Aries HERBOLOGY
ARIES 20 March - 19 April
Ruled by Mars which in turn channels drive and assertiveness and energy (and some would say confrontation) Aries are, at their core, innovators and energetic drivers. Whilst being revolutionaries, they are also prone to being single minded in their drive and may be prone to overworking and stress or hardcore partying which in turn can lead to heat, dryness, inflammation and erratic energy levels. For this reason, the tonic herbs can provide both the support for the high energy needs of the Mars ruled Aries and helps to cool and ground a brain and nervous system that can sometimes feel on fire with ideas. The best tonic herbs for the fiery Aries would be those that are grounding and or cooling, so I think towards the grounding ashwagandha, reishi and the warming but also cooling holy basil and cooling detoxifying gotu kola.
Nettles are also a key Mars and Aries herb as they seem prickly and hot like herbs of the red planet but when taken, nourish the blood, act as a body wide nutritive tonic and build burnt out adrenals. Exactly what is needed for the high energy pursuits of the Aries native. Try making a nettle infusion to drink through the day and maybe add some oatstraw to really nourish those nerves.
As they love to work and socialize and burn the candle at both ends - they can develop erratic energy levels and become irritable - so Aries can really benefit from the calming adaptogens- the herbs which support their drive to be ultra physical, but also calm a brain prone to irritability and anger. Most of the stimulating herbs like coffee are ruled by the red planet so Aries will oft be the coffee fiend, feeding their internal fires even more. They are particularly suited to adding adaptogens and tonics to their coffee in the morning! Once again- the more grounding herbs such as ashwagandha and reishi and maca. Also make sure you don’t hit the coffees too hard and remember to drink lots of moistening fluids to cool that internal heat. Try teas during the day?!
The brain on fire notion and with Aries ruling the head also leads to the idea that Aries folks out of balance might benefit from the calming and nourishing nervous system tonics – the nervines. Nervines are herbs which act to nourish the nerves and restore the function of the nervous tissues. They may also be of benefit for the tension headaches, mood swings and anxiety that may arise in Aries out of balance. The nervines most suited to the Mars ruled Aries constitution are those that help Aries folks to slow and relax and develop the patience to actually relax and follow through. My picks for a Aries under pressure would be lavender, oats, vervain or St Johns wort. These herbs help Aries to slow, cool and focus their abundant energy in a cool calm and considered way. This is extremely pertinent as Aries, as the first sign of the astrological calendar, love the rush of new beginnings but sometimes can become bored with following through on their ideas, preferring to move on to something new and exciting. This does not bode well for long-term satisfaction! In addition the herbs which allow the free flow of blood to the brain such as ginkgo and gotu kola are particularly indicated for Aries.
Aries also guards and rules the head, eyes brain and adrenalin which when out of balance can lead to headaches, anger and eye strain (along with those likely hours on the computer, building their empire). This is often coupled with muscle spasms and pain associated with all those marathons and CrossFit usually! Interestingly the moving and warming herbs which are ruled by Mars can be of benefit here as they move stagnant energy, are anti-inflammatory and provide a secondary cooling action – the key one here is ginger. Ginger is a lovely stagnation busting herb which aids in harnessing the Mars energy and helps to get things moving in the right direction. It’s also lovely herb to add to your Aries season elixir, especially in Autumn here in the Southern hemisphere. If all that empire building is causing eyestrain then blackcurrants, butterfly pea, goji and bilberry are all indicated.
As Aries tend to have a-lot of energy, they tend to be active relaxers so while the rest of us think they are mad, cross fitting like a demon, they actually get a sense of calm from high intensity exercise, running, martial arts and flexing their muscles. Just be sure to keep well hydrated and avoid exercising when it is too hot. Similarly, it wouldn’t hurt to try and centre the mind at times, practising some mindfulness techniques or yoga to help to focus all that mental energy in the right direction.
Yarrow for Aries Folks
One other herb highly associated with the Aries energy is Yarrow. Yarrow has a strong witchy vibe and has been used for centuries for all manner of maladies. In the case of being an Aries remedy herb Yarrow helps to cool the Aries people that are really overheated and hot-blooded which can sometimes present as fevers, red rashes and painful hot joints.
So there you go. Next up is Taurus ! Look out for some earthy energy and a lot of luxury items!