Think March for Mars. Mars marches ahead this month, impulsively, inevitably, and well supported. In fire sign Sagittarius Mars is a courageous adventurer, and he is marching forward to his destiny, a meeting with powerful Pluto on March 18, just before Equinox.

Mars is energetic and goal-oriented. He likes challenge and action. Mars is the quintessential warrior. Mars rules Aries, the first sign, a fire sign, born again into its mission and wearing blinders to all else.

A big part of Mars’ support team is Venus, the Lover, moving slowly and caressingly through the sign of Aries. Venus here likes aggressive energy. She is excited and pleased by strong action. She will be an enthusiastic cheerleader. Venus is magnetic, and she will gather tools to help Mars fulfill his mission—whether they be weapons, information, or spiritual support.

New Moon shows us the underlying structure and character of the month’s energies. Full Moon brings it to light and fruition. This month Mars dominates both New and Full Moon charts.

In addition, the Vernal Equinox falls on March 20. This is when Sun enters Aries, Mars’ sign, to set in motion a new season of rebirth.

As if all of this weren’t enough support for Mission Mars, the dominant sign of the month is Sagittarius, a far-seeing, high flying, free wheeling fire sign, ready to give wings to Mars. Sagittarius is about spreading the word, carrying the message, and promotion. It rules specific faiths, and can act as though It has a lock on truth.

Sagittarius is a political sign, and Aries is a fighting sign.

Powerful Pluto Oversees the Action

Pluto stations and turns retrograde the night of March 17. Watch your St. Patrick’s Day partying. It will tend to get out of hand, especially since this is a Saturday. Pluto underlines our need for intense, transformative experiences Remember that we can choose healthy alternatives to overdoing.

Because it is changing direction, from Earth’s viewpoint, Pluto almost stands still during March. It is at 16 degrees Sagittarius, and all planets at that degree will be slowly and deeply transformed this month. Their orientation will never again be the same.

This crucial degree of turning is close to the Ascendant of the U.S. chart and exactly conjoins the Moon of the Confederate States Chart (February 4,1861, Montgomery, AL).

Just as Pluto turns, Mars conjoins it exactly. Together Mars and Pluto indicate crisis, and perhaps overkill. They will change the world for Mars’ goals and Pluto’s evolutionary work. Their action together will be deep, intense, and perhaps explosive. Pluto will have new information to digest as it turns to work on inner levels for the next five months, and this information relates to assertive Mars energy.

Mars himself slows down now, thus adding to the intensity of his already-plutonized impact. Mars finally turns retrograde on May 11, still in Sagittarius, to make a return journey to the exact scene of the big action with Pluto, 16 Sagittarius. He reaches there July 19, apparently picks up the reminder he needs, and turns direct then.

Pluto turns direct August 25, in a stressful square with expansive Jupiter and messenger Mercury. Look for an announcement, revelation, or major shift then in regard to the action beginning this month. Mars conjoins Chiron in August, and there will be a blastoff into a new dimension. The seeds are sown this March.

Fire Energy Sweeps Through March

Venus in Aries is emphasized now by turning retrograde on March 8, just before Full Moon. Venus usually spends 3 weeks in a sign. Because of her 40-day retrograde in Aries, she will spend four months in Aries, vastly extending her Martian support. As she does this retracing, she will activate and reactivate the current Cancer-Capricorn eclipse points as well as the related Cancer-Capricorn nodal axis. This is the "security" axis, whose eclipses are now shifting the foundations of our lives and putting us into overdrive.

Pallas Athena in Sagittarius and Juno in Aries are an integral part of March’s high action, and this inclusion of the asteroids indicates changes in the daily lives of many people. Pallas is the strategist. She is especially good at defense. Juno is the goddess of wives, and of childbirth. She also represents the abused wife, and is associated with victims and the disenfranchised. As goddess of weather, she rules storms and even earth changes.

Pallas in the sky is now brushing the constellation of Ophiucus, the Serpent Holder. The serpent indicates the rising of kundalini, regeneration, and wisdom. Since ancient times the serpent has been a bridge to mystical worlds.

Vesta too plays a key role now, and she is associated with security, protecting one’s turf, investments, and whatever makes one feel safe. Vesta moves from Pisces to Aries during March, and is a bridge energy, helping us transition from vision to action.

Fire Mixes with the Oceanic Pisces Force Field

Passionate, dynamic fire energy rules the month. And yet for the first 20 days of March we are in the energy field of cloudy, watery Pisces. Talk about steam! The way will not be as clear as it seems, and perhaps that is why relevant planets are retrograding. Time to re-evaluate. Even Mars slows down, perhaps turning on its fog lights.

Pisces is the time when we absorb our new visions for the year. Mystical, spiritual, and artistic activities are not only effective, but necessary now. In the midst of the high action, take daily time to communicate with Spirit, even if it’s only sitting on a park bench for ten minutes. This is the source of guidance which can help us find our way through the fog, and aid us in choosing those visions which we wish to carry with us through the year.

Pisces is also the most universal sign. This means that all of the happenings of the month are amplified and spread out to have universal significance.

The dreams we create now have much to do with the world we will make.