The Cosmic Story: Spring Equinox 2017

Spring Equinox, March 20, 2017 at 6:29am EDT.

Astrology tracks the archetypal energies, symbolized by the signs and planets, that shape our world.  They are constantly moving in cycles and shifting patterns and whether we call them vibrations, holograms, energy waves or synchronicities, they shape our reality.  These energies are neither good nor bad--they just are.  It's how we relate or react to them that makes all the difference.  Astrology gives us a heads up: if we look at our birth chart we can see how the present energies affect our birth energies. Since we are always growing and changing, knowing which energies we’ll be dancing with helps us co-create our lives rather than being victimized by our lives. Astrology helps us work with these energies in the most conscious, positive ways. So let’s look at the Spring Equinox chart to see what the next few months look like. 

 

The Spring Equinox occurs on Monday, March 20, 2017 at 3:29am PDT/ 6:29am EDT/ 10:29am GMT, when the Sun rises above the equator and enters the sign of Aries. Aries is the archetypal fire of life energy that gets renewed in the Spring. Aries, the Ram, is a cardinal fire sign; fire is the divine spark of power and passion, the creative force of life. Cardinal fire means fire that wants to move and shake the world. So Aries is ready to explore new frontiers and make new beginnings. After the gentle flowing, dreamy energy of Pisces, the fire and excitement of Aries can make those dreams an outer reality. 

Spring Equinox, March 20, 2017

 

The Sun, Venus retrograde, Mercury and Uranus are in Aries. The Sun in Aries calls us to adventure. It’s time to explore and find out what we’re made of. Each new adventure adds to our ‘identity’ and gives us a sense of possibilities – I can do that! Aries wants to experience life on his own terms. And she wants to be free. 

Venus cycle (ending this March)

 

Venus' orbit does something amazing - every 7 1/2 years or so it forms a pentagram in the sky.  The pentagram contains the Golden Ratio and symbolizes the elements: air, earth, fire, water and spirit.  It is sacred to the Goddess in many traditions.  And because of her brightness, Venus is called both the Morning Star and the Evening Star.  I once saw Venus shining on the water on Christmas morning.  That's how bright and brilliant Venus can be.

Venus goes retrograde once every 18 months and during this phase the archetypal imperative is to take the journey to the Underworld and reclaim those parts of ourselves we’ve repressed and ignored.  Like Inanna’s descent to her sister Ereshkigal, we have to face the repressed loneliness, rage and despair within the psyche that our modern lifestyle can’t afford to acknowledge without breaking down. During this Venus retrograde, embrace your dark emotions, allow them their say, and come back up to the outer world knowing your value and worth. Since Venus retrogrades back into Pisces from Aries, the energy helps us align ourselves with our deepest spiritual values of truth, authenticity and wisdom. 

Marilyn Monroe had Venus in Aries. 

Venus retrograde in Aries is a force to be reckoned with. A daring, passionate, leader in Aries, Venus is more assertive and goal oriented, so watch for all the women coming forward as leaders in the coming years. ‘Western (awakened) women will change the world’ Dalai Lama. All things Venusian want to be renewed so that we are true to ourselves – so acknowledge your true feelings about love, sensuality and sex, fairness, compassion, the arts, beauty and your relationships to people and to money.

Venus turned retrograde on March 4^th – did you have an interesting dream since then? It will show you the areas of life that Venus wants to rehabilitate. Has some issue come up about your relationships or money? You might need to look at your Shadow. With U.S. Republicans wanting to defund the Arts, how can we make the Arts even more relevant to a fearful society? 

Venus has an 18 month cycle: when she is retrograde and close to the Earth, she begins a new cycle as a Morning Star and after 9 months meets up with the Sun on its far side to begin her journey as an Evening Star. As Venus descends in the western sky each night now, her bright light dims and she will disappear as she joins the Sun to start a new cycle on March 25^th. Being close to Earth makes Venus’ energy more powerful. which will give us a very feisty Aries Venus, ready to defend her world --the Women’s March on Washington was only the beginning. Women are awakening to our power and with this new Venus cycle, we will not be shut down or out. Don’t forget – self-care is a must now, so take Venus as your mentor. Venus turns direct on April 15 at 27* Pisces: A harvest Moon illumines a clear autumnal sky.

Mercury is orbiting out beyond the Sun, having just become an Evening Star after its conjunction with the Sun on March 6^th.  Mercury’s archetypal energy resonates with how we use our Minds: our ability to think rationally and perceive what our senses tell us. Mercury is the archetypal source of our intelligence and ability to communicate what we’re perceiving. With Mercury in Aries, our Mind quickens, often seeing things before anyone else does. An Aries Mercury is really intelligent, quick-thinking, fast-talking and often impatient to get his ideas out there or else move on to something new.  During this season, think outside-the-box and listen to the imagination since Mercury semi-sextiles Neptune in Pisces.  Let Mercury move between the inner and outer worlds since he is the Messenger of the Gods, so pay attention to your dreams now. Mercury enters Taurus on April 1^st, but it soon turns retrograde from April 10^th—May 3^rd and goes back into Aries where it will join up with Uranus at 25* Aries: The possibility to gain experience at two levels of Being.  Here's another indication of the possibility to evolve this Spring.

Green Man 

Mars, the ruler of Aries, is in grounded Taurus, ready to take up the hard tasks awaiting us.  Mars is our archetypal warrior energy, ready to protect and defend those who can't.  Mars grapples with issues, not giving up until he has understood what's needed.  Mars energy engages in life and does what is needed for life.  In Taurus, Mars becomes the Green Man, spirit of Nature and rebirth in the Spring. 

 Mars' only contact in this chart is with Venus in Aries; occupying each other’s signs helps us to integrate these energies of the divine feminine and divine masculine, our ‘being’ nature and our ‘doing’ nature. Mars, the Sun’s ruler, is determined to protect and defend the heart (Venus). It’s a good time to bring our values (Venus) and desires (Mars) into alignment with who we really are. Shake off the rules and manifest what you want. 

Uranus

 

Uranus is still engaged in its square to Pluto in Capricorn and its opposition to Jupiter in Libra. We feel compelled to stand up for our freedom and our beliefs as the old patriarchal structures try to assert themselves one last time before they die out. For it will die, one way or the other, as Pluto continues to bring up the dirt and hypocrisy of our cultural institutions. If anyone has planets from 19* – 25* Cancer, you will ground in the fourth leg of that T-Square, bringing big changes to your door. 

Saturn

 

The Moon at the Spring Equinox is in Sagittarius conjunct Saturn. On one hand, Moon/Saturn contacts can feel very depressed and rigid, limiting our ability to nurture ourselves. It can be an emotionally challenging time. On the other hand, when you make friends with Saturn’s limits and discipline, the Sagittarius Moon’s beliefs will grow stronger and over time, our emotional growth and resilience will stand us in good stead. Saturn needs time to ground things in so make sure you take some alone time when you need it.

Saturn conjunct the Moon is another sign that women leaders (Moon) are necessary for stability (Saturn). Both the Moon and Saturn form a fire trine to Uranus, making sure we stay stimulated yet stable. Planets from 23*- 29* Leo will make this a strong fire grand trine, creatively nourishing your new story. Saturn turns retrograde this year on April 6^th until August 26^th. This will be a time to strengthen your inner resolve.

The Saturn/Moon conjunction forms a waning square to the Aries Sun. This is a time to examine our beliefs and know what it is we value so we can bring them on our adventures. Will we grow into our power or try to hide under the covers? Everything is conspiring to wake us up to take charge of our lives. We don’t have to go into Fear (Saturn can bring that) when we read about what’s happening in our world; we can create a fear-free zone where our beliefs keep us grounded in the NOW. From there, we can plan our response to the changing world.

Saturn/Moon is also being challenged by Chiron in Pisces. Chiron was the mentor of heroes, the change agents of their world. He was especially known as a wise healer. In Pisces this energy wants to heal the rejected aspects of life that shelter in the Collective Unconscious/World Soul, working through the Arts, through compassion, through a reconnection to the cosmic laws of the universe. Chiron challenges the Sagittarius Moon/Saturn to heal our fears, strengthen our beliefs and take responsibility for our lives so we can really live our spiritual values. 

Jupiter

The Uranus opposition to Jupiter puts tremendous pressure on us to change. This is the big astrological aspect of the year. Jupiter’s archetypal energy expands and accelerates processes while Uranus’s archetypal energy works to awaken us to our freedom, undermining the status quo. While Jupiter is retrograde, meaning it’s close to Earth, its energy affects us strongly. All retrograde energies operate more strongly in the inner world. As we examine our inner life, Jupiter’s intuitive knowing wants to find the Shadow blocks and negative habits that keep us from having strong relationships. Jupiter in Libra is all about our relationships, so our social networks will also expand, but Uranus in Aries will only want to hook up with like-minded, awakened individuals. 

  

This year's Equinox chart shows us how the archetypal energy field continues the process of change and transformation, both in the world and within ourselves. The more we ‘know ourselves’ the easier it is to deal with the turmoil of the outer world changes we face. Both the Venus and Jupiter retrogrades are working to break up old behavior patterns around all our relationships -- personal and collective. This chart resonates to a freedom frequency -- the more we face repression in the outer world, the more freedom we need within.  We all chose on a soul level to be here at this time on Earth to help humanity’s initiation into higher consciousness, to help us be free. What is happening in the world is an adventure your spirit has chosen to take. Be courageous in the face of fear, be consistent with your spiritual practice and be creative in your thinking and responses. Because there is no stopping evolution.

Beginners -- Denise Levertov

Dedicated to the memory of Karen Silkwood and Eliot Gralla

“From too much love of living,
Hope and desire set free,
Even the weariest river
Winds somewhere to the sea—“

But we have only begun
To love the earth.

We have only begun
To imagine the fullness of life.

How could we tire of hope?
— so much is in bud.

How can desire fail?
— we have only begun

to imagine justice and mercy,
only begun to envision

how it might be
to live as siblings with beast and flower,
not as oppressors.

Surely our river
cannot already be hastening
into the sea of nonbeing?

Surely it cannot
drag, in the silt,
all that is innocent?

Not yet, not yet—
there is too much broken
that must be mended,

too much hurt we have done to each other
that cannot yet be forgiven.

We have only begun to know
the power that is in us if we would join
our solitudes in the communion of struggle.

So much is unfolding that must
complete its gesture,

so much is in bud.

~ Denise Levertov ~

(Candles in Babylon)

Cathy Pagano

Jungian Dreamworker

Wisdom Coach

Archetypal Astrologer

www.wisdom-of-astrology.com