Current Transits for March 2014 Current Transits for March 2014Here's some of the important astrological news this month ...
New Moon at 10Pi39, 3-1
Mars Retrograde Station at 27Li31, 3-1
Vesta Retrograde Station at 29Li59, 3-1
Saturn Retrograde Station at 23Sc19, 3-2
Juno enters Aries, 3-3
Pallas reenters Leo, 3-5
Jupiter Direct Station at 10Cn26, 3-6
Full Moon at 26Li01, 3-16
Ceres reenters Libra, 3-22
New Moon at 9Ar58, 3-30
Hindsight
An online ephemeris for the month is available.
The long, difficult road we call 2014 continues. There are two big stories to consider for March. Of course, the big T-Square between Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto is still in the background, calling the shots. Both of the big storms this month are times when this T-Square of outer planets is being activated by one or more of the faster moving bodies. In fact, towards the end of the month, as his retrograde motion gets underway, Mars is starting to reenter this pattern. As happened in January, this means the T-Square will be an even more imposing Grand Cross the next few months. The activity in mid-April is shaping up to be quite a show, when all the pieces come together to create a powerful influence with the US's name all over it. Watch the news in coming weeks to see what trouble spots might reflect this influence. (I'm beginning to think the Ukraine situation is a big part of this upcoming crisis.) The other story is what I call the Logjam. Coming on the heels of the stations for Ceres and Mercury (on Feb 27 and 28), we have 4 more bodies coming to a standstill the first week of March. With such a large number of bodies in the sky not going anywhere, there's a feeling of stasis or stagnation in the air, a feeling that certain situations are stuck and going nowhere. Whatever we're experiencing now is likely to be with us for a while, building up pressure and tension that will blow at a later time. Early March may not be a good time for starting out any new projects where you feel personally invested in the outcome. Unless you like frustration. This is a good month for keeping your cool with people -- there's no reason to spread around the tension more than is necessary. Slow and steady...
There were 2 bodies standing still in late February; there are 4 more in early March. This is the Logjam, that feeling of "all stressed up and nowhere to go" as events start to back up and stall on us. Three of the asteroids change signs this month. There are no "big aspects" to speak of.
The first new moon of March comes shortly before the biggest Koz Alert of the month -- this is one intense lunation! The backbone of this storm is, not too surprisingly, the T-Square of Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto. If you string together some important themes of these planets, you get radical, evolutionary change in society at large. This is supported by the Sun, Moon, Venus and Chiron, with a touch of Mars. This new moon falls right in the middle of the Logjam period, between the stations of Mercury (Feb 28) and Mars (8 hours after the new moon).
Unless you're thinking really clearly (which is hard when Mercury is standing still), this is the kind of energy that runs away from us and can make circumstances spin out of control. Even rougher is when you decide to act rashly on ill-considered plans, as Mars isn't behaving so well now either. As tough as it is to keep egotistical interests out of the picture, given all those outer planets in the T-Square, it's absolutely necessary to be operating as high and clearly as humanly possible. It seems the universe has upped the ante on humanity the last year or two (again), so old ways of thinking and acting aren't working so well anymore. Fresh ideas and novel perspectives are needed during this growth spurt we're going through. Too bad we're stuck in the Logjam this week. Tension and conflicting forces are being locked into place, but they aren't going anywhere soon. I suspect much of this pressure will be released in mid-April and I'm just hoping it's not too ugly then. Be as open and flexible as you can be, and be willing to improvise on the fly when circumstances shift on you. It's possible to surf these energies well and get good results, but only if you're really, really good...
Mars goes retrograde at 27Li31 on the 1st. He backs up to 9Li01 by May 19, at which time he resumes normal motion. OK, let's start in with the Logjam. Mars is a person's will power, the ability to impose your wishes on the physical world around you. He's an in your face, get out of my way action figure that has plans and has no patience for anything that holds him back. Unfortunately, he's got two strikes against him right now. First of all, he's hanging out in Libra for an extended period. Libra is all about relationships and diplomacy, learning how to get along with others and take their points of view into account, the kind of things Mars rarely thinks about and then only grudgingly. This is one of the weakest placements for our Warrior God in the zodiac, a sign where his will power is most hemmed in by the contrary desires of others. And then about 8 hours after the powerful new moon on the 1st, Mars stands still and goes into reverse gear. Retrograde motion always seems to alter or constrict the normal expression of a planetary energy, as if the universe is prodding us to look at these issues more intently and with more awareness than usual. With Mars, this means situations develop in a manner that restricts your freedom of action, in this case through the contrary reactions from others. Attempts to have your way, no matter how reasonable it seems to you, have consequences and blow backs that let you know you can't get away with it so lightly. You can continue to press your case, which only makes the situation more volatile. Or you can stand back and consider whether you can work together with others ("do I really have to do that?") for a common goal. You may not get everything your want, but at least you won't dissipate your efforts through a lot of conflict. It's a lesson in the skillful use of power. On the greater world stage, Mars is associated with the military and conflicts between nations. How appropriate, that as our Warrior God was grinding to a halt, the Russian military was moving into the Crimean region of eastern Ukraine, inflaming an already touchy situation in that country as it's undergoing a change of government. Putin is throwing his weight around to "protect" Russian interests and people in a sovereign nation that has been independent of the former USSR for over 20 years and the international response has been heated and angry. It may take many months before this situation resolves itself, hopefully peacefully. In your own personal world, don't be a Putin...
Vesta also goes retrograde on the 1st, reaching her station of 29Li59. She backs up to 16Li54 by May 27 before turning around again. This Vesta station is likely to be less dramatic than Mars, as she tends to be more of an introvert. Typically, when Vesta is backing up, someone who is susceptible to her influence likes to withdraw from the world and go within for a few months. This can involve staying at home a lot, as Vesta views her castle as a source of solitude and renewal. It can also result in activities or projects that require much quiet work away from others, often some kind of creative work that needs to emerge from the depths on its own schedule. Unfortunately, this "going within" behavior can be misunderstood by friends and family, who experience it as some kind of rejection or pulling away. That poses a big problem for Vesta, as she is often called to mend relationships at a time when she wants to be alone. Take a look at the position of this station -- the exact last minute of a degree in Libra. She almost escaped from this highly social zodiac sign, but was pulled back to deal with this relationship element. If you have an artistic bent, that might be an alternative way to express this placement. It generally helps to get back in touch with yourself from time to time, to find your power within. This is a good time to do it.
Saturn's retrograde station of 23Sc19 is on the 2nd. He'll reach his direct station of 16Sc38 on Jul 20. Mars and Saturn are called the "malefics" among the planets, the bad guys or major troublemakers. Having them stop dead in their tracks so close together really intensifies the difficult quality of the energies in early March. There's a feeling of heaviness and seriousness about this station, a sense that situations just got tough and there's no easy way out. If you get past the emotional upsets and personal insult of circumstances beyond your control that are upsetting your life, you also find that Saturn is a Teacher. This is the wake up call of tough love from the Headmaster of the School of Hard Knocks. He's in Scorpio during this retrograde cycle, so issues of mastering your own emotional nature are in the background. You need to calm down, assess your situation objectively and behave in a responsible manner. This owning up to your own actions is a prime lesson that Saturn loves to teach and we humans hate to face. Acting from your own inner authority isn't all that bad however. Swallow your pride and give it your best and highest effort. Things work out much better (in a karmic sort of way) in the long run this way...
Juno moves into Aries on the 3rd, where she'll be until heading into Taurus on Apr 26. Here's a placement with some mixed potential. On the positive side, Juno in Aries gives you a lot of gusto and enthusiasm for relationships, especially when they are going smoothly. The down side is that it's hard to keep egos out of the picture. Aries is very much a "me first!" sign, the complete antithesis of Juno's natural partnership tendencies. Of course, we all want to have our desires met, our egos fluffed and to have a partner that makes us feel on top of the world, but if it's all about you, partners may turn on you in coming weeks. Juno loves to know this is a partnership of equals, that we're in this together and have each other's backs. If she feels slighted or taken advantage of, she's likely to fly off in a jealous, vengeful rage -- and few signs know better how to throw a tantrum than Aries! Arguments are probably a good symptom that you need to reconsider your position. Love is a two way street and Juno will never let you forget that. It doesn't hurt to be a compassionate, caring lover.
Pallas retrogrades from Virgo into Leo once more on the 5th. This is a complicated dance between the border of these two signs because of her retrograde cycle. She was in Leo the first time from 2013-9-11 until 2013-11-9, when she moved into Virgo. She stays in Leo this second time until May 16, when she returns to Virgo. Once again, asteroid influences are sometimes subtle and under the radar, so you may not feel much from this cycle. Pallas tends to be a mental-intuitive planet, though she does have a bit of an artist's streak in her. She's very good at glancing over a situation and knowing the way forward to her goals, despite the road blocks ahead of her. This pair of signs, Leo and Virgo, are an interesting combination for her, particularly during a retrograde cycle. Leo is about developing a healthy ego that is in harmony with the world around him, while Virgo is more of a technician, honing her mental and physical skills to perfection to help bring about this harmony. This dance of signs started out with Pallas trying to get by on charm and personal magnetism, but that only gets you so far. Without the skill and understanding to motivate your actions, you tend to trip yourself up and make messes instead. Such problems would have most likely started to crop up at her retrograde station last Jan 6. It's been all study and practice since then. At some point, however, you need to stop being a student and make these lessons your own. As Pallas heads back into Leo, your actions need to come from the heart more and be a reflection of your true self, not the charmer of the first phase. The more genuine your behavior, the better the outcomes. Like playing a musical instrument, what was once a labored effort becomes a fluid and effortless expression of your inner nature. If you can reach this level of expertise, the final pass through Virgo this spring will open doors of understanding that are beyond your grasp now. As I said, the effect is subtle and others may not notice what you're going through. But if you apply yourself to some project you really care about, the effects within will be worth it to you.
Jupiter goes direct at 10Cn26 on the 6th. This ends a retrograde cycle that began back on 2013-11-17, when he stood still at 20Cn30. Here's the last log in the Logjam -- well, this month at least. Fortunately, this is a direct station, so the hassles of the past few months related to this cycle will be slowly resolving. Also, Jupiter is in a pretty good sign position, enhancing his power of positivity. Since Jupiter represents the benefits of being a social animal and relating to other people around you on a daily basis, I expect people to be coming out of their shells more than they've done lately. When Jove is backing up, it seems people pull away from each other. This is particularly the case in business, when customers stay home in droves with their money in their pockets and the average business experiences some lean months (it's not just the harsh winter). People seem to be in a less sharing and magnanimous mood, in general. That withdrawn mood is slowly lifting in coming weeks (with emphasis on "slowly") and people are coming together more openly. The subtext, however, is that Jupiter is part of that freaking-strong T-Square, soon to be April's Grand Cross. There are some unconscious, below the surface motivations going on that are agitating many of us, an influence that is simultaneously stimulating and anxiety producing. Most people suffer from this turmoil in private, even though it's a near universal problem lately. It helps to open up and realize we're all going through the same lesson, each in our own way. It may be hard to reveal your vulnerability to others, but most of them (especially the ones worth keeping in your life) will understand. It's very healing to realize we're all family right now.
Koz Alert with difficult harmonics -- check. T-Square active -- check. Lots of fast moving planets triggering the T-Square -- check. A lot of the themes in this chart are quite familiar by now, but they are put together is a way that puts us to the test. At least the Logjam is over, technically. Anyway, the full moon is right in the middle of the second storm, so events should be coming to a head about now.
The main trigger planet for the outer planets in the first half of this storm is Mercury; in the latter part, it's Venus. We're in a transition time between these two. It often happens that we experience deep, inner shifts via new ideas before we become comfortable with them. (Feeling them intuitively or at a gut level before they make sense is another pattern.) As much as we'd like life to settle down into a more predictable groove, it's not an option now to stay inside your comfort zone. We're pushed a little harder every day, right to the edge of where coping and acceptance runs out. This chart is one of the rougher ones all month, so we may be feeling more anxious than usual this week. It's worth noting that the full moon axis is in a close square aspect to the Galactic Center, a vital position in the sky in terms of evolutionary change in recent years. Squares are tension. Humanity as a whole is going through a pivotal spiritual shift, but we as individuals often feel a bit beat up by the process. It doesn't help to have Uranus and Pluto blowing everything up either. Give yourself a little credit for even holding your own during times like this. The shift is wrenching now, but in time, it'll be old hat. Hang in there...
Ceres backs up from Scorpio into Libra on the 22nd. Due to her retrograde cycle, Ceres is dancing back and forth between these two signs for quite a few months. She first entered Libra on 2013-11-3 until she shifted into Scorpio last month on Feb 3. She will stay in Libra until Aug 6, when it's back to Scorpio, again. Ceres is known as the Great Mother in astrology, the qualities of caring and nurturance that we give and receive from each other, and the connections between all living beings that I call the Great Web of Life. This is quite the opposite of the egotistic or "me first" qualities of a body like Mars. Obviously, this cycle is bringing our attention to these relationships and how we look out for each other. The back story is provided by the zodiac signs. In Libra, it's easier to put yourself in the back seat and focus more on your partner, to treat the other as an equal. It's much harder to behave that way in Scorpio, as emotional issues boil to the surface and the ego tries to reassert itself. It's not that Ceres in Scorpio is incapable of caring for another person, it's more that it turns into some kind of interpersonal drama that doesn't have to come up in the first place. It's time to put this more dramatic side to rest for awhile as Ceres slides into Libra. Focus on the lighter and more positive emotions for a change. It certainly makes relationships less of a battlefield and more of a mutual support network. There will be time to work on your "inner stuff" later, but that's not the main focus now. Lighten up!
The second new moon may be somewhat weaker than the first, but I think its message is more pointed. The Sun and Moon are conjunct Uranus -- the new moon is part of the T-Square. Even more to the point is what is forming on the horizon the next lunar month. Pesky Mars is backing up enough to start reentering the T-Square, which we will refer to as the Grand Cross next month. This Cross blossoms into an extremely important influence in mid-April, right after the Pluto direct station. With Jupiter on the US Sun and Pluto opposite it at that time, this country is scheduled for a major disruption or tipping point of some kind in coming weeks. This new moon is already shaking things up. Since it's so close to Uranus the Troublemaker in this chart, moments of surprise, shock and insight are there to be experienced. Stay calm about it -- I'm concerned that less mature souls may react badly to such energies. At any rate, it's show time!
While most of the world was mesmerized by the Sochi Winter Olympics, next door in the Ukraine, matters were reaching a boiling point. Peaceful protests of the last few months turned into blood in the streets before President Viktor Yanukovych disappeared and showed up again in Russia. Within days, forces variously described as Russian troops, local civilian security forces (a euphemism for more Russian troops) or "pro-Russian armed thugs" occupied the Crimean area of the Ukraine, in defiance of the fledgling Ukraine government just days old. This all took place during a major storm. The question is whether Putin overreached this time. He ordered in his military (Mars station) under Mercury's direct station on Feb 28, a hint that this could be a big miscalculation on his part. The rest of the Logjam doesn't bode well for this military and political stand off -- this might be what April is about. It's certainly not going to be resolved quickly.