We begin the week in the wake of both the Vernal Equinox and a New moon in Aries, spiriting in a new resolve to own our story and make of it what we’re able. But there are a couple more players set to take the stage, as both Pluto and Mars will be entering new signs this week, severely changing the mood with their own sets of challenges and demands.

The moon continues its course through Aries today, joining the Jupiter-Chiron conjunction in an effort to rise above past setbacks, defeats, and traumas. Jupiter and the Moon together in Aries both soothe us and cheer us on, a reassuring rally cap on our efforts. It’s a sample of the better parts of this solar month.

Then on Thursday 3/23, Pluto makes it momentous entrance into Aquarius. The following day, Friday 3/24, Mars will enter Cancer. These transits were reported on extensively in my Aries Season piece, but I will repost those sections below:

“Pluto enters Aquarius on 3/23. A huge deal!…and also not. A huge deal because Pluto takes roughly 12-30 years to change signs – huge variations due to his irregular orbit, but he’s always in a given sign for a generational-marker’s amount of time. Not a huge deal, because this is only an advanced preview: Pluto is going to go retrograde and will be back in Capricorn by early June, the sign it has occupied since 2008. He will not properly return to Aquarius for his true stay until early February on 2024. But! We’ve certainly got him for Aries Season, so let’s discuss some implications. Pluto represents what is obscured, hiding under the surface, whether because it is waiting to be discovered or because someone swept it under the rug. As such, Pluto often shows where power has accumulated, and where corruption is rife. Pluto may show us where the ‘bad guy’ is, and his stay in Saturn-ruled, earthy and acquisitive Capricorn certainly shed light on the harm that corporate greed does to mankind and to the planet.

“Aquarius is also Saturn-ruled, so systemic issues are likely to still be under the microscope. But because Aquarius is more cerebral and conceptual, so too are the powers that are being questioned. One can certainly imagine a luddite revival in the wake of all of this powerful AI, as well as the potential devastation wrought by other forms of technology; for example, many have been wary of the latent SNAFU that deep fakes may engender; if self-driving cars become a reality, many industries will suffer and unemployment levels will rise; one imagines some sort of reckoning in store for crypto culture, which does not seem to be going away, but whose market volatility keeps its place in financial society dubious; likewise, conversations around UBI may reemerge, with many questioning why work even still need be a thing; on perhaps the grimmest note, Taiwan’s importance as a leading manufacturer of the world’s microchips may pull others into efforts to save it from China’s military designs. In the immediate, the recent shake-up in the banking world, with three of the world’s major banks basically failing, will likely lead to some kind of sweeping reform after the Pluto ingress. Or perhaps, unrest around inaction on this matter. I’m not staking anything on it, just a hunch.“

“Meanwhile, Mars finally leaves Gemini and makes its ingress into Cancer on 3/25. While I’ve never been the biggest fan of Mars in Cancer, the sign where it classically is said to perform most poorly, it is sort of a nice change of pace. Mars has been in Gemini for an uncharacteristically long amount of time. Where he usually spends a couple of months in a sign, he has lived in Mercury’s house since late October due to a long retrograde period which took us into 2023“

“Anyway. In Cancer, Mars has a lunar tendency to absorb, but that often means absorption of abuse until a breaking point is reached, usually then unloading on those he feels comfortable with, which usually means the wrong person. There’s also a greater than normal tendency here to get frustrated and emotional in the course of problem-solving. It’s not all bad, though. The watery placement leads to more intuitive understanding and creative solutions at times. What’s more, early in his time in Cancer, Mars will make trines to Saturn and the South Node. Saturn’s influence is likely to yield greater focus and boundaries, while the South Node will help to discard anything that does not fit into the battle plan. The three also create what is known as a Grand Water Trine, meaning there will be a general abundance of that martially-oriented water in the skies. Mars will begin to outpace these friends in mid-April, where a square with Chiron may begin to pick at the layers of frustration around failings and insecurities, hopefully leading to therapeutic results.”

Thursday 3/23 and Friday 3/24 also bring us the moon’s movement through Taurus, where she will not only highlight Venus’ new position of strength, but also create a connection between she and Uranus by passing between them. This is a preview of their upcoming conjunction, which can start to be felt here and will become exact next week, on 3/30. Sudden cravings and changes in preference are likely, pleasant surprises, possibly some shocking and unnerving new connections. More on the conjunction next week.

Another key feature of the week is Mercury’s swift approach toward the Jupiter-Chiron conjunction in Aries.

“Mercury is running from Sun’s beams, and while thoughts and words may be taking on a more certain and assertive air, they may still end up muddled or overshadowed in the first days of the solar month. By 3/26, he will first catch up to Chiron, and then to Jupiter the following day – though it’s sort of the same difference, with Jupiter and Chiron being so closely conjunct. Consequently, while this does bring thoughts to insecurities and wounds, it also helps us reason around their resolution, and Jupiter’s influence may elevate and amplify messages received, lessons learned sinking in quite deeply.”

This may be a great help to those studying or otherwise seeking knowledge, to public speakers, to administrators or test takers, possibly to retailers, anyone looking to dare big and reap the rewards of Mercury’s realm. The moon’s movement through Gemini during the weekend should support this.

The moon will then enter Cacner and pass over Mars on Tuesday 3/28, highlighting the new positioning of our sterner planets, who may call for us to stay composed, get to work, and throw whatever does not belong into the trash. Another element of the Mars-Saturn trine may be finding outlets for emotional overflow, especially where aggression is concerned. That sort of thing can stagnate and drag down health. Better out than in.

Until next Hump Day!