Energies: This Spring begins with the Vernal Equinox and the Sun’s entrance into the Cardinal Fire Sign of Aries on March 20th. At the time of the Vernal Equinox, there are two planets in a Fire Sign, three planets in Earth Signs, two planets in an Air Sign and three planets in a Water Sign. There are four planets in Cardinal Signs, two planets in a Fixed Sign and four planets in Mutable Signs. There are four planets in Positive Signs and six planets in Negative Signs. There is a Stellium of three or more planets in one Sign, with Pisces being transited by Mercury, Mars and Uranus. Three planets are transiting their Signs of Detriment, where they are uncomfortable, with the Moon in Capricorn, Mercury in Pisces and Venus in Aries. Spring begins with a bucket chart pattern with all of the planets bunched together from Capricorn into Aries. The handle to the bucket is Saturn in Virgo, which continues its opposition to Uranus that began last November and continues into mid-2010.
Spring is the beginning of a new year as Nature unfolds with a sense of renewal, rebirth, or renaissance. Spring is the beginning of a new year in astrology as the Sun completes its transit of the zodiac wheel and enters the first Sign of the zodiac wheel, Aries, at the time of the Vernal Equinox.
As we start this Spring, the energies are focused on new beginnings. Our sensitivity is likely to be turned up severalfold and we do have to be careful not to fall into a reactive, regressive or victimized role. Certainly, old issues may cloud our mind or impact our initiations at this time. While we might have to do a strong Spring cleaning, dealing with outstanding matters, old issues still unresolved and the consequences of past actions; this is a time for us to launch forward with new projects. If we draw upon the lessons of our past, then we are not compelled to repeat the same actions, the same mistakes, or going back over ground already covered.
We are all aware that the landscape has changed. Our world is not what it was at the time of last Spring, of our last new beginnings. On the contrary, the backdrop of our lives has radically changed. We cannot go back, re-create the parameters of the past. Old solutions may not work for present, much less future, conditions.
Each of us needs a new game plan. We might not fully comprehend the conditions of the field upon which we are being asked to play. We might feel that we can master the world, control circumstance and bend situations to our will. If we even attempt such a disposition, we may be sorely challenged and find ourselves continually hitting our head against the wall. No, these times demand a different perspective, a changed attitude whereby we are more humble and willing to work with the unfolding of conditions rather than trying to control and mold things to our own manner or in accord with our own design.
The sense of transformation is strong as we begin this Spring. Pluto is highlighted, the most elevated of the planets if living on the US East Coast. Pluto is in Capricorn, the Sign ruled by Saturn, the singleton of our bucket pattern chart as we start the Spring. And Pluto squares the Sun and throughout the Spring will square other planets beginning to transit Aries. The Sun square Pluto is exact on March 23rd, followed by Mercury square Pluto on March 27th, then Venus square Pluto on April 3rd and the most significant and potentially most impactful square of Mars to Pluto on April 26th. Venus square Pluto occurs again on the 2nd of May.
Despite the fact that astronomers have ‘officially’ demoted Pluto to being a dwarf planet, Pluto’s influence continues to be strongly felt, and with its transit of Capricorn that initially began last year, we are all feeling a sense of crash and burn as old structures, institutions, and traditions are found wanting and fall away. Our security may be tested but only if our security is based upon old parameters, a comfort zone of familiarity. Yes, we may feel as though the rug is being pulled out from under us at times, but the Pluto influence beckons the image of the Phoenix bird in mythology and its rising from the ashes to soar ever higher and in Christian theology with the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus to be the Christ.
We are all being tested — as a society, as a species and as individuals. The test is not a pass-or-fail quiz but rather the challenge and opportunity of turning base metal into gold. We are all going through, individually and collectively, what the first nations peoples refer to as shapeshifting. And shapeshifting, like any major growth spurts, does have its attendant labor pains.
During the early Spring period, under the influence of the Pluto squares to the Sun and to Mercury, we have to be wary of the blame game. As if playing the childhood game of pin the tail on the donkey, we might seek, or be witness to, a scapegoating, blaming present conditions on past circumstances, looking back rather than facing forward. Now is not the time for recriminations, whether those recriminations are self-recriminations or demonizing someone, some people or some things. Now is the time to move ahead, to launch forward, to initiate, to test the waters, try alternatives, consider options; all with the recognition that we are in process of crossing a threshold into a new paradigm where the old playbook may no longer work and we might find ourselves having to experiment, stretch and accept a sense of vulnerability as we try new methods, contemplate new interests and quite possibly see our lives turned upside down.
Although Spring talks to a birthing process, the Pluto square may force us to ask whether we have the resources to launch forward. We might question our ability to try the new. We might feel that our financial situation has been severely impacted negatively, perhaps even decimated, and consequently assume that we cannot move ahead. We might wonder whether we have the skill set to successfully shapeshift, to do something different from what we have been used to, to be someone other than the identity we had created for ourselves. We may feel vulnerable, but I would also suggest that we might also feel the most free that we have ever been. With old supports either torn away or shaky at best, we could also experience that such supports might have been crutches but could have also kept us from truly walking our individual paths.
If we will keep in mind the wise saying that we never get more than we can handle, then even our blind faith can propel us forward. We might not be clear regarding the directions. We might not have a map for our itinerary. But let’s keep in mind that every journey begins with a first step.
Even if we are tentative in our first step, some form of initiation, of trying some thing new, of experimenting with some thing different, any first step can start the movement. These times do not call for stasis. These times are times of extraordinary flux, and within the process of flux volatility is ratcheted up severalfold. Even if we are uncomfortable with the whipsaw of volatility, let’s recognize that volatility and flux are dynamic states and as such allow for things to occur quickly and unexpectedly.
Yes, we are all stepping onto the magical mystery tour. The more we can embrace the awe and wonder of childhood, the innocence of not knowing, yet trusting in the beneficence of the universe and the natural inclination of life to unfold, grow and shift according to prevailing conditions; the less anxious we need be. We may not have all the answers. We might not have any answers. But an attitude of excitement for the new ways of living, even if we only can draw upon blind faith to get us up and going, will prevent us from feeling victimized, falling into despair or feeling like the world is crumbling down around us. And even if it crumbles, like the Phoenix, something even greater can be born from its ashes.
Stress may be highlighted during the early part of the Spring, especially during the March madness from the 20th through the 27th. Our sensitivity is increased dramatically, and we might feel more reactive than proactive. With the Pluto influence of the Sun square Pluto on the 23rd, the Aries New Moon on the 26th square Pluto, and Mercury square Pluto on the 27th; this latter part of March can be one of extremes. Like a volcano seething below the surface, we could feel uncomfortable in our own skin and might feel as if we have to express our individual interests no matter the cost. A volcano can release its energy either through an effusive flow like Kilauea or an explosive blast like St. Helens. So too for ourselves, we can either release our desire to shapeshift quietly and effectively or forcefully and belligerently. The former would be preferable and would have far fewer negative consequences that we might otherwise have to address later on.
With Mercury entering Aries on the 25th of March, we end the Pisces Stellium of three or more planets in the Mutable Water Sign, for the moment, and encounter an Aries Stellium as Mercury joins the Sun and the Venus retrograde in the Cardinal Fire Sign. Our thoughts, our focus, turn to our individual interests and our self-assertion, self-affirmation. We may become a world unto ourselves, concentrating on what impacts us personally with little interest in the larger world or the world around us.
Relationships could be a little dicey now. Not only do we have Venus retrograding through Aries until the 11th of April, when Venus goes back into Pisces, ending the Aries Stellium but re-establishing a Pisces Stellium as Venus joins Mars and Uranus in the Mutable Water Sign. On the 3rd of April, Venus squares Pluto, followed on the 4th with Pluto turning retrograde concurrent with Mars opposed Saturn. The 3rd, 4th, 5th of April could be a time of protest, a time in which we express our distaste for things occurring and attempt to emphasize our own personal needs. We may have little regard for social convention or the needs of others, as we look out for number one, our selves. Discontent can be rampant, a discontent with the state of our affairs and with the unfolding occurring in the world at large. Often to express our frustration, we look to the safe harbor, those people or situations that are willing to take the venting of our frustrations. Consequently, relationships could be testy now, and if that does occur, then it may prove a prelude to what we are likely to see from the mid-Autumn on for a couple of years when Saturn transits Libra.
While the early Spring period can be one that may have us feeling like the oyster with the grain of sand inside its shell creating irritation and aggravation, the energy this Spring starts to shift to a more positive level on the 9th of April at the time of the Libra Full Moon and the day that Mercury enters Taurus. The Libra Full Moon positively impacts Jupiter. Our attention may turn from our problems, from our discontent and may look towards our future, our possibilities, our significant interactions. Mercury entering Taurus offers us by Sign a Grand Trine in the Earth Element.
We are now moving closer to harnessing our thrust of energy and channeling it into practical applications. The Grand Trine in Earth provides us the opportunity to manifest, to take our individual interests and move them from concept and desire into a pragmatic approach of realizing our goals, achieving our intentions.
The 9th through the 12th of April can prove highly significant. We are feeling more positive, have a better outlook on our lives, and are less looking back but rather looking forward to our future. As the planets start their transit through Taurus, having come through Aries where they squared Pluto, the planets in Taurus now trine Pluto. Instead of a battle of wills, we can come up with a best practices approach to realize our goals, and achieve our aims.
The 9th of April has the Libra Full Moon and Mercury entering Taurus. While the Full Moon positively impacts Jupiter, that impact is reinforced on the 10th with the Sun sextile Jupiter. Our confidence, our optimism and our enthusiasm are discovered once again. On the 11th, Mercury trines Pluto, and we have the ability of being incredibly resourceful, of making the most out of the least, and developing a strategy and blueprint by which we can move our personal interests forward no matter how limited we might have felt during the weeks before. We may have become conditioned to the whipsaws of these times, and instead of bemoaning the way things are, we are far more willing to accept circumstances and work with the conditions rather than feel victimized by them.
As we gain a second wind during mid-April, we do have to watch overconfidence or an assumption that the worst is behind us. Maintaining vigilance and moving carefully forward would go a long way towards avoiding the pitfalls of the unexpected. Let’s keep in mind that we are traversing new terrain, that our road maps and playbooks might not be relevant to our new passages.
Around the 15th of April, unexpected situations could crop up that either entice us or bedevil us. While we might be looking at prospects and possibilities for ourselves, thanks to the Sun sextile Neptune, we also have Mars conjunct Uranus whereby things can come out of the blue and we have to adapt to unanticipated variables. During this time, we need to be careful regarding computer issues, travel difficulties and accidents. We need to think before we act and be mindful as we act.
Mindfulness is an essential ingredient for successfully navigating the swirling currents of these times.
During the second half of April, there are major energy switches. Venus turns direct on the 17th, the Sun enters Taurus on the 19th, Mars enters its own Sign of Aries on the 22nd and Venus enters Aries on the 24th, the day of the Taurus New Moon. This period is one when we may feel that we have more energy, are looking to be more self-assertive and can use the time to plant seeds. The Taurus New Moon trines Pluto. Whereas the Aries New Moon in April squared Pluto providing obstacles and frustrations to our plans and our initiations, this Taurus New Moon allows us to plant seeds in fertile ground. We have the ingredients in hand and an ability to utilize a best practices approach in creating the structure, or reworking old structures, in order to be highly effective and cut to the bone, focusing on the essential, the most important aspects of our lives.
The 26th of April could prove difficult. Mars having entered its own Sign of Aries squares Pluto now. This energy can be explosive. There can be bomb blasts, people acting out, people pushing the envelope, and a thrust of unrestrained energy that if given into could bring all our plans crashing down and come to naught.
On the 30th of April, Mercury enters its own Sign of Gemini and in so doing creates a Mutable Sign T-Square with Mercury in Gemini, Saturn in Virgo and Uranus in Pisces. We may pick up our juggling act, addressing old issues, experimenting with new activities but all with a very cursory attention span. We are far more interested in the broad palette and a brief interchange rather than a focused and concentrated effort.
May starts with Venus going through Aries squaring Pluto on the 2nd. Issues in our relationships that could have been percolating since the beginning of February can now come to a head. We may find that we are evaluating our relationships in regard to how they serve us and benefit our goals.
As we are going through a contractive phase, these are the times when we are likely to cut away the superfluous and extraneous and focus more on the meaningful and significant. Consequently, we could be evaluating our involvements, our activities and our relationships. We are looking to be smarter rather than putting extra effort into situations that offer us little in return. We are seeking to cut to the core, focus on the essence. We may feel there is no time to waste, no excess we can entertain.
May also gives us the second of our year’s three Mercury retrogrades. Mercury retrogrades on the 7th and turns direct on the 30th. During much of this month of May, we might encounter difficulties with our communications, with our travel plans, and with our motor vehicles. We may also experience problems with financial expenses, equity markets and our revenue stream. Mercury retrogrades back through Gemini and then backs into Taurus on the 13th through the 30th when Mercury turns direct. Significant purchases, important decisions are best made before or after the Mercury retrograde. If we have to proceed with important matters, it is essential that we go over them with a fine toothcomb, checking and rechecking, to be certain that significant particulars are in place and nothing of grave import has been left out.
The Scorpio Full Moon on the 9th of May can prove vexing, for it creates a Fixed Sign T-Square with the Scorpio Moon opposed the Taurus Sun and both square Jupiter and Neptune in Aquarius. We might see the half glass of water now as half empty rather than half full. Either we could fold our tent, bring a halt to some of our intended projects based upon a fearfulness of our resources and the future conditions, or we could continue plowing ahead assuming that everything will turn out right in the end. It does but not always in accord with our wishes.
Concern about our resources can be ratcheted up as Mercury retrogrades back into Taurus on the 13th. Expenses we may not have accounted for could come up for payment. Purchases made might have greater maintenance costs than we calculated. We are likely to reflect upon our revenue stream, and now would be a time for us to go over our finances, look at our budget and differentiate between the expenses for our absolute needs and the costs of extraneous interests.
On the 16th of May, Saturn turns direct. If we have experienced delays in moving things forward for much of this year, Saturn turning direct should help grease the wheels and allow for smoother movement. We can structure and rework our daily routine, working with time management techniques and computer technology to be more effective with less expenditure of energy. Employment issues can still be headline grabbers, and during the late Spring and over the Summer months, there could be various employment issues at the fore — layoffs, strikes and labor discord.
At the time of Saturn turning direct, we also have the Sun square Jupiter and Sun sextile Uranus on the 16th, followed by the Sun square Neptune on the 17th. Feeling less restricted and wanting to bring about change, we have to be careful we don’t leap before we look. We could easily feel invincible, draw upon wish fulfillment, and be over-expansive or indulgent at this time.
Another time to watch for will be on the 27th of May when Jupiter conjuncts Neptune just before Neptune turns retrograde on the 28th. This is a time for the hucksters to be out in full force, promising everything under the sun. The potential for delusion and buying into presentations could be strong today, so it would be wise for us to take everything with a grain of salt. Due diligence is recommended to be certain that the reality matches the image. Nonetheless, we may feel that we’ve fallen down the rabbit hole and entered a Wonderland of hopes, wishes and possibilities. With Mars in Aries reinforcing the Jupiter Neptune conjunction by sextiling both these planets, we could easily fall prey to wish fulfillment, wanting to believe something is true and engaging ourselves in a mirage or an illusion.
Mercury turns direct on the 30th of May and Mars exits its own Sign of Aries to enter Taurus on the 31st. While we shall still be in the ‘shadow’ of the Mercury retrograde until the 15th of June, our thoughts should be clearer and more practical-minded. If we are willing to take things step by step, then we could accomplish a lot.
June has some pleasant energies. Venus sextiles both Neptune and Jupiter on the 2nd. Mars trines Pluto on the 4th, and Venus trines Pluto on the 8th. Relationships can be far improved now. We are less likely to be defensive, looking over our shoulder or wondering how someone benefits us. There is greater personal decorum, with people putting on a good impression, especially once Venus enters its own Sign of Taurus on the 6th. The trines to Pluto allow us to move beyond the superficial, get below the surface and truly connect on a very deep and meaningful level. We can do that in regard to our personal energy, whereby we might begin a health regimen to emphasize our well-being and to counter the stresses of these chaotic times. We can do that in regard to our relationships, whereby we are interested in people for their depth of being, their integrity of character and their embrace of their own individual life journey.
June and the latter part of Spring can be pleasant, even though old issues may still dog our heels.
The Sagittarius Full Moon on the 7th of June has the Sun Moon opposition square to Saturn. By Sign, this Full Moon presents a Mutable Sign T-Square with the fourth Element of Water being Uranus transiting Pisces. While anxiety can be exponentially increased now, the Stellium of three or more planets in one Sign with Mercury, Venus and Mars in Taurus provides a grounding and an ability to stave off the nervous anxiety by means of focusing on one thing, taking one step, at a time.
Mercury enters its own Sign of Gemini on the 13th of June, followed by Jupiter turning retrograde on the 15th and the Gemini Sun trine both Neptune and Jupiter in Aquarius and square Uranus in Pisces on the 17th.
We may not have gotten as far as we might have wanted in regard to advancing our personal interests. But in consideration of the backdrop of the world around us, we can see great movement in the initiation of our new interests and the shapeshifting process that we are going through.
Spring 2009… starting up, still looking back…
