As the first sign of the zodiac, Aries is known for its initiative and impatience. They dive into life and decisions head first. This can be an incredible super power that can get one to places quickly…but it an also lead one down a few wrong paths and head-first into other people or obstacles that we didn’t take the time to consider or predict.
Whether you’re an Aries sun, Aries rising, or neither, you have Aries somewhere in your birth chart. That means, that impulsiveness and spontaneity has a place somewhere in your life. Are you more likely to leap into situations at work, in relationships, in friendships, in creative pursuits, or when it comes to your home? This might be a clue as to where Aries lives in your chart!
And while it can be great to just get decision-making over quickly so you can blaze a path forward, there are also times when a pause is needed. If you’re in tune with your intuition and not just your own reactive nature, you may be able to sense when that pause is beneficial. This three-card tarot spread inspired by Aries will help you put that pause to use. It’s short and sweet, I promise!
Times to use this spread:
You’re at a cross-roads and need to make a decision
An opportunity has fallen in your lap and you’re not sure if it’s right for you
You’re fed up and want to burn a relationship, project, etc to the ground
You’re tempted to make a not-cheap impulse purchase
You’re over-thinking a decision (I see you, Libras)
It’s an Aries New Moon
It’s an Aries Full Moon
You’re an Aries Sun and it’s your birthday
Aries-Inspired Tarot Spread
Aries is symbolized by The Ram. Rams have these beautiful, horns that curl out of their head and provide a natural helmet for when they inevitably drop their heads and charge another Ram. The three cards in this spread represent the head of the ram and the two horns.
The phrase that represents Aries is “I Am.” Aries is a sign of the self, of that first step toward independence we make as children, and the wants and needs we go after so passionately. So the three cards here represent the three tenses of I Am: I Was, I Am, I Will be. It’s a reminder that our choices have consequences, and each choices builds upon the previously. Our life is the sum of our choices. Are you diving head-first into the next best choice for you and yours?
Use this spread to help you quickly sort through that question.
Completed Sample Spread
To illustrate how you might use this spread to help aide your decision-making process in a smooth but not impulsive way, here is a completed spread! I’ve used the Voyager Tarot deck for this example.
Sample query: I really hate my job. I don’t have another one lined up…but I want to give notice TODAY!* What should I consider first?
I WAS: Six of Wands, Trust: The querent here may recognize that the decisions they’ve made in the past when it comes to their career have been generally good ones. They can trust themselves and their current perspective on their career situation. They have leaped into the sky before, daring to do something risky and thrilling and landed just fine on the other side. They have allowed themselves to have fun with their career, to embrace the spring blossom knowing that it won’t last forever, and to ask for and accept help from those well-placed to do so. This is a beautiful energy from which to build a new decision upon. Maybe what you want is idealistic, but that doesn’t mean your ideals haven’t been worth pursing in the past. This may also represent something about a former job that you now know is invaluable: Trust. Perhaps in a former job you had the trust of your boss or team to do what was right for your role. This gave you autonomy and the ability to build confidence in your own work and decisions. Is this a missing element in your current situation?
I AM: Time-Space: This is the last card in the Major Arcana of the tarot. For the querent, this feels like a huge sign that you have reached the end of a cycle in your current career. You don’t want to just quit your current job, you are ready to start an entirely new career path. To change the trajectory. It almost feels like you are at a moment in which you’ll be jumping timelines. This is a decision that will have a very clear before and after. One decision that will introduce an entire slew of new choices you’ll have to make. It may feel validating for the querent to see this card: they are not overreacting, being dramatic, or being selfish. This is truly a moment of profound change. Are they brave enough to take it? And can they say goodbye without burning bridges, and thus shutting down potential branches they may need for the future?
I WILL BE: Eight of Crystals, Synthesis: You have developed an expertise in your profession, which is a good thing. But you also have changed over the course of the years you’ve been developing that expertise. Perhaps you have other skills and passions that have never fit into your current and past roles. How can you synthesize what you are good at with what you like to do and create an entirely new career path for yourself? How can you combine the strength and clarity of the diamond with the opaque and vibrant beauty of the amethyst? How can you embrace the intricacies of the brain quartz while allowing for the vibrant simplicity of a polished citrine? You contain multitudes. How can you give more of you more room to shine? This will not be an easy task, and it may not be a fast one, but it will be worthwhile.
*Note: If you have this same question, (I know it’s in the zeitgeist at the time of writing this) I encourage you to pull the cards for yourself and see what comes up!)