The Sun’s entrance into the zodiac sign of Aries on March 20 marks the start of a new astrological cycle. Centuries ago this is when the true new year began before it was changed to January 1 by the Romans. Nevertheless there is still an irrepressible feeling of fresh starts that fills the hearts and souls of Children of the Sun everywhere during the Spring Equinox. The Spring Equinox is when the Sun rises on a new season of hopeful launches, promising ventures, and maybe-this-time-things-will-work-out romances. This is you at your most optimistic, so you don’t want to undershoot the mark of play it safe. If anything you want to think big and paint on the largest canvas possible.
And that’s what you would have been doing had Mercury not turned retrograde on March 22. Mercury retrogrades are famous for introducing delays, postponements, and unexpected complications. It will feel as if everything you depend on for the smooth-running of your day – like your iPhone, car, computer, and even coffee maker – got together somewhere and decided to all go on the fritz at the same time. What starts out as a minor inconvenience grows to mammoth proportions on March 24 and March 29.
These are the days when the Sun will square Mars and Saturn in the sky. A Sun/Mars square almost always involves a battle of the wills and this will be taking place in that part of your solar chart that pertains to work. On March 24 you may find yourself going toe-to-toe with a colleague or supervisor who is dead set on giving you a hard time. Usually you’re pretty thick-skinned and good natured when it comes to these sorts of challenges but this time you really won’t have much patience for it. This could lead directly to a conflict with an authority on March 29. You may feel like you’re being set up to take the fall for something you didn’t create or maybe you feel like aforementioned colleague has this person’s ear and is poisoning the well. This could be the case. Or it could be a simple matter of misunderstandings. What if your colleague and superior are trying to push you to push yourself – which is why they’re being so demanding? Or what if these two people feel like you didn’t act in the most professional manner regarding a certain professional matter? Planetary squares have a tendency to raise issues that we aren’t all that comfortable with. They can feel combative, but they’re often aimed at self-improvement – especially when they involve Mars and Saturn.
April 1 is when the penny drops regarding a recent conversation or exchange. You might have felt a certain emotional distance slowly creep in with someone you’re usually on good terms with. Well, Mercury’s reverse direction past the Sun shows this person finally divulging what the problem is. And what’s said will catch you off guard. It’s important in times like these to not get defensive, to put hurt feelings aside, and to hear the other person out. Don’t listen for words you can use to turn the conversation in your favor; take in what’s being said. Chances are you did say something that was questionable and it would be a good idea for you to reflect on that. This is a real opportunity to learn, grow, and to make amends.
April 10 is another challenging day. This is when the Sun forms a square to Pluto in Capricorn and once again you will have to bend the knee at work. It’s a good time to question the advice you’re getting from people who aren’t involved in your situation. These may be well-meaning friends and associates who have your best interests in mind but it also looks like they are encouraging you to say and do things that they would never do themselves. You have to be careful with advice like this because they may be right but the timing and the circumstances may be all together wrong. This is when you need to gauge for yourself how you want to proceed on a certain matter and whether or not it’s better to throw the battle in order to win the war.
April 18 is an extraordinary day. This is when your Ruling Planet the Sun conjoins Uranus, the planet of revolution and change, for the last time in Aries. And this is a big deal because these two planets won’t come together again at this point for another 84 years! You may have noticed that the Spring is often a time of uncertainty; a time when you’re not always sure if you’re on the verge of a breakdown or a breakthrough. Well, the same will hold true for today – but given that Mercury came out of retrograde on April 15, it’s more likely that this will herald a breakthrough. This is when you’ll experience a major coup, triumph, or upset that goes in your favor. It will be tremendous and worth all of the aggravation you’ve experienced lately. This is also when you receive good news from someplace faraway that’s either out of state or out of country.
That said, your Ruling Planet the Sun changes signs on April 19. Be sure to check back here then to see what that means for you.