Week 12: March 2023, Week 4 - The Week Ahead Horoscope

The Astrological New Year is here! The Sun ingresses into Aries and the New Moon in Aries occur at the beginning of the week, and Mars finally enters Cancer after being in Gemini for 7 months.

Weekly Graphic

Monday March 20th

[5:24 PM ET] INGRESS: Sun enters Aries

On Monday, the Moon will continue to move through Pisces but will not connect with any other planets for the day. The Moon is separating from Saturn, which signifies serious, downcast, stoic, and melancholic dispositions. The Moon’s next aspect will be a square to Mars in Gemini tomorrow, on Tuesday, so this builds competition, aggression, and can make us feel very irritated. Aside from the Moon’s motion today…

The Sun makes its annual ingress into Aries, which marks the beginning of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and the beginning of Fall in the Southern Hemisphere. The Sun has an important shift of dignity when it enters Aries because it enters the sign of its exaltation. When planets enter their exaltation, they are like a planet residing in their kingdom, elevated, access to resources, and exceptionally well at “what they do”. The Sun is exalted in this sign because, it is the time of the year where the length of daylight balance out, on the equinox, and the Sun gains strength due to the length of daylight increasing. The heat of the Sun gets stronger when the Sun is located in Aries, so the ancient astrologers labeled this sign as their exaltation. The Sun is associated with many things in astrology, but one of the core significations is knowledge, intellect, and prophecy. The Sun has lots of spiritual connections, in terms of it being a significator of divination. The Sun gets its joy in the 9th house as a result of this. Demetra George in her lecture Gates of Ivory and Gates of Horn that “Divination is the practice of seeking knowledge or understanding the future, the unknown, by supernatural means or consultation with God”. This is key for understanding the Sun, because it is the process of seeking out knowledge, clarity, and understanding. The Sun’s domicile is in Leo, and Aries is the 9th house from Leo, which is the exaltation of the Sun. Prophethood, prophecy, and the seeking out of knowledge are all crucial to the Sun in Aries. It is a very spiritual, religious, and animating times where the material is infused with the spiritual. Aries as a sign has connections to princes, young ruler, and youth also because of the Solar signification. Those who are rulers, leaders, and administrators are signified by the Sun. Dr Olomi tells us that many mosques are encouraged when the Sun is in Aries, furthering this religious and spiritual connection to this sign, only if it is freed from the malefics. In astrological practice though, this ingress is marked as particularly important because in one of the main branches of astrology known as Mundane Astrology, every year, at the very moment the Sun enters Aries, a chart is casted for whichever location is desired, and from the chart is an interpretation of what events will take place in the world for the year. Mundane astrology is the study of history through astrology, politics, religion, and major shifts in dynasties/leadership in the world, also known as World Astrology. This timing technique would be used in conjunction with the cycle of Grand Conjunctions, Eclipse charts, and more. However, the usage of the Aries Ingress as a timing technique itself displays this connection of prognostication and divination with Aries as a sign. We’ll take a look at the chart of the Aries Ingress another time, but today marks the beginning of the beginning of the Astrological New Year.

The Sun in Aries brings elevated confidence, boost in leadership, prophecy, revelations, boldness in action, fearlessness, bravery, new beginnings, initiations, increased vitality, energy, and action. The Sun in Aries also is the initiator of conflict, violence, and war, but is fearing of these things at the same time. The Sun has the potential to be malefic up close, burning, and making whatever comes near it invisible. The Sun can show elevation in station, stepping into power, and leadership, but when the malefics (like the Sun) are in positions of strength, they have the power to restrain themselves and restrict their harm. The Sun does this but it is also stronger in its heat in Aries. The burst of energy the Cardinal Fire sign comes in the quicken the pace of life, with the power of Mars backing the Sun. While there may be a lot of action and fearlessness, Mars will enter Cancer this week, entering the sign of its Fall. We’ll talk about this more later.

Tuesday March 21st

[8:54 AM ET] The Moon in Pisces square Mars at 28º06’ Gemini

[12:01 PM ET] INGRESS: The Moon enters Aries

[1:23 PM ET] LUNATION: New Moon at 00º49’ Aries

[9:33 PM ET] The Moon conjoins Mercury at 05º46’ Aries

On Tuesday, the Moon will continue to move through Pisces, in the sign of its triplicity, which shows support and help from friends, but a square to Mars indicates a period of conflict, confrontation, irritation, fights, and aggressive behavior. We may feel very scattered as both of these planets are in Mutable Signs. Be careful of bodily injury since the Moon represents the body, and when it squares a malefic, it shows injury. There may be sudden outbursts, unexpected things, and disruption. The Moon will then enter Aries, where immediately upon its ingress will make a conjunction to the Sun, which brings us out first lunation of season. This New Moon in Aries brings a lot of major new beginnings and initiation in the house Aries rules in your chart. You’ll feel this rush to action and the urgency of fresh starts in the topics that house represents. Its interesting because there will be 4 planets in Aries by the time the Moon comes in here: Sun, Moon, Mercury, and Jupiter. So really pay attention to this part of your chart, especially if you are in an Aries Profection Year or Aries is Rising in your Solar Revolution chart. The Moon will make a conjunction to Mercury after the Sun, and Mercury as the messenger, scribe, deliver of news, technology, learning, education, and knowledge delivers us important information, documents, and letters on this day. There is a quickness with these planets in Aries due to the Martial influence of this sign, as well as the Cardinality of Aries. Both the Moon and the Sun together show major new beginnings, actions, and decisions that are taken in regards to the Mercury/Jupiter conjunction that goes exact next week. Mercury and Jupiter are two planets who are deeply related to knowledge, learning, teaching, philosophy and debate. Together they bring an opportunity for building community around learning, teachers, gatherings, collective knowledge, religion, mysticism, faith, law, and the expansion of the mind. Mercury as the planet of commerce and exchange has its fortunes increased by the benevolence of Jupiter. It brings positive news, uplifting, supportive, but urgent news. Mercury conjoining Jupiter is the interpretation of the divine, great for astrological and divinatory practices and starting new ones.

Wednesday March 22nd

[4:16 PM ET] The Moon conjoins Jupiter at 16º55’ Aries

On Wednesday, the Moon will be separating from the conjunction to Mercury and moving to conjoin Jupiter. The Moon and Jupiter conjoining in the sky is always a fortuitous omen, since Jupiter is the planet of liberation, freedom, joy, and it signifies the removal of sorrows. Jupiter elevates, uplifts, and gives us encouragement. The Moon will be waxing by this time, and a conjunction with a benefic shows for elevation, it is great for seeking friendship, the assistance, and support of others. It is good for forming alliances, and taking collective, bold, action. It is great for new beginnings, and for making matters in the house Aries rules in your chart grow. This is the only aspect that will take place today, so enjoy the blessings the benefics have to offer today. This is good for religious, spiritual, and mystical operations, prayer, and devotion. This conjunction in Aries also gives confidence, zealousness, enthusiasm, inflames passions, and makes ones eager to begin new projects.

Thursday March 23rd

[8:23 AM ET] INGRESS: Pluto enters Aquarius

[1:13 PM ET] The Moon in Aries sextile Mars at 29º08’ Gemini

[2:41 PM ET] INGRESS: The Moon enters Taurus

[5:56 PM ET] The Moon in Taurus sextile Saturn at 01º51’ Pisces

[10:07 PM ET] The Moon conjoins the North Node at 04º15’ Taurus

On Thursday, one of the major events we have to start off the day is Pluto’s ingress into Aquarius. I don’t usually talk about the outer planets in my practice, because I am not confident in my understanding of what experiences and effects they bring in the current realm of astrology. I typically refrain from delineating these planets for this reason, but it is still a notable and important event in the sky. Pluto changes signs anywhere from every 15 years to every 30 years. Pluto has been transiting through the sign of Capricorn since 2008 and will now move through the sign Aquarius for the next 20 years. Although, Pluto will be back in Capricorn later this year since it will Retrograde between the tropical sign barrier over the next 2 years. It will firmly stay in Aquarius by 2025. This shift into a new sign marks a new 20 year era unfolding and it continues with the Aquarian themes Saturn, the Grand Conjunction, and other planets who have passed through this sign as of lately. I have no interpretation to offer at this time, but just pay attention to what happens. This is how the ancient Babylonian Astrologers first developed astrology: through writing down the times when planetary alignments would occur, and record what event would happen at that time, for the core belief of astrology is an omen in the sky is an omen on earth, and an omen on earth is an omen in the sky. I’m sitting back and watching what happens before jumping to prediction on this one.

Aside from Pluto’s ingress into Aquarius, the Moon will continue to move through the active, fiery, swift, and energizing sign Aries. The Moon will make a sextile to Mars in Gemini today, which incites conflict, action, competition, contests, and small irritation. The Moon is in reception with Mars which is a positive aspect, showing we can channel some of our energy, frustration, or impulses into a constructive outlet. There is also a quickness to this aspect that can lead to accidents and sudden outbursts. Acting with restraint is not really the Aries way.

After this aspect goes exact, the Moon will then enters Taurus, her exaltation, where her qualities are elevated, supported, and she does exceptionally well at them— nourishment, care, protection, intimacy, privacy, revelations, and interpreting omens. Every year, when the Sun enters Aries, after the conjunction of the Sun and Moon, both of the Luminaries are in the signs of their exaltation. The Moon is in Taurus, waxing, increasing in light, and applying to a bodily conjunction to the domicile lord of the sign, Venus in Taurus. This is a really good time to start any new projects, release new things that you want to eventually grow and blossom further. The Sun and Moon together bring a lot of moment, elevations, and honors in their exaltations. The Aries Ingress marking the beginning of spring, and the Moon being the planet representing growth and generation marks a moment where life starts to sprout, grow, and push against the Earth. The Crescent Moon (known as the New Moon) gives a lot of momentum for the beginning of new life to stabilize and flourish. The Sun and Moon in their exaltations are said to be bold, the Sun brave and gives action, and the Moon ensouls that action, stabilizing, and firming it. It is also an indicator of eminence. The Moon makes an immediate sextile to Saturn in Pisces, which gives a more serious, slow, and somber tone today. Saturn introduces delays, slowness in action, and blocks motion. The Moon will also move towards the North Node today which increases the desire for rest, nourishment, and comfort. We may feel worn out and tired due to the Saturnian experience, but still find joy amongst the comfort and nourishment Venus has to offer in Taurus.

Friday March 24th

[6:30 AM ET] The Moon conjoins Venus at 09º00’ Taurus

On Friday, the Moon will continue to move through her exaltation in Taurus, and she makes a conjunction to the Sun early in the morning. This is an extremely auspicious configuration as the Moon and Venus are both the two planets who are co-rulers over this sign. Venus is the Domicile and the daytime Triplicity Lord over Taurus, and the Moon is the Exaltation Lord. Both are strengthened and have a very powerful connection in Taurus. This is a conjunction of laughter, a conjunction of joy, a conjunction of love, leisure, and comfort. These planets are truly strengthened, Mars as their gaze turned away, and Saturn in a supportive aspect. It shows the emergence of something beautiful, whether that be love, art, pleasures, food, drink, or physical touch, but all of it makes today a supportive day. Venus as a benefic has the ability to moderate and soothe the tensions that may flame from the ingress of the Sun and other planets into Aries. Seriously though, this aspect is one of the highlights of the week. Especially because it falls on Venus’ day. Venus is the planet of harmony, beauty, and balance and she has the strength to bring these things into our live on Friday. This is a really good day for music, art, creative, and beautiful things. Gatherings, banquets, love, strengthening intimate relationships, and pleasure. Enjoy the good vibes these planets have to offer!

Saturday March 25th

[7:45 AM ET] INGRESS: Mars enters Cancer

[8:41 PM ET] INGRESS: The Moon enters Gemini

This weekend is interesting in the astrology because the Moon will continue to move through Taurus, the first time moving through this sign since Saturn exited Aquarius, no longer sending its malevolent rays into this sign. This brought an increase in restrictions, pressure, confusion, and delays contrasting with the Moon’s need for comfort, leisure, and rest. No longer does Saturn exert its harsh rays, and generally the Moon is in better condition for the day, in exaltation and triplicity. Take a look at the house Taurus rules in your chart, because it becomes more emphasized with upcoming transits in the future.

In terms of transits for today, Mars makes its official ingress into Cancer after being stuck in Gemini since August 20th, 2022. Mars did a full Retrograde through this sign, moving backwards, giving erratic conflicts, fights, disruptions, sudden changes, confrontation, and competition that was prolonged in the house that this sign rules in your chart. Mars in Gemini brought lots off issues such as disputes and disruptions with social media and technology, harm brought towards scholars, teachers, education, youth, and children, disputes around justice, uprising of laborers, false testimony, lying, and slander, and bad calculations. A lot of the stress that has been put upon this sign transitions into Cancer for the next 6 weeks.

Mars changes signs every 6 weeks and will return back to this normal schedule, and after Retrograding in Gemini, it moves into the sign of its Fall (or Depression) in Cancer where it is humiliated and estranged. Planets that are located in their fall are said to be in a state of humiliation, indicate the lowering of status, and difficulties the planet encounters.

For Mars, this looks like soldiers, fighters, and warriors being humiliated. There is a quote Dr Olomi talks about that says Mars in Cancer indicates the refusal of soldiers fighting. Mars as the Lesser Malefic shows quicker, immediate, and sudden challenges that come our way. But the main signification Mars has is conflict, war, and fighting.

As Mars makes their ingress into Cancer, they actually have quite a bit of dignity here. During the night time, Mars had dignity by Triplicity (+3) and by being in its Egyptian Bound (+2) which gives it the support of its allies, friends, and supporters, and being in its bound allows its influence to directly manifest through its actions, like fights, sudden bursts of action, impulsiveness and a great beginning.

Usually the introduction of Cardinal energy in astrology is very fast, swift, and initiating and Mars in Cancer brings a new series of conflicts and challenges in the house Cancer rules in your chart. However, these events leave as fast as they come. Mars has a lot of trouble sustaining action in this sign.

Whereas the Exaltation of Mars (Capricorn) gives Saturn patience, endurance, and stamina to match the energy of Mars, Cancer shows sluggishness and issues with sustaining action. Some medieval astrologers interpreted Mars in Cancer as a time of “spilled blood” which would eventually lead to further escalations and all out conflict when Mars enters Leo. Mars is a disruptive force, and moving through the sign of Cancer, its nature weakens Mars’ boldness, but also increases his malice. When malefics are not in positions of strength, they tend to be more dangerous and less restrained in their erratic tendencies. Mars’ boldness and bravery is blunted and is more timid, cautious, and attacks things from the side. Letting things simmer, and struggles with safety, intimacy, and nourishment are abound. Mars in Cancer has us work through the muck of our feelings, emotions, and anger. If Mars is not dignified and supported in Cancer, it can show a period of struggle with managing anger, irritability, and being more cruel, mean, and the pincers of the crab start to hurt if you know what I mean.

One of the main interpretations of Mars in this sign is betrayal. If Cancer is the planet of protection, safety, home, family, community, healers, nurturance, and love, Mars shows things that disrupt what is core, essential, and important for feeling taken care of. The nature of Mars is a disruptive one, and in Cancer it disrupts what makes us feel comfortable and shakes up our sense of safety. Now Mars will stay in this sign until May 20th, 2023. Thats around 2 months of Mars in Cancer.

I think a bigger question Mars brings up is to maintain a deeper understanding of where and who you can find safety and security with. Protection is a big theme of Cancer, and sometimes the ancient authors say the malefics can indicate being a defender of great calamities and adversities. Such as someone defending their home, protecting their loved ones, and fighting for those they call family.

I think this change for Mars will be generally appreciated for everyone because at least the stagnation of the mutable sign Gemini can bring less inconsistencies and contradictions in action. Looking at the house Cancer rules in your chart will give you a sense of where these disruptions will take place and what area of life you will experience them in. Things may seem a little bleak now, especially while Mars is alone in Cancer, and especially because it will be the ruler of 2 Eclipses in Mars’ signs, but Venus will eventually tag along and join Mars in Cancer, trying to restore peace and balance to the trail of conflict and burden Mars has steamrolled through Cancer.

That is also another important point to mention though. Mars is the ruler of 2 Eclipses in this spring. Mars makes people more agitated, confrontational, irritated, and can fill the person with fervor. Especially with a bunch of planets moving through Aries, people have lots of uncontrollable passions and bursts of action. But the actions that Mars takes are said to be poisonous and ill intent. In terms of the malefics and the planet that usually is the original “bad omen”, it’s Mars. Always, going back to the Babylonians, and its because Mars was what violates and destroys. The first Eclipse of the Spring is a Solar Eclipse in Aries, which introduces major endings and beginnings coming to the house Aries/Libra rule in everyone’s chart, and it is ruled by a Fallen Mars, which suggest failures in fights, battles, and initiations by leaders. Mars shows further conflict amongst the people since it is in the sign of the Moon. The Eclipse in Aries shows this initiation of conflict that defines the Spring, and reaches a culmination by the next lunation which is a Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio. This Eclipse will be in a mutual depression with the Moon in Scorpio and Mars in Cancer, both planets harming each other by being received in each others falls. Them exchanging domiciles shows the mutual harm that is brought. It’s the energy of “if I’m going down, you’re going down with me”. We will experience that Eclipse May 5th, but both Eclipses will be ruled by Mars in Cancer. So definitely pay attention to the house Aries, Cancer, and Scorpio all rule in your chart because they will be intertwined and connected in your chart throughout the spring. Major changes coming to the Aries and Scorpio houses and the reasons for those changes are from Mars in the Cancer house. There are some turbulent waters ahead so don’t get caught up in the riptide of the passions of your emotions. Mars may be forced in a position to lay down their sword.

On the same day, The Moon will enter Gemini, leaving its exaltation and wandering through the shifty, inconsistent, and fluctuating winds of Gemini, where the mind and decisions always waver. The Moon will enter Gemini at the end of the day, which can also bring more of a communicative tone to our day, signaling the need to chat, discuss, and speak to others. The Moon will finally move through Gemini without the presence of Mars in this sign, which will be interesting to see what gets highlighted. The Moon won’t experience the same confrontational, argumentative, and aggressive tone moving through this sign, which signaled gossip and slander, but now experiences a much different done going into Sunday.

Sunday March 26th

[12:38 AM ET] The Moon in Gemini square Saturn at 02º06’ Pisces

[7:03 AM ET] The Moon in Gemini sextile the Sun at 05º31’ Aries

On Sunday, the Moon in Gemini will make a square to Saturn in Pisces shortly after its ingress and it’s a very different mood to the Gemini Moons we’ve had in the past months. The Moon has conjoined Mars around 7 times in this sign since August 20th, 2022 which brought major conflict, arguments, debates, and hostility in this house Gemini rules in your chart. But now, the Moon’s square to Saturn inhibits action, restrictions expression, and adds a further sense of confusion. Whereas Gemini is the active pursuit of knowledge, Saturn denies, restrictions, and blocks access to information as it is in the overcoming square to the sign Gemini. The Moon and Saturn will frequently have this interaction in Gemini over the next 3 years. It is an omen to think about what is being further restricted, delayed, slowed down, and blocked by the hard aspect of Saturn in your life from the Pisces house to the Gemini house. Saturn obscures and hides things and we may feel mentally blocked, restricted, and slowed down today. The square between the Moon and Saturn can also point to health issues and feeling really tired, sluggish, and lacking energy. Make sure to take it easy on your body, hands, and feet throughout the day. While this aspect is rough and uneasy, the Moon will make a sextile to the Sun in Aries which shows the growing momentum of this lunar month, and will smoothen out the feel of the day. This will happen through conversation, games, talking, writing, speaking, and using words/language to express one’s ideas. The combination of the Sun in Aries talks about affirmation, recognition, and praise after the square from Saturn can indicate scorn and rejection. From the obscurity of Saturn we move to the clarity of the Sun. The Sun gives us confidence, urgency, boldness, bravery, and inspiration to take action, start new beginnings, and make new plans, strategies, and engage in the Mercurial. More of the changes for the spring start to unfold as the weeks go on. We’ll save the rest for next week…