The Mutable signs are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. Mutable signs share similar qualities but they are differentiated by their element. Gemini is Air, Virgo is Earth, Sagittarius is Fire, and Pisces is Water, but all are united in being a group-oriented sign. They are sometimes called the cadent signs as they rule the cadent houses.
The demonym “mutable” in its adjective form means, “liable to change” or “changeable” and in astrology is the most changeable group of signs. Mutable signs crave and get their energy from and with other people. They can be very supportive and may be the power behind the throne, any nearly any throne. Signs that are comfortable melting into the background, mutable signs are motivated to help others succeed but may become successful in their own right through their attention to detail and their malleable nature making them quite flexible. They also are a group of signs that are most communicative or involved with media and administration and they may have a multi-pronged approach to most things.
Mutable signs work well in administrative roles because they like handling details and be supportive of others. They recognize the value of community and they like to form relationships having no need to be the centre of attention. Some mutable signs are shy at first (or always) but once they feel comfortable they can share quite a bit and enjoy communicating. One of the best ways to motivate a mutable sign is to convince them their actions may help another or the community and they’ll get moving. Being needed and helping others are strong motivators for mutable signs. Many people of this group of signs can be quite selfless.
They Are Group-Oriented
Mutable signs are group-oriented and not often self-interested but they are self-directed in service to others. Some are so far oriented from self-care as they do so much for others instead they forget to take care of themselves as is healthy for a natural, balanced lifestyle. They can be huge givers of their care and kindness. They give money, their handiwork or time, all in service to make life better for others. Most will have a healthy sense for self-care and self-preservation but may put you and others before their self. Does this mean mutable signs are never selfish? Nope, any sign could be selfish, narcissistic or even psychotic and criminal but most mutable signs prefer to live with, work with and care for other people in a lively but humble peaceful existence.
They can be movers and shakers however! Mutable signs believe the hands of many makes for short work and perhaps they are the originators of communism. They enjoy working in a team and like networking. The power of many and multiplicity appeals to mutable signs naturally, and they usually have many friends and acquaintances over time, which may change. This group of signs more than any other understands teamwork and the ripple effect. Their ability to reach higher and farther with the help of others, and while helping others makes them very capable but most would need to be pushed into the limelight or into a leadership role.
They make far better sergeants, assistants, associate or vice- executives and managers, and are often the real brains or energy behind the power or leader. But generally they do not want to actually run the show or have number one responsibility although like cardinal signs they enjoy an entourage but more for support than ego nourishment.
The Good Traits
Their group-orientation is well used in the community and they may gravitate to work somewhere within society, often a helping profession or one that deals with manufacturing, business, communication, health or education. They are the born educators of the zodiac as they know it is the exchange of energy, ideas and activities that benefits society as a whole. They help themselves by helping others, which should be a golden rule for all signs, not just the mutable signs.
Mutable signs usually follow the rules or protocols and they help the rest of us get things done by providing their part of the process. They know that organisation, information and action all bring results. Not only do they follow the rules they may also create and uphold them. They are attracted to politics and power as they often know their skills can make a difference. It would be naive to think that some mutable signs are not attracted to power and leadership roles but to mutable signs it makes sense to follow the steps that are logical to success. Some mutable signs have a knack for being in the right place at the right time, or was it careful planning? Although they do not often have a forceful, self-oriented or egotistic point of view mutable signs can draw attention for other reasons, most notably their thorough dedication to their causes or work, which may be subject to change.
The work ethic of mutable signs is not generally tied to ego and maybe that is partly why they are successful; they can elicit the help of others more easily. Mutable signs are “joiners” as they like to be a part of groups.
Although not as status-conscious as cardinal signs they may be concerned with the proper pecking order and following the rules but they also know how to break the rules. Their highly developed communication skills make them excellent salespeople, teachers, ministers, and administrators. They are also good with their hands as well as their minds and are excellent at work involving the trades, manufacturing, computers, machinery, systems, and transit or travel. Mutable signs are the people we see every day doing their job, working hard and often at jobs none of us would do as they get into the trenches where it really matters. They don’t mind getting their hands dirty to do the hard work. Other signs may seek fame, money or glamour; mutable signs just want to get the job done well and right because they usually have something else to do after! They keep very busy.
Mutable signs are also very entertaining. They can be great story-tellers and may have a vivid imagination and they tend to get along with everybody being “regular” people. Mutable signs usually are not aggressive people but it is probable that they invented passive aggressive notes and behaviour. They are not overly assertive, selfish or forceful in their personality but watch out if you push a mutable sign against the wall as they may surprise you. They don’t normally need to fight as they are not as committed to their ideals, passions or themselves like fixed and cardinal signs. But they will defend themselves and they may have a support team!
The changeable nature of mutable signs is famous. Just when you think you have them figured out they change. Or they show another side to themselves you didn’t even know existed. Mutable signs may occasionally feel defeated more easily than other signs but they generally are great at surviving and getting ready for another hard day at work or life. They are the everyman and everywoman and everything in between as they represent all of humanity well.
Many mutable signs hide hidden powers and strength very well and are far from weak or anybody’s victim. They can be enviable athletes, often the result of commitment and training in their discipline over a long period of time. They may not be the captain of the team but they are probably a star player in a supportive role. When they do become leaders they’re great at getting the group together to share knowledge and skills.
Mutable signs are generally humble people. They are the people you barely take notice of in service work positions although they often deserve to be treated better. Their lack of ego identification helps them not take indifference too personally and one has to praise a service worker of any sign who would continue to smile and be friendly when providing their service for the hundredth time that day. Mutable signs inspire civility in us all as they are respectful of others. Just as they schedule most anything else they also believe in making time for kindness, honesty, respect and civility for each other.
The Difficult Traits
Mutable signs are easygoing; they do not need to be stubborn or forceful to get what they want but they do not like disrespect, violence or aggression and when negatively influenced a whole host of terrible human traits may be manifested making you wish you hadn’t rattled their chain.
Mutable signs symbolise the very best and worst of human interaction and may become very skilled as victims or perpetrators. It may be true that members of this group of signs are more often victimised by others than the other signs. They are not always as strong or durable as cardinal and fixed signs. Many planets are weakened in mutable signs as they may have a dissolving effect, diluting some influences perhaps due to the mutable nature of changeability.
What Is Mutable Sign Behaviour?
They prefer to get along with people, talk things over, settle disagreements and find new ways of working together if necessary as their team approach is pretty strong. But that doesn’t mean they don’t criticise or complain and in fact this group of signs may complain the most. Their occasional passive aggressive side can be amusing and funny, or seriously detrimental to group morale as mutable signs may hold a grudge and belabour a point of view. Sometimes they may fight in an underhanded way as they dislike the direct approach. If they feel slighted, attacked or if they have “power” issues and are feeling disempowered, overpowered, or taken for granted they may rebel, complain and fight back. They may needle at you persistently never giving up, until they’ve won or you’ve suffered enough. And they have a memory like an elephant; they do not forget when you hurt them.
However, some astrological afflictions in mutable signs make for excellent perpetrators that victimise others. Some mutable signs can be loathsome in their ability to play the victim while actually being the predator. A victim mentality is not exclusive to mutable signs nor is playing mind games with others but these are more indirect ways to inflict power, dominance and control and not uncommon tactics of mutable signs. Mutable signs can be some of the most manipulative people and they are intrinsically skilled at it.
Because they are quick learners and develop multiple strategies over time, mutable signs can be impressive adversaries. They know how to learn, plan, develop, grow, build, go places and duck into the background giving them tremendous tactical efficiency. These are some of the skills that take them to the heights of success as they can be very capable people.
Their ability to doubt themselves, fall into fear, worry, inaction, over-analysis, paranoia, or any other thousands of ways in which they sabotage themselves is almost heartbreaking. It’s difficult to see so many mutable signs that work hard or give so much yet they struggle understanding their own needs and what is best for them. This lack of fuel for the ego may help them build success in others while being selfless and one can’t help but admire this group of signs that can do so much. They take hard work, commitment and responsibilities seriously but that can all change in a blink of an eye.
How Are Mutable Signs In Relationships?
Some mutable signs are petty and inclined to not leave well enough alone. They may not be stubborn like the fixed signs or selfishly headstrong like cardinal signs but they can be quietly persistent, secretive and detailed to a fault. And those are their milder nasty traits. For a group of signs that are comprised of generally kind and giving signs, namely Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces, no other group of signs can manifest such cruelty when afflicted. An affliction in astrology is potentially a terrible problem area indicated by sign, planet and other horoscope details.
When seeing the depth of cruelty or meanness in a mutable sign person you’re inclined to think they can’t be conscious of their behaviour because how could they? They’re usually so nice or unassuming. Surprise!! It may be shocking to see the ugly side of mutable signs because you didn’t see it coming with the team-player sign of the zodiac and it can knock you off your feet. Mutable signs potentially may suffer almost any manner of human cruelty, violence or victimization but they can also dish it out. Victim-perpetrator and submission-dominance issues are more common with mutable signs. It also has to be said, mutable signs may be willing participants of dominance and submission games in other rooms of the house. We don’t judge we’re just noting it for the record.
Intercourse of any kind is a natural connection for mutable signs as intercourse is the exchange of ideas, communications and yes, sex. It is the unfortunate duality underpinning all the signs, planets and houses that whatever is most positive about them, the most negative expressions are also true. We get the whole gamut of things in mutable signs and as much as this sign contributes to the creation of the best parts of society as a whole, in the mutable signs antisocial behaviour knows no bounds and affliction to planets in mutable signs and houses may also indicate criminal activities.
Fortunately, most mutable signs are wonderful, law abiding people as they prefer order in the world. Make their life severely disordered and a severe reaction is guaranteed. Otherwise they’re just prone to the usual garden variety of anxiety and worry like the rest of us but they express it more often.
Mutable signs unsurprisingly can be hard to pin down. Not just because they’re all over the place keeping busy but they are changeable, and they appear to tell you everything but often don’t. They are a talkative or communicative group of signs and there can be much to learn from them but there may be verbal diarrhea too. They may say in twenty words what most of us say in five or ten. Sometimes they tell us so much we don’t know what to believe anymore. Truly, some mutable sign people’s lives can change a lot and they may be more accident, illness or injury prone than the other signs as they are more vulnerable.
Some mutable signs don’t stick up for themselves but we should because many of them live their lives giving so much to others. This can be family, friends and other loved ones, or to their job or a charity or some other cause that helps others and maybe all of them. We should also look out for them because mutable signs look out for us. They may be the first ones to have our backs and be supportive.
Not surprisingly, mutable signs are often the ones looking after the people in society the rest of us have discarded or ignored. They are the best of social workers, truly loving their work and the people they work with. This group of signs is living proof of how we all need to be there for each other and should be. They show us the need to not only just take care of our selves (cardinal) or those close to us (fixed) but all of our fellow humans, the entire community (mutable). Nearly any branch of health, education, social and government services will attract mutable signs and they can work at any level.
As family, friends and coworkers you couldn’t ask for a more reliable group of people than mutable signs. They are usually happy to help you out as needed but sometimes they may grumble about it to let off a little steam and to make sure you appreciate it. Mutable signs may prefer the background but don’t treat them like they’re background or they may feel offended.
They generally have other’s best interests at heart. Many like to be helpful people and pitch in and these are the people we know who get involved in the projects at school, in the community, politics, movements for social change, or whatever other societal need helps us all stay afloat. Mutable signs are our essential service workers that today we take a lot less for granted. They wouldn’t ask for it but mutable signs need to be appreciated; they need our approval at times due to occasional lack of confidence.
Mutable signs are not detached like air signs. As much as we need mutable signs for what they do for us, it is obvious they need connection with us too. By being giving people they show us why mutual human respect is the hallmark of a civilised society. It makes for better and more cohesive connection and a healthier growing community whether that is local, national or global.
Mutable signs present the type of emotional connection seen between siblings, neighbours, peers and friends. As parents, these qualities are counter to those for parenting and the mutable sign parent may behave more like a friend to their child. The child psychologists can argue about this behaviour or not but the child might benefit from more parental behaviour. The mutable sign that becomes a “friend” to their children may miss out on establishing important boundaries.
Some mutable parents try to plan and schedule every aspect of the child’s life or the household to have more organisation and control. When acting from fear or insecurity, sometimes mutable signs become dependent on another, sacrificing many freedoms for fear of being alone. They may lean on others a bit much at times or cross boundaries. As a sign tending to worry, fear and anxiety a mutable sign can create a world of melodrama around something they only think might happen but often never does. They may also be emotionally manipulative, blackmailing and vindictive. Conflict may be more a game of strategy to some of the mutable sign people.
Some mutable signs may have a “keeping up with the Jones’s” attitude where they want to ‘toe the line’ or not appear out of step with others or society. Some are just downright curious and always up to learn something new. They often take up new technologies, pastimes and activities before other signs and in this fashion have leadership abilities as trendsetters. Some mutable signs are real odd characters and brilliantly creative but they are uncomfortable in the limelight. They may not enjoy too much attention being given as they usually like to blend into the background. Fame can be difficult for some mutable signs as they may feel they don’t measure up to the rest of society. Many mutable sign people are some of the most interesting and famous too.
Famous mutable sign people often become known through their contributions to the arts, especially music, literature, media and education, but also social change and politics, health and business ventures and especially those that serve other groups, the public or the community in general.
Mutable signs through their cadent house rulerships each represent people and societal structures that are very important to our development as a community of people. Through our earliest relationships with siblings, neighbours, early school peers and our immediate community (3rd house); with the aid of our health and hygiene advisors, doctors, nurses and work mates (6th); from our experiences in higher learning and through peers at our alma mater or other specialised communities (9th); and with the aid of institutions of government and social services that care for our basic needs (12th house) we learn how to relate better with other people in the community of human beings. Each of the mutable signs has a natural affinity for each of these houses due to their rulerships. It is in these houses that most mutable signs will find their greatest challenges in life but also their greatest successes.
Although cardinal signs build their worldview through how they identify the outer world with the self, fixed signs see their worldview through structured one on one relationships. Mutable signs have a worldview built around group connection and the structures of community. Mutable signs are well represented in places of education and learning, health, work and government institutions. It takes special credentials to be in these places and badges and uniforms may be worn for identification, security and more. Special apparel or accessories are commonly worn by mutable signs when working. Although not everyone wearing uniforms or badges has a mutable sun sign I would bet a mutable planet or sign is in one of their work houses.
Mutable signs may be prone to feeling insecure probably because some have been hurt so much. They are usually humble in manner and quietly unassuming people but not all. They may be more gentle in spirit but when confident they can be quietly proud, strong and refined. When not confident insecurities can get blown out of proportion, and as well, some mutable signs are not well-cared for as children and they may have developed coping mechanisms that become bad habits in adulthood or manifest as mental or emotional difficulties. Any sign could suffer a difficult or detached upbringing and stress in adulthood but for mutable signs it may be more difficult to recover without the help of others.
As a communicative sign, therapy and counselling would help any mutable sign immensely and don’t be surprised but mutable signs often work in the fields of mental and social health and welfare. Likely, signs that have been victimised more often than others are well suited after recovery to help those dealing with similar present day trauma.
A mutable sign is usually someone with whom you will have a great time. They are fun, sociable, love the interchange of ideas, hobbies and activities and they’re usually pretty smart. They care so much for their fellow humanity that they may provide an essential service that helps us every day of which we are unaware. Mutable signs are often the unsung heroes that keep our days humming, taking care of all members of society or making us more cared for and secure. In relationships, they are the most devoted, supportive and helpful of signs while also being smart, charming and entertaining.
Title image by Joseph Redfield Nino from Pixabay