5 Ways To Ring In Aries Season (aka Your Astrological New Year)

The Sun visits a new zodiac sign every 30 days or so. During each "season," everyone feels the influence of the prevailing astrological energy. Aries season 2021 begins March 20 and ends April 19. Since Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, it is considered the astrological new year.

After a meditative month, you're ready to move some energy around! Building on the dreamy vibes of Pisces season, the Sun's journey through Aries unlocks your visionary powers and turns your focus toward new (and never-been-done-before) ideas.

With Aries ruling the head, this mentally active solar cycle will have you buzzing with epic visions. As the starter sign of the zodiac—and the first of the fire signs—Aries energy is like the spark that ultimately creates the flame. But it's too soon to get stuck tending to any blazes. For the coming four weeks, just get all your brilliant gems captured on paper without necessarily committing to the thing...yet.

During this fast-moving astrological season, it's easy to get swept up in a zillion projects and plans—then feel overwhelmed and want to bail on them all! To avoid overload, make physical activity a priority. We recommend plugging three (or more) blocks of time into your calendar each week devoted to exercise. Not only does moving your body get stuck energy flowing; it zaps the stress that can elevate during this combative solar cycle.

Variety is the spice of spring training during Aries season. Stream new fitness classes or take your workouts into the fresh air. If you have a routine you love, change up the scenery. Do yoga on your balcony and tricep dips on a park bench.

Anger is a touchstone emotion during Aries season, one that may flare up unexpectedly. No one wants to be the rager in the room. It's important to tune in to your temper during this zodiac season. Stuffing down anger is often the very thing that causes it to flare up and combust—or leave you feeling listless and depressed.

Noticing what enrages you, on the other hand, is crucial to setting boundaries, something that the zodiac's Ram encourages in the name of self-preservation!

Tune in: What (or who) has been getting under your skin? Make a mental note about it, then find a neutral third party with whom you can process the feelings. What you don't want to do, however, is reactively fire off a text about your feelings or pick up the phone to tell someone off. The impetuous vibes of Aries season can lead you to burn bridges or create a regrettable mess that takes years (and tears) to clean up.

As the zodiac's youngest sign, Aries can bring out a playful sense of wonder in us all. During this zodiac season, try embracing the Buddhist concept of Shoshin or "beginner's mind." What if you view every familiar person, place, or thing as if you were greeting it for the first time? You may discover a totally new dimension to the experience.

During Aries season 2021, see what happens if you drop all assumptions, and instead, be curious and ask questions. (Surprise! The answers you hear might not be as obvious as you suspect.) Approach your work or personal goals with that same sense of openness. Children don't judge themselves when they're learning a new skill, like playing an instrument or kicking a soccer ball. But as adults, ego and self-doubt get in our way.

When was the last time you reveled in your own company—without reflexively pulling out your phone to check Instagram or otherwise distracting yourself with busywork or errands? Aries is the ruler of self-love—a lesson many born under this star sign devote(d) their lives to teaching us, like Maya Angelou and Lady Gaga.

Remember: Enjoying sacred solo time is not the same as isolating oneself; we recommend consciously interacting with the world while also tuning in to your thoughts and feelings.

On our bookshelf of favorite self-development titles is Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity. One of Cameron's tools is the weekly Artist's Date. This is a "festive, solo expedition to explore something that interests you."

She advises this date is "more about mischief than mastery." Whether you're wandering through a museum's special exhibition, sketching spring botanicals in the park, or enjoying every rapturous bite of a chef's tasting menu while sitting at the bar, this ritualized experience can awaken you to the pleasure of spending time with me, myself, and I.

True story: Our well-documented karaoke obsession was born from an Artist's Date when Tali strolled by Sing Sing Karaoke in NYC's East Village and decided to drop into a private room by herself. The first 10 minutes were truly awkward as she connected to her voice in a new way (and almost died of embarrassment when the server popped in to take her drink order while she was singing Celine Dion's "All By Myself.")