March

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MARCH 2007

March…our renaissance with a look back over our shoulders…

March begins with five planets in Fire Signs, no planets in an Earth Sign, three planets in an Air Sign and two planets in a Water Sign. One planet is in a Cardinal Sign, five planets are in Fixed Signs and four planets are in Mutable Signs. Eight planets are in Positive Signs, two planets are in Negative Signs.

We start March a little off-key and imbalanced. There is a great deal of Fire and Air swirling around. Our passions may be engaged, our desire to spring ahead our primary focus. With a lack of Earth, our practicality could easily be called into question.

We are still under the influence of the Saturn Neptune opposition that was exact at the end of February but continues to daunt us throughout this month of March. Separating fact from fiction might prove perplexing. We could easily misconstrue situations. Either we might fall into wish fulfillment to believe that all things are possible and take a quixotic journey without checking reality and the facts before we move ahead. Or we might feel ourselves in a catatonic state, assuming that we can only react to the shifting conditions and changing circumstances that seem to keep us hopping.

We also begin the month with a bucket type of chart, a chart pattern that has gone on since the beginning of Winter and continues on into the early Spring. This bucket type of chart has the planets closely configured as in a bowl shape pattern except for one, a singleton, the handle to the bucket which is the retrograde Saturn transiting through Leo.

No matter our plans, no matter our best intentions, we may find that past issues, past connections, past patterns are coming up for us to take stock, inventory our lives and address outstanding matters before moving ahead.

We also begin March with a stellium of three or more planets in one sign with the retrograde Mercury, Mars and Neptune in the Fixed Air Sign of Aquarius. We also start the month with a Grand Trine in the Fire Element with a planet in all three of the Fire Signs with Venus in Aries, the Moon and Saturn in Leo, and Jupiter and Pluto in Sagittarius.

We may be focused on our future plans, interested in expressing our individuality and emphasizing our autonomy. We also seem to be champing at the bit, feeling the impending bounce and rebirth that Spring offers. A good dose of Spring fever may entice us at times to step out of our daily routine and do something different, something that enlivens us and makes us feel that our lives are truly worth living.

We do have the lack of Earth, so it would be easy for us to get carried away with a sense of exuberance and optimism and believing that we can achieve whatever we set our mind to. In deed we can, if we will maintain a dose of practicality and take things step by step, dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s as we move along.

I did write that Mercury is retrograde to begin the month. Mercury continues retrograde through the 7th when Mercury turns direct but still is within the shadow of its retrograde motion until the 28th. Already we have seen the impact of miscommunications that a Mercury retrograde often triggers. We saw it with the winter storm in the East and Jet Blue leaving its passengers in planes on the tarmac at JFK in New York for over ten hours. We saw it with the stoppage on Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania where motorists were stuck on the highway for up to twenty-four hours, a devastating situation that Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell blamed on a breakdown in communications between state agencies. Many of us have experienced computer glitches, Internet problems, miscommunications, traffic delays and the like during this Mercury retrograde. And all that was during February.

As that great philosopher Yogi Berra would remind us: “It ain’t over ’til it’s over”. And this Mercury retrograde is not over until late on the 7th, and its influence not finished until the 28th.

Despite the likelihood of frustrations, confusions and walking the balance beam between reality and illusions, this month of March can be an energetic and productive one. We can reflect on our past, attend to outstanding matters and clear the decks in order to take advantage of new areas that we might want to explore and later develop.

A sense of exploration is strong this March. And the more we can taste a little of this and try a little of that, all the while emphasizing the sampling rather than a commitment, this March can be an exciting and enjoyable month.

We do have to keep in mind the two-step, whereby we might go forward only to be pulled back. This back and forth, in actual fact, can be quite healthy this month for it could keep us from diving off the high dive board without having checked to see whether the pool was empty or full.

March is a month to entertain all possibilities, consider our prospects without carving our plans in stone and be open to the vagaries of living life on the earth plane.

March also has two eclipses with the Lunar Eclipse at the time of the Virgo Full Moon on the 3rd, and the Solar Eclipse with the Pisces New Moon on the 18th – 19th.

The Lunar Eclipse on the 3rd is strongly influenced by Uranus and by Jupiter. Change, like the coming of Spring, is bubbling within us. We may be looking to throw off the yoke of past conditioning, to find ways to break free from our self-evaluations and to fly, soar and reach for the sky. We might take a more philosophical attitude to our lives, able to see the crests and waves as part of the pounding surf that tempers us, hones us, and allows us eventually to embrace our own uniqueness and express our own individuality. To get to that point, there are times when we have to face our shadow side, those aspects of ourselves of which we might not even be aware or those characteristics of ourselves that we recognize but try to conceal. Just as a flashlight in the deep of the night dispels the darkness, we too could find ourselves casting light upon our subconscious, upon our past and even upon our present parameters. With a T-Square in Mutable Signs, we may find that our nervous energy is increased and it would be far better for us to consider doing things in spurts of energy, short periods of time, rather than a singularly focused approach. Things dovetail, even if those things seem to be totally disparate situations. And this heightened energy virtually forces us to look with peripheral vision and entertain a broad spectrum rather than viewing from tunnel vision or a narrow focus. We could all find that no matter how much we might control situations, that life has a mind of its own. Now is a time for us to be open to exploration and self-discovery, to allow the universe to shed light on our lives and to be prepared to surf the waves.

On the 7th, Mercury turns direct, ending its three-week cycle of retrograde motion. Although Mercury direct will still be within the shadow of the retrograde until the 28th, we might now have greater clarity to our future goals, our new interests, and our relationships. We may have an epiphany of consciousness, a spiritual awakening, whereby we feel far more deeply the meaning and purpose of our lives. In embracing our own uniqueness, we could also find our relationships to be far stronger.

On the 8th and 9th, Venus trines Jupiter, Venus trines Saturn and Venus sextiles Neptune. With a Grand Trine in the Fire Element, we could be feeling good about ourselves and about what is going on in our lives and our future prospects. We may be at the top of our game but looking at playing a different game or on a different field. Our relationships can be far more enjoyable, possibly because we are not so much looking for other people to fill a void or lack within ourselves or that we need others to mirror us. We could be coming from greater personal strength and greater appreciation of the unique qualities of other people. We are looking at personal best thereby creating win-win situations and not preoccupied with besting other people in a win-lose scenario.

We do need to watch for overconfidence and irrational exuberance. The Sun squares Jupiter on the 9th. We could get caught up in a groundswell of good feelings. Let’s not go blindly into the night but rather use our enthusiasm to propel us all the while that we’re looking at our options and considering how to get from where we were to where we want to be.

The three Fridays in March of the 9th, 16th and 23rd reinforce the idea of T.G.I.F. [thank goodness it’s Friday]. For these Fridays are especially pleasant, days when we can be feeling upbeat, inspired and realize that magic can happen.

On the 16th, we have a kaleidoscope of enjoyable energy configurations. Jupiter trines Saturn, Mercury sextiles Pluto, Venus trines Pluto and Mercury sextiles Venus.

The Jupiter trine Saturn aspect is an aspect that will come and go from between now and the Autumn of next year, 2008. This aspect is in sharp contrast to the Fixed Sign T-Square that we felt from the Autumn of ’05 until Thanksgiving Day of ’06, when Jupiter and Saturn were square and Jupiter was also squaring Neptune which Saturn was opposing. During that time, we were involved in a turkish taffy pull, engaged in an expansion-contraction / exuberance-restriction tug of war, all the while that we had no idea which end was up. With Jupiter and Saturn now trine, these two contradictory energies are working together. Instead of the push-pull of the past year plus, we now have the ability of grounding our enthusiasms in a structured and methodical approach. We can make things happen. And especially during this month of March through the Spring period, as the Saturn in Leo and the Jupiter in Sagittarius are hit off by the personal planets transiting at different times through the third Fire Sign, the Cardinal Fire sign of Aries. Yes, this March through the Spring is a time of drive, determination, a time of self-realization when we are looking to express our creative efforts in a meaningful and lasting way and to put our best foot forward.

Not only do we have the Jupiter trine Saturn on the 16th. We also have Mercury sextile Pluto, Venus trine Pluto and Mercury sextile Venus. We are in search of the holy grail, the true meaning and purpose of doing our lives. We want nothing less than the passion, depth and intensity of doing life by right action. Our minds are insightful, our thoughts concentrating on the very essence of life’s situations. Our interactions with people go far beyond the superficial to the very core of each person’s essence, the true depth of meaningful connection.

The 16th is a day to bring it all home, a day when we can transform our lives and take things from the abstract conceptual and turn them into concrete form. Our presentations are strong, our perceptions clear and our image immaculate. We may gain valuable support from powerful allies. This Friday is a primo day to leapfrog to the next level of our lives.

On the 17th, we pick up some Earth, as Venus exits a Sign of its Detriment, Aries where it is not truly comfortable, and enters its own Sign of Taurus. We become more diplomatic, aware of proper decorum and considering personal makeovers of our wardrobe, our homes, the ingredients of our lives.

On the 18th, Mercury re-enters Pisces, a Sign of its Detriment. In so doing, Mercury ends the stellium of three or more planets in one Sign with Mercury having been in Aquarius with Mars and Neptune. In entering Pisces, Mercury creates a stellium in the Mutable Water Sign with Mercury joining Uranus and the Sun. This Pisces Stellium is accentuated with the Solar Eclipse on this same day with the Pisces New Moon. But the stellium in Pisces is short-lived as the Sun ends Winter to begin Spring at the Vernal Equinox on the 20th – 21st.

With Mercury in Pisces, we could find ourselves becoming more idealistic, our spiritual side re-engaged, and our vision of a future pronounced. Our thoughts may be one thing, our expression of our ideas may not always paint a clear picture of what we are thinking. We do have to be careful that we don’t become too moody, too emotional or over-sensitive.

This Solar Eclipse on the 18th – 19th could prove a very intense one, for the Sun Moon conjunction in the latter part of Pisces squares Pluto in Sagittarius. Just like the end of Winter brings the end to the astrological year with a new year beginning with the Vernal Equinox, we too may become increasingly aware of the end of our old lives, the releases and eliminations necessary to cross the threshold of our own rebirth into new lives. On a societal level, we can also see endings and new beginnings. Authorities in all realms of society’s institutions may come and go. This time, and certainly its influence over the next fortnight and the weeks ahead, can signal major transformations in governments, economies, philosophies and all realms of human nature, and nature itself. This energy can be akin to pulling the curtain back from behind the Wizard of Oz screen and seeing the little man punching the buttons. A stripping away can go on, a process that might not always be comfortable but a procedure that allows us to rid ourselves of the superfluous and get down to the very basics. The process of breaking down old beliefs, patterns and systems allows us then to rebuild from our core, drawing upon the fundamentals, engaging the basics.

This inclination towards a major Spring cleaning of our lives that the Solar Eclipse instills in us may be even more pronounced as the Sun squares Pluto on the 19th, followed by the Vernal Equinox on the 20th – 21st as the Sun enters Aries.

‘Out with the old, in with the new’ could prove to be the refrain during the latter part of March. If we inventory what is important to us and what no longer holds significance, then we can start stripping away little by little.

With the Sun entering Aries on the 20th – 21st, we should feel a burst of energy. Spring has sprung, and we’re ready to race from the starting gates and get on with our Spring projects. We do have to watch that we don’t move so quickly that we lose sight of our direction or our itinerary.

A sense of bursting forth from the starting gate is ratcheted up by several Mars configurations on the 22nd, 23rd and 25th. On the 22nd, Mars opposes Saturn. Even though we’re rearing to go, we could feel like we’ve hit the wall, or at least stubbed our toe. If we don’t cave into the resistance or delays, then any sense of blockage could prove momentary and be used as a time for reviewing and restructuring. Let’s keep in mind that often delays are blessings in disguise since they prevent us from rushing headlong into the night and allow us time to give further thought to what we are doing and how we are doing it.

After Mars opposes Saturn on the 22nd, Mars sextiles Jupiter on the 23rd. We can gain a second wind. Our exuberance is back in gear. This is also that third Friday of the month, all of which have been reconfirming the sense of T.G.I.F. Despite the braking action of the day before, this Friday allows us to get back into gear and full speed ahead. It would be wise for us to use this accordion motion of expansive energy, followed by the contractive force of delays and restrictions, shifting then to enthusiasm and exuberance not to be an extreme metronome motion of major whipsaws back and forth. The more we can maintain a sense of balance and keep the swings to a minimum, the less confusing situations will be and the clearer our intent and our plans of action will be.

The two-step has a rhythm and the more we can become aware of it, the better we shall be at keeping the pace. A sense of pace and moving forward, at times only to backtrack, may seem wasteful energy of starts and stops, but the process does allow a honing and refinement to our actions and prevents us from either extreme of moving too far, too fast or feeling totally blocked and catatonic.

The Mars Neptune conjunction on the 25th offers us the ability to slow it down, take time to reflect, and allow the questions to arise without a firm answer. Even confusion can be a healthy antidote to adamant opinions and narrow mindsets.

While these Mars planetary aspects on the 22nd, 23rd and 25th might have our determination bettering our common sense, it would be wise to move forward judiciously, putting one foot in front of the other, testing the waters and not needing to make definitive, long-term commitments.

The month ends on the 31st with Venus sextile Uranus and Pluto turning retrograde. We could become involved with some interesting people, people who are new and different to our usual crowd. We might also consider a personal makeover, shopping for stylish additions to our wardrobe or accent pieces for our home. We are looking at making major changes to our lives. We want to get rid of those things that no longer serve us. From a Spring cleaning, we then want to incorporate new additions to our lives, to spice up our lives in order for it to reflect that transformations we have gone through on the internal level.

As Pluto turns retrograde, things could be a little explosive. Situations beyond our control might create anxiety. Although these events could be blips on the screen, they don’t have to impact us greatly. Yes, March may not go out as a lamb but rather with a bang.

All in all, this month of March can be a time of significant changes. We don’t have to do a total makeover or a complete transformation. The more we can see this month as a suspension bridge between old and new, whereby we go back and forth between our past and present parameters all the while investigating possibilities and future prospects, then this month of March can be a highly productive one. We can rid ourselves of the outdated and the outmoded and move into a new world that is far more reflective of whom we are becoming.

March… our renaissance with a look back over our shoulders…