Today the Sun entered sidereal Aries, meaning it is now between the earth and the stars making up the constellation of the Ram. Vedic astrology follows the sidereal (or star-based) zodiac. You may be thinking “didn’t the Sun enter Aries on March 21st, the spring Equinox?” According to the tropical zodiac used in Western astrology, yes, because in the tropical zodiac Aries’ start is defined by the vernal equinox, or the time when the ecliptic (the sun’s perceived path around earth, from our point of view), intersects with the celestial equator (basically, a circle in space aligned with the equator). Below is a good visual from wikipedia. Basically, we think of the equinoxes as the times when the Sun is directly “above” the equator, giving equal light to the northern and southern hemispheres. Because of the tilt of the earth, this happens only twice a year. From our perspective on earth, the Sun was still aligned with the constellation of Pisces over the last few weeks, and has just crossed into the beginning of Aries’ section of the sky today. We will begin to really feel that springtime burst of energy now and through the next month.
Aries, a fire sign ruled by Mars, is where the Sun is exalted, or able to make the most of its energy. Sun, or Surya, relates to our life-force, health, and physical energy, so we may feel a rush of strength, empowerment, and inspiration coming on during this time. Especially because we have passed the heavy energy of the eclipses, this is a good time to get moving forward with projects and plans for the year (…starting after tomorrow! The very day of transition the Sun is not yet fully established in its new sign). With this forward-moving Ram energy behind the Sun, it’s a good time to check in with your health, do a springtime cleanse, or start a new exercise regime. Sun also represents the Atman, or the higher self. It is a sattvic planet aimed at purification and truth, and offers generously its life-giving energy that sustains everything. When it is in this strong position, we feel the abundance of strength within that lets us not only move forward in individual pursuits but also in ways that help others. Give back to the earth by offering your (Sun’s) energy into her as you start your garden. A strong Sun compels us to align with truth on all levels, so it may be a good time to review your own accountability and responsibilities.
Sun is now joined Mars, the planet of strength and courage, which adds even more vigor to our energy this month. He is also joining Mercury in Aries now, which may feel a bit overwhelming to our sense for reasoning and communicating. Mercury is combust at the moment and approaching Mars as well, so all that heat can add fire to our speech and intellect. Do your best to slow down when communicating and avoid arguing or blurting things out too fast. The intellect is sharp now, so if you haven’t finished your taxes yet, give it a try! Sun is a planet of hard work and responsibility, and Aries brings a power to this pursuit, so it is a good time to check in with yours. We’ll fully engage the Ram energy when the New Moon in Aries occurs on Saturday, April 18th.