Monthly Archives: March 2009

Weekly Forecast March 30: Mars-Saturn Opposition

Photo by Lothar Slabon for Agence France-Presse We’re coming up on April 1, and I strongly encourage you to play as many good-natured practical jokes as you can, because dead-serious planetary transits at the end of the week aren’t going to make us feel much like fooling around.

The week starts out on a bright enough note, with the Sun and Mercury in a snappy conjunction in Aries. Last week I wrote about the dominant underlying energy of Neptune and Uranus in mutual reception. That pattern remains active for most of this week, but at least we’re not lost in a fog. It’s so frustrating when you just know you’re onto something, but you can’t explain it to anyone else without sounding like a total nutcase! With the Sun and Mercury in Aries, we can clarify the ideas that come to us, and we know what to do to begin to act on them.

We ought to come up with some pretty good April Fool’s jokes, too.

Of course, Venus is still retrograde in Aries as well, and she’s now in the second half of her reverse course. Friends are reporting an increase in events that we’d typically experience with Mercury retrograde. I’m attributing these to Venus. Personally, I’ve renewed ties with a couple of friends I lost touch with. This also can happen when Mercury is retrograde, but love and friendship are clearly within the realm of Venus. These have been happy occurrences. I hope you all are experiencing some of this, too.

I’m feeling antsy, though, as Venus is going to square Pluto on Friday, the day before Pluto turns retrograde. The dance between these two is not unlike the tango, in which one person is entirely under the control of the other. If you’ve got a romantic date set up for this weekend, you may want to do some serious soul-searching ahead of time. What do you want the outcome to be? Be honest with yourself. It’s OK to want something purely for your own selfish interests. But how you go about getting it is another matter. I know that I don’t need to lecture you on what not to do. Likewise, if you’re sure of what you want, you will be less likely to allow the other person to manipulate or control you (unless you’re into that sort of thing).

On Saturday, Pluto turns retrograde at 3°18′ Capricorn and will return to 0°40′ Capricorn before stationing direct on September 11. You will feel this the most if you have personal planets or chart angles at 0 to 3 degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn). Otherwise, this transit probably won’t even register on your radar screen.

However, most of us are going to feel the Mars-Saturn opposition in one way or another. The opposition is exact on Saturday, but Mars transits are felt a week before and after, and this one is going to be all the more powerful, because Mars also is in a waxing conjunction with Uranus, which will be exact on April 15.

I have to tell you that I will sleep a lot better after this opposition-conjunction is behind us. Mars typically doesn’t create trouble where there isn’t any, but if there’s a bomb waiting to go off anywhere, he’ll happily light the fuse. With so many hotspots in the world right now, there’s no telling what could blow up — literally or figuratively — in the next two weeks.

I’ve got my eye on the G-20 summit in London this week, as well as a couple of literal hotspots, Mount Redoubt in Alaska and the undersea volcano off the coast of Tonga. I chose the latter as this week’s image, as it nicely illustrates the combination of Mars in Pisces opposite Saturn in Virgo — fire, water, and double earth.

Just remember that when times are difficult, we have opportunities to rise to the occasion and show what we’re made of. Most of us are stronger than we give ourselves credit for. Tough times are much less fearsome if we have confidence in our ability to weather the storm.

Wishing you all much love and courage …
Pat

Image: An undersea volcano erupted off the coast of Tonga on March 18, producing a magnitude 7.6 earthquake but posing no immediate threat to the island. This volcano and Mount Redoubt in Alaska are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Photo by Lothar Slabon for Agence France-Presse.

Saturday Extra: Is There a Connection Between Pluto and Genius?

Loose Hair by Frida Kahlo Pluto has a well-deserved association with negative behaviors such as obsession, manipulation, and power struggles. But are these traits always bad?

Obsession often precedes acts of genius such as a great work of art or an invention that benefits the collective. These are examples of how Pluto can work through us in a positive way. However, when people manipulate others, often for “their own good,” we see Pluto’s dark side. The type of aspect Pluto makes to personal planets and angles, either natally or by transit, provides clues about how this powerful force will manifest in an individual.

The conjunction brings a deeper intensification of the qualities of the sign in which it is found. When Pluto conjoins a planet or angle, the intensity is exponentially greater. Here is the possibility for either end of the spectrum, from genius inventor to heavy duty manipulator. As with all conjunctions, it is difficult to get perspective on our behavior, because we’re just too close to the situation. Feedback from a friend or loved one can be very helpful or the start of battle royal.

Those with Pluto in a sextile or trine with personal planets or angles have the best chance to manage your obsessions and to be productive without your desire to pursue a specific path taking over your life. You can spend time deeply involved in the act of creation and yet still remember to stop and make dinner for their family. The intensity and drive is softened by the harmony found between the signs and elements involved.

If you have an opposition with Pluto, there are a couple of different ways this can go. Often with the opposition, it can be a person or situation outside ourselves who will brings demands and expectations into our lives. The key to any opposition is keeping in mind that the signs and elements are always compatible, and if confrontation is avoided, then dialogue is possible. Working with a Pluto person can be very challenging but also very rewarding, because they will be very tenacious in pursuit of your mutual goals. However, if there are escalating confrontations between you due to differences in expectations, and stepping back and detaching does not work, then you may need to completely remove yourself from the situation – a totally Plutonian option.

Of all the aspects to work with, a square between Pluto and personal planets is the most difficult and yet the one holding the greatest potential for clarity and growth. It can fuel great creativity and the most persistent obsessions. If the energy generated by this aspect can be channeled into creativity of one kind or another, great things are possible. For example, Pluto square Mercury is wonderful for writers, because they will just keep working until they get it right.

If you have Pluto aspecting personal planets or angles natally, you become accustomed to handling these over time, but Pluto transits can be very unsettling for those with no natal Pluto influences. Typically, Pluto transits are in effect on and off for four to five years.

Many of us are feeling Pluto’s energy intensely as he stations in preparation to turn retrograde on April 4 at 3°18′ Capricorn. Letting go of attachment to a specific outcome is sanity, because that opens the door for the universe to bless us.

posted by Neith . . .

Image: This is Frida Kahlo’s painting, “Loose Hair.” She had a very tight conjunction of Venus and Pluto in Gemini square to Saturn in Pisces, and her genius is undeniable as was the pain she lived with every day.

Ask Real Astrologers: Will His Pluto Transit Wreck Our Marriage?

This week’s question comes from Cathy in the Philippines:

My question is basically about my marriage. I’ve been told my husband [has] a devastating Pluto transit going on in his chart and that it may very well get worse for our relationship … Will the stars be able to say if a permanent separation is possible? What’s the best way for ME to deal with this transit vis-a-vis my own? I’ve actually not had a look at my own transits in comparison to his.

Pat’s response:

Well, Cathy, we don’t have to look very far to see that there’s a lot going on in your life!

In your natal chart, you have a tight square between Pluto and Saturn, and these currently are being activated by transiting Pluto, which also happens to be on your lunar North Node. The New Moon in Aries yesterday formed the last leg to make a grand cardinal cross.

To translate, you are at a crossroads at which there are many changes ahead for you. The New Moon suggests that these will be positive new beginnings, although there’s a lot of heavy energy playing out in your life right now, so I don’t expect you’re feeling anything like “excitement about new adventures” and all that. By the looks of it, you may feel backed into a corner and forced to accept circumstances that you would not have wanted, given a choice.

At the same time, transiting Saturn has just passed over your Sun and is squaring your Moon in Sagittarius. Challenging Saturn-Moon transits can make us feel depressed, isolated, and alone, even if it isn’t the case, although unfortunately sometimes a key relationship does end under this influence.

On the bright side, Jupiter is making a nice trine to your natal Venus-Uranus conjunction and also to your Ascendant. I think this will bring you some relief. If your husband decides to leave, it looks to me like you will find someone else very quickly.

Other than that, I am not going to comment on his chart, as ultimately you don’t have any control over what he does or doesn’t do with his heavy Pluto transit. All you can control is your response to your own transits, and you have all you can handle without trying to look after him, too.

Although you are going through a hard time, I believe you are going to come out of this very well, and you will look back and see that the events happening now were necessary to get you to a better, happier place.

I wish you much love and courage.

Neith’s response:

Cathy, with your Libra Rising, having a partner is very important to you, and you obviously take holding up your end of the bargain seriously. However, Venus, Libra’s ruler, is tucked away in your twelfth house conjunct Uranus and blessing you with a naturally independent streak, as does your Sagittarius Moon.

As Pat noted, Pluto is exactly opposing your Saturn in Cancer now. Your Saturn is also conjunct your husband’s Venus, giving us a great example of how conjunctions in synastry affect both parties. The Saturn-Venus conjunction likes being married, and having Pluto opposing this conjunction is not comfortable in any sense. Pluto cares nothing whatsoever for conventions and is intent on slowing transforming your views in this regard.

You have an agreeable sextile between your Saturn in Cancer and Mars in Taurus, reinforcing the side of you that likes routine and keeping things simple. Combine this with Rising Libra’s well-known fondness for not rocking the boat, and it’s easy to see why you may feel split down the middle right now.

Something I’ve found to be a good rule of thumb for evaluating if you have made a good choice for yourself is if the dominant feeling is one of relief. My hunch is that once you have come to a decision, you will be surprised at how much clearer you feel. The last week in May might be a good time to watch out for fireworks, when Mars in Aries crosses your Descendant and conjoins your husband’s Mercury-Moon.

Good luck and be well, Cathy.

Got a quick question? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers. We are getting some really great questions but unfortunately can’t use many of them, as they are missing information. If you’d like us to consider your question for this column, you must include your day, month (spelled out), year, and place of birth, and time if you know it. If you don’t, indicate “time unknown.” Also, we must have your current location. This is not optional. Thanks!

Real Astrologer’s Poll: Do Transits Justify Inconsiderate Behavior?

As astrologers, we often get calls from clients who are trying to understand the behavior of a friend or romantic partner.

Sometimes the situations are trivial. The friend said something totally insensitive, and it turned out that Mercury was retrograde. You know that I always counsel forgiving and forgetting, as otherwise intelligent people say and do stupid things when Mercury is retrograde.

But what about more serious circumstances? Let’s say your significant other comes home one day, says he (or she) has been living a lie, needs space to go find himself, and is moving out. You consult your astrologer and find out that Pluto is crossing his Ascendant. Or what if you find out that your partner has been having an affair behind your back? You look at his chart and see that Neptune is exactly square his Moon.

Would you forgive these behaviors if you knew that a difficult planetary transit was behind it?

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Pat

Aries New Moon – March 26, 2009

New Moon in Aries The New Moon on March 26 at 6°08′ Aries is the first lunation of the astrological new year. With a stellium in Aries consisting of the Sun, Moon, Mercury, and Venus, we definitely get a sense that it’s time to get off our collective duffs and go for it!

The most important aspect to the luminaries is a square from Pluto in Capricorn. The square, or 90° aspect, is often regarded in a negative light, but it often presents us with opportunities to discern what is really happening. Bernadette Brady, in her book “Predictive Astrology, The Eagle and the Lark,” describes a square as forcing action in new areas and making it impossible to blame anybody effectively, so results stimulate actions rather than decisions.

In the case of the square between Aries and Capricorn – both cardinal signs with very different styles for taking action – Aries may have to acknowledge that it’s better to think before acting, while Capricorn must see the value in taking a risk now and then. We are at the very beginning of Pluto’s journey through Capricorn, and this New Moon is not only the beginning of the astrological new year but the first one activating Pluto. The issues brought to the surface now, both collectively and personally, are those we will be asked to work on for quite some time.

With both Mercury and Venus conjoining the New Moon, it would appear we will be called on account for snap decisions regarding values. In fact, the process of learning what is truly valuable in our lives and letting go of the rest is very consistent with Pluto in Capricorn. Learning how to live better with less is going to be an ongoing theme, so we might as well start now!

Mars, who rules Aries, is in gentle, slippery Pisces and semi-sextile retrograde Venus in Aries. Aggressive behaviors will not be very effective now. Choosing tact, patience and an indirect approach will be rewarded. In other words, instead of yelling at someone who doesn’t agree with you, try responding by first acknowledging their right to feel the way they do. This is a common technique taught to front-desk people everywhere to defuse angry patrons and clients. After Mars moves into Aries on April 23, joining a direct Venus in Aries, asserting ourselves will get a lot simpler.

An interesting relationship in this chart is the inconjunct between Jupiter in Aquarius and Saturn in Virgo. An inconjunct is an aspect always seeking balance but never quite finding it. Say Jupiter is promoting a wonderful clean energy program, guaranteed to benefit many people. That sounds like it would appeal to Virgo’s eco-friendly side, but because Saturn is representing Virgo, it responds with, “How are we going to pay for this?” This type of discussion is taking place from the boardroom to the family room under the influence of this aspect.

Neptune and Chiron continue to travel closely together, in a waxing semi-sextile with Uranus in Pisces. It’s as if there is a bell tolling in the background reminding us of what is truly important: We live on a small, lovely planet and we need to work on respecting that fact instead of ignoring it. The time has come to set aside our differences and celebrate unity and life.

The Sabian symbol for the New Moon at 7 Aries is, “a man successfully expressing himself in two worlds at once”, with the keyword PROFICIENCY. The question here is what compromises have been made to achieve this level of success and at whose expense? If we are in a position of authority (Pluto in Capricorn), are we sharing the benefits of our success beyond our immediate family (New Moon)? A good, decent person I used to work for failed badly in this regard and is now suffering the consequences.

Whenever Pluto aspects a New or Full Moon, it’s a good time to take stock of our obsessions and unreasonable expectations. This hasn’t happened since the New Moon in Capricorn in late December, so we may need a reminder to peel our fingers off of whomever or whatever we’ve become overly attached to. In this time of new beginnings, it is more important than ever to give each other room to breathe and grow.

posted by Neith . . .

**Please read Pat’s weekly forecast for this week, March 23, for her thoughts about this curious week.

Of course, today is the day to write your New Moon abundance checks! Here’s how.

Weekly Forecast March 23: New Moon in Aries

It would seem that with so much focus on Aries this week, we should feel an energy shift. However, I’m not banking on it.

Despite appearances, we’re still solidly in the Aquarius-Pisces field, and those of you who have been reporting jitters probably won’t feel a whole lot different this week. Some circumstances may change, and there likely will be some interesting new developments at the New Moon. But overall, I believe we’re heading in the same direction we’ve been going for quite some time, and we’ll continue on this route for the foreseeable future.

Why do I say this, when we’ve got a New Moon, plus Mercury and Venus all in Aries this week? Aries is ruled by Mars, and Mars is still in Pisces, where he’ll remain until April 22. Venus is heading back into Pisces, too, where she’ll spend nearly two weeks at the fateful 29th degree as she ends her retrograde phase and returns direct.

For all of this week, the dominant energy is the mutual reception of Uranus in Pisces and Neptune in Aquarius. These two normally have very different agendas, but when they’re in each other’s signs, they’re forced to get to know each other and work together. This influence is at work in world affairs all the way down to our private lives. It’s perhaps easiest to detect in the news headlines, but if you look, you’ll find its imprint in your personal affairs as well.

Generally speaking, we’re struggling to maintain our individual presence and need to express what’s in our hearts while merging into a collective that may need something different from us than what we’d like to contribute. Think of it as a giant potluck. If everyone is asked to bring their best dish and they all are terrific bakers, we’d get nothing but dessert. That might sound fun, but a steady diet of sweets would make us all fat and sick. Some among the bakers are going to have to stretch and expand their repertoire.

Typically this is what happens in tough economic times. To stay employed, you may need to get a job doing something you don’t particularly like but that’s in demand. If you have a creative talent that you absolutely have to express, you may have to do it on the side until times are better. Although this might sound depressing, fitting into the collective in a different way could have lots of benefits for us personally that are hard to imagine right now.

Short-term aspects this week include a Sun-Pluto square on Monday. We’ll feel this edgy influence throughout the work week and possibly into the weekend. It’s normal to want to be left alone to do as we please, but this aspect demands that you account for your behavior and maybe your beliefs. Whatever you can’t justify, you will need to change. There won’t be any point in blaming anyone. This is a way to get you to make necessary changes. If you’re on the right track and doing the work, then this aspect shouldn’t register as much more than a blip on your radar screen.

On Wednesday, Mercury enters Aries, which should get us out of the fog zone, thank goddess. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a devil of a time staying focused. Turning thoughts into action should be easier now.

Thursday is the New Moon, in tight conjunction with retrograde Venus and a wide conjunction with Mercury. Neith will have more late tomorrow or early Tuesday, so watch this space for her full report.

The Sun conjoins Venus on Friday, and then Mercury crosses paths with the wayward planet of love on Saturday. President Obama is getting ready for a big diplomatic tour of Europe — hardly surprising, given that Venus was exactly on the Ascendant in Washington at the Aries ingress (Sun’s entrance into Aries). Let’s hope the talks don’t break down … although I can’t say I’m feeling terribly positive about this.

In our personal lives, we’ll have a chance to renew and strengthen old ties, but we’ll have to be ready for heavy doses of understanding and compromise. It won’t do any good to revive neglected relationships if you don’t plan on doing anything differently this time around.

Much love and courage to all …
Pat

Image: Power of association — daffodils, the quintessential sign of spring, in front of Big Ben, the quintessential symbol of London. Photo by Shaun Curry for Agence France-Presse.

Saturday Extra: Where Do We Start?

Did you notice that the first day of spring is early this year?

The dates of the equinoxes change from one year to the next, which means that the dates of the astrological Sun signs also change. If you’d like the scientific explanation of this phenomenon, there’s a great article on Live Science.

The equinoxes and solstices are the cusps of the four cardinal signs — Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. But the cusps of the other signs change, too, so if you were born around the dates when the signs change, you can’t rely on the dates given in newspaper horoscopes to get your correct Sun sign. Not that any our sophisticated readers would do such a thing, but I just thought I’d mention it, as this is a bit confusing.

For those born around the dates that the Sun changes signs, including the equinoxes and solstices, the only way to be sure of your Sun sign is to have your chart done. Fortunately, there are some good online astrology sites that let you do this for free. By far the best is the Swiss Astrodienst, which I highly recommend.

What if you were born on a day when the Sun changed signs? Hopefully, you know what time you were born. If not, you may want to get a chart rectification, a technique astrologers use to try to determine or fine-tune birth times. Then you will need to test it over time to see if it corresponds to current transits.

Can you imagine going through you life thinking you’re a Libra, only to discover you’re really a Scorpio? Just think of the psychotherapy you’d need to undo that trauma …

Happy Equinox!

Pat

Image: Spring crocuses. Neith captured these little lovelies turning their faces up to the equinox sun yesterday. I found this bit of trivia on Wikipedia and thought it was appropriate: The financial community sometimes refers to companies or economic sectors that rise early after an economic downturn as “Crocuses” in reference to the flower’s ability to thrive in the late winter or early spring.

Ask Real Astrologers: Freaked Out by Pluto

This week’s question comes from Danae in Wellington, New Zealand:

I’ve been quietly freaking out re: this whole Pluto in Capricorn thing and how it affects me, especially the relationship I’m in at the moment — intense, to say the least. Any advice or insight on what’s in store? Although I must say, I am struggling in so many areas of my life at the moment. Am I doomed?

Pat’s response:

Danae, it does look like you are getting hit doubly hard by this Pluto transit, but it certainly does not mean you are doomed!

Pluto currently is opposite your Sun in Cancer, although he will not form an exact opposition until next January. He’s about to go retrograde and will back off from your Sun until then. Still, he’s too close for comfort, and you apparently are feeling this.

The good news is that, unlike some Pluto transits, you do have a large degree of control over a Pluto-Sun opposition. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to ruthlessly monitor your own behavior to make sure that you are not trying to force other people to live on your terms. We can fool ourselves into thinking it’s “for their own good,” but more often than not, it’s because we want to remain in control, for whatever reason. Sometimes this transit can work the other way around — in other words, someone is trying to force you into their box. In this case, your job is to fight back, but in a way that allows you both free expression of your life purpose and highest potential.

Pluto also is creeping up on your Descendant, which is the beginning of the seventh house of intimate relationships. He’s currently a couple of degrees away, and once he turns retrograde, he’ll back way off and won’t cross your Descendant until 2011. However, you gave your birth time as exactly on the hour, and it’s rare to be born that punctually. I’m wondering whether you may have been born a few minutes before the hour. If so, Pluto indeed may be crossing your Descendant, which indicates that relationship issues are coming to a head.

Astrologers can use this kind of information to do chart rectification, a technique for determining your exact birth time. Unfortunately, in your case, Pluto opposite your Sun mimics some of the effects of Pluto crossing the Descendant, so we’d have to look for other clues.

In any case, there’s no need to freak out. This is a power transit, so use it wisely!

Neith’s response:

Danae, I’m going to respond with some thoughts about your relationship and the synastry aspects I believe are the source of the most contention.

As you may know, Pluto in Libra is square your natal Mercury in Cancer, bringing all his usual control issues and inclination to be obsessive with him. So when your sweetie’s Pluto is within a couple degrees of yours, his Pluto reinforces what is already happening in your chart.

Sure, his Pluto is exactly sextile your Venus in Leo – very good for passionate encounters – but his Saturn is also conjunct your Venus. This can result in a lot of mixed signals coming your way. On one hand, he obviously finds you very desirable, while on the other, he may be uncomfortable with your style. Venus in Leo does go for eye-catching after all. Your Pluto also falls right in there with his natal Pluto-Mars conjunction, adding to the powerful draw between you.

The question I have for you is this: what expectations do you and he have regarding this relationship and each other, and what expectations do you have of yourself? If you two can clearly define what’s going on here and continue to practice being as open as possible with each other, it will help! And I will add my usual caveat regarding Pluto, which is to work on detachment – always.

I would like to add, Danae, your overall synastry with this man is not bad at all. Good luck!

Real Astrologers Poll: What ‘Caused’ This Accident?

A friend called last week to catch up and mentioned that he’d hurt himself chopping wood. He’d been cutting up a tree with a chainsaw, and as he was cutting off the last small branch, it flew up and hit him between the eyes, leaving a fairly deep gash.

“Pat, it was really stupid,” he said.

“Did it knock any sense into you?” I asked.

“None that I could tell.”

Of course, being an astrologer, the first thing I did after we hung up was to look at his chart. This happened the day of the Full Moon, which was highly charged, so I figured that was the end of it. However, I saw at least four other possible explanations and started laughing, because I knew that five different astrologers would find five different “causes.”

Many of you have a fairly sophisticated knowledge of astrology, so I thought it would be fun to ask you which explanation fits the best — remembering, of course, that the planets don’t “cause” anything to happen but are indicators of the forces at work in our lives. Since the full explanations are too long to fit into the poll text, I put them below.

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Explanation #1: It was the Full Moon, which triggered the Saturn-Uranus opposition on his third and ninth house cusps.
Explanation #2: Transiting Mars was opposite his natal Pluto by less than 2 degrees.
Explanation #3: Transiting Mars triggered his natal T-square in the fixed signs (Moon in Taurus, Pluto in Leo, and Saturn in Scorpio).
Explanation #4: Venus was retrograde in Aries, which rules the head, in an exact square with his natal Mercury, which rules small appliances. Moreover, Venus is transiting his ninth house, which is associated with trees and the outdoors.
Explanation #5: Pluto is exactly conjunct his Sun at 3 degrees Capricorn.

Or maybe he just needed a good knock on the head? What do you think?

Love and blessings to all …
Pat

Wednesday afternoon upate: I ran into one of our readers on the street today and he said he didn’t vote because I didn’t include “all of the above.” If it had been all of the above, the chainsaw probably would have lept out of his hands and chopped him into bits, but if anyone else would like to answer “all of the above,” please leave a comment!

Weekly Forecast March 16: Spring Equinox

Statue of a ram from ancient Sumer We’ve had snow here three days in the past week, but the rhododendrons are budding, so spring has got to be on the way!

The big news this week, of course, is the spring equinox (fall for our many readers south of the equator). This is the moment that the Sun enters the sign of Aries, the first sign of the zodiac. It’s the beginning of the astrological year and time for new projects, fresh beginnings, renewed optimism … in short, getting off your butt and getting moving.

In theory, anyway. People everywhere are telling me that they are just plain tired. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of energy for new projects. Then, maybe a shift to Aries is what we all need to get some motivation and enthusiasm.

The equinox isn’t until Friday, so this actually is a great week for finishing up anything on your plate. I have a couple of projects that feel like great weights, and I’m going to make a concerted effort this week to get them done, once and for all.

Venus continues on her retrograde path, making this a good time to go back and focus on certain activities, particularly those involving relationships, money, or what we value. Questioning what you value could be a fruitful exercise in the next few weeks, especially if you’re having difficulty getting what you want. Do you really want it, and why? Are you getting it at the expense of what you hold dear?

Otherwise, there’s not a lot going on this week — which may turn out to be a good thing if you’re trying to get old stuff out of the way. You may feel a blip on Wednesday, when Mercury in Pisces opposes Saturn in Virgo, and another on Sunday, when Mercury conjoins Uranus (late Saturday in western time zones). Events associated with this alignment won’t necessarily be disruptive. To the contrary, you may get some great ideas for solutions to the issues you’ve been facing with the Saturn-Uranus opposition.

Also on Wednesday, Mars opposes Ceres, who has backed all the way up to the first degree of Virgo as she prepares to return direct in April. I’m still observing Ceres in individual charts and have to be honest with you that I’m not sure what this aspect will bring. I’d love to hear from you, especially if you’re a Virgo or have strong Virgo in your chart, if anything happens in your life around Wednesday that could be related to this aspect. Issues possibly related to Ceres include diet and digestion and how we serve others, whether formally through our jobs or informally through our day-to-day circumstances. With Mars opposing Ceres, we would expect some sort of flare-up in one of these areas. Examples might be a case of food poisoning or a severe allergic reaction to something you eat.

On Thursday (late Wednesday on the West Coast of the United States and points west), Mars sextiles Pluto. Unless this aspect hits personal planets or critical degrees in your chart, I doubt you’ll feel it. If it does make close contact, you should get some extra energy reserves to push forward with a pet project or plow through opposition. As always with Pluto, you need to make sure that your motivations aren’t purely selfish, or your efforts will backfire.