March Astrological Influences
January and February have brought us through a staccato rhythm of planetary events—calmer than last year, with fewer planetary pile-ups in favor of a more measured pace. March brings us more of the same, with a twist.
If it seems like it’s either all “off” or everything is turned on at once for a barrage of activity, you’re tuned in accurately. The outermost planets Jupiter through Pluto, which drive events and long-term development, are all in a narrow range of degrees, from 4 to 12. This means that, when a triggering planet (Moon through Mars) passes through those degrees, we are highly activated as each one encounters six planets in rapid succession.
This is especially noticeable when the Moon reaches the early degrees, which it does every 2-½ days. Our motivations to act, our emotional energies, rise and fall synchronously, and we are alternately panting to keep up then resting to recover from a bout of intense activity.
The effect is even more pronounced when the Moon is in Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn), which happens once weekly for 2-½ days, Tuesday–Thursday during March. These are “lunar hot spots”, when our ongoing transformational process heats up. It’s a weekly rhythm that we get used to but may not use as effectively until we see the pattern.
Right now, Mercury retrograde is playing a big role in activating these degrees, as it tracks over the clustered planets a second and third time between March 6 and March 29. Mercury is helping us integrate the energies of these planets, which produce long-term effects rather than immediate results.
Incredibly, the slow-moving planets are in general harmony with each other—at least with Saturn to Pluto to Neptune-Chiron. Mercury brings awareness of how the different parts and paths of our life interconnect, and how each person in it plays their role. There’s no fanfare most of the time, since these bodies are connected by sextiles and trines to form a Minor Grand Trine, where we tend to operate on automatic while the more irritating contacts grab our attention.
However, Mercury’s retrograde cycle brings them to the foreground. We discover the obstacles hidden in the details, those misunderstandings that prevent us from moving forward. Given the depth of our process now, these glitches and obstacles are likely to come from our core as seed thoughts that have a broad and often insidious effect across our life experiences, because they distort our perceptions in all directions.
How wonderful to get them into the visible world where we can see and eradicate them. We began this process in February, and it continues through the end of March. However, this is not the only process we’re experiencing. The Sun and the planets inside the orbit of Jupiter are tightly bunched as they have been for several weeks, and moving toward each other, into a series of conjunctions that mark cyclic milestones. One of these culminations comes March 28 with the triple conjunction of Venus, Sun, and Uranus. This will have a kaleidoscopic effect in our lives. (See the Planetary Overview for details.)
We’re at the beginning in other ways too: The new yearly cycles of Neptune and Chiron have just commenced, leaving only Uranus and Jupiter in the closing phases of their yearly treks. It feels like spring in more ways than one, with renewed optimism in the light of these cycles.
The time of Pisces is generally a time of inward focus, that hush before spring’s orchestra of growth begins. This year’s performance commences with a solo by Mars when it enters Aries on March 11. The Sun and Venus follow suit by March 22.
(Except as otherwise noted, all interpretations in this astrological forecast are based on a natural chart, using the beginning of Aries as the ascendant, and times listed are Pacific Daylight Time (UTC–7) after March 10.
A “Void Moon” or “Void of Course Moon” (or “VOC moon” for short) makes no significant aspects until it enters the next sign. Its void period is thought to be a poor time for starting new projects or making concerted effort toward existing plans.
According to William Lilly, the Moon in Cancer (Moon’s rulership), Taurus (Moon’s exaltation), Sagittarius and Pisces (signs ruled by Jupiter, the Great Benefic) “performeth somewhat.” Lee Lehmann reports that she has tested this, and “you can take it to the bank.” Another way of putting how this works in an astrological forecast is that, when an action is taken during the void period in one of these signs, you get “unanswered success.” That is, the lack of planetary action prevents your action from being denied.
Daily Success Guide Astrological Forecast, March 2013
At 9:33 am PT (12:30 pm ET), the Moon enters Scorpio, ending a long void period in Libra. This adds the punch of emotional motivation to the Sun’s urge to accept productive challenges as it reaches a sextile to Pluto, and a trine to Saturn. The Moon connects to our visionary side as it trines Neptune and Venus in Pisces.
Something deeper surfaces when the Scorpio Moon links up with Pluto-Saturn while we sleep, then glides us through the rest of the day on harmonies with Sun and retrograde Mercury. We’ll feel what’s real, feeding our perspective with the prospect of building greater confluence with those around us.
At 1:19 am (4:19 am ET), the Moon enters its void-of-course in Scorpio on a harmonious trine to Mars, reinvigorating our healing process. Once it goes into Sagittarius at 1:11 pm, our imagination and spiritual awareness are activated as it contacts Neptune.
Mercury starts its new 4-month cycle (at 14°07′ Pisces/4:58 am PT, 7:58 am ET) on a healing note, as a Venus square to Jupiter is embedded in the new beginning. This offers the chance to make amends in a situation that will require a series of steps to find balance and harmony, and the time to start is now. Pay attention to what comes up today, for it will reveal a core truth.
The Moon connects all the dots once again, as it makes its way through the hot degrees, reaching its Last Quarter phase with the Sun at 1:53 pm PT/14°29′ Pisces/Sagittarius (4:53 pm ET). The Minor Grand Trine of Saturn, Pluto and Chiron is strengthened by contacts with Venus and Mercury, supporting our integration of these constructive energies in the coming week, as well as the months of the new Mercury cycle. The Last Quarter square augments the process of assimilating new factors into our lives in a way that brings benefits; if there are any last-minute actions we need to take in support of the awareness we’ve gained on this lunar cycle (begun February 9), now is the time.
In the chart cast for Washington DC, this pattern is focused on dealing with conflicts both internal and international, the underlying purpose of which is access to oil (and other fluid resources, such as natural gas). The Senate and President cooperate on legislation to support the President’s policies without effective resistance from the House.
The Sabian Symbols for the Last Quarter lunation are: “the ground hog looking for its shadow on Ground Hog Day” (the Moon at 15 Sagittarius), and “an officer drilling his men in a simulated attack” (the Sun at 15 Pisces). There is a feeling of deja vu as a pattern of behavior, a tendency to try resolving conflict with more conflict, or by using a method that didn’t work before. It may be time for a new approach.
Venus conjoins Chiron to bring forward our ongoing healing process. It’s another opening for growth and alignment both inner and outer. The Moon completes its stay in Sagittarius, going void of course at 7:28 am (10:28 am ET) in irritation mode, as it squares Mars. We may feel a bit agitated until we relax, or until the Moon enters Capricorn at 4:14 pm, to ramp up on the emotional-transformative heat. An evening sextile to Neptune soothes us in preparation for tomorrow’s intense connections with Uranus and Pluto.
Today is the hottest day of this week’s lunar hot spot, as Moon in Libra connects with Uranus and Pluto, the once and future movers and shakers. Peaks of intensity will come at around 4:00 and 11:00 am PT (7 and 2: 00 pm ET). We can immediately apply our new awareness in constructive ways, as we ride the gentle cascades of a series of planetary harmonies as Venus and Mercury retrograde trade places in zodiacal order: Venus sextiles Pluto and trines Saturn, then Mercury conjoins Venus before trining Saturn. The Moon augments the experience with a focused, determined approach. Mercury’s contacts today tie today’s events with those of February 8–12.
Mercury retrograde sextiles Pluto (second of three), just as the foundation connection (Saturn sextile Pluto) reaches perfection. The Moon finishes its stay in serious Capricorn on the energy of an activating sextile to Mars, and goes void of course at 1:14 pm (4:14 pm ET), to give us a quiet afternoon to finish up old projects. At 7:02 pm. Moon’s entry into Aquarius prompts us to look forward and outward again.
We feel inspired to take a new approach to something that has brought pain and difficulty, as Moon hooks up with innovators Uranus and Jupiter. We can’t escape the wound, so we might as well work it through, and Mercury retrograde conjoining Chiron for the second of three times gives us easy access to our pain. What happens today ties into events around February 10. A Moon square to Saturn brings forward our self-doubt afterward, so don’t let it get to you. The Moon goes void of course at 2:08 pm (5:08 pm ET) until tomorrow evening. We are in the final phase before the New Moon, the Balsamic, or Wishing, Moon. This is a time when we naturally go inward for contemplation that seeds the new cycle. Set your intentions for what you want to full-fill in your life within the coming month.
Saturday March 9
The Moon is void of course in Aquarius until 10:19 pm (1:19 am 3/10 ET), when it enters Pisces. We may experience a bit of agitation as Mercury retrograde squares Jupiter for the second of three times, and we find it hard to make things connect as it passes. The good news is that whatever problem has emerged, it existed before now. Today’s events are a continuation of those around February 9 in some way.
Sunday March 10
The Moon in Pisces connects with the planets in the 6–12 degree range today, mostly creating harmonies, but creating more the same where yesterday’s experiences were concerned. Something pulls us back to what was happening on February 23, as the Sun reaches the degree at which Mercury turned retrograde. [Ed. note: Daylight Time begins today.)
Monday March 11
We are trebly refreshed today, as the New Moon occurs at 12:51 pm PT/21:24′ Pisces (3:51 pm ET), also “pre-connecting” Venus and the Sun, the first salvo of the significant connection that comes March 28. When Mars enters Aries at 11:26 pm, we begin to feel the renewal of spring even more.
The New Moon carries the seeds of all we’ll accomplish in the month, and the degree of the New Moon shows where we feel empty and want to fill ourselves. With a huge stellium in Pisces, this cycle continues the emphasis on healing from the core of our soul. Because of the new 26000-year cycle that commenced in 2012, we are able to access our very deepest wounds, a process which the soul does not want to miss out on, but which can wear thin on the personality as it tries to get through each day. We have general and powerful support from the remaining planets, but they bring us long-term support, not quick fixes. The Moon enters its void period at 12:51 pm (the New Moon), but in Pisces the Moon still performs.
In the chart cast for the US, the Pisces planets are found in the eighth house affecting the financial system as a whole, including the influences from lenders (to the US) and the state of foreign support. It suggests that the US will continue to receive aid for its own disaster-destroyed areas from foreign countries. There is an emphasis on the under-served and those who find themselves to be society’s victims. This is the start of finding solutions to empower them.
The Sabian Symbol for the New Moon (22 Pisces) is “a prophet bringing down the new law from the mountain”. It’s time to bring forth a vision of the future and a plan for its execution. Perhaps our new ideas will seem far-fetched to others, but they can’t see what we see. It’s time to believe in ourselves and push the envelope of doubt with the vision of possibility. In these times when the cycles cut so deep, we can reach into our core and use our greatest wisdom and most profound connection with the Source.
At 4:17 am, the Moon enters Aries, heating up our emotions and challenging us not to be reactive. We have plenty to goad us, as the three most volatile planets are in the mix: Mars, Uranus, and Pluto. It makes for an exciting day, from which we’ll get more results if we open to receive what comes. In the midst, a sextile to Jupiter shows us how to make lemonade.
The Moon continues its sojourn through Aries, ending its fertile period with its square to Pluto, going void of course at 1:01 am (4:01 am ET). The intensity of our focus and expectations reduces dramatically, and we get time to assimilate our experiences during the void period, which lasts until midday tomorrow.
At 12:08 pm, the Moon enters Taurus, reactivating us in the most sensible of ways. Now we want to get the groundwork right, and with Saturn to goad us from the opposing sign of Scorpio, we have a strong incentive to follow our plan, or adjust it to fit our practical concerns. We have to take the time to do it right. Today we see the possibilities, before tomorrow’s hook-up with Saturn.
The Moon’s early opposition to Saturn sets the tone for some focused efforts and hard work during the morning hours. There’s nothing to block our progress if we want to continue our work into the afternoon, but a need to relax and enjoy may take over. Call it TGIF or the upcoming Moon sextile to Venus early tomorrow.
It’s a day for fun, play, and relaxation, as the Moon in Taurus makes sextiles to Venus and the Sun in Pisces. It’s okay! These feed our creativity and make life worth living. The Moon’s void period starts at 4:11 pm (7:11 pm ET), augmenting our desire to take time out and giving us the space to do so. At 11:09 pm PT, the Moon goes into Gemini.
The Moon is busy making a plethora of contacts, as ruling Mercury returns to forward motion at 1:03 pm/5°38′ Pisces (4:03 pm ET). Everything connects, and it’s full speed ahead with the plans we conceived and launched since March 4.
The Moon in Gemini permits us to set our own agenda today. There are no contacts of any sort to interrupt, and we’ll make good use of the time. We have so much to set in motion now that Mercury is moving forward again.
Venus is drawing ever closer to the Sun, and today the Moon links them up again to bring us a relationship-oriented First Quarter lunation, which arrives at 10:27 am PT/29°16′ Pisces/Gemini (12:27 pm ET). This is the final connection for the Moon before its brief void period which lasts until 11:55 am with the Moon’s ingress into Cancer. After that, it’s trines all the way down, and a smooth finish to a day that may have had a stickier beginning.
We are supported in the coming week by plenty of down-to-earth ideas, as several planets trine Saturn. We may not like the amount of work required to achieve our goals, but at least we have goals and a plan to work with! Volatility lurks as Mars approaches its conjunction to Uranus and square to Pluto. These will be the forces that drive us in the coming seven days prior to the Full Moon. We feel we must Do Something—but must we? Actions should only be taken when we are clear and centered.
In the chart cast for Washington DC, all eyes are focused on the President. He has to make some quick decisions—or at least he is taking a leadership role that will startle others until they understand his motivations and context. Foreign policy is the major focus and diplomacy the solution.
The Sabian Symbol for the Moon is “a parade of bathing beauties before large beach crowds”; that of the Sun is “a majestic rock formation resembling a face is idealized by a boy who takes it as his ideal of greatness, as he grows up, he begins to look like it”. The actions we take, the ways we “spend” our time and energy show where our values lie, but they shape our values as well. Normally, we may see a sharp contrast between the enjoyment of surface beauty versus the development of inner qualities that contribute to our personal myth, but an overly developed focus on appearances draws us away from inner truth. On the other hand, too much focus inward denies us the joys of the senses.
At 4:02 am (7:02 am ET), the Sun makes its Aries ingress, marking the Vernal Equinox and the time when day and night are equal all over the planet. The Moon in Cancer brings out our sensitivity, especially as it connects by activating contacts to Mars, Uranus, and Pluto. Saturn brings needed confidence and support to soften our emotional responses with inner strength. The Moon enters its void period at 11:01 am, although in Cancer we can still fruitfully initiate new projects if we desire.
Saturn retrograde makes its second of three trines to Chiron, bringing forward a measured and sustained approach to our healing process. We may feel inspired to create a plan for improving our health in whatever area(s) need healing (body, emotions, mind, soul), contributing to a long-term process. At 8:15 pm (11:15 pm ET), Venus enters Aries, ready to fulfill her Superior Conjunction with the Sun. The Moon in Cancer is void until it enters Leo at 11:50 pm.
Mars finally conjoins Uranus, overshadowing the day with surprising events and plot twists. It’s a day full of lunar activity too, as the Leo Moon activates all the planets clustered in early degrees. A trine to Mars and Uranus adds fun and frivolity to the inexplicable. At 8:28 pm, the Moon enters its void period on a sobering square to Saturn.
Today we get beyond a feeling of awkward ambiguity, and we want to do something about a situation that’s taking longer to resolve than we want, as Jupiter makes its third of three quincunxes to Saturn. This forms a yod with Mars that is most active today through Monday. The Moon is void of course all day in Leo.
At 8:49 am (11:49 am ET), the Moon enters Virgo, bringing us the perspective of logic and pragmatism as it opposes Neptune and Mercury late in the day. It’s time to get busy with Virgo at the helm!
It’s new versus old, innovation versus tradition, as Mars chooses sides with Jupiter when it makes its quincunx to Saturn today, completing the yod that formed a few days ago. The Moon continues through Virgo, urging us to take on board the value of being organized. With the Moon going into its void period at 5:45 am PT (8:45 am ET), it’s a good day to put things in order. Chances are, something is out of place and prevents us from taking the next step in our long-term plans.
Although the Moon enters Libra (and the Full Moon energy) at 2:32 pm (5:32 pm ET), it’s the connections of the heavies that have us moving forward today. It’s all about Mars, which urges us to act as it sextiles Jupiter and squares Pluto. There’s a strong urge to change everything at once, as if that will end our suffering, but it is almost certain to increase it in the short term. Only we can tell if the long-term goal is served by our actions. Jupiter makes its final of three squares to Chiron today (11°05′ Gemini-Pisces), leading us through the final stages of fulfilling a healing process that has to do with obstacles to our mobility and expansion. This ties in with events around July 24 and January 15, in a situation that we may first have noticed in early June.
Today brings the Full Moon, which reaches its peak at 2:27 am/6°52′ Aries/Libra (5:27 am ET). The key quality of the coming week is the unfolding of new relationship directions, as Venus and Sun meet on Uranus’ turf tomorrow. With the Moon to bind them, we get the full experience of these energies today. Whatever relationship matters we have left incomplete or hanging, we feel compelled to clear them now, and we won’t stop until it’s taken care of. Flexibility is paramount in the process, because Uranus will bend us in unexpected directions, with great benefit, if we are willing to go with the flow. The Moon goes into its void-of-course period at 11:14 am until late tomorrow.
In the US Full Moon chart, the focus is on the economy and the well-being of those who participate in it, particularly women. As a small segment of legislators attempts to commandeer the nation’s generally unified support of women’s equality and protection against violence, more young women (Venus) are getting involved in ensuring that the will of the nation is reflected in the laws that are passed. There may be a few surprises around women’s rights that find their roots in this Full Moon.
The Full Moon’s Sabian Symbol at 7 Libra is “a woman feeding chickens and protecting them from the hawks”, and the Sun’s (7 Aries) is “a man successfully expressing himself in two worlds at once”. With Venus’ strength in this chart, the condition of women who “just do their jobs quietly, every day” will be raised in people’s consciousness. Those who are not politically active need protections to be able to do their vital work of raising the next generation, including having reasonable protections against madmen with guns. Watch for the message hidden within the message this week.
A Mercury trine to Saturn (third of three) gets lost in the fireworks as Venus reaches the Sun just in time to activate the unexpected in our lives through a simultaneous conjunction with Uranus. This is a continuation of yesterday’s action, which may have been more emotional than today. The sparks are strong though, and our desire to take action to open relationship doorways remains strong. The Moon is void until it enters Scorpio at 5:54 pm (8:54 pm ET), but makes no connections today.
Mercury makes its third of three conjunctions to Chiron to finalize a major step in our healing process, tying with events around February 10 and March 8. This is magnified by contacts with Jupiter and Pluto as well, bringing forward all that we’ve been working on internally for the past seven weeks. It’s time to look back at what we’ve accomplished and begin the process of fully assimilating what we’ve learned before we move forward to the next steps in our plans for this Mercury cycle. The Moon makes all the dots connect as it moves through early Scorpio, bringing feeling-heart intelligence to Mercury’s thinking-logic intelligence. It’s a fantastic blend that results in the clarity to take fruitful actions. At 1:25 pm (4:25 pm ET), Moon is void of course, until tomorrow evening
The ripples of our new relationship realities extend to the plans that we have for the future, and adjustments are required, as Venus and the Sun quincunx Saturn. A little ambiguity is okay. At 8:13 pm (11:31 pm ET), the Moon enters Sagittarius ending its void period in Scorpio.
Venus and the Sun continue their tandem interactions as they square Pluto today. Venus also connects with Jupiter by sextile, while the Sun follows suit just after midnight. Meanwhile, the Moon in early Sagittarius makes everything come together with most of the tension in communications. The morale of the story is to have fun instead of talking about important issues. At 10:00 pm (1 am 4/1 ET), the Moon is void of course until very late tomorrow, although in Sagittarius it can still be used to initiate plans productively.
For more than 20 years, Terry Lamb (M.A. Linguistics, UC San Diego; C.A. NCGR, EEMCP) has been helping people to understand how cycles and energies work and interact in their lives. She augments her astrological acumen with energy medicine, Yijing (Chinese Book of Change), cosmology, psychology, and a broad range of health and spiritual studies.
Terry is among the nation’s most knowledgeable, insightful, and engaging astrologers. With pragmatic optimism and compassion, Terry’s approach has helped clients and students find their own way to “walk among the stars”. She is dedicated to using astrology as a way to create our future and free ourselves from “fate”. She goes along with Abraham Lincoln, who said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
Her unique approach to astrology can be learned through her home study and apprenticeship programs (contact her directly).
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