Polarity

As well as the elements (Earth, Air, Fire and Water) and the modes (Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable) there's a third aspect to be considered in a natal chart: polarity. Astrological polarities are variously described as masculine/feminine, active/passive, or Yin/Yang, take your pick!

Starting with Aries (positive/masculine/Yang) the signs change alternately positive/ negative. So:

Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius and Aquarius are all positive/masculine/Yang.

Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn and Pisces all negative/feminine/Yin.

Extract from Astrodienst (full explanation at website)

"The positive signs describe object-oriented, sociable people who are not afraid to jump into unknown situations. The negative or yin principle is subject-oriented, receptive, yielding, enclosing, withdrawing and inward-moving. The yin individual ‘is characterised by a reflective nature which causes him always to think and consider before acting. His shyness and distrust of things induces hesitation, and so he always has difficulty in adapting to the external world."

From Astrotheme's lists, I've copied the names of some of the best known individuals who have Yin or Yang @ between 99% and 90% in their natal charts, which takes in a very high proportion of their personalities. I was quite disappointed that a perceivable difference between the people on these two lists isn't immediately apparent. We know only their public faces though, so maybe it isn't so surprising. Looking at the Yin/Yang balance of people we know well is bound to be more telling, but it's interesting to experiment.

Men and women are listed separately, in case that'd help to throw up any glaring differences between Yins and Yangs, it doesn't seem to do so.

Yangs include Anita Roddick but Nina Ricci is amongst the Yins - both very successful business women in similar fields. I'd have expected Anita Roddick to be among the Yins though. Kim Farnell is among the Yins - which seems correct for an astrologer. Paris Hilton is an active Yang - tee-hee - I guess!!

Do the Yang guys seem like a more macho, active group than the Yins? Not really. Er -wait a minute - perhaps the Yin males are a wee bit smoother, more polished? It's notable that Bono has the highest Yin of all, almost pure Yin!

I wonder if these considerations might have more importance in relationship compatibility, rather than in straightforward personality assessment. Perhaps a strongly Yang person needs a strongly Yin partner, and vice versa.

My software tells me that my own polarities are equally balanced, while HeWhoKnows has majority of Yin - I'd have guessed that, in spite of his Aries Sun.

Anyway, here are the lists. I've added the percentages for first and last names in each list, those inbetween are....well...inbetween!

Yang - active - masculine

Paris Hilton 94.44%
Brit Ekland
Loretta Lynn
Barbara Walters
Anita Roddick 90.08


Ralph Bellamy 96.92%
Dan Quayle
Danny Elfman
Alfred Molina
Gary Puckett
Sasha Baron Cohen (Da Ali G)
Paul Hogan (Crocodile Dundee)
Jimmy Durante
Hoagy Carmichael
Stan Laurel
Barry Manilow 90.95%

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Yin - passive - feminine

Kim Wilde 98.08%
Cindy Crawford
Maureen O'Sullivan
Kim Farnell
Nina Ricci 90.83%

Bono 99.09%
Keanu Reeves
Kurt Cobain
William Friedkin
Upton Sinclair
Keith Urban
Gary Player
BB King
Adam Sandler
Bob Kennedy 91.23%