THE AQUARIAN FACTS

[Melanie Renae]

Elements

Dates: January 20 - February 19

Ruling Planet: Uranus

Element: Air

Mode: Fixed

Symbol: The Water-Bearer

Qualities: Masculine/Positive/Extrovert

House Association: 1th

Type: The sign of the Thinker

Planetry ruler: Uranus (Formerly Saturn)

Colour: Electric blue, bright pink, pale green

Gemstones: Aquamarine, turquoise, sapphire, chalcedony, amethyst

Metal: Platinum

Perfume: Galbanum

Day: Saturday

Number: 4

Keywords: Independently, detachedly, unconventionally

Rules: The Eleventh House (ideals, group involvements, friends, humanitarainism, hopes and wishes). Positive traits: Humanitarian, independent, quirky, friendly, willing, progressive, original, inventive, loyal, idealistic, rational

Negative traits: Unpredictable, eccentric, rebellious, contrary, tactless, stubborn, perverse, emotionally oblivious

Compatibility: Gemini and Libra Sexual partner: If you are female: SAGITTARIUS Friendly and giving

If you are male: GEMINI Air-borne delights

Parts of the body ruled: Ankles, calves, shins, achilles tendon, bre

ath, eyesight

Glands, nerves & Arteries: Circulatory system

Acupuncture meridian: Lung meridian

Possible ailments: Injuries to lower legs, varicose veins, poor circulation, blood disorders, nervous disorders Beneficial foods: Pomegranates

Diet: A highly individualistic diet would be best, possibly based on food-combined principles

Flowers, herbs & spices: Orchid, gardenia, pansy, viola, orchid, aconite, cornflower, tarragon, comfrey, golden-rain, hemp, mandrake, moss, parsnips, pine, rushes, spinach

Trees/shrubs: Box, plane, tamarisk, traveller's joy

Healing with herbs: Sorrel, quince, hearts ease

Comfortable surroundings: Aquarians often choose a blue colour scheme, although many cool colours appeal Stress areas: Family problems, pregnancy, holidays

Attitude to shopping: Unpredictable, socially aware

Objects: Art deco, bicycle, car parts, comics, computers, electronic 

equipment, kitchen objects

Party costumes: Dr. Who, Caveman, Greek Goddess

Sports/Hobbies: Collecting gadgets, computer games, debating, discussing, flying, inventing, minority sports, ufology

Professions/Trades: Archaeologist, astrologer, astronomer, broadcast

er, charity worker, computer programmer, electrical engineer, inventor, pilot, radiographer, scientist, socialogist, writer

Countries: Poland, Sweden, Russia, Zimbabwe

Cities: Hamburg, Moscow

The Archetypal Aquarian: The Tin Man who, in spite of his rational, friendly nature, had to search long and hard before he found his heart

Key Quote: "A radical is a man with both feet planted firmly in the

 air" - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Mythology

There are various myths associated with Aquarius including the Egyptian god Hapi, from whose water jars poured the River Nile. In Greek Mythology the sign may be linked with the legend of Prometheus, who stole fire from Zeus so that mortal man might be enlightened. Uranus, the sky god, was slain and castrated by his son Cronos after being imprisoned in the Underworld.

Description

The Aquarian personality is one of the most impersonal and detached, yet Aquarius has a deep care and concern for humanity. A progressive reformer, Aquarius is also full of humanitarian ideals, but these can be somewhat vague, giving Aquarians a reputation for keeping their heads in the clouds. Aquarians are known for being unpredictable and highly individualistic - qualities which sometimes also describe their physical appearance. Their lack of concern for society's conventions often shows in the rather eccentric way they can present themselves. As a fixed air sign ruled by both Saturn and Uranus, Aquarius is able to be both inventive and practical. Aquarians can be revolutionary and traditional at the same time, as they create today what will be needed tomorrow using the methods of yesterday. Aquarians do not like showing their real feelings. An independent nature also means that they take their time to settle in steady relationships. They find it hard to build up trust but will remain very faithful once a relationship is established. A picnic in the countryside could be some Aquarians' idea of the perfect wedding breakfast.

Aquarians can become fanatically jealous - especially of loved ones. They may walk out rather than voice their fears, or put up with emotional entanglements that other signs would find intolerable, while being eaten away with pain inside. One of the must attractive things about Aquarians is their eccentric, devil-may-care attitude to things which other signs take painfully seriously. But potential lovers should beware: in all probability they are simply doing it for effect, to test your mental reactions and monitor your response. Aquarian affairs nearly always start casually, often as the result of a friendship generated through work, or a group or society to which both belong. Aquarians themselves may not realize how deeply emotionally involved they are until it is too late to draw back. Aquarians value their independence highly and prefer to do things their own way.

They are particularly interested in the welfare of mankind as a whole, although they sometimes find one-to-one difficult. However, Aquarians can make reliable and very entertaining lovers. Aquarians are unpredictable people with their own unique ways of behaving, and marriage to an Aquarian is rather different from that with any other sun sign. They may simply be 'different' in their way of presenting themselves or in the way their marriage functions. Divorce, free love, hippies and communes were made for this sign: Aquarians take most relationship problems in their stride, and may well have an unconventional partnership. They can tolerate - or not even notice things that would have other signs screaming for a separation. Aquarians are naturally good-natured and do not like discrimination of any kind. They genuinely respect and understand differences between people. Aquarians do not like either to judge others or to take part in competitive activities. They do not understand rivalry.

The Aquarian flies high on the wings of imagination and enters a world of vibrant, escapist fantasy. Somehow, Aquarius does not really belong to earth. Many born under this sign would be happier navigating the galaxy in a spaceship or travelling into the future in a time machine. Aquarians may appear calm and confident, yet usually underneath it they suffer from nerves. It is an ordeal for them to push themselves forward at a party or gathering - they prefer looking on and studying other people. Standing up in public to speak can be surprisingly stressful for this apparently sociable sign. They are likely to be very successful individuals in their own way - although the outside world may not always recognize their success. Eccentric Aquarians are inventors, visionaries and builders of the future, and it can take the world many years to catch up with them. Few things arouse as much passion in Aquarians as friendship; typically, they have many friends and are proud of the fact. However, these people are often a strange mixture of individuals drown from all walks of life, linked only by the comradeship they feel for their Aquarian friend.

Aquarians are the rabble-rousers of the zodiac: confronted by injustice, they have the power to stir others into action on behalf of the underdog. Once a band of protesters has been established, however, they often withdraw and move on to a fresh cause that they find more worthy. Adventurous thinkers, Aquarians are among the most inventive and rebellious signs of the zodiac. Their fascination with the untried leads them into many adventures. They are also capable of creating dramatic changes in their own lives and the lives of others. They act on their principles, for example by refusing to buy goods from countries with whose policies they disagree, or by eating a vegetarian diet in the belief that this is the fairest way of distributing the world's limited resources. They have no time for a wasteful way of life. Overall, Aquarian bosses like to maintain an air of friendly detachment, offering help and constructive advice where necessary, but never becoming involved in their employees' private lives. Life in the office may veer between boring routine and explosions of activity that catch everyone unawares, yet one way or another things are unlikely to stay the same for long. Staff who hope to add a bit of sparkle by catching the boss's eye would do well to think again. Aquarians simply won't notice!

On a personal level they can appear detached and unconcerned - often annoyingly so. Their concern for broader concepts and issues involving humanity as a whole may lead them to overlook things which, to more sensitive signs, would be glaringly obvious. Aquarians are great talkers - which along with their intellect, gives them the power to stir up heated debate among their fellow human beings. At home, they need to remember that feelings are more important, otherwise they might find themselves out in the cold. They have a rebellious streak which they need to channel constructively if they are to make progress in life. Once they have learned to harness it for the good of all, they have the potential to bring about far-reaching changes in the way we live and think. Fixed by nature, yet ruled by unconventional Uranus, they are often predictably unpredictable! This does not always make for easy living, since their quirky habits tend to spring from a deep-seated need to be different. With their cool, detached view of the world, they can offer helpful advice to friends or colleagues in emotional dilemmas. However, they may be less decisive when trying to sort out their own feelings, as they are never quite sure what these really are.

They tend to deal with crises by putting some distance between themselves and the problem. This is not running away: it is an aid to gaining a better perspective, since if you look at something from only a few inches away you only see a part of it, and in a distorted view, too. Being at a distance also helps them in another way - by detaching them from the opinions of others. Members of this sign are deep thinkers, and they prefer to do it alone; when pressed, the most valuable thing they can give themselves is isolation from external distraction. The contradictions, however, in their character are often a major source of problems. As a fixed air sign ruled by 2 different planets, they are often torn between a desire to change things for the good of all, and a need to remain comfortably stuck in their own little world. Unconventional and imaginative, they are often one step ahead of the rest of the world in their quest to bring in the new. For this reason, they often spend large chunks of their lives being totally misunderstood by more staid, conservative signs. Young Aquarian minds often make such giant leaps of understanding that they leave others gasping for breath, though they may be rather intolerant of their friends' mental slowness. They also dislike having to explain how they arrived at an answer; often, they do not know!

Young Aquarians may indeed become 'class oddballs' at school, but seldom in obvious ways. While everyone else is trying desperately to follow fashion, they will do the exact opposite; when everyone dashes off at the end of the day, they will stay behind in the classroom or science lab to pursue their latest pet project. Some of them do rebel quite openly, of course, but then so do youngsters from other signs. For the vast majority, it is very much a case of 'live and let live', and as long a no one tries to stop them going their own inimitable way, they will breeze along quite contentedly into adulthood. A determination to retain their independence to the bitter end is what sustains them in their old age. They do not take too kindly to being looked after or fussed over, and may become quite cantankerous if physical circumstances demand it. The eccentric streak found in many Aquarians often grows more pronounced in later years, and may become a great source of pride. Older members of this sign may actively enjoy reminding everyone how 'different' they are and have always been; at least it guarantees them a hearing, which is what they spend their lives trying to achieve. If you can deal with problems by talking them over, you should remain friends with your Aquarian sibling. They are bound to have something interesting to say, even if they don't practise what they preach, but whether you get to know them intimately will depend on how well they get to know themselves.

It is important that the Aquarian father should make a point of getting to know his children as individuals, as otherwise he may appear too detached from them. Aquarian mothers are likely to appear somewhat zany and eccentric at times, even embarrassing some children. For them, any kind of commitment comes from the heart, not duty. Try to bind them, or to bring more emotion into the relationship than they want, and they will be gone. But respect their freedom, as they will respect yours, and you have one of the best friends of all. Usually, the ideal car for them can be summed up in one word - unconventional. Fast, slow, large, small - it really doesn't matter so long as it stands out from the crowd and lets other drivers know that the owner has a mind of his or her own. Those who have embraced the Green cause might well choose to drive a seemingly environment-friendly old banger, little realizing that the cloud of unleaded fumes from its clapped out engine is choking the atmosphere for miles around!

With their cool, detached way of looking at things, they pride themselves on their ability to take people's shortcomings in their stride. They know that human beings are nothing if not fallible, and are often remarkably tolerant of faults which would drive other signs mad. Unfortunately, it is this very detachment which gets them into trouble time and again. What they fail to realize is that faults and feelings tend to go hand in hand. Being born under a fixed sign which holds its ground and cares deeply about people's freedom to live as they see fit, they are not, as a rule, dishonest. Low cunning is not their style - if they cannot persuade someone through sheer force of argument, so be it. At the same time, it was probably a Uranus-ruled Aquarian who first wrote that 'rules were made to be broken' (almost certainly because he found one that didn't suit him!). And therein lies the truth of the matter - once Aquarians convince themselves that they are right about something, other people's morality flies out of the window. Like so many things about them, their attitude to winning and losing can appear highly contradictory.

To hear them talking, you might be forgiven for thinking that competition between individuals is a rather pointless exercise: 'We're all equal in the end,' goes the argument, 'so why spend time trying to bring out the differences.' The fact that we are only human seems to escape Aquarius on such occasions - as indeed does the fact that they are human too. For the truth is that beneath the rational, detached mask, Aquarians want to win as much as anyone else. They should follow the basic principle of food combining, in which meat, fish, cheese and other concentrated proteins are not eaten with carbohydrates. Breakfast is usually fresh fruit, with one main meal of the day based on protein, and the other on carbohydrate. Varicose veins is a typical Aquarian ailment that represents a feeling of being overworked and overburdened. Gregarious Aquarians also often find themselves in emotional situations in which they feel trapped. Quite literally, they feel they cannot circulate freely. They usually find their own favourite way of exercising. This is unlikely to include other people or the need to rely on expensive equipment, or to involve booking a court or time-slot. So walkin, jogging, running and trampolining are popular.

They seem to thrive on creating a stir and may, consciously or unconsciously, dress to shock. Once a new look catches on and begins to spread - and lose its power to shock - they tend to lose interest and quickly moves on to something new and more original. They definitely set trends and their hobbies are no exception. They are often considered eccentric by others - but what they are doing today, others will do tomorrow. Their wide-ranging interests mainly lie in the innovative, humanitarian and scientific fields. They are usually creative but detached in their social lives, with vast numbers of associates but few close friendships. The sheer diversity of their activities means that there is seldom time to make any great commitments - and that, of course, is exactly how they like it. The rather conspicuous individual wearing odd socks and sitting alone in the corner is certain to be an Aquarian. But cast your eyes to the rather motley bunch spread out around a couple of tables pushed together, and you can be fairly sure that the one in the middle with the finely chiselled features is an Aquarian, too. It's unlikely that the pair will ever meet, but they may have more in common than they realize.

Their parties may be large and impersonal, but they are bound to offer a few surprises. Expect the unexpected when you accept their invitation. The party could be held at breakfast time perhaps, or in fancy dress and if so the theme will undoubtedly be highly original. At home, at a restaurant, or anywhere in between, they have an eccentric relationship with food. Typically, eating is not high on their list of priorities, but since friends, socializing and exchanging ideas very definitely are, they tend to eat out more than you might expect. When they eat out, they prefer unusual venues, avoiding at all costs anything that smacks of the trendy or the fashionable. They like ethnic restaurants, and prefer to dine at places where they do not have to book in advance, enabling them to feel free and uncommitted. Since they are seldom very attached to material possessions, their homes tend to be a stylistic mish-mash of items accumulated after years spent involved in a wide range of different activities.

They tend to change their tastes like their minds - suddenly. Because of their close affinity to the wind and air waves, they may find it hard to conform. They may therefore run the risk of coming across a certain amount of prejudice and suspicion because of this attitude, especially in countries where non-conformity is frowned upon. For them, the destiny marked by the Nodes is inextricably linked to their progressive attitudes and humanitarian aims. Once they can see how to combine these with whatever they are doing on a practical level, the path to true fulfilment will be opened up. They have a typically unique approach to problems and bad luck. Because they are such innovative thinkers, capable of great ingenuity and outstanding achievements in many areas when motivated, they can often turn bad luck to their advantage. They enjoy having the opportunity to skip from one job to another and hate to be tied down. They like the freedom money brings, but are more interested in ideals than in being rich. 'I innovate' they will state: but not with money as an end goal. They have no time for conventional respectability, nor are they impressed by material wealth. The items around their homes often reflect their current obsession with a particular cause.

They are unlikely to be valued in themselves - only for what they represent. Aquarian house buyers for whom money is no object may not go out of their way to be wacky, but then again they don't need to - it comes naturally. This sign has a dread of being considered run-of-the-mill, and may well use its home to tell the world how original and inventive it is. Unusual work appeals to them, who are often drawn to jobs because of their high ideals rather than for personal advancement. New Age occupations such as healing may attract them, as will anything which lets them express their originality and inventiveness. They are idealists whose inventive minds are constantly searching for new and original ways to contribute to their line of work. In order to do so, they will happily surround themselves with all the latest gadgets to avoid any unnecessary mental stress. They tend to like subjects that have some scientific basis, however tenuous, and so astrology and biorhythms often appeal. They are also generally more interested in mental concepts than in those which require material 'props' such as crystal balls and runes.

One of the very few things that can be said for certain about them is that they are unpredictable. When it comes to secrets you can never tell quite how they are going to act or what sort of secret it will be - except that it will probably be a project ahead of its time. Little do they know it, but many of their bright ideas for changing the world fall down because of their fear of emotions. By refusing to face their own feelings, they often fail to appreciate the seemingly irrational forces which motivate other people. Like Capricorns, they enjoy repetition - and when it comes to very slick, speedy comedies they usually need to view them more than once. This chilklike trait is often apparent in their own delivery of a joke, as they find it more and more hilarious with every repetition. Pets for them range from the ordinary and quite unremarkable to the extraordinary. Birds may appeal, as they do to all air signs. If they have a dog, and choose a named breed, it may well be something unusual of amusing. They like spotty dalmations or Russian wolfhounds. Sociable and friendly though they can be, one of their favourite occupations is standing on the side-lines at a gathering and observing. So, for them, this is one of the most enjoyable aspects of shopping. The study of human nature is something of which they never tire.

Compatability

ARIES: You find Rams helpful without being too restrictive, but there could be times when their fiery ardour leaves you cold.

TAURUS: Forget it. You will never get a Taurean to join your cause - they won't even have the faintest idea what you are talking about!

GEMINI: A sparkling relationship. Amazingly, Twins not only appreciate your ideas - they can even figure out the logic behind them!

CANCER: It is fascinating to watch Cancerians in action, but remember - experiments are best left to the laboratory. These are human beings!

LEO: Interesting if you can hit the right trigger button. If not, you could find yourself at war with a permanent foe.

VIRGO: You find Virgos physically attractive and share the same kind of detached understanding. But Virgo will want you to commit yourself.

LIBRA: For intellectual rapport and shared interests, chose a Libran. This sign can give you everything you need (which isn't that much really).

SCORPIO: You can take Scorpios in - perhaps even without realizing it - but there will be hell to pay then they find out. Dangerous.

SAGITTARIUS: Here is someone to share in a voyage of mental discovery. Archers definitely bring out the best in you. Or is it the beast?

CAPRICORN: You are unusually patient with Goats. You may even be able to help them shake off some of their rather conservative views on life.

AQUARIUS: A mutual support team as long as you share the same views. But once you start arguing, the end will not be long in coming.

PISCES: Another fascinating sign, but don't let them get too close, or you could find yourself drowning in a sea of confusion.

Angelowyn Website