This shows you how to calculate the balance of qualities in your birth chart to determine if you have a dominant or weak quality.
The three qualities, also called modes, are cardinal, fixed, and mutable. Most charts have an average of 4 to 5 points of each quality. This is normal and balanced. Having 6 points of one quality makes it strong in a chart. 7 or more is very strong. People rarely have a chart with 0 or 1 of one quality sign. So, 0, 1, or 2 points can be considered a marked deficiency in that mode. As with the elements, people who are weak in a mode are usually aware of their lack and they strive to overcome it. There often exists built-in compensations in their charts. The compensations, if there, do not necessarily make up for an extreme deficiency, unless they are very strong or very numerous compensations.
As always, the entire chart must be studied for a complete portrait of an individual. Everything always depends on the rest of the chart.
Here is a key for to show you which quality each sign has. You can also use this printable worksheet to help you.
Cardinal |
Fixed |
Mutable |
|---|---|---|
| Aries | Taurus | Gemini |
| Cancer | Leo | Virgo |
| Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius |
| Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces |
Calculation Instructions – for assessing the Balance of Qualities
Give 2 points to each of the following qualities:
- quality of Sun sign
- quality of Moon sign
Give 1 point to each of the following qualities:
- quality of Rising Sign (the Ascendant)
- quality of midheaven sign (the M.C.)
- quality of Mercury sign
- quality of Venus sign
- quality of Mars sign
- quality of Jupiter sign
- quality of Saturn sign
- quality of Uranus sign
- quality of Neptune sign
- quality of Pluto sign
If one of the above happens to be in the 29th degree of any sign, split the point between that quality and the quality of the next sign, since it is so close to 0° of the next sign. So give each quality in that case half a point. There should be a total of 14 points. Now, count the points for each quality .
A quality is dominant if it gets 6 or more points. Having 7 or more points is very dominant.
A quality is weak (or lacking) if it gets 0, 1, or 2 points.
Here are descriptions and interpretations for having a Dominant Quality or a Weak Quality (or Lack of Quality):
Dominant Cardinal
Dominant Fixed
Dominant Mutable
Weak Cardinal
Weak Fixed
Weak Mutable
To learn more about the Qualities, see Astrology Lesson 7: Elements, Qualities, & Polarities.