Lynn's Skywatch:

Lynn's Skywatch:
Planetary Illuminations for March 2010

3/1 Mercury enters Pisces
3/2 Uranus square Ceres
3/3 Venus conjunct Uranus
3/4 Mercury sextile Pluto
Venus square Ceres
3/6 Neptune sextile Ceres
3/7 Venus enters Aries
Venus trine Mars
Mercury conjunct Jupiter
3/9 Venus opposite Saturn
3/10 Mars direct
3/11 Venus square Pluto
3/12 No aspects!!
3/14 Sun conjunct Mercury
3/15 New Moon 25 Pisces 5:01 pm
Mercury conjunct Uranus
3/17 Sun conjunct Uranus
Mercury square Ceres
Mercury enters Aries
Mercury trine Mars
3/18 Mercury opposite Saturn
3/19 Ceres enters Capricorn
3/20 Mercury square Pluto
Sun enters Aries
Sun square Ceres
3/21 Sun trine Mars
Sun opposite Saturn
3/22 Mars sextile Saturn
3/24 Saturn square Ceres
3/25 Sun square Pluto
3/29 Venus sextile Neptune
Full Moon 9 Libra, 10:25 pm
3/30 Venus sextile Chiron


March begins on the heels of a powerfully optimistic Full moon in Virgo that included a conjunction of the Sun to expansive Jupiter, and the energy of that lunar event continues into the first few days of March. We also see the continuation of the alignment between Chiron and Neptune which has been gathering and releasing so much emotional drama for us over the past year. The exact conjunction occurred in mid-February and the planets are separating now, but they will be entwined and working as a team for most of the year so this process has not yet abated.

The other big news for March is, appropriately, Mars. The month of March is named for the planet Mars, because in the Julian calendar this marked the end of winter and the time to go back into battle. Mars in the sky has been traveling retrograde since December (planets don't really move backwards, obviously, but sometimes they appear to and we call this retrograde motion), and March 10 it will change direction again. When a planet is preparing to change direction its motion slows down to a crawl and its influence is stronger. This will be particularly true this month because Mars is changing direction on the zero point of Leo where it is most powerful, and we are already seeing a heightening of aggression and combative behavior. Watch for this to become more pronounced as we get closer to the 10th, and then Mars will begin to pick up speed again. The faster a planet moves, the more quickly its influence fades.

On March 1, Mercury enters Pisces which will internalize our attention for a few weeks. Mercury, ruler of the mind and the mental function, is creative and full of imagination when in Pisces, but can be prone to fantasy and dreaminess. This is not always a bad thing but it does require care and attention that may be lacking now. However, it's the perfect time for creative endeavors that require imagination, or for spiritual practice that involves stillness and connecting to the inner source.

On March 2 an challenging square from Uranus to Ceres will culminate. This has been building for some time and has likely created disruptions in the routines that we habitually practice to care for ourselves. Meals, exercise schedules - it may be that it's been difficult to keep these things on track. Or perhaps we've been breaking up our routines to pursue new avenues of improving our connection to our bodies. This aspect was also involved in the earthquake in Chile.

Ceres is the goddess that presides over our attitudes towards caring for ourselves and for others, so when there is disruption (Uranus) in this area it can spill over into other areas of our life. But while Uranus has been challenging Ceres, Neptune has been soothing her with a sweet sextile and integrating our inner child with peace and divine love and compassion. This is a great combination, because Uranus pushes the limits and Neptune expands us spiritually.

On the 3rd Venus will conjunct Uranus followed by a challenging square of Venus to Ceres on the 4th and for a couple of days our relationships may require more attention which keeps us from our own needs, but after that point these issues will subside. With Venus moving into the self-oriented sign of Aries and trine Mars (ruler of Aries) on the 7th, it will become easier to maintain our center in our relationships.

We become more self-oriented under these influences, but the trine to Mars helps us to maintain balance. This is also aided by a conjunction from Mercury to Jupiter, helping our intellectual process (Mercury) to remain positive and to see Truth in all situations (Jupiter). By the 9th, however, some stress may have peeked into our relationships when Venus opposes restrictive Saturn. This will only last a day or two, and it could help us to strengthen our commitments and resolve towards others.

On March 10 Mars will turn direct and move forward again, followed by an intense square from Venus to Pluto on the 11th. The intensification of aggression that we've seen all month will reach a peak, and any fallout will be exacerbated by Pluto's transformational influence on Venus. This will likely not be a good day for the stock market.

On March 12 there are no planetary or lunar aspects, an extremely rare occurrence! It's almost as though on that day we will be somewhat at a standstill. This will be a good day to rest and re-evaluate rather than begin something new or complete something old.

On March 14 the Sun is conjunct Mercury, activating our intelligence and facilitating our reasoning which leads us to the Pisces New Moon on March 15. This is a majestic lunar event that includes not only the Sun and Moon, but also an exact conjunction of Mercury to Uranus within a degree of the Sun/Moon alignment.

Uranus is considered the "higher octave" of Mercury, and it represents the higher mind where Mercury represents the individual mind. Pisces, of course, rules over the realm of imagination and creativity, but also the spiritual connection that we all yearn for in one form or another. The creative impulse that is borne out of this New Moon is powerful and intelligent in its impact, and can be harnessed for great things.

New Moons are celebrated as times of new beginnings, and this New Moon is definitely worth planning for due to the inspiration that is unlocked here. The chart for the lunation shows an unaspected Venus in independent Aries which suggests that this is not so much time for collaboration as it is for initiating new ideas and new inner awakenings.

The influence of this New Moon will last for at least a few days until the Sun conjoins Uranus on the 17th, enhancing the sense of awakening and fresh newness in the air. Just in time for Spring and St. Patrick's day!

Also on the 17th Mercury enters Aries, the sign of initiation, and forms a trine to Mars which is still at the zero point of Leo and still powerful. The mind is energized, and this helps us to invigorate all other aspects of our lives as well, even through an opposition of Mercury to Saturn on the 18th. This opposition may bring about a temporary setback, and a challenging square from Mercury to Pluto on the 20th will intensify whatever situation we find ourselves in. This is the time to get serious. Watch out for obsessive thinking under this influence and try to get the most out of the passion and intensity that Pluto offers.

Ceres enters Capricon on the 19th and it's time to get disciplined about our self-care rituals, and we may also be inspired to take care of others in a more systematic way but we could encounter some blocks along the way as Ceres forms a square to Saturn and the Sun over the next week or so.

The Sun enters Aries on the 20th and Spring officially begins. The Sun forms a harmonious trine to Mars on the 21st but is opposite Saturn on that day as well. The Aries Sun in trine to Mars is dynamic and exciting, but Saturn puts on the brakes and ensures that we don't get carried away. Fortunately Saturn also engages in a positive sextile to Mars which minimizes any sense of blockage but keeps us on a solid path.

There is some intensity on the 25th with the Sun in a conflicting square to Pluto's power, but then we have a quiet few days followed by a peaceful sextile from Venus to Neptune which brings about harmony and a creative flow.

This leads us very nicely into the Libra Full Moon on the 29th of March. The Sun is in Aries and opposes the Libra Moon, creating tension once again between our individual needs (Aries) and our desire for partnership and harmony (Libra). Pluto forms a challenging square to both the Sun and Moon, indicating that something must be surrendered in order for transformation to take place. Achieving this balance between the Self and the Other is one of the major defining principles of life on Earth, and any imbalance in our lives will be revealed now as something to work through. Pluto's goal is to bring us into our full empowerment, and in this lunation any power imbalance in our relationships of any kind will be transformed.

This is echoed in the fact that Venus, planet of relationships, is now in Aries, the planet of the Self, but a pleasant sextile from Venus to Neptune and Chiron will help to facilitate flow and healing here.