March 2018 Forecast: Dream first, and then move into sustained action.
Welcome, Mars in Capricorn! And prepare for the first of 3 Mercury retrograde periods in fire this year.!
Big picture: The first half of March is very emotional and creative (thanks to a strongly Piscean emphasis), translating into an excellent time for dreaming and inspiration. Then the energy shifts dramatically midway, and it’s time to leverage inspiration (four planets in Aries) in service to practical ambition (three planets in Capricorn) in order to achieve tangible goals.
On March 17th, Mars begins his two-month sojourn through Capricorn joining heavy-hitters Saturn and Pluto. Mars in Capricorn wants to get things done and Saturn in Capricorn wants order and structured growth for the long term. Used poorly, the combination of Mars/Saturn can breed impatience and intolerance (“I know I’m right and I have the power”); used well, the two become a vehicle for skillful and disciplined focus. If you find yourself becoming impatient, remind yourself of your larger goals and practice disciplined tenacity.
Take aways for March
· Use the first two weeks of the month to dream the larger picture (lots of aspirations and inspirations). Then prune the list to the commitments you’re really willing to make and ditch the rest (or put them on a ‘watch’ list to revisit at another time). If you find yourself getting impatient or judgmental, remind yourself of the longer-term goals and think strategically.
· Most of March is excellent for learning and communication (spanning technical, artistic, and creative areas) as Mercury and Venus travel together (March 3-22). When Mercury goes retrograde in the sign of Aries for three week (starting March 23), it’s time to be diligent and double-check communications and contracts.
March Highlights
March 1: Full moons are not usually reality checks, but this Virgo full moon can illuminate the gap between our dreams and our actual practice. Use this full moon in Virgo to consider how your favorite heroines/heroes did their daily work in service to their dreams. It’s often very practical, small steps done countless times. [Full moon at 11 degrees of Virgo, opposite several planets in Pisces today.]
March 9: The initiatives or opportunities that arose in the October/November period last year now need sustained effort and deeper attention for the next few weeks. If these are important goals, it’s time to make substantial investments in time and energy. If not, then reassess why you’re doing it and/or put your energies into something more meaningful. This period is especially significant if you have a strong Pisces or Sagittarian emphasis in your chart. [Jupiter stations retrograde at 23 degrees of Scorpio.]
March 13: Reality check time for projects and relationships. With Venus square Saturn, you may feel the tension between what you want and what is required. Balancing freedom and responsibility is the ideal but in real life, managing frustration without burning bridges is success. [Venus conjunct Saturn in Capricorn at 8 degrees.]
March 17: This complex new moon in Pisces marks the energetic shift time in March. Time to hold our inspirations in our heart and still move forward with practical tenacity; manifest our dreams with skill, tenacity, and yes, imperfections and compromises. With Mars entering Capricorn, tenacity and discipline take center stage. Welcome to planet Earth! [New moon at 26 degrees Pisces, conjunct Chiron, squaring Mars at 29 degrees Sag, and trining Jupiter at 23 degrees Scorpio; Mars enters Capricorn.]
March 21: Sun enters Aries.
March 23: Beginning of Mercury ‘retrograde period (March 23- April 15th). Double- and triple-check those tax returns!
March 31: Sometimes a brick wall is a useful ‘time out’. This full moon is a helpful time to pause and evaluate: “Is what I’m doing supporting my goals in a way I can live with? Is it consistent with my values?” [Full moon at 10 degrees Libra squaring Mars/Saturn in Capricorn.]