StarWatch
by James Jarvis, M.A. 
By adding the universal year 1999 (1+9+9+9 =28) to the 3rd month of March, we come up with the vibration of 31/4. The 31/4 month is a time for grounding and manifesting on the physical plane. The number four is all about producing tangible results in material form. By harnessing your creative energy (3) with a solid plan of action (1), you can make great strides toward manifesting your goals this month. Don’t forget that the number three is about having fun, so let yourself enjoy the process and create tangible, measurable progress.
March 1 Full moon in Virgo This month, we have two full moons (remember the old saying "once in a blue moon") on March 1 and March 31. The full moon in Virgo brings a strong awareness of the need to nurture and take care of ourselves. Focusing on diet, nutrition, mind/body awareness, and healing this month will bring powerful results. Use the positive qualities of Virgo, discernment and discrimination, to put your life and daily routine into increasingly coherent order. By being mindful about how you can make your daily life more streamlined and efficient now, you will be able to fully experience the balance, harmony, and peacefulness brought in by the full moon in Libra on March 31.
March 2 Mercury enters Aries Mercury journeys through the sign of Aries from March 2 until May 8. With Mercury in Aries, the spotlight is on creating a new reality for ourselves through our speaking. Mercury is associated with the throat, or fifth, chakra, which represents our communication abilities. The fifth chakra also governs how we use our will to create our reality through our thoughts and through speaking our truth. You could be the greatest thinker in the world, but no one would ever know that unless you opened your mouth!
With Mercury in Aries, the focus is on taking initiative and leadership in the arena of communication. What do you "stand" for? What is it that you have to communicate that will catalyze and empower others to act? What communications have you been putting off because of fear of what others would think? With Mercury in Aries, the emphasis is on being the spiritual warrior in all areas of communication.
March 10 Mercury retrograde Mercury goes retrograde on March 10 at 4 degrees Aries until April 2. Mercury retrogrades help us to see, through external events, at what level our Mercury function (or throat chakra) is operating. If our communication skills are lacking in any area, this will be more than apparent when Mercury goes retrograde.
Mercury retrograde is a call for greater impeccability in our lives in the areas of speaking, writing, self-expression, and following through on our word. In particular, Mercury’s retrograde in the sign of Aries helps us to more clearly articulate our vision so that we can cause it to be manifest in the world. By clearly stating (in written form, too!) what we want in terms of specific, measurable, tangible results during the retrograde period, we have a much greater chance of manifesting what we want when Mercury goes direct again on April 2.
March 13 Pluto retrograde On March 13, Pluto will begin its retrograde journey at 10 degrees Sagittarius, and will go direct again on August 19. Retrograde periods, or stations, are times to integrate the planetary function represented more fully in our lives. This is particularly true for those born early in the Pluto-in-Virgo generation (1957-1972), as transiting Pluto in Sagittarius is now squaring or moving into a square (90 degrees) with their natal Pluto in Virgo.
Transiting Pluto squaring its natal position brings on a process of deep psychological change and transformation. Pluto rules the shadow side of us, and when it squares itself by transit, it brings out whatever is seething in us underneath the surface. In many ways, the Pluto square represents a purification process, wherein we can eliminate emotional and psychological toxins held in the body.
Even if you’re not as personally affected as the Pluto-in-Virgo folks are, the Pluto retrograde will eventually square (90 degrees) any planets that you have in early degrees of Virgo or Pisces and oppose (180 degrees) any planets in early Gemini. This Pluto retrograde period may be an appropriate time to look at how powerful you are feeling in your life. It may also be a time to discover and integrate how you can increase your sense of personal power into more areas of your life. Pluto retrograde in Sagittarius is asking us to get out of the way so that the power of our inherent wisdom can freely channel through our being without restriction, judgment, or intellectualization.
March 18 Venus enters Taurus Venus journeys through the sign of Taurus from March 18-April 12. With Venus in Taurus, the focus is on loving your body and appreciating your sensuality. Oftentimes, it is difficult for us to really appreciate and inhabit our bodies because of all the mixed messages we get from our culture. At one point in our history, voluptuous bodies were highly regarded and thin was definitely not in! Now thin is very in, and so are clothes that totally hide our form. We are also given messages about how we should curtail and suppress our sexuality on one hand, but on the other hand we are constantly being bombarded by sexual images by the media. What’s a body to do?
What you can do this month is be kind to your body. Give your body the gift of massage, a relaxing hot tub, or a great hug session with your beloved or with your friends. Open your heart to loving and accepting your body just the way it is. Find out what sensuality means to you, and look at ways you can bring that more into your life. Learning to love our bodies is the fast road to high self-esteem. Make this a month of reacquainting yourself with your greatest and most supportive friend!
March 18 Mars retrograde Mars goes retrograde on March 18 and won’t go direct again until June 4. Mars retrogrades are times when we get to look at how consciously we use our energy and personal will. As I mentioned last month, with Mars in Scorpio, the focus of our energy and will is on the unconscious forces in our lives. While Mars is in Scorpio, we have the opportunity to explore our own intensity, passion, and power. As Mars moves backward once again, it will eventually move into the preceding sign of Libra on May 6. Use this retrograde period to integrate the diplomatic will of Mars in Libra with the raw power of Mars in Scorpio. If you have been overly focused on others’ needs (Mars in Libra), now is a time to pay attention to your own needs. On the other hand, if you have used strong will to dominate others (Mars in Scorpio), now is the time to learn to listen to the needs of others.
March 20 Sun enters Aries The sun moves into Aries, heralding the spring equinox of equal days and equal nights, at 5:46 p.m. The principle of Aries is initiation, germination, and emancipation. In the natural world, it is a time of sowing and germination. The seedling breaks out of the seed and makes its way through the soil to emancipation. The Aries principle is symbolized by the catalytic process and by acts of initiation and innovation. Our job during the sign of Aries is to spring into action in new and innovative ways, using our natural leadership and delegation skills to empower others to become involved in whatever we’re committed to. So save your "spring cleaning" for fall, when you are going to be inside and use the Aries energy to catalyze yourself and others into action.
March 25-April 2 Jupiter trine Pluto Jupiter in Aries will be in positive relationship to Pluto in Sagittarius for the next week. This is a very expansive transit, as Jupiter is the planet representing expansion of consciousness and Pluto is the planet representing collective will. The two together represent what I call "invincible will." This transit could represent a positive shifting and upliftment of mass consciousness. Collectively, it is a time when we are being asked to mobilize our will to serve the higher good of all. Individually, this is a great time to focus on any large project that requires us to inspire and mobilize others into action.
March 27-April 15 Saturn square Neptune When Saturn, the planet representing form, structure, and consolidation, is in challenging relationship with Neptune, the planet representing our ideal vision, we have an opportunity to ground our vision and bring it down to earth. The challenge of this transit is to objectively and realistically assess the gap between our vision and reality. For some, this can be a sobering or depressing experience, particularly if the gap is rather large!
The best thing to do is to continue to hold your vision and come up with a realistic, down-to-earth plan to make your vision manifest. On a collective level, Saturn/Neptune represents the breaking up or dissolution of rigid structures and boundaries. We will probably see many new mergers of large corporations this spring, as the boundaries among companies, countries, and global economies become less distinct.
James Jarvis, M.A. is a master astrologer, career consultant, and personal and professional coach. He combines an M.A. in Transpersonal Counseling, 28 years’ experience with Eastern and metaphysical traditions, and 13 years coaching and motivating clients to develop their full potential. James will return to Seattle March 18-23 for individual consultations and to present the Spring Astrological Update with Michele Morgan on Sunday, March 21, 2:00-4:00 p.m. at East West Bookshop. For info or bookings call (206) 523-3726. All of James’ services are available via phone sessions or by mail. For a brochure of his services or to schedule phone or mail order consultations, call (831) 688-0574.
