The timing of the spring equinox heralds not only the start of the spring season but the beginning of the zodiac cycle. If your birthday falls between March 21st and April 19th, depending on the year, Aries is your sun sign. Aries is a fire sign, symbolized by the ram. It is ruled by Mars, the planet of war and desire. The preceding sign of Pisces represents the culmination of all of the insights of the other signs, as it closes the zodiac wheel--and Aries is the exact opposite. Like concentrated sparks of pure energy, Aries is the sign that initiates a fresh new cycle with a blank slate.

Aries are trailblazers and pioneers--full of confidence, energy, and enthusiasm. They are quick-thinking and fast-acting, unafraid to jump headfirst into new ventures, projects, and experiences. They are excellent multitaskers, and it can be hard for others to keep up with their pace. Aries are creative and imaginative; they are innovators who generate new ideas with ease. Full of charisma, courage, and ambition, Aries are natural leaders who make things happen and can keep a team focused on the prize. People born under the sign of Aries work hard and play hard. They don’t like to sit still. They are out having adventures, making friends, and enjoying a variety of experiences.

There are some growing edges for Aries, such as a lack of patience and impulsivity. Aries is a fast-moving sign. They get bored easily and want things to happen immediately, therefore they have a hard time staying calm and waiting for a result. Aries are also quite decisive, coming to conclusions quickly without pausing to analyze everything and take the views of others into consideration. Aries are also known to have a short fuse and can be quick to anger. Their fierce competitiveness and drive can come across as overbearing, stubborn, pushy, and insensitive to others.

Working with the right crystals can enhance the positive Aries traits while helping to overcome any challenging aspects. Here are the best crystals for Aries to carry.

Bloodstone: Bloodstone is a March birthstone that is associated with Mars, the planet of war. Known as the stone of the spiritual warrior, it is a wonderful talisman for Aries that augments their inherent courage, passion, drive, and vitality. Bloodstone promotes a positive, encouraging attitude and supports decisiveness and action in the present moment. It also enhances creativity, supporting the development and manifestation of an idea or project from start to finish. Bloodstone was historically known to bring about good luck, success, and fortune. All of these Bloodstone properties resonate beautifully with the positive qualities of Aries.

Bloodstone can also help to temper some of the Aries traits that are more challenging. It has a grounding quality that can subdue stubbornness and snap you out of a single-minded focus so that you can be open to the ideas and perspectives of others. It encourages flexibility and altruistic behavior that serves others and the common good. Bloodstone is also known to ease anger, impatience, and aggression.

Red Jasper: Like Bloodstone, Red Jasper is also a March birthstone that is assigned to Mars, making it an ideal stone for Aries. It was historically seen as a warrior stone that enhanced stamina, strength, bravery, focus, and determination. Red Jasper has a nurturing and supportive quality to it, yet it also helps you to face reality and take assertive action when necessary to fix problems and move forward. It promotes quick thinking, organization, and multitasking. Red Jasper activates the sacral chakra, boosting passion and getting the creative juices flowing. It is a stone that supports the generation of new ideas. For the Aries who likes to jump from one project to the next after losing the initial excitement, Red Jasper helps with follow-through.

Red Jasper helps Aries to slow down the pace so that they can find balance and more measured response. It can counteract impulsiveness, encouraging Aries to think it through before acting (or overreacting). As an Earthy stone, it promotes patience, calm, and emotional stability.

Herkimer Diamond: Diamond is the most well-known birthstone for April, but it comes with a high price tag. Herkimer Diamond is actually not a diamond at all; it is a bright and sparkly form of quartz found in Herkimer County, New York. Since quartz is also considered to be an April birthstone, and it is also associated with Mars, Herkimer Diamond checks all of the Aries boxes.

Herkimer Diamonds are little powerhouses of focused, high energy--just like people born under the sign of Aries are. They are known to be the most powerful form of quartz that can access, amplify, and channel an expanded spectrum of light to bring about positive spiritual and personal shifts. They are also reported to be harder than all other quartz crystals and can handle more difficult tasks. When used in the workplace, Herkimer Diamonds support the manifestation of achievement, success, and wealth. Aries marks the start of the Zodiac cycle, and Herkimer Diamonds are associated with new beginnings--starting fresh and beginning a new phase in life from a higher perspective.

Herkimer Diamonds can help Aries to expand their perception and attunement. They activate the psychic senses and help you to tune into multiple dimensions and levels of reality. Working with Herkimer Diamonds can assist Aries to be more open and receptive to the point of view of colleagues and other people in their lives. They can bring balance to an excess of fire energy and headstrong nature.

Fire Agate: Fire Agate is a traditional fire element stone that is assigned to the Aries zodiac sign, for good reason. It is a captivating, reddish-brown stone that has iridescent flashes of red, orange, gold, and green—mimicking the appearance of flames. As a fire element stone, it has been traditionally used in alchemy and can assist in the manifestation of your Divine blueprint and highest life path. It fans the flames of passion and desire while encouraging fearlessness in going for what you want in life. Fire Agate supports the confident, ambitious nature of Aries and their drive to achieve greatness. It encourages the expression of creativity and enhances all forms of artistic expression.

Fire Agate has an earthy, grounding quality that can stabilize fiery Aries and help them to hold their composure. It assists Aries to mellow out when they are attempting to burn the candle at both ends. It is also known to help heal anger and to transmute negative emotions and blockages.

There you have it, the best Aries gemstones. Here are some other beautiful stones that are traditionally associated with Aries:

Honorable Mention:

Carnelian: associated with Mars and the fire element, vitality, courage, confidence, creativity, action, business success, calms anger.

Aquamarine: March birthstone, a stone of courage, clears anger and negative emotions, enhances flexibility, promotes creativity and mental clarity, a stone of expression.

Citrine: a fire-element stone, confidence, manifestation, abundance, leadership, creativity, positive energy, releases anger and negative emotions.

Hematite: associated with Mars, powerful grounding and balancing stone, boosts self-esteem and confidence, enhances focus and manifestation.