Aries

Origin and etymology

The name Aries is Latin and means "ram". Its founding myth is that of the Golden Fleece: the winged ram that rescued the children of king Athamas and whose golden fleece became the object of the quest of Jason and the Argonauts. The constellation received this name in classical Greek astrology, inherited from the Babylonians who already associated it with a ram or lamb.

Aries opens the zodiac because it coincides with the vernal equinox (Northern Hemisphere spring): the moment when day equals night and light begins to overcome winter. That is why it is the sign of beginnings, fresh impulse, the energy that breaks through winter. Western tropical astrology is based on seasons, not on real constellations.

Aries archetype

Aries is the hero who initiates: it has bravery, raw energy, decisive ability and speed. Where others hesitate, Aries acts. It contributes natural leadership, initiative and an almost childlike vitality. Its opposite sign is Libra: if Aries is the self that asserts, Libra is the other with whom one agrees.

In shadow: Aries can fall into impulsivity, aggression, selfishness and haste. It starts many things, finishes few. The Arian trap is to leap before thinking and leave the field strewn with abandoned projects at the first obstacle. Its karmic lesson is to develop patience and complete what has been started.

Aries in your chart

If your Sun is in Aries, your conscious identity seeks to initiate, lead, prove itself. If your Moon is in Aries, you feel intensely and react quickly emotionally. If your ascendant is Aries, you give a first impression of an energetic, direct person with immediate presence. Mars, ruler of Aries, marks how you express your vital energy and desire.