aquarius water bearerAquarius, January 20 – February 18, is Fixed, Air, and masculine (Yang). It has the birthstone Amethyst or Garnet, and the colors black and green. It shares traits with the Chinese Zodiac’s Tiger.

Powerful Saturn, the father of the Roman gods, was the original ruler of Aquarius. Uranus, only discovered in 1781, was assigned to Aquarius also. Saturn is a cool, contained energy, and Uranus is about all things different and unusual. Saturn demands of Aquarius much hard work and discipline, while Uranus gives them a forward thinking mind.

Aquarius’ horoscopes belong to the “friendliest people in the universe”. These excellent judges of human nature understand that mistakes are necessary to help the spirit grow. Needing a crowd to feel stimulated, they like to surround themselves with lots of people, preferably family and friends. Always looking around the room for the next interesting person to engage, if they don’t know him/her – they soon will. The water bearer is symbolic of the Gods nourishing the earth with life giving energies.

One of the first to be called the “water bearer” was the Greek God Zeus. Aquarians are the perfect representatives for the Age of Aquarius. They’d like to make the world work better, which is why they focus much of their energy on social institutions. Those born under this Sign have the social conscience needed to carry us into the new millennium. Humanitarian, philanthropic and keenly interested in making the world a better place, Aquarius’ title, the “Humanitarian of the Zodiac,” is well earned.

A “Fixed Sign” perseveres when working toward a goal – once a path is set, they’ll follow it to the end. Aquarius’ “airy” partners are Gemini and Libra. The more planets you have in the Air signs the more pro-active and self-determining you are. The Air signs go for freedom of action and freedom of movement. Air signs need to be able to come and go at will. Their domain is the air we breathe, hence they are conduits for communication and the exchange of ideas.

Aquarius is interested in anything that’s different and original. Still, since it’s also a fixed-air sign with very strong collective leanings, the Water Bearer doesn’t want to become so individualized, or so weird that it feels isolated from the society it instead wants to help improve. But it does hope that its so-called strangeness will be accepted, since its fixity makes this sign less willing to change its nature in order to suit others.

Air must have intelligent, social dialogues, and thus Aquarius is not out to needlessly alienate people. It is very fond of observing the workings of the world, especially from a sociological view, one implying an impersonal, cerebral perspective. However, Aquarius assumes that human feelings get in the way of clear perception. The Water Bearer thinks that emotionality tends to cloud or distort the truth in a manner that a detached, objective mind never would.

Following Capricorn, Aquarius takes us to a different level of relating to society, one that allows room for greater cultural experimentation. Capricorn expects everyone to toe the line in ways that keep the community homogeneous. It distrusts outsiders or those who threaten cultural cohesion. Yet this next sign says i’ts time to bend a few of the Goat’s time-honored rules and witness what happens when people are given a taste of greater freedom of social expression. Uniformity goes out the window as Aquarian types, who dare to be different, intentionally jolt society from time to time.

This sign’s energy seems rebellious and willful, yet the Water Bearer is trying to fight for the right of all people to be themselves, rather than to bow mindlessly to authority and blindly obey the System. Aquarius urges us to breakaway from any limited mind set that allows others to determine the lifestyle we live. Aquarius in olden times was associated with Saturn, a planet who knows how hard it is to get anything accomplished within a group that lacks organization and steady commitment.

Some Aquarian types do express Saturnian conservatism when involving themselves in larger social concerns. They want collective progress to be made carefully, at a slower pace, and are fearful of any radical change that could abruptly shake up established, workable frameworks, even those that at one time were considered to be progressive or even radical. Such Saturn dominated Aquarians put promising social reforms through endless committee evaluations before accepting or rejecting them.

Yet the revolutionary spirit of Aquarius is better exemplified by Uranus, a planet of innovative thinking and unbridled truth-seeking. This is the side of the Water Bearer that cannot tolerate social restraints based merely on majority rule decisions or stale, unchallenged traditions. This is the rebel with a cause aspect of Aquarius, ready to tear down the walls of conformity.

Aquarius is not a social misfit or a malcontent eager to destroy the Establishment (disgruntled Uranians are more prone to be like that). The Water Bearer is actually a farsighted idealist who can envision better worlds of tomorrow for all. It is blessed with a progressive intellect that enables it to brainstorm brilliant solutions that help make our collective lives more interesting.

Also a bit of a techno-freak, Aquarius loves to explore innovative ways to make everyday life read more like a science-fiction novel. In its Uranian mode, the Water Bearer is a wild-eyed genius who lives in an energized world of abstract thought that traffics in theoretical concepts about reality’s mentally fluid nature. Intuit it and it shall be possible.

Never stop being inventive, says Aquarius, who has no trouble telling all narrow-minded skeptics to go take a hike. Due to all of this, some Aquarian types are dismissed as oddball eccentrics who are too way-out to be taken seriously, unless they start causing trouble in the ranks (and then they must be stopped). Otherwise, their harmless and even entertaining futuristic ravings are tolerable. Luckily, Aquarius is detached enough not being all that emotionally vulnerable, to brush off the ridicule of critics.

It remains determined to formulate a social vision that is way ahead of its time. That’s not to say that a few Aquarian types don’t flip out and become disturbing to the community as some do go wacko, but, behind any apparent madness, their intention is to foster respect and appreciation for human diversity. They want everyone to feel liberated from time-worn social rituals.

One of the main themes associated with Aquarius is friendship, yet not that of the bosom-buddy variety. Aquarius is too democratic, and too varied in its tastes to ever think it could choose only one person to be its best friend in the whole world. The Water Bearer wants to be friendly and sociable with lots of fascinating people, and it does this by forming looser bonds that do not require high maintenance or heavy, one-on-one involvement (as if that’s something a sign claiming to have about a hundred or so close friends need worry about).

Aquarius likes to keep its ties on the casual but stimulating side. If pals unpredictably pop in and out of the Water Bearers life, everything’s cool (it won’t tolerate being possessed by others and it often needs to relate to new faces, much like Gemini). Aquarius doesn’t want relationships that are too demanding and time-consuming, so this is not a sign that lets itself get too attached and committed in its social contacts. It tends to breeze in and out of the lives of many, and is happyto be able to relate to a wide range of interesting folks.

Although Aquarius may seem aloof and emotionally detached, its unpossessive attitudes are just what it needs to grow and develop. Freedom of movement is important to the Water Bearer, which is harder to actualize when involved with people who are clingy or needy (espe-cially friends who hardly have a life of their own and who crave Aquarius’ company much too much). Air needs space to move about, to ensure it stays well ventilated. It likes groups, but hates to feel crowded. It needs as much elbow room, socially, as does Sagittarius. Still, altruistic Aquarius will volunteer its time to help out friends in need, especially when something unusual is happening in such peoples lives.

As long as the same pals don’t hit on them too much to do little favors (and the Water Bearer sizes up such users pretty quickly), Aquarian types are willing to pitch in and assist without expecting anything in return. Compare that to Capricorn and Libra, who would both keep track of all favors asked and later expect others to reciprocate (especially the Goat).

Aquarius is given to unusual mental patterns, perhaps erratic brain-wave activity that enables it to flash on ideas at lightning speed, and even to suddenly have the answers it’s looking for. The Water Bearer is able to tap into the future and bring such images into the now, for at least a brief look. Its intuition may come and go, but when it feels zapped, it knows it’s on the right track and will follow its strong hunches about people and situations.

However, being an air sign, Aquarius will also want to come up with a theory explaining how it knows what it knows. This is a sign with a talent for designing thought systems that are brilliant but complex. For Aquarius, flashes of insight often contain an instant over-view of the total picture. All the Water Bearer has to do is intellectually structure and flesh out its grand vision, while adding even more to it, as one flash of insight sparks another.

What may be the Water Bearer’s biggest obstacle, in selling its futuristic concepts, is its obvious impatience with slower minds that are too fear-based to take bold chances. Aquarius lacks the persuasive skills of diplomatic Libra, and it can explode when rejected by those who refuse to hear what genius really sounds like. (But I’ve found the answer! pleads frustrated Aquarius.)

Not all Water Bearers are geniuses, of course, but they are quite bright and open-minded enough to keep their brains well exercised. Their gift is to be able to look at any problem from an unusual slant, and usually one that draws opposition from conservatives. Aquarius will need to develop common sense and stay calm when urgently trying to pitch its visionary ideals, especially those Uranian Aquarians who demand that reform happen overnight.

Aquarius is cool-headed and, in its estimation, highly rational. Everything in the Water Bearer’s world needs to make sense, which is why it takes a dim view of purely emotional interpretations of life. The watery world of feelings is murky to Aquarius in ways that are blinding. Being one to avoid mental fogginess, the Water Bearer supports intellectual clarity.

Emotions also put us in contact with personal matters of the heart. Aquarius is very brainy and doesn’t always relate well to even its own strictly personal, heart-felt needs (those apart from its future hopes for the collective). And it’s surely not the sentimental type. The Aquarian ego has a hard time focusing exclusively on self-fulfillment in ways that evoke a personal sense of being special and better than others (no wonder this sign is as far away from Leo as a sign can get).

The Water Bearer is too quick to divert attention away from itself and instead on to those with whom it networks. The truth is, if it has such a tough time warming up to itself, even for all the right reasons, it’s no wonder others sometimes feel that friendly Aquarius also has a cold side to its nature that makes it’s heart seem unreachable.

This sign, however, is part of a group of signs (Sagittarius to Pisces) that are trying to develop a more transpersonal awareness of life. Therefore, Aquarius thinks that the smart thing to do is to not allow itself to be dictated by its heart or by the emotionality of others. Still, one way to unify the world is to feel truly for one another, to put ourselves in someone elses shoes long enough to empathize. Aquarius is a sign that learns early on not to expect stability, and thus not to get too attached to people and things, since that only leads to deep disappointment and emotional pain.

Yet, if the Water Bearer is the adventurous, social experimenter it claims to be, why not plunge into the unknown depths of feeling and see what happens? How bad can it be to evoke a few tears or even an illogical fit of rage once in a while? Aquarius may find that studying quantum physics is a far easier task than turning on its emotional valve and letting raw feelings flow. Nonetheless, the Water Bearer needs to approach life, at times, straight from the heart and not panic if doing so goes against its mind-glorifying ideologies.

Cerebral Aquarius is so interested in exploring the unusual in life that it could probably entertain itself forever with its eclectic studies and human observations, even if it had nobody else with whom to share this experience (all fixed signs can be self-contained, although Leo and Aquarius really need people). However, the Water Bearer knows that its own progress depends on how effectively it fraternizes with all members of society, in its effort to enlighten people about better ways to raise their consciousness and heighten their social awareness.

Maybe because the ego is not as pronounced in this sign, Aquarius has less trouble being a team player. Actually, the nature of any planet found in Aquarius at birth better determines how open we are to engaging in group activity – Mars, Uranus, and Saturn here seem to be less cooperative and adaptable.

Aquarius typically believes that much can get done with the right kind of social cooperation, but it doesn’t consider the varying needs of each individual that makes up the team. It figures that to stay democratic, everyone is entitled to the same treatment no special privileges for anyone. This is somewhat paradoxical, since Aquarius champions human individuality on one hand, but then it believes in universal principles that should apply to all, unconditionally.

The Water Bearer doesn’t care much for prima donnas who think they’re better than the rest (no wonder this sign can be an enemy of royalty and aristocracy). Still, Aquarius needs to understand, perhaps by working more on its emotional development, that not everyone is psychologically equipped to do well in groups or to enjoy exchanging energy on that impersonal a level.

Aquarius’ modern agent of social enlightenment is Uranus, a planet with a zest for inventive living. Called the Great Awakener, Uranus is no friend of the status quo. It is a galvanizing force that stirs dynamic and rapid collective growth, the kind that’s not easily assimilated by the masses until the shock wears off and changes are later seen as excitingly progressive. Aquarius would love to identify itself with such a planet (and both surely know what it’s like to be misunderstood by society).

Although Uranus can be obstinate, so sold on the rightness of its brilliant vision that it won’t adopt any other outlook, it’s not really all that fixed in its disposition, unlike Aquarius. The Water Bearer can be very set in its ideals, it won’t compromise regarding its principles and can at times be accused of trying to force reformative measures onto others (Aquarius can be more dictatorial that it realizes).

Uranus, although explosive in its urgency to change things, doesn’t want to sustain any social campaign for too long, especially when alternative routes are suddenly made available. But Aquarius’ odd stick-to-it-tiveness can make it appear reactionary and less willing than Uranus to change with the times. That’s when its true fixed nature comes out, loud and clear. Uranus is more sporadic and erratic in nature than seemingly better focused Aquarius. Uranus is more fiery in temperament than the cool-headed Water Bearer, although this sign can be passionately supportive of unpopular or controversial causes.

Uranians protect their own freedoms first, and may even seem insensitive to the plight of others (remember, the Saturnian side of Aquarius finds a lot of what Uranus stands for to be destabilizing and not in the best interest of the public). Yet the intuitive grasp of this planet, and its courage to dive headlong into the unknown, appeals to Aquarius, who likes to assume that one’s mental powers are only as limited as one’s doubts, fears, and ignorance. Wherever Aquarius is in our chart describes where we’re allowed to take sharp turns and veer away from any conservative programming we’ve received from the preservers of traditional society.

We may find ourselves resistant to authority, especially the kind that intimidates our ability to think for ourselves and arrive at original conclusions. Our life may not be a smooth and steady experience wherever Aquarius is emphasized, since sudden changes can point us in unexpected directions, yet often advantageously so. Adaptability is important, even though we may attempt to force outer conditions to yield to our ideals, with mixed results.

Aquarius urges us to come up with ingenious solutions rather than to stay stuck in a rut. Life may open many doors by surprise, those that allow us to enter freely and partake of new ways to create a better reality for ourselves and others. Perhaps Aquarius is teaching us to become more gregarious and willing to find out about people who are blatantly different from us. Humanity is made up of a wide assortment of colorful folks who can help us feel more like universal citizens. Aquarius needs to go on a trip around the world with Sagittarius to learn about how much fun cultural diversity can be.

Actually, Aquarius is where we are apt to dare ourselves to break down social barriers, and live life a bit on the wild and crazy side, in fun, self-expressive ways. It’s hard to hang on to security wherever we have Aquarius, since our life situations may constantly promote change, not stability. But the one thing that we can count on is an exciting time, once we let go and stop trying to live the life that others have already mapped out for us without our permission. Our time on Earth is too short to be wasted by fulfilling somebody elses short-sighted definition of our true role as a member of society.

Mentally alert, intellectually stimulating, gregarious and sociable, Air signs like to be around other people. They are observant and perceptive, curious and inquisitive. They live totally in the here and now, and want to be in whatever is going on.

Finding routine unthinkable, Aquarius does not enjoy detail. Modern and the most progressive thinker of the Zodiac they see life as an intellectual exercise, a constant exploration and expansion of the mind. A passion for life, new things, and novel situations motivate them, and they abhor restrictive influences. Uranus (Rebellion) is about all things odd and atypical – of new ideas and creativity; it’s from this Planet that Aquarius gets its great vision.

Aquarians are visionaries, progressive souls who love to spend time thinking about how things can be better. They are also quick to engage others in this process, which is why they have so many friends and acquaintances. They take every opportunity to be the extrovert, the organizer and party animal.

The Aquarian is the most tolerant of all the Zodiac personalities. Respecting other peoples beliefs, he/she feels that everyone is entitled to his own approach to life. Considerate of others, the Aquarian is always willing to help a person in need, always feeling a very strong tie between himself and all other members of mankind. The more different kinds of people Aquarius knows, the happier Aquarius feels.

In much the same way that the Water Bearer brings that precious liquid as a gift, passionate and temperamental Aquarians shower the world with their thoughts and new ideas. Luckily, they are at a near-genius level, so their minds churn out some amazing things.

The fact that these folks can think so creatively and inventively is one of their greatest assets. Water Bearers are all about progress and technology. They love the latest gadgets, computers and next-generation technologies…, always seeking stimulation.

Thanks to a genius which borders on insanity, those born under this Sign have the unique ability to present ideas which will revolutionize the world. Their approach in doing so may be unpredictable, impersonal and at times cold, but that’s a mad scientist for you. The Element associated with Aquarius is Air, and that means the rarefied air of the intellect.

Their thought process is also inventive and original. While Aquarians are happy to bestow these ideas as a gift with no strings attached, they are much happier when the rest of the world agrees with them.

As befits an Air sign, Aquarians tend to approach sex via the mind. Their natural curiosity will lead them to experiment with creative play between the sheets. Pushing the envelope is a natural response for these folks, and they’ll continually test the waters for ever greater pleasures. A delicious mystery lurks beneath the surface of their self-control.

The Aquarius lover is unconventional yet innovative, a charmer who can wow a crowd and draws great strength from the partner at their side. However, they object to possessiveness, preferring to belong to the world rather than one single person.

Aquarius is strong-willed, forceful, and seeks “truth” above all. Ruled by Saturn and Uranus, Aquarians are sincere, altruistic, free and active. Determined, even stubborn, they generally like to take the lead in their relationships./p>

Always intelligent, concise, clear and logical, Aquarians are strongly imaginative, artistic and psychically intuitive. The Age of Aquarius is much anticipated in psychic circles, as an age of great spiritual awakening.

Aquarius is the last of the Air Signs as well as the last of the Fixed Signs. Nothing that could be said of this sign at our present stage of evolution could possibly convey the idea of the state of evolution to be reached when the whole of humanity advances to the condition of this sign. Its symbol is the man commonly known as the water-bearer, and that which the perfected man will be in the concrete or the objective world will also be attained in the subjective world by the Aquarian.

If we combine the fixed nature of this sign with the airy triplicity, we have the idea of fixed air, from which we may deduce the fact that the thoughts may become fixed and concentrated, and thus become the real. Aquarian individuals are determined, patient, quiet, unobtrusive and faithful. They have the power of concentrating their thoughts, and are generally philosophic and scientific. They lead toward the unconventional, and thus become excellent reformers. They have bright and clear intellects, and persevere patiently with all their pursuits.

They are persons one feels one can depend upon, and they inspire trust by their equable dispositions. They are nearly always kind, humane and retiring. They are exceedingly fond of art, music and literature, but seem to have more ability for scientific studies, and in this they are helped considerably by their intuitive and penetrating nature. When fully individualised, they have a great love for all humanitarian undertakings and concerns that produce harmony for the many. This gives them marked social tendencies, and makes them delight in giving pleasure to others.

They possess literary and artistic ability above the average, and are always more or less inclined toward the occult sciences. They make splendid researchers on scientific lines. When awakened, they are patient in devotion and careful in their thought, and develop excellent memories for subjective ideas. The main feature of this sign is the remarkableability that it gives for the study of human nature.

Aquarians are born character-readers, and they are rarely mistaken in their judgment. They seem to contain the essence of the airy triplicity and possess a mentality of the highest and most refined quality, which makes them natural clairvoyants, clear reasoners, and careful students. When living along the purely personal lines, they are somewhat chaotic, diffusive, deceptive, tricky and clever for their own ends. Conceited, somewhat egotistical, apt to use their inflexible wills in the direction of selfish mental desires, and inclined to be vacillating and capricious, often boasting of things they cannot perform.

Defective circulation is the chief cause of the troubles common to the Aquarians, when not living healthy and progressive lives.They have more mental vitality, as it were, than physical, therefore exercise and fresh air is their finest medicine. Beautiful scenery and harmonious surroundings, and the concentration of their thought upon good health and perfect circulation, will do much to benefit them physically.

The Aquarians succeed best in life in all pursuits where steady application of the mind and the concentration of thought are necessary. They make good artists, designers, and musicians. They have inventive genius, and are responsible for more inventions for the benefit of humanity than any of the other signs. They would have success in all employments connected with electricity, or as writers, or in connection with railways.

Aquarians may be summed up as honest, steady, discriminative, and truly intelligent individuals. They are noted for the integrity and sincerity they possess, and the intense and fixed love nature of the fixed signs combined with the refined mental quality of the airy signs. They are faithful in their love until the end, the love generally living in the higher mind. They succeed in life where others would fail, and have clear conceptions of all they undertake. They are studious and thoughtful, and at the same time versatile.

They can retain whatever knowledge they acquire, and are discriminative enough to turn all their forces in the best direction. They are acquisitive without being miserly, and are inclined to leave their possessions for the benefit of humanity. They seem to readily take to strangers, and rarely consider that others are in any way strange to them, and through their excellent ability to read and judge human character they rarely make mistakes in their estimate of others.

They all possess the latent ability to become “Replenishers” that their sign symbolises, and when they have united their grand mentality with their polar sign Leo, in which is contained all the feelings, love, and emotions of the heart, they are then able, like the water-bearer, to pour out upon the earth the living waters of life which nourish and sustain all around them. Light and life await those who break away from the personality and live in the individuality of this sign.

Aquarius governs the legs from knees to ankles and the circulation of blood. Susceptible to ailments particularly in the legs and ankles, such as cramps, it is also liable to spasmodic and nervous complaints, as well as wind, catarrh, diarrhea, dropsy, goiter and delirium tremens (what no Margaritas?).

Some famous Aquarians include Alan Alda, Abraham Lincoln, Francis Bacon, Charles Lindbergh, Alice Cooper, Norman Mailer, Charles Darwin, Bob Marley, James Dean, John McEnroe, Charles Dickens, Rasputin, John Travolta, Germaine Greer, Jules Verne, Robbie Williams, James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Oprah Winfrey, Thomas Edison, Helen Gurley Brown, and Wolfgang Mozart.

Aquarians are compatible with their own sign, Aries, Gemini, Virgo, Leo and Sagittarius. Explore Aquarius’ Love Match Astrology.

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