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www.arianrhod.org
 Overview & Personality Traits
As the Sun moves into Aries, its daily path crosses the
equator and begins to move into the northern hemisphere.
For most inhabited regions of the world this is the
beginning of spring; the days become longer than the
nights, and plants and animals burst into activity.
Aries is the wake-up call of the zodiac. In ancient
times the spring equinox marked the start of the New
Year and festivities were held to honor the birth of
new life and the new beginnings that lay in store. The
Ram became celebrated in the associated stars as a
sacred symbol of resurrection, since its fleece, when
shorn, continues to grow and provides a constant,
abundant supply. Its origin is Egyptian and derives from
their practice of sacrificing the sacred ram to the Sun
at the spring equinox, to ensure his return and secure a
successful year ahead. Christian customs still reflect
this New Year worship, for Easter - the rising of the
Lord - is always held in the week after the full Moon
that follows the Sun's entry into this sign; and eggs
are given as a symbol of new life and new opportunities.
Astrology is based on the belief that anything that
emerges into physical being at any moment in time will
share the spiritual qualities of that moment in time.
Those born when the Sun is in Aries do so when the Sun
is 'exalted' in astrological terms, since its return to
the point of the zodiac where daylight begins to
overcome the dark, is seen as the sun-god regaining his
power and rising victorious to take control. Although
ruled by the planet Mars, Aries has much to do with the
solar qualities of creativity, energy, enthusiasm and
courage. The Sun is the symbol of consciousness,
individuality, clear direction and definition - the
power of the will to rise above instinct and take
control. Those born when the Sun is strong in the chart,
as it is here in the sign of Aries, appreciate honesty
and truth, hate deceit, and need things to be clearly
expressed in an obvious, logical manner. Subtle
undertones and delicate suggestions mean nothing to
them; their greatness is to bring clarity and openness;
their weakness is their limited capacity to 'feel' what
you are talking about and their lack of sensitivity to
those who expect them to read their minds.
In addition to this solar quality, Aries resonates to
the energy of its planetary ruler, Mars, recognised as
the bringer of action and the impulse to attack or
strike back. Mars is the defiant spirit; when dignified
it will show courage, fearlessness, respected
leadership, the propensity to take a risk and the lover
of a challenge. In this form Mars is the moral champion,
ready to take up arms on behalf of others less able or
willing to put their necks on the line. When poorly
placed and displaying its less noble traits, it
represents needless aggression, violent eruptions,
assertiveness to the point of selfishness, and the urge
to take from others without due regard to their needs
and well being. No astrologer can know from the sun-sign
alone whether those born under this sign display the
highest or lowest facets of its planetary ruler, but
certainly they will be characterised by great energy and
readiness for action, with impulsiveness and
competitiveness marking their actions for good or bad.
Arians are often referred to as ambitious and this can
be true, but it is an ambition borne of the need to be
in front, to let no man stand in their way. Just as
often that disposition leads them into conflict with
others who might otherwise have helped them if they'd
taken a more carefully planned approach as witnessed
through the true, long-sighted ambition of the
Capricorn. But Aries tends to fight its way through life
and if honour is deserved it is in the fact that they
remain true to their instincts and impulses. Generally,
what you see is what you get and what others might view
as 'social niceties', they will be more inclined to view
as unnecessary sycophantic hypocrisy.
The reputed love of freedom is also worth considering.
With the exaltation of the Sun in this sign, the
striving towards independence of mind and spirit is
strong, but that quest might often rely upon squashing
the freedom or rights of others in order that the Aries
urge to dominate is fulfilled. Even when it is a genuine
challenge for a worthy cause, an Aries may get so
wrapped up in the flush of the battle that they lose
sight of the cause, failing to yield at appropriate
points of negotiation that others would take as a
fair-minded victory. Thus the Aries can suffer from a
'do or die' mentality. When they manage to 'do' they can
emerge stupendous in the eyes of others, but where they
'die' their depressed spirit will find it difficult to
accept defeat with stoic grace. Fortunately, this is not
a sign that harbors grudges, it seeks instant
gratification, and the easy ability to express on the
surface what is felt within means that it vents its
frustrations with directness as they arise. Others may
find that abrasive, but Aries equally scorns political
correctness, false civility and those who raise
remembered slights long after the moment has passed.
Other keywords attributed to Aries are adventurous and
pioneering. Both of these are fair descriptions for a
sign that dares to tread the road less traveled and
will seek out challenge, consciously or unconsciously,
as a way of feeling enthused and stimulated. Where that
challenge is unconsciously driven, however, it often
fails to bring a feeling of worth and can take the form
of someone who believes the whole world is out to get
them. This type of Aries fights itself and anyone
brought into close contact, readily moved to temper and
just as quickly calming down and regretting the
consequences that their passion aroused.
Much of this is reinforced by Aries' association with
the element of fire, which in every sense is expressed
through it, both by its ruler-ship with Mars and natural
association with the Sun. Fire depicts the qualities of
heat and vitality and, as its symbol suggests, conveys
an outgoing, reckless personality, craving attention and
adding a vivacious sparkle to any occasion. But again,
as is particularly the case with Aries, what fire types
gain in confidence and drive they lose in sensitivity,
patience, caution and practicality.
The gift of the fire signs is creative inspiration,
evolving into an endless supply of bright ideas and
contagious enthusiasm. When the fire is lit, i.e.,
when they are motivated by a cause, they simply blaze
with energy and ideas and become so consumed by their
passions that everyone around them feels drawn into the
flame. But fire consumes, and ultimately those energy
levels will drop, particularly if the Aries proclivity
for instant action is not matched by the reality of
instant results. Unless other factors in the chart
bestow the needed discipline and perseverance, Arians
can struggle to keep a sense of balance and are prone to
suffering from nervous, emotional or physical 'burn
out', refusing to recognise their limits or respect
their bodily needs.
As lovers, Aries can be refreshing, challenging and
stimulating, but they can also be frank, easily
irritated, noisy and demanding. Their high energy level
usually gives a strong sex drive, but as always they are
marked by the need for instant gratification and may not
fully appreciate the soft touch and gentle, patient
stimulation that a tender partner may require.
If you are born under the sign of Aries, remember, the
sun-sign indicates your true spirit, the heart of your
being where you should find immense strength in
self-expression. You should never seek to curb your
natural qualities, but merely shape them and direct them
into powerful, worthwhile and constructive outlets.
Hence Aries should accept that it is naturally driven to
lead and rarely aim to compromise this gift by trying to
'fit into the team'. Instead, the leadership qualities
should be forged through recognition of the needs of the
team and the desire to take your rightful place with
full respect to others. Neither should you aim to make
yourself less impulsive or inclined to act, despite the
negative undertones that this keyword can suggest.
Impulsiveness, and the urge to take action is your gift
and your strength, leaving the hesitating majority in
shame. Self-development can only come from striving to
use your personality patterns for positive change and
through the mental discipline and sense of
responsibility that causes you to question and reflect
upon unconscious motivations. If you are enraged and
feel the urge to fight, question: are you fighting the
right person over a matter of significance? Or is there
a larger, more relevant battle that you should be
dedicating your time and energies to, the battle for
truth, honesty and, above all, self-respect?
Remember also, that your symbol is the self-regenerating
ram, representing your ability to arise with greater
strength and vitality after periods of loss. Being
prepared to 'let go' of the unused and the outgrown is
essential if you are to develop your full force and
potential, and the ridding of weighty, unnecessary
baggage allows you keep re-evaluating your beliefs and
needs in the context of the 'here and now'. As an Aries
you've been given a significant gift of power, how that
power is used is not determined by your astrological
chart, but by the spirit through which you forge and
express its energies.
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