Aries: Leader of the Zodipack

April 10th, 1990 played host to a number of auspicious signs. Firstly, the moon was full. Full moons symbolize celebration, cultivation, and ultimate manifestation power. Secondly, it was the 100th day of the year. In numerology, the number 100 represents determination, independence and infinite potential. Thirdly, the life path number associated with this day is 6. People born with this number are said to be full of charisma and are naturally gifted in the arts. It should come as no surprise then, with such strong prospects, that I chose this day to be my birthday.

It was an overcast, rainy afternoon in small-town Ontario when I made my grand entrance into this world, earning my place as a brazen and bold Aries. Born to a woman who has more than one horoscope website bookmarked in her internet browser (love you, Mom), it was only natural that I would inherit a predisposition to consulting the cosmos and grow up reading what the stars had in store for me daily.

I’m a proud Aries. I accept the impulsiveness, and moodiness that comes with the territory, and consider myself lucky to be born under a sign that inspires courage and independence. While elements of my fiery sign don’t always seem to fit me quite right, namely the innate desire to always be number one and the obsession with winning at all costs, for the most part, I feel snug as bug in the land of the Ram.

A deepening interest in discovering my cosmic makeup led me to explore the hot mess that is one’s birth chart (see Figure 1). A birth chart is a map of sorts which shows the placement of the planets in relation to the zodiac constellations, based on the exact time and location of your birth. It can be a tad overwhelming when you first input your details and see the chaotic crossing of lines and curious symbols scattered about in a seemingly meaningless fashion and, truthfully, I still get confused when I look at mine. Thankfully, there are a number of websites which do the legwork of decoding your chart, providing a thorough explanation of all it entails. The main takeaway from mine was that, despite being a born under a fire sign, I’m primarily governed by the energies of earth and water, with a total of 70% of my chart composed of these elements.

I’m fascinated by the fact that many ancient cultures across the globe took to observing the effects of celestial events to create archetypes. Many of us are familiar with our sun sign through the Western Astrology method, which finds its roots in Babylonian traditions, but, it’s worth exploring the other forms, especially if your ancestral lineage is linked to one of the other systems.

As someone with Celtic ancestry, I recently started to dig into Celtic Tree Astrology. Having so much earth energy in my birth chart made me immediately resonate with this method. In Celtic Tree Astrology, the year is divided into 13 sacred trees which transition in tandem with the lunar cycle. There are noticeable similarities in the attributes given to the various trees as they correspond and overlap with their Western Astrology counterparts. In this system, my sign is the Alder tree, also known as the Trailblazer.

Those born under the guidance of the trailblazing Alder are believed to be self-reliant, passionate, and possessors of unparalleled determination and courage. These traits lend themselves well to pursuits like entrepreneurialism, and leadership roles. As an entrepreneur myself, I can support this claim. Side note: I am the proud proprietress of a metaphysical shop, and nerding out over the stars and divining messages through other mystical means is absolutely my bag, baby.

Some may avoid astrology, quick to lump it in with other so-called “woo-woo” practices, but I am not one of them. For as long as there have been humans on Earth, eyes have been cast upwards to gaze and marvel at the magnitude of our vast universe. Whether you approach it as a form of entertainment or from an academic standpoint, I believe the study of the stars and other astronomical objects, and their impact on our emotions and actions day-to-day, can only strengthen our understanding of ourselves, and in turn, of those around us. We are, after all, stardust.