Sun in Aries
Keywords: Daring, Risk-taker, Energetic, Friendly, Careless, Impulsive, Childish

As the first sign of the zodiac, Aries represents the first stage in the evolution of man and his place in the universe. The raw energy of life itself, which is the first step in being part of the universe, is evident in the character and make-up of Aries people. Babies think of themselves as the center of everyone else's universe. As they grow older, they learn that they are not the center but part of a family group. It is the karmic responsibility of the Aries-born to accept the idea that they are not the center of the universe but part of the larger social order of all men. Aries personalities who do not develop this kind of maturity are demanding and infantile in their behavior. They want what they want, when they want it. The vital life force that is their celestial heritage can either be used to inspire others as well as themselves, or it can be turned inward to reflect only their own selfish needs, and as a result, they fail to evolve as individuals.

Aries people are doers. They set out to accomplish things and are determined to succeed one way or another. The astrological symbol for Aries is the Ram and, considering the sheer force of energy and enthusiasm by which they accomplish their goals, it is not off the mark to suggest that they "ram" their way to success. They must, however, learn the difference between being confidently aggressive--a responsible "take-charge person" on whom others rely to get things moving-- and being rudely aggressive-- a "know-it-all" who is insensitive to the feelings as well as the wisdom of others.

Aries individuals react in a physical way to everything they experience in life. That is, before they assess the practicality or worth of what they are doing, before they sort out their true emotions, and, before they take time to reason things out intellectually, their tendency is to shoot first and ask questions later. Their passionate nature is inspiring and flattering to others, but unless impatience and rash behavior are curbed, their unbridled enthusiasm backfires when they lose interest just as quickly as they gained it. Theirs is the astrological sign of the soldier but in their haste, they forget the practicality of being adequately armed before rushing headlong into physical or verbal combat. They quickly forget frustration and anger. Since theirs is essentially a generous nature, their selfishness is usually a result of carelessness rather than intentional unkindness.

Active, fiery Mars rules Aries and indeed, Aries people are high-spirited, energetic individuals ready to try anything at least once. Courageous, optimistic, and friendly, they are lively participants in the everyday bustle of life, maintaining a frantic pace others find difficult to match. Constant physical activity works off excess energy, and its vitalizing influence is important to their intellectual and creative endeavors. It is usually the energetic Aries who is willing to start projects others would be afraid to tackle. However, it is also Aries who often fails to finish things when too many details demand attention or they simply lose interest. In spite of the physical energy associated with Aries, they are not above using the inability of others to keep up with them as an excuse for their own idleness. If they expect others to provide them with constant stimulation and are unwilling to find their own diversions, they become lazy. Cut off from physical activity, they become depressed, unproductive, and overweight.

They are eager athletes and generous players. They enjoy the challenge of a tough contest, but they can be so stimulated that they become too aggressive. Aries rules guns and weapons, so it isn't surprising that many Aries individuals enjoy hunting. Combative by nature, they also enjoy boxing, wrestling, and most team sports. They are apt to be mechanically inclined and adept at arts and crafts, typing, working with machinery, playing musical instruments, or performing magic tricks. They have a tendency to allow their enthusiasm to exceed their actual ability. Before taking something apart, they don't stop to wonder if they can put it back together.

Aries colors are red and white. Vulnerable parts of the body are the head and face. As a sign of this celestial association, many Aries individuals are born with a birth mark on their head or face. Headaches, black eyes, nose bleeds, and insect bites are common Aries complaints. The birthstone for Aries is the diamond. The tremendous heat and pressure that nature exerts in turning carbon into hard, brilliant diamonds represent the strength and physical force in the Aries-born. Flowers for Aries include the poppy (red), geraniums, honeysuckle, and hollyhocks.

Message: "Blame His Star Sign: Why Men Do the
Weird Things They Do"

Aries (March 21-April 19)

"Arrogant. Pompous. Vain. Cruel. Verbose. Show-
off. I've been called all of these. Of course, I
am." --Howard Cosell (March 25)

Passionate, idealistic, and sentimental, the
Aries man is part hero, part child, no matter
what his age. He's as friendly as a puppy,
downright fearless, and rather like one of those
weighted clowns that children punch. You can
knock him down, but he will always bounce back.
And, for as long as he loves you, he will be
faithful, sexy, and attentive. If you feel weak
in the knees, make sure there's a sofa handy to
fall on, because by the time you've swooned,
this Romeo will have moved on to his next
conquest. Aries men are in love with love. The
appeal is in the art of romance and the thrill
of the chase, not your charming smile.

Some astrologers compare an Aries man to a
knight in shining armor. However, you are just
as likely to get run down by his charging steed
as scooped up in a pair of loving arms. Sir
Lancelot may have been bold and honest, but he
was also a royal pain in the butt, all Aries
traits. His ego ruined a kingdom when, in his
eagerness to run his hand up Guinevere's dress,
he conveniently forgot his vow to King Arthur.
In Lance's point of view he was a hero, and to
an Aries man, his point of view is the only one
that counts. The Ram fears mediocrity more than
death. He would rather be the biggest jerk in
town than just another anonymous working slob.
He is subjective, bossy, and has a caustic wit
he flings with careless abandon. He takes pride
in being more self-centered than Scorpio and
more obtuse than Taurus. He's sure he's right.
Especially when he is wrong.

Male Rams come in two types. Bold, brash, and
ready for action or shy, quiet, and ready for
action. Don't be fooled by the shy type. He may
come on all "Aw shucks" and toe shuffles, like
Aries Dennis Quaid, but under that poker face,
or enigmatic smile, his brain synapses are
firing at 1,000 per minute, concentrating on the
best way to get you into his bed in the shortest
possible time.

On the door of the original Playboy Mansion in
Chicago was a brass plate with the inscription
Si Non Oscillas, Noli Tintinnare--If you don't
swing, don't ring. Aries Hugh Hefner, the flip,
hip, big daddy of hedonism, is still alive and
well, and still the quintessential bad boy at
76.

Remember all of this before you buy your wedding
dress. After the ceremony, he will expect you to
worship the ground he makes you crawl on while
he declares his need for freedom. He will
require you to have the house sparkling, the
grass mowed, and the cars washed, all before he
gets home from his latest adventure. He'll leave
a trail of dirty clothes from the front door to
the shower, while shouting his dinner order over
his shoulder. When he appears at the table,
he'll expect you to have a gourmet's delight in
one hand and his favorite cold drink in the
other. And, you'd better look like you just
stepped out of the pages of Vogue. This man
chases the ideal. He doesn't want a real woman,
with real needs. He wants the adoration of Mommy
and the ethereal qualities of a fairy princess,
all wrapped up in the figure of a Playboy
centerfold. He thinks he is indestructible, but
he's extremely accident-prone and seldom gets
through life without a few broken bones, several
concussions, and a couple of totaled cars. He is
restless, fidgety, and has frequent head aches.

Just as he is either brash or shy, he'll either
be a spendthrift or paranoid about starving to
death. You'll have to clip coupons and buy pork
and beans in bulk while he plays Mr. Fix-It with
the plumbing. You'll learn to sew and to raise
your own veggies while he attacks his latest
moneymaking scheme with the same fierce energy
that makes him shout at the TV and practice road
rage in the church parking lot. If he's loose
with cash, you'll have to work two jobs to keep
the creditors off your back and a roof over your
heads.

Mr. Ram communicates by temper tantrum. He will
smash the glasses and put his fist through the
wall one minute, then want to screw your brains
out the next. And he will be genuinely surprised
when you resist his ardor as you're bent over
the dustpan, sweeping up shards of crystal.

Your favorite martian will start a little war to
have an excuse to slam out of the house and stay
out until all hours. A Leo would announce that
he's going out with the boys, and a Capricorn
would tell you he's working late at the office,
but Aries needs to rationalize his bad behavior.
If you're the bitch, then he is still the hero.
The Greeks christened him the Ram. You can call
him Butthead.