The Sun has been traversing the second decan of Aries for several days now and will finish its sojourn in this part of the sky with a bang: today’s total solar eclipse at 19 degrees of Aries, the final degree of the decan.
Studying this second decan of Aries has me facing a common challenge I have with traditional astrological delineations and tarot, which is that they rely heavily on masculine narratives of domination.
Aries is ruled by Mars, the god of war and aggression. The primary interpretations of Aries I and II according to T. Susan Chang’s book 36 Secrets focus on a metaphor of conquest and empire-building. Aries I is the Mars-ruled decan of a Mars-ruled sign and correlates with the conquest of the 2 of Wands, while Aries II is the Sun-ruled decan of benevolent governance and good kingship in the 3 of Wands.
On a collective level, we can of course still see the relevance of these meanings—war, violence, and domination are horrors raging in the world right now. But on an individual, personal level, I find it challenging to relate to the imperialistic language.
Another way to view Mars is as the energy to begin and to act. It is the force that drives the seedling out of the seed and soil toward the Sun. It is the desire that animates our dreams and gets us out of bed in the morning. The Sun is the energy that sustains. It warms the world and is the essential underlying energy that allows life to exist and thrive.
If we can see Aries I as the energy of inspiration, hope, and initiatory action to self-express and self-actualize, Aries II can perhaps be seen as the energy of sustaining the Self. How do planets or points in this decan help to sustain your dreams? How do they help you manifest your will? How do they help you contribute your unique energy to the collective? In what House does this decan reside for you and how do planets and points in this decan help you self-express and manifest in these areas of your life?