- Feb 3, 2024
- LitBits
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New blog post by Katie-Ellen Hazeldine
In Aries Season: Stories of The Fiery Sky Ram
Meteorological spring began on March 1, but astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and astronomical autumn/Fall in the Southern Hemisphere began on the date of the spring/vernal equinox, Thursday, March 20, at 9:01 am GMT, when we entered the astrological zodiac sign of Aries the Ram.
The spring/vernal equinox announces the advent of Aries The Ram, and the beginning of a whole new astrological cycle; a brand new astrological year.
The 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. Technically speaking, while this used to occur in the constellation of Aries about 2,500 years ago, it now occurs in Pisces, near the border with Aquarius, due to the wobble of the Earth and the effect called precession. 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 for the whole world.
Aries 2025 is already looking combustible as hell in terms of its particular astrology this year…and in its configuring of real world events. The headlines on 28 March; a massive earthquake in Myanmar, happening just a day before a partial solar eclipse in Aries 29/30 March, depending where we are in the world. No surprises there. It feels as if the whole world is on fire right now.
But for now, we are simply looking at the ancient story behind the zodiac sun sign of Aries, and the great library of stories that come with it.
Writers are people watchers. They are interested in purveying stories as they are in creating them. Usually the reading came first. They are inquiring, curious people. The Zodiac (from the Greek meaning, A Circle of Animals…these include the Human Animal) is a Cosmic Library of the totality of the human experience, loaded with the wisdom of the seasons. As above, so below. We see certain stars in certain directions at certain times of year. We connect them with the seasons, and with the weather, and what is happening at ground level.
There may be, as the saying goes, no new stories under the sun. But there is no culture without its own Folklore or mythology, and wherever we go, and no matter where and when we look, the Hero’s Journey story is a cultural touchstone staple the world over. The global Monomyth is a term referring to the Hero’s Journey, coined by Joseph Campbell to condense the narrative structure of the great hero journey stories we find in all cultures, across all ages, with endless variations.
As story-tellers, it doesn’t matter what we think about astrology. It doesn’t matter either for the writer’s purposes, unless it is a scientific or academic treatise that we are working on, that astrology is no longer in real time step with astronomy as it was once upon a time, about 2,500 years ago, when a Greek astronomer and mathematician, Ptolemy, recorded his arithmetic concept of the Zodiac, based on just twelve of the constellations straddling the ecliptic, giving us the twelve signs of the Zodiac as we know them today. More about that later.
The stories of the Zodiac are the stories of the Human Life Experience in its totality. Yes. Even if we end up as telepathic fluorescent jelly aliens on the other side of Andromeda, that deep-space future possibility is already covered by the remit of Uranus as planetary co-ruler of the zodiac sign of Aquarius.
Aries plants us squarely in the here and now. The zodiac sign and season Aries marks the springtime of our lives, or the start of the Hero’s Journey. Aries is the Call to Adventure. Off he goes, setting off with his spirits high. Anything is possible he tells himself (or herself.)
What does Aries carry in that knapsack on his back? A lot!
Dates: 20 March – 19 April
Ruling planet: Mars (Roman God of War)
Lucky Day: Tuesday, Tyr’s Day, Norse god of War, Law and Justice
Energy: Yang (Masculine/Extrovert. This is a quality, not gender specific)
Element: Fire
Quality: Cardinal (Initiation- the start of a new season)
Key phrase: I am
Body: Aries rules the Head. Think HEADSTRONG.
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.
What else has he got in that knapsack, our intrepid Aries hero? Oh, well, you know, only a teeny weeny little constellation.
This one.
The Constellation of Aries, Public Domain
The best time to see the constellation of 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.
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 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.
But chilling isn’t really his thing. Or not for long. Too boring in his book. 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, charging headlong into the field, king of all he surveys. The ewes can be aggressive too, if disturbed when they have lambs to protect. Aries marks the ending of lambing season.
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.
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.
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.
Sphinx of Amun in the form of a ram, protecting the Nubian Pharoah Taharqa, seen protected between his forelegs. This statue, along with a similar piece in the British Museum, originates from the site of Kawa in modern Sudan. Photo credit: Aidan McRae Thomson
The Greeks had their own myth of Aries, the sacred Ram, the story of The Golden Fleece. They oriented the construction of many sacred temples in relationship to Hamal, the brightest star in Aries.
Later, there came Judaism, and then Christianity, and we see the parallels between Aries and these ancient mythologies. The Lamb of God is a title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. It appears at John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” It appears again in John 1:36
All the zodiac signs represent archetypes, meaning something that is considered to be a perfect or typical example of a particular kind of situation, person or thing.
Aries is a cardinal sign, marking the start of a new season and therefore, as discussed, it can be understood as a birth of someone or something, or the start point of a hero’s journey.
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 book. If I don’t do it, says Aries, then who will? But it walks the walk.
From the Smith Waite Centennial Tarot
Story themes/Character traits: The major arcana card associated with Aries is The Emperor, setting the overall tone for this zodiac sun sign. The Emperor seeks to claim territory and to create and impose order in that territory. At his best, he rules wisely and with care and justice. He is the best of fathers and defenders. He is a warrior. Or he is an able administrator. At his worst, he is a bully; an overbearing or inefficient bureaucrat, or a tyrant and a warmonger. Here we see him in later life, sitting on his throne. He has walked the walk. Or likely ridden it on a war horse. Now he sits on the seat of his power. But he is still wearing his armour, still ready and able to defend what is his, and to fight for the people he has sworn to protect. Note the ram’s heads adorning his throne.
The Court card associated with Aries is the Queen of Wands, shown here holding a sunflower in token of her royal sceptre.
From the Smith Waite Centennial Tarot
Story themes/character traits: A helpful woman, a mother figure, a lucky person (signified by the black cat, also notice the royal lions) She is proud, with good instincts and may possess occult abilities. Warmth, directness, spontaneity, independence, nurturing, generosity, enthusiasm, impatience, ambition and competitiveness are the archetypal behaviours and qualities. A manager. A politician. A Teacher. A traveller. She may be a worker in the Emergency Services. Or she may be the Queen of Clubs. Be there or be square.
The minor arcana or pip cards (lesser secrets) associated with Aries are the Ace of Wands, and the Two, Three and Four of Wands.
From the Smith Waite Centennial Tarot
Story themes/events. New life is ignited with the return of the sun and photosynthesis. Trees are bursting into leaf. The hand in this image is depicted either wielding a cudgel, or holding a sceptre. Masculine potency. The phallic imagery is self evident. This could be a walking stick, a cigarette or the wand of a wizard, Merlin or Gandalf. The suit of Wands also deals with magical and divinatory practices, and the occult.
Keywords: Inspiration, ignition, heat, fire, power, conception, conquest, visions, philosophy, the philosopher’s Stone, far distance travel
The Zodiac is the belt of sky we can see from earth, tracking the path of the sun across the sky over the course of the year. We call this annual pathway of the sun ‘the ecliptic,’ as mentioned previously when we were talking about the spring/vernal equinox.
This from Wikipedia: ” The ecliptic is the orbital plane of Earth around the Sun. It was a central concept in a number of ancient sciences, providing the framework for key measurements in astronomy, astrology and calendar-making. From the perspective of an observer on Earth, the Sun’s movement around the celestial sphere over the course of a year traces out a path along the ecliptic against the background of stars – specifically the Zodiac constellations…”
In the second century AD/CE, Ptolemy, Greek mathematician, astronomer and astrologer, chose just twelve of the many constellations straddling the ecliptic, and named the sun signs after these chosen twelve: Aries, Taurus, Gemini Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and lastly, Pisces. Ptolemy chose twelve for reasons of elegance of arithmetic, dividing the 360 degrees of the wheel of the zodiac.
Each of these zodiac signs represents a 30 degree section of the zodiac belt. Each sign is then further sub-divided into three blocks of ten degrees =ten days in length though with slight variations. This gives us the ‘decans,’ from the Latin meaning ‘ten,’ (also called decanates.) Nicknamed the ‘thirty-six faces of astrology,’ the decans bring added depth and nuance to the stories of the zodiac sun signs
21 March-30 March
Card: Two of Wands
From the Smith Waite Centennial Tarot
Story Themes/events: vision, ambition, trade, exports, entrepreneurship, agreements, partnerships, government, meetings, the world is my oyster. Reversed: fear of the unknown, overweening ambition, lack of planning, delays and disappointments
Story Character
The ruling planet is Mars and the co-ruler is also Mars, giving this first Aries decan a forceful double dose of fiery, headlong Mars, bringing out the positive and dominant side of this Aries subject. They are up for new challenges. This is after all, the first decan of a whole new zodiac year. Aries seeks power and often has great charisma. But one of the nicknames of this card is ‘The Melancholy of Alexander,’ referring to the restlessness of Alexander the Great, who won great lands but was never satisfied.
The World is not enough, says the Two of Wands.
The personality is independent, active, forceful, temperamental, generous, potentially domineering, aggressive. This super active first decan- not coincidentally- tends to be athletic and sporty. They are also known for having a gift with words, public speaking abilities. These natives of Aries think fast and act fast-and may be too hasty at times, and irritable with others who act more slowly. This person learns quickly and seemingly effortlessly, and will often perform well in a leadership role, but they need to learn to moderate their impatience. Not everyone is cut out for leadership but others bring different qualities to the situation, and respect is a two-way street.
Famous first decan Aries natives: Harry Houdini, Robert Frost, Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga
1 April-10 April
From the Smith Waite Centennial Tarot
Story Themes/events: progress, expansion, overseas opportunities, new horizons, a launch, your ship comes in, planning, critical timing, preparation, teamwork: Reversed: lack of foresight, timidity, thinking too small, unexpected delays
Story Character
This Aries personality is all about dignity, honour and ambition. Look at him, scanning the farthest horizon. The world is his oyster. This Aries personality not only welcomes change but actively seeks it out, relishing a challenge, and maybe even a global challenge too, why not, while they are at it. They are known for their directness and honesty. They will tell you something to your face, and they won’t hold back, though they really do not like to be told what to do themselves. But while they may not react well at first, this Aries will go away and think about it, such is their honesty, even with themselves.
Everyone gets their own mix of luck, good and bad. That’s just life, in reality as in fiction and literature. But still, The Sun governs pride and personal ambition, and this lucky influence can offset the more challenging aspects of the Mars effect. These Aries natives have a knack of landing on their feet.
Famous second decan Aries natives: Otto von Bismarck, Hans Christian Anderson, Bette Davis, Al Gore, Russell Crowe, Jackie Chan, Celine Dion, Quentin Tarantino
Four of Wands
From the Smith Waite Centennial Tarot
Story Themes: celebration, wedding, achievement, professional qualification, property improvements, building, setting up home, homecoming, publishing, creating an artwork. Reversed: bad luck, frustrations, roadblocks
Story Character
This Aries native is somewhat more relaxed than the other two decans; co-ruled by Mars and Jupiter, the God of Fortune. There is sincerity and honesty, a warm-hearted nobility in this last Aries placement. Like the second decan Aries, these Aries natives often have some particular and well-developed creative or artistic talent. They are witty, personable, and with a sense of humour, and gracious to others, although they still have quite a short fuse. These are passionately devoted family people with a keen sense of justice, much concerned with right and wrong. They can become a tad righteous, some might say self- righteous on occasion, and others may find them arrogant. They are proud, and they may well have every good reason, but others have their own dignity too, and respect is a two way street.
Famous Third Decan Aries natives: Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, Charlie Chaplin, Tom Clancy, Francis Ford Coppola, Victoria Beckham, Gary Kasparov
In summary, this quotation pretty much sums up the inimitable spirit of Aries, “I will make a battering-ram of my head and make my way through this rough and tumble world.”
— Louisa May Alcott (Little Women)
Till next time. May the Ace of Wands inspire your writing, this season of The Fiery Sky Ram, 2025.
---
In Aries Season: Stories of The Fiery Sky Ram
Meteorological spring began on March 1, but astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and astronomical autumn/Fall in the Southern Hemisphere began on the date of the spring/vernal equinox, Thursday, March 20, at 9:01 am GMT, when we entered the astrological zodiac sign of Aries the Ram.
The spring/vernal equinox announces the advent of Aries The Ram, and the beginning of a whole new astrological cycle; a brand new astrological year.
The 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. Technically speaking, while this used to occur in the constellation of Aries about 2,500 years ago, it now occurs in Pisces, near the border with Aquarius, due to the wobble of the Earth and the effect called precession. 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 for the whole world.
Aries 2025 is already looking combustible as hell in terms of its particular astrology this year…and in its configuring of real world events. The headlines on 28 March; a massive earthquake in Myanmar, happening just a day before a partial solar eclipse in Aries 29/30 March, depending where we are in the world. No surprises there. It feels as if the whole world is on fire right now.
But for now, we are simply looking at the ancient story behind the zodiac sun sign of Aries, and the great library of stories that come with it.
The Zodiac For Writers
Writers are people watchers. They are interested in purveying stories as they are in creating them. Usually the reading came first. They are inquiring, curious people. The Zodiac (from the Greek meaning, A Circle of Animals…these include the Human Animal) is a Cosmic Library of the totality of the human experience, loaded with the wisdom of the seasons. As above, so below. We see certain stars in certain directions at certain times of year. We connect them with the seasons, and with the weather, and what is happening at ground level.
There may be, as the saying goes, no new stories under the sun. But there is no culture without its own Folklore or mythology, and wherever we go, and no matter where and when we look, the Hero’s Journey story is a cultural touchstone staple the world over. The global Monomyth is a term referring to the Hero’s Journey, coined by Joseph Campbell to condense the narrative structure of the great hero journey stories we find in all cultures, across all ages, with endless variations.
As story-tellers, it doesn’t matter what we think about astrology. It doesn’t matter either for the writer’s purposes, unless it is a scientific or academic treatise that we are working on, that astrology is no longer in real time step with astronomy as it was once upon a time, about 2,500 years ago, when a Greek astronomer and mathematician, Ptolemy, recorded his arithmetic concept of the Zodiac, based on just twelve of the constellations straddling the ecliptic, giving us the twelve signs of the Zodiac as we know them today. More about that later.
The stories of the Zodiac are the stories of the Human Life Experience in its totality. Yes. Even if we end up as telepathic fluorescent jelly aliens on the other side of Andromeda, that deep-space future possibility is already covered by the remit of Uranus as planetary co-ruler of the zodiac sign of Aquarius.
Aries plants us squarely in the here and now. The zodiac sign and season Aries marks the springtime of our lives, or the start of the Hero’s Journey. Aries is the Call to Adventure. Off he goes, setting off with his spirits high. Anything is possible he tells himself (or herself.)
What does Aries carry in that knapsack on his back? A lot!
Traditional Associations of Aries
Dates: 20 March – 19 April
Ruling planet: Mars (Roman God of War)
Lucky Day: Tuesday, Tyr’s Day, Norse god of War, Law and Justice
Energy: Yang (Masculine/Extrovert. This is a quality, not gender specific)
Element: Fire
Quality: Cardinal (Initiation- the start of a new season)
Key phrase: I am
Body: Aries rules the Head. Think HEADSTRONG.
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 Stars of Aries
What else has he got in that knapsack, our intrepid Aries hero? Oh, well, you know, only a teeny weeny little constellation.
This one.
The Constellation of Aries, Public Domain
The best time to see the constellation of 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.
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 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.
But chilling isn’t really his thing. Or not for long. Too boring in his book. 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, charging headlong into the field, king of all he surveys. The ewes can be aggressive too, if disturbed when they have lambs to protect. Aries marks the ending of lambing season.
History, Nature and Mythology
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.
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.
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.
Sphinx of Amun in the form of a ram, protecting the Nubian Pharoah Taharqa, seen protected between his forelegs. This statue, along with a similar piece in the British Museum, originates from the site of Kawa in modern Sudan. Photo credit: Aidan McRae Thomson
The Greeks had their own myth of Aries, the sacred Ram, the story of The Golden Fleece. They oriented the construction of many sacred temples in relationship to Hamal, the brightest star in Aries.
Later, there came Judaism, and then Christianity, and we see the parallels between Aries and these ancient mythologies. The Lamb of God is a title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. It appears at John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” It appears again in John 1:36
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 situation, person or thing.
Aries is a cardinal sign, marking the start of a new season and therefore, as discussed, it can be understood as a birth of someone or something, or the start point of a hero’s journey.
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 book. If I don’t do it, says Aries, then who will? But it walks the walk.
From the Smith Waite Centennial Tarot
Story themes/Character traits: The major arcana card associated with Aries is The Emperor, setting the overall tone for this zodiac sun sign. The Emperor seeks to claim territory and to create and impose order in that territory. At his best, he rules wisely and with care and justice. He is the best of fathers and defenders. He is a warrior. Or he is an able administrator. At his worst, he is a bully; an overbearing or inefficient bureaucrat, or a tyrant and a warmonger. Here we see him in later life, sitting on his throne. He has walked the walk. Or likely ridden it on a war horse. Now he sits on the seat of his power. But he is still wearing his armour, still ready and able to defend what is his, and to fight for the people he has sworn to protect. Note the ram’s heads adorning his throne.
The Court card associated with Aries is the Queen of Wands, shown here holding a sunflower in token of her royal sceptre.
From the Smith Waite Centennial Tarot
Story themes/character traits: A helpful woman, a mother figure, a lucky person (signified by the black cat, also notice the royal lions) She is proud, with good instincts and may possess occult abilities. Warmth, directness, spontaneity, independence, nurturing, generosity, enthusiasm, impatience, ambition and competitiveness are the archetypal behaviours and qualities. A manager. A politician. A Teacher. A traveller. She may be a worker in the Emergency Services. Or she may be the Queen of Clubs. Be there or be square.
Aries in the Tarot pip cards
The minor arcana or pip cards (lesser secrets) associated with Aries are the Ace of Wands, and the Two, Three and Four of Wands.
The Ace of Wands
From the Smith Waite Centennial Tarot
Story themes/events. New life is ignited with the return of the sun and photosynthesis. Trees are bursting into leaf. The hand in this image is depicted either wielding a cudgel, or holding a sceptre. Masculine potency. The phallic imagery is self evident. This could be a walking stick, a cigarette or the wand of a wizard, Merlin or Gandalf. The suit of Wands also deals with magical and divinatory practices, and the occult.
Keywords: Inspiration, ignition, heat, fire, power, conception, conquest, visions, philosophy, the philosopher’s Stone, far distance travel
The Decans of Aries, Two, Three and Four of Wands
The Zodiac is the belt of sky we can see from earth, tracking the path of the sun across the sky over the course of the year. We call this annual pathway of the sun ‘the ecliptic,’ as mentioned previously when we were talking about the spring/vernal equinox.
This from Wikipedia: ” The ecliptic is the orbital plane of Earth around the Sun. It was a central concept in a number of ancient sciences, providing the framework for key measurements in astronomy, astrology and calendar-making. From the perspective of an observer on Earth, the Sun’s movement around the celestial sphere over the course of a year traces out a path along the ecliptic against the background of stars – specifically the Zodiac constellations…”
In the second century AD/CE, Ptolemy, Greek mathematician, astronomer and astrologer, chose just twelve of the many constellations straddling the ecliptic, and named the sun signs after these chosen twelve: Aries, Taurus, Gemini Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and lastly, Pisces. Ptolemy chose twelve for reasons of elegance of arithmetic, dividing the 360 degrees of the wheel of the zodiac.
Each of these zodiac signs represents a 30 degree section of the zodiac belt. Each sign is then further sub-divided into three blocks of ten degrees =ten days in length though with slight variations. This gives us the ‘decans,’ from the Latin meaning ‘ten,’ (also called decanates.) Nicknamed the ‘thirty-six faces of astrology,’ the decans bring added depth and nuance to the stories of the zodiac sun signs
First Decan Aries (0-10 degrees)
21 March-30 March
Card: Two of Wands
From the Smith Waite Centennial Tarot
Story Themes/events: vision, ambition, trade, exports, entrepreneurship, agreements, partnerships, government, meetings, the world is my oyster. Reversed: fear of the unknown, overweening ambition, lack of planning, delays and disappointments
Story Character
The ruling planet is Mars and the co-ruler is also Mars, giving this first Aries decan a forceful double dose of fiery, headlong Mars, bringing out the positive and dominant side of this Aries subject. They are up for new challenges. This is after all, the first decan of a whole new zodiac year. Aries seeks power and often has great charisma. But one of the nicknames of this card is ‘The Melancholy of Alexander,’ referring to the restlessness of Alexander the Great, who won great lands but was never satisfied.
The World is not enough, says the Two of Wands.
The personality is independent, active, forceful, temperamental, generous, potentially domineering, aggressive. This super active first decan- not coincidentally- tends to be athletic and sporty. They are also known for having a gift with words, public speaking abilities. These natives of Aries think fast and act fast-and may be too hasty at times, and irritable with others who act more slowly. This person learns quickly and seemingly effortlessly, and will often perform well in a leadership role, but they need to learn to moderate their impatience. Not everyone is cut out for leadership but others bring different qualities to the situation, and respect is a two-way street.
Famous first decan Aries natives: Harry Houdini, Robert Frost, Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga
Second Decan Aries (10-20 degrees)
1 April-10 April
Card: Three of Wands
From the Smith Waite Centennial Tarot
Story Themes/events: progress, expansion, overseas opportunities, new horizons, a launch, your ship comes in, planning, critical timing, preparation, teamwork: Reversed: lack of foresight, timidity, thinking too small, unexpected delays
Story Character
This Aries personality is all about dignity, honour and ambition. Look at him, scanning the farthest horizon. The world is his oyster. This Aries personality not only welcomes change but actively seeks it out, relishing a challenge, and maybe even a global challenge too, why not, while they are at it. They are known for their directness and honesty. They will tell you something to your face, and they won’t hold back, though they really do not like to be told what to do themselves. But while they may not react well at first, this Aries will go away and think about it, such is their honesty, even with themselves.
Everyone gets their own mix of luck, good and bad. That’s just life, in reality as in fiction and literature. But still, The Sun governs pride and personal ambition, and this lucky influence can offset the more challenging aspects of the Mars effect. These Aries natives have a knack of landing on their feet.
Famous second decan Aries natives: Otto von Bismarck, Hans Christian Anderson, Bette Davis, Al Gore, Russell Crowe, Jackie Chan, Celine Dion, Quentin Tarantino
Third Aries Decan (20-30 degrees)
10 April-20 AprilFour of Wands
From the Smith Waite Centennial Tarot
Story Themes: celebration, wedding, achievement, professional qualification, property improvements, building, setting up home, homecoming, publishing, creating an artwork. Reversed: bad luck, frustrations, roadblocks
Story Character
This Aries native is somewhat more relaxed than the other two decans; co-ruled by Mars and Jupiter, the God of Fortune. There is sincerity and honesty, a warm-hearted nobility in this last Aries placement. Like the second decan Aries, these Aries natives often have some particular and well-developed creative or artistic talent. They are witty, personable, and with a sense of humour, and gracious to others, although they still have quite a short fuse. These are passionately devoted family people with a keen sense of justice, much concerned with right and wrong. They can become a tad righteous, some might say self- righteous on occasion, and others may find them arrogant. They are proud, and they may well have every good reason, but others have their own dignity too, and respect is a two way street.
Famous Third Decan Aries natives: Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, Charlie Chaplin, Tom Clancy, Francis Ford Coppola, Victoria Beckham, Gary Kasparov
In summary, this quotation pretty much sums up the inimitable spirit of Aries, “I will make a battering-ram of my head and make my way through this rough and tumble world.”
— Louisa May Alcott (Little Women)
Till next time. May the Ace of Wands inspire your writing, this season of The Fiery Sky Ram, 2025.
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