What Element Are You? - Let's talk about Water!

The elemental analysis is a simple and elegant way of self-understanding and, most importantly, a way to gain knowledge about the things that nourish or deplete our energy field. The best part about the elements is that to understand them you do NOT need any special knowledge from numerous websites or sleepless nights over thick astrological guides.

What does it mean to have a dominant Water element? What nourishes and depletes it? How people of this temperament get along with others?

Enjoy the reading :-)

What is Water?

In you haven't already, please be sure to read the introduction to the interpretation of the elements!

The astrological element shows the temperament, what is dear to us and what is easy for us to use in daily life. The emphasis on Water symbolizes the will and need for the development of one's emotional nature. People with the Water element empathetically understand the situation of another person, thanks to their emotions. This form of an emotional openness helps them, even if only for a little, to get rid of the feeling of being alone in life. There is nothing better than emotions that help them feel intimacy, to connect with others on a deep and subtle level.

This in-born fluidity is about attunement do feelings and subtleties - people with the Water element are sensitive to the intangible influences of the world and surroundings; their inner world is often well developed. 

Each element has something to offer: Fire has its will, looks at life through the lenses of experiencing. Air has ideas and follows the intellect. Earth has achievements, with practically and concern for one's business being its life guide. Now Water says "I feel that you feel".

People with Water quickly master the ability of camouflage - they can be like chameleons, elusive, hard to fathom, secretive. Most of them are domestic, valuing their private space.

Water symbolizes a wide range of emotions - from those lofty ones to the depressing ones. Watery folks suffer greatly when not aware of their motives or what directs them. It is easy then to get overwhelmed by the passions, anxieties and generally having enough of any emotional state, ultimately losing trust in oneself.

Emotionality

The Water element consists of three zodiac signs: Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. Each of these signs approach emotions differently; Cancer is the water we know, peaceful or rapid like a mountain river. Scorpio is ice, cold and tough, but hiding great beauty within. Pisces is steam, elusive, sometimes limiting the visibility, the aura of mystery.

People with Water, contrary to what one might think, have little need for protection in the domain of human relations - that's how much they care about connecting with others. Now life often shows them that "taking in" the emotional states of others is troublesome, especially when Watery folks indiscriminately absorb anything, from people not serving them any good. The in-born passivity makes it so they tend to not fight with forces dominating them - an exception being Scorpio. Sooner or later they are forced to learn the lesson of protecting self from the outer influences. Watery folks in contact with their own resources of the subconsciousness learn the strength of evasiveness and being fluid. They can appear as weak, but are surprisingly capable of showcasing endurance in stressful situations.

For Water people, love is an important matter, because thanks to it they have a chance to experience intimacy, deep bonds, understanding and kindness. They can fulfill their needs of taking care for the well being of the other person.

Imbalance associated with Water

Many astrological charts bring up the matter of a missing element i.e. charts having no major planet (including the Ascendant) in one particular element. Nowadays we can still find a description of such a situation saying that "we lack something". In case of Water it would be about "the lack of emotions", which is untrue. 

The lack of an element is an important interpretation clue, pointing towards a  pervasive life issue of an individual. Often times this is a problem one is not conscious of, because this is precisely what the lack of an element is - the lack of conscious attunement to certain energy, way of being. In no case we should talk about the lack of an element, but about the matters we are not in conscious contact with. So we don't invest our time and energy into it, unless forced.

Lack of an emphasis on a particular element is an indicator of what we should nourish (even in a small degree) to reach balance.

People with insufficient Water struggle with emotions, because they are not familiar with them (it's like a foreign land) nor have experience about them. Empathizing with another person comes with great effort, or entering such a state leads to an ordeal [Remember that the Water insufficiency can be compensated with e.g. planetary placement in 4th/8th/12th house, though it is never the same]. When such people cannot empathetically understand the other, it is harder for them to establish a deeper contact with the environment, while it is very easy to discard the environment's emotions in favour of their own needs (dominance of Fire), rationalization (dominance of Air) or practical matters, "getting down to earth, because we must tend to work/money/responsibilities" (dominance of Earth). In extreme cases there is a distaste for anything coming from intuition, subtle knowledge.

What should be nourished are one's own emotional states. It is worth to dedicate time to go through them according to one's sensitivity. Otherwise, these types of people are somewhat blind men already at the mercy of forces that cannot be seen. 

It is very hard to pull out such "emotional skeptics" from their emotional emptiness or storm - they just resist.

It is worth to pay attention towards the removal of toxins and participating in any form of cleansing treatments. In the physical world, proper hydration is key towards flushing out various wastes and transporting nutrients. 

Now people with an excess of Water (or a big emphasis on it e.g. 10+ points, the presence of Sun/Moon/ruler of the AC in a water sign) often are slaves of their emotions, but such a life issue is a result of intense experience of the emotions. From these people we can expect overreactions to stimuli, touchiness, emotional overload and conflicting feelings.

In such cases it worth to take care of one's inner world through adopting a proper strategy. This group of people will enter extreme emotional states, which makes it easy to make decisions they may regret later on. If this concerns you, try delaying giving straight answers until emotions are not released or you get to experience their full spectrum (highs and lows).

Relating to Water

We can observe an obvious manifestation of a certain element or two in any particular individual. Getting to know the charts of everyone in our environment is rather impossible, but if you can distinguish who is acting our which element, it will be easier for you to understand others.

Water - Fire. If the first thing that comes to your mind after reading this is "those opposites", then you  are right. For Water, Fire is too dynamic and much too self-centered - it doesn't consider the opinion/perspective of the other. It is easy for Water to feel manipulated by the constant need to pay attention to Fire and fulfilling its needs.

Internally, this is a matter of "boiling emotions", big changes of moods and impulsive living out (and expression) of one's emotions. In its best, this combination speaks of mastery of being an "emphatic leader", capable of boldly taking care of one's interest and still convincingly engage in relations. In its worst, it is about the freedom-attachment conflict and explosiveness.

Water - Air. The classic mind-emotions conflict. For Water, Air is too impersonal in its behaviour, focused  on understanding, talking and not feeling out. Water senses that Air is distanced, doesn't feel what it feels, which may heighten the sense of loneliness and misunderstanding. 

Internally, this can manifest as uncanny imagination and the ability to express it. Such people "swim" through difficult and complicated emotions, explore them and are capable of giving them a name, describing and explaining them to others. Ideas and ideals have depth. In its worst, there is an internal tear: on one hand, there is a need to retreat and remain closed, on the second hand it's about being open and social.

Water - Earth. Harmonic connection. Earth and its concrete attitude to life helps give Water a shape, meaning and much needed sense of stability, especially in difficult times. But such form of support ("giving shape") can lead to unhealthy control of Water's emotions. The sense of responsibility connects with empathy, which favours activity in any community.

Internally, it is about being driven by the needs of security and survival. This helps to develop advanced skills helping deal with the material word. Because of the shortage of Fire/Air, these people struggle with the lack of ideals or inspiration that could pull them out a rut.