RAM FEVER

 ARIES is the first sign of the zodiac circle because it is the sign of the northern spring equinox, which in turn is the point marking the beginning of the natural year. Ancient calendars used this point to start their solar year in contrast to our western artificial calendar, which starts its calendar year in the month of January. 

 

So, with the rushing in of new energies for the start of a new solar year, the Ram was chosen as the symbol of the zodiacal sign of Aries. And Aries has great affinity with the planet Mars, or in astrological speak, Mars is the ruler of Aries.

An image of Mars from Albumasar’s

‘De Magnus Conjunctionibus’ [9^th Century]

Mars is hot and fiery, it is the life driving force that gives initiative to take action, drawing, as all the planets do, its own life from our sun, the hub of our universe. Mars was the planet particularly favoured by the Romans. This accords well with their pagan religion of Mithraism, the religion of fire, fire that makes so much possible in the lives of human beings.

 

We will meet Mars again in his association with the sign Scorpio, but here in Aries, the Martian energy is less complicated and therefore freer to have a more direct and easy expression of itself. Without Mars energy, little or nothing can be accomplished; no one would get out of bed in the morning, or strive for achievement in the world, or make love and generate more babies. Mars is the fighting energy that enables us to push our way through life. Of course too much push can make one very unpopular and too much fire makes an enemy of an otherwise very useful commodity.

 

The secret side of the Ram is seen in the Ancient Egyptian god Khnum who guards one of the 21 portals of the House of Osiris. As an ancient creator god, Khnum moulds man on his potter’s wheel, or as Vulcan, hammers out man on his anvil with the aid of fire.

Khnum guarding a portal.

From the Ancient Egyptian ‘Book of the Dead’.

It takes persistence and courage to get through life, sadly when these ‘thrusting’ qualities are devoid of the human virtues and chivalry, one can descend into pointless war and aggression, instead of fighting for good like King Arthur or Parsifal.

Chivalry: the knight and his lady.