March has always been an unpredictable month. The bridge between winter and spring, the weather is always questionable, chilly one day – warm the next. We can see small bits of green pushing upward toward the Sun, the promise of spring and more daylight ahead. But as soon as we think about putting away our Parkas, along comes a late snowstorm, reminding us that it’s not quite over yet.
Right now we are reflecting in the deep waters of Pisces. During this time of the year, we should be mulling over the past year and planning for the future. Come mid-month Aries will burst forth on the scene with his take charge and “get it done now” energy. But for the moment, we are introspective and as the last full moon of winter, the Virgo Full Moon on March 1 is a pre-spring awakening. This Moon in purifying Virgo arrives to help clear away the debris of last year. Life’s messy areas become illuminated under these moonbeams, bringing some much-needed tidiness. Apple-pie order Virgo lives for structure and routine. In case you’ve heard that Virgo energy is boring, guess again. Ruled by speedy, communicative Mercury, our intellectual curiosity is stimulated under this lunar spell, urging us to keep our minds open to the new possibilities yet to come.
Both Venus and Mercury enter Aries on March 6. Venus in Aries is more focused on the self, its basic needs/desires and staying true to one's own motivations. While Venus is in Aries, we are challenged to be bolder and more assertive. Discover our passion and run with it. Yet we must exercise caution against it being all about "me" or the next 6 weeks could be constant struggle between your needs over your partner's. Mercury’s passage through Aries marks a time when ideas move quickly and words tend flow without reflection. The great potential of this period is the increased possibilities for new concepts and perspectives. Aggressive speech may come too easily, so temper these impulses, if you can. Avoid the tendency to over-share as well. On March 22 Mercury turns Retrograde and the next 3 weeks will require a great deal of conscious effort on your part with regard to your communication style. There is a strong tendency to blurt things out or to be blunt in ways that are less than useful. Your perception of what other people say may be skewed by your overly eager and anxious desire for action. One of the hardest but most important feats to accomplish during this period is self-restraint, especially when feeling most passionate about a subject.
We have another period of turning inward when Jupiter turns Retrograde on March 8. Until July we have the opportunity to explore who we are and what we stand for. For many, the current socio-political climate has caused us to exercise our right to protest, resist and persist. Are we doing what we need to do? Are we doing too much or not enough? Jupiter’s slowdown is the perfect time to take a time out and examine our personal philosophies and reevaluate the beliefs that motivate us on a daily basis.
Daylight Savings time begins on March 11. I know I’m ready to see some longer days after Winter’s gloom.
The New Moon in Pisces on March 17 offers an opportunity to connect with your personal "dream time". Along with the Pisces Sun, this is an excellent time to tap into our inner resources as we plan for the coming year. Also today, Mars moves into Capricorn where Mars feels at home because this planet is driven to succeed, just as Capricorn is all about achieving goals. This period, is excellent for taking on big tasks and seeing them all the way through to the finish. Mars in Capricorn is a powerful transit, but in a more understated way. Mars typically charges ahead loudly, forcefully, and impulsively, but with Capricorn overseeing things, Mars will have more direction. Mars wants to act, and Capricorn wants to make sure we do it with purpose. This transit is a time to set clearer goals and re-evaluate our previous ones so we can do them in a better, more efficient way.
We leave the deep thoughts encouraged in Pisces for action-motivated Aries when the Sun moves there on the Spring Equinox, March 20. When the Sun moves into Aries, we come metaphorically back to life with a surge of excitement and possibility. This transit initiates the spring season and a brand-new astrological year, so it's a grand time for new beginnings. We don't have to know where we'll wind up, nor will we have all our strategies in place yet, the Sun in Aries is about putting things in motion, knowing we can improvise from there. We are encouraged to let go of the past and the future in order to live fully in the present moment. Aries is not here to make us comfortable. It is here to spark the imagination and help us start anew. It's Aries' pioneering energy that propels us forward, breaking old habits and patterns so we can discover new worlds.
The second Full Moon for the month is known as Blue Moon and falls in the sign of Libra on March 31. This Full Moon may feel more intense, and may bring up issues that need to be cleared and resolved. In the sign of partnerships, the Libra Moon is going to be focusing our attention towards all our relationships in life and there may be some new developments or insights in these areas. But remember, it opposes the Sun in willful Aries, which is more interested in acting independently than slowing down to accommodate others. Knowing when to take charge of your life and when it's appropriate to meet others halfway is the lesson of this Full Moon. Libra’s ruler enters its other home sign today when Venus transits into Taurus. This upbeat shift means the next 3 weeks are a time for social relationships, self-esteem and finances to experience easy growth.