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by Terry Lamb After a week of planetary stations (February 28 – March 6), we finally get things going but with a twist once Mars and Saturn begin their retrograde periods. We have through May 19 (Mars) and July 20 (Saturn) to carry out the “special projects” they have in store for us. Mercury gets involved in the mix as well, since it is the one force that unites these denizens. It makes its third pass over these planets March 10–14, so watch what comes up then. It will be a follow-up to events in late January through February, when the Messenger of the Gods helped us find the life story that we will use to play out these energies. It involves hard work and discreet communications. After four months in Capricorn, Venus enters Aquarius on March 5. This continues the same reception system we had going while she was in Capricorn, but with a twist. Now she is square to Saturn, where she was in a sextile before. We see the wrench in the works and need to find how to get it out of there so the machine can run again. Covering the ground recently tread by Mercury, it’s about what wasn’t said. “Wasn’t” must be turned into “hasn’t been said, yet”, then converted to “can be said”, and then we have to do it! Venus has new helpmates, as she sextiles Uranus and trines Mars, so look for some fast if incomplete changes by the end of the month. All of this will be elevated once she goes into Jupiter-ruled Pisces on April 5, with good outcomes starting then. However, the ultimate results will not be set in place until June and July. Two other planetary cycles get underway in March. These are Chiron’s cycle of deep ancestral-karmic-spiritual healing, and Uranus’s cycle of sudden/quantum change. Meanwhile, Pluto carries on in the relative background until the Equinox, and Neptune’s cycle of spiritual growth and inner awareness is just now sending us glimmers of hope for what we can create in the coming year through faith and inner work. Venus’s new 19-month cycle that started on January 11 gives us legs to carry our plans forward, but there’s the drop of the other shoe that must still come through the Mars retrograde before we can call our relationships stable.
(Except as otherwise noted, all interpretations here are based on a natural chart, using the beginning of Aries as the ascendant, and times prior to March 9, 2014 are Pacific Standard Time (UTC–8). On March 9, the time changes to Pacific Daylight Time (UTC–7), and times used here will be PDT. 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 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. The spotlight is on Mars, which reverses direction (Stationary Retrograde) at 8:24 am PT, 27°32' Libra (11:24 am ET). Mars now appears to move backward from our perspective, until it reaches 9°32' Libra on May 19. The Moon starts the day in the mid-degrees of Pisces just past the New Moon, bending our energies toward productiveness, as it trines the near-stationary Saturn over the day. Creating a plan for the retrograde ahead is a wise use of this energy. (In the Pacific Time Zone, the New Moon falls on February 28, and in the early morning hours of March 1 for those further east). Please see the description for February 28 for more.) Saturn finally starts us in a new direction, perhaps retreading old soil, as it follows Mars' example and turns retrograde at 8:19 am/23°19' Scorpio (11:19 am ET). Coupled with Mars’s “relationship reconsideration” energies, this establishes an opportunity to recapture something or someone we thought lost to us. There is a path forward that is fraught with obstacles, but it is the path we have chosen. It helps that we have seen the truth and understand the value and purpose behind what/whom we are pursuing, as Venus squares Mars for the third of three times since late September. The Moon brings in harmonious overtones as it travels the end of Jupiter-ruled Pisces, going void at 3:04 am, until its entry into Aries at 7:40 am. We’ll feel more restless then, but we can’t push time forward and deal with what isn’t here and ready yet. Moon gets into the action from its position in Aries. We feel pulled toward the future as Moon encounters Cardinal Grand Cross planets Jupiter, Uranus, and Pluto overnight. A Sun sextile to Pluto leads us to consider how we must be prepared to transform our life—inner and outer—in the coming year as we accommodate the path we see before us. It’s big, but we have time to build and adapt. By late afternoon, head and heart are synchronized, if we can look at things objectively. Today marks the start of a new cycle of deep inner healing, as the Sun conjoins Chiron at 5:26 pm/13°23' Pisces. What do you want to heal inside yourself this year? Venus finally makes her way into new turf for the first time since December 21, as she clears her retrograde zone (28 Capricorn). The Moon in Aries brings up a feeling response to the new relationship path we’ve embarked on, and the plans and new promises that will be fulfilled. One step at a time. At 9:31 am (12:31 pm ET), the Moon enters a brief void-of-course, until 11:12 am when it goes into Taurus and a world of possibilities. At 1:03 pm, Venus enters Aquarius after four months focusing us on responsibility and worth in Capricorn (4:03 pm ET). Now we feel lighter about what needs to be done, but we’re still committed to doing it even though we see the obstacles ahead. The Moon in Taurus stabilizes our heart as it makes a series of opportunity contacts, but don’t let tiredness trump your mood at the end of the day. Whenever a door is closed, someone opens a window, and we have just that, as Jupiter returns to forward motion at 2:42 am, 10°27' Cancer (5:42 am ET). During its four-month retrograde, we have seen many things go awry that we had hoped would turn out differently. Venus squares the Nodes to accent the decision-point feeling we have as Jupiter turns. Now we will begin to discover why each of these events is a blessing in disguise. This is the last of the four stations of this week, and now we can breathe a sigh of relief. It’s all out in the open, and we can begin the dance of going backward and forward at the same time. The Moon ends its stay in Taurus on a serious note, going void at 5:55 am, until it enters Gemini at 6:37 am. Finally, the energies are more straightforward. We get a whole day with just lunar contacts, as the Moon in Gemini moves us from morning grogginess to afternoon inspiration. The Moon reaches its First Quarter square to the Sun at 5:27 am PT and 17°54' Pisces-Gemini (8:27 am ET). This comes with a highlight on Mars and Mercury as the Moon magnetically connects them through translation of light. The interplay of communication and action that we have engaged in since January 24 rises aboveground, and we get a glimpse of what is to come when they make their final trine on March 14 (next Friday). We can expect extremes of behavior (too little as well as too much) to head toward balance now. This lunation finds us at a crossroads in our relationships. It is time to move forward, and the pressure will be extreme if we haven’t taken “warm-up” steps to prepare the way by this time. We feel more free to do so, with the planets moving again. They remind us that movement is good, even if it looks like some situations are deteriorating—a temporary effect. The Moon goes void at 11:53 pm, until early tomorrow. In the First Quarter chart cast for the US, President Obama is showing his power as Commander in Chief. He is acting more on his principles and will stand strong on important points in the coming week. The challenges come to him from behind the scenes, as power brokers move the chess pieces around in hidden meetings where his actions are restricted. He can still use the bully pulpit to sway minds and change events. Certain members of the House will whine and complain more than usual, a projection of their bullying victim personae. The Sabian Symbols for this lunation are: “In a huge tent a famous revivalist conducts his meeting with a spectacular performance” (the Sun/18 Pisces), and “two Chinese men talking Chinese in a western crowd” (the Moon/18 Gemini). Much is focused on communication in the coming week, where the connecting parties cannot be sure that their words are understood as they are meant to be. There is perhaps an element of zealotry in trying to persuade others, a sign that important facts and factors are being glossed over. Agreements with China may be in the offing. We feel a shift to greater sensitivity when the Moon enters Cancer at 6:33 am (9:33 am ET). All is well today, as we glide through a trine with Neptune, but we can feel the challenges of the week lurking there for us bright and early tomorrow. The Cancer Moon makes first contact with the Cardinal Cross planets early on to jump-start our week. Get ready to slay a few dragons! Mercury makes its third of three squares to Saturn, showing us the power of perseverance and hard work. Make a plan to get around, over, or through the obstacle. The first half of the day offers us a grace period, an olive branch from the cosmos, as the Moon, Sun, and Saturn form a Water Grand Trine. We know that there’s still much to be done, however, as the Moon’s void commences on a square to Mars. We may feel restless enough to want to act, even though we may not yet be ready with a calm mind and peaceful heart. At 7:09 pm, the Moon lifts our spirits by entering Leo. The Moon in Leo challenges us to find what blocks our way and take steps to break through it with our winning attitude. We’ll be lifted and inspired by our passion over the course of the day. The Sun trines Saturn, easing our experience of the Taskmaster’s station and showing us the best way forward. We can settle on a set of plans, at least for now. The Moon challenges us to put our full-throated efforts behind this initiative, as it squares Saturn in the evening. We’ll get a winning perspective if we work at changing our fixed attitudes. Curmudgeonly beliefs will get us nowhere right now. Mercury trines Mars for the third and last time related to Mercury’s February retrograde and tying to events on January 24 and February 18. The Moon’s void in Leo begins at 0:24 am, lasting until 7:17 am, when it enters Virgo. We’ll have more focus on logic and analytic processes as we make important communications today. The evening brings a new perspective on the big picture. The Moon in Virgo brings a helpful perspective on the big changes we have in mind on its way to the emotional peak of the Full Moon tomorrow, when we’ll have to take action based on our understanding to date. The Moon culminates in its Full phase opposition to the Sun at 10:08 am and 26°02' Pisces-Virgo (1:08 pm ET), which is also the final aspect before the Moon enters its void period. This gives us quiet time to consider what we have been building and learning so far in 2014. We come into this Full Moon having resolved many temporary or surface issues, uncovering the deeper ones they hid. At 5:46 pm, the Moon enters Aries to pick up steam and give us impetus forward, but the Sun at the end of Pisces and the Zodiacal year wants us to rest and assimilate our recent accomplishments. There’s a slight undertow that gets stronger if we fight it. Don’t try to correct things today, especially in relationships. Instead, new pieces to the puzzle begin to emerge now that will reveal the underlying pattern once we get enough of them in place. Keep observing. In the US, the Full Moon chart shows a President with a firm grip on the ideals of his base, but the pragmatics of how to accomplish their goals remain elusive. Always looking at the long game, there is evidence that he (and truly progressive principles) will win in the end in some critical areas. The Full Moon activates our experience of two Sabian Symbols. The Sun inspires us with “A harvest moon illuminates the sky;” and the Moon magnetizes to us an expression of “Aristocratic elderly ladies drinking afternoon tea in a wealthy home.” Truly this is a time when the truth will emerge for the betterment of all. Be wary of situations where the reality is based on a one-sided picture of what’s going on, and take all factors into account, even though it makes the situation more difficult right now. Today we may see how our urge to assert ourselves as individuals may undercut our ability to cultivate a sense of belonging, of family, as Venus quincunxes Jupiter. Mercury takes us on a side trip back to the first week of February, as it re-enters Pisces at 3:24 pm (6:24 pm ET). What have you learned or accomplished since then? The Moon in Libra helps us sort out what is and is not in our best interest, despite what someone else tells us. Venus shows us the door of unexpected opportunity when she sextiles Uranus. Meetings today will be fortuitous. The Moon moves through the latter part of Libra, going void at 6:07 pm (9:07 pm ET) to relieve us of the need to act after two busy days. By 2:13 am, the Moon has entered Scorpio (5:13 am ET) and moved us to a deeper level of processing. We find it easy to flow through time effortlessly as a Water Grand Trine with Neptune, Jupiter and Chiron is hooked up over the course of the day. Rather than inducing linear processes, this is a day of emotional productivity and creativity that is triggered from a receptive state: If you chase it, you will push it away. The Equinox (Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, Autumn in the South) comes when the Sun enters Aries at 9:57 am (12:57 pm ET). The Moon takes us into a place where we are holding on out of faith, with little sign of progress, asking us to double-check our direction and reaffirm our commitment. It occults (eclipses) Saturn at 8:11 pm, after which it is void until tomorrow. Mercury leaves Retrograde shadow when it advances to 3°20' Pisces, leading us into unfamiliar territory with the projects we’ve taken on since February 15. At 8:39 am, the Moons lifts us skyward as it enters Sagittarius (11:39 am ET). All goes swimmingly until we hit the Doubt Zone in the evening, a time to reassure ourselves that our belief in various people and projects is wisely placed. If you use the Mean Lunar Nodes, they enter Libra (North) and Aries (South), at 29°60' (they move backward through the Zodiac). This further activates our process of adjusting the distribution of power in our relationships. This remains a background theme until the Nodes move into Virgo-Pisces in about 19 months. Mercury conjoins Neptune to bring a completion of something we thought would happen in early February. Our waiting will be rewarded with a quantum leap forward in this area. The Sagittarius Moon greases the wheels of romance with a trine to Uranus and sextile to Venus, creating a Minor Grand Trine that brings to flower the promise shown in a social situation early in the week. It is possible to break through relationship barriers more easily now. At 3:40 am, the Moon enters its void period for Sagittarius (6:40 am ET). This gives us a morning of down time before it heads into Capricorn at 1:03 pm, essentially activating the Last Quarter square, which arrives at 6:46 pm/3°21' Aries-Capricorn. This wind-down lunar event may do more to wind us up for the next cycle, the first of four weekly turning points in the coming month. We can feel the newness of the energy, how much is still unknown that we can still have an impact on. Venus is heading toward its long-craved harmony with partner Mars, bringing us into resonance with our beloved as well. Despite Mars’s retrograde, there are good developments that reveal the promise of a better time to come. In the chart of the lunation cast for Washington DC, the US suddenly sees itself in an economic battle with other world powers, particularly China. Foreign relations could become tense, and trade agreements receive bad press as the proofs of damage from current globalization policies continue to trickle in. The Sabian Symbols for the Last Quarter Moon are: “Two lovers are strolling through a secluded walk” (the Sun/4 Aries); and “a group of people entering a canoe for a journey by water” (the Moon/4 Capricorn). Social interactions help us counter the tendency to isolate under the Cardinal crush that we are currently experiencing. When we recognize and tap the support of others, we can greet each event with more equanimity and achieve better outcomes, even when a large transition is required. The Moon still in Capricorn can feel like a cold brisk wind as we face down the obstacles that lie ahead. It is with the wise resourcefulness that Capricorn brings forward that we can surmount our difficulties. These are things to ponder as we enter the dark of the Moon. At 5:35 am, the Moon enters its void period in Capricorn on industrious contacts to Saturn and Mars (8:35 am ET). We feel drawn into the light once Moon goes into Aquarius at 3:39 pm, giving us a day to clean up and organize the things still incomplete from this lunar month. Mercury in dreamy Pisces trines Jupiter in nurturing Cancer, so make sure your agreements feel right today. Our intuition is strong with lunar contacts to the Sun and Uranus. Mercury deepens our insights and softens their impact when it sextiles Pluto in a right-triangle configuration that also includes Jupiter. The Moon takes a back seat as it goes void at 6:13 am in Aquarius (9:13 am ET), until its entry into Pisces at 5:10 pm. This augments our mental understanding with emotional intelligence, so we make clear, balanced decisions. The Moon is going dark, taking us into the balsamic “Wishing” Moon. It’s time, between now and the New Moon, to make our wishes for the coming lunar cycle. As the Moon transits mid-Pisces, Mercury conjoins Chiron in Pisces to magnify a healing moment. We have the chance to clear a emotional-spiritual wound at a profound level, with lots of other planetary support. Venus reaches its trine to Mars at 22°37' Aquarius-Libra, bringing us a needed dose of intuition and objectivity in seeing our relationships. For at least a moment, we will be able to see the situation from the other’s point of view. It is in understanding both sides that a solution is found. The chances of finding a real, permanent solution are enhanced if we are willing to work at making a big change in small, persistent steps. This often means changing social habits and emotional reaction patterns that were based on distortions left over from past experiences. Extending compassion to each other is the way through. At 6:44 am (9:44 am ET), the Moon enters its void-of-course in Pisces and gives us day of easy living. We are revived when it makes its way into Aries at 6:54 pm. The New Moon at 11:45 am/9°59' Aries (2:45 pm ET) marks the commencement of the next lunar cycle. This lunar month will see many changes put into place, while others that are too big for now will be put off until summer and fall when they will be ripe for harvest. This lunar month is flavored heavily by the Cardinal planets, with the awakening jolt of Uranus strongest. Our focus will be on relationships of all sorts, as we begin to see the light at the end of a very long tunnel of misunderstanding and conflict. The urge to reconcile is strong but we have to see beyond this month as we walk through it if we want to get the greatest rewards. In the chart cast for the US, the emphasis is on foreign relations. There are surprises and disruptions, but of greatest concern is the revolutionary and political unrest that is destroying both nature and society in various hot spots around the world, as the Cardinal energies stir up people’s drive for freedom and justice. Although not now, events at this time will be instrumental in changing foreign policy in the long run. The Sabian Symbol for both Sun and Moon at the 10 Aries New Moon is “A teacher gives new symbolic forms to traditional images.” If you pay attention to the subtle signals in seemingly trivial actions, you’ll see that there are "hidden" changes taking place. Progress is being made. Trust your own impressions and ideas over traditional interpretations. The Moon in Aries goes void of course at 1:07 pm (4:07 pm ET), giving us the rest of the day to decompress and consider how to direct our energies to fill what is empty in our lives. At 10:20 pm, Moon slips into placid Taurus, but the tensions are high as we feel the Sun moving into the Cardinal Grand Cross pattern.
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© Copyright 2000-2014
Daykeeper Journal. |
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Terry Lamb
