AstroCast: March 20 - April 3, 2013

**Times where noted are for the Pacific Time Zone; degrees where noted are rounded to the nearest whole degree.

If you didn’t feel the rush of spring when Mars entered Aries last week, you will now!  The Vernal Equinox sets off an exciting new cycle at the moment when the Sun enters Aries at 4:02 am on March 20th.  Shaking off the nebulous, otherworldly aura of Pisces, full-blown action re-enters the game at full speed ahead.  The Sun in Aries can be headstrong, impetuous and fully self-identified in its quest for what it wants.  Who needs subtlety?  The more direct the better with the planet of the heart in Aries – and we’re not talking gushy, romantic, lovey-dovey heart, we’re talking the heart of fortitude, the heart of courage, the heart of the warrior willing to go into battle at the throw down of a glove.  The Aries Sun is bold but he also lacks discernment.  Aries is the first sign of the zodiac and as such rushes headlong into life without knowledge of the consequences.  The will acting through the childlike, I-have-no-filter Aries can be refreshing but also perhaps full of unnecessary battles and unplanned adventures that lead directly into deep potholes or dead ends.  We’ll need to tune into the other planets stewing in the more seasoned signs for an objective perspective on the actions and events that may shock and awe us in this dynamic period ahead.

Venus tips the energy balance from feeling-oriented water to action-oriented fire when she follows the Sun into Aries on March 21st.  Emerging out of the mists of Avalon, she suddenly becomes her own woman seeing the blazing light of day, fully energized with a new sense of independence.  Her approach to relationships is much less accommodating and she certainly won’t be passive in her quest for love.  Bold is the Aries signature and Venus here enjoys being the initiator.  If she sees something or someone she wants she probably won’t hesitate making her desire known, going after new connections and acquisitions with uninhibited enthusiasm.  Once she conquers in relationships, however, she’ll insist on mutual sovereignty.  Freedom loving and uncomplicated she’ll more likely be direct as well as impatient, not wanting to take the time to think things through.  Therefore, she may also move on just as quickly as she rushed in.  When it comes to items of value, other influences hopefully will prevail so she doesn’t find herself at the return counter.

A highly charged atmosphere may provoke upset or upheaval March 22nd through 26th when Mars conjuncts Uranus at 8 degrees Aries, sextiles Jupiter at 11 degrees Gemini and squares Pluto at 11 degrees Capricorn.  Touching off the ongoing Uranus/Pluto square, the faster moving Mars is the fuse that ignites the energy of the powerful outer planets in the midst of their years-long, highly contentious 90 degree relationship that on the world stage seems to be setting up a showdown between the plutocracy and the proletariat.  Jupiter adding the principle of expansion heightens the possibility for sudden or unexpected events.  Those going through a phase of inner work may experience shocking, deep soul discoveries or sudden breaks with past behavior or belief systems.  Whenever the planets align in challenging relationships, it is an opportunity for growth.  It takes courage to face our own demons and a willingness to make the effort through discipline.  In cultivating new ways of being, we actually may find our true selves.

The annual Full Moon between the Moon at 7 degrees Libra and the Sun at 7 degrees Aries on March 27th showcases the quintessential struggle between the self and society.  Libra represents harmony and balance in the inner and outer world.  The Moon here is most comfortable when peace among her people reigns and she will make great effort to maintain that peace in the face of the natural chaos of everyday life.  That is why she loves art – beauty has a calming effect, and diplomacy – helping adversaries find common ground staves off war.  She is grandly social and happily brings together diverse individuals who together balance the scales of their differences.  Utterly tolerant, she easily sees the values in opposing points of view.  Her one downfall is not being able to commit to any one side, for fear of losing her connection with the other.  So focused on being the glue that keeps everyone together she never quite joins the party as an active partaker.  This is where the Sun in Aries could teach her a few things.  He is not afraid to commit to one thing, even if it means sacrificing all else.  He is a pioneer who has found a cause, independent and not swayed by what others think.  A natural competitor, he pushes through opposing forces, further sharpening the focus on his mission, and emerges as a leader.  Whereas the Moon in Libra is seen as accommodating, the Aries Sun is most concerned with self-assertion.  If they meet in the middle they may find an authentic balance where the actualized self consciously contributes its unique gift to the whole of society.

March 28th through April 1st sees two more major configurations of planets.  The first is Mercury at 11 degrees Pisces sextile Pluto in Capricorn, trine Saturn in Scorpio and square Jupiter in Gemini.  The second is the Sun, Venus and Uranus conjunct at 8 degrees Aries, with all three square Pluto and sextile Jupiter – a mirror of the configuration with Mars that opened this period.  In fact, Mars is still within orb of that configuration so it is remains in effect as well.

This is Mercury’s third square to Jupiter in the last couple of months due to his retrograde motion.  Now completely immersed in Pisces’ spiritual waters, Mercury’s latest exchange with Jupiter may be all about the eloquent articulation of faith.  But this time Pluto’s raw power and Saturn’s grounded realism enter the conversation to elevate its dedication to a deep yet practical truth.

When the Sun and Venus get together, all is sweetness and light.  Put them in Aries and the tone shifts to a convivial self-confidence that befits a popular and admired leader.  Add Uranus to the mix and a dynamic excitement electrifies the atmosphere.  With the entire package squaring Pluto it becomes a force that could set in motion a tectonic shift.  Throw in Jupiter for good measure and the ensuing swell could become a tsunami.

The confluence of so many planets in relationship within the same degree range in various signs has the effect of creating an amalgamation of their respective archetypes to the point where any singular quality may not be recognizable.  However, with the weight of four planets in Aries, the impetus to move and move suddenly has high potential to manifest.

With the Libra Full Moon being at the midpoint of the tremendous aspects unfolding over this couple of weeks, she may bring about an emotional climax as she opposes not just the Sun but also Venus, Mars and Uranus sharing tight space together in Aries, and squares Pluto, making a potentially volatile 6-planet T-square configuration.  Pluto in Capricorn is the focal point of the configuration and represents on a societal scale the transformation of structures, including corporations and government, groups and societies.  With its potent force, Pluto’s dismantling of corrupt or ineffectual organizations, and the resulting consolidation of wealth into ever more powerful ones, will be at odds with the Libra Moon’s concern for accord among the masses.  But it is the four planets in Aries that could make the most noise.  In the midst of turmoil around the globe, already experiencing an uptick of eruptions since Mars went into Aries, new leaders among the poor and marginalized may arise.  On a personal level, we may finally see the changes happening we’ve been working for, or perhaps resisting.  If we don’t consciously make the choice for change, it may be made for us.