Today, the Sun enters Aries, the cardinal fire sign of Mars, heralding the beginning of heavenly spring, and bringing forth renewal and rebirth.
I wish all my readership a happy spring equinox! I am confident that this season will bring in more light and encouragement that is much needed for all of us right now as we navigate the chaos of Saturn in Aries and the fallout of the last Mercury retrograde cycle. By the time this season is over, these planets will no longer be retrograde and we will have time to stabilize from the eclipses.
Since the fall equinox last year when the Sun entered into the sign of Libra, the nights have been longer than the days - darkness has overpowered the light. Libra heralds the inevitable descent of the world back into the seasons of darkness and cold that will predominate for the following 6 months.
But ever since the winter solstice, the amount of light in the day has been slowly but surely increasing. The return of the light has germinated day after day, until we reach this sacred moment when the scales tip back in favor of the light, and the length of the daylight finally dominates over the power of the dark.
At long last, spring has come. The victory of the Sun and the triumph of the light over the darkness shine around us. The raw power of magic has returned to reanimate the tabula rasa of a world freshly awoken from the cold months’ slumber. The power of winter is broken.
Because Aries marks the pivotal shift from the hegemony of the nighttime to the hegemony of the daytime, it carries associations with victory, achievement, and success. This is the Sun’s exaltation, where the celestial king of the heavens claims his power and vanquishes the forces of the darkness.
Just as the return of springtime heralds warmth, brightness, and a feeling of conquest and vanquishing the foe of winter, so too does the Sun’s ingression into Aries instill in all of us a sense of accomplishment and bright optimism at the possibilities contained within a sunny, welcoming future.
Aries represents the new dawn, the break of daylight after a long night, the rush of light over the horizon that dispels the gloom. Light vanquishes darkness in an instant. The good side wins.
Aries is ruled by Mars, the god of war. There are many tropes of wartime - specifically success in wartime - within the archetype of Aries. As the Sun vanquishes the darkness, this zodiacal season carries strong associations with victory, success, and conquest. This theme is also echoed in Christ’s resurrection at Easter - Christ’s vanquishment of death and sin mirrors the victory of the heavenly Sun over the darkness of winter.
These metaphors of wartime and battle illustrate a season of the year that emphasizes success in action, autonomy, and healthy desire. Aries invites us to claim our territory and take what is rightfully ours. Aries welcomes us to seize the day and all the bounty it has to offer us.
Aries represents the principle of self-interest - Aries shows you what you need to flourish and be happy, and how to take what you need to flourish and be happy, regardless of how other people might feel about it. Aries represents the healthiest kind of self-interest rooted in proper boundaries and self-care.
Aries is not just healthy self-interest, but also achievement and success from self-interest. It’s not just a battle but a successful battle in which absolute goodness triumphs over darkness, and everyone’s lives are immeasurably better for it. Aries heralds joy, enthusiasm, and the enactment of a bright future. Aries heralds happiness and unshakeable, almost naive enthusiasm at the possibilities that the future holds.
On a material, practical level, the placement of the Sun in Aries creates fast-acting change. Civic events move forward quickly. Companies, organizations, and social circles receive an infusion of new energy, life, and enthusiasm. People make decisions that set the course for the rest of the year. Historically, this was a time when city-states and nations would go to war.
On an internal, spiritual level, Aries season is the best time to identify what you need to be happy and then claim it for yourself. Aries shows you what you need to do for yourself, bracketing what others might expect of you, or what you think others might be expecting of you. Aries shows you how to claim victory over your life.
This is not the time to become burdened by the perspectives and opinions of those around you - this kind of reflection is better suited for Libra season. Now is the time to identify what you need and take it.
What do you need to be happy? What is your soul calling you to do? How can you vanquish the suffering and darkness within your own life?
This is the pivotal season for action. Do not hesitate - act. Move forward. This is not the time to pause, think, reflect, and deliberate. You had all of winter to do that. Now is the time to act in the moment. Honor your impulsive aspects and components of your character that want to move forward and initiate quickly, unencumbered by deliberative indecision and the bureaucracy of the mind.
This season privileges initiative. Your actions during this period will set the timbre and direction for the remainder of the year. This is the moment to implement the insights and reflections you labored for during wintertime. Now is your chance to capitalize on your dreams and create the life of your choosing.
Aspects-wise, there are some fortunate and unfortunate configurations to watch out for that will affect the Sun during movement through this sign.
First off, the Sun forms a conjunction to Saturn during this year’s Aries season. There will be more roadblocks, hurdles, and obstacles arising during this period. You may feel at times like your progress is being slowed down. Frustrating and stressful circumstances are more likely to arise and impede your progress.
As this Aries season continues, Mars and Saturn will begin to apply in a conjunction that perfects on the 18th of April. This alignment will be extremely turbulent. On a global level, I unfortunately think that both the Mars-Saturn and Sun-Saturn aspects will mire the world in deeper conflict.
As these issues come up for you personally, make sure not to make impulsive decisions or to respond too dramatically to the issues that arise. It will require discernment to navigate how to do what is best for yourself while not unecessarily ignoring the needs of otheres.
An exalted Jupiter in Cancer forms a square to the Sun during this period. This promises more help and support for you from allies, teachers, and people in positions of authority, but it often comes through work and trials. You can get rewards and good fortune, but you have to work for it. Don’t be afraid to ask others for advice and input, especially if you have trouble attuning to what is more important to you.
As we build up to the Mars-Saturn conjunction during this season, it is more important now than ever to keep up with our own spiritual practices and continue to maintain a balanced, connected lifestyle, to ensure that we can be of the best possible service to those around us who are suffering.
As always, I recommend spending as much time outside with your bare feet on the earth as possible to flow gracefully with this shift, especially as the natural world has just undergone one of the four most pivotal shifts of the year. This is especially important now that we are transitioning from the half of the year where darkness dominates to the half of the year where the light dominates.
Lepidolite creates peace and serenity without bringing any sedation. As a result, it is a good stone for staying centered and grounded while still having the energy to act. Ruby (raw ruby is very inexpensive) opens up the heart and strengthens one’s connection to their willpower. It is a good choice for people who easily fall into inertia and lack the motivation to act.
Vigorous sun salutations done in the morning facing the east are an excellent way to connect with the power of the Sun, which is currently exalted in this sign. Amongst other things, Sun salutations open up the heart and spine and greatly strengthen the core. A strong core with an open heart is exactly what you’ll need to make the most of this Aries season. This is a good time for making solar talismans, and engaging in Sun ritual.
Do what you can to achieve victory in your personal sphere. Despite the hindrances and obstacles that the world may throw at you, do your best to live your dharma. No matter how wild your the world affairs may become, you can hold true to your own calling and know you’ve done your part to make the earth a better place.