Aries
Cardinal fire sign, ruled by Mars and pictured as the ram
Aries is the first sign of the zodiac and opens the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere. It is a cardinal fire sign ruled by Mars and pictured as the ram, and its glyph is drawn as a pair of horns.
What it stands for
- initiative
- courage
- directness
- impatience
What the tradition says
Astrology describes Aries as direct, energetic and quick to start things. Its cardinal quality is the urge to be first, which is why the sign is linked with pioneers and trailblazers. The traditional shadow side is impatience and a short temper, and a reputation for starting more than it finishes.
Where it fits
As a cardinal sign, Aries opens a season in the Northern Hemisphere. Its element, fire, is shared with Leo and Sagittarius.
In tarot
The Golden Dawn tradition, which most modern tarot decks follow, links Aries with The Emperor, Two of Wands, Three of Wands and Four of Wands. The court cards of the suit that shares its element, Wands, are also loosely linked with it.
The dates are the usual tropical ones and shift by a day either way from year to year. People born close to a boundary should look at cusps.
Tarot, astrology and numerology are traditions of symbolism. This page says what the tradition associates with its subject. It does not predict anything and it is not advice.