Kings are said to have long arms, but every man should have long arms, and should pluck his living, his instruments, his power, and his knowing, from the sun, moon, and stars.
—RALPH WALDO EMERSON
The astrological year begins on the spring equinox—the day the sun enters Aries, the first sign of the zodiac—rather than on January 1. At this time, day and night are equal in the Northern Hemisphere. The hours of sunlight continue to grow from this point until the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, and decline thereafter until the winter solstice, the shortest day. The sun's passage through the twelve zodiacal signs can be seen as a cycle that describes the evolution of consciousness, a symbolic journey of inception, growth, assimilation, actualization, dissolution, death, and rebirth.
Astrological signs are grouped into the four elements: fire, earth, air, and water. Astrologers also group them into three modalities or modes of expression: cardinal, fixed, and mutable.
The cardinal signs—Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn—are considered active and assertive in their expression. If cardinal signs are dominant in your birth chart, you demonstrate what astrologer Robert Hand calls “the impetus to create,” and you push for what you desire.
We associate the fixed signs—Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius—with solidifying and building. If fixed signs are prominent in your birth chart, you'll strive to bring form to creations and can be rather rigid or “fixed” in your ideas and behavior.
Mutable signs—Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces—are changeable and flexible. If mutable signs figure strongly in your birth chart, you'll show versatility and can adapt easily to conditions, but may shun commitments.
Each year the sun enters Aries on the spring equinox, around March 21, and remains there through approximately April 19 (this can vary slightly from year to year). This is the period of inception, the starting point, the beginning of new life in the Northern Hemisphere, when the earth awakens with a burst of enthusiasm from her long winter's sleep. Aries energy is raw, primal, vigorous, dynamic, assertive, spontaneous, masculine. A cardinal fire sign, Aries represents spirit in action, inspiration, and the drive to break free from the collective and express the self as an independent entity.
This is the time to assert yourself, to push for what you want. While the sun is in Aries, connect with nature's first rush of vitality and move outward into the world, embracing life's challenges. Focus on yourself and what you need to feel fulfilled. Be daring, take chances, meet new people, initiate projects, experiment, have fun. Don't deliberate—act.
While the sun is in Aries, perform magick to inspire, bless, or activate new endeavors, especially those you want to come to fruition quickly. Work magick to overcome obstacles, meet challenges, break away from another person's influence, or stimulate movement in stagnant or blocked situations. Spells to increase physical vitality can also benefit from the energy of Aries.
The sun is in Taurus from approximately April 20 until May 20. This is a period of fertilization and growth in the Northern Hemisphere, when the earth begins to blossom. Seeds planted—and ideas conceived—during Aries now germinate and start to grow. Taurus's energy is slow and steady, nurturing, stabilizing, tactile, enduring, fruitful, acquisitive, feminine. A fixed earth sign, Taurus represents manifestation, the urge to form a creative union through which something tangible and permanent can be built.
This is the time to bring ideas down to earth and apply them in practical ways. Use your resources—talents, money, and physical abilities—to produce something functional and lasting. Financial and material considerations may become a focus now. While the sun is in Taurus, examine your values and what enhances your self-worth. Pay attention to beauty, experience the sensory realm, enjoy your own body, establish bonds with other people, and be creative.
While the sun is in Taurus, do magick to generate abundance of all kinds. This is a good month to work spells for prosperity, career success, love, fertility, artistic inspiration, and security. Sex magick can be particularly effective now. Taurus's energy can also help increase physical strength or sexual prowess.
The sun is in Gemini from approximately May 21 through June 20. This is a period of interaction and dispersion. Energy that solidified during Taurus is now liberated and moves about freely from place to place. As you expand outwardly from a small circle of loved ones into the larger community, social activities and exchanging information become important. Gemini's energy is mental, changeable, curious, adaptable, versatile, quick, and androgynous. A mutable air sign, Gemini represents the impulse to learn, experience, and share with others.
This is the time to expand your network of personal contacts, to develop friendships and business associations, to get involved in your community. Explore the world of ideas and communicate with other people. Learn new skills, read, write, study, stretch your mental capabilities, and indulge your curiosity.
While the sun is in Gemini, focus on using mental imagery and do verbal spells. Include affirmations or incantations in your magick work. Study magickal traditions and practices or learn by interacting with other people on your preferred path. This is a good time to connect with your spirit guides, use telepathy to contact people you can't reach through ordinary channels, or send messages/requests to deities. Spells to facilitate business transactions or communication with other people can benefit from Gemini's energy.
The sun enters Cancer on the summer solstice, around June 21, and remains in this sign until approximately July 22. Cancer represents the urge to put down roots, to connect with your heritage and your past, to establish secure foundations in the human community, and to protect all that is near and dear to you. Energy that was scattered freely while the sun was in Gemini is now gathered and devoted to nurturing the inner self. A cardinal water sign, Cancer is sensitive, private, emotional, nurturing, unstable, possessive, and feminine.
This is the time to turn inward and nurture your sense of personal power, security, and emotional stability. You may wish to examine your childhood and how experiences in your youth still influence you now. Family relationships can also be strengthened or explored during this period.
While the sun is in Cancer, work on developing your intuition. This is also a good time to perform fertility magick, bless and protect home and/or family members, or do past-life regression work.
The sun is in Leo from approximately July 23 through August 22. This is the period of fruitfulness and fullness, when crops ripen and the earth is rich with abundance. Now is the time to indulge your creativity in myriad ways. Focus your attention on the things you love, that give you a sense of fulfillment, purpose, and identity—these are your gifts to the world. Leo's energy is exuberant, radiant, magnanimous, self-centered, dramatic, and masculine. A fixed fire sign, Leo represents the urge to express yourself and to produce offspring, whether these are children of the mind or of the body.
This is the time to express yourself in a creative manner, whether or not you think of yourself as an artist. Discover what's special about you and apply your talents in ways that give you pleasure. Let your personal beauty shine. Relax, enjoy yourself, have fun, socialize, be affectionate. Focus on yourself and what makes you happy.
While the sun is in Leo, do magick to improve your self-esteem, leadership ability, status, career position, or public image. Artistic people, in particular, can benefit from practices that enhance imagination and productivity. Love spells also get a boost from Leo's energy.
The sun is in Virgo from approximately August 23 through September 22. During this harvest period, you reap what you sowed in the spring. Often a busy time of the year, this month equates with work. Virgo represents the impulse to do something useful in the world and be of service to others. A mutable earth sign, Virgo is orderly, practical, compassionate, modest, analytical, sensitive, and feminine.
This is the time to devote yourself to work and work relationships. Bring ideas down to earth and find useful ways to apply them. Be efficient, refine procedures, get organized, and tie up loose ends. Pay attention to your diet and take care of your health now too.
While the sun is in Virgo, perform spells and rituals to improve your job situation and/or interactions with coworkers and colleagues. This is also a good time to do healing work and to utilize the magickal properties of plants. Pay attention to the earth and its bounty, as well as animal totems who can assist you.
The sun enters Libra on the autumn equinox, around September 23, and remains in this sign through approximately October 22. This is a period of unification and partnership. Libra represents the urge to complement your own energies with those of another person, to balance yin and yang in a harmonious manner. During this phase in the cycle of growth, individual desires become less important than the relationship. A cardinal air sign, Libra is adaptable, refined, passive, calm, indecisive, unemotional, sociable, and objective.
This is the time to work on strengthening partnerships in love and/or business. Learn to compromise and respect the needs of others as well as your own. Seek fairness and balance in all relationships. Rather than pursuing personal goals, focus on helping others with theirs for the good of all. Social activities are also favored during this astrological month.
Love spells get an extra boost when performed while the sun is in Libra. This is also a good time to do magick to improve work relationships or to attract people who can help you further your social and/or professional objectives. Artistic individuals may want to do spells to enhance creative output and/or achieve success and recognition. Spells for legal matters or justice can benefit from Libra's energy too.
The sun is in Scorpio from approximately October 23 through November 21. This is the period of death and rebirth, when the remains of the harvest are plowed under to decay and fertilize the earth. At this time, the life force withdraws from the world of activity and turns inward. Scorpio's energy is passionate, subterranean, intense, destructive, regenerative, controlling, and feminine. A fixed water sign, Scorpio represents the urge to plumb the depths of emotional experience and destroy old structures to make room for something new to emerge.
While the sun occupies Scorpio, eliminate old habits and behaviors that have been holding you back. Issues involving control and/or power may arise now. Examine long-standing fears, blocks, and emotional patterns/conditions stemming from childhood or past lifetimes. Psychological counseling can be helpful during this period.
Scorpio is associated with magick, occult power, and the hidden realms, so this is a good time to engage in most types of magick work. Shapeshifting, past-life regression, sex magick, divination, shamanic journeying, and prosperity spells, in particular, can benefit from Scorpio's energy.
The sun is in Sagittarius from approximately November 22 through December 21. This is a period of expansion, which usually involves some kind of questing. You seek knowledge and experience of all sorts in order to enrich life at every level. Sagittarius energy is restless, curious, sociable, lively, changeable, optimistic, boundless, and masculine. A mutable fire sign, Sagittarius represents the urge to push beyond present limits, to pursue dreams and ideals, and to share discoveries with other people.
This is the time to pursue knowledge of all kinds. Spiritual studies, mythology, psychology, and philosophy can provide valuable insights now. During this period you may also benefit from traveling and learning about other cultures to increase your understanding of the world and your place in it.
Expand your knowledge of magickal traditions through study and practice while the sun is in Sagittarius. This is also a good time to go on a vision quest or take a shamanic journey. Do travel spells to support trips for business or pleasure. Dance and music might also provide insights and awakenings if you include them in your rituals. You can tap the expansive nature of this sign to encourage increase in virtually any area.
The sun enters Capricorn on the winter solstice, around December 22, and remains in this sign through approximately January 19. The sun has passed its lowest point, and the days are growing longer in the Northern Hemisphere. This is a period of achievement in the outer world, of recognizing and performing your role in life's drama. Capricorn's energy is practical, enduring, tenacious, steady, materialistic, reserved, and feminine. A cardinal earth sign, Capricorn represents the urge to accomplish goals, create stability and structure, and build for the future.
This is the time to concentrate on career objectives and/or making your mark in the world. Lay foundations for the future, set goals, establish yourself in your community, and pursue plans in a steady, organized fashion. Pay attention to financial matters too. Focus on practical concerns and bringing your dreams to fruition.
While the sun is in Capricorn, perform magick to get a job, advance in your profession, or improve your public image. This is also a good time to do prosperity spells or bless a business. Binding spells to thwart an enemy and spells to establish limits can succeed now too.
The sun is in Aquarius from approximately January 20 through February 18. This is a period of breaking down old structures and ushering in new ideas. Rigid hierarchies are replaced with more egalitarian situations that benefit humanity in general rather than a privileged few. Aquarius's energy is rebellious, independent, sociable, impersonal, unpredictable, idealistic, and masculine. A fixed air sign, Aquarius represents the urge for change and freedom.
Make changes in your life while the sun occupies Aquarius. Open yourself up to new experiences and people. Don't be afraid to take a few risks. Be spontaneous. Enjoy friendships, group activities, and intellectual pursuits. Express what's unique about you, and don't worry too much about what others may think.
Aquarius is the sign of astrology, and this is a good time to study or utilize astrological knowledge. Do magick to promote change, break up stagnant conditions, or stimulate action. If you seek more freedom or independence, this is the time to cast spells to support that intention. Spells to attract friends can benefit from Aquarius's energy too. You may enjoy working with a group toward a common goal or engaging in group rituals and practices.
The sun is in Pisces from approximately February 19 through March 20. This is a period of dissolution, of transcending physical boundaries to connect with the collective unconscious and the Divine. Inspiration may come from higher realms, enhancing imagination and creativity. Pisces energy is gentle, compassionate, artistic, emotional, secretive, idealistic, and feminine. A mutable water sign, Pisces represents the desire for a complete merger, sacrificing the individual self for a higher purpose.
This is the time to examine your dreams for insights and guidance. Meditation or periods of withdrawal from the outer world can help you get in touch with yourself at a deep level. Listen to music. Paint. Write poetry. Rather than striving for perfection, give your imagination free rein; suspend judgment and enjoy the process.
While the sun is in Pisces, you may find that your connection with the spiritual realms is strengthened. Communication with angelic guides, ancestors, or other people's higher selves becomes easier. Your psychic abilities are enhanced by Pisces energy—trust your intuition. You may also experience increased healing powers. This is a particularly good time to do dreamwork, scrying, and divination. Concoct magick brews and potions now too.
By aligning yourself with the cycle of the seasons and the twelve-point pattern of the zodiac wheel, you'll likely arrive at a deeper, more harmonious connection with the earth and the heavens—which can also enhance your magick work. Each sign emerges out of the previous one and reacts to it, while also laying a foundation from which the next sign will evolve. Aries's forward-thrusting energy is contained and brought to fruition by Taurus's stabilizing nature, which is then dispersed by Gemini's desire for freedom and dissemination. And so it goes. Masculine signs are followed by feminine signs, which are followed in turn by masculine ones. Expansive, exuberant signs are followed by restrained, grounding ones. Fire signs are followed by earth signs, then air signs, then water signs. Cardinal signs are followed by fixed signs, which are followed by mutable ones in an unending circle. In this way planetary energies regulate their influences on earth, in a cosmic system of checks and balances.