The art of identifying Zodiac  body language begins at the head and eyes–the body parts ruled by Aries.  Here, the cardinal force of Fire awakens consciousness in the head.  The path ahead is clearly seen,  as the Ram charges headfirst into life.

With a Ram in your presence, you will notice that they will quickly butt into any conversation–to make their personal points!  Each point is accented with a forward trust of the head.  In the process, the back curves s forward from the hips on up to keep this creature’s cranial battering ram to the front.  It’s no wonder so many of them have prominent scars on their foreheads.

Polarities change with every sign, to keep the creative act in balance.  Consequently, Arie’s unstoppable force turns into immovable mass, when the force cycles into Taurus. The polarity switch to a passive/feminine sign (abetted by the pattern of fixity), brings the charging Ram screeching to a halt.  This weight of fixed earth gives us the body language of the Zodiac Sign of Taurus.

When the weight of Earth settles on the shoulders (the body part ruled by Taurus), the mass of energy pushes the legs firmly downward and slightly to the back.  The heavy mass places a “bow” in the legs, as it bogs the feet firmly in the mud.   The resulting body stance makes movement difficult.  We see why Taureans are so contented, staying put.

Polarities change again, when the forces shift into the lungs to feed oxygen to the brain.  This activates the mercuric energies and the nerves in the arms, hands and whirling fingers.  What we see is the Zodiac body language of  Gemini.

Watch how the propeller-like hands pull the upper torso forward, while it blows the feet to the rear.  With the altering winds, the  head flaps from side to side, acting like a rudder on a plane.  Oddly, with every change of thought, the winged messenger sails off on another course of flight.

The cardinal force of water and the sign of Cancer rules  the torso and breast area of the body.  This gives us the body language of the Zodiac Sign of Cancer.

Regularly, the crabs’ claws cling tight to their chests, as their torsos tile forward.  They appear to be looking at you, from the floor of the ocean below.  As the crustacean creature makes its move, its’ upper torso turn to the side as it “leans into the wave”.  This is done to counter the onslaught of  tidal currents!  However, as these sensitive souls know quite well, any forward movement is quickly redirected, as the receding tidal waters carry them backwards once again, to the base where they started.  Perhaps this is why these crabs stay so close to home.

In the expansive, glowing light of mid-summer, the fires are fixed, to concentrate the heat in Leo’s giant hearth of a heart.  Here, the Zodiac’s body language changes again, as the rulership shifts to the heart, the body part that fuels the body.

This expansive energy fills the huge barrel-sized chest of Leo.  This  gives them an appearance of confidence and pride.  Watch how these cats draw attention, as they paw, purr and preen in their imaginary parades.   It is quite obvious when these  lions strut onto the stage to announce their royal decrees.

As the solar light drops lower in the sky, the spotlight fades. With the shift to passive polarity, it is time for Virgo to analyze, digest and critique Leo’s flamboyant demands.  After all,  for our Virgo friends, Leo’s desires are excessive and down right impractical.  It creates a lot of worry.

This worry (and Virgo’s rulership of the stomach and upper digestive track) explains why Virgo’s stomachs protrude to the front, as they question the ideas of others.   This sense of nervous worry is complemented by the injection of Mutable Mercury’s noticeable twitches and shivers.  Watch how the mercuric hands, when they are not pointing and counting, hover close to Virgo’s body–to protect the receding “virginal parts”.  (In contrast, with the expansive Mercury ruled sign of Gemini, the hands fly about at some distance from the body).

   At the fall Equinox, it’s the most beautiful time of year as the Sun enters the sunset of the year.  At this time, the energies are in perfect balance between day and night, as they are centered in the Kidneys and the midpoint in the body.  This gives us the body language of Libra.

   Watch how Libra’s arm move out to each side, to weight the surrounding conditions.  Centered on the body’s mid- fulcrum point, Libra’s hands will gently fan the air–to keep the body in a perfectly aligned vertical position. Libras often appear like models walking on display.  Some even seem to have an imaginary book balanced on their heads. 

   As life’s forces wane, darkness comes into dominance and the energies turn within, as the fixed water of Scorpio unveils the secrets, to help us survive through the long winter nights.

   In the area ruled by Scorpio, the body eliminates toxic waste.  Also, it is the fixed emotions of Scorpio that allows us to discard the useless possessions of Taurus, and hold on to all things of value.  With this release of attachments, the soul is freed to move in harmony with the love of Libra, and find its’ personal sense of power. 

   The resulting body stance creates an appearance of personal power.  Note how the frontal tilt of the pelvis sends the spine swaying to the rear. At the top, it curves sharply to the front, tilting the head forward.  This creates the recognizable profile of an eagle.

In the leanest month of the year, energies expand again, as the light dissipates “as far as away as it can go.”  With this, one must reach for the knowledge, that has been learned knowledge, so that he or she can see the bigger picture.  This is why our Archer friends believe that  “anything is possible”.

With their mutable fire, these centaurs are  given a jovial spirit, a  gift for comedy and a highly animated physical metabolism.  You’ll see it when the centaur trots into the room, as their high stepping thighs fly here and there.  This enthusiastic entrance usually creates commotion and chaos, notably when they trip over a lamp or two.  Physically, the large thighs and hips and the pear shaped torso give them a body shape that resembles that of a horse. Say hello, before they gallop away!

At the Winter Solstice, it is the shortest day of the year.  Thusly for Capricorn, “It’s all up from here.”   That is why this cardinal earth signs always look upward, as they make their climb to the highest peaks.

As the goat moves ahead, they take their cautious earthy steps, concentrating all efforts in the knees.  As these bony knobs pull the body forward, the buttock shifts to the rear.  This creates the  stooped shoulders.  With the down turned head, the eyes are always aimed upward, to see the path ahead.  This body stance seems built for endurance, not speed.

In the doldrums of winter, the light can be seen at the end of the tunnel!  Why not? Light is building again and hopes are high.  In the fixed meditations of Aquarius, the light is brighter than we can imagine.

With Aquarius, body rulership drops down to the calves.  As these calves fan the air,  they pull the lower part of the body forward, and this curves the upper body to the rear.  When these space pilots sail across the fields,  the resulting concentration of fixed air lifts the body off the ground like a hovercraft.  Erratically,  a sudden burst of wind will send them  flying away in the clouds!  But don’t panic, in a little while they will likely return to Earth.

In the final month of this year of living, “everything comes together” as the creative process nears its end.  In this final integration, all desires, thoughts and physical renderings are blended in the universal solvent of Pisces’ Mutable Water.  Everything becomes complete and whole.

Appropriately, the inter-connective meridians in the feet are ruled by Pisces.  And it is these paddling feet that allows the Pisces Fish to meander and swim in his or her sea of shimmering illusions.  The rest of the body floats behind, bobbing along  in the undulating currents, as the hands cling to the side, mocking fish fins.  By splashing alternately, these appendages keep the wandering ship on its destined course.