Your Star Sign, According To The Elements

You can spend a lifetime exploring what makes each astrological sign unique. But a great shortcut is to look simply at the external forces that exert their influence over the Zodiac. Last month, we took a look at how a sign's ruling planet can affect personalities, and certain pairings made almost too much sense (we're looking at you, Gemini and Mercury). But you can learn just as much about your sign by looking at its ruling element.

There are four elements: fire, earth, air, and water. Each element rules three signs (since there are 12 signs in the Zodiac), but how these elements affect a particular sign's personality is unique to each sign. For example, Geminis and Libras are both air signs — but you won't see a Gem channelling the air's power in the same way a Libra would. And once you dive into the signs' ruling elements, brace yourself for some curveballs: Scorpios and Aquarians may discover a side of themselves they've overlooked until now.

Ahead, with the help of the Astrotwins and astrologer Liz Greene's work, we take a closer look at how each sign is influenced by its ruling element. Click through to discover your sign's ruling element. It just might change how you read your horoscope.