Earth

Earth Sign: one of the five elements in Chinese beliefs. Along with Heaven they both symbolize what is high is of heaven and what is low is of the earth. The Earth signs are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn).

Taurus - the bull - element is earth - negative - planet is venus
Virgo - the maiden - element is earth - Negative - planet is mercury
Capricorn - the sea-goat - element is earth - negative - planet is pluto

Sun, moon and Earth: Astrological Signs - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrological_sign

Earth Symbolism: http://symbolism.wikia.com/wiki/Earth
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_%28classical_element%29

Earth:

Chinese Earth Symbology: Chinese look upon Earth as a bit more than simply the planet on which we live. The associate Earth as one of five elements. The Greeks also looked to it as one of four elements, i.e. Fire, Earth, Air and Water. They looked to Earth first as our home and origin of humanity. It has certain spiritual traditions that are displayed in such classics as the I Ching where it is represented by the trigram of six broken lines while Heaven is a trigram of six solid lines, the direct opposites.

Earth is a Chinese Astrology symbol. It denotes a type of person who is serious, logical and methodical. One of foresight and deductive powers. They like to keep things in perspective. They are conservative and governed by their own  interests. They are of sound reasoning, reliability, discipline and steadiness.

Martial systems can be represented by these traits as by metaphor or symbology. The traits necessary to follow the path to martial prowess are also governed by the traits the astrological Chinese sign of Earth. With out these positive traits and expectations one may achieve a level of proficient physical ability but to achieve a true martial spirit and apply accordingly the physical aspect takes more. The Earth represents what that more is and relates that to the subject of the first line, a person's heart. If these are in a person's heart then they will achieve success in martial practice.

Japanese Earth Symbology: The five elements are also a part of the Japanese culture. They have two ways which one is directly related to the Chinese elements, referred to as "gogyo." The second is a buddhist form called, "godai," with influences from hinduism traditions. We see references in their terse tome of the elements depicted in the Go-rin-no-sho of Musashi Miyamoto.

The element in question is "Chi or Ji" meaning Earth. It is representative of the hard in the world. There symbolism is one of a stone which is hard, unmovable and resistant to change. In the human body it is representative of the bones, muscles and tissues which conduct the life energy called Chi. This version is associated with stubbornness, stability, physicality and gravity as to its effects on us as humans.

It also speaks to the mind for emotional stability and confidence. It usually is indicative of person's who are dogmatic in a belief and resist any change to it regardless. It represents a karate-ka's ability to be aware of their physical presence and the sureness of the actions necessary to apply that physicality.

The typical Japanese stone lantern is a symbol of the Earth element.

American Earth Symbology: The earth is in reference to mathematical symbolism. In the European pectoral of the peruvian man by DaVinci. There is a square, large circle and a man which is symbolic to this first line as the square represents Earth, man represents man and the circle represents Heaven while the space between the top of the square and the circle is exactly fits a scale of the moon.

The square is used in this depiction to square the circle, or to combine symbolically the heaven and earth-spirit and matter - symbolically combined as in marriage. This view gives mathematical correlation's to all the heavenly bodies that have influence on the human.

In American the Earth symbol implies vast complexities. It evokes a desire to "dig into the secrets the earth holds" for a person, for mankind and for the Universe. In a word the Earth symbolizes and is used as a metaphor for life. It is the accommodator as it provides the other elements necessary to man, i.e. water, fire, air. It teaches us that all threads (strings) of life are first woven with the very fibers of the Earth.

It is a unifying force, it reunites tribes, and native soil has begun wars for its importance to human kind. It represents community which is of the survival instincts inherent in all people, we band together as symbolized in the dojo to survive, learn and prosper.

The Earth symbol can depict the four corners or four sides as in later lines directions and sides seen and heard.