Water Element in Astrology: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces Are the Water Signs

If you want to ease into the flow of life instead of swimming upstream, the Water signs act as a powerful current. All about the Water element.

Three zodiac signs make up the Water element:

Cancer

Cancer is the zodiac sign that rules home, family and emotions. The sensitive Cancer personality is ruled by the ever-changing Moon. One key Cancer trait is to have moods that go through many cycles. You’re naturally intuitive, even psychic. Pay attention to your dreams, especially near a full moon.

Cancer people are homebodies at heart, even if they’re out and about in the working world or the queen bees of their social hives. They love returning to a space that they can call their own. Home and deep bonds, especially female ones, keep them feeling secure.

Read All About The Cancer Sign

Scorpio

Scorpio people are perhaps the most misunderstood and mysterious members of the zodiac. Secretive by nature, your power can be felt even when you haven’t said a word! Scorpio is an intense zodiac sign, powerful and seductive.

Scorpio is the sign that rules life, death and resurrection. Your life is a story of transformation and reinvention. Many Scorpios are also drawn to “dark” things, and often wear the color black, or a shocking tone like red or hot pink.

Read All About The Scorpio Sign

Pisces

Pisces is the sign of imagination, art and empathy. You’re the last sign of the zodiac, an old soul with mystical powers should you choose to develop them.

As one of the “dual signs,” the Pisces star sign is symbolized by two fish swimming in opposite directions. Inner conflict can be a classic Pisces trait. A part of you is always trying to “swim away” or escape reality. The other part is so intuitive that you get swept up in everything going on.

Your imagination is the perfect Pisces hideout when you want to escape, since the Pisces zodiac sign is so creative. Pisces may love dancing (your sign rules the feet), movies, poetry, and music.

Read All About The Pisces Sign

What type of person is a Water sign?

If you want to ease into the flow of life instead of swimming upstream, the Water signs—Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces—act as a powerful current. These tuned-in, emotionally savvy signs remind you of the power of empathy and intimate connection. When a giant wave rolls in, you can’t help but be swept along.

At times this swirling energy can make you feel like you’re drowning in your emotions. At other moments, it can bring the powerful inner knowing that guides you to make the most nourishing moves for yourself.

What are the four elements in astrology?

The four elements in astrology are fire, earth, air and water. 

Fire signs: Aries, Leo and Sagittarius

Like fire itself, fire signs tend to be passionate, dynamic, and temperamental. Fire can keep you warm, or it can do great destruction. While fire burns out quickly without fuel to keep it going, it can also regenerate its power from the ashes. A single spark can set off a forest fire. As a result, fire signs need to be nurtured and managed carefully. 

Earth Signs: Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn

Earth energy is very physical, tangible, and sensual. Along with water signs, earth signs exude a receptive, yin energy. They can get cast as uptight or slow, but that’s not necessarily true. They simply like to have a solid foundation and are the steadiest and most grounded bunch of signs. 

Air Signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius

Air signs are mental, cerebral, and communicative, a different manifestation of the yang energy. These signs may come off as “airheads” because they’re a bit “out there,” but they always keep things interesting. Because these signs are so communicative, they need stimulating conversation, to feel a mental connection or shared sense of humor.

Water Signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Intuitive, emotional and ultra-sensitive, water signs can be as mysterious as the ocean itself. Like water, they can be refreshing, or they can drown you in their depths. These signs often have intense dreams and borderline-psychic intuition. Security is important to them—after all, water needs a container, or it dries up and disappears.

Read more about the four elements

How do Water element signs get along with the other zodiac elements?

See below for element combinations. Read more about Water Signs in Love here.

Water + Fire  

The Good: Opposites attract in this curious combination. Because outgoing Fire signs and nurturing Water signs are so different, they can find their “lanes” and come together to create a bright and loving relationship. Fire signs warm the mood with their playful optimism while Water signs make sure everyone is nourished from the people to the pets to the plants. When Water feels down, Fire shores them up with wisdom and humor. Water’s empathy can help independent Fire signs learn to be more family-focused.

The Bad: Temper, meet temperamental. Reactive Fire signs can fly off the handle at the slightest provocation. Water signs sink into dreary moods, sulking and giving fire the silent treatment. They may consistently misinterpret each other’s motives, taking everything personally or guilt-tripping each other with passive-aggressive head games. 

Water + Earth

The Good: These security-minded signs feel right at home together, creating a cozy, traditional enclave that may become the hub of their extended family and friend circles. Managerial Earth signs make sure that all the appliances are working and the bills paid on time. Water signs create the mood with creative decor, nourishing meals, family bonding time and a playlist for every special occasion!

The Bad: Why even bother leaving home when life is this nurturing under your roof? The downside of this cozy combination is that it can become way too insular. This can lead to stagnation and boredom for both Water and Earth signs, who would be wise to develop at least a few autonomous interests and friendships so their dependable vibe doesn’t turn codependent. 

Water + Air 

The Good: With their opposite temperaments, Air and Water signs generally gravitate to different corners, overlapping when it comes to sharing ideas and humor. Lighthearted Air signs are refreshing for deep-feeling Water signs, pulling them out of their moods and getting them to focus on uplifting activities. Simultaneously, soulful Water signs, bring Air down from the clouds, expanding their empathy and deepening their connection to their family and roots. 

The Bad: Sensitive Water signs need quality time and when they feel ignored by their on-the-go Air signs, they may brood and stoop to passive-aggressive maneuvering to signal that they’re hurt. Unfortunately, mental Air signs are not great at picking up hints and may assume that everything’s “great!” until the Water sign musters the courage to confront the issue directly. At that point, however, tempers may be flaring, making it hard for them to come to consensus quickly.

Water + Water

The Good: Soulful, sensitive Water signs know how to go with the flow, shapeshifting to accommodate each other’s desires and moods. When both are happy, there’s no shortage of TLC and nurturing in this relationship. They’ll be the chicken soup to each other’s souls. While neither trusts easily, they appreciate the other as a confidante. Together, they become each other’s rock solid supporters and biggest cheerleaders.

The Bad: Trouble strikes when both Water signs are in “a mood” and no one’s being rational. Their stormy feelings combine and accelerate, which can make it feel like a hurricane has swept through their lives. Then, there’s distance. Slammed doors, silent treatments, blocked numbers: The cold war can get downright icy when they freeze each other out. As natural caretakers, they may struggle to give each other space in moments—or may be constantly diverted into helping every family member in friend who is in a crisis.

When is the Sun in a Water sign every year?

Cancer Season: June 21 – July 22

Themes: nurturing, sensitivity, emotions, home, femininity

Scorpio Season: October 23 – November 21

Themes: intimacy, sex, secrecy, power, intensity

Pisces Season: February 19 – March 20

Themes: dreams, fantasy, healing, compassion, mystery

How to embrace Water element energy

During the Water sign seasons—when the Sun is in Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces—we all have access to the versatility this element brings. You can “wake up” the Water element during each solar cycle with these guided meditations that we created with musician and astrologer Brooke Dabalos.

Photo by Nadin Sh from Pexels