THE SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF ARIES
"The wisest and best of men is he who has gathered and learned to manifest within himself the lessons found in all signs." - Swami Kriyananda
Aries is the first sign of the zodiac and represents new beginnings, emerging energy, and momentum. It is full of expectations, embracing life with strength, enthusiasm, egocentrism, and often with little awareness of personal boundaries concerning things and people around them.
We have written several times about the cyclical nature of life: therefore, even though the mood of Aries represents childhood, we can certainly rediscover its energy and vibrant hopefulness every time we manage to close a door behind us in life to start a new path. Aries is ruled by Mars, the planet of disruptive, almost violent, certainly fiery and hardly controllable energy. It is a sign full of strength and ambition, daring where others do not, and thus makes an excellent leader. It exerts its influence on the world through the emerging energy of those who promote new initiatives.
Every breath is an opportunity for a fresh start in our lives. This is the characteristic of Aries, and everyone should possess at least some of this energy.
Often, it launches into a venture without much thought, but it also possesses the precious ability to observe successes and failures with the utmost serenity and impartiality, almost as if they were not its own, and to draw valuable lessons from them. It knows perfectly well that there will always be the possibility of a new beginning around the corner, and this is the secret of its courage: nothing is forever, and everything can be remedied. Each of us should possess this awareness to live life with greater courage and energy, without clinging to situations, places, or people that seem like anchors of salvation, but which can instead be chains preventing us from moving forward.
We can learn from Aries that the feeling of shame and irreparability that generally accompanies every failure can be dispelled when one learns to say to oneself, "All this belongs to the past. If I learn from every experience, my life will improve!" Success and failure are necessary and inseparable components of earthly existence, but the soul of man is eternal, immutable, untouched by any external highs and lows, and its existence does not depend on external causes. Only by recognizing this can one dispel any depression that may follow a failure and return to work for a full, serene, and fearless life.
Aries lives fully in the present. The more we learn to live in our center, the more we understand that past and future do not exist: only the present exists, and every moment can become our long-sought-after gateway to eternal freedom.
"Forget the past. The past lives of all men are obscured by many infamies. Human conduct is always unreliable until it is anchored in the Divine. Everything in the future will improve if you make a spiritual effort now." - S. Kriananda, The Spirit is always new
Unfortunately, every human quality, as universally necessary as it may be, has its pitfalls; in every strength lies the opposite weakness, and every positive trait contains the seed of something that can lead to ruin.
As we have said, Aries often, driven by its own enthusiasm, forgets to plan and control before embarking on a new venture: "He who does not risk does not gain" is its motto. Aries natives who lack a balancing influence characteristic of other zodiac signs risk constantly throwing themselves into new and exciting projects, abandoning those "old" ones, unfinished because they are deemed boring, unsuccessful, or no longer worth pursuing. They may thus pass with enthusiasm from one initiative to another without ever concluding anything, and therefore without ever reaping the rewards of their continuous efforts. Moreover, they tend to look suspiciously at those among their followers who still believe in a venture they have already abandoned.
A powerful fire that extinguishes quickly and leads to nothing: its precious energies will be wasted, and the Aries native may find himself devoid of them. It could thus open a chasm in which he, now deprived of his vibrant confidence in the future, renounces being an active promoter, instead remaining stuck in the role of a passive dreamer of exceptional enterprises in which he will try, only in words, to involve anyone he meets in vain.
Aries does not like to think too far ahead and needs a type of work that brings new challenges, new opportunities to start something every day. It would be better for Aries to surround itself with patient people, as they will inevitably have to continue and conclude what Aries has started. Its friends of other signs may, rightly, wish that it were a more prudent planner, and indeed, to master its work, it may need to balance its initial enthusiasm with a more far-sighted vision.
The path to spiritual elevation and full personal satisfaction for Aries lies in exploring at deeper levels its wonderful ability to live fully here and now. Living only in the present can be a sign of youthful immaturity if done because one cannot do otherwise, but living fully in the present with awareness is also a sign of spiritual wisdom, if done intentionally. The difference between the two approaches is that the true sage lives in the moment, not for the moment. In this way, he lives in eternity. Aries, with its tendency to seize the joy of the moment, needs only to take one step deeper to realize that "ever-new joy" that emerges from its own self and that is the sign of the soul's consciousness.
But how?
Aries can go far if it learns to stop, to take a step back to observe from a different perspective the long journey of life as an uninterrupted series of ever-new beginnings. It is not about constantly seeking new and exciting projects, but about offering oneself the opportunity to start afresh with enthusiasm every new day as a new project, a rewarding and exciting challenge, expressing gratitude for being here and now present, alive, capable of waking up to live a new day in the service of others and the Divine.
According to Eastern tradition, there are currents of energy in the spine that flow in harmony with streams of consciousness. The movement of energy upwards is associated with the awakening of Kundalini, the affirmation of life, and enthusiasm. Consequently, directing this energy upwards in the spine helps elevate one's spirit. Aries, by its nature, is in touch with this upward flow. If it were to allow this energy to flow downward, not only would it risk dissipating its forces, but it could easily develop the most negative characteristics of its sign: bullying and a demanding, quarrelsome, and dictatorial nature. All these negative characteristics can largely be transmuted simply by directing the energy in the spine toward the brain, the spiritual seat in the body.
MEDITATION FOR ARIES
The stones of Aries are generally related to the first chakra and serve those born under the sign to rebalance their energies and protect them from the negative energies of people around them who may envy their strength and energy and may not tolerate Aries' direct and somewhat abrupt ways or its constant change of direction.
A mala made of carnelian, red agate, or red jasper can support Aries' meditation very well.
It's important for Aries to connect with the ascending energy that leads to spiritual elevation. Some energizing pranayama exercises, especially those focusing on inhalation, can be of great support in this.
Sitting in a comfortable posture, place your mala in your right hand and focus on your breath; start inhaling at a moderately slow pace, directing the flow of your energy upward along your spine. With each inhalation, observe the slight undulating movement of the spine and try to notice how the coccyx moves backward with each inhalation and forward with each exhalation. Feel the energy pumping upward from this gentle rocking of the coccyx.
Accompany this movement of ascending energy with an affirmation, intention, or mantra that leads to inner awakening. If you wish, you can use the mala as a guide for repetitions.
Now focus on the breath and the energy at the point between the eyebrows, the seat of the third eye.
As long as possible, hold the breath effortlessly, and feel that you are burning away all discouragement, fear, and other negative qualities in the fire of the inner power you have generated. As you exhale again, feel that you are expelling from your body the last poisoned fumes of negativity. Repeat this exercise several times.
Then meditate calmly and for as long as you desire, allowing the inner light dwelling in the third eye to completely absorb you in the awareness of the Eternal Present.
When you are ready, remember that every moment of life is an opportunity to recommit oneself to spiritual seeking, and in doing so, place your mala in a visible area of your home, preferably in a place dedicated to daytime activities or at least not too close to the sleeping area.
"With the first love of sincere lovers, thus teach me to love You." - Paramhansa Yogananda
ARIES BIRTHDAY RITUAL
On your birthday, sit comfortably and in silence, holding your carnelian, red agate (or fire agate), or red jasper mala in your right hand. Bring your mala close to the flame of a candle to cleanse and purify it.
Now listen to your breath without altering it and bring your attention deep within yourself. With your mala in your lap, imagine a sacred flame emanating from the crystal within you, and then, from your center, envision this flame enveloping your entire body, forming an energetic and protective shield around you.
Return your focus to your center and listen to its profound silence; rediscover the calm, serenity, and energy that radiate from here, revitalizing your strength and creativity.
Now imagine everything you desire for yourself flowing into the next year of your life.
When you are ready, bring your attention back to the room and, moving slowly and mindfully, place your mala in a visible area of your apartment dedicated to daytime activities.
SANKALPA FOR ARIES
The constant need for new beginnings can make those born under this sign restless and always seeking new excitement. Therefore, the everyday life, with its constant cyclical rhythm, can become unbearable for them. Instead of seeking external new and exciting ventures, it can be helpful for Aries to find that same enthusiasm in small things, even in the mundane aspects of life.
Focusing on the present moment and finding gratitude in the possibility of starting each day with renewed enthusiasm can transform even the most ordinary days into extraordinary ones. Attention to the here and now will infuse every action with the vibrant energy of endless possibilities, even on the most mundane day.
Since a Sankalpa must always be present and positive, it can be beneficial for Aries to adopt these intentions:
- "I live each day as a new beginning"
- "I recognize that every moment is unique"
- "I see infinite possibilities even in ordinary actions"
- "I acknowledge the greatness of the Divine in every act of presence"
- "Every single step represents a new beginning"
Carnelian, red agate, and red jasper are the recommended stones for Aries, but it's also advisable to rely on the balancing energy of green aventurine, which can help harness and channel the impulsive Aries energy, providing the perseverance needed to complete what they start.