Explaining the Astrological modalities
One of the main topics in astrology that most people who only know minimal info about the subject tend to overlook is the modality of the signs. There are three different types of modality; cardinal, fixed, and mutable. The modalities are important in astrology because they are one key in helping us understand the expressions of the signs. The signs that fall under the cardinal category are so because they represent the beginning of the seasons; Aries is the start of spring, Cancer is the start of summer, Libra is the start of fall, and Capricorn is the start of winter. With the cardinal signs we see self-starters and initiators. The fixed signs follow the cardinal signs in the order of the zodiac and represent the middle of the season where we get normalcies of the seasons, such as winter being cold or summer being hot; the signs that fall under the fixed category are Taurus, the middle of spring, Leo, the middle of summer, Scorpio, the middle of fall, and Aquarius, the middle of winter. Going along with the fixed signs being the middle of the seasons, we see traits of stubbornness and the ability to see things through to the end. Lastly, we get the mutable signs who represent the end of the seasons, and who are very versatile and adaptable in all their dealings. In the mutable category we find the signs Gemini, the end of spring, Virgo, the end of summer, Sagittarius, the end of fall, and Pisces, the end of fall.
The cardinal signs
aries • Cancer • Libra • Capricorn
When looking at the cardinal signs, the two keywords that are always connected to them are initiator and self-starter. The reason we see them as initiators is because they are good at taking the lead when no one else will. For example, we can see that Cancers are great at initiating things of an emotional nature and making sure everything's okay, and Capricorns are amazing initiators of different financial prospects and all things relating to that. Going along with that point, the cardinal signs tend to have an innate sense of knowing when things need to be started, which is also what gives them the reputation of being good self-starters. A tendency that often goes overlooked within the cardinal signs is that they want to be known/remembered for something. For an Aries, they usually want to be known for how they present themselves; for Cancers, they want to be known for how kind and empathetic they treat others around them; Libras usually want to be known for how they communicate with others, their relationships, and how they bring people together; and Capricorns want to be remembered for their hardwork and dedication to things. When looking at all these traits you can also probably assume that they're extremely driven and ambitious, but that doesn't come without a downside to their personality - they tend to take their ambition too far and will take over any task that they feel they can do best, taking control over everything and everyone. They can become domineering at times because they want to obtain the thing(s) they have their eyes set on. One problem that the cardinal signs tend to have, however, are that they also have a hard time finishing the things they start and often have to take breaks shortly after they do actually start, but they are always energetic around the things they want to accomplish (until the reality of how much energy they have to spend sets in).
The fixed signs
Taurus • leo • Scorpio • Aquarius
Fixed signs act pretty much exactly like how you'd expect when thinking about their name - they are all very stubborn and immovable until they want or feel it is worth their time and energy. For Taurus, it is the most stubborn and unable to act unless they see a way to find stability at the end of it; Leo wants others to follow them and hates having to follow others; for Scorpio, it has fixated opinions and a hard time letting go of emotions, especially if they are negative; and Aquarius has stubborn opinions and ideals, while also not liking when others' opinions sway their own thoughts. While the fixed signs have a reputation for obstinance, they can actually use that trait to their advantage with their steadiness and need for stability. This can, however, become a disadvantage once again because it can turn into them resisting any and all change as much as they can, as they heavily oppose it and would rather wish to stay the same. Patience is one of the fixed signs' most positive traits because it helps them see problems through both the good and the bad until they get their desired result. Something to watch out for, however, is a tendency towards addictive patterns within themselves with things they love, which isn't a bad thing overall, but can quickly turn into a dependency on things that might not be the healthiest or best for them. Above all, though, the fixed signs have an unshakable confidence and a knack for being self-reliant which is very fitting for all of them.
The Mutable Signs
gemini • virgo • Sagittarius • Pisces
The mutable signs are an interesting category because they are known for their adaptability rather than their ability to start or end things like the other two modalities. The mutable signs have the innate need to change the things that are not working anymore around them. They also tend to be very adaptable and flexible with how they spend their energy, and find it easier than others to change themselves (some people call them the "chameleons" of the zodiac). With Gemini, we see flexible thoughts and opinions, and a desire to hear other peoples' perspectives; Virgo has multiple sources for finding stability, both physically and internally; Sagittarius is adaptable with how they show off their energy to people; and with Pisces, we see fast-changing emotions and a desire to connect with all types of people. All of the mutable signs want, more than anything, to help others see things from different perspectives. To them, you have to be able to adapt to anything life throws at you while also getting the deeper meaning of "why". They also have a lot of plans and thoughts they want to accomplish, but have a hard time starting and seeing things through to the end because of all the different ways they can theoretically spend their energy. Their life motto tends to be "go with the flow", however, this mindset is also what gives them the reputation of being inconsistent with others because they have a desire to please everyone around them. One of the mutable signs' greatest strengths is that they are highly resourceful and know how to use the things they already have to get ahead, while also remembering how to always bounce back in times of trouble.
The modalities play a big part in helping us understand all the different personalities of the zodiac signs, and how they play out for each and every one of them. Taking a deeper look into these will help you immensely if you wish to better understand the motives and psychology of each of the signs. A fun activity to get to know how these modalities affect you and play out in your birth chart better is by analyzing your chart and writing down all the different points and what modality they are under, and seeing which one occurs the most for you. This will also help serve you in better understanding of yourself because you can look up and learn all the motives of that specific modality.