Ignition. Impulse. Identity. The spark that sets the wheel in motion.
We just completed Aries season and entered Taurus season, so I wanted to release a bonus episode/article of Cycles of Time Podcast about the energies that we’ve just experienced as the sun transited through the sign of the Ram.
Aries season marks the beginning of the solar year, a time when life stirs from winter’s sleep and reclaims its fire. In Human Design, the Sun’s journey through Aries activates six specific gates in the Mandala, each offering a distinct layer of this primal emergence. These gates are not just energetic themes, they are evolutionary keys, embedded with ancient wisdom from the ancient I’Ching and expanded upon through the Human Design System and the Gene Keys.
Together, these Gates tell the story of spring’s ignition: the chaos of beginning, the insistence of individuality, the urge to leap, the need to know, and the quiet clarity that follows. As nature surges forward, so do we — and these gates help illuminate what it means to take the first steps, not just outwardly, but within.
In this episode, we’ll explore each gate as a chapter in the archetypal journey of Aries: from the trembling spark of life to the assertive force of becoming. Whether you follow Human Design, astrology, or simply the rhythm of the seasons, these gates offer a way to align your energy with the fierce, fresh momentum of spring.
The Fu Xi Binary Cycle of the I’Ching & The Zodiac Wheel
The Fu Xi Sequence, also known as the binary sequence or the Earlier Heaven (Pre-Heaven) Arrangement of the I Ching hexagrams, is an ancient ordering system attributed to Fu Xi, the mythical first emperor of China. This arrangement is based on the binary progression of yin (⚋) and yang (⚊) lines, often linked to the mathematical structure of the I Ching rather than its more familiar King Wen sequence, which is used for divination.
In this system, the hexagrams unfold in a binary-coded sequence, starting with Hexagram 25 (Wu Wang, Innocence / Thunder Over Heaven) at the spring equinox in Aries season. The logic follows a pattern of yin and yang alternations, representing the natural development of energy through the year.
Here is the journey of energies that we just experienced as the sun passed through the sign of Aries and the season of the Ram:
The Ram’s Journey: An Evolution Through Aries Season
Once, in the high mountains where the winds spoke in whispers and the earth pulsed with the fire of new life, there was a lone Ram. He was born at the cusp of spring, his hooves pressing into the damp soil as the snow receded, his heart pulsing with an instinct older than memory. His journey was written in the stars, unfolding through the six sacred gates of transformation.
Gate 25 – The Innocence of the Wild (The Gate of the Spirit)
Gene Key 25: From Constriction to Universal Love
I Ching Hexagram 25: Innocence (Wu Wang) – Thunder over Heaven (震 ☳ over 乾 ☰)
At birth, the Ram knew only purity. He roamed the hills unburdened, his spirit untouched by fear or ambition. He leaped without hesitation, trusting the land to catch him. He did not question his place in the world. He simply was. He did not yet understand struggle, nor the weight of expectation.
Yet, there were moments when the cold winds bit harder than expected, when hunger gnawed at his belly. Fear crept in, tightening around his heart like a constricting vine. But the Great Sky whispered, Remain open. Remain free. He learned that suffering only came when he resisted life’s flow. As he surrendered to trust, he felt a quiet force—something vast, something sacred—move through him. It was Love itself, not bound to another, but existing in everything.
Gate 17 – The Path of Vision (The Gate of Following)
Gene Key 17: From Opinion to Omniscience
I Ching Hexagram 17: Following (Sui) – Lake over Thunder (兌 ☱ over 震 ☳)
As the Ram grew, he began to notice patterns in the land. He saw the way the elders walked, the paths carved by generations before him. He learned to follow, to watch the stars, to recognize the signs that spoke of safety, food, and the changing seasons. His mind sharpened, and he developed an eye for detail, predicting the best places to graze and the safest routes through the cliffs.
But in doing so, he also became aware of choice: who to follow, when to trust his own instincts, and when to break away. At first, his mind clung to opinions, judging which path was best, who was right or wrong. But the mountains were older than his thoughts, and through observation, his vision deepened. He saw that no single path was absolute, each was a thread in a greater tapestry. As his perspective expanded, he glimpsed the omniscience that lay beyond logic.
Gate 21 – The Will to Claim (The Gate of the Hunter/Huntress)
Gene Key 21: From Control to Valor
I Ching Hexagram 21: Biting Through (Shi He) – Fire over Thunder (離 ☲ over 震 ☳)
One day, the Ram stood before a challenge. The valley he had claimed as his own was threatened by another, stronger Ram. His body tensed, his horns lowered. This was the moment he realized that survival was not just about following signs, it was about owning his power. He had a choice: submit or fight.
At first, he fought with control, driven by the need to dominate. He met his opponent head-on, every muscle straining, his hooves digging into the earth. But as the battle raged, he realized that brute force alone was not enough. He needed strategy, a deep-rooted confidence in himself rather than an obsession with controlling the other.
And so, he stepped into true valor, a will that did not need to grasp for power but carried the courage to meet life head-on. When he emerged victorious, he did not just own the land - he owned himself.
Gate 51 – The Shock of Awakening (The Gate of Thunder)
Gene Key 51: From Agitation to Awakening
I Ching Hexagram 51: Shock (Zhen) – Thunder over Thunder (震 ☳ over 震 ☳)
Then came the storm. Lightning split the sky, and thunder rolled through the mountains. A bolt of light struck a tree near him, and for the first time, he felt the raw force of shock move through his body. His heart pounded. He was shaken, restless, alive.
Fear, excitement, and something deeper. Awakening. The Great Sky had spoken again, and this time, it did not whisper… it roared. This jolt was not meant to break him but to awaken his spirit to something greater.
Gate 42 – The Expansion of Life (The Gate of Growth)
Gene Key 42: From Expectation to Celebration
I Ching Hexagram 42: Increase (Yi) – Wind over Thunder (巽 ☴ over 震 ☳)
The storm passed, and the Ram felt something new: hunger. Not for food, but for more. More mountains to climb, more challenges to overcome, more wisdom to gain. He had grown beyond the valley, beyond the life he had known.
At first, he carried expectation, a belief that his journey had to unfold a certain way. But the sky and earth did not operate on his timeline. The wind did not ask permission to shift. The seasons did not hesitate.
And so, the Ram learned to release his grip. Each step, each breath, each challenge became something to celebrate, not something to endure.
Gate 3 – The Birth of Something New (The Gate of Ordering)
Gene Key 3: From Chaos to Innocence
I Ching Hexagram 3: Difficulty at the Beginning (Zhun) – Water over Thunder (坎 ☵ over 震 ☳)
At the edge of his world, where the mountains met the sky, the Ram came to a place he had never seen before. It was raw, untamed, filled with possibility and uncertainty. But deep within his bones, he remembered something ancient: How he had once been an innocent creature, leaping without hesitation.
He had traveled far, gained wisdom, learned strategy, claimed his power, and walked through the fire of transformation. And yet, at this moment, the greatest gift was to return to the innocence of pure experience.
And so, the Ram continued forward, ever reborn, ever evolving—carrying the fire of Aries into the world.
Thanks for joining me for this story of the Ram through Aries season!
If you’d like to dive deeper into the intersections of Astrology, Human Design, the I’Ching, and beyond, consider becoming a paid or free subscriber! Paid subscribers get a PDF workbook for every Zodiac season, along with live breathwork and community reflection sessions and somatic practices.
Hope to see you inside!
xo
Alison
