Imagine a world in perpetual motion, a celestial dance choreographed by unseen forces. Here, the notion of a fixed, unchanging self crumbles like dust. Instead, we find ourselves in a constant state of “becoming” – the self, the body, and nature’s very heartbeat, all engaged in a cyclical rhythm of creation and destruction. This cosmic dance propels us forward in a never-ending flux. It is a fire that ignites our desire for growth, a relentless push beyond limitations to forge our own destinies.
Enter Nietzsche, who explains this force behind the motion of creation as “will”. This will is not blindly striving, as Sopenhaur, his predecessor, saw it, but a directed current – the “will to power”. This I see as synonymous with the raw energy of Mars, channeled forward as a force for creation. It’s the drive that ignites our desire to become more, to push beyond the limitations of the self, and to harness the power of our own agency. Though there is a lot to critique in Nietzche’s philosophy, I find the “will to power” to be, much like Mars, explicitly life-affirming. It is the catalyst for all action, the spark that ignites the potentiality of all things.
I find both the concepts of “becoming” and the “will to power” to be particularly salient in capturing the essence of the first decan of Aries. Here, Nietzsche’s notions on power aren’t mere philosophical abstractions but, instead, speak towards a primal urge coursing through Aries 1 as raw, creative energy. Traditionally, Aries marks the astrological beginning of spring. Yet, the first decan of Aries demands we delve deeper into the primal scream that precedes the gentle unfolding of flower buds. It’s the convulsive energy required for a seed to crack its shell, bursting forth from winter’s icy grip. This violence, though seemingly destructive, is the very essence of creation. Just as a chick tears its way free from the egg, or the Phoenix consumes itself before rising anew, the first decan of Aries embodies the necessary destruction that paves the way for new life.
If Aries 1 represents the raw, unshaped potential that precedes the motion of the archetypal Ram, then the concept of “becoming” finds its most potent expression here. It transforms from a philosophical notion into a primal urge, a sentient creative energy coursing through the veins of Aries 1. This decan is often symbolized by a dark figure wielding an axe – a powerful image mirroring the constant state of “becoming” through the act of splitting to give rise to new life. The axe severs the primal bond, propelling the individual out of the collective and into a relentless pursuit of self-definition. This raw, unfiltered essence of the “will to power” can be seen then as the very lifeblood of Aries 1, a force both terrifying and awe-inspiring in its relentless push towards becoming.
Applying this to the tarot, the energy of Aries 1 is said to be in resonance with the Two of Wands. Here, we don’t see any physical manifestation of our martial drive, but rather the simmering potential, the spark of inspiration. It’s the heat before the blaze, the rubbing of two flint stones together, the potent feeling that ignites within us when we grasp the power to birth our ideas into reality. Here is the site of ceremony where we realize: only we can grant ourselves permission to bring forth these creations.
The 2oW, then, is a card of both drive and division. From the original seed of fire found in the Ace, we take an axe and split the seed open, giving birth through destruction. Creation arises from the tearing, much like teeth ripping flesh. There’s an undeniable violence to this card. But it also asks a simple question. How can we exert power without becoming oppressive? We must till the land to cultivate it, but not destroy the entire ground in the process. Just as controlled fires are essential for a healthy forest, a fire that burns out of control will consume everything in its path.
The 2oW challenges us to wield our power with intention, not domination. It’s the difference between cultivating a garden (healthy exertion of will) and razing the entire field (destructive control). Perhaps the answer lies in embracing a certain level of “controlled chaos.” The first decan of Aries thrives on the edge, on the raw energy that precedes form. The 2oW reminds us that channeling this energy requires both action and restraint, a delicate dance between the spark and the inferno.
1st Decan Aries – aka – Crown and Conqure This, Bitch
Hungry, his waiting, grind teeth to cause friction.
Throat gurgles as saliva churns
onto bones buried beneath the rose bush.
Thorns pierce mouth, jewelry, ruby red.
Spit blood onto ground
to sacrifice the unbearable excess
of all my yearning, fluctuations in a stream, each
humming their own frequency.
Thrusting tumult possibilities,
pounding at the temple. Burst head from seed with frenzy,
replaced gut-wrenching ghosts with the screams of melody.
Nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus –
Pissed onto land, penetrated
with my fury. This too is a fertilizer!
Heaven, I have remembered the mandate.
Now, ache with wanting for water
upon the scorched, barren earth. Pray
that what is hidden inside may
bloom up branches.
Roots pumping electric vein.
The ropes of darkness might clasp upon me,
sticky molasses in the cobweb of time,
but I refuse to go down slowly, haunted,
no matter what dangers hunt me.
Innocent, I pierce forth exalted light.
There is no inertia lost to the weakness of sentiment,
nor performance of stagnation to appease winter’s fear.
Only in the silence can I give name to power. Dance with fire, anger,
death, fear – The Spear – progenitor of life.
Regardless of the horrors woven in north star’s night,
I will gnaw, teething like a child,
to dominate any cage. Eating dirt
until either my jaw dislocates,
or, I grow new garments to contain the multitudes of my longings
McCalla Ann (she/they) is an interdisciplinary multimedia artist, diviner, ritualist, poet-philosopher, and witch residing in Houston, Texas, by way of New Orleans. McCalla’s current witchcraft studies focus on the extra-sensuous nature of ritual performance and expression as it intersects with meta-linguistics, poetics, and mystic embodiment. As an MA student of the GEM program developed for Religious Studies students at Rice University, McCalla puts particular attention to the study of mysticism, eroticism, and the monstrous body. McCalla supports her community by acting as host to the conversational and art-focused occult podcast SaturnVox, and her infamously affective and notoriously accurate tarot readings. In her spare time McCalla devotes loving attention to tending her garden, reveling in fashion and design, and has had a career in performance art and fire dancing for over a decade. She also has a deep appreciation for film and narratology, and can often be found consuming a story alongside her cat on the couch. www.saturnvox.com
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