Aries 2009 - Pioneering Self Reliant Fire Spirits

by Robert Wilkinson

April features the Cardinal Fire sign Aries, where we leap into a new Solar year with all the strength and speed symbolized by this energetic sign. This first sign of the zodiac shows it's time to cut loose and direct our energy and inspiration to new projects, relationships, and initiatives.

Aries indicates how we act swiftly on our most urgent imperatives. When Aries energies are present, it's time to generate momentum and embrace new ways with speed and radical self-sufficiency, bringing forth new seeds from the harvest of the past 12 months.

Aries is the beginning or renewal of the light/life force. We now can learn to act autonomously with power and determination in highly effective ways. The Sun in Aries shines the light of wisdom on the principle of “economy of energy” in the various departments of our life and affairs.

It’s the beginning of Spring, which began at the Vernal Equinox on March 20, 2009 at 4:44 am PDT (12:44 pm Greenwich time). The light force is growing and the days are getting longer for the next 3 months. Due to Mars, the ruler of Aries, being in Pisces the first three weeks of April, this has been a time of greeting the new as we sort things out, taking one last look back as we find new ways to relate to others while expressing your new self and ideas.

Aries is symbolically associated with the god of war, being quick to anger and equally quick to turn from battle and enjoy life in the moment. Mythologically, this sign of the Ram is in the axis of the Lover, or Relator. This sign (along with its polar opposite, Libra) shows us the dance of relationship between self and others, the “I-Thou” lessons we learn as we interact with others along our life path. Where Aries falls in our chart, it shows the part of us willing to do something new and different, and act on it, even if impulsively.

Aries, when freed of the traps of impulsive behavior, egocentric judgments, being too quick to anger and too quick to bail when they lose interest in something, show their world a dynamic self-reliance and pioneering vision that leads the way for others without concern over whether others follow or not. Aries is highly self-sufficient, quick to bring their total focus to situations, and loathes dishonesty and betrayal.

They are simply themselves in all circumstances. The challenge for anyone with strong Aries energy is to be the best possible self and nothing less. This is shown by how fair, balanced, or gracious they are in their approach to others.

Aries' initiative comes forth naturally, and instinctively embraces whatever is new and fresh. In fact, in our charts Aries shows us the way to be first in the areas of life it influences. When Aries’ tremendous energy learns to slow down, consider other options, and not be so quick to take offense, this sign offers others a refreshing honesty and directness. Aries energies show everyone how to be themselves, taking the lead in the affairs of life without excessive equivocation or extraneous judgments interfering with their ability to act.

Think Thomas Jefferson, perhaps the greatest American president. This pioneer crafted the American Constitution, created the University of Virginia, and bought the Louisiana territory in a daring and quick move that more than doubled the land area of this country, letting Congress argue about it after the fact.

Other pioneers in their field, or the first to lead us into a new vision of human possibilities, were Leonardo DaVinci, legendary inventor, philosopher, artist, and possibly the most important innovator in history, Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman on the Supreme Court, and Son House, blues pioneer and inspiration for Robert Johnson, Aries Muddy Waters, and Sag Jimi Hendrix.

Two bright Aries trailblazers in human rights were Cesar Chavez, who organized farm workers and became the living icon of their struggles for humane working conditions, and my old friend Vine DeLoria, in his words "the only doctor, lawyer, AND Indian Chief in history." Vine helped create the American Indian Movement, the international indigenous people's movement, and a body of law and lawyers that could someday help to correct the flagrant abuses and treaty violations of past US governments. RIP Vine - we all miss you.

Other innovators include Akira Kurosawa, the pioneering film director whose techniques and movies still serve as models for emulators many decades later, epic filmmaker David Lean, dance pioneer Arthur Murray, Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Sitar master Ravi Shankar, and Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy and promoter of the “Playboy lifestyle.”

Famous Aries in the political arena include President John Tyler, Uninaugurated President and Nobel Laureate Al Gore, First Lady Betty Ford, Ethel Kennedy, Otto Von Bismark, Nikita Khrushchev, Kofi Annan, John Major, and Colin Powell. I suppose we can also include NATO, conceived as an efficient and cooperative war machine, a fitting task for an Aries.

In the field of literature we have such distinguished names as Descartes, Henry James, Charlotte Bronte, Emile Zola, William Wordsworth, Robert Frost, A.E. (G.W. Russell), Henrik Ibsen, Tennessee Williams, Samuel Beckett, Washington Irving, Maxim Gorky, Eudora Welty, Thorton Wilder, Hans Christian Andersen, Thomas Dewey, Leo Buscaglia, Bob Woodward, Maya Angelou, Anne McCaffrey, and Gloria Steinem. In the art world we have Raphael, Vincent Van Gogh, Barbara Beretich, and Goya.

The film world features some of the greats of all time, featuring innovators like Charlie Chaplin, Francis Ford Coppola, Toshiro Mifune, Roger Corman, and Walter Huston.

Aries superstar actors include such legendary leading men as Spencer Tracy, William Holden, Gregory Peck, Marlon Brando, Steve McQueen, James Garner, Omar Sharif, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Warren Beatty, Billy Dee Williams, David Janssen, James Caan, Michael York, William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy.

Other timeless Aries film stars include Sir Michael Redgrave, Lon Cheney, Max Von Sydow, Ed Begley Sr., Rod Steiger, John Gielgud, Joel Grey, Chico Marx, Alec Guinness, Jack Webb, Ward Bond, Anthony Perkins, Karl Malden, Dirk Bogarde, Harold Niclolas, and Peter Ustinov.

Modern major league players feature Spike Lee, Quentin Tarantino, Alan Arkin, Eddie Murphy, Christopher Walken, Alec Baldwin, William Hurt, Robert Downey Jr., Russell Crowe, Steven Segal, Matthew Broderick, Bud Cort, James Woods, Eric Idle, Phillip Austin, Timothy Dalton, Jackie Chan, Dennis Quaid, Andy Garcia, Matthew Modine, Matt Doran, Ewan McGregor, Eric Roberts, Seth Rogen, Jonathan Brandis, Hayden Christensen, Avery Schreiber, Gary Oldman, Vince Vaughn, and Haley Joel Osment.

There are so many famous Aries actresses they get their own special section. Timeless talents include Mary Pickford, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Doris Day, Barbara Hale, Debbie Reynolds, Shirley Jones, Ali MacGraw, Julie Christie, Ann Miller, Marsha Mason, Haley Mills, Claudia Cardinale, Simone Signoret, Edie Adams, Jane Mansfield, Olivia Hussey, Vicki Lawrence, Rhea Perlman, and Elizabeth Montgomery.

Contemporary female talent features Reese Witherspoon, Sarah Jessica Parker, Emma Thompson, Lara Flynn Boyle, Cynthia Nixon, Christine Lahti, Keira Knightley, Claire Danes, Kate Hudson, Ashley Judd, Jennifer Grey, Lena Olin, Rosie O'Donnell, Diane Wiest, Marilu Henner, Linda Hunt, Ellen Barkin, Louise Lasser, Michael Learned, Amanda Plummer, Bonnie Bedelia, Patricia Arquette, Sarah Buxton, Shannon Doherty, Jennifer Garner, Annabella Sciorra, Amy Smart, Julia Stiles, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Lucy Lawless, Emma Watson, Abigail Breslin, Melissa Joan Hart, Keri Russell, Alyson Hannigan, Juliandra Gillen, Lucy Lawless, Brenda Song, America Ferrera, Jennie Garth, Maria Bello, Candace Cameron, Ari Meyers, Paulina Porizkova, Amanda Bynes, Annie Wersching, Kristen Stewart, Hedeaki Takizawa, Elle Fanning, and Sarah Michelle Gellar. It is said that Aries looks 10 to 15 years younger than they are, and this beautiful bunch certainly prove that's true!

Outstanding male luminaries of the golden and silver ages of television include Buddy Ebsen, John Astin, Richard Chamberlain, John Cameron Swayze, Ivan Dixon, Chuck Connors, Henry Morgan, Tony Dow, Don Adams, Frank Gorshin, Howard Keel, Philip Ahn, Gale Storm, Wayne Rogers, Gabe Kaplan, Gordon Jump, Lyle Waggoner, David Frost, David Cassidy, and Harry Reasoner, with a special nod to Joseph Barbera, cartoon creator.

Newer teevee male talent include major leaguers David Letterman, Conan O'Brian, Martin Short, David Hyde Pierce, Ken Howard, Craig T. Nelson, Zach Braff, Martin Lawrence, John Ratzenberger, Rick Schroder, Meshach Taylor, Austin Peck, William Daniels, and Nicholas Brendon.

Among musicians we have daring pioneers such as J.S. Bach, the first composer allowed to write in a minor key by the church, F. Josef Hayden, Beethoven’s teacher and the first composer to master the Classical style, and Leo Stokowski, the conductor who starred in “Fantasia,” the first animated feature. Other Aries greats in classical music are Sergei Rachmaninoff, Bela Bartok Modest Mussorgsky, and Arturo Toscanini.

A Sun in Aries shines out in some of the most famous blues pioneers, including Bessie Smith, Billie Holliday, Pearl Bailey, Sarah Vaughan, Muddy Waters, and Mance Lipscomb. Other Aries musical innovators include Tom Wilson, Herb Alpert, Henry Mancini, Harold Nicholas, Dusty Springfield, Andre Previn, Herbie Mann, Steven Sondheim, Carl Perkins, Jan Berry, Hoyt Axton, Andrew Lloyd Webber, George Benson, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Major Lance, Rufus Thomas, Rudy Isley, Don Gibson, Frankie Laine, Merle Haggard, Roy Clark, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Teddy Pendergrass, Tiny Tim, Loretta Lynn, and Brill Building hitmaker Jeff Barry.

More modern Aries musical stars include Eric Clapton, Herbie Hancock, Elton John, Leon Russell, Norah Jones, Ric Ocasek, Emmylou Harris, Tracy Chapman, Max Weinberg, Susan Boyle, Chester Bennington, Jack Casady, Malford Milligan, Celine Dion, Chaka Khan, Mariah Carey, Agnetha Faltskog, Hannah Spearitt, Dave Keuning, Steve Howe, Jimmy Cliff, Andrew Lippman, Julian Lennon, Steven Tyler, Ritchie Blackmore, Janis Ian, Sharon Corr, Scott Moffatt, Luis Miguel Basteri, Patrick Carney, Victoria Beckham, Stephanie Mills, Paul Miles, Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson, Xuxa, Brendon Urie, Nick Hexum, Art Alexakis, Jesse McCartney, Leona Lewis, Rachel Stevens, Mandy Moore, David Gavurin, Lil McClarnon, Liz Phair, and Joss Stone.

Among philosophers and spiritual figures, we list such greats as Thomas Hobbes, who challenged Descartes (two Aries at philosophical war!), noted mythologist Joseph Campbell, and Richard Alpert (Baba Ram Dass), a 60’s pioneer in metaphysical explorations who brought the ageless wisdom to America in compassionate and powerful forms. This sign has produced several notable astrologers, including Dane Rudhyar, Sepharial, and in case you hadn’t figured yet, yours truly, the April Fool himself.

A few pioneering or outstanding Aries sports figures include legends "Pop" Warner, Cy Young, Sonja Henie, Roger Bannister, Howard Cosell, and chessmaster Gary Kasparov.

Some more outstanding Aries personalities that rose to the top of their fields include Booker T. Washington, Harry Houdini, David Blaine, Clarence Darrow, Florenz Zigfield, Wilbur Wright, Jane Goodall, Lowell Thomas, Joseph Pulitzer, Walter Winchell, Philip Austin, Yuri Bookinsan, Mr. Rogers, Marlon Perkins, Casanova, J.P. Morgan, Marcel Marceau, Abraham Maslow, Wehrner Von Braun, Oleg Cassini, Liz Claiborne, and Marvin Yagoda. Each of these was either unique in their efforts, or the first to do what they are remembered for, self-sufficient and standing firm whether others approved or not.

Finally, a big birthday greeting goes out to the countries of Canada, England, Germany, Iceland, Japan (trad.), Lebanon, Lithuania, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Syria, and Wales.

There are no states ruled by Aries, but we send birthday wishes out to the cities of Birmingham, Blackburn, Leicester, Oldham (UK), Brunswick (Ger), Capua, Cracow, Florence, Galatia, Marseilles, Naples, Padua, Saragossa, Utrecht, Berkeley, Petaluma, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Pueblo, Stamford, Fort Lauderdale, Springfield, Wichita, Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Mankato, Joplin, Great Falls, Henderson, Elizabeth, Paterson, Albuquerque, Binghamton, Ithaca, Syracuse, Utica, Durham, Portland (OR), Harrisburg, Erie, Nashville, Lubbock, Odessa, Oshkosh, and Wausau.

© Copyright 2009 Robert Wilkinson

(As with all the signs and their superstars across time, please forgive any omissions or errors. I use the best possible sources at my disposal, and am always open to input from my readers about people and places I've left out, or needed corrections. Most of the signs attributed to countries comes from "The Rulership Book," 1971 Ed., by Rex E. Bills, using traditional attributions, which may not reflect newer constitutional developments.)

Comments

[Debra]

Hi Robert,

You mentioned Canada as being an Aries, yet officially its birthday is July 1st (making it a sun sign Cancer), due to the inception of its first constitution; the British North American Act, 1867 ("BNA Act") which was signed on July 1, 1867.

On April 17, 1982 amendments were made to the BNA Act wherein its name was formally changed to the Constitution Act, 1867, due to the introduction of Constitution Act, 1982, which patriated Canada from the UK.

The latter Act provided enhancements to the former i.e. introducing a new Charter or Rights and Freedoms, among other things. It is however, an amendment and extension to the original constitution, not a replacement of it.

Today, both Acts (the Constitution Act, 1867 and the Constitution Act, 1982) make up Canada's constitution. As such, the country remains a Cancerian, with its birthdate being July 1, 1867.

[Robert]

Hi Debra - The chart for the "birth" of a country is always subject to dispute. I do not believe the US was "born" on July 4, 1776, since that was not the inception of the government. The Articles of Confederation chart works better. In Canada's case, I took the CEO Carter chart done for March 29, 1867. This came from one of the most venerable astrologers in history, from the British Journal of Astrology, which was cast for the Royal approval of the British North American Act. And yes, July 1, 1867 was wen the NAA went into effect and the Dominion of Canada came into existence. The time is in dispute, where we find 11 am, noon, and midnight (0 hour) asserted by various sources. So perhaps the Aries was its inception, and Cancer its fulfillment? (BTW, the Aries chart has Cancer rising!)

[Stevo]

Hi Robert,

I'd been meaning to ask since last fall. You have "Japan" listed in the Libra Air Spirits articles also. Is it uncertain? Such a wonderful country and culture. And although I've never been there or have known many of its people I often find it extremely inspiring. I'm also liking the idea that this might represent my Sat Aries(conj MC)opp Merc in Lib(conj IC)as an overall discipline.

[Robert]

Hi Stevo - Well, this is one quality of trying to get "accurate" national sign energies. In The Rulership Book, it is listed as primarily Libra, with Aries, Saturn, Pluto, and Scorpio in parentheses. I don't believe an outer invisible can rule a country, and who knows how Saturn got into the mix? Historically, due to its culture and way of life its people seem to have much in common with Aries.

Then we look at the Constitution. From Wikipedia: "The draft constitution was submitted... as the Bill for Revision of the Imperial Constitution... After both chambers had made some amendments the House of Peers approved the document on 6 October; it was adopted in the same form by the House of Representatives the following day.... and finally became law when it received the Emperor's assent on 3 November. Under its own terms the constitution came into effect six months later on 3 May 1947."

Apparently this government was "born" on November 3, 1946, though it states the Constitution didn't take effect until May 3, 1947. So Libra, Aries, Scorpio, or Taurus?

[Stevo]

Hi Robert,

Thanks for the research! Yes, I read the Wikipedia some time ago but sort of wrote if off as being hazy. I agree with it being "Aries". Definitely fits. But the implications of Scorpio and Taurus are interesting as well.

Either way, on a personal metaphysical level. I think it might represent the inspiration and motivation for keeping my Mars and Venus on an even keel. Japan often speaks to me of tradition, discipline, perfection, loss and regeneration and being a warrior.

Thanks again!

[Robert]

Hi Stevo - Well, there are many influences for any given country or people, and nailing down the primary ones versus those that are speculative is a real task. There's just so much stuff out there that is not that reliable, and subject to change. Figuring out the permanent from the impermanent seems to be a task that cuts across everything in our lives.