Spring is around the corner (though it might not seem it right now), and with it, a call to get outside your comfort zone. We wake out of dreamy February into a busy month of new directions.
This March is bookended by two powerful full moons, on the 1st and 31st. Both full moons are getting amped up by selfish Mars, making for a flood of anger and some impulsive decision-making. The Virgo full moon on the 1st is a cranky one, drawing attention to the places in our relationships that are not working. The influence of confusing Neptune will incite dumb fights about whose fault it is that the there’s dishwasher scum on the drinking glasses and at least a day of moping with your head under the pillow because nothing feels right — or something along those lines.
On the 8th, big, friendly Jupiter, the planet of luck and learning, stations retrograde (he’ll stay in apparent backward motion through early July). During Jupiter’s long, annual retrograde, we turn inward to learn the difference between what we’re pursuing and what we really want. Jupiter retrograde in passionate Scorpio wants to free you up from the traps of boring safety; this period often takes away a precious achievement that’s actually holding you back. But, because Jupiter wants us to be happy, he’ll always provide an improved replacement. For example, the girl who’s been planning a tour with her constantly bickering bandmates will get a call that their management has dropped them — then a few weeks later she'll get an offer for a huge solo show.
This Jupiter retrograde is complicated by Mercury turning retrograde in Aries on the 22nd. Mercury retro’s effects show up as early as the 8th and will last through the end of April. Contrary to what the internet would have you believe, Mercury retrograde is, at worst, an inconvenience, causing us to make mistakes and overlook our errors. Expect mistakes, delays, and miscommunications in contracts, emails, your internet connect, conversations, meetings, traffic, drawing, maps, subway schedules, and airplane connections. All the same, it would be demented to avoid every Mercury activity (you would literally have to stay in your room with your eyes shut, hands tied behind your back, and not talk to anyone until May).
Mercury traveling retrograde in Aries means most oversights will happen as a result of rushing and forgetting to check in with others. Your best bet is to slow down and keep a book in your purse for when you inevitably have to wait an extra hour at the doctor’s office. In other words, prepare for surprise pockets of free time. The combined effect of Mercury and Jupiter Rx is to open interesting opportunities where we least expected them. A total babe will be peeking over your shoulder at your copy of Fire and Fury while awaiting a delayed flight or you’ll start an awesome fashion vlog while stuck in traffic in the back of your friend’s car.
Once the sun enters single-minded Aries on the 20th, it pays to pare down your schedule to only the activities that are most important. Shrug off the small losses and ask yourself what you’d do if you trusted your dreams. When beauty-making Venus connects with radical Uranus on the 28th, make the risk real by changing your look, leaving a stale romance, or finding a uniquely you way to make money.
On the 31st, the full moon in rational Libra gets a shove from decisive Mars in Capricorn, which asks what skills you have that you’re not using. Full moons are messy, but makes them a great time to experiment, since there’s zero pressure to get it right. Be like an Aries: Get out there and try something new.
Pisces
February 19 to March 20
As your birthday season continues, Pisces, this is an astrologically excellent time to check in with what you hoped would happen last year versus what actually did. There’s always a gap between wishes and reality, and a lot of that is out of your control — not all of it, though. This month asks you to tune in with what you’re truly feeling and notice what people and situations make you feel unhappy or stressed. With that knowledge in hand, you’ll be able to set intentions for the coming year that have better odds of coming true.
The sun connects with your ruler, intuitive Neptune, on the 4th, inspiring a search for your true path in life. This short transit happens about once a year and can have a powerful impact on your energy over the year ahead. When the sun connects with Neptune, it’s not enough to get paid or be liked; you need to see how you're shaping your artistic inspiration, spiritual faith, and strong sympathy toward other human beings. That shape can be anything from a poetry-writing practice to making soundscapes to going on meditation retreats and volunteering at a homeless shelter. But your Neptunian sensitivity needs some kind of outlet, otherwise you’ll stay confused about what you want.
On the 5th and 6th, mental Mercury and peaceful Venus leave your sign and enter fast-moving Aries. Both planets will be in your second house of money and possessions throughout the month, tempting you to spend cash on whatever object or person you happen to fall in love with. Check where your bills are at in the first week of the month and write down any that you need to track. As Mercury slows in preparation to turn retrograde from the 8th to 22nd, expect issues with your credit and debit cards. Bill due dates will slip your mind and you’re likely to accidentally delete payment notifications. Having a system for keeping track of your bills that you can double-check will help a lot and can prevent the worst problems.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Aries
March 21 to April 19
Keep calm and roll with the unexpected, Aries.
Your strong drive is a gift when you know where you’re headed. Then, you power through obstacles to get what you want. When you can’t power through the obstacles, though, your frustration leads you to make bad decisions and say "no" just to get your way. This month, Mercury retrograde derails your plans and Jupiter retrograde pushes back, barring doors that were still open back in February. Your challenge is to handle your disappointment and come up with plans B and C.
With three planets in your first house of appearance and new experiences, March brings you new people, distractions, hair styles, and tests of your maturity. Mercury and Venus show up in your first house on the 5th and 6th of the month, speeding up the pace of your daily life and bringing constant back-and-forth with the people around you. You’ll be seeking mental stimulation — facts, gossip, and conversation — all month long and will have lots to say. Mercury in war-like Aries can also get you into arguments and pointless debate, especially if you’re feeling bored or irritated. Be discerning about what deserves your attention. Avoid your best friend’s uncle’s AR-15-loving Facebook feed if you know it’s going to piss you off, and don’t approach that girl at the bus stop just to tell her her hair looks like crap.
Mercury will be retrograde in your first house, making all your actions and decisions subject to review. Make sure any trips you plan are refundable, remember a bad haircut isn’t the end of the world, and take a deep breath before you say anything you might regret. Delays and obstacles are temporary, so just handle yourself in a way you’ll feel good about later.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Taurus
April 20 to May 20
Chin up, Taurus. You made it through the tough part.
February saw a number of unrealistic transits, showing up as people over-promising (then reneging) and friends falling short on their commitments. Despite the typical Mercury retrograde nuisances, March is, overall, a Taurus-friendly month.
The full moon on the 1st falls in your fifth house of love, creativity, and play, encouraging you to let your inner kid express its true feelings. In a last blast of February’s confusion, the sun crosses Neptune on the 4th, causing temporary but intense longing to be seen by your friends as your true, best self. On the 5th and 6th, Mercury and your ruling planet, rational Venus, enter your 12th house of dreams and solitude. This monkish transit rewards time spent alone in a room of your own, writing and reflecting. With Venus and Mercury more or less on top of each other through the 22nd, you’ll be more connected than usual to the beauty of language and you might actually enjoy the process of finding the right one. Open up your dream journal, write some poems, or immerse yourself in a fan fiction epic online. Reading can be just as rewarding as writing, so make space late at night or early in the morning for musing over the pages of a book.
Jupiter turns retrograde in your seventh house on the 8th, which means you may be due for a falling out in one of your closest relationships — or an end to a long conflict with someone you dislike. On a less drastic note, Jupiter retrograde can also free you from a crappy pattern in a relationship (like the way you and your sweetie are always criticising each other). The end of the cycle will be scary, but a new, more meaningful way of relating follows close behind.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Gemini
May 21 to June 20
This month, you’re clear-headed and ready for what’s coming, Gemini.
The full moon in Virgo on March 1 touches off your natal sun from your fourth house of home, producing squabbles at home and irritation with your housemates and family. Discuss chores, late night noise, and whatever else is getting under your skin. It will make your home a nicer place to be.
On the 5th, Mercury, your ruling planet, enters your 11th house of friendship and groups, filling your schedule with parties, club nights, and hangouts. Mercury is snuggling up to social Venus until the 22nd, meaning that even boring people will have interesting conversation to contribute. Because Venus gets us to see situations from both sides, you’ll be more indecisive than usual, but for a better reason: By going back and forth between the pros and cons, you’re slowly arriving at a perfect balance.
The 11th house is also the home of our hopes and wishes for the future. So, expect to spend some time dreaming about trips you’d like to take, blogs you’d like to start, and where you want to be this time next decade. Mercury turning retrograde means you’re better off waiting a few months (if you can), though, to buy tickets for your ultimate friend-cation or scheduling a group retreat for your women’s hockey league. If you can’t wait, just assume that any plans are subject to snafus and that you might end up flaking.
An explosive full moon on the 31st happens in your fifth house of kids, love, and self-expression. Your feelings want to come out in a silly, dramatic way. Make a date with your sweetie, crush, or little one to go shout at the moon and beat your chests like Tarzan.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Cancer
June 21 to July 22
Are you invested in what you’re doing, Cancer, or just going through the motions?
The Virgo full moon on the 1st is in your third house of communication and will make you want to tweet out what you’re feeling, even if those emotions aren’t fully cooked. Listen to whatever words come out of your mouth or typing hand because they may be the key to what’s bugging you.
On the 8th, Jupiter turns retrograde in your fifth house of children, romance, and creativity, where it will stay for the next several months. What crushes, friendships, and babies(!) are holding you back, Cancer? Jupiter moving retrograde through the fifth house can bring rejection from the person you thought made you happy. On-again, off-again lovers say goodbye; exhausting nieces without set bedtimes turn 12 and don’t want a sitter anymore; and that tedious sculpture you’ve been building from plastic spoons in your living room collapses just when you were about to finish.
Use whatever falls down on you, Cancer, as a reason to check in with yourself. You may find you’re a lot less upset than you expected. Why’s that? What else will you spend your Saturdays doing now that your sister’s kid let you off the hook? What bigger, deeper, wilder impulse is inside you that wants to be set free?
The Pisces new moon on the 17th is a dreamy time to make a small start toward that alternative Saturday night activity. The Pisces moon is in harmonious relationship with your sun, putting your needs and desires on stable footing with each other. The month ends with another, even more emotional moon on the 31st. This one falls in your fourth house of family and nesting, making it a good rest spot to be alone in your private space, taking a break from others’ needs and demands.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Leo
July 23 to August 22
Listen to your subconscious for inspiration this month, Leo.
On March 4, the creative sun, your ruling planet, meets up with Neptune, the king of dreams. This magical combo tones down the sun’s drive to get attention — instead, it will long to turn intuition and compassion into a tangible project or product. Anything happening to the sun affects you strongly, and the whole first week of the month is a powerful time for you to hone in on your art, a work project, or a fun activity you want to lead.
The Neptune-sun meet-up happens in your eighth house of power, shared resources, and secrets, and the same spot will be reactivated by the Pisces new moon on the 17th. The key to your newfound inspiration is part of you that you’ve kept private — a love of lip-synching to Marilyn Manson, the grief you carry from the death of a friend, an inherited fortune, or a boatload of credit card debt. Your secret self holds your creative power. Get ready to take it out of the closet and put it on centre stage.
Mercury goes retrograde on March 22 in your ninth house of travel, publishing, and education (but you’ll be seeing its effects starting on the 8th). If you’re in school, quadruple-check your formatting and calculations on assignments. It goes without saying that this will not be an awesome time to buy plane tickets, but if you have to, think through your plans carefully first and get the kind of tickets you can change.
On the 8th, Jupiter is going retrograde in your fourth house of home. You may not be your usual wild, loud, fun self around your family for a little while. Chill alone in your apartment or bedroom with books and a journal to get closer to what you’re actually feeling. You’re growing a ton even if it doesn’t feel like it yet, and focusing on your feelings and needs will help you figure out where to go next.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Virgo
August 23 to September 22
You start the month energised thanks to a full moon in your sign on March 1. On March 5, your ruling planet, Mercury, enters Aries, speeding up your brain and shortening your attention span. Mercury will be in your eighth house of power and secrets from that point on, enticing you to be strategic, choosing words for maximum effect. A potent meet-up between Mercury and social Venus from the 4th through the 19th introduces the temptation of manipulation and the question of how far you’ll go to keep control of the flow of money and power in your relationships.
The real problem during this period is tunnel vision. With Mercury and Venus in self-centred Aries, you will be so focused on your own desires, you can easily forget who you’re harming in order to get your way.
Mercury’s retrograde period (beginning on the 8th and reaching full strength by the 22nd) will make it difficult to keep up a lie, because you’ll have to repeat it too many times to keep it straight. Logical processes suffer under Mercury retrograde, too, so you may not be playing it as smart as you think.
You’re calmest and most centred when you behave ethically and do what helps others. Jupiter turning retrograde in your third house of thought and communication is a reminder to speak from generosity and good, factual representation. If you don’t, disappointments will be sure to follow.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Libra
September 23 to October 22
Where would you put your creative energy if you took a break from being the designated support person?
The first week of March is coloured by a meet-up between Neptune, planet of compassion and imagination, and the sun, our celestial battery pack. These two planets will awaken a strong desire to devote yourself to an activity worthy of your highest inspirations. In the real world, this influence can make people want to be martyrs for others’ dreams, like the woman who pays the bills while her painter boyfriend stays home in his pyjamas making “masterpieces." Neptune is the patron planet of artists and social workers, so it’s worth considering which of your Libra personalities (the beauty-lover or the helper) you want to indulge. Either one of these can be positive, so long as it’s your choice. Don’t fall in the trap of sacrificing your personal time for a needy boss in the hopes that your co-workers will think you’re a good person.
Your ruling planet, rational Venus, spends much of this month in the company of verbal Mercury in your seventh house of partnerships. Your love of conversation comes to the fore, and you’ll likely spend as much of your workday chatting with your cubicle-mate. Your one-on-one relationships will be busier than usual, with messages and emails coming from your boo and bestie all day long.
Venus will be in Aries from the 6th on, making two major stops in the last week of the month. On the 23rd, a square to Pluto, planet of change and regeneration, brings up fears and jealousy and makes it extra important to speak directly about what you want. On the 28th, Venus meets up with radical Uranus, reminding you how much you love your independence. Both transits are fantastic for creativity, as they will tend to make you more willing to take risks.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Scorpio
October 23 to November 21
Challenges lie ahead but you have time to prepare, Scorpio.
Jupiter turning retrograde in your sign on the 8th is the most important event this month. Since October, your world has been opening up, with opportunities for travel, education, teaching, and to have your voice heard. Jupiter has also been freeing you from draining, codependent relationships and your own self-destructive secrets (whether you like it or not). As Jupiter turns retrograde, more chains burst their locks and you may find yourself feeling simultaneously more exposed and alive.
Jupiter is a boisterous, stomping presence (think of your favourite drunk friend) and his approach is not exactly subtle. Combine that with your watchful nature and you know you’ll see these changes coming. You can’t prevent them (why would you want to?), but you can prepare yourself with intense inner truthfulness and by maintaining a plan B. Where are you getting in your own way, Scorpio? What impulses do you indulge even though — or because — they hurt you? Jupiter will expose these areas to you if not also to the world, so you may as well do it first.
March’s other big Scorpio news comes on the 17th when your co-ruler, Mars, moves from Sagittarius, where he’s been since late January, into Capricorn, his favourite sign. Mars, the planet of strategy and strength, loves being in Capricorn, where he’s able to pursue his goals without the distraction of emotion. Although you’re an emo water sign, you, too, like to keep your feelings under control. As Mars enters Capricorn, your focus, determination, and patience increase and you are well-positioned to plan for a long-term win.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Sagittarius
November 22 to December 21
Step outside the noise and listen to your inner voice, Sag.
On the 4th, the creative sun meets up with enlightened Neptune in your fourth house of home, family, and instincts. From deep within you comes the urge to put your philosophies and beliefs into a form that others can benefit from. This may take the form of an act of kindness to a family member, like spending time with your estranged dad, or it could draw on your background, like serving a cultural meal so your friends can connect to your community’s values about food.
As Jupiter, your ruling planet, turns retrograde on the 8th, you move into several months of introversion and reflection. Jupiter will be retrograde in your 12th house of dreams and inner life. To learn and grow, you’ll need to get away to think, read, and write. The purpose of this transit is to understand yourself better. For you, that means opening yourself to new beliefs and ideas, especially if you’ve gotten so dogmatic you haven’t been able to learn. As important as alone time is, don’t isolate yourself. If you do, you’ll end up depressed and out of touch with reality.
On the 13th, Jupiter makes a harmonious connection with the sun, providing a confidence boost and bringing out your natural generosity. Giving money to a family member or cheering up your housemates will fill you with a sense of possibility and hope.
On the 20th, the sun entering battle-ready Aries turns your attention to romance, kids, and games. Celebrate spring with a goofy-yet-competitive game of basketball or pass your number to your number one crush. If it’s good enough for the birds and bees, why not you, too?
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Capricorn
December 22 to January 19
You're nobody’s fool, Cappy, but this month you may be tempted to act like one.
On the 5th and 6th, Mercury and Venus enter your fourth house of family and instincts. Home life gets busier and more social during this period. You will probably be spending your cozy time doing stacks of dishes, but that’s because the people you like best are kicking back in your living room all month. Friends are likely to drop by unannounced; since you’re no fan of surprises, preempt them by hosting dinner parties and brunches.
The big Capricorn news comes when impulsive Mars enters your sign on the 17th. Capricorn focuses and strengthens Mars’ wild energy, calming the planet down, while activating your sun. Mars brings out your competitive streak — and your ruthlessness. You’re not cruel (and don’t believe any astrologer who claims you are), but even on a good day, you can be so focused on your goals that you don't care what it takes to accomplish them. Mars' presence in your sign, combined with the sun joining Venus and Mercury in self-centred Aries on the 20th, can inspire some really dumb and asshole-ish decisions.
The difference between spontaneity and impulsiveness is whether your motivation is joy or anxiety and fear. As Mars activates your shadow side and Mercury retrograde ushers in epic miscommunications at home, weigh your temporary motivations with what you hope to gain in the long run.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Aquarius
January 20 to February 18
Interesting challenges lie up ahead this month, Aquarius, but you’ve got the wits and planning skills to handle ‘em.
Mercury and Venus enter Aries on March 5 and 6, moving into your third house of communication and thought. The pace of your daily life gets busy as hell, with constant messaging between your friends. As the influence of Mercury retrograde comes online on the 8th, a lot of those messages will be back-and-forths about miscommunications and second guesses about where and when you were supposed to meet. Video chat connections will be unreliable and, as with any Mercury retrograde, there will be bits of disappointing news to digest and tailor your plans around.
Since October, Jupiter has been in your 10th house of career, increasing your public recognition and ambition, and opening up exciting job possibilities. When the planet of freedom turns retrograde on the 8th, the cost of pursuing those possibilities becomes apparent. To get the awesome Jupiterian liberation, you have to set yourself free from the comfortable traps what’s socially acceptable. A career (or college major) you’re pursuing for the wrong reasons — because you’re friends are doing it or because it fits your self-image — will beg to be set aside.
Once you figure out what’s not working, you can start planning for what comes next. Base your observations on what’s changed (or newly changing) within you and you’ll be ready to make the plunge — quit the job, ditch your super-popular-yet-boring Instagram account — once the time is right.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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