Aries  The first sign of the zodiac. Sun-sign period 21 March–20 April. It should be remembered when reading of the characteristics of the Sun-signs that these will always be affected by the effects of the rising-sign, the planets in various other signs and houses, and the relationships the planets make to each other. General characteristics Traditional Aries characteristics are energy, courage, enthusiasm, confidence, dynamism, quick-wittedness and a pioneering spirit; but also selfishness, impulsiveness, impatience, foolhardiness and quickness of temper. There is in general an uncomplicated attitude to life, and an impatience with trivial detail. Achievement is vital to the Arien personality, and the challenges faced in moving towards any goal are met with great determination. Failure to reach a goal–or achieving it incompletely (perhaps due to impulsiveness, which can result in carelessness) will result in depression–as will a failure to find sexual satisfaction in a partnership. Restlessness and boredom can ensue in both cases. Selfishness can cause problems in almost every area of life–‘me first’ is a phrase many astrologers associate with this sign. In any career freedom of expression will bring the best results, and restriction–to a repetitive, pedestrian physical or mental routine–the worst. Ambition will be a strong motivation; but once achieved there will be no relaxation, for another ambition will immediately present itself. Enterprise linked to a good head for business spells success, provided impetuosity and impatience do not lead to mistakes, and selfishness and a quick temper do not alienate friends and colleagues. Typical careers for Ariens include the armed services, psychiatry, dentistry, engineering, the electronics industry. Exercise is important to Arien health, and will usually be embraced not merely with enthusiasm but with a degree of compulsion–sometimes to the extent that the constitution to which it is important will actually be damaged by strain or injury due to overenthusiasm. The head (traditionally ruled by Aries) is specially vulnerable to injury, and the Arien tendency to rush thoughtlessly about can in general result in minor injuries. There is usually a liking for traditional rather than ‘fancy’ food–and also for spicy food, which is not always good for the Arien digestion. The growing child Throughout childhood and teenage years, activity, activity, activity will be a necessary theme. Arien children certainly do not lack energy, and learning to walk sooner rather than later will consequently tend to be susceptible to small accidents. Adventurous from a very early age, they are likely to give parents a certain amount of anxiety, for an adventurous spirit and enthusiastic approach to life in general are unlikely to persuade them to stay quietly at home studying–especially since boredom will set in all too easily when school lessons become tedious (as they may too often seem to be). The desire–need–for freedom will sit uneasily with discipline if that is too rigorously or unsympathetically administered. Selfishness may mar relationships with other children, and too often this is especially the case with siblings. The usual problems which arise at adolescence are likely to be accentuated by Arien stubbornness and short temper; characteristic explosions within the family circle will certainly not be ameliorated by the fact that a youngster has Aries as a Sun-sign. Happily, once the explosion has taken place the pressure is immediately released and the air cleared. Resentment is not an Arien characteristic, and once the current disagreement is over, there will be a period of peace and quiet until the fuse is reignited (which will inevitably happen sooner or later). Education Boredom will inevitably be the greatest obstacle during the years of school and further education. Arien high spirits simply refuse to be contained if the mind is not kept as active as the body, and this means that the child and later the student must be kept interested in the subject which is being studied. This is a particular problem if, as too often, the child or young man or woman doesn’t have a strong personal interest which can be encouraged and cultivated. There is a distinct possibility that outside interests, and especially sport, may be a distraction from intellectual study, and it will be a talented teacher who can compete with the attractions of the gym or, more desirably, the open air. Rugby football, hockey, wrestling and boxing, all good outlets for excess energy, will be enthusiastically indulged. In the class-or lecture-room the Arien is all too likely to be regarded as a disruptive influence, for hating to work in the peace and quiet of a studious environment, requests for silence are unlikely to be respected. Challenge can be the keynote, in study as well as sport, and given an area in which a competitive interest can be aroused, this will keep the Arien at work, for fear some contemporary will outshine him or her. Friendship, romance and sex Ariens like, indeed often require, their friends to be as enthusiastic as themselves, and if possible for the same things–so friendships will often be formed with fellow-members of some club or association. Friends may have to deal with expressions of selfishness–forgotten appointments, for instance–but there will be no lack of generosity, either emotional or financial. A first sexual experience is likely to be the result of a sudden irresistible impulse rather than anything planned, and promiscuity is more likely than not until a possibly permanent partner is found–he or she more likely than not to be a weaker, more dependent type who can be dominated by the stronger Arien personality. But Aries is idealistic as well as passionate, and equally likely to fall suddenly and romantically in love–and to leap too rashly and suddenly into a commitment, before (for instance) discovering whether the prospective partner is as enthusiastic for an exciting and varied sex-life as the Arien; many a partnership has foundered on that particular rock–but there is also danger from Arien selfishness–a lack of interest in foreplay and a tendency, in men, to premature ejaculation. There is a contrast between Arien men and women: Arien men are attracted by beauty and by helplessness, needing a partner ready to admire and support him; the Arien woman is capable, generous and masterful, and can become self-opinionated and bossy. Both sexes can become violently jealous, and occasionally even violent. Permanent partnership and family Despite all their thrusting, positive, ambitious traits, Ariens need support, particularly from a permanent partner–indeed, partners may occasionally feel that this is all that is needed from them, for selfishness is as likely to show itself in a domestic situation as in any other, and the ‘me first’ attitude all too common with Ariens can lead to thoughtlessness and, at worst, neglect. Reliance on the partner when support is needed is not necessarily balanced by the ability or willingness to offer necessary support in the other direction, especially if it is in an area of life which does not specially interest the Arien. Restlessness can also be a problem, and boredom can arise if the partner is unwilling or unable to meet Arien enthusiasm with equal passion. This will be equally true of children, who will be expected to show enthusiasm for their own interests–these need not necessarily be interests which the Arien shares, but that will not matter as long as they exist. An Arien father or mother will not be particularly patient with their children’s failings, and there may be sudden anger, which however will quickly blow over. A pride will be taken in the physical surroundings of the home, but this is likely to take the shape the Arien wishes to impose. The idea of ‘give and take’ may be too heavily weighted on the latter word. Occupation Ariens, like those with any Sun-sign, of course find themselves in any and every occupation, but some are more suited to the Arien temperament than others. The sign and house positions of Mercury and Venus will be of significance in this area of Arien lives–Venus suggesting how the Arien is likely to get on with colleagues, Mars indicating the degree of enthusiasm and vigour which will be directed towards the working life. As in every other area of life, a person with the Sun in Aries will need to be able to direct a great deal of energy towards his or her work, so a job which needs a degree of physical energy is more desirable than one which chains one to an office desk. There should also be room for competitiveness, whether with colleagues or with rivals in other organizations. Typically, one might think of a salesman of some sort, who must push not only himself but some product, some new idea, in competition with others–and preferably who can get out and about in the world to do so. The stronger the competition, the more exercise the physical and mental muscles of the Arien will have, and the healthier and stronger he or she will remain. Health and exercise Abundant energy and the need to expend it usually dominate the typical Arien’s physical life. It is when movement and exercise are restricted or become impossible that problems will inevitably set in. Ariens usually thoroughly dislike routine, which means that a regular regime at a gym will be difficult to sustain–working out on machines may initially be popular, but will swiftly become boring, as will jogging unless there are several different routes which can be alternated, and unless a group of people is available with whom to exercise, not only providing pleasant company but an element of competition, also dear to the Arien heart. Sport is of course an alternative–and sport in which the Arien has an opportunity to show personal expertise or vigour; somewhat aggressive sport–boxing, martial arts, wrestling–is often popular. Arien enthusiasm means that exercise can be easily overdone, and Arien haste can result in careless accidents. The traditional Arien body area is the head, which is claimed to be especially susceptible both to accidents and to headaches which may be the result of kidney disorders. Finance The person with the Sun in Aries is usually enterprising and enjoys making money, but as in other areas of life eagerness to win and a tendency to rush into situations can bedevil the financial life. ‘Winning’ does not necessarily infer semi-professional gambling, but there will certainly be a desire to make money, and any opportunities which suddenly arise and seem to offer a quick profit will be almost irresistible–to the extent that they may be grasped before they are thoroughly thought through. The Arien usually has a good business sense, which can help keep feet on the ground, and a generally reliable instinct; but the tendency to buy impulsively can show itself just as fatally in the purchase of ‘fashionable’ shares as in the buying of clothes or household furnishings, and may be equally strongly regretted, at leisure (Ariens enjoy spending money almost as much as making it). The desire for a good income can encourage a second job or business, though after a while the less successful occupation may suffer from neglect as the Arien tendency toward boredom sets in. Growing older Retirement is not a concept which is welcome to Ariens. Apart from the fact that a life without structure, without work of some sort, would be insufferably boring, Ariens hate the idea that they must inevitably lose some of that overwhelming drive and vigour, and will work to retain both for as long as possible. The possible danger which arises is of ‘overdoing things’–a phrase all too often associated with increasing age, and one which they will do their best to ignore. However, a refusal to moderate an on-going exercise regime can, for instance, have dangerous results as bones grow brittle and falls become dangerous. Apart from physical ageing, however, Arien minds should not suffer with old age–the competitive spirit will be as strong as ever, even if it has to take a slightly different forms. Aries as rising-sign The competitiveness and ambition of those with Aries as a rising-sign will be driven not so much by the desire for money or position as by the desire to keep abreast of rivals, and draw ahead of them. They will tend to be ruthless, not so much out of lack of consideration for the feelings of others as by the notion that such consideration may be seen as weakness, and in any event would sap their own energy. The sense of urgency strong in Sun-sign Ariens can be overwhelming in those with an Arien rising-sign, and they will only feel really fulfilled when they have overcome some almost insuperable obstacle or gained some almost unattainable objective. Similarly, they need to burn their physical energy in a positive and satisfying way, which generally means in competition with others. Traditional associations • Ruling Planet–Mars • Triplicity/ Element–fire • Quadruplicity/ Quality–cardinal • Colour–red • Gemstone–diamond • Metal–iron • Flowers–honeysuckle, thistle • Trees–all thorn-bearing trees • Herbs and Spices–capers, mustard, cayenne pepper • Foodstuffs–onions, leeks, hops • Animals–sheep and rams • Countries–England, France, Germany • Cities–Naples, Florence, Krakov, Birmingham (UK), San Francisco • US States–No traditionally associated signs