March, the month of mad hares, is influenced somewhat by what immediately precedes it. The last day of February saw the good fortune of Sun conjunct with Jupiter in its own realm of Pisces; this was shortly followed by full Moon in Virgo created by the opposition of Moon and Sun. This suggests that success will follow the careful and precise. Quite a task with the Sun in dreamy Pisces.
The afternoon of March 1st is buzzing. Mercury slips into Pisces, to make five out of the eleven planets cozying up to, and joining the Sun in Pisces. Pisces time indeed, with ruling planet Jupiter there too. Early on the 2nd all five manage to team up in the same houses as they sweep across our sky. Just before sunrise, around 06.00am in the East you should see four of the five, and with good binoculars you may pick out Uranus too.
On the 4th, Venus conjuncts Uranus, so sudden desires are the order of the day. Could be something off the wall, but give it a whirl, don’t knock it ’till you’ve tried it. Mercury sextile Pluto suggests a little effort is required to get to the bottom of something which may be deeper than you think.
The 7th, and off goes Venus into Aries; romance arrives in the realm of passion, staying for the whole of March, and it all moves along so smoothly as Venus immediately trines with hot-blooded Mars, ruler of Aries. The day after, Mercury conjuncts Jupiter and words and ideas flow like a fountain. The hardest task will be picking the winning line, but the Moon moves into cynical Capricorn, keeping a lid on emotional eruptions. On the 9th, as if to strengthen the checks and balances, Venus precisely opposes stern Saturn who sits in calm Libra. Possibly a time of reflection on all that hot passionate stuff? Well, not for long! The 10th sees passionate Mars cease its retrograde motion, and sit Stationary Direct ready for the imminent resumption of its forward gallop in extrovert fire sign Leo!
On the 11th, Venus moves to square Pluto. It’s the first square of their own cycle, suggesting a time of realisation and concern that a relationship is more complex or intense than you imagined, and the need to look carefully at what’s happening. Is it what you want? Some deep reflection will help reveal what’s going on.
Mercury conjuncts the Sun on the 14th and many brains boil with ideas and chatter. All that glitters is not gold, so stay cool as we move into the Dark of the Moon on the 15th. The ancients believed that the Dark of the Moon, that period when there is no Moon crescent, was the time when the Moon had died and awaited re-birth; just like a seed dormant beneath the snow. Stillness is the key word for the Dark of the Moon. Restful, rich solitude gives you the chance to hear that inner voice. With the lunar face hidden, the intuitive-psychic self takes over. A time to make space for a clearing of the mind and spirit, so that you can be ready to receive.
The New Moon is conceived at the precise conjunction of the Moon and Sun. The soul of the dying Moon passes to the new. It takes a day or so from conception until the New Moon crescent becomes visible, just like a human embryo, preparing for birth. A time of reflection on what is to come. And to come…….
A new Moon conceived at 25 degrees of Pisces, while less than one degree away at 26 Pisces lie Mercury and Uranus similarly in conjunction. This quadruple conjunction, known as a Stellium is an incredibly powerful force. All the planets are acting in synergy. The power of the Sun, the emotion of the Moon, the sharp mental agility of Mercury, and the unpredictable awakening thunderbolt of Uranus… all rolled into one! And deep in Pisces too, that last sign in the zodiac, last staging post before symbolic death and re-birth into Aries. The Moon moves into Aries next day, and to a challenge from opposing and stern Saturn in calm balancing Libra. Mercury follows the day after, on the 17th, and by the 20th the Sun too has completed a re-birth into Aries. Only Uranus remains in Pisces, seemingly unmoved by what has occurred.
Whatever does happen will certainly be powerful. It may not be immediate, but such energy just cannot disappear. It will manifest, although it may be not immediate. For some people it will be at a personal level, some will witness it at national levels, and some at international levels. Just like the energy of a New Year, it will most certainly be noticed. If your birthday is around the New Moon, or the 7th of September, you will almost certainly feel the effect, which should be positive. Those born around the 5th of June and the 5th of December, may possibly find some challenges arising, while birth dates of 7th July and 7th November will find this New Moon rolling easily over them.
Follow that….! Well, the 17th sees the Sun conjunct Uranus and join forces to create a feeling of explosive urgency as we try to anticipate the unpredictable, which may happen later in the day when quick lipped Mercury first enters the realm of Aries, to form a trine next day with warrior Mars. Sounds like someone will be ‘telling it like it is’, but will not have such an easy ride as Saturn opposes Mercury. A good old fashioned slanging match seems on the cards, with Pluto moving into the act to ‘up the ante’ as Mercury moves into square.
The Sun enter Aries early on the 20th marking the Spring Equinox as daylight equals darkness before the days lengthen into summer. Quarter day; halfway between mid-winter and mid-summer. The Sun trine Mars in Leo on the 21st sees a strong alliance called ‘mutual reception’ as the Sun and Mars reside in each other’s sign. The Sun is in exact opposition to retrograde Saturn, while Mars sextiles Saturn on the 23rd. A couple of days later on the 26th, the Sun squares up to Pluto, all suggesting a strong battle of wills. Bloody noses on both sides I suspect.
Venus makes the final play of the month, with a sextile to Neptune on the 29th, another to Chiron on the 30th, before moving into Taurus on the 31st. That suggests to me some dreams of earthly desire overcoming challenges then manifesting in rewards all round the family.
It’s my birthday this month, so I’ll briefly mention Solar Returns, and ‘Many Happy Returns’. Your Solar Return is that moment every year when the Sun returns to precisely the same position in the sky that it was at the very moment of your birth. Which of course is the reason why we all wish each other a long and happy life of ‘Many Happy Returns’. This is indeed one of the most ancient and traditional astrological events, dating back over 5000 years. It was one of the first cycles (together with the 28 day lunar cycle) to be noticed and recorded by the ancients.
It is the time of year when we are re-born, re-energised by the Cosmos as it focuses the energy of all the planets and stars through the Sun and directly upon us as an individual. If we cast a chart of that Solar Return, and consider it alongside our Natal chart, it provides a good indication of what the coming year will bring. The place in which you celebrate the special moment will of course influence the chart, which is why you sometimes observe astrologers taking off to some far flung place in order to obtain a more favourable Solar Return chart. (Maybe you’ve noticed how you ‘warm’ to some places on this planet, while others leave you cold and indifferent?) I write this not from the magic white island, but from several thousand miles away, as I prepare for my very own Solar Return. And before you ask… yes – it does work, just like holidaying in the right place delivers sunshine instead of rain, or crisp snow instead of grey fog.
If you would like to know more about the where and when of Solar Returns, contact me at paul@astroibiza.com.
Meanwhile, I wish you all wellness and much happiness for March and beyond.
Your Ibiza Astrologer
