Aries

AIR-eez

greek: Κριός (Krios) · latin: Aries · sanskrit: Mesha

Definition

Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, the opening 0 to 30 degrees of the ecliptic — the circle the Sun appears to travel through over a year. It is a cardinal (or movable) fire sign, and it begins at the vernal equinox, the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator heading north. In the traditional system of dignities — the strengths and weaknesses a planet picks up from the sign it sits in — Mars rules Aries, the Sun is exalted (especially strong) at 19 degrees Aries, Saturn is in fall (weakened) here, and Venus is in detriment (out of place).

In Tradition

Astrologers in the Western tradition link Aries with initiative, courage, and the impulse to act. As the first sign, it traditionally opens the astrological year, and it tends to carry the feeling of fresh starts and standing up for yourself.

In Practice

A planet in Aries tends to express itself directly, urgently, and on its own terms. The house — the life area — that has Aries on its cusp is read as the part of life that asks you for initiative and bold action. Each spring, when the Sun moves through Aries (roughly March 20 to April 19 in the tropical zodiac), astrologers mark the astrological new year. Hellenistic practice groups Aries among the movable (cardinal) signs, tied to starting things and to change, and among the fire triplicity — the trio of fire signs — alongside Leo and Sagittarius. Astrologers also watch the Aries-Libra axis, the pair of opposite signs, for how someone balances asserting themselves against meeting others halfway.

Historical Origin

Aries appears as one of the twelve zodiacal signs in the earliest Hellenistic texts. The Hellenistic name for the cardinal signs is tropika, meaning "turning," because they fall on the solstices and equinoxes — the year's turning points. Mars's rulership of Aries and the Sun's exaltation at 19 degrees Aries are recorded in the traditional dignity scheme preserved in Hellenistic sources. In medical astrology, the body region matched to Aries is the head.

Definition

In Tradition

In Practice

Historical Origin

Further Reading