Community of Southern African Professional Astrologers

A Ram, Bull and set of Twins

Learning Astrology

The zodiac signs are like the fields, the arena or homes in any building. The homes provide the space for people to act, live, work or function. The planets are like people. When we walk into any home of a person, we can infer knowledge about the person. To know which sign a planet is in, helps an astrologer to understand how that planet may be able to express its energy. The first three signs of the zodiac are the foundation of the zodiac. This article will cover Aries, symbolized, by the head of a ram, Taurus, symbolized by the head of a bull and Gemini, symbolized by a set of twins. The zodiac is composed of twelve signs. Aries is the first sign and correlates to number one. Taurus is the second sign and correlates to number two. Gemini is the third sign and correlates to number three.

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Aries, the ram, is ruled by the planet Mars (please see my article on Mars). The qualities of Aries are naturally influenced by Martian rulership. The ram has the iconic horns, and reveals that Aries can make head way in most types of situations and it will butt heads to forge ahead. Timidness is not an Aries trait. Aries is a cardinal sign and this shows that Aries is able to initiate, develop quickly and begin a new cycle. Aries falls within the fire element. The fire element has bouts of powerful abundant energy which can destroy or create. Aries being number one, is eager to express individuality, express sense of self, to initiate and begin projects, tasks and missions. There is a strong sense of ‘me’ winning or coming first with Aries and in the opposite sign of Libra, there is a sense of ‘we’ with fairness and equality.

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Aries with the fire element fueling its space, is driven and ambitious. The sense of being the first, and sense of separate self, propels Aries to express this ability to act and do. Aries people generally have great charisma, a strong and energetic persona. Aries people are the people needed to begin the march, begin the project and lead the way. This does not mean Aries people are great rulers, because their impatience and great zest to act can lead to erroneous acts in haste or jumping to conclusions without thorough thoughtful investigation. Aries is like the baby, fascinated with this Earth planet and wanting to explore and express the ability to do things. Yes, the baby is still very immature, yet the baby learns and learns only by doing and being brave. Aries has courage to take a risk, take that first step, stumble and get up, forge ahead and express enthusiasm. Babies generally are curious and as each day passes, they forge to explore new territory as they crawl and then wobble along on their two small feet. Aries is an odd numbered zodiac sign and as a result may be expressed as a more active and masculine energy.

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Taurus, the bull, is ruled by the planet Venus (please see my article on Venus). The qualities of Taurus are naturally influenced by Venetian rulership. The bull is a sturdy and hardworking animal, capable of hard labour on farm lands while pulling carts to plough fields. Just the physical appearance of the bull shows its sturdiness and strength. The bull can but heads like the ram, yet the ram is quicker moving, and the bull slower moving and less inclined to want to but heads. In some countries, bull fighting is instigated by humans (in stadiums) but that is under the control of human beings for human entertainment. Taurus is a fixed sign and this shows that Taurus is more rigid, stubborn and slow to make a change, and as a result is rather predictable in staying with one particular path or focus point. Taurus falls within the earth element. The earth element is generally stable, hard-working and nurturing.

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Taurus being number two, is beginning to understand that to act and do things, there is a need for resources and some forms of wealth. The more resources one has, the more freedom one has to do. However, it takes not just random spurts of action, but consistent and dependable hard work to build up resources. It is great to have the Aries person burst in with gusto to begin a project but soon Aries is blazing off on a new project before the current one is not nearly half done. Taurus people are the people who carry the project to its completion and enjoy fair trade. Taurus people are sturdy and maintain the steady effort with reliable routine to complete a project. Taurus people are not fired up with energy, yet they are dependable and come to work consistently every day. There is a strong sense of seeing the practical, being stubborn and building up material resources with Taurus. The opposite sign of Scorpio is about investigating the hidden deeper mysteries in life, being focused on psychology, emotions and research. In Taurus we see the young child begin to take care of his or her comforting toy and wanting to keep some things close by. Taurus energy is about learning to conserve, and accumulate resources and wealth. Taurus likes things and wants to gather more. Now with the number two there is awareness that one has self-awareness and can do and act, but also that while one is on this Earth, one can accumulate things to build up resources around oneself. The need for responsibility also develops with two. With a sense of ownership over things there needs to be responsibility and practicality. Taurus is an even numbered zodiac sign and as a result may be expressed as a more passive and feminine energy. Soon though there is a need to learn more and the best way to learn is to develop. Number two cannot be stagnant and evolves into number three.

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Gemini, the set of twins, is ruled by Mercury (please see my article on Mercury). The qualities of Gemini are naturally influenced by Mercurian rulership. The twins are showing that Gemini is able to be taking two paths concurrently, as there is a set of twins (one female and one male). Gemini is adaptable and interested in news, gossip and even the weather (the weather is forever changing). Gemini is a mutable sign and this reveals that Gemini is at first more fixed and then becomes more cardinal as one develops in this sign. Mutable signs are more agile and able to show flexibility and adaptability as they progress. Gemini falls within the air element. The air element can be lofty, full of mental activity and thrives in the realm of ideas and thought processes. Gemini, being number three, realizes that to expand one’s resources one cannot just act in the same way but one must learn through trial and error to evolve and develop with current times. There is a strong sense of elemental learning, and learning through games with Gemini. In the opposite sign there is higher learning and expanded awareness with Sagittarius. Gemini people thrive in journalism related careers, in areas of life where there is bustle, social engagements and mind activity. Gemini loves learning and enjoys games, being witty and clever interactions.

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Gemini is like the teenager, beginning to act differently and learning more. Generally teenagers have the capacity to soak up information, while not neglecting the enjoyment of play, experimentation and fun times. Aries pursued action from a fired-up ability to act and wanting to be able to do things. Taurus pursued action, to begin to accumulate necessary things for comfort and security. Gemini begins to think about different ways to act, and learns a great deal. Often times, a particular old and tested way of doing things is still relevant, yet one must learn that for oneself to learn fully and understand why that way of doing things is the most effective way. A teenager can be told over and over on how to do things, yet each teenager must learn through their own experiences to fully understand the ‘why’. Gemini is an odd numbered zodiac sign and as a result may be expressed as a more active and masculine energy.

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The first three signs of the zodiac set the tone to begin to understand the development of consciousness. The twelve zodiac signs will always fall within a designation of cardinal, fixed or mutable. The twelve zodiac signs will always fall within one of the four elements. Each zodiac sign will always have a polar opposite sign and be ruled by one major planet (and sometimes a secondary minor planet). To conclude, these three signs are the seeds and sprouts of our consciousness as seen through the zodiac. Each zodiac sign builds on the one before to create a full cycle. In astrology, understanding the cycles are keys to deeper understanding of the cosmos.

By
Anastacia Sampson

COSAPA Specialist Astrologer

D.N. Med. BA(Hons) Psych

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References:
• Jaimini Upadesa Sutras
• Yavana Jataka
Translations and interpretations credited to Michael Douglas Neely and Ryan Kurczak

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