Last month’s eclipse, plus the accentuated Aquarius energy (alignment of powerful planets in Aquarius), saw unexpected, shocking events here in Australia, mostly brought on by extreme (Aquarius) weather patterns. With approximately 60% of Queensland flooded and mass bushfires in Victoria, we are still reeling and recovering. Fortunately the plus-side of Aquarius has also been evident with an abundance of community spirit and humanitarian effort.
March’s Pisces emphasis helps us come to terms with what has happened here Downunder. The extensive need for vigilance and emergency awareness (Aquarius) might now have an opportunity to settle and unwind a little. The New Moon in Pisces at the end of February began this trend. Pisces is a zodiac sign of retreat and hibernation, not into isolation, but into compassionate spaces that help us recharge our spirits and renew our faith. A number of planets move into and out of Pisces throughout March, keeping the recovery-candle lit. Some ways to access Piscean healing compassion include: religious groups, spiritualist churches (where free healings are often available), Reiki centres and community gatherings (especially those that include singalongs, meditations, artistic expression). Sometimes simply gazing into an artwork, reading poetry or immersing ourselves in some favourite music can bring renewed inner strength. In these ways we access and experience the divine inspiration that the artist, poet or musician grounded through their work.
The big astrological event for March is Venus shifting Retro on the 7th. Venus is currently in Aries and will move backwards into Pisces mid-April just before shifting Direct again on 18 April. Venus’s two biggest themes are relationships and money. Venus Retro periods generally see us withdrawing to some extent from others, which increases the hibernation urge already activated in March. In the zodiac sign Aries there’s a sense of coming back into oneself to assess personal needs. With the recent outpouring of support for many in our communities, it’s possible that this Retro period augurs a time of personal energy conservation. It’s between ourselves and our consciences to honestly gauge how much we are able to give out and how much we need to receive. Venus Retro in Aries is a time for clarifying personal limits. If we discover we’ve been giving out too much according to our own personal resources, we might need to pull back. If we realise we could give more, we might consider chipping in with the current community effort while others take a rest.
Under Venus Retro, relationships are also affected by a tendency for unfinished business to surface. This could include past partners, lovers or friends re-entering our lives. Venus Retro offers the opportunity to face whatever needs completing. In rare instances old connections might reignite bringing a shuffling around of soulmates. Yet it’s more common under Venus Retro to be dealing with issues in current relationships that haven’t quite yet been resolved to mutual satisfaction. Someone might’ve been sacrificing some of their own needs for the sake of peace, but under Venus Retro in Aries it’s not easy for such sacrifice to continue.
Agreements and contracts can also come under Venus’s auspices, generally the ‘between friends’ ones that are made over cups of tea or glasses of wine. Due to their free-flowing nature, these types of agreements might leave someone’s needs overlooked. It’s a time to balance any wobbly dynamics and create win-win scenarios. With Aries being a fiery zodiac sign, blow-ups are likely if someone doesn’t feel listened to or taken seriously. This six-week Venus Retro period in Aries brings to mind the lyrics ‘What about me? It isn’t fair. I’ve had enough, now I want my share’. Yet I’m also reminded that Venus is the Goddess of Love and that when we come into our hearts we can always find a win-win. Yet some of us need to watch that we don’t mistake being heartful with sacrificing ourselves. If something feels out of balance, there’s likely to be something amiss. A ‘win-win’ outcome involves both parties feeling in their dignity with their needs respected plus plans put in place for needs to be met, if not now, then in the future.
Given the current global financial crisis, Venus Retro also sees us tightening our purse strings and watching where every penny goes. One way or another, we’re all coming to terms with climate change and the now hauntingly familiar pattern of responding to the survival needs of those caught in the tragedy of natural disasters. Finding the balance between contributing to the financial wellbeing of those in need and taking care of our own basics is highlighted under this Venus Retro time. The astrology of the upcoming years shows that there’s more to come in terms of environmental and economic upheaval. We’re living in a world now where the old values of rugged individualism, ‘first in first served’, competitive consumerism and ’strongest wins’ seem to be falling away. Venus Retro asks whether we will continue spending money on products or services created according to limited values or support more equitable systems.
The Full Moon in Virgo on 11 March helps us discern what is needed in these changing times. There might be some nitpicking, criticism or blame-game symptoms to contend with as we adjust to Virgo’s call for simplicity and sustainability in responding to the here-and-now. A week later, the third-quarter Moon on 19 March makes an exact alignment with the Galactic Centre. This is a perfect opportunity to visualise throwing old values and patterns into this galactic recycling plant. The Galactic Centre is a supermassive black hole that uses dying stars etc as fuel for the evolution of our cosmos. You might like to visualise dropping anything you wish to let go of into this cosmic black hole in the days close to or on 19 March. After the letting go, visualise what you would like to enter your life. For this to be most effective, feel what you are visualising. In order for the letting go to be effective, be sure you have thanked and made your peace with what you are moving on from.
On 20 March, the Aries Equinox clicks into place. This is one of two times in the year when day and night are equal. It’s known as the Spring Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and the Autumn Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. This crossroads point brings the chance to simultaneously honour what we are releasing as well as what we are creating. On this day, the balancing scales are even. Neither dark nor light is supreme. It’s a day of honouring the constant goal of peace in our world.
Finally, on 27 March a New Moon in Aries sees us working once more with the themes discussed above under Venus Retro in Aries. In fact, Venus virtually sits on top of this New Moon, creating a threesome of Sun, Moon and Venus (a New Moon is the coming together of the Sun and Moon). This trio makes an alignment to the karmic points, the Nodes. The South Node is in Leo showing that we are releasing the over-valuing of individualism at the cost of the good-of-all. And the North Node is in Aquarius showing the dangers of going to the other extreme and creating a world that over-values the collective at the cost of the individual. Venus, the Goddess of Love, joins this New Moon in Aries to help us find a workable balance between individual and collective needs. She reminds us that solutions always reside in our hearts.
May the Goddess of Love shine in your life this month, and as she travels Retro may she slowly but surely fill each of your moments with heartfulness.