The Moon du Jour
THE MOON IS IN HEROIC ARIES
When the Moon zips into Aries, we are roused, rather abruptly, out of the soft, Piscean dreamtime. Our batteries, recharged during the two-and-a-half days we've floated in Neptune's Sea of Love, are humming and we're off to the races, ready to tackle life head-on once more.
Enthusiasm and energy often surge during the Aries Moon, along with an almost impatient need to get out and do something. What kinds of things? Well, just about anything — new! When the Moon transits Aries we are inspired to initiate: start an exciting hobby, try that new café, venture down some promising road not yet taken. (Robert Frost by the way was an Aries.) At the end of this often busy two-and-a-half day cycle, you may find you have several plates spinning in the air simultaneously — and no sweat! What ordinarily exhausts us, is now exhilarating.
The Aries archetype is well represented by the Tarot "Emperor" who symbolizes powerful leadership, in its positive and active male aspect. The card shown here, from the Rider-Waite deck, shows the Emperor sitting on a throne adorned with four ram's heads, a symbol of Aries and Mars. In his right hand he holds the Crux Ansata, the Cross of Life or Egyptian Ankh (a hieroglyph that means, "eternal life"), and in his left hand he holds the globe of dominion. The background scenery consists of bare, red mountains, another symbol of Mars. The Emperor's number is four, the stable cube or square. Four is the number of reality, the material universe, structure, logic, reason — and power that comes from a solid foundation. The Emperor faces life with courage and fortitude.
The Aries Moon is an ideal time for experimenting, the seeking of experience as an end, in and of itself. Aries' important contribution is to see life as the hero's journey (Joseph Campbell: also Aries), encouraging us to NOT be afraid to experience life in all its joys and sorrows. Right now, we are called to give something new a shot — get the ball rolling and the juices flowing in some exciting way. Today we probably won't just think about doing something, but we'll actually do it. When the Moon leaves Aries and enters Taurus soon, the vibe will be very different, much more deliberate and consolidating, and then we can more effectively mull over the many spinning plates, selecting those most promising and worthy of our time. But until then, over the next couple of days, have fun with the unfamiliar, the untried, and the unknown.
Aries Keywords: independent, assertive, courageous, ebullient, passionate, enthusiastic
Famous Aries (in no particular order): Alec Baldwin, Abraham Maslow, Arturo Toscanini, Barbara Kingsolver, Bette Davis, Booker T. Washington, Billie Holiday, Christian Slater, Christopher Walken, Chuck Norris, Colin Powell, David Letterman, Diana Ross, Doris Day, Eddie Murphy, Elton John, Erica Jong, Gloria Steinem, Gregory Peck, Henry James, Hugh Hefner, Joseph Campbell, Leonardo Da Vinci, Marcel Marceau, Marlon Brando, Maya Angelou, Quentin Tarantino, René Descartes, Richard Dawkins, Robert Frost, Russell Crowe, Sara Jessica Parker, Shirley Jones, Seamus Heaney, Spencer Tracy, Tennessee Williams, Thomas Jefferson, Thornton Wilder
Gemstones: Ruby, Diamond, Citrine, Carnelian, Bloodstone, Garnet, Red Jasper, Ruby, Topaz, Fire Agate
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The image of the constellation of Aries at the beginning of this article, is from A Familiar Treatise on Astronomy by Jehoshaphat Aspin (nom de plume) published in 1825. Digital scan of this image was obtained from the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Washington, DC. The Emperor Tarot card is from the Rider-Waite deck. Authored by A. E. Waite and illustrated by Pamela Coleman, it was originally published in 1909 in England by Rider and Company.
© 2012 Elaine Kalantarian, all rights reserved