign?
As you survey your own chart, you might discover that its overall energy is very different from the vibe of your zodiac sign (a.k.a. your sun sign). That’s certainly true for us with our Sagittarius sun, which is a mutable fire sign.
Don’t get us wrong, we definitely exude Sag energy: upbeat, adventurous, and philosophical. The sun sign shows what lights you up and how you’ll shine. Adding in the chart dominants gives you another exciting layer to work with.
Sagittarius has earned a reputation for being tactless and hard to pin down. We’ve certainly resembled those remarks in moments. Still, we thank our water dominance for giving us empathy, so we don’t accidentally drag people when we’re just trying to give advice. We credit the Innovator dominance for our work ethic, which has allowed us to write horoscopes for 25 years—while on overseas vacations, in the midst of chaotic family gatherings, basically wherever the job had to get done.
Interested in learning how to use this cosmic shortcut in your life? Our new book, The Astrology Advantage, provides a detailed roadmap for applying this system to key areas of life, from communication to relationships to career aspirations.
Life is a constant balancing act. Understanding your birth chart—whether in all its glorious detail or its core essence—is an amazing tool for knowing how to adjust the proverbial dials. We like to think of it as more descriptive than prescriptive. While your chart reveals basic tendencies, you aren’t stuck with a fate just because you were born on a certain day. Understanding what makes you tick is a great jumping off point for personal growth. As far as we’re concerned, anything that can help you evolve is worth giving a try.
The Astrology Advantage: Use Your Horoscope for Personal and Professional Success
Ilana Kaplan is a writer and editor based in Brooklyn. She covers music, culture and entertainment and has written for Rolling Stone, The New York Times, NPR, GQ and more.
