TAROT & ASTROLOGY              KEY 4  — The Emperor                     ARIES                               The Leader of the Pack!            VISION   The first day of spring is the first day of ARIES, the first sign of the Zodiac, depicted by KEY 4, THE EMPEROR, also an archetypal symbol for the ANCIENT OF DAYS.  ARIES is a time of new beginnings in the Northern Hemisphere when the sap begins to flow through the trees and plants bringing about a renewal of LIFE. The vegetable kingdom reincarnates for yet another season.  It is time for spring cleaning, for re-evaluating one’s life, for the establishment of ORDER, and for taking RESPONSIBILITY with respect to your VISIONS for the future.  ACTION and INITIATIVE are depicted by this Tarot key.  The need to GOVERN, whether individually or collectively, in the management of a corporation, a city, nation, the world, a family, or just your own life.   The head and eyes are governed by ARIES; VISION of things to come.  The ability to REALISTICALLY evaluate while at the same time bringing the vision into the world of tangible REALITY, so there might be something to GOVERN. The FATHER is depicted here: head of the household, with fatherhood as a possible promise. Yet, there could be a PROMOTION in store with the hidden agenda of more responsibility to come.  There are times when we are unable to manifest the things or situations we think we want in our lives because deep down inside there is an unwillingness to accept RESPONSIBILITY for those very things.  If you’re not manifesting what you’re visualizing give this possibility some thought.  Do you really want what you think you want? MATURITY is another word associated with KEY 4, THE EMPEROR.  The image depicted is that of an old, white haired and bearded man who wears the armor of a battle fought and obviously won after a period of, perhaps, a very long time.  There is a lesson in this for all of us.  The ARIES part of our nature can be HEADSTRONG and DETERMINED.  WISDOM can be the better part of valor in the re-establishment of ORDER in our greater or smaller world.  Sometimes the gentleness of a lamb turns into a butting RAM to get a point across.  ARIES seldom escapes some sort of scar on the head or face as the result of one of their battles in life. Since ARIES is the first sign of the Zodiac, ARIES can have trouble growing up and accepting full responsibility for actions taken.  Great starters ... there is a need to learn to follow a project or relationship through to its natural conclusion.  Given a mountain to climb, the challenge will be accepted in the form of learning a skill or gaining an education to secure the goal.  The VISION of completion prods all of us toward the summit within our line of vision.  Dreams and visions for tomorrow help ARIES to be a sheep, or follower first, before reaching the point of becoming a leader or shepherd to the rest of the flock.      Mars, ruler of ARIES, was closest to Earth in 2003!