How Mutable are You? Here’s the Score!

 ©9-17-2010 by Donna Cunningham, MSW                    

Readers by the thousands have enjoyed my tests to measure the strength of the planets in their birth charts. Recently it occurred to me that it would be possible to create similar scales to see which of the three modes of being—Cardinal, Fixed, or Mutable—dominate an astrology chart.                      

 Skywriter’s readers eagerly welcomed the test for fixed signs. Here’s the second of  the three tests. It’s easier for beginning students than the planetary tests were because you don’t have to work with aspects.                       

  The mutable signs are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. They represent our ability to adapt to changing conditions, be flexible, entertain different viewpoints, compromise, and make allowances for a wide variety of people and situations.                 

                

A person who is strong in the mutable sign is like a juggler who is able to keep many objects in the air at one time.       

We wouldn’t expect a juggler to work with only one flaming torch or ball.  It would quickly bore the juggler–and the audience.  Multi-tasking is a strength of the mutable signs–within reason!                      

Planets in the mutable signs are a mixed blessing—when we have little or no mutable energy in the horoscope, we lack the ability to cope with the inevitable changes life brings our way. Too much mutable energy can create a good deal of instability and difficulty in seeing a goal or idea through to completion. Below is a scale you can use to determine how strong the mutable signs are in a given chart.                   

 Non-Traditional Ways of Being Mutable–the Mysteries of Mutability    

 I’ve added some non-traditional features, such as extra points for the strength of the Moon, Mercury, and Neptune as measured in the planetary tests. I include them because all three planets shift constantly and thus add to our capacity to flow with changing conditions.                     Mercury and Neptune do rule mutable signs (Gemini and Pisces, respectively), but the Moon rules Cancer, a Cardinal sign. (I haven’t included Chiron or Jupiter, because they don’t seem inherently mutable in nature.)                      

  

Add 10 % of your score on the tests for those three planets (linked below). Then round them off. For example, 10% of a score of 35 would give you 3.5, rounded off to 4 points, but a score of 34 would be 3.4, rounded off to 3.                        

 Gemini is the mutable air sign, but I’ve also added a few points for planets in the other air signs—Libra and Aquarius—because ideas are the stuff of air, and our minds are continually in flux. Likewise, Pisces is mutable water, but I’ve added a few points for Cancer, because cardinal water responds continually to the changing conditions in its environment. Scorpio—fixed water—however, is very fixed in its emotions and responses, sometimes over a lifetime.                             

  I’ve also added a few points for planets in the 3^rd house, because it represents thinking and communication, which are major assets in our ability to deal with variations in our daily environment.                       

I haven’t added points for the houses that correspond to the other mutable signs (6^th, 9^th, and 12^th). Our daily work routine (6^th) can be boringly the same, our religious and political beliefs (9^th) tend to persist despite new events that challenge them, and we tend to continue in self-defeating patterns (the 12^th) long past the time their destructiveness is obvious.                        

Here’s the test. As in the planetary scales, include points for each chart feature that applies, then total up all the points for your final score.                       

   ____  The Sun, Moon, Ascendant, or Midheaven in mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces), 5 points each                       

 ____   Other planets or Chiron in mutable signs, 3 points each.                       

  _____  The Moon’s Nodes in mutable signs, 2 points total.                       

              Nontraditional Factors–Bonus points:                  

 _____ Planets in the 3^rd house, 1 point each                       

_____ Planets in Libra and Aquarius, 1 point each                       

  _____  Planets in Cancer, 1 point each                       

_____   10% of your Moon score, rounded off. (See How Strong is your Moon? Here’s the Score? )                       

 _____   10% of your Mercury score, rounded off. (See How Strong is your Mercury? Here’s the Score! )                   

 _____   10% of your Neptune score, rounded off. (See How Strong is your Neptune? Here’s the Score! )                       

 Since this is a brand new measurement, I don’t know yet exactly how many points would make your score strong or weak. I’d guess that below 15 would be considered weak, 15-25 would be moderate, and anything above 25 would be considered strong.                       

 In this case, I’d say a moderate score is the probably best result—too few points would mean that it’s hard for you to adapting to changing conditions and accommodate other points of view. Too many points could mean you’re too changeable and have a hard time staying focused on a goal or endeavor all the way to completion.                       

How did you do?  Since this is a completely new test, you’re a beta tester and your input is valuable. Let us know your score in the comment section down below this article so we can see what the range of scores is on this test.                       

 Related Posts:                       

•  Readers Ask: Q & A about Mercury, Gemini, and the 3rd House
• How Cardinal are You? Here’s the Score!
• How Fixed are You? Here’s the Score!
• Mars Mission 3: Understanding Mars in the Fixed Signs
• Cardinal T-Square Articles
• Venus in the Elements: Fire, Earth, Air, & Water
• Missing Elements and How They Affect Your Relationships
• Four Kinds of Smart—Air, Earth, Fire, and Water

 

In case you missed them, here are the popular astrology tests:                      

•  How Strong is your Sun? Here’s the Score!
• How Strong is your Moon? Here’s the Score?
• How Strong is your Mercury? Here’s the Score!
• How Strong is your Mars? Here’s the Score!
• How Strong is your Saturn? Here’s the Score!
• How Strong is your Uranus? Here’s the Score!
• How Strong is your Neptune? Here’s the Score! 
• How Strong is your Pluto? Here’s the Score! 
• From Joyce Mason: Chiron Quiz: How Strong is Your Chiron? and The Chiron Resonance Quiz: What’s Your Chi-Res Score?
• How Fixed are You? Here’s the Score!

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   Art credits: original black and white image from clipart.com. tweaked by me.