I don’t know about you, but I’m already feeling the effects of retrograde Mercury (this late email is just one of them)! Mercury went retrograde on 3 March and won’t move ahead again until 26 March. When Mercury travels backwards there’s a need for going inwards to slow down and reassess. We are usually reminded of this inner need through communication hitches, computer glitches or other wayward messages in the outer world. With Mercury in Pisces there’s a particular need to reflect on any areas of life where we might’ve gone unconscious and now need awakening. Despite being a beautiful, spiritual zodiac sign, Pisces is also the sign most likely to lose touch with reality. Whenever the Pisces energy is strong, it’s important to increase contact with reality through grounding techniques (e.g. cooking, gardening, going slowly, asking questions and collecting evidence to check intuitions). This particular retrograde period could bring painful truths to the surface, yet it is far better to face truths than run from them. It’s only through clearing out inner pollution that we can evolve into the dreams that Pisces reveals.
With two eclipses, March is a whopper of a month. The first eclipse is on the 15th at the time of the full moon in Virgo. The second eclipse is on the 29th at the new moon in Aries. Both eclipses feature the ‘death’ and ‘rebirth’ planet, Pluto. In fact, the Aries eclipse on the 29th is a total solar eclipse that coincides with Pluto turning retrograde. This is the month to let go of the old and make room for the new. The Virgo eclipse on the 15th brings us to earth if our heads need pulling out of the clouds and shows us what’s no longer working. Try your best to be gentle, vulnerable and loving during this shake-up time but be kind to yourself and others should there be slipping into blame, anger or feuding. The Virgo eclipse reminds us of our human side, warts and all. By the end of the month, we’ll be ready for quantum shifts in our development as long as we are not holding on to the past out of fear. Aries is the zodiac sign of new beginnings, and this Aries total solar eclipse happens when Pluto turns its retrograde focus on the Galactic Centre. Here we have the ‘death and rebirth’ planet aligning with the ‘death and rebirth’ supermassive black hole of our galaxy. Something new is birthing not only within ourselves as individuals but also within the galaxy. How’s that for cosmic!
Watching the moon in the night sky this month will help remind us that life is cyclic. The moon is already in its quarter phase building to its full moon climax. Everything in life births (new moon), builds energy (waxing quarter moon), reaches a climax (full moon) and wanes (2nd quarter moon) before releasing into a letting go phase (dark moon). New moons then always bring new beginnings and a chance to evolve. This month the opportunities for evolution are very strong. Remove your blinkers and let a fresh perspective lead you to your next magical destination.