March 2017 forecasts

Mars in Aries March 1 – April 12
The beginning of March sees Mars driving us into action, as it enters the first sign of the zodiac; the beginning of everything, the impulse to move forward and plan ahead.

March is actually named after Mars, marking the beginning of spring and new life; the Mars impetus for new growth and upward movement.

This is a great time to start something new, to break new ground, with one very clear caveat: If you do something without forethought, you may end up getting too far ahead of yourself.

The north node's influence from Leo is exciting, egging us on to act impulsively. Thankfully, Jupiter is currently retrograde, with Venus preparing for its retrograde phase at the beginning of the month. This supplies the need to reflect on what inspires and fuels us as we forge ahead. And, although Mars is in a more challenging relationship with these planets, it is in a better relationship with Saturn, creating a better balance between action and restraint. Saturn is weakly placed at the beginning of Sagittarius, destroying certain structures, but Mars is only too willing to help with the demolition. 

Mars does its best work while in Aries.  We have a very real need to break free and take control; to forge ahead with what we want to do with our lives - not what everyone else says we should do.

Find stillness in all of the movement and momentum, and listen to your innate wisdom, developing a feel for what is appropriate as you set off.
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Copyright Tunc Tezel

​Venus Retrograde in Pisces March 4 – April 15
While Mars in Aries pushes us forward, impelling us to take action, Venus halts its forward motion and retreats into the dark – or the light, depending on how you look at it.

It will re-emerge in April as the ‘morning star'. Before then, the planet of beauty, diplomacy, peace and goodwill is hidden from view, purified in the intense glare of the Sun by March 25.

This re-orientation and purification is necessary, of course, and good news for those who are selfish enough to put self-improvement before better relations in the coming weeks. 

Either way, we will be intensely aware of Venus this spring: the need to give and receive love and affection, to enjoy life and all of its sensual pleasures, and to look closely at what or who we truly value.

Eventually, this creates a better environment if we are all getting what we want.

Relationships can, of course, get complicated during Venus’s retrograde phase. Not because a retrograde Venus is inherently ‘bad’, but because it is very strong and unusual. It creates an all or nothing type of situation. We may, for example, overdo sensual stimulation, and then feel the need to restrain ourselves.

Another challenge with Venus retrograde in Pisces is an idealism which can create an unrealistic expectation of a situation or a person. If you have set the bar too high you may feel a sense of disappointment when a partner does not reach your expectations, for example.

Some may spend too much time criticizing, pointing the finger at what doesn’t work anymore. Jupiter’s opposition, and current retrograde motion in Virgo, intensities our need to reflect on the contrast between what we feel like doing and what will give our lives more meaning in the long term.
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Relationships that are built on solid ground, whether between individuals or countries, will be open to negotiation, while others will be rattled. That isn’t to say that those relationships should break apart, but that they must see the weak links, and make the necessary repairs in the coming weeks.
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Mercury in Pisces March 10 – 27
Mercury moves into its weakest sign in March: the dreamy and introspective sign Pisces. Thankfully, its weakness is cancelled by the presence of Venus, as well as Jupiter’s position in Virgo, which it exchanges signs with. This leads to more powerful insights and discrimination, but be aware of some difficulty explaining these insights to others. 

March offers us a period to get creative, to blur the edges of what we used to think was clear cut, and use the time to open our minds to other possibilities.
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The word confusion, meaning to ‘fuse with’, is an appropriate expression for the need to bring many things together, while letting go of the need to control outcomes. We still need to be productive because of Mars, of course, but we may have to forgo knowing if we are doing the right thing because of Mercury, Venus and Jupiter’s current transits.

Full Moon in Leo March 12
The full Moon phase in Leo - moving through Venus’ lunar sign, Purva Phalguni, before reaching the Sun’s lunar sign, Uttara Phalguni - highlights relationships in particular. This transition from Venus’ sign to the Sun’s sign is one that is a natural to the flow of life.

First, we have a desire to connect, to enjoy others’ company, and all that entails (Venus), before realizing we need to connect with something Higher in ourselves, and connect with others through a sense of shared identity and purpose (Sun).

This journey is not always a smooth one, of course. We may disconnect from others in an abrupt manner, realizing later our mistake in blaming others for our own lack of connection. We may reclaim our connection by having to pull back, but we may just as easily see the Divine in others, which helps us to connect with the Divine in ourselves.

This full Moon, although not an eclipse, is with the north node in Leo, leading to a dramatic flair. And, as Venus has just begun to retrograde during this full Moon phase, we may have to put a lid on it, and find more appropriate ways of expressing our divinity. 
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Sun in Pisces March 14 – April 13
We lose ourselves to find our true Self; our sense of Self being something trans-personal. The Sun represents our connection to something Higher, which is accessed through universality, highlighted by the Sun’s transits in Pisces.

This emphasizes the need to let go of all of the details, the ongoing debates and conjectures, the need to be right, or the failings at seeming to be wrong - and all of those experiences which keep us feeling separate to one another.
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Pisces offers us a sense of wonder at the subtle, yet powerful connections between all of life, as we recognize our part in the greater whole.
                

Equinox March 20
When we move our bodies through various ranges of motion, there are points at which even the most intense movement patterns settle into a state of repose, of resolution, as if hanging in space, in stillness for a brief moment.

This state could be described as a balanced state between movement and stillness. There is a deceleration which has not shifted gear to acceleration as yet; a pause in the breath before another is taken.

The Equinox is one such pause in the year, a period of balance before we begin to move again.

The Equinox is an opportune time to take a pause and reflect, while Venus and Jupiter continue their retrograde phases, and Saturn and Mercury prepare to station retrograde next month. The forward impetus continues with Mars, of course, which can be facilitated through exercise. However, all of the other visible planets are moving backwards - or preparing to - leading to a need to reflect on the past as we hit the road.

All the visible planets, except Mars, are also placed in the dual signs, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces, during the Equinox, highlighting a need for balance; a balance between people’s various opinions, for example, or an ongoing internal debate with one’s self that can lead to moments of resolution.
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Mercury in Aries March 27 – June 3
What happens when facts become confused and we are offered a barrage of information which seems contradictory? Well, sometimes we just want a clear option that doesn’t necessarily have to be the right one. Sometime we just want to stick with one route, after an inordinate amount of routes seemed possible.

Mercury’s long stay in Aries offers us a period to pick one route, to say or do something, whether it is ‘right’ or not. Be open to the possibility of starting on the wrong foot, as the north node's influence on Mercury creates some suspect data. 

Saturn’s position in Sagittarius, Jupiter’s position in Virgo, and Venus’ position in Pisces, are all asking for balance between opposites, a clear indication for compromise in an ongoing debate. Mercury joining Mars in Aries, however, creates a need to just say and do what we want, regardless of what others may advise.

We may say and do things which we later regret, but this offers greater lessons than if we had not tried something new in the first place.
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Go for it, by all means, but be aware that when Mercury begins its retrograde phase in April (more on this next month) - backtracking to the very beginning of the sign to join Uranus as it enters Aries - we are sure to second guess our initial impulse with new and exciting avenues opening up ahead.

New Moon in Pisces March 28
The Moon wanes into the last sign of the zodiac by the end of the month, representing a period we enter into the unknowable and reach a place of peace with not knowing for sure. It is in the stillness, in the darkness and restful place of sleep, for example, that we can tap into the unfathomable-ness of our being, before we eventually come to the surface afresh.

This new Moon is with a retrograde Venus, which has just passed the Sun’s degree, purifying our desires and intentions.

The Moon blending with an exalted Venus, reflects our need to connect our hearts with our sensual desires. Sex itself can be a wonderful way of losing ourselves, while connecting to the oneness we all share. Orgasm: la petite mort, or ‘little death’, is only a death of our individuated self which must die in order to experience a sense of oneness with a partner.

The new Moon in Pisces is used as a Lunar New Year in Vedic astrological analysis. The strongest indication for the year in a general sense is Mars in Aries, creating a dynamic year for more positive change and expression. Saturn continues to put pressure on our long-held beliefs, crumbling many structures and beliefs which have previously bolstered us. Mars is only too willing to clear out the things which were keeping us feeling weak or held back in some way. 

The only down side being that we may be too eager to forge ahead, creating problems when pushing things too far, too soon, as Venus and Jupiter's links to Mars insist we reflect upon our actions. 

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OM TAT SAT