MARCH 2014 HOROSCOPE: OVERVIEW

by Leigh Oswald (London-based Astrologer and Teacher)

Mars going retrograde is probably the big story. From the 2nd of this month to the 20^th May, Mars will be in rare retrograde mode in Libra. When Mars goes retrograde there is trouble globally, a sense that everything needs to be put on hold. Action, values, energies are all paralysed of necessity. There is a sense of losing one’s way, of feeling impotent. War-like energies go underground and are none the less dangerous for that. When Mars is retrograde, stresses and passions and resentments build and can eventually erupt more explosively than when freely expressed as they happen. So a build-up of tensions is likely globally between the 2^nd and May 20^th. This energy will particularly impact the UK as Mars hovers over its ascendant. Paralysis and impotence of which way to turn and what to do, will be apparent in many areas of policy.

Also in the USA, Mars will be squaring Mercury, suggesting that foreign policy both economically and in other contexts, will be stressed and will directly affect its own economy. Pluto is also now exactly opposing America’s Sun, which does flag up a very intense period.

Uranus is also creeping up to very closely square Pluto yet again, as he has been doing for some years, creating a sense of turbulence and factionalism in the world, with populaces turning against their governments, and outworn regimes becoming ruthless to regain control. This is already manifesting the growing crisis in the Crimea/Ukraine. As the month matures and the Sun moves close to Uranus and opposes Uranus and squares up to Pluto, things will come to a significant head.

Neptune is now getting into full flood appropriately, in Pisces. It is in fact bringing the power of water and the potential damage to our immediate attention in various parts of the world. He is a particularly strong force now and indeed the new Moon will be in Pisces on the 1^st and focus will be very much on trying to understand and resolve problems concerning either too much water or lack of it, depending on where in the world that is necessary.

Excellent times for the arts are the 22^nd and 23^rd, the 18^th and 19^th and 29^th and 30^th. Times when there will need to be some circumspection and hard work and a mature approach to life are around the 13^th and 14^th.  Wisdom and constructive cooperation is strong around the 26^th and insight and possible new breakthroughs and discoveries are around the 28^th.

There are two new Moons this month, on the 1^st and the 30^th. On the 1^st it is at 10° of Pisces and on the 30^th at 9° of Aries. New Moons mark new beginnings when we sow, and the full Moon on the 16^th at 26° of Virgo, is a time, as ever with full Moons, a time of reaping; and the endings of chapters as things culminate.