Aquarius Origins

Boy, is this one confusing. You'd think a sign with the word aqua in it would be a water sign. Nope. Or that its planetary ruler is, say, Neptune. Wrong again. Aquarius is an air sign, yet water plays a significant part in it. It's even symbolized by a young boy pouring water on the earth. Even that part is odd, considering that the later signs are thought to represent the later stages in life, with such virtues as wisdom, peacefulness, and humanity. So why a young boy?

Well, in Greek mythology this young boy was Ganymede, a mortal so handsome he was chosen by the gods to be their cup-bearer, and so ascended to the heavens. He represents the sheer physical beauty of Aquarians-Librans are attractive, but Aquarians are stunning.

As for the water confusion, the most logical explanation is that during this mid-winter time of year, the northern hemisphere actually thaws from its snows. The sign's symbol, which shows two squiggly parallel lines, serves two purposes: its waves indicate the importance of water to the sign, but also wisdom. They were originally drawn as two serpents, one good and one evil; natives of this sign are therefore believed to know the difference well.

Aquarius' planetary ruler is actually a combination of Saturn and Uranus. The two together form a curious duality: Saturn's influence can be seen in an Aquarian's cool level-headedness, while Uranus' pull is in the need to be unique, modern, and unconventional.