Current Transits for March 2000 Current Transits for March 2000Here's some of the important astrological news this month ...
New Moon at 15Pi57, 3-5
Saturn quincunx Pluto, 3-6
Pallas Direct Station, 3-7, enters Leo, 3-25
Mercury Direct Station at 2Pi47, 3-14
Pluto Retrograde Station at 12Sa54, 3-15
Jupiter square Neptune, 3-16
Full Moon at 29Vi53, 3-19
Mars enters Taurus, 3-22
Chiron Retrograde Station at 17Sa14, 3-27
Ceres reenters Virgo, 3-31
An online ephemeris for the month is available.
My gut level instinct about March is that it's a time to draw some old stories to a conclusion. Of course, I don't think all this "old business" in our lives is likely to go away -- it's these "leftovers" that will bedevil us for the next 4 or 5 months. The two "big aspects" this month are long-term processes for us going back to last May. It's time now to finally incorporate these lessons into our everyday lives and move on. But the retrograde stations of Pluto (always a stressful influence) and Chiron hint that some of us need an extra strong boot in the rear to get moving. It's best to start looking for areas of your life dominated by a hopeless, "stuck" feeling, as though this area will "never" work out right. The door is open a crack for you now -- and it certainly beats having the door slammed in your face (which is Pluto's next tactic). The first week of the month is good for new activities, since the energies are so high, especially after the new moon on the 5th -- make the most of this time.
March is fairly busy, with 2 "big aspects", 4 stations and 3 minor sign changes. The big aspects are both long cycles (8-10 months) that are coming to a close, while the Pluto and Chiron stations point to situations just entering the scene.
The new moon is just hours before the final Saturn-Pluto quincunx, so I suspect their heavy-duty energy will be quite abundant in coming weeks. Existing patterns in our lives are being stretched to the breaking point, as we are forced to move beyond the usual, mundane issues and confront deeper realities. Notice how prominent all the outer, unconscious planets are in this chart -- the inner world is speaking loudly to us and won't take lightly to being ignored further. Examine what you deeply believe in and be willing to put yourself on the line for these beliefs. Look for those "breakthrough moments" of clarity and light, where it seems obvious what is true and what is merely the cultural myth that we all follow blindly. The energy is behind you now if you follow your Muse. However, a vote for the status quo is bound to lead to more entanglements down the road. This may not be a very pleasant lunar month, but it can be a very fruitful one.
Saturn is quincunx Pluto on the 6th for the last of 3 times. This contact also occurred on 99-5-18 and 99-12-17. This has not been a very pleasant cycle to go through. Saturn is the planet of form and structure, while Pluto governs the deep-seated urge within to grow and change, even if these changes conflict with outer world necessities and dictates. We are forced to become who we truly are, whether we want to or not. In fact, what we have been experiencing is a subtle mismatch between the outer forms in our lives and the fundamental soul-level stories within that we are trying to live out. The conflicting urges are to hold on to the lifestyle we already lead (even if it feels constricting and confining) or give into the unknown. Each of us has had to choose which side of the issue we would pursue -- there are pluses and minuses to each choice. But I think the Pluto side, the urge to transform, is winning out for many people. Note that this quincunx is related to the Pluto-Chiron conjunction just before new years, another extremely transformative aspect. This is a year of growth and healing, of realizing we are much greater beings than we believe we are. Hopefully, your perspectives on your life have changed the last 10 months.
Pallas reaches its direct station in late Cancer (28Cn30, to be exact) on the 7th. As it resumes its normal motion, it quickly reenters Leo on the 25th for a 3 month stay. Actually, except for the last 3 weeks, Pallas has been in Leo since last October. This has placed a spotlight on the issues of creativity and self-expression. Granted, most of us are so busy making a living and getting through each day to be much concerned with creative expression, but at a deeper level, this is really what makes us an individual. If you have some personal goal that requires some initiative or planning to pull off, especially if it's been on the "back burner" the last few months, this may be the time to start working in earnest towards it. Make sure your actions come from the heart and not just from the head.
Mercury is also standing still on the 14th, at 2Pi47, about to resume normal forward motion. This Mercury retrograde cycle, which began on Feb 21, has been a brutal one for most people. There have been some major-league miscommunications lately and chaotic confusion seems normal. We are learning (the hard way) how to create clarity when dealing with others. As Mercury stands still and begins its normal motion, the mental fog should slowly lift.
On the 15th, Pluto is standing still at 12Sa54. It will eventually back up to 10Sa09 by Aug 20. Pluto's stations are always a crucial turning point for us. The Dark Lord seems to be a big "karma maker" for us, causing us to zero in (often against our conscious will) on parts of ourselves that we need to outgrow or let go of. Look especially to the house in your birthchart where this retrograde zone lies for clues about where these outmoded areas are for you. Problems that are barely noticeable now will gradually loom in importance in coming months, reaching a true "crisis point" by next summer. It's vital to approach these stations with open eyes, because the sooner you notice the parts of your personality that need to be released and start letting go, the less painful the growth process will be. It's only when you hold on tightly to non-essential parts of your life, resisting the need to transform, that Pluto brings out his Zen two-by-four to clobber you good. The only way to approach this time is in a spirit of letting go and accepting your greater destiny in an ego-less fashion. In the end, the changes are quite worthwhile, even though it hurts when you're going through the process. Initiations are often like that...
Jupiter is square Neptune for the third and last time on the 16th. The previous contacts were on 99-7-21 (near the big eclipses last July and August) and 99-10-11 (just before the Neptune direct station). Both planets relate to our connections with the world at large, including the world of the spirit, though they check in at very different levels. Jupiter tends to be the more conventional of the two, slowly expanding one's awareness in an incremental manner. He expands your boundaries, but without ever really questioning the game. Neptune acts by dissolving those same boundaries, changing the nature of how we experience reality. Everything is up for questioning. When acting at this deep level of the heart energies, subtle connections are discovered that open up new ways of playing with the world. Granted, there's a lot to be said for the conventional route if you like to play it safe, but taking the safe path will only take you so far. If you follow your heart, instead of the "tried and true", magic happens...
The Sun is in the last degree of the zodiac, while the Moon is in the final degree of Virgo -- the next two weeks are a time of completing old tasks and bringing ongoing stories to a conclusion. It may feel like the story is just petering out instead of coming to a climax, that events just grind to a halt under their own weight. However, under all this outer chaos, an inner enlightenment of sorts is taking place. There are some subtle connections (of a mental, 5th harmonic nature) going on here that make it easier to simply see past previous limitations, instead of struggling to overcome them. One possible form of this "aha!" could simply be a realization of how much you work at cross-purposes with yourself, stepping on your own toes. If you have conflicting views and opinions about matters that are important to you, part of you (usually unconscious) is bound to undermine what the rest of you is working for. An important element of your personal power is clarity of purpose, coming at your tasks with a single mind. That requires your conscious activities be in alignment with your deeper self, whether you conceive of it as your unconscious psyche or your higher spirit, so that nothing can move you off your mark. Doors open in the face of such concentration!
Mars enters Taurus on the 22nd, where it will stay until May 3rd. This placement makes it easier to buckle down and get some hard work done, since it stimulates your perseverence and stubborness in the face of adversity. It allows you to have a slow and steady approach that is useful when dealing with "long-haul projects" of any kind. On the down side, a Taurus Mars can also lead to a lazy streak -- the Bull is just as hard to get started as it is to stop him when he's charging. Interestingly, Mars is joining Jupiter and Saturn, already in Taurus. By early May, Taurus gets down right crowded, with 7 planets briefly. This big line-up has been stirring up astrologers' attention for a long time now, particularly the "doom and gloom" types that read all sorts of calamities (including pole shifts and earthquakes) into this configuration. The doom and gloomers are notorious for a bad track record, so don't get too worried about this traffic jam. We'll be looking into this more in the future.
Chiron is also standing still on the 27th, at 17Sa14, preparing for a reverse trek that lasts until Aug 12th. Chiron and Pluto are closely linked throughout 1999 and 2000, as they play tag during this time. Their conjunction, which is effective these two years, is a call for healing and growth, of overcoming the obstacles that are keeping us down. Chiron opens you up to the dormant and untapped potentials that lie within you. Curiously, the biggest roadblock to realizing these new traits is your resistance to looking at them. We are often ashamed or fearful of these abilities, especially if others do not understand or accept these parts of yourself. Self-acceptance is the first step towards breaking free of these restrictions. As you learn to live these "black areas" more fully -- with gusto even -- the psychic energy you've been using to hide and block these areas is freed up. Your greatest wounds become your greatest strengths. Become aware in coming months of how you hold yourself back and let loose!
Ceres backs up from Libra into Virgo on the 31st, staying there until June 15th. Ceres has a natural affinity with Virgo -- some astrologers even consider her a "ruler" of this sign. It's a good time to reexamine health issues, especially your diet and anything you put inside your body. Food, herbs and the like are all nourishment for the body and it's time to look at how we are taking care of ourselves and loved ones in a very practical way. Make the necessary changes...