ARIES: The Power of Self-Love
Source: Unsplash/Vera Greiner
This the first of a 12-part series. It’s a little meditation on understanding the signs based on the Archetype.
Get your heads out of the gutter, fellow Scorpios. By self-love I mean learning to love and appreciate our own individuality. If you haven’t learned to love yourself, it’s difficult to know how to properly love anyone else.
Aries represents consciousness, that first awareness of the self, separate from others and eager to explore the world. It’s position as the first sign of the Zodiac heralds the beginning of Spring when life pushes through in an energetic, and sometimes violent, way as a method of survival.
It is also the sign associated with the 1st house, the Ascendent, the house signifying how we interact with the world. In the Archetype, it represents the ideal way to interact with the world, as seen through the qualities and planets associated with it. It is a fire sign ruled by Mars with the Sun exalted and Jupiter in triplicity. How should we approach life? Fearlessly, confidently, enthusiastically, and without compromise of our ideals. Aries is also a Masculine Cardinal sign, meaning we should act on the environment instead of reacting to it, and always towards a defined goal.
People with strong Aries energy are leaders who move things forward without worrying about what anyone else thinks. They’re confident, adventurous, and willing to fight when necessary, which is why they can become excellent role models for others. They can be impulsive because they live in the present moment, not thinking about their own safety or future consequences. Think of a firefighter or a police officer, two professions that tend to attract strong Aries types. They’re the ones who run towards danger when everyone else is running away.
If we consider the planets traditionally in dishonor in Aries, Venus in detriment and Saturn in fall, they remind us that being too attached to our appetites (Venus) weakens our will, and being too fearful of the future (Saturn) prevents us from actively shaping it. When a strong Aries can’t achieve complete freedom, they can become selfish, cruel, aggressive, and in the extreme, very violent.
When we bring it back to the concept of self-love, when you don’t love and respect yourself, it’s easy for others to take advantage of you. You give up your own autonomy to please others, or overcompensate through a host of addictions, like food, drugs, or shopping. You tend to treat others poorly because that’s all you know, or punish them for not loving you the way you think they should.