Aries is rarely patient, impulsively moving through the world as if their hair is on fire. This eager quality can get them ahead or cause them to crash and burn. While I have no evidence, save for a Catholic upbringing, an art history degree and a working knowledge of astrology, I’m willing to bet that Judas Iscariot was an Aries. The challenge for this ilk is calibrating what is and isn’t worth waiting for. Because when an Aries does manage to employ patience, the results are powerful – see Beat poet Bob Kaufman who, upon hearing of the assassination of John F. Kennedy, took a legendary decade-long vow of silence, breaking it on the day the Vietnam War ended by walking into a coffee shop and reciting his absolute banger of a poem, “All Those Ships That Never Sailed.” Patience practiced – power found.
Tarot
In the Major Arcana of the Tarot, Aries is represented by the Emperor card. The card depicts a stately male figure seated on a throne adorned with ram heads – a nod to Aries and a very rock ‘n’ roll furniture choice. The Emperor is dressed in battle armor, a reminder of the wars that have been fought and the wars yet to come. On one hand, he holds a scepter, denoting his position as ruler; in the opposite hand, he cradles an orb symbolizing the kingdom he is charged with protecting. His long beard represents the wisdom of experience, while the mountains behind him are emblematic of his ambitions. The Emperor and Aries energy, at its highest expression, serves as a reminder that we must be prepared to fight, but only with sound strategy and for the betterment of the collective. The lesson: it is not enough to rule – you must protect. It is not enough to gain power; you must cultivate self-control.
First House
In astrology, Aries rules the First House of the self. First House energy is associated with consciousness, physical appearance, ego and identity. Within the birth chart, the sign on the cusp of the First House is known as the ascendant or rising sign. The sign and planets that occupy the First House are indicative of the kind of childhoods we experience, as well as the tools we carry along our path to actualization.
see also
In terms of the human body, Aries is associated with the head, face and eyes; apropos for a sign that tends to lead with their horns, running full force without fully considering the consequences of their collisions. Further, based on personal research, I’m pretty sure Aries blink at half the rate of any other zodiac sign. The concentration of vital energy above the shoulders imbues Aries with inspiration and willpower and leaves them vulnerable to stress and anxiety, prone to blowing their respective tops, so to speak.
Compatibility
Determining true astrological compatibility is a delicate dance that includes the cross-examination of birth charts in a process known as symmetry. I highly recommend a synastry reading sometime between getting to second base and adopting a pet together. For our general purposes, however, the following signs have a solid shot at sticking it out.
Aries finds grounding and a formidable force to be reckoned with in Fixed Earth sign Taurus. These two will inevitably lock horns, though Aries will benefit from Taurean practicality while Taurus will be blessedly beckoned out of the comfort zone of their pasture. Also, both like to party, so any discord can be worked out via a dance-off. The romance between former couple Lara Flynn Boyle (Aries) and Jack Nicholson (Taurus) allegedly began when handsome Jack asked Lara out in front of her boyfriend. Proof that fortune, and every Aries ever, favors the bold.