Tag Archives: Aries

Ask Real Astrologers: Does Precession Mean I’m Not an Aries?

This week’s question comes from Carolyn in Seattle, Washington:

I have always thought of myself as an Aries, my whole life. I was looking at a website that said as of 2009, the sun is in Aries from April 19 to May 15. I have always known it as March 20-April 21 (ish). Does this affect my personal star sign, or does it only matter when I was born, not when my birthday is?

This is a great question, Carolyn, and one I’m asked often. What makes it so confusing is that we’re talking about two separate systems of tracking planetary movements. It’s comparing apples and oranges.

The zodiac is the belt of constellations along the ecliptic, the path the Sun makes in the sky throughout the year. The Sun currently moves through the constellation of Aries from April 19 to May 14, but it is in the sign of Aries from roughly March 21 to April 20. The exact dates vary slightly from year to year. The scientific community observes the movements of the Sun against the actual constellations, while astrologers refer to the Sun in the signs.

As the article you cited in your e-mail explains, this discrepancy didn’t always exist, but arose due to a phenomenon called the precession of the equinoxes. When astrology was first developed thousands of years ago, Aries was on the eastern horizon at sunrise on the spring equinox. But because of the tilt of the earth on its axis, this point has shifted backwards.

To address precession, astrologers in ancient Greece devised a system whereby the sky was divided into 12 parts, with 30 degrees assigned to each sign, starting with 0 degrees Aries on the spring equinox. This is the basis of our popular Western astrology, and it applies to the date you were born and every birthday in your lifetime. Even for those born on the cusp, you are the sign you were born under. That’s why it’s so important to look up your chart and not rely on the dates given in horoscopes in the current year. Further, if you were born on a day when the sign changed, it’s critical that you have your birth time, or you won’t know for sure what sign you are.

Now, at the risk of confusing you further, there are other branches of astrology that use calculations closer to the Sun’s actual path through the constellations. The most widespread of these is Vedic astrology, which is practiced throughout India and other Eastern countries. According to that system, Carolyn, you would be a Pisces from birth.

But unless you want to convert to that system and completely ignore Western astrology, you should consider yourself an Aries and not worry another minute that you’re anything but an Aries.

To anyone who would like to know more about the origins of astrology, I highly recommend the A&E “Ancient Mysteries” series, with Leonard Nimoy as host. You can find it, along with several other recommendations, in the RealAstrologers bookstore (yes, that’s where all my book links went!).

Pat

Got a quick question? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers. You must use this form to contact me, or I won’t get your question. I do read all of your questions, although I am sorry that I can’t answer them all. If you need immediate guidance or in-depth advice, please contact me for a private consultation. THANKS!

Ask Real Astrologers: How Will the T-Square Affect My Sign?

As the cardinal T-square approaches its peak, I’m receiving many questions from readers wanting to know how it’s going to affect them personally.

How will the grand cross, August 6th timeframe, affect my astrological sign and therefore me? ~ Stephanie, Manhattan, Kansas.

Can you give your insight about what the current planetary transits mean to me? I also know a little about astrology. I am a Cancer with Mercury in Cancer as well. I have three planets in Libra and, not to mention, I am an Aries Rising. My life is in total mess right now. I lost my job, and my relationship with my parents and family is in chaos. I am in huge debt. Even my love life is in total huge question.
~ Ann, United Arab Emirates

Stephanie, you are a Virgo, but you didn’t supply a birth time, so we don’t know what sign is on your Ascendant. This makes it impossible to know what houses in your natal chart are being affected by the cardinal T-square, which briefly will become a grand cross on August 6, when the Moon is in Cancer.

Still, I thought your question was worth taking, because it allows me to explain a few things about Sun sign astrology and why knowing your birth time can change chart interpretations considerably.

First, there is no way to say that “all Virgos” will be affected the same way by the T-square/grand cross. Although many popular horoscopes make predictions by Sun sign, the degree of your Sun is very important. Early Virgos will not be affected in the same way as late Virgos.

In your case, you have the Sun in the early degrees of Virgo, so on Aug. 6, the Moon-Pluto opposition actually will be quite nicely positioned relative to your Virgo Sun, and this could turn out to be advantageous for you. It’s a great time to make positive changes in your life, and if you are facing serious challenges, you should be able to summon the strength, motivation, and resources to push through them.

With a birth time, we not only would have the house positions of the planets, but we would know what other planets and key chart points were being activated by the T-square. Then it would be possible to determine which areas of your life are most affected and where you could apply your efforts to make the best use of this cosmic wind to your back.

Ann, you have six planets and all four chart angles in cardinal signs, so one might think you would be getting slammed on all sides by this planetary configuration.

However, as I pointed out to Stephanie, degree counts. As it turns out, your chart angles are in the later degrees of the cardinal signs and so will not be activated by this T-square, and the only planet you have in the early degrees of the cardinals signs, where the T-square is taking place, is Mercury at 0 degrees Cancer.

That’s plenty difficult enough, though. It means that all of the T-square planets are in conflict with your natal Mercury, which rules communications and some social interactions. When Pluto is opposite Mercury, we can get into situations in which we try to subtly or not-so-subtly pressure others into thinking as we do. Naturally, this meets with resistance, and it can be severe enough that relationships break down entirely.

As with most Pluto transits, it is necessary to learn detachment and to relinquish control over others. In some cases, the tables are turned, and we feel constantly pressured to think like someone else. If this is what you’re facing, then you have no choice but to stand up for yourself and not give in, but it sure can wear you down.

Saturn square Mercury is in some ways even more troublesome, as you tend not to be able to communicate very well, and then you end up feeling lonely, isolated, and unloved. It’s probably not true, but that’s how you feel, and for Cancer, feeling is believing.

Aside from the T-square, it’s important to note that you are approaching your first Saturn return, which everyone experiences around 28 or 29 years old. If you have been moving in the right direction in life, this milestone transit can be validating. If you’re off course or on the wrong track entirely, everything in your life can break down at this time, and you might meet severe hardship and locked doors everywhere you turn. It’s all important information to tell you that you need to follow another path toward fulfillment of your life’s purpose.

My first Saturn return was hell; I experienced all of the issues you list and then some. But it made me realize that I had to make significant changes in my life. Once I did that, many doors opened for me. I truly hope this will be the case for you, too.

Thank you both for writing. Wishing you much love and courage.
Pat

Weekly Forecast March 16: Spring Equinox

Statue of a ram from ancient Sumer We’ve had snow here three days in the past week, but the rhododendrons are budding, so spring has got to be on the way!

The big news this week, of course, is the spring equinox (fall for our many readers south of the equator). This is the moment that the Sun enters the sign of Aries, the first sign of the zodiac. It’s the beginning of the astrological year and time for new projects, fresh beginnings, renewed optimism … in short, getting off your butt and getting moving.

In theory, anyway. People everywhere are telling me that they are just plain tired. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of energy for new projects. Then, maybe a shift to Aries is what we all need to get some motivation and enthusiasm.

The equinox isn’t until Friday, so this actually is a great week for finishing up anything on your plate. I have a couple of projects that feel like great weights, and I’m going to make a concerted effort this week to get them done, once and for all.

Venus continues on her retrograde path, making this a good time to go back and focus on certain activities, particularly those involving relationships, money, or what we value. Questioning what you value could be a fruitful exercise in the next few weeks, especially if you’re having difficulty getting what you want. Do you really want it, and why? Are you getting it at the expense of what you hold dear?

Otherwise, there’s not a lot going on this week — which may turn out to be a good thing if you’re trying to get old stuff out of the way. You may feel a blip on Wednesday, when Mercury in Pisces opposes Saturn in Virgo, and another on Sunday, when Mercury conjoins Uranus (late Saturday in western time zones). Events associated with this alignment won’t necessarily be disruptive. To the contrary, you may get some great ideas for solutions to the issues you’ve been facing with the Saturn-Uranus opposition.

Also on Wednesday, Mars opposes Ceres, who has backed all the way up to the first degree of Virgo as she prepares to return direct in April. I’m still observing Ceres in individual charts and have to be honest with you that I’m not sure what this aspect will bring. I’d love to hear from you, especially if you’re a Virgo or have strong Virgo in your chart, if anything happens in your life around Wednesday that could be related to this aspect. Issues possibly related to Ceres include diet and digestion and how we serve others, whether formally through our jobs or informally through our day-to-day circumstances. With Mars opposing Ceres, we would expect some sort of flare-up in one of these areas. Examples might be a case of food poisoning or a severe allergic reaction to something you eat.

On Thursday (late Wednesday on the West Coast of the United States and points west), Mars sextiles Pluto. Unless this aspect hits personal planets or critical degrees in your chart, I doubt you’ll feel it. If it does make close contact, you should get some extra energy reserves to push forward with a pet project or plow through opposition. As always with Pluto, you need to make sure that your motivations aren’t purely selfish, or your efforts will backfire.

Love and blessings to all …
Pat

Image: Ram Caught in a Thicket, statuette from ancient Sumer (modern-day Iraq) made of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, copper, shell, red limestone, and bitumen, ca. 2650–2550 B.C. This amazing artifact is part of the permanent collection of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. The sacrificed ram is repeated throughout ancient mythology. In the story of Jason and the golden fleece, the winged ram from which it came becomes the constellation of Aries.

Reflections on the Full Moon in Scorpio

In many ways the Full Moon on April 20 at 0° Scorpio 43′ feels to me like an extension of the New Moon in Aries. The zero-degree point is obviously associated with beginnings and, of course, Aries is the starting place in the zodiac. We are being offered an opportunity to build on what was started on the New Moon in Aries.

Each Full Moon in fire and air is always followed by a Full Moon in earth and water, with the exception of the upcoming lunar cycle. We are going to be spending extra time with earth and water over the next lunar month.

Fire and air need earth and water to take something from a spark of an idea to actual manifestation. Watching spring growth unfold with great speed over the past few days was an excellent example of this principle in action. We had plenty of moisture (water) available in the soil (earth) for seeds (air) to germinate but had been lacking warmth (fire). Three days of temperatures around 70 degrees F was enough to kick-start all kinds of growth – truly amazing to watch.

The zero-degree Full Moon in Scorpio (water and earth) has the potential to take the seeds planted on the Libra Full Moon (air) and really make them grow. The New Moon in Aries (fire) provided the necessary heat. I know firsthand how this works because the partnership between Pat and I gelled around the Libra Full Moon, we went public on the New Moon in Aries, and now we are in the manifestation stage approaching the Full Moon in Scorpio. However we are both aware we need to continue to nurture the growth of our website with care over the next month or so in particular. I anticipate the second Full Moon at 29° Scorpio 27′ will find us well launched and hard at work responding to our clients.

A couple of patterns in the sky at the Full Moon supporting the growth of new ventures are the grand trine in earth (Pluto in Capricorn, Saturn in Virgo, Sun in Taurus) and Mars in Cancer still opposing Jupiter in Capricorn, but this time it’s Venus in Aries as part of the cardinal T-square. We also still have the delightful sextile between Uranus in Pisces and Jupiter keeping us flexible and open to revision. So we are well grounded in realistic expectations with our energy source in place, but this climate is better suited to promoting existing ideas due to the shortage of planets in air signs. The next time to come up with new ideas is on the New Moon in Gemini on June 3 . . . but that’s for another day!

posted by Neith . . .

The photo is one I took showing the new growth of willow leaves against our old wood shed. Neith

Looking for a Sign of Love

Researchers in the UK have just released the results of a study showing that facial features reveal whether someone you’re interested in just wants to have a good time or is looking for a long-term commitment.

“Lots of previous studies have shown that people can judge a lot about a person from their face, including things like health and even some personality traits like introversion,” says Dr. Ben Jones of the University of Aberdeen’s Face Research Lab. “But this really is the first study to show that people are also sensitive to subtle facial signals about the type of romantic relationships that others might enjoy.”

Well, Dr. Jones, a good astrologer could have told you that and a lot more! And we wouldn’t have drawn the same old gender-based conclusion that women look for a lasting relationship, while men just want a good roll in the hay (they actually pay people money for this?).

Your physical appearance is reflected in your birth chart, especially your Ascendant, also called your Rising sign, which can literally represent the face you present to the world. Does that mean that all Rising Leos look alike? Of course not. The interplay between your Sun, Moon, Rising sign, and planets near the Ascendant is complex and very individual. But there are detectable patterns.

I have a friend with a lot of Aries in her chart. Her profile almost resembles a sheep, with a straight, barely protruding nose. I met another Aries at a party once and immediately pegged him as a Ram. He had two spots on either side of his broad forehead where you could almost see the horns sprouting.

You can tell a Scorpio or Rising Scorpio by the eyes. They’re unusual in some way, whether by the size or color or by the intensity of their gaze. Pisces or Rising Pisces often has large eyes and “fish lips.” My all-time favorite example is Liza Minnelli (born March 12, 1946).

According to the University of Aberdeen study, men with more “masculine” looks are out for a good time, while those who are more feminine are more likely to want some type of commitment. They qualify that this applies to young people, implying that at some point, facial features are no longer a consideration. That certainly was true for Charlton Heston, the quintessential Hollywood manly man. As Neith explained in her recent post, his birth chart strongly indicated a preference for commitment.

A research project called Astrofaces is attempting to draw correlations between people’s Sun, Moon, and Rising signs and their facial features. Frankly, I put more stock in this research than in an academic study that attempts to quantify dating behavior and reinforces outdated notions that men want sex while women want love.

Pat

Don’t know your Moon or Rising sign? Get Pat’s Bare Essentials Sun-Moon-Rising report!

Announcing the birth of RealAstrologers.com

Welcome you to our new website, RealAstrologers.com!

In astrology, timing is everything, which is why we chose the New Moon in Aries to unveil our project. Aries is the first sign of the Zodiac, and this New Moon is teeming with energy to begin new ventures and embark on new journeys.

We’ve been working like crazy people since the Full Moon in Libra in March to get this project up and running. However, the seeds were planted during the shadow phase of the Mars retrograde last fall. The shadow phase finally was over yesterday, and Mars rules this New Moon, so it’s no coincidence that we are launching our endeavor now.

It has been a joint enterprise all the way, with both of us working on all aspects of site design and content development. We both love the results of our labors, and we are eager to share it with all of you.

As we have discovered over the past couple of years posting comments on each other’s blogs, we bring different but complementary perspectives to the table. Although we hope to engage a broader readership here, we also want to encourage everyone who visits this site to stop by Neith.net, Neith on Synastry, and The Pisces Chronicles. We’ll be doing a lot of cross-posting, and we’ll be responding to comments and questions there.

We’re thrilled about this opportunity to work with each other, and we’re sure that all who step into our new home will enjoy the dialogue among our community of friends and neighbors. Yup, astro-lessons for everyone!! :-D

So come by, wander around, leave us a comment or two, and be prepared for new and interesting changes . . . after all, we’re both Uranian types!