Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, is ruled by the planet Mars and symbolized by the ram. Recently on a popular animal show, I observed the sparring techniques of the ram. The males lower their heads so that their horns extend forward; they take a firm stance and charge headlong into their adversary. The sound of their horns butting against each other is enough to make most humans cringe. Undaunted by their blows, however, they repeat this ritual over and over again for hours. I had to remark on the wisdom of the ancient astronomers to have matched so perfectly the sign of Aries with its zodiacal mascot, the ram.

When you first meet an Aries, you are impressed with the aura of physical power which seems to surround him. From his cheerful, yet honest glance, his confident handshake, and the firm stance of his feet on the ground, you get the feeling he knows exactly who he is and where he's going. But don't say something to get on his bad side. The ram can get pretty unruly when he lowers his horns, and I don't mean figuratively. Of all zodiacal natives, the Arien can most easily haul off and punch you right in the nose. Of course he'll apologize saying he didn't know what got into him, but only after he's had time to think about it. Doing first and thinking later, under most circumstances, is actually one of his strong points.

The resemblance to his mascot-counterpart does not end there. Physically, the Arien imposes a powerful looking frame with a well developed musculature. Even the women by their general demeanor will convey the attitude of being 'ready for action.' The face is almost always reddish or ruddy complected with decidedly sharp features. They will usually have very steady eyes. Try out-staring an Arien, and you'll soon know what I mean. The brows will generally be close-knit, seeming to join with the bridge of the nose to form a "T." The end of the nose which can be bulbous or button-shaped, appears somehow to stand out from or not go along with the rest of the face. The forehead is almost always prominent, further suggesting the ram's horns. Some Ariens may even bend forward slightly when they walk, leading themselves by the horns, so to speak, as if in search of another sparring partner.

From all of this you may infer Ariens to be a mean looking lot. Actually the opposite is true. Most of them are quite good looking, especially in the face, which is their strong point. In many female Ariens, the definitive jaw line and accentuated cheekbones suggests the classical facial lines of a model. The forward or aggressive appearance of many Mars-ruled is actually a design by Nature to hide their inner gentleness. Ariens, you see, are actually the babies of the zodiac. Just think of an infant in a bassinet, and you will have the perfect picture of the typical April-born. When baby's hungry, he'll scream his lungs out just to get your attention, his ams and legs flailing frantically in jerky movements; but when the crisis is over, he'll be as cute and cuddly as ever, making you wonder what all the fuss was about. Just watch your Arien friend the next time he's hungry. Nothing else will seem to matter but that he find a restaurant and eat, and you must be hungry too, right? After his needs are taken care of, everything is quite back to normal. It didn't seem to matter that the food wasn't to your liking or that you hadn't had enough. These facts seem to have never entered his consciousness. This is not to say Ariens are immature or inconsiderate. It's just that their wants or desires usually come first, and they sometimes have a hard time seeing beyond them to others' needs. If they do seem inconsiderate at times, you'll just have to chalk it up to the Arien way of doing things, and that's not so bad. After all, where else could you find such wide-eyed innocence and childlike good humor in the wake of such diplomatic faux pas.

Like the proverbial 'babe in the woods, ' there is something about Mars-ruled that always retains the qualities of innocence, naivete, and childish enthusiasm. The fellow who came up with the phrase "bright eyed and bushy tailed" must certainly have been talking about an Arien. Their approach to life is always optimistic but sometimes simplistic, seeing things in terms of black and white and remaining quite oblivious to so many shades of grey. This can sometimes make the ram narrow-minded or dogmatic in his thinking, but what he can accomplish without a lot of distracting nuances and complexities to slow him down is staggering. The Mars-ruled is action oriented, and nobody is better than he at getting the job done. Consider how many Ariens you know who are job foreman, managers, or who own their own businesses. Their ability at giving orders and relegating responsibility to subordinates in the job situation is uncanny. Don't put them in a position, however, where they'll have to deal with complex emotions or with a problem requiring delicate handling or subtlety. They're simply not equipped for it. They'll balk at the prospect of any such undertaking, being stultified with the complexities of the task.

There's nothing complex about these April-born. As with children, what you see is what you get. Their straightforwardness can be endearing, though it often gets them into trouble. They'll think nothing of telling you the dress you just bought is awful, even though you spent all afternoon picking it out. you should have bought one like the one they're wearing, and isn't it wonderful? Let's face it, tact and diplomacy are not high on the list of importance to Mars-ruled, and a few emotional bumps and bruises may well be in store for even their closest friends. What seems like rudeness is quite literally an obliviousness to your feelings; it's certainly not intentional. Just try and accuse them of being inconsiderate, and they'll stare at you in genuine wide-eyed innocence, wondering what it was they said wrong.

If your friend is an Arien, you can have consolation in knowing that, despite any shortcomings, he'll never play mind games. The Arien native, as the child in him would imply, is not the least bit calculating. He'll simply tell it like it is before he's had a chance to think about the consequences. You'll never catch him buttering up to the boss for a promotion, or plying you with fancy dinners to win a favor. Those ideas never really enter his mind. After all, why wouldn't you want to do him a favor just by his asking? He's got it coming to him, doesn't he? and whose life is more important anyway? As for buttering up the boss, Ariens may be too self-sufficient and proud to acknowledge they have a boss. Indeed, they may even take work matters into their own hands without the boss's knowledge. These Mars-ruled do not work well under authority unless they, too, have subordinates to whom to give orders. They resent being ordered around because they feel their ideas are the best anyway, and who should question them? In this respect, they are probably right. As I mentioned before, the Arien's knack for knowing how to get the job done is unsurpassed. Nevertheless, their disregard for authority can sometimes get them into trouble and can even cost them their job. Ask any Mars-ruled how many times he's been fired, and he'll probably tell you more than once.

The childlike enthusiasm of April-born is infectious, and their ability to rouse others to interest in a project or undertaking is unparalleled. As soon as the undertaking has gotten off the ground and is well on its way, however, their own interest wanes. Ariens soon become bored once the novelty of a project has worn thin. It's not that they are lazy; no sign is more energetic. It's just that Mars-ruled are initiators, not perpetuators, and need the constant challenge of newness to keep themselves from getting bored. Progress is important to them. There is a drive in them to be constantly moving forward, and they can become downright ornery if they feel their progress is in any way impeded. To have to retrace their steps or go back to a former lifestyle or circumstance is unthinkable to most Ariens. They'd just as soon take their chances on unbroken ground.

There's nothing an Arien likes better than to have his ego bolstered. He seeks praise not necessarily for what he has accomplished but simply for who and what he is. When the ram feels he's not getting his share of admiration from those around him, he'll often exaggerate the truth in his own favor to evoke more favorable comments. Ariens won't usually lie. That is quite beyond their straightforward nature, but a little embellishment here and there never hurt anyone. When your Arien friend tells you about the new apartment he just moved into, for example, he'll describe it in terms of crystal chandeliers, hand-tooled woodwork, and spacious windows. When you actually see it, however, it may appear somewhat less than you had imagined. The Arien trait of bending the truth in part represents their need to mark the stamp of their individuality on everything they do. The ram is not content to let even the facts remain unaltered by his Arien originality, and if in the process he can direct a little more attention to himself, so much the better.

The Arien need for originality is put to good use in occupations where a personal touch is required. Interior decorating, custom catering, hair design, cinematography, photography, architectural design, etc. are replete with Mars-ruled whose flair and originality add a breath of freshness to their respective fields. Leave it to an Arien to keep your company, project or undertaking fresh and in keeping with the times. In business their progressive originality is always seeking new outlets, and work is never dull in their arena. Next time you're at work, or anywhere for that matter, notice the individual with more than the average ambition, a cheerful brand of optimism, and fiery energy and originality. Chances are he or she will be an Aries.