March 2018 Forecasts

​Full Moon in Leo March 2
The Moon is full in Leo starts March off in a passionate mood. This is balanced by the Sun’s transit in Aquarius, which is adding a need to consider the repercussions of our desires.

The Moon is fullest in the lunar sign, Purva Phalguni, and this promotes creativity and indulgence, as the Moon’s fullness draws our attention and energy outwards. With Venus having just entered its sign of exaltation, this full Moon brings with it a opportunity to enjoy the arts, creativity and relations on Venus' day, Friday. 
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​Venus in Pisces March 2 – 26
Venus’ stay in Pisces is short and sweet, or perhaps more bittersweet when other transits are taken into account. Venus is exalted in Pisces, but is joined by Mercury in debilitation, bringing down the mood somewhat. This may be due to misunderstandings and uncertainty; especially as Mercury stations retrograde by the end of the month.

But sweetness is possible while Venus is exalted. The sweet taste itself makes us feel better and helps us to get on with others, even if overindulgence can cloud our perceptions and confuse certain things. Venus' exchange of signs with Jupiter in Libra is adding even more of a bounty.
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​This is a month to ‘stop and smell the roses’.
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​Saturn in Purva Asadha March 2 – June 5
The time has come to move on from all we have removed from our lives, and turn a corner. The next part of the journey for Saturn is a tentative new start, as it will return to Mula by June 5; where it will continue to uproot many things until November 27 of this year. When it re-enters Mula from June 5 to November 27, we must be aware of what we still have to remove so we can move forward with more freedom. 

As always, Saturn's influence is slow and steady, but we are always grateful for what comes our way when we are consistent and patient. By November, we can finally move on with a sense of what must be relinquished for a fresh start.

For now, Saturn in Purva Asadha is allowing us to intially break new ground, as what we have already sown starts to break through the soil. One symbol used for Purva Asadha is an elephant’s tusk, representing the ability to cut through the overgrowth; those things which hold us back and stop our new ideas from growing. 

Purva Asadha’s deity is Apas, the water goddess. It is a fierce and destructive lunar sign, just as water can destroy all that stands in its way. But water is also life-giving and can clear a path. 

In a general sense, we are likely to see more water damage due to Saturn’s transit during this transit, especially as Mars joins it in March and April, as well as the possibility of water contamination. Be mindful of the quality of water you are drinking.

New starts are exciting, but they also increase fear; a key feature when Saturn is involved. That feeling of taking on a new journey, and the butterflies before travelling, for example, is one that is familiar to us all. While we may dwell on what has been lost as we venture on, the new environment and lack of routine creates enough distractions for us to leave feeling fairly unburdened.

A reminder: although you are setting out on a new journey with respect to whatever Saturn represents in your life, you must come back during the summer and revisit these issues, while lightening your load once again for your journey onwards and upwards. 

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​Mercury in Pisces March 3 – May 9 (Retrograde March 23 – April 16)
While Venus is helping out for most of the month - creating the possibility to simply be happy with what is - Mercury and Jupiter are complicating things as they station retrograde. What we think and believe hinders our ability to simply enjoy what is, as our thinking intensifies due to reviews taking place.  

Mercury is slowing its transit all of March, while it moves towards its degree of debilitation: where communications become muddled and our thinking becomes obscure and creative. This occurs while Jupiter stations retrograde in Venus’ sign, holding back both Mercury and Venus. Mercury will begin its retrograde phase on March 23, stationing in Revati, the auspicious sign in which Venus is exalted - not such a bad place to press pause. 

March is a month to pause before jumping, or perhaps jumping and then pausing, as we embrace the uncertainty of outcomes – eventually settling for whatever happens. It will take time for clarity as Jupiter's retrograde influences Mercury for some time, with the most intense review of taking place between March 23 and April 16. 

In March and April, we are asked to go with the ebb and flow, instead of beating ourselves up against the tide.  
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​Mars in Sagittarius March 7 – May 2
Mars joins Saturn in Sagittarius in March and April, coming to exact conjunction with the limitations of Saturn by April 2. As Mars moves towards the planet of time and consequence, our actions need to take on a more deliberate focus, while Jupiter (the planet that rules Sagittarius) is also stationing retrograde in Libra, exchanging signs with Venus. This shows a need to review and reconsider certain actions we have taken, as we review what we need to move forward with more of a balanced approach.

Sagittarius is a sign that represents our beliefs, and Mars and Saturn's presence increases pressure on how we do things. If others are not on board with our ways and philosophies, we may castigate them, for example, as we try to force them into agreeing. This can happen in very subtle ways in our everyday interactions, while in more obvious ways around the globe.

The transit of Mars through Sagittarius begins a period of many months that see tensions build around the world. This is due to Mars and Saturn’s conjunction by the beginning of April, while Jupiter is retrograde in Libra, and its influence on the planets in Pisces, which Mars strongly impacts in March and April. After this, Mars enters its sign of exaltation alongside the south node, which begins an intense summer of unusual activity. 

With focused and well-managed restraint, the transit of Mars in Sagittarius can be advantageous in achieving goals through consistency and hard work. If we act responsibly now, we can avoid having to redo many mistakes in the summer. And let us not forget about the simple pleasures in life afforded us by Venus' exaltation in Pisces in March.  
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​Jupiter Retrograde March 8 – July 10
Jupiter will slowly begin to move backwards over the coming weeks and months, in a sign that is all about equality. Jupiter, the planet of laws and policies, backtracking in the sign of relationships, puts the pressure on reforming and redrafting laws and policies that affect issues of equality and marriage, for example.

Pressure to reform is felt because of the Mars/Saturn conjunction in Sagittarius, as we struggle with making the right decisions. And Jupiter is stationing at the very end of Libra, weakening the planet of wise council. We may ask,  who truly benefits from our decisions?

We cannot expect any decisions to run smoothly, as Mars and Saturn come head-to-head by April 2, moving ever closer during March, building tensions around these issues.

With Jupiter now backtracking until July, we must look to the past for opportunities to grow and expand, especially in relation to the area of life Libra represents for us individually. Generally, Jupiter retrograde in Libra represents a need to review relations between countries, groups or individuals, as well as between genders. It will also bring up reviews within artistic fields and the financial markets.
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Whatever side of the debate you find yourself, Jupiter’s retrograde transit is a time to review your approach to others, whatever their point of view. 
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​Sun in Pisces March 14 – April 13
The Sun joins Mercury and Venus in the depths of Pisces, casting a net out wide in the hope of a catch. We are set adrift somewhat at this time, as the seasons change and new possibilities come to the surface.

The best way to navigate these choppy waters is to go with the flow, and not struggle against the changing tides. You are taken exactly where you need to be. And with Venus settling into Pisces and moving towards its exaltation degree, we can allow ourselves some time to drift along peacefully. As long as we can get that 'monkey off our back' i.e., Mercury retrograde, that is! 
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​New Moon in Pisces March 17
The new Moon in Pisces is a new lunar year in the Hindu calendar and an important new start to the year.  Although the more certain Aries is on the horizon, for now we must dive in and cast off from where we are currently.

It’s not always perfect or easy when we first jump into something new. It’s frequently messy and confusing. But a start is a start, and a fresh new beginning is churned up in the cosmic soup of Pisces, where anything is possible in the realms of our imagination.

There is, of course, the issue of the Mars/Saturn conjunction in Jupiter’s other sign, Sagittarius, while Jupiter itself is slowly turning our attention inwards to connect with others in more meaningful ways. This creates changes in how we relate in the coming weeks; changes that are brought about by all of the visible planets either moving signs or changing direction in March.
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Take a moment during this new Moon phase for a reorientation, and as Mercury slows its transit in preparation for its retrograde transit from March 23.

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Equinox March 20
The Equinox is a time to find balance. Seeing where we are imbalanced might mean taking on something new, or shedding something outworn, or both.

The new Moon phase, along with Jupiter and Mercury stationing, as well as Mars coming into conjunction with Saturn, requires us to find our balance and hold it for a while. This builds strength in the stillness, as we find our center in an ever-evolving story. 

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​Venus enters Aries March 26
Venus’ brief transit in Pisces was short and sweet. Its transit in Aries brings more heated exchanges, and more surprises and volatility while it conjuncts Uranus on March 29, and some misunderstandings to boot, as Mercury begins moving retrograde in Pisces. Generally, Venus affects finances and relationships. 

Although action-orientated Mars strongly influences Venus, Jupiter has the final say. In other words, taking any action now will require us to reassess our initial intentions and the lessons learned. 

Venus’ transit in Aries, in opposition to Jupiter, increases indulgences and passions, despite our uncertainties. This requires meaningful debates about how and where we must now direct these passions.
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​Full Moon in Virgo March 31
We experience a second full Moon in March, as the Moon reaches the sign opposite to the Sun in Pisces by March 31.

​Virgo balances the mystical and mysterious realms of Pisces, with more practical and down-to-earth considerations. The Moon in Virgo gets our heads out of the clouds and into real life situations. 

The time for reverie is not over, of course, as the Moon’s transit in Virgo is brief, and Mercury as ruling planet of Virgo is now moving backwards in Pisces, reviewing our lives in the mysterious depths. 

It may be a bit like learning how to swim, while reciting the alphabet backwards! 

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OM TAT SAT