12 Zodiac Signs & What They Mean | Astrology Charts - YouTube 12 Zodiac Signs & What They Mean | Astrology Charts Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Jan 16, 2014 Watch more How to Understand Your Astrological Chart videos: Hi, I am Jenny Lynch, and I'm talking about the zodiac signs and what they mean. So the first sign of the zodiac is Aries, and Aries is represented by a ram, okay? and is a fire sign. So we know that Aries people have the qualities of being impulsive, of being leaders, of being very impatient. They're also natural born entrepreneurs; they want to do things, they don't want to just sit here; they want to just go and do things. Taurus is the bull, does not move as fast as Aries. Taurus is grounded, is patient, but it also can be very stubborn.

So that's is one of the qualities of Tauruses, that they're fixed; once they make out their mind is hard to change it.. With the Gemini, that's the sign of the twins, they're always changing their mind, okay? Is a dual sign, is an air sign too, so qualities of Gemini are endlessly curious, very social, friendly people, intellectual too, and they like a lot of stimulation. When we get to Cancer we are talking about the sensitive side. It's the crab, and if the crab gets sensitive, it would close down and run away, but they're also very much into their family, and they're very sweet and loving people, you just have to win their trust. When it comes to Leo, Leo is the lion, roar, you've heard this before, but it does mean that the person is a very loyal person. They are very honorable generally, generous, good courteous. Those are other fine qualities. they can also be very talented. With Virgo, the Virgin. We are talking about someone who is interested in health, nutrition, who is very organized usually, although the key word here is compulsive. And so, either they'll be really neat, or they could be very sloppy.

But the main thing about Virgo is that they love to serve other people. So if you have one in your life you're quite lucky. Now, we get into Libra. Libra is the sign of the scales, and Libras are all about beauty, grace, refinement, the arts. They're into relationships very much. You'll never ever hardly ever see a single Libra. Let's talk about Scorpio. Scorpio is the scorpion okay. It's also the eagle. There's two different types of Scorpios they say; the ones that are very high with moral standing, and the other ones that go down, they take that road instead. So when you are thinking about a Scorpio do, you are thinking about someone who is very intense, who is very driven, and who can very much want to be a part of your life and merge. This is someone who doesn't take any thing lightheartedly. I'm talking about a Sagittarius, we are talking about lighthearted. Sagittarius is the happy go lucky sign of the archer.

And they always say with Sagittarius that the symbol of the archer pointing the bow back it means that they are looking far into the future, or a far distance away. So these people often love to travel, and love foreign cultures, and they're very philosophical. Capricorn, this is the goat, the mountain goat. Highly, highly ambitious, they want to climb the mountain alright? You get the idea here, it's a earth sign, they're very practical, really organized and they usually do really well in business, and with any kind of structure, because they're ruled by Saturn. When we get to Aquarius, this is the friendship sign. It's also the water bearer; of carrying of liquids, but is the most friendly social sign of all. Very strong with humanitarians, they love to be around groups of people, and they often make great doctors. When we get to Pisces, we are talking about another dual sign; the fish swimming in two different directions. So, Pisces is often a very sensitive, very mystical, and very misunderstood sign, okay? They are highly sympathetic, and as I said before, this is a sign that kind of go with the flow, it's a water sign.

And those are the twelve signs of the zodiac, and a little about them. Category Zodiac Signs Home > Astrology > Zodiac > Signs Signs of the Zodiac A number, 1-12, marks each sign's place in the zodiac and each sign is identified by both an image and a symbol as well as its constellation in the heavens. A person's star sign is determined by the location of the Sun in relation to the zodiac at the time of their birth. The spring signs of Aries the ram, Taurus the bull, and Gemini the twins are the first group of the signs of the zodiac. 1. Aries (March 21-April 19) Image: the ram Element: Fire Aries begins on the vernal equinox, which marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Aries is a small constellation that represents the ram that Jason and the Argonauts sought to capture for its Golden Fleece. Those born under the sign of Aries are called Arians13. 2. Taurus (April 20–May 20) Image: the bull Element: earth Mythology recognizes Taurus as the white bull disguise that Zeus assumed when presenting himself to Europa 12.

A person born under the sign of Taurus is called a Taurean13. 3. Gemini (May 21–June 21) Image: the twins Element: Air Gemini represents the sons of Zeus, the twins Castor and Pollux, whose names are given to the constellation's two brightest stars. Those born under the sign of Gemini are called Geminians13. The summer signs of the zodiac are Cancer the crab, Leo the lion, and Virgo the virgin. 4. Cancer (June 22–July 22) Image: the crab Element: water Cancer begins on the summer solstice, the time of year when the sun reaches its northernmost point. The sign of Cancer represents the crab crushed under the foot of Hercules. Cancer is most noted for the globular star cluster of Praesepe, the Beehive cluster. Cancerians are also called "moon children"7. 5. Leo, the lion (July 23–August 22) Image: the lion Element: fire Egyptian, Babylonian, Arab, and Greek mythology all represent this well-defined constellation as a lion.

The western part of the constellation, a curved line known as the Sickle, represents the lion's head15. In Greek mythology, Leo is the Nemean lion slain by Hercules. The Nemean lion was invulnerable to all weapons until Hercules strangled it with his bare hands. Zeus put the lion in the sky as a constellation14. Those born under the sign of Leo are simply known as "Leos". 6. Virgo (August 23–September 22) Image: the virgin Element: the earth Virgo, the last of the summer signs, is a large constellation, represented by a maiden who holds a sheaf of grain. Virgo is also identified with goddesses of fertility such as such as Ishtar or Persephone. Those born under the sign of Virgo are called Virgoans13. The signs of autumn are Libra the balance, Scorpio the scorpion and Sagittarius the archer. 7. Libra (September 23–October 23) Image: the balance or scales Element: Air Sometimes identified with Astraea, the Roman goddess of justice15, Libra brings balance as she marks the second equinox of the year, the autumnal equinox.

Her image is either a woman holding a balance or the balanced scale alone. One born under the sign of Libra is called a Libran13. 8. Scorpio (October 24–November 21) Image: the scorpion Element: water Scorpius is one of the most vivid constellations in the sky with the bright red star Antares positioned in its heart16. In astrology, the constellation Scorpius is called Scorpio. Its image refers to the Greek myth of the scorpion that stung Orion, a tale that explains why the constellation of Orion sets as Scorpius rises in the sky15. Those born under the sign of Scorpio are simply called "Scorpios". 9. Sagittarius (November 22–December 21) Image: the archer Element: fire From the Latin sagitta for arrow8, Sagittarius is the last of the autumn signs of the zodiac. Sagittarius is set in a large constellation that represents a centaur (half man, half horse) carrying a bow and arrow11. His arrow points at the red heart of Scorpio.

One who is born under the sign of Sagittarius is called a Sagittarian2. The winter signs of the zodiac are Capricorn the goat, Aquarius the water bearer, and Pisces the fish. 10. Capricorn (December 22–January 19) Image: the goat Element: earth At the time when it's at the southernmost point, the Sun enters the sign of Capricorn, heralding the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemishphere. Identified with the Greek god, Pan, the constellation Capricornus (the Sea Goat) is called Capricorn only in Astrology6. Those born under the sign of Capricorn are called Capricornians13. 11. Aquarius (January 20–February 18) Image: the water bearer Element: Air From Latin "of water", when used as a noun Aquarius means "water carrier" or "water bearer"8. The dim constellation of Aquarius depicts a man pouring water from a jar, which flows into the mouth of the fish, Fomalhuat, the brightest star in the constellation of Pisces16.

Those born under the sign of Aquarius are called Aquarians13. 12. Pisces (February 19–March 20). Image: the fish Element: water Pisces, the final constellation of the zodiac, represents two fish5. In Sanskrit, Pisces was the name of the daughter of the goddess of dawn, also called Meenakshi. The short version of the name, Meena means "having eyes shaped like a fish"17. In one version of a Greek myth, Aphrodite and Eros jumped into a river to escape the monster Typhon and were changed into fish. In another version, two fish carried them to safety. Those born under the sign of Pisces are called Pisceans13.

Related Categories: THE SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC ° THE SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC Here's a mnemonic sentence of words whose first letters help to recall the names of the 12 signs of the western astrological zodiac in their correct order: "A Tense Grey Cat Lay Very Low, Sneaking Slowly, Contemplating A Pounce " (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces) Here's a rhyme written by E. Cobham Brewer that tells the order of the 12 constellations by describing their symbols rather than names: Our &#185vernal signs the RAM begins, Then comes the BULL, in May the TWINS; The CRAB in June, next LEO shines, And VIRGO ends the northern signs. The BALANCE brings autumnal fruits, The SCORPION stings, the ARCHER shoots; December's GOAT brings wintry blast, AQUARIUS rain, the FISH comes last.

(&#185vernal = of/in the season of Spring) Here's an alternative in the form of a verse by the English hymn-writer Isaac Watts (1674-1748): The RAM, the BULL, the heavenly TWINS, And next the CRAB, the LION shines, The VIRGO and the SCALES; The SCORPION, ARCHER and SEA-GOAT, The MAN who pours the water out And FISH with glittering tails.

being: Capricorn symbol Jan 1 - Jan 19 = Capricorn Jan 20 - Feb 18 = Aquarius Feb 19 - Mar 20 = Pisces Mar 21 - Apr 19 = Aries Apr 20 - May 20 = Taurus May 21 - Jun 21 = Gemini Jun 22 - Jul 22 = Cancer Jul 23 - Aug 22 = Leo Aug 23 - Sep 22 = Virgo Sep 23 - Oct 22 = Libra Oct 23 - Nov 21 = Scorpio Nov 22 - Dec 21 = Sagittarius Dec 22 - Dec 31 = Capricorn Note these dates can vary slightly each year Capricorn symbol The Capricorn symbol (also called Capricorn glyph) is a shorthand representation of the Capricorn zodiac animal (see below). However, as with the animal itself, much is based both in interpretation and the preference of the writer, and can range from simple to extravagant. Above are some examples of commonly used styles for the Capricorn symbol.

Each of these is equally valid - there is no 'correct' version as long as the general shape is maintained. Origins of the zodiac symbols and signs The word 'Zodiac' means circle of animals (though note a couple of signs aren't animals in the normal sense). These 'animals' were based originally on the pattern of the stars in their corresponding star constellation. Basically what the earliest astronomers and astrologers saw when they squinted at the night sky. Due to this although Capricorn will always be represented by a (sea)goat, there isn't any one 'correct' shape or design for that goat. It's a cosmic game of join the dots, and some constellations even have alternative ways to form the animal from the dots (stars). Capricorn the goat Any picture of the shape, head or profile of a goat can therefore be comfortably used here. Designs range from the space-age to the ancient, and are limited only by the imagination of the artist, as long as it gets the point across.

In the case of Capricorn, just make sure it doesn't look like a ram, as that's the symbol of a different sign (Aries) Below is a representation of Capricorn the goat (and the Capricorn symbol, inset) from a medieval wood carving from the 16th century. While it's not suggested this is a great picture (hey, you try carving something into the side of a tree which will look sexy in 400 years time!) it does show how the basic concept of Capricorn the goat hasn't changed much over the centuries. Related Capricorn articles: Secret Teachings of All Ages: The Zodiac and Its Signs p. 53 The Zodiac and Its Signs IT is difficult for this age to estimate correctly the profound effect produced upon the religions, philosophies, and sciences of antiquity by the study of the planets, luminaries, and constellations. Not without adequate reason were the Magi of Persia called the Star Gazers. The Egyptians were honored with a special appellation because of their proficiency in computing the power and motion of the heavenly bodies and their effect upon the destinies of nations and individuals.

Ruins of primitive astronomical observatories have been discovered in all parts of the world, although in many cases modern archæologists are unaware of the true purpose for which these structures were erected. While the telescope was unknown to ancient astronomers, they made many remarkable calculations with instruments cut from blocks of granite or pounded from sheets of brass and cop per. In India such instruments are still in use, and they posses a high degree of accuracy. In Jaipur, Rajputana, India, an observatory consisting largely of immense stone sundials is still in operation. The famous Chinese observatory on the wall of Peking consists of immense bronze instruments, including a telescope in the form of a hollow tube without lenses. The pagans looked upon the stars as living things, capable of influencing the destinies of individuals, nations, and races.

That the early Jewish patriarchs believed that the celestial bodies participated in the affairs of men is evident to any student of Biblical literature, as, for example, in the Book of Judges: "They fought from heaven, even the stars in their courses fought against Sisera." The Chaldeans, Phnicians, Egyptians, Persians, Hindus, and Chinese all had zodiacs that were much alike in general character, and different authorities have credited each of these nations with being the cradle of astrology and astronomy. The Central and North American Indians also had an understanding of the zodiac, but the patterns and numbers of the signs differed in many details from those of the Eastern Hemisphere. The word zodiac is derived from the Greek ζωδιακός (zodiakos), which means "a circle of animals," or, as some believe, "little animals." It is the name given by the old pagan astronomers to a band of fixed stars about sixteen degrees wide, apparently encircling the earth.

Robert Hewitt Brown, 32°, states that the Greek word zodiakos comes from zo-on, meaning "an animal." He adds: "This latter word is compounded directly from the primitive Egyptian radicals, zo, life, and on, a being." The Greeks, and later other peoples influenced by their culture, divided the band of the zodiac into twelve sections, each being sixteen degrees in width and thirty degrees in length. These divisions were called the Houses of the Zodiac. The sun during its annual pilgrimage passed through each of these in turn, Imaginary creatures were traced in the Star groups bounded by these rectangles; and because most of them were animal--or part animal--in form, they later became known as the Constellations, or Signs, of the Zodiac. There is a popular theory concerning the origin of the zodiacal creatures to the effect that they were products of the imagination of shepherds, who, watching their flocks at night, occupied their minds by tracing the forms of animals and birds in the heavens. This theory is untenable, unless the "shepherds" be regarded as the shepherd priests of antiquity. It is unlikely that the zodiacal signs were derived from the star groups which they now represent.

It is far more probable that the creatures assigned to the twelve houses are symbolic of the qualities and intensity of the sun's power while it occupies different parts of the zodiacal belt. On this subject Richard Payne Knight writes: "The emblematical meaning, which certain animals were employed to signify, was only some particular property generalized; and, therefore, might easily be invented or discovered by the natural operation of the mind: but the collections of stars, named after certain animals, have no resemblance whatever to those animals; which are therefore merely signs of convention adopted to distinguish certain portions of the heavens, which were probably consecrated to those particular personified attributes, which they respectively represented." (The Symbolical Language of Ancient Art and Mythology.) Some authorities are of the opinion that the zodiac was originally divided into ten (instead of twelve) houses, or "solar mansions." In early times there were two separate standards--one solar and the other lunar--used for the measurement of the months, years, and seasons. The solar year was composed of ten months of thirty-six days each, and five days sacred to the gods. The lunar year consisted of thirteen months of twenty-eight days each, with one day left over.

The solar zodiac at that time consisted often houses of thirty-six degrees each. The first six signs of the zodiac of twelve signs were regarded as benevolent, because the sun occupied them while traversing the Northern Hemisphere. The 6,000 years during which, according to the Persians, Ahura-Mazda ruled His universe in harmony and peace, were symbolic of these six signs. The second six were considered malevolent, because while the sun was traveling the Southern Hemisphere it was winter with the Greeks, Egyptians, and Persians. Therefore these six months symbolic of the 6,000 years of misery and suffering caused by the evil genius of the Persians, Ahriman, who sought to overthrow the power of Ahura-Mazda. Those who hold the opinion that before its revision by the Greeks the zodiac consisted of only ten signs adduce evidence to show that Libra (the Scales) was inserted into the zodiac by dividing the constellation of Virgo Scorpio (at that time one sign) into two parts, thus establishing "the balance" at the point of equilibrium between the ascending northern and the descending southern signs.

(See The Rosicrucians, Their Rites and Mysteries, by Hargrave Jennings.) On this subject Isaac Myer states: "We think that the Zodiacal constellations were first ten and represented an immense androgenic man or deity; subsequently this was changed, resulting in Scorpio and Virgo and making eleven; after this from Scorpio, Libra, the Balance, was taken, making the present twelve." (The Qabbalah.) Each year the sun passes entirely around the zodiac and returns to the point from which it started--the vernal equinox--and each year it falls just a little short of making the complete circle of the heavens in the allotted period of time. As a result, it crosses the equator just a little behind the spot in the zodiacal sign where it crossed the previous year. Each sign of the zodiac consists of thirty degrees, and as the sun loses about one degree every seventy two years, it regresses through one entire constellation (or sign) in approximately 2,160 years, and through the entire zodiac in about [paragraph continues] CHART SHOWING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HUMAN BODY AND THE EXTERIOR UNIVERSE.

From Kircher's dipus Ægyptiacus. The ornamental border contains groups of names of animal, mineral, and vegetable substances, Their relationship to corresponding parts of the human body is shown by the dotted lines. The words in capital letters on the dotted lines indicate to what corporeal member, organ, or disease, the herb or other substance is related. The favorable positions in relation to the time of year are shown by the signs of the zodiac, each house of which is divided by crosses into its three decans. This influence is further emphasized by the series of planetary signs placed on either side of the figure. Click to enlarge THE EQUINOXES AND SOLSTICES. The plane of the zodiac intersects the celestial equator at an angle of approximately 23° 28'. The two points of intersection (A and B) are called the equinoxes. p. 54 25,920 years. (Authorities disagree concerning these figures.) This retrograde motion is called the precession of the equinoxes.

This means that in the course of about 25,920 years, which constitute one Great Solar or Platonic Year, each one of the twelve constellations occupies a position at the vernal equinox for nearly 2,160 years, then gives place to the previous sign. Among the ancients the sun was always symbolized by the figure and nature of the constellation through which it passed at the vernal equinox. For nearly the past 2,000 years the sun has crossed the equator at the vernal equinox in the constellation of Pisces (the Two Fishes). For the 2,160 years before that it crossed through the constellation of Aries (the Ram). Prior to that the vernal equinox was in the sign of Taurus (the Bull). It is probable that the form of the bull and the bull's proclivities were assigned to this constellation because the bull was used by the ancients to plow the fields, and the season set aside for plowing and furrowing corresponded to the time at which the sun reached the segment of the heavens named Taurus.

Albert Pike describes the reverence which the Persians felt for this sign and the method of astrological symbolism in vogue among them, thus: "In Zoroaster's cave of initiation, the Sun and Planets were represented, overhead, in gems and gold, as was also the Zodiac. The Sun appeared, emerging from the back of Taurus. " In the constellation of the Bull are also to be found the "Seven Sisters"--the sacred Pleiades--famous to Freemasonry as the Seven Stars at the upper end of the Sacred Ladder. In ancient Egypt it was during this period--when the vernal equinox was in the sign of Taurus--that the Bull, Apis, was sacred to the Sun God, who was worshiped through the animal equivalent of the celestial sign which he had impregnated with his presence at the time of its crossing into the Northern Hemisphere. This is the meaning of an ancient saying that the celestial Bull "broke the egg of the year with his horns." Sampson Arnold Mackey, in his Mythological Astronomy of the Ancients Demonstrated, makes note of two very interesting points concerning the bull in Egyptian symbolism. Mr.

Mackey is of the opinion that the motion of the earth that we know as the alternation of the poles has resulted in a great change of relative position of the equator and the zodiacal band. He believes that originally the band of the zodiac was at right angles to the equator, with the sign of Cancer opposite the north pole and the sign of Capricorn opposite the south pole. It is possible that the Orphic symbol of the serpent twisted around the egg attempts to show the motion of the sun in relation to the earth under such conditions. Mr. Mackey advances the Labyrinth of Crete, the name Abraxas, and the magic formula, abracadabra, among other things, to substantiate his theory. Concerning abracadabra he states: "But the slow progressive disappearance of the Bull is most happily commemorated in the vanishing series of letters so emphatically expressive of the great astronomical fact. For ABRACADABRA is The Bull, the only Bull. The ancient sentence split into its component parts stands thus: Ab'r-achad-ab'ra, i.

e., Ab'r, the Bull; achad, the only, &c.--Achad is one of the names of the Sun, given him in consequence of his Shining ALONE,--he is the ONLY Star to be seen when he is seen--the remaining ab'ra, makes the whole to be, The Bull, the only Bull; while the repetition of the name omitting a letter, till all is gone, is the most simple, yet the most satisfactory method that could have been devised to preserve the memory of the fact; and the name of Sorapis, or Serapis, given to the Bull at the above ceremony puts it beyond all doubt. * * * This word (Abracadabra) disappears in eleven decreasing stages; as in the figure. And what is very remarkable, a body with three heads is folded up by a Serpent with eleven Coils, and placed by Sorapis: and the eleven Volves of the Serpent form a triangle similar to that formed by the ELEVEN diminishing lines of the abracadabra." Nearly every religion of the world shows traces of astrological influence. The Old Testament of the Jews, its writings overshadowed by Egyptian culture, is a mass of astrological and astronomical allegories.

Nearly all the mythology of Greece and Rome may be traced in star groups. Some writers are of the opinion that the original twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet were derived from groups of stars, and that the starry handwriting on the wall of the heavens referred to words spelt out, with fixed stars for consonants, and the planets, or luminaries, for vowels. These, coming into ever-different combinations, spelt words which, when properly read, foretold future events. As the zodiacal band marks the pathway of the sun through the constellations, it results in the phenomena of the seasons. The ancient systems of measuring the year were based upon the equinoxes and the solstices. The year always began with the vernal equinox, celebrated March 21 with rejoicing to mark the moment when the sun crossed the equator northward up the zodiacal arc. The summer solstice was celebrated when the sun reached its most northerly position, and the day appointed was June 21. After that time the sun began to descend toward the equator, which it recrossed southbound at the autumnal equinox, September 21.

The sun reached its most southerly position at the winter solstice, December 21. Four of the signs of the zodiac have been permanently dedicated to the equinoxes and the solstices; and, while the signs no longer correspond with the ancient constellations to which they were assigned, and from which they secured their names, they are accepted by modern astronomers as a basis of calculation. The vernal equinox is therefore said to occur in the constellation of Aries (the Ram). It is fitting that of all beasts a Ram should be placed at the head of the heavenly flock forming the zodiacal band. Centuries before the Christian Era, the pagans revered this constellation. Godfrey Higgins states: "This constellation was called the 'Lamb of God.' He was also called the 'Savior,' and was said to save mankind from their sins. He was always honored with the appellation of 'Dominus' or 'Lord.' He was called the 'Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.' The devotees addressing him in their litany, constantly repeated the words, 'O Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.

Grant us Thy peace."' Therefore, the Lamb of God is a title given to the sun, who is said to be reborn every year in the Northern Hemisphere in the sign of the Ram, although, due to the existing discrepancy between the signs of the zodiac and the actual star groups, it actually rises in the sign of Pisces. The summer solstice is regarded as occurring in Cancer (the Crab), which the Egyptians called the scarab--a beetle of the family Lamellicornes, the head of the insect kingdom, and sacred to the Egyptians as the symbol of Eternal Life. It is evident that the constellation of the Crab is represented by this peculiar creature because the sun, after passing through this house, proceeds to walk backwards, or descend the zodiacal arc. Cancer is the symbol of generation, for it is the house of the Moon, the great Mother of all things and the patroness of the life forces of Nature. Diana, the moon goddess of the Greeks, is called the Mother of the World.

Concerning the worship of the feminine or maternal principle, Richard Payne Knight writes: "By attracting or heaving the waters of the ocean, she naturally appeared to be the sovereign of humidity; and by seeming to operate so powerfully upon the constitutions of women, she equally appeared to be the patroness and regulatress of nutrition and passive generation: whence she is said to have received her nymphs, or subordinate personifications, from the ocean; and is often represented by the symbol of the sea crab, an animal that has the property of spontaneously detaching from its own body any limb that has been hurt or mutilated, and reproducing another in its place." (The Symbolical Language of Ancient Art and Mythology.) This water sign, being symbolic of the maternal principle of Nature, and recognized by the pagans as the origin of all life, was a natural and consistent domicile of the moon. The autumnal equinox apparently occurs in the constellation of Libra (the Balances). The scales tipped and the solar globe began its pilgrimage toward the house of winter. The constellation of the Scales was placed in the zodiac to symbolize the power of choice, by means of which man may weigh one problem against another.

Millions of years ago, when the human race was in the making, man was like the angels, who knew neither good nor evil. He fell into the state of the knowledge of good and evil when the gods gave him the seed for the mental nature. From man's mental reactions to his environments he distills the product of experience, which then aids him to regain his lost position plus an individualized intelligence. Paracelsus said: "The body comes from the elements, the soul from the stars, and the spirit from God. All that the intellect can conceive of comes from the stars [the spirits of the stars, rather than the material constellations]." The constellation of Capricorn, in which the winter solstice theoretically takes place, was called The House of Death, for in winter all life in the Northern Hemisphere is at its lowest ebb. Capricorn is a composite creature, with the head and upper body of a goat and the tail of a fish. In this constellation the sun is least powerful THE MICROCOSM. From Schotus' Margarita Philosophica. The pagans believed that the zodiac formed the body of the Grand Man of the Universe.

This body, which they called the Macrocosm (the Great World), was divided into twelve major parts, one of which was under the control of the celestial powers reposing in each of the zodiacal constellations. Believing that the entire universal system was epitomized in man's body, which they called the Microcosm (the Little World), they evolved that now familiar figure of "the cut-up man in the almanac" by allotting a sign of the zodiac to each of twelve major parts of the human body. p. 55 in the Northern Hemisphere, and after passing through this constellation it immediately begins to increase. Hence the Greeks said that Jupiter (a name of the Sun God) was suckled by a goat.

A new and different sidelight on zodiacal symbolism is supplied by John Cole, in A Treatise on the Circular Zodiac of Tentyra, in Egypt: "The symbol therefore of the Goat rising from the body of a fish [Capricorn], represents with the greatest propriety the mountainous buildings of Babylon rising out of its low and marshy situation; the two horns of the Goat being emblematical of the two towns, Nineveh and Babylon, the former built on the Tigris, the latter on the Euphrates; but both subjected to one sovereignty." The period of 2,160 years required for the regression of the sun through one of the zodiacal constellations is often termed an age. According to this system, the age secured its name from the sign through which the sun passes year after year as it crosses the equator at the vernal equinox. From this arrangement are derived the terms The Taurian Age, The Aryan Age, The Piscean Age, and The Aquarian Age. During these periods, or ages, religious worship takes the form of the appropriate celestial sign--that which the sun is said to assume as a personality in the same manner that a spirit assumes a body.

These twelve signs are the jewels of his breastplate and his light shines forth from them, one after the other. From a consideration of this system, it is readily understood why certain religious symbols were adopted during different ages of the earth's history; for during the 2,160 years the sun was in the constellation of Taurus, it is said that the Solar Deity assumed the body of Apis, and the Bull became sacred to Osiris. (For details concerning the astrological ages as related to Biblical symbolism, see The Message of the Stars by Max and Augusta Foss Heindel.) During the Aryan Age the Lamb was held sacred and the priests were called shepherds. Sheep and goats were sacrificed upon the altars, and a scapegoat was appointed to bear the sins of Israel. During the Age of Pisces, the Fish was the symbol of divinity and the Sun God fed the multitude with two small fishes. The frontispiece of Inman's Ancient Faiths shows the goddess Isis with a fish on her head; and the Indian Savior God, Christna, in one of his incarnations was cast from the mouth of a fish.

Not only is Jesus often referred to as the Fisher of Men, but as John P. Lundy writes: "The word Fish is an abbreviation of this whole title, Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior, and Cross; or as St. Augustine expresses it, 'If you join together the initial letters of the five Greek words, Ἰησοῦς Χριστος Θεου Υιὸσ Σωτήρ, which mean Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior, they will make ΙΧΘΥΣ, Fish, in which word Christ is mystically understood, because He was able to live in the abyss of this mortality as in the depth of waters, that is, without sin.'" (Monumental Christianity.) Many Christians observe Friday, which is sacred to the Virgin (Venus), upon which day they shall eat fish and not meat. The sign of the fish was one of the earliest symbols of Christianity; and when drawn upon the sand, it informed one Christian that another of the same faith was near. Aquarius is called the Sign of the Water Bearer, or the man with a jug of water on his shoulder mentioned in the New Testament.

This is sometimes shown as an angelic figure, supposedly androgynous, either pouring water from an urn or carrying the vessel upon its shoulder. Among Oriental peoples, a water vessel alone is often used. Edward Upham, in his History and Doctrine of Budhism, describes Aquarius as being "in the shape of a pot and of a color between blue and yellow; this Sign is the single house of Saturn." When Herschel discovered the planet Uranus (sometimes called by the name of its discoverer), the second half of the sign of Aquarius was allotted to this added member of the planetary family. The water pouring from the urn of Aquarius under the name of "the waters of eternal life" appears many times in symbolism. So it is with all the signs. Thus the sun in its path controls whatever form of worship man offers to the Supreme Deity. There are two distinct systems of astrological philosophy. One of them, the Ptolemaic, is geocentric: the earth is considered the center of the solar system, around which the sun, moon, and planets revolve.

Astronomically, the geocentric system is incorrect; but for thousands of years it has proved its accuracy when applied to the material nature of earthly things. A careful consideration of the writings of the great occultists and a study of their diagrams reveal the fact that many of them were acquainted with another method of arranging the heavenly bodies. The other system of astrological philosophy is called the heliocentric. This posits the sun in the center of the solar system, where it naturally belongs, with the planets and their moons revolving about it. The great difficulty, however, with the heliocentric system is that, being comparatively new, there has not been sufficient time to experiment successfully and catalogue the effects of its various aspects and relationships. Geocentric astrology, as its name implies, is confined to the earthy side of nature, while heliocentric astrology may be used to analyze the higher intellectual and spiritual faculties of man. The important point to be remembered is that when the sun was said to be in a certain sign of the zodiac, the ancients really meant that the sun occupied the opposite sign and cast its long ray into the house in which they enthroned it.

Therefore, when it is said that the sun is in Taurus, it means (astronomically) that the sun is in the sign opposite to Taurus, which is Scorpio. This resulted in two distinct schools of philosophy: one geocentric and exoteric, the other heliocentric and esoteric. While the ignorant multitudes worshiped the house of the sun's reflection, which in the case described would be the Bull, the wise revered the house of the sun's actual dwelling, which would be the Scorpion, or the Serpent, the symbol of the concealed spiritual mystery. This sign has three different symbols. The most common is that of a Scorpion, who was called by the ancients the backbiter, being the symbol of deceit and perversion; the second (and less common) form of the sign is a Serpent, often used by the ancients to symbolize wisdom. Probably the rarest form of Scorpio is that of an Eagle. The arrangement of the stars of the constellation bears as much resemblance to a flying bird as to a scorpion.

Scorpio, being the sign of occult initiation, the flying eagle--the king of birds--represents the highest and most spiritual type of Scorpio, in which it transcends the venomous insect of the earth. As Scorpio and Taurus are opposite each other in the zodiac, their symbolism is often closely intermingled. The Hon. E. M. Plunket, in Ancient Calendars and Constellations, says: "The Scorpion (the constellation Scorpio of the Zodiac opposed to Taurus) joins with Mithras in his attack upon the Bull, and always the genii of the spring and autumn equinoxes are present in joyous and mournful attitudes." The Egyptians, the Assyrians, and the Babylonians, who knew the sun as a Bull, called the zodiac a series of furrows, through which the great celestial Ox dragged the plow of the sun. Hence the populace offered up sacrifice and led through the streets magnificent steers, bedecked with flowers and surrounded with priests, dancing girls of the temple, and musicians. The philosophic elect did not participate in these idolatrous ceremonials, but advocated them as most suitable for the types of mind composing the mass of the population.

These few possessed a far deeper understanding, as the Serpent of Scorpio upon their foreheads--the Uræus--bore witness. The sun is often symbolized with its rays in the form of a shaggy mane. Concerning the Masonic significance of Leo, Robert Hewitt Brown, 32°, has written: "On the 21st of June, when the sun arrives at the summer solstice, the constellation Leo--being but 30° in advance of the sun--appears to be leading the way, and to aid by his powerful paw in lifting the sun up to the summit of the zodiacal arch. * * * This visible connection between the constellation Leo and the return of the sun to his place of power and glory, at the summit of the Royal Arch of heaven, was the principal reason why that constellation was held in such high esteem and reverence by the ancients. The astrologers distinguished Leo as the 'sole house of the sun,' and taught that the world was created when the sun was in that sign. 'The lion was adored in the East and the West by the Egyptians and the Mexicans.

The chief Druid of Britain was styled a lion.'" (Stellar Theology and Masonic Astronomy.) When the Aquarian Age is thoroughly established, the sun will be in Leo, as will be noted from the explanation previously given in this chapter regarding the distinction between geocentric and heliocentric astrology. Then, indeed, will the secret religions of the world include once more the raising to initiation by the Grip of the Lion's Paw. (Lazarus will come forth.) THE CIRCULAR ZODIAC OF TENTYRA. From Cole's Treatise--the Circular Zodiac of Tentyra, in Egypt. The oldest circular zodiac known is the one found at Tentyra, in Egypt, and now in the possession of the French government. Mr. John Cole describes this remarkable zodiac as follows: "The diameter of the medallion in which the constellations are sculptured, is four feet nine inches, French measure. It is surrounded by another circle of much larger circumference, containing hieroglyphic characters; this second circle is enclosed in a square, whose sides are seven feet nine inches long. * * * The asterisms, constituting the Zodiacal constellations mixed with others, are represented in a spiral.

The extremities of this spiral, after one revolution, are Leo and Cancer. Leo is no doubt at the head. It appears to be trampling on a serpent, and its tail to be held by a woman. Immediately after the Lion comes the Virgin holding an ear of corn, Further on, we perceive two scales of a balance, above which, in a medal lion, is the figure of Harpocrates. Then follows the Scorpion and Sagittarius, to whom the Egyptians gave wings, and two faces. After Sagittarius are successively placed, Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces, the Ram, the Bull, and the Twins. This Zodiacal procession is, as we have already observed, terminated by Cancer, the Crab." p. 56 The antiquity of the zodiac is much in dispute. To contend that it originated but a mere few thousand years before the Christian Era is a colossal mistake on the part of those who have sought to compile data, concerning its origin.

The zodiac necessarily must be ancient enough to go backward to that period when its signs and symbols coincided exactly with the positions of the constellations whose various creatures in their natural functions exemplified the outstanding features of the sun's activity during each of the twelve months. One author, after many years of deep study on the subject, believed man's concept of the zodiac to be at least five million years old. In all probability it is one of the many things for which the modem world is indebted to the Atlantean or the Lemurian civilizations. About ten thousand years before the Christian Era there was a period of many ages when knowledge of every kind was suppressed, tablets destroyed, monuments torn down, and every vestige of available material concerning previous civilizations completely obliterated. Only a few copper knives, some arrowheads, and crude carvings on the walls of caves bear mute witness of those civilizations which preceded this age of destruction. Here and there a few gigantic structures have remained which, like the strange monoliths on Easter Island, are evidence of lost arts and sciences and lost races. The human race is exceedingly old. Modern science counts its age in tens of thousands of years; occultism, in tens of millions.

There is an old saying that "Mother Earth has shaken many civilizations from her back," and it is not beyond reason that the principles of astrology and astronomy were evolved millions of years before the first white man appeared. The occultists of the ancient world had a most remarkable understanding of the principle of evolution. They recognized all life as being in various stages of becoming. They believed that grains of sand were in the process of becoming human in consciousness but not necessarily in form; that human creatures were in the process of becoming planets; that planets were in the process of becoming solar systems; and that solar systems were in the process of becoming cosmic chains; and so on ad infinitum. One of the stages between the solar system and the cosmic chain was called the zodiac; therefore they taught that at a certain time a solar system breaks up into a zodiac. The house of the zodiac become the thrones for twelve Celestial Hierarchies, or as certain of the ancients state, ten Divine Orders. Pythagoras taught that 10, or the unit of the decimal system, was the most perfect of all numbers, and he symbolized the number ten by the lesser tetractys, an arrangement of ten dots in the form of an upright triangle.

The early star gazers, after dividing the zodiac into its houses, appointed the three brightest scars in each constellation to be the joint rulers of that house. Then they divided the house into three sections of ten degrees each, which they called decans. These, in turn, were divided in half, resulting in the breaking up of the zodiac into seventy-two duodecans of five degrees each. Over each of these duodecans the Hebrews placed a celestial intelligence, or angel, and from this system, has resulted the Qabbalistic arrangement of the seventy-two sacred names, which correspond to the seventy-two flowers, knops, and almonds upon the seven-branched Candlestick of the Tabernacle, and the seventy-two men who were chosen from the Twelve Tribes to represent Israel. The only two signs not already mentioned are Gemini and Sagittarius. The constellation of Gemini is generally represented as two small children, who, according to the ancients, were born out of eggs, possibly the ones that the Bull broke with his horns. The stories concerning Castor and Pollux, and Romulus and Remus, may be the result of amplifying the myths of these celestial Twins. The symbols of Gemini have passed through many modifications.

The one used by the Arabians was the peacock. Two of the important stars in the constellation of Gemini still bear the names of Castor and Pollux. The sign of Gemini is supposed to have been the patron of phallic worship, and the two obelisks, or pillars, in front of temples and churches convey the same symbolism as the Twins. The sign of Sagittarius consists of what the ancient Greeks called a centaur--a composite creature, the lower half of whose body was in the form of a horse, while the upper half was human. The centaur is generally shown with a bow and arrow in his hands, aiming a shaft far off into the stars. Hence Sagittarius stands for two distinct principles: first, it represents the spiritual evolution of man, for the human form is rising from the body of the beast; secondly, it is the symbol of aspiration and ambition, for as the centaur aims his arrow at the stars, so every human creature aims at a higher mark than he can reach.

Albert Churchward, in The Signs and Symbols of Primordial Man, sums up the influence of the zodiac upon religious symbolism in the following words: "The division here [is] in twelve parts, the twelve signs of the Zodiac, twelve tribes of Israel, twelve gates of heaven mentioned in Revelation, and twelve entrances or portals to be passed through in the Great Pyramid, before finally reaching the highest degree, and twelve Apostles in the Christian doctrines, and the twelve original and perfect points in Masonry." The ancients believed that the theory of man's being made in the image of God was to be understood literally. They maintained that the universe was a great organism not unlike the human body, and that every phase and function of the Universal Body had a correspondence in man. The most precious Key to Wisdom that the priests communicated to the new initiates was what they termed the law of analogy. Therefore, to the ancients, the study of the stars was a sacred science, for they saw in the movements of the celestial bodies the ever-present activity of the Infinite Father. The Pythagoreans were often undeservedly criticized for promulgating the so-called doctrine of metempsychosis, or the transmigration of souls.

This concept as circulated among the uninitiated was merely a blind, however, to conceal a sacred truth. Greek mystics believed that the spiritual nature of man descended into material existence from the Milky Way--the seed ground of souls--through one of the twelve gates of the great zodiacal band. The spiritual nature was therefore said to incarnate in the form of the symbolic creature created by Magian star gazers to represent the various zodiacal constellations. If the spirit incarnated through the sign of Aries, it was said to be born in the body of a ram; if in Taurus, in the body of the celestial bull. All human beings were thus symbolized by twelve mysterious creatures through the natures of which they were able to incarnate into the material world. The theory of transmigration was not applicable to the visible material body of man, but rather to the invisible immaterial spirit wandering along the pathway of the stars and sequentially assuming in the course of evolution the forms of the sacred zodiacal animals.

In the Third Book of the Mathesis of Julius Firmicus Maternus appears the following extract concerning the positions of the heavenly bodies at the time of the establishment of the inferior universe: "According to Æsculapius, therefore, and Anubius, to whom especially the divinity Mercury committed the secrets of the astrological science, the geniture of the world is as follows: They constituted the Sun in the 15th part of Leo, the Moon in the 15th part of Cancer, Saturn in the 15th part of Capricorn, Jupiter in the 15th part of Sagittary, Mars in the 15th part of Scorpio, Venus in the 15th part of Libra, Mercury in the 15th part of Virgo, and the Horoscope in the 15th part of Cancer.

Conformably to this geniture, therefore, to these conditions of the stars, and the testimonies which they adduce in confirmation of this geniture, they are of opinion that the destinies of men, also, are disposed in accordance with the above arrangement, as maybe learnt from that book of Æsculapius which is called Μυριογενεσις, (i.e. Ten Thousand, or an innumerable multitude of Genitures) in order that nothing in the several genitures of men may be found to be discordant with the above-mentioned geniture of the world." The seven ages of man are under the control of the planets in the following order: infancy, the moon; childhood, Mercury; adolescence, Venus; maturity, the sun; middle age, Mars; advanced age, Jupiter; and decrepitude and dissolution, Saturn. HIEROGLYPHIC PLAN, By HERMES, OF THE ANCIENT ZODIAC. From Kircher's dipus Ægyptiacus. The inner circle contains the hieroglyph of Hemphta, the triform and pantamorphic deity.

In the six concentric bands surrounding the inner circle are (from within outward): (1) the numbers of the zodiacal houses in figures and also in words; (2) the modern names of the houses.(3) the Greek or the Egyptian names of the Egyptian deities assigned to the houses; (4) the complete figures of these deities; (5) the ancient or the modem zodiacal signs, sometimes both; (6) the number of decans or subdivisions of the houses. Grendel Astrology in Grendel | GradeSaver Grendel Astrology in Grendel Buy Study Guide John Gardner noted that the twelve chapters of Grendel correspond to the twelve signs of the zodiac, both in imagery and in the characters featured in each one. Chapter One is Aries, the Ram. It begins with Grendel frightening off a ram that has come too near his territory. In this chapter, the cyclical view of the universe is expounded, as Grendel notes that he is trapped in the "progression of moon and stars." Chapter Two features Taurus, the Bull. A bull attacks the tree-trapped Grendel on his adventure in the outside world.

Chapter Three corresponds to the Twins, Gemini. This chapter discusses double-talk, as the Shaper creates one reality to stand alongside the experienced reality. Chapter Four belongs to Cancer, the Crab, known as a nourishing force in some astrological belief systems. The Shaper 's songs have created and nourished a religion that gives the people a more fixed alternate reality to believe in against their own miserable, hard existence. Chapter Five is the chapter of Leo, the Lion. Leo is known as a dramatist to some, and in this chapter, Grendel seeks to know his role in the greater scheme of things. The dragon offers him a part to play, but Grendel cannot accept that this is his destiny. Chapter Six refers to Virgo, the Virgin, in Grendel's comment, "So much for the harvest-virgin." Unferth the would-be hero attempts to do honorable battle with Grendel, only to have his naive view of life trampled underfoot by Grendel's refusal to fight him. Chapter Seven corresponds to Libra, the sign of balance and conciliation. Here Wealtheow reconciles Hrothgar and her brother Hymgod, as well as their respective warriors.

Even Unferth finds some balance in Wealtheow's compassion toward his ill-charmed life. Chapter Eight introduces Hrothulf , the potential usurper, as a "sweet scorpion," thus connecting to the astrological sign Scorpio. Chapter Nine alludes to Sagittarius, the archer, in the scene of a Scylding hunting and killing a hart with a bow and arrow. Sagittarius is pictured as a centaur, half-human and half-horse, suggesting a need to reconcile two different natures. Here we see the priests attempting to promote a religion that they themselves do not believe, giving the people of the village hope while simultaneously recognizing that such hope is based on false knowledge. Chapter Ten belongs to the pessimistic Capricorn, the Goat. Grendel has reached the nihilism of Nietzsche in his philosophical quest, seeing himself and all others as alone and abandoned in an impersonal universe. Chapter Eleven is the chapter of Aquarius, the Water-Bearer. Aquarians are described as interested in understanding life's mysteries. Grendel has come through his philosophical journey, but he is no wiser other than in the knowledge that no system of thought will satisfy him.

Chapter Twelve refers to Pisces, the Fish. The number two, as well as an inherent dualism, is often connected to Pisces. In this chapter, Grendel fights Beowulf, his opposite number, and is defeated by the latter's empiricism. Thus, his universe of one has temporarily become a universe of two, and this duality ends by destroying him. Characteristics of Star Signs Characteristics of Star Signs Characteristics of star signs are influenced by the elements and qualities associated with each zodiac sign. Defining the Characteristics of Star Signs There are 12 signs in the zodiac, and each is represented by a person, animal or object. You can begin to understand your lover's personality and traits by examining his or her zodiac symbol. Aries: March 21 - April 19 Aries is represented by the ram and is a fire sign. Aries was the Greek god of war and many of the mythological character's traits are reflected in this zodiac sign.

Strong-willed and exacting in work High expectations of self and situations Ambitious risk-taker Devoted and loyal to friends and family Caring lovers with intense sexual appetites Athletic, adventurous and bold Taurus: April 20 -May 20 Taurus is represented by the bull and is an earth sign. Strong with great stamina for physical and mental tasks Can be stubborn and unwilling to give ground Loves finer things in life. Materialistic. Appreciates beauty May appear selfish at times, but are generous with possessions and money Gemini: May 21 - June 20 Gemini is represented by twins and is an air sign. Versatile, adaptable and easily bored Quick-silver mind and wit Loves to chat and share knowledge Communicator of the zodiac Sociable and enjoys variety as well as change Relies on mental analysis more than gut feelings Cancer: June 21 - July 22 Cancer is represented by the crab and is a water sign. It's easy to see that most Cancerians have a deep love for home.

Family and friends are at the top of the list of most valuable possessions followed by home Deep appreciation for family history and exploring family trees Emotions are difficult to hide since Cancer lives by his gut feelings and instinct Craves a stable home life in order to feel secure, safe and comfortable Leo: July 23 - August 22 This sign is represented by the lion and is a fire sign. Leo is bold, courageous and daring. Likes to be in the spotlight Drama is one of his best tools for getting what he wants Great judgment and makes a good actor Very generous and loving Knows self-worth and exerts will Virgo: August 23 - September 22 Represented by the virgin and is an earth sign. This sign has high expectations of himself and especially others in his quest for perfection on earth. Skilled and successful in career Keeps emotions reined Analytical and focused on task at hand Tend to be overly-critical in desire to find perfection Steady workers and attentive to details Libra: September 23 - October 22 Libra is blind justice holding a set of scales. For Libra life is about learning to balance the demands from the outside with the desires and needs on the inside.

Libra spends a lot of time wrestling to create harmony and balance between each aspect of himself. An air sign, Libra is more mental than physical. Justice and equality are mainstays Surrounds himself with beauty and art Music feeds his soul Voices opinions only when provoked or passionate about a cause Scorpio: October 23 - November 21 This sign is represented by a scorpion and usually misunderstood because his words and actions can have the same kind of stinging effect. This water sign feels things very deeply. Enjoys big and bold lifestyle Entrepreneur with the ability to overcome massive obstacles Assesses situations before jumping in Enjoys a lively heated debate Make passionate often possessive lovers Sagittarius: November 22 - December 21 This sign is represented by the mythological creature, the Centaur, half-man, half-horse. It's no wonder that the Sagittarian has a soft spot for animals. As a fire sign, he has deep passion that only needs to be stoked to flame.

Philosopher and gatherer of information Bright sharp intellect and enjoys mental challenges High energy that keeps him constantly moving Like a cat with nine lives, Sagittarius is constantly reinventing himself Must be allowed to roam free and will always return home Exciting, appreciative lover who enjoys pleasing his mate Capricorn: December 22 - January 19 Capricorn is represented by a goat and is another earth sign that needs a happy home in order to feel complete. Practical problem-solver and excellent organizer Plans life and each stage to create a blueprint he can follow Closed-mouth when it comes to sharing, so you'll need to prod him to open up Makes a great companion and life-long friend Aquarius: January 20 - February 18 Aquarius is represented by the water bearer, but is an air sign. This often confuses people until you get to know him and you quickly see the element of air in all he does. Unorthodox, unconventional, often embraces a Bohemian lifestyle Eclectic collection of friends Humanitarian and will take up just causes Very sociable, intelligent and quick to make friends Enjoy art and a leisurely lifestyle Pisces: February 19 - March 20 Pisces is symbolized by a fish.

A water sign, Pisces has insight and knowledge that makes you realize he's an old soul. Unassuming and deeply emotional Unlike Leo, Pisces is content to remain in the shadows Illusion of naivety Aries Sun Sign - Zodiac Signs - Article by Astrology.com Aries Sun Sign - Zodiac Signs by Astrology.com November 20, 2009 03:22 PM EST Share Share Share Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, and that's pretty much how those born under this sign see themselves: first. Aries are the leaders of the pack, first in line to get things going. Whether or not everything gets done is another question altogether, for an Aries prefers to initiate rather than to complete. Do you have a project needing a kick-start? Call an Aries, by all means. The leadership displayed by Aries is most impressive, so don't be surprised if they can rally the troops against seemingly insurmountable odds -- they have that kind of personal magnetism. An Aries won't shy away from new ground, either. Those born under this sign are often called the pioneers of the zodiac, and it's their fearless trek into the unknown that often wins the day.

Aries is a bundle of energy and dynamism, kind of like a Pied Piper, leading people along with its charm and charisma. The dawning of a new day -- and all of its possibilities -- is pure bliss to an Aries. The symbol of Aries is the Ram, and that's both good and bad news. Impulsive Aries might be tempted to ram their ideas down everyone's throats without even bothering to ask if they want to know. It's these times when you may wish Aries' symbol were a more subdued creature, more lamb than ram perhaps. You're not likely to convince the Ram to soften up; these folks are blunt and to the point. Along with those qualities comes the sheer force of the Aries nature, a force that can actually accomplish a great deal. Much of Aries' drive to compete and to win comes from its Cardinal Quality. Cardinal Signs love to get things going, and Aries exemplifies this even better than Cancer, Libra or Capricorn. Aries is ruled by Mars. Taking a peek at Roman mythology, we find that Mars was the God of War. Our man Mars was unafraid to do battle, and much the same can be said for Aries.

These folks are bold, aggressive and courageous. They can summon up the inner strength required to take on most anyone, and they'll probably win. Aries do not lack energy or vitality, and they can stay in the game longer than most anyone else. Now that's a winning edge. Rams are also, for the most part, independent and well aware of their own interests in a given situation. This sometimes myopic view may not be for everyone, but it does help Aries get things going. Further, their competitive natures ensure that they will play the game with zeal and vigor. At times, their approach may be construed as arrogant and domineering, but it takes a lot of focus to be a leader (or so an Aries would say). Sadly, Aries won't usually be around for the final victory (defeat? never). These folks will more than likely have bolted to the next project before the first one is done. The element associated with Aries is Fire. Think action, enthusiasm and a burning desire to play the game. Aries love physicality, so they won't sit on the sidelines for long, if at all. They'll jump into the fray full force and will contribute much in the process.

Talk about eager beavers! Sure, some of their decisions may later prove to have been hasty, but you'll never find an Aries who regretted taking a shot. Making things happen is what it's all about to these folks. Aries are also unafraid of stepping onto new terrain. The challenge inherent in taking on the unknown is heaven on Earth for Rams. Sure, they may appear arrogant when they take on the world, but they'll be quick to tell you it's the only way to go. While a common Aries refrain might well be 'me first,' there's no point in arguing with them since, in their minds, they are first. Is this unbridled ego? Maybe, but that might be what it takes to blaze a new trail. Oh, and on the subject of arguing, it's the Ram who will have the last word, so save your breath. Aries plays as hard as they work. These folks are happiest in a spirited soccer match or engaging in the martial arts. In the game of love, the Ram's ardor is unquestioned, although Aries can also be playful and romantic with their mate.

With Aries ruling the head, face and brain, those born under this sign need to be on the lookout for headaches and are well-served to take the occasional deep breath. The Ram's color is bright red, a sure sign of the fire that breathes within. The great strength of the Aries-born is in their initiative, courage and determination. These folks love to get things going and are fearless along the way. Their dynamism and competitive spirit add considerably to any of their endeavors.

Sponsored Link Aries symbol Jan 1 - Jan 19 = Capricorn Jan 20 - Feb 18 = Aquarius Feb 19 - Mar 20 = Pisces Mar 21 - Apr 19 = Aries Apr 20 - May 20 = Taurus May 21 - Jun 21 = Gemini Jun 22 - Jul 22 = Cancer Jul 23 - Aug 22 = Leo Aug 23 - Sep 22 = Virgo Sep 23 - Oct 22 = Libra Oct 23 - Nov 21 = Scorpio Nov 22 - Dec 21 = Sagittarius Dec 22 - Dec 31 = Capricorn Note these dates can vary slightly each year Aries symbol The Aries symbol (also called Aries glyph) is a shorthand representation of the Aries zodiac animal (see below). However, as with the animal itself, much is based both in interpretation and the preference of the writer, and can range from simple to extravagant. The astrological symbol for Aries represents the head and horns of the ram.

Above are some examples of commonly used styles for the Aries symbol. Each of these is equally valid - there is no 'correct' version as long as the general shape is maintained. Origins of the zodiac symbols and signs The word 'Zodiac' means circle of animals (though note a couple of signs aren't animals in the normal sense). These 'animals' were based originally on the pattern of the stars in their corresponding star constellation. Basically what the earliest astronomers and astrologers saw when they squinted at the night sky. Due to this although Aries will always be represented by a ram, there isn't any one 'correct' shape or design for that ram. It's a cosmic game of join the dots, and some constellations even have alternative ways to form the animal from the dots (stars). Aries the ram Any picture of the shape, head or profile of a ram can therefore be comfortably used here. Designs range from the space-age to the ancient, and are limited only by the imagination of the artist, as long as it gets the point across.

In the case of Aries, just make sure it doesn't look like a goat, as that's the symbol of a different sign (Capricorn) Below is a representation of Aries the ram (and the Aries symbol, inset) from a medieval wood carving from the 16th century. While it's not suggested this is a great picture (hey, you try carving something into the side of a tree which will look sexy in 400 years time!) it does show how the basic concept of Aries the ram hasn't changed much over the centuries. Related Aries articles: Aries Daily Horoscope, Today's Aries Horoscope and Astrology Prediction by Pankaj khanna Pisces Individuals born between 20th March and 18th April are known as Arians or Aries born. Known as the baby among the zodiac signs, Aries is represented by a Ram. Just like the Ram, Aries born are dynamic as well as headstrong. They make good leaders and are always high on energy.

To know more as to how the day, week, month and year are going to pan out for Aries zodiac sign, read below the daily horoscope as well as weekly, monthly and yearly horoscope predictions.

Question: Which sign of the Zodiac is represented by a ram
Answer: Aries