Dates: January 20–February 18
Element: Air
Polarity: Yang
Quality: Fixed
Symbol: Water Bearer
Ruler: Uranus
Aquarius is the most unpredictable sign of the zodiac. He is the sign of invention, individuality, group consciousness, and genius. There are two distinct Aquarian personality types because before the discovery of Uranus, Aquarius was ruled by cautious and conservative Saturn. Ancient astrologers had predicted a planet farther out than Saturn that could not be seen by the naked eye. They called this planet Ouranos, after the mythological sky god. With the electrifying discovery of Uranus by William Herschel in 1781, astronomers verified what ancient astrologers had predicted.
Astrologers then observed that many people born under the sign of Aquarius had characteristics that were not Saturnine, but something different. These characteristics are now called Uranian, and they speak to the uniqueness and future-oriented personality of this most individual sign. Today, as we move toward the Age of Aquarius, we see some Aquarians who harken back to Saturnine influences, but the majority (especially among the last two generations) are those who are moving forward into the unknown, unpredictable excitement of Uranus’s influence.
The planet Uranus in mythology was symbolized by Ouranos, the sky god, who had an unusual and dramatic debut in the pantheon of the gods. His mother was the Earth Mother, Gaia, who emerged from chaos and gave birth to Ouranos (who was both her husband and son). Their relationship was so passionate that Gaia could not give birth to their children. One of Gaia’s children was Cronos, who in Roman astrology was called Saturn. Cronos decided to overthrow Ouranos and, while in the womb, emasculated his father. Ouranos later regained prominence, but his shattering beginnings are symbolic of the Aquarian rebellious and antiauthoritarian streak.
Aquarius is an air sign, and his symbol confuses some people. His sign is called the Water Bearer, and the symbol shows a young boy pouring something that looks like water from a large vase. Ancient sources record that when the constellation of Aquarius rose in Egypt and Babylonia, it corresponded with a period of floods and rain; hence, the symbol may pertain to weather patterns in the ancient world.
The symbol, however, also symbolically portrays the youth pouring rays of knowledge for all humanity. Aquarius’s purpose, astrologically speaking, is to pour forth knowledge and ideas that benefit all people. For example, the Internet is Aquarius ruled and a perfect example of individual ingenuity in service of the collective. The Internet is also theoretically equalitarian, a cherished value for Aquarius.
The planet Uranus represents the breakthrough force that shatters old forms. Aquarius’s soul mission is to coordinate spirit and matter in new and revolutionary ways. His humanitarian principles can lead him to promote actions that are personally beneficial and beneficial for humanity. He thinks and acts for others as though they were all joined together in the common endeavor of living on this planet…which, in fact, we are.
Of all the air signs Aquarius is the most blasé about self-care. He has a sensitive nervous system, but doesn’t like to get bogged down in physical minutia. He lives in future possibilities and frequently can forget that the here and now requires tending. Aquarius also has an “electric” nervous system that is erratic: he is either on or off. It is as if someone pulled the plug on his energies when they are off, but when he is on, it’s like someone ramped up his voltage. Tuning into this rhythm is essential for Aquarius self-care.
One of the manifestations of Aquarius’s supercharged mental activity is insomnia. It can come in waves or be chronic. Physical exercise is very good for balancing the energy, as is meditation and breathing exercises. But if Aquarius is riding the wave of creativity, it is best for him to go with it and sleep when the inspiration wanes. Some Aquarians simply do not need as much sleep as other people do.
Taking drugs to sleep or relax is often a bad idea, but especially so for Aquarius. Dampening his natural spirit shuts down his imagination. Over time he can become lethargic and dull because his life flow energy has been thwarted.
Aquarius, like all air signs, is a thinking sign rather than a feeling sign. He often has a detached quality and does not understand his more emotional brothers and sisters. It is as if feeling people are speaking another language. Like Spock in Star Trek, to him emotions are illogical and get in the way of useful activities that could improve any situation. However, the more evolved Aquarius understands and respects the intuitive knowledge that the more feeling signs have. The Aquarian may not be a gushy person, but he can learn to respect those qualities in others. Those Aquarians who remain detached can sometimes come off as cruel, distant, and impossible to sway.
Aquarius is the sign of the rebel. He doesn’t like constraints. Self-care wise, this is a problematic impulse. But, if Aquarius thinks, “I could have much more impact on the world if I were fitter or ate better,” that is the opening into motivation for his self-care. Aquarius is not lusting for fame or fortune necessarily, but he needs to know that his ideas are traveling to other people (like the rays of knowledge in his symbol).
Aquarius might start a blog about whether or not self-care is productive for the planet. For example, the statistics on meat eating and the amount of energy it consumes might sway Aquarius to become a vegetarian. Doing something good for humanity is more of a motivator than self-care for his own sake. This is not altruism—just an indication that he is interested in breaking through standard practices that are outmoded and potentially harmful to the group as a whole.
Aquarius rules the circulation of blood and energy, as well as the calves and ankles. In Chinese medicine the life force of the body is called chi. Acupuncture and acupressure techniques balance chi to restore health to the whole body. It is a very old practice and particularly beneficial to Aquarius, as his energy can get dammed up and cause circulatory problems.
The ankles are also vulnerable to stress for Aquarius. An Aquarius jogger should tape his ankles to increase his strength. Activities such as in-line skating, ice-skating, or snowboarding require special care to keep Aquarius’s ankles strong and injury-free. A muscle-building exercise that can help is to work with leg weights in the exercise room.
Sports and exercise are essential for Aquarius to keep blood and energy moving. He excels at both team and individual sports. In fact, among the top fifty athletes of all time, Aquarius is the most represented sign. Aquarian athletes apportion their energy well and enjoy the flow.
Mindless aerobics or exercise classes are not good outlets for bursts of Uranian energy. Aquarius gets bored, and repetitive motion actually tenses his muscles. If he is in an exercise rut because he thinks it is good for him, then he can cause himself physical damage with these repetitions. The best exercise choices for him are martial arts, Bikram yoga, jazz dancing, and Zumba.
Psychologically, Aquarius may have a hard time with therapy because he resents anyone trying to “normalize” him. If a therapist says, “Well, this is the way the world works,” Aquarius just doesn’t believe it and walks. Aquarius is not abnormal, but definitely marches to the beat of a different drummer. Counseling that incorporates methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy, neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), or hypnotherapy could be more beneficial than classic therapy. Aquarius has to be sold on the need to do therapy and the type of therapy he will engage in. He generally wants to solve a problem, not get lost in stories of his childhood or difficulties. Besides, Aquarius can think himself imaginatively in and out of problems, so he may think he can cut out the middle man and skip the therapy.
Consistency in anything is usually not Aquarius’s forte. If he is in an active phase, then a new self-care program would be appealing. However, if he is off, nothing will motivate him to do the things he knows he should. He truly resents thinking that he should do anything. He is not lazy, just too busy doing something else. Once he can place taking care of himself in a broader context, then he can be disciplined: self-care becomes self-knowledge and might even benefit other people!
Self-care is productive when Aquarius can follow his own rhythm. Consistency usually doesn’t work, but over time with activity and fallow times, he gets the job done.
In self-care, he is also not swayed by socializing routinely with groups, although he advocates group activities. For Aquarius boring people are cautious and regular about self-care. If Aquarius finds a group that enlightens and challenges him, then he will be part of it and probably will become the leader. Leading his own self-care New Age group is the single best way for Aquarius to take care of himself. It partners with the idea of everyone working together, plus he benefits personally.