ARIES March 21–April 19

Planet: Mars

Element: Fire

Quality: Cardinal

Day: Tuesday

Season: spring

Colors: red (all shades)

Plants: red poppy, thistle, ginger

Perfume: frankincense

Gemstones: bloodstone, garnet, red jasper, fire opal

Metal: iron

Personal qualities: Honest, brave, and headstrong

Keywords

We call the following words "keywords" because they can help you unlock the core meaning of the astrological sign of Aries. Each keyword represents issues and ideas that are of supreme importance and prominence in the lives of people born with Aries as their Sun sign. You will usually find that every Aries embodies at least one of these keywords in the way she makes a living:

initiation • challenge • adventure • exploration • daring courage • honesty • competition • innocence • action aggression • energy • spontaneity • discovery • creativity

Aries' Symbolic Meaning

The first day of spring marks the beginning of the sign Aries, the symbol of which is the Ram. Each spring, the desire to mate and stake his claim to his territory drives the ram to display his fitness and bravery by butting heads with his competitors. After a few times, the one who can handle the headache and hasn't given up is the winner.

People born under the sign of Aries have a lot in common with their symbol, the Ram. They are willing to butt heads with those they think are standing in their way. Brave and headstrong, they approach matters directly and forcefully. They're always striving to get the job done quickly, and they hate deceit so much that they can sometimes be too honest for their own good.

Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, and Arians, as children of Aries are called, try to be the first in some way. They want to be independent and original. They don't like to be second or even to wait terribly long for anyone or anything, and this can make them seem impatient and aggressive if they don't get their way. They function best when they act on their first impulse and don't second-guess themselves. They value strength, survival, and the kind of vital, unstoppable nature that enables the early spring flowers to push their heads up through the hard wintered soil.

Aries is one of four Cardinal signs in the zodiac (the other three being Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn). The first day of each of these signs marks the change of season. This is why the Cardinal signs symbolize forward movement. People born during one of the Cardinal signs tend to be goal-oriented, active, enthusiastic, motivated, and ambitious individuals who initiate change and get things moving.

Aries is also one of three Fire signs (the other two being Leo and Sagittarius). People with lots of fire in their chart are active, spontaneous, enthusiastic, creative, self-sufficient, and romantic. This forceful Fire element can sometimes make an Aries too proud, bossy, or pushy, but such an individual is just expressing life's vitality and usually means no harm.

Arians often get into trouble for acting without any forethought or consideration of others. But their self-reliant personality helps them thrive when they are in charge or working alone. Their fiery, assertive, and courageous nature is always charming and charismatic.

Recognizing an Aries

People who exhibit the physical characteristics distinctive of the sign Aries have strong facial features, often with piercing eyes. Frequently dressing in original styles and bold colors, they know how to look their best. Their bodies are strong, and they walk with determination. Vital and energetic, they project an aura of pure sexiness.

Aries' Typical Behavior and Personality Traits

• willful and bossy

• daring

• moves forward, even if afraid

• direct, open, and honest

• gets things done quickly

• highly competitive, hating to lose

• self-assured

• adventurous and enterprising

• enthusiastic and optimistic

• possesses very clear goals

• likes to get her way

What Makes an Aries Tick?

More afraid of being afraid than of anything else, Arians are always trying to prove how brave they are. Arians must remember that fear and self-doubt are not signs of weakness or losing control; nor are they a guarantee of failure.

The "fight or flight" instinct is a basic characteristic of Arians. If an Aries feels even slightly afraid, the emotion makes him either lash out or panic. Rams must stay spontaneous and not let their fear cause self-defeating behavior or paralyze them into inaction and cause even more self-doubt.

The Aries Personality Expressed Positively

Aries who are driven to push the boundaries of their chosen passion display the self-reliant, confident, and resourceful personality of their sign. They realize that they are on their own, but that that is a good thing, as it motivates them to be a shining example of what it means to be your own person.

On a Positive Note

Aries displaying the positive characteristics associated with their sign also tend to be:

• action oriented, taking charge of situations

• energetic and enthusiastic

• inclined to engage in networking

• vivacious

• positive

• heroic

• guileless

• passionate

The Aries Personality Expressed Negatively

Aries who boss others around and seem to believe that they have no faults display the self-limiting tendencies of their sign. Their desire to get the job done well and quickly may cause them to treat others as lesser beings, especially those they fear may not be up to the task at hand. Aries need to be aware of their human frailties without thinking they are "bad" for having them.

Negative Traits

Aries displaying the negative characteristics associated with their sign also tend to be:

• jealous and intolerant

• recklessly impulsive

• bossy

• defiant

• immature

• insensitive

• thoughtless

• too honest

• quick to quit

Ask an Aries If ...

Ask an Aries if you want to know how to achieve your goals. He'll tell you what you should be doing and how you should be doing it. Just...