Aries 2025: Incoming Ram-Raid Part 1
First of all, what is the story behind the zodiac sign?
Salutations Aries. Meteorological spring began on March 1, but now astronomical spring will officially arrive in the Northern Hemisphere on Thursday, March 20, at 9:01 am GMT. The Ram begins a brand new astrological year, and it is already looking combustible as hell. No surprises there. But for now, let’s look at the ancient story behind the zodiac sun sign.
Symbolic Associations
Dates: 20 March - 19 April
Ruling planet: Mars
Lucky Day: Tuesday, Tyr’s Day, Norse god of War, Law and Justice
Energy: Yang (Masculine/Extrovert. Not gender specific)
Element: Fire Quality: Cardinal (Initiation- the start of a new season)
Key phrase: I am
Body: Aries rules the Head.
Constitutional Cell Salt: Potassium Phosphate, “brain food” -helpful for nerve and brain health. Foods containing this salt include but are not limited to: beans, beets, carrots, peanuts, milk, cheese and avocados
Birth Stones: Topaz, Aquamarine, Diamond
Colour: Red
Herbs/Flowers: Honeysuckle, tulip, thistle, bryony, peppermint, tiger lily, geranium, hops, impatiens, onions, hollyhock, thorn-bearing trees/shrubs/firs
Tarot Cards: The Emperor, Queen of Wands, and 2, 3 and 4 Wands.
The Spring/Vernal Equinox
The vernal equinox happens when the Sun is exactly above the equator. Day and night are equal length as the Sun crosses the celestial equator going north. 2,500 years ago, the annual conjunction of the sun and the star Hamal happened at the invisible point of the vernal/spring equinox. But now, astronomically speaking, the position of the Sun on the day of the vernal equinox is actually in the constellation of Pisces near the border of Aquarius.
Modern star maps project that in about 600 years from now, the vernal equinox will be located in Aquarius due to the wobble of the earth, and the effect known as the precession of the equinoxes. Even that supposed constant in the skies, the navigation lodestar, the North Star, Polaris, does not stay in the same place, owing to precession.
“A motion of Earth called precession causes our axis to trace out an imaginary circle on the celestial sphere every 26,000 years. Thousands of years ago, when the pyramids were rising from the sands of ancient Egypt, the North Star was an inconspicuous star called Thuban in the constellation Draco the Dragon. Twelve thousand years from now, the blue-white star Vega in the constellation Lyra the Harp will be a much brighter North Star than our current Polaris.” - Via EarthSky
Polaris is the 49th brightest star in the sky. But precession notwithstanding, in Western Tropical astrology, and for profound historical and symbolic reasons, the spring/vernal equinox is still referred as the First Point of Aries, marking a great energetic re-set.
The Aries Constellation
We can picture the star-ram lying or sitting head downwards, looking over his shoulder as if to admire his own fleece. Or else he’s just chilling, chewing the cud.
The planetary ruler of Aries is Mars, the red planet of action, energy, enthusiasm, courage, passion, initiative- and war. Also fertility, and this goes for crops too. The ram is ultra virile, and at certain times of year, downright aggressive, charging headlong into the field, king of all he surveys. Ewes are liable to be aggressive too, if disturbed by strangers when they have lambs to protect.
Aries is located between the stars of Pisces to its west and Taurus to its east, and contains its own galaxy, about 100 million light-years from our own galaxy the Milky Way. Aries contains a planetary system, 30 Ari, consisting of a gas giant and four stars. A supernova in Aries was recorded in May, in the year 1012 AD.
The brightest star in Aries is Hamal, from the Arabic Al Ras al Hamal, meaning "the Head of the Sheep." Hamal is twice the size of our own sun, an orange giant star, the 49th brightest in the night sky-it is as bright as Mars when the planet is at its farthest point from Earth. The two lowest stars at the bottom of Aries are Sheratan, a blue-white star, and Mesarthim, a whitish binary star, and these stars mark the horns of the Ram.
The best time to see Aries is in December. The worst time is spring in the Northern Hemisphere spring or autumn/fall in the Southern Hemisphere when the stars of Aries are lost in the glare of the sun.
History, Nature and Mythology
The Sumerians called the sun 'Subat,' meaning 'Ancient Sheep' or Ram, and the planets were known as the 'Celestial Herd'. The Sumerians were one of the oldest known urban civilizations in what is now Southern Iraq, during the Neolithic-Bronze Age, 4500 BC/BCE to 1500 years BC/BCE. The sheep was among the first animals domesticated by humans around 11000 - 9000 BC (BCE) The spring equinox marked the end of the main lambing season of wild sheep in Europe.
In ancient Egyptian astronomy, Aries was associated with the god Amon-Ra, who was depicted as a sphinx or a man with a ram's head, and represented fertility and creativity. The position of Aries at the zenith at that time coincided with the rising of Sirius in the east and the flooding of the Nile. The Temple of Amon-Ra at Karnak bore the likeness of the supreme sun-god with the horns of a ram.
The Greeks had their own myth of Aries, the story of The Golden Fleece. They oriented the construction of many sacred temples in relationship to Hamal, the brightest star in Aries.
The Zodiac Archetype
All the zodiac signs represent archetypes, meaning something that is considered to be a perfect or typical example of a particular kind of person or thing. Aries is a cardinal sign, marking the start of a new season. The other cardinal signs are Libra, Aries astrological opposite sign, marking the start of autumn in the northern hemisphere, Cancer, marking the summer solstice, and Capricorn, marking the winter solstice and the onset of winter. The cardinal signs, considered in terms of their human representatives, are conspicuously self-reliant if not self-contained, innovative and proactive, the signs that are the least sentimental, and most at ease with driving change.
Aries is hard-nosed though generally kindly. It is THE RAM but it is still another herd animal, after all, like Taurus where it may meet its power match. A ram can beat a bull though it is so much smaller, because it has a very strong head, and it can charge faster than a bull. But the bull is physically way stronger. Extra kudos, then, to the courage of the Ram that it might even try- and might even succeed. Rams have been known to kill cattle. Not here. The ram is apparently bezzies with this bullock.
The Ram is lively, frisky, young at heart, the metaphysical ‘baby’ of the new zodiac year; adventurous, optimistic, generous, curious, brave, passionate, direct, self-willed, and inclined to lose its temper if denied or crossed. Aries represents the concept of The Self. It seeks to express itself through exploration and pushing at boundaries, and it wants to do things its own way. Aries is Number One. At least in its own books. But it walks the walk.
The Astrological Weather
This year’s Spring Equinox corresponds with the Venus retrograde, affecting finances, love, health and relationships, Mercury retrograde, affecting communications, travel, trade, neighbours, siblings. It is happening in the middle of two eclipses, and ushers in Neptune’s entry into Aries for the first time since 1861-1875. Check out the link for more on this ancient backstory.
Pisces at 29 degrees is the end of a cycle, Aries at 0 degrees is the start of a whole new astrological cycle. The 10 Cups correlates with the 29th degree of Pisces and the Two of Wands correlated with the first ten degrees of Aries.
The Ten of Cups marks contentment, hearth and home, nostalgia. It has everything we could wish for. But time flies. We cannot keep it. When it has gone, it has gone. And it will go.
The Fool marks the Vernal Equinox Point at Zero Degrees of Aries. The most numinous card in the Tarot deck. Anything might come through this portal, good or bad.
The Two of Wands walks out of the house, forms alliances, signs agreements or “deals” and goes to work with an eye on the far horizons. He sees the world in terms of business, and thinks in terms of what lies beyond his reach, and how to bring it within his grasp.
In real time world events this coming Aries season- thinking purely in terms of the story telling of these three cards- we could anticipate further developments to do with Donald Trump’s hugely controversial proposal to redevelop the devastated Gaza (redevelopment= 2 Wands) by relocating (2 Wands again) the civilian Palestinian population (10 Cups)
Gaza could and should indeed be made a beautiful place again. My cards do not show that it will be happening in terms of what is being proposed, described by author Diane Francis as Mar- A- Gaza, while this same card warns against long term military escalation of the US against the Houthis in Yemen. Look at the artwork. Does this not paint a picture that says there will be no sustainable solution in Gaza without a working consensus with the Arabic world? This same card can suggest critical political or military developments in the region August 2025.
March 19th, today, the Sun conjuncts Neptune in Pisces at 29°, called the anaretic degree. Symbolically, this is read as a sign of profound changes, and likely, endings to come if not within the next couple of weeks, then within the next six months or so. The ending of some important era in our own lives. March 20th, the Sun Enters Aries, marking the Spring Equinox and the official beginning of the astrological new year. March 22nd Sun conjuncts retrograde Venus in Aries, and then goes retrograde in Mercury on the 24th. Um. We will watch that space. Double check your facts. Double check everything. But Ram power looks like the way to go for rather a lot of us, this coming season of the Ram. No backing off. Something needs sorting. Some rubbish needs taking to the skip.
March 29th is the powerful Solar Eclipse (new moon) in Aries at 8°. Tarot card 2 Wands. This is a big one, and it is the last Aries Solar Eclipse until 2033. This eclipse has almost all the planets lined up in Pisces-Aries, in a cosmic and karmic face off between two diametrically opposed energies. Thoughts must now translate into action (Aries). Something will look very different after this eclipse, if not immediately, then within the next six months. Most challenging for Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, with somewhat less pressure on Aquarius, Sagittarius, Leo and Gemini.
March 30th Neptune enters Aries…it is almost like a metaphor for war at sea, or storms at sea. I won’t be surprised if we see further seismic activity in the Aegean this month.
April 13th Full Moon in Libra at 23 degrees and 19 minutes. Tarot card, Four of Swords, wounded warrior, entombment, hospitals, rest, recuperation, respite.
Libra is the sign of diplomacy. Here then, at least astrologically speaking, is a chance…a chance…of agreement on a ceasefire, whether in Ukraine or in Gaza. Helping that potentially diplomatic effect of Libra, Venus, the planetary ruler of Libra also goes direct this same day.
There is so much more to say. But plenty of others are already saying it better, and this post is too long already. And, what with all this fiery astrology, I need to lie down with a cool wet hanky on my head, working out my battles plans, says this celestial cow with a natal Venus in Aries at 7 degrees in the seventh house.
Thank you for reading. Back soon with more about Aries 2025 and the birthday decans of Aries.
Thank You, really appreciate your work and wisdom 🙏
Thank you 😊 🙏. Your posts are a learning adventure.