Key to Synthesis (2) Water Cannot Sustain Fire

Sun is the fuel you burn. Moon is your reigning need. Joy is the result of the successful synthesis of these two energies; what happens if these two energies are very different or downright incompatible?

If the Sun is in a Water sign (Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces) but the Moon is in a Fire sign (Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius) or vice versa, there is a dramatic dichotomy between sensitive, deep feelings and inspired, enthusiastic emotions.

Noel Tyl made a comment regarding this combination that I want to elaborate on:

"Water cannot sustain Fire."

The Fire Moon will need to feel important, confident and excited at work and relationships. The Sun's energy needs to fuel the Moon, but in the case of Water Sun, the need for introspection and immersion in vulnerable (i.e. non-Fire) feelings don't translate easily into enthusiasm.

Nourishing the Moon feels good, so those with the Fire Moon will want to sustain the enthused, inspired state for as long as possible - but at some point you run out of gas, because feeding the Fire Moon's need doesn't replenish the Water Sun's fuel. Then you start to feel out of touch.

What you'll need to do, then, is to start going down into your deeper, sensitive emotions (Fire goes up, Water sinks deeper - this is how each element feels.) This may not feel pleasant, because it may involve feelings such as pain, fear, or grief.

In choosing to stay "up" so long, we could have abandoned or suppressed the uncomfortable emotions. Letting these feelings "sink in" helps you avoid the "drying up" of emotions - it is necessary to feel these feelings rather than ignoring it.

In doing this, you'll be able to heal and reconnect with your body - then later on enthusiasm and inspiration can begin again. We can't feel Fire and Water at the same time (they evaporate or extinguish the other), so we'll have to treat it like a cycle of seasons, of going up and sinking deep.

Similar thing can be said of the Fire Sun / Water Moon combination - the sensitive introspection has to be interrupted by the injection of confidence, enthusiasm and bold self assertion in order to rescue self worth and optimism.

Conclusion
We're just writing about Water and Fire in this article, but if anyone wants to write/ask about other combinations feel free to comment or email me - I may add it to the post later if it feels relevant.

[UPDATE: check out the comment section for more examples shared by others - they are very good]