ARIES – THE RAM

March 21—April 19

Headwork is the chief factor of this sign. Persons born under Aries are keen, creative, and highly adaptive; but they are also impetuous and headstrong. This is accentuated by the Governing planet, Mars, which adds an aggressive touch to an already active and ambitious nature. Their incessant drive gets them off to a good start on any project, but they are apt to become diverted and scatter their further effort.

Though quick to anger, Aries people often calm easily. They are naturally humorous and quick of wit; they enjoy music and entertainment. They say the right thing at the right time; and as students, they are often keen and have the ability of applying whatever they learn to good advantage. They like new things and have a way of rousing and swaying other persons to work along with them. In all fields, however, there is a frequent disinclination to “stay with it” once the novelty wears off. Coincident with this is an Aries tendency of giving ideas to other people and also leaving detail work to others. This is seldom a mark of generosity or confidence on the Aries person’s part, but more the desire to see things carried through without effort on their own part. There is a strong ego in the Aries nature, which causes them to become visionary and idealistic, thereby rising to positions of importance and esteem. Conversely, they can let their impatience ruin them, turning them into fickle, self-centered individuals, foolish or false in their generosity. Unable to attain their high aspirations, they may value money only as a means to such a goal, spending it foolishly and extravagantly. Thus misguided by their own impetuosity, Aries persons become angry when plans fail. They may find fault or interfere with their subordinates, blaming them instead. They often regard their own ideas as perfect and sometimes set up their own standards of right or wrong, even to the extent of sheer fanaticism. This can prove disastrous to their careers. When well controlled, Aries people foster friendship and promote both harmony and beauty, which they relish to the degree of luxury. They show loyalty and are willing to fight for what they consider right; all the more reason why they should set high and worthy standards. Being natural leaders, Aries people do not lace to take orders from others; but they should at least accept advice if they hope to attain their ambitions.

In business, Aries determination spells success, if good choice is shown toward opportunities and issues are squarely faced. Aries people are specially suited to the Atomic Age, as they shine in new and undeveloped fields, due to their eagerness to lead the way. In more prosaic pursuits, they are good salesmen and their drive is valuable in real estate, insurance, banking, and other financial fields. Professionally, they are fine actors, capable lawyers, and statesmen. They are also qualified for literary and artistic work. Due to their strong executive ability, Aries people usually do better on their own, rather than entering into any partnership. However, they need business associates to a degree and their surest choice is someone born under Taurus. While Aries teams well with Sagittarius, Aquarius, and Pisces, any of those are apt to profit more from the association unless the Aries person is strongly dominant. Any association between Aries and Capricorn or Aries and Scorpio may prove highly productive of problems. In marriage, Aries persons frequently find harmony and understanding with those born in Leo, Sagittarius, or under their own sign. Marriages with Gemini or Libra are regarded as specially suited to the Aries temperament.

Among the many group of celestial objects that stud the night sky, there are twelve which form a great belt around the earth. The signs of the zodiac Based on the SOLAR system each of these represents a month in the astrological year that runs from March 21 on through the succeeding March 20. These are called the signs of the zodiac.

Each month, the Sun enters a new sign, and all persons born during that period have it as their birth sign. According to astrology, there are twelve types of persons thus represented, as all individuals born under a given sign become imbued with its inherent characteristics.The signs and the dates when they exert their individual influences are as follows:

Aries or the Ram — March 21 through April 19
Taurus or the Bull — April 20 through May 19
Gemini or the Twins — May 20 through June 20
Cancer or the Crab — June 21 through July 22
Leo or the Lion — July 23 through August 21
Virgo or the Virgin — August 22 through September 22
Libra or the Scales — September 23 through October 22
Scorpio or the Scorpion — October 23 through November 21 Sagittarius or the Bowman — November 22 through December 21 Capricorn or the Goat — December 22 through January 20 Aquarius or the Water Carrier — January 21 through February 19
Pisces or the Fish — February 20 through March 20

The twelve charts that follow describe the basic traits attributed to each of these signs, and in many cases they fit the individual with surprising exactitude. All persons differ to some degree, however, and their variable traits will be discussed later, which cover in-between periods as well as planetary influences and their significance. These apply not only to the astrological month, but to the day and year of birth.

Pegomancy requires spring water or bubbling fountains for its divinations.

Pessomancy requires pebbles for its divinations.

Phrenology, which deals in head formations, is a modern form of psychic science.

Phrenopathy is a similar subject incorporating hypnotism.

Phyllorhodomancy is an intriguing type of divination dating from ancient Greece. It consists of slapping rose petals against the hand and judging the success of a venture according to the loudness of the sound.

Physiognomy is highly modern in its treatment and deals with character analysis through physical appearance of the features. It has older roots, but all of a practical nature.

Precognition is an inner knowledge of things to come, which may lead to Prediction, which is the announcement of such events, or Premonition, a foreboding of the future. These are combined in Prognostication, which goes into specific details, or the greater art of Prophecy, which connotes inspired knowledge of important events, with their fulfillment almost certain.

Psychography is a form of mysterious writing, usually of a divinatory type.

Psychometry is the faculty of gaining impressions from a physical object, either regarding its owner, or the history of the object itself.

Pyromancy and Pyroscopy are forms of divination by fire, wherein powdered substances are thrown on the flames; if these kindle quickly, it is a good omen.

Rhabdomancy is divination by means of a wand or stick. Of ancient origin, much of its history is obscure, but it was the forerunner of the divining rod, discussed in the chapter on Radiesthesia.

Rhapsodomancy is performed by opening a book of poetry and reading a passage at chance, hoping it will prove to be an omen.

Sciomancy is a term for divination gained through spirit aid.

Sideromancy is the burning of straws on a hot iron and studying the figures thus formed, along with the flames and smoke.

Sortilege is the casting of lots in hope of a good omen; this has many phases and variations dating from antiquity and is still practiced today.

Spodomancy provides omens from cinders or soot.

Stichomancy is another form of opening a book hoping that a random passage will give inspiration, something that many people follow today.

Stolisomancy draws omens from oddities in the way people dress.

Sycomancy is performed by writing messages on tree leaves; the slower they dry, the better the omen. A more modern way is to write questions on slips of paper, roll them up, and hold them in a strainer above a steaming pot. Whichever unrolls first will be answered; but a blank slip should always be included in the group.

Tephramancy is the seeking of messages in ashes; tree bark is often burned for that purpose and the diviner looks for symbols as with tealeaves.

Tiromancy is an odd form of divination utilizing cheese.

Xylomancy is divination from pieces of wood. Some diviners pick them up at random, interpreting them according to their shape or formation. Others put pieces of wood upon a fire and note the order in which they burn, forming conclusions as to omens, good or bad.

Lecanomancy involved a basin of water in the divinatory process; while Libanomancy requires incense as a means of interpreting omens.

Lithomancy utilizes precious stones of various colors. In its more modern form of divination, these are scattered on a flat surface, and whichever reflects the light most vividly fulfills the omen.

Blue – good luck soon.

Green – realization of a hope.

Red – happiness in love or marriage.

Yellow – disaster or betrayal.

Purple – a period of sadness.

Black or grey – misfortune.

Colored beads may be used instead of jewels.

Margaritomancy was a procedure utilizing pearls, which were supposed to bounce upward beneath an inverted pot if a guilty person approached.

Metagnomy is a comparatively modern form of intuitive divination covering past, distant scenes of present, and future events while viewed during a hypnotic trance.

Meteoromancy lists omens dependent on meteors and similar phenomena.

Metoposcopy is the reading of character from the lines of the forehead. Based on Astrology, it has factors akin to Palmistry, but belongs under the head of Physiognomy.

Molybdomancy draws mystic inferences from the varied hissings of molten lead.

Myomancy concerns rats and mice, the cries they give, the destruction they cause, all as prophetic tokens.

Numerology, though of ancient origin, is a modern form of interpreting names and dates in terms of vital numbers, all indicative of individual traits.

Oculomancy is a form of divination from the eyes.

Oinomancy utilizes wine in determining omens.

Oneiromancy is the interpretation of dreams.

Onomancy answers the question of “what’s in a name” by giving meanings for names of persons and things, but has comparatively little importance as a divinatory art.

Onomantics is a development of Onomancy, applied to personal names. Some of these are obvious in meaning, as Hope, or Victor. Others are easily translatable, as Sophia for wisdom, or Leo for lion-hearted. Others have been extended or elaborated, but their basic meanings can be found in many dictionaries or standard reference works, and they lack the deeper significance of psychic or occult interpretation.

Onychomancy is a study of the fingernails in the sunlight, looking for any significant symbols that can be traced.

Onyomancy is similar and somewhat more practical, being an interpretation of personal characteristics from the nails, as a minor phase of Palmistry.

Oomantia and Ooscopy are terms applied to ancient methods of divination by eggs.

Ophiomancy covers divination from serpents.

Orniscopy and Ornithomancy are concerned with omens gained by watching the flight of different birds.

Ovomancy is another form of egg divination.

Palmistry is one of the most interesting of psychic sciences and has reached a high state of modern development. Long known as the “language of the hand,” it interprets the lines and general formations according to well-accepted rules.