By Shaya Weaver
Sagittarius Traits: confident, courageous, easy going, energetic, enthusiastic, forthright, friendly, generous, humorous, insensitive, irresponsible, knowledge-seeking, opinionated, open to experience, optimistic, rebellious, restless, self-righteous, self-indulgent, spiritual, tactless, visionary
Optimistic and Prone to Risk-Taking
Typical Sagittarians are cheerful and optimistic by nature. They believe that things will turn out well and they trust much to luck. Not much gets them down and they usually rebound quickly from depression, illness, or stressful life events. Most enjoy robust health and when they do experience medical problems, they’re often the result of over-indulgence or risk taking.
Sagittarians are not inclined to be nervous or to worry excessively about things unless their ascendants or moons are in a more anxiety-prone signs, so they tend to be natural risk takers. They often do things that are damaging to their health or take physical risks that can endanger their lives.
Sagittarians leap before looking and land themselves in various scrapes. However, they have last-minute luck that often saves them in the end, and they’ll turn around and do it all over again.
Sagittarians seek the next challenge and the next big adrenaline rush, and in some cases this sensation seeking can lead to substance abuse. Also, although they tend to be energetic, physically strong, and naturally athletic, they may become unhealthy as a result of overeating and drinking. Alcoholism is a common Sagittarian ailment because Sagittarians don’t know when to stop and don’t listen to the signals their bodies send them.
Generous and Careless with Money
Sagittarians are naturally altruistic and will sacrifice time, energy, and money to help others. They’re generous to a fault and will give their last dollar to someone in need or spend it all on drinks for everyone in the room.
Many Sagittarians have big, impractical plans for making money, as well as a penchant for gambling. They win more often than most, but when they lose, they lose big.
Suited to Non-Traditional Employment and Travel
Sagittarians often have trouble with traditional 9-to-5 careers. They won’t follow the rules if they don’t believe that the rules are right and just, and they have the courage to speak up for their convictions and fight for what they believe in, which can lead to clashes with authority.
Typical Sagittarians are also very physical and have trouble sitting in an office chair for hours on end. They crave movement and novelty, and these requirements should be taken into account when planning a career. Many are also happiest in jobs that allow them to help people or animals in some way.
Typical Sagittarians also love to travel and many believe that it is a better educator than school. They like to meet people in faraway lands, learn foreign languages, and immerse themselves in other cultures. When traveling, they’d rather camp out or find more authentic accommodations than stay at a resort, and they prefer to spend their time with the locals rather than setting up in a fancy hotel. Many Sagittarians also like outdoor pursuits such as hiking, camping, or kayaking.
Freedom-Loving and Independent
Sagittarians value freedom and independence above security. Unless their ascendants fall in more relationship-oriented signs, they don’t settle down easily. They find the majority of partners too clingy or restrictive, and even those Sagittarians who do make commitments will look to the horizon with longing from time to time.
Sagittarius is not a domestic sign, and when Sagittarians stay put, they tend to be messy around the house and not particularly interested in home improvement. Their natural restlessness will motivate them get out and socialize on a regular basis rather than spending all their time at home as part of an isolated twosome, so they are not compatible with homebodies.
Open-Minded but Opinionated
A Sagittarian quirk is to be open-minded on the majority of subjects but fiercely opinionated on a few pet topics. Some Sagittarians can be tyrannical and bullying when it comes to their favorite issues, insisting that others conform to their beliefs.
Many Sagittarians have a self-righteous streak. However, most are open to new ideas and perspectives, and they tend to be easy going about most things and not worry much about what other people say.
Insensitive and Blunt
With their laid back natures, Sagittarians are good at cheering people up and ensuring that they have a good time, but their bluntness can sometimes have the opposite effect. Sagittarians can be honest to the point of cruelty, upsetting more sensitive individuals with their often accurate but not very diplomatic statements.
Most Sagittarians can take criticism without becoming too upset about it, so they seek to impose truths on others even when sensitivity is called for. This is the source of much strife in Sagittarian relationships. Additionally, some Sagittarians have a tendency to exaggerate and brag, which others find off-putting.
Philosophical and Spiritual
Sagittarians favour deep, profound, and expansive subjects. They like to philosophize about important ideas and don’t care for small talk. Although they’ll converse with almost anyone on nearly any subject, they soon lose interest if the other person has nothing profound to offer.
Sagittarians usually enhance their minds with a lot of reading, particularly books about travel and other cultures, philosophy, or spiritual topics. Many feed their mystical sides with literature that tackles the big questions in life as they seek their personal connection to a higher power or things beyond human understanding. Once Sagittarians do settle on a religion or a lifestyle, they can become very preachy, much to the annoyance of those around them.
Extroverted and Restless
Sagittarians are friendly and sociable, and they like to connect with a wide variety of people. Although they are good judges of character, they’ll hang around with almost anyone (even someone who is not particularly nice), if they find that person interesting.
Typical Sagittarians prefer large, exuberant gatherings to small, cozy nights at home. While their gregarious, upbeat, and confident natures draw others to them, their impulsiveness can throw more security-loving types off kilter.
Sagittarians tend to move from city to city, change jobs regularly, or shift among social circles because they are always in search of new challenges and social interactions. They have trouble finishing what they start, but they cope well with change, adversity, and diversity, and their sunny personalities ensure that they make plenty of friends along the way.
The Atypical Sagittarius
The sun sign isn’t the only element in the natal zodiac that influences personality. Aspects and planetary placements, particularly the moon sign and rising sign (ascendant), are also important. For example, a Sagittarius with Cancer rising will be more relationship-oriented, sensitive, domestic, and reliable, and with Capricorn rising, a Sagittarius will be better at saving money and far more responsible and diplomatic. Virgo rising can make a Sagittarius more cautious, practical, and reliable, though also more prone to anxiety, while Leo rising will have the opposite effect, creating an even stronger tendency toward extravagance and risk-taking.
There are many websites that offer free chart calculation to determine other planetary placements and aspects. Learning these other planetary placements is recommended, as it provides a more comprehensive personality profile.
Sagittarius Ruling Planet: Jupiter
Symbol: the archer
Element: fire
Quality: mutable
Metal: tin
Gemstones: lapis lazuli, tiger’s eye, topaz (November), turquoise stone (December)
Parts of the Body: hips, thighs, pelvis
Number: 3
Places Associated with Sagittarius: Australia, Spain, Hungary, Budapest, Cologne, Toledo, Acapulco, Naples
Animals: coyote, eagle, horse, stag, dolphin
Trees: elm, ash, birch, mulberry, oak, holly
Plants and Herbs: mint, myrrh, chervil, borage, rhubarb, sage, dandelion, sugarcane, cloves, narcissus
Foods: tomato, almond, apricot, sugar
Colours: sky blue, purple, brown, tan, forest green, khaki
Other Sagittarius Associations: travel, foreign places, bows and arrows, backpacks, horseback riding, horse racing, veterinary medicine, education, law, philosophy, religion, long-distance communication, shipping, publishing, foreign relations, casinos/gambling, practical jokes, sports
More on Sagittarius
- Famous Sagittarians
- Sagittarius Love and Friendship Style
- Sagittarius Marriage and Compatibility
- Main Astrology Page
References:
- Bugler, Ashford, Chubb, & Zapp. (1992).The Complete Handbook of Astrology.
- Fenton, S. (1989). Rising Signs.
- Woolfolk, J.M. (1992). The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need.