The annual cycle of the zodiac begins anew with the solar month of Aries (March 20 – April 19/20). This initiation is the Spring Equinox when day and night hours equalize and the daylight again rules in the Northern Hemisphere. Everywhere we look for new life is bursting forth. Vegetation turns green again. The crocus blooms through the snow. Nature brings us cute baby animals and all species begin the dance of life.

This is the energy of Aries, the baby of the zodiac – instinctive action in any and all directions without forethought. This process of initiation or instinctive action creates reaction and reflection. This is how Aries learns. It is only after the fact that Aries understands the lesson and reasons why it acted as it did.

We all carry this instinctive energy to become, to evolve and grow. Life would be very calculating and boring without this impulse. Aries is a fire sign which relates to the element of spirit. It teaches us that the manifested comes from the un-manifest, or, energy creates matter. Aries is instinctive, spontaneous energy bursting forth into a new thought, new emotion and new first step.

All fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) need lots of freedom to allow the energy (spirit) to flow. Aries tends to want complete freedom under any and all circumstances. Yet unchecked energy or action needs feedback and reflection to focus and evolve. Aries learns this from Libra, its polar opposite on the zodiacal wheel.

Aries is ruled by Mars, the planet of instinctively acting upon our desires. This includes the desire to separate from That which created us and the desire to return to That which created us. Libra, ruled by Venus, gives us feedback on the effects of acting upon our desires. The twelve signs of the zodiac all have an opposite. Opposite signs attract each other. They also repel, complement and learn the greatest lessons from each other.

Aries/Mars is loosely known as masculine, active energy. Libra/Venus is loosely known as feminine, passive energy. Together they learn to dance as do all the zodiac polarities. Aries initiates to see what may come back. Libra waits for the action to show up. Together they teach each other to balance the give and take of love which both signs must learn to do. The Evolutionary Astrology mantra for Aries is: I initiate with consideration of others.

One of nature’s most common symbols is the circle. It has no beginning or end so astrology creates one in the zodiacal wheel with Aries. Aries shows us that life always begins again. For every Pisces completion and death there follows an Aries initiation and rebirth. These natural laws are most observable in nature itself through the cycles of the seasons and the activity of animals. There is birth, growth, bloom, decay and death. Repeat.

Humans live via the same laws although with all our modernization we can forget this easily and distort or manipulate our environment. The Pisces-to-Aries path on the circle teaches us reincarnation. Our souls come back again and again to begin anew and continue our lessons. This is why we will observe the little souls who come in with their own unique personalities and desires with which we seem to resonate. Like the children, we too get as many chances (lives) as we need to evolve and perfect.

This idea or observation of reincarnation in natural laws can help us understand and ease the pain of losing our loved ones. It is not over. We are just experiencing the revolving door to start another circle elsewhere. We shall meet again. We all know that energy of meeting someone for the first time and recognizing a deeper connection. We have all known each other before.

Aries is that effervescent optimism of new beginnings. Nature’s cycles allow humans to feel this way every spring. We get new beginnings all the time in each and every lifetime. We can learn from Aries and create new opportunities every time we choose. Our desire nature is strengthened in the springtime and Aries is the fiery energy we call upon again and again to grow and evolve.

The solar year starts off with intense activity during the first half of the month. Three planets, Mercury, Saturn and Pluto, change direction. Relationship issues will continue to be in the mix. We need to get feedback from others and yet intuit our own best directions. We will all be balancing time for self with the demands to interact in work and play.

The Sun makes a waning trine to Saturn retrograde on March 24/25 at 4/5 degrees Aries-Leo. Saturn is slowing down, almost at a standstill, getting ready to turn direct on April 5, so the Sun is in position to help us glimpse the new creative realities we desire. The waning trine brings manifestations in society. This can bring career opportunities, promotions and recognition.

We may need to balance our inner child with adult responsibilities. It is allowing both to exist rather than choosing one over the other. Strive for openness and flexibility in new directions. Mercury turns direct today as well and it will add to the changes in the air.

Then Venus makes a waxing square to Jupiter on March 25 at 18/19 degrees Aquarius-Scorpio. We might have certain ideas about what we want and the weekend requires adaptability. These two planets usually get along quite well, however this aspect will test things. It will also reveal any areas of insecurity that hold us back when it is time to move forward.

The repeating theme is honesty about what is really important to us. Then we need to move in those directions and not let the excitement of Aries scatter our focus. If anything needs realignment, Aquarius (and Mercury stationary direct) will make things known.

Watch out for any demands made upon you and vise versa. This is where our insecurities are trying to manipulate things. Detach and make an effort to look at things from someone else’s point of view. Then trust your gut with the next move.

Mercury goes stationary direct on March 25 as well at 13/14 degrees Pisces. This can bring intuitive hits all over the place. All the planetary activity this day may require extra time for communications. Mercury direct tends to mean we can actually hear what is being said.

However with Mercury in Pisces it may be best to follow through and state the words just to make sure. If we have been tuning out our relationship lessons, Mercury direct may surprise us with new realities and understandings. Anger may surface. It is the message of our own denials so watch those projections onto others.

Take time to slow down and center this weekend. We may want to go charging off in certain directions that upon reflection we regret. Whatever is highest and best for us will not disappear. Mercury in Pisces may still need to bring about some closures before we go full steam ahead. Take time to communicate about whatever is arising in your relationships.

We may also find ourselves facing old victimization patterns that Mercury stationary direct (with Sun in Aries) would like to release. In reality there are no victims, it is more like unconscious choices and energizing. Accept complete responsibility for your life, and then claim your power to change it. Just making a decision in that direction can create all kinds of intuitive thoughts on how to change things.

Mercury will easily race through Pisces and catch up to Sun in Aries. Take time to feel what is right for you as the ideas race through your head. The emotional body is always the bridge to manifestations.

Mars makes a waxing trine to Neptune on March 25 at 18/19 degrees Gemini-Aquarius. Mars and Venus dance with Neptune before the weekend is over. Mercury stationary direct in Pisces (ruled by Neptune) can bring deep relationship issues up to the surface. Make an effort to be as honest as possible.

Mars wants to be in charge and take center stage. We want our partners to read our minds and meet our demands. It might help to give as you wish to receive. This is a weekend for major breakthroughs in relationships. There needs to be some kind of balancing act between talking things through and action.

If you have spent Mercury retrograde in endless conversations, it may be time to act. Your next relationship step has been revealed. If you have been avoiding conversation about certain areas, it may be time to spit it out. Honesty is always the best policy. Truth, even if it hurts in the moment, always feels better in the long run.

Watch out for tendencies to jump to conclusions. Take time to really listen.

Venus makes a conjunction to Neptune on March 25/26 at 18/19 degrees Aquarius. We may find our ideals are not the realities of our life. Illusions may be revealed. Whatever the circumstances, relationships are evolving. The goal is to spiritualize them. This means deepening our own relationship to Source before it can manifest in our human relationships.

Venus-Neptune is learning to love God/Goddess and it happens through self-love. We can only let God/Goddess in to the degree that we love our self. This then becomes the degree to which we can give and receive love with others. When souls understand that a relationship with Source is the key to every other relationship, monumental changes can happen.

In westernized societies, this usually means releasing co-dependencies in a variety of ways. The most loving relationships in the world still need to be based upon self-reliance. Every annual Venus-Neptune conjunction in Aquarius this decade initiates another cycle of objectivity in love. Face the reality of your circumstances in all your relationships and strive to grow from there.

Venus makes the third and final waning trine to Mars on March 26 at 19/20 degrees Aquarius-Gemini. As Neptune (via Mercury stationary direct in Pisces) reveals the deep undercurrents in our lives, Venus and Mars get to decide what to do with these revelations. The third time is the charm. What was happening in your relationships November 17, 2005 and January 23, 2006 during the first two waning trines in Capricorn-Taurus? What were the control games or stubbornness issues?

Now is the time for resolutions. This is the last of the aspects from the Venus retrograde cycle. We have clarity on our relationship needs. Now we are figuring out what works best for us. Whereas the first two Venus-Mars waning trines were quite security oriented, this time we are ready to go with the changes. Talk it out as best as possible. Yet understand change is the bottom line.

This is an intense weekend. We have all wanted to bust out in some way. Energy is needed to slow down a moment and breathe. Get in touch with your emotional body. Listen to what others have to say. Then trust your own intuition and move forward in the directions that feel best for you.

A few days later Pluto turns stationary retrograde for the next five months on March 29 at 26/27 degrees Sagittarius. Its annual retro cycle ends on September 4 at 24/25degrees Sag. Old desires are ready to be released in order to figure out new directions and desires over the next five months. Through this decade and the next, Pluto is beginning its annual cycle of reviewing our desires close to the Spring Equinox (Sun in Aries) when all we want to do is leap ahead with these new ideas.

Just understand the revolving door and the spiraling circle of out with the old and in with the new. What desires (perhaps of a separating nature) are no longer serving you? What desires have served their purpose and now may be at a natural ending? The tendency all souls must face is recycling old desires that give us security yet keep us stuck in old patterning.

Pluto (our soul) will have the last word when tested by ego. Whatever is no longer highest and best for our souls will be removed when Pluto turns retro. Pluto stationary retrograde is a time for glimpsing our returning desires. Let Sun in Aries intuit this and initiate action in those directions.

2006 is the year Pluto first transits over the spot in the tropical zodiac that looks toward the center of our Milky Way galaxy. It is commonly called the Galactic Center. Just like the Sun is the center of our solar system, the Galactic Center is the point toward the middle of our local galaxy. It is a power point.

The Galactic Center slowly moves, however, for the foreseeable future (this lifetime) it is 26/27 degrees Sagittarius. This is the point Pluto will be crossing back and forth over for the next two years. The potential is for humanity to get in touch with a deeper spiritual nature, and even a return to more natural spiritual laws and principles. It is that momentary alignment and direct connection we yearn for with the returning desires. It is a time to quest for your direct link to your higher self, and Universal Source.

Another possibility is increasing distortions by those who think their god is the only god, and anything not in agreement must be obliterated. These are the distortions from natural laws (separation is an illusion) that are being exposed on the planet today. However, humans have the freedom to choose either way so the times ahead may be quite interesting.

The point to remember is that your free choice allows you to energize that which you wish to see. What you energize you will create. Diversity has always existed. Utilize this Pluto stationary retrograde to empower/energize your returning desires and you will gravitate to others doing the same.

The day Pluto turns retrograde, March 29, we also have a Solar Eclipse at 8/9 degrees Aries. This is another strong time period. It can seem like Sun in Aries is starting off with those famous bangs and bursts. Pluto was making a square to both the Sun and Moon during their Lunar Eclipse March 14 at 24/25 degrees Pisces-Virgo. We started this Eclipse season with the Moon in Virgo on its South Node in Libra, exposing our vicimizations and victorizations.

Eclipses are emotionally-based, and so is Pluto the soul. Whatever has been below the surface emotionally continues to come up and out, perhaps with a bit of fire. Breathe. It is a deep, deep natural desire to be secure. This month can seem like anything but that. It then creates the lesson to search for more inwardly-based security.

This Solar Eclipse is on the Moon’s North Node in Aries. We are all searching for new emotions, new emotional securities and new beginnings. Pluto can be sparking all kinds of insecurities. The aspects of last weekend will involve emotional securities around our relationships. As always, and with Aries, the relationship we have with our self is the most important one. Then we balance relationships with others.

This is a time period for new beginnings. Eclipses can sometimes short-circuit the energies. Eclipses mean we get to try again emotionally with however we are striving to create. There is as much energy in our effort as any results. Allow your self the freedom of a newborn to explore whatever feels right for you.

Venus makes a waxing sextile to Pluto retro on April 2 at 26/27 degrees Aquarius-Sagittarius. This is another dose of grasping our evolving essential needs and making an attempt to grow in those directions. Pluto is into releasing old ideas and beliefs and Venus has opportunity to fill up the space with new ways of looking at things. This can easily be in the arena of relationships, or resources, or whatever desires are coming up.

Waxing sextiles are open energy that can be developed or resisted. Make that effort to take care of your own needs in whatever ways are revealed to you. Make an effort to detach and observe your world and where you best fit in.

Mercury makes the third and final waxing trine to Jupiter retrograde on April 4 at 17/18 degrees Pisces-Scorpio. The first two aspects were February19 and March 14. The rest of the solar month brings the final Mercury aspects to Jupiter, Pluto and Mars.

This can be a good time for mental realizations about the activities of the last few months. We are intuiting our emotional world and understanding how to go with the flow. We can emotionally resist here as well. Make the effort to communicate. It is a time where we can be heard and hear what others have been attempting to tell us.

However honor how things feel. If the words do not match your gut, manipulation is going on. Others may be in the midst of their own insecurities and trying to recreate yesterday. Those who are self-reliant can create some great connections at this time.

Saturn turns stationary direct on April 5 at 4/5 degrees Leo. This is the end of its annual retrograde cycle that started last November 22 at 11/12 degrees Leo. As with any planetary archetype or aspect, this can bring positive or negative manifestations.

The essence of Saturn direct is creating new realities from deeper levels of social maturation. If we have been ignoring self-responsibility, reality may be crashing through in ways we do not like. A job or relationship may end. Loved ones may leave, figuratively and literally. There is a lesson here to develop deeper levels of inner security so that the ebbs and flows of the world do not shake us up so much.

Some souls may find creative opportunities at this time. Saturn is learning to function in the physical world of space and time. Saturn allows us to achieve those goals we desire. As Pluto retro helps us throw off the old stuff, new desires and realities have a chance to come through.

If you find Saturn direct takes away things, reflect to see if they were really what was highest and best for you. Remember the circle of life and death is natural law. What gives us security is tested all through this solar month. Many times it is not what we think it is. Inner security is always better than the outer securities which come and go.

Saturn in Leo is bringing new creative desires and realities from July 2005 through September 2007. This is the completion of the first of two retrograde cycles in Leo. As we have reflected on what excites us in creating our world and creatively expressing ourselves in the world, we now get to go forward again bringing those ideas into manifestation. Remember that we must open up space (let go of the old) in order to move into these new manifestations.

Pluto retrograde and Saturn direct can combine into helping us through the revolving doors in some way. We get to release old desires that no longer serve us and move into new desires and realities that help us evolve and grow as human beings and spiritual beings. Mercury retrograde may have revealed some Piscean illusions for what they are – illusions. How is your world offering you opportunities to rebirth into new creative realities?

Venus enters Pisces on April 5 as well for the next four weeks. Saturn asks us to get real and Venus now wants to check out and dream. Actually we can blend the two and create our dreams. As Venus brings the last of the inner planets through the signs these days, we get to make sure “whatever” is what we really want. Venus is always asking us to get in touch with our needs.

Venus in Pisces can go for the big dreams and we can get hooked into believing this is what we really need and want. Saturn can be a friend now and help us keep our feet on the ground with what we can actually achieve from our dream world. This is good. Nothing is more disappointing than failing to achieve what we desire, especially desires that are so pie-in-the-sky we get to cling to our excuses for not being real.

Venus in Pisces is like a Venus-Neptune aspect. We reach for ideal love. This too can be disappointing when those we love fall off the pedestals we put them on. Allow Venus to help you find unconditional love, compassionate love for all. It is a start in healing the world by learning to love instead of hate.

However unconditional love is not the religious “selfless” love that gives our power away and allows others (outside sources of power) to control us. It is full of self in healthy ways that gives and receives love on an equal basis. We still get to say no when necessary. Equality of love has an ebb and flow, yet maintains an overall balance of giving and receiving. These are the lessons of Venus in compassionate Pisces.

We may also find some old ways of loving are reaching an end now. Let Venus help you bring about healthy closures so that when Venus enters Aries the new beginnings are healthier.

Mars makes an opposition to Pluto retrograde on April 8 at 26/27 degrees Gemini-Sagittarius. Here are the manifestations of our desires, or, the releasing of desires no longer serving us. Mars is the leading edge of our conscious desires, both of a separating (from Source) and returning nature. Pluto is our unconscious desires, or the deepest desires within our soul, both separating and returning.

Any interaction between these two planets changes our desire nature. In this case, the opposition aspect, we may find our self in conflict between what we think we want and what is really best for our soul. When we are in alignment with our deepest desires, manifestations can occur. When we have been fooling ourselves, Pluto can rip things away.

Pluto is just starting its five-month retro cycle so that could be the picture here. We could be achieving some of our desires and find the manifestation doesn’t mean what we thought it would. As both Mars and Pluto are interacting three times each with Mercury in Pisces during its retro cycle, clarity about our desire nature is in process.

We all have dreams and desires. Sometimes they are beautiful and achievable. Sometimes they are excuses for not facing reality. Sometimes they are “been there, done that” co-dependencies to yesterday. We have the ability to find out which desires are real and which desires no longer serve us this month.

Ask for Sagittarian honesty and clarity with your desires, and let Mars in Gemini make the necessary adjustments.

The Sun makes a waxing sextile to Neptune on April 9 at 19/20 degrees Aries-Aquarius. This can be inspiration from above. Even with all the appearance of chaos this month, we still have the strong renewals during spring, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. This gives us hope.

Aries can be a sign of optimism with its new beginnings. It gives us the ability to look at the same things differently. Make the effort to do so with this aspect. Strive for a broader point of view and understanding of the world around you. Look for a new beginning.

The Full Moon of Libra is April 13 at 23/24 degrees Aries-Libra. This is an annual Full Moon of self versus relationships. We all feel the energy of renewing ourselves and feeding our soul. Its all about me states Aries. The Full Moon of Libra reminds us that we do not operate in a vacuum. We must consider those we relate to in these new beginnings.

This Full Moon brings us lessons of equality in giving and receiving. It is that polarity lesson again. We need both independence and interrelating. We move forward best with consideration of others. It doesn’t mean allowing others to decide for us or control us. It does mean paying attention when we do the Aries initiation thing to see what comes back to us, and adjusting from there.

Honor your emotional journey and respect the emotional journey of those in relationship to you. Watch out for your own emotional co-dependencies as you help others become more emotionally self-reliant as well.

Mercury makes the third and final waxing square to Pluto retro on April 13 at 26/27 degrees Pisces-Sagittarius. The first two aspects were February 28 and March 4 at the same degree. The 26/27 degrees of mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces) are quite active this winter. Both Mercury (in Pisces) and Pluto (in Sagittarius) went retrograde there.

Three times we have been asked to look at thing differently, to stretch our ideas about evolving our desires. At the same time, we need to get real with what we know versus living in fantasy.

We have been asked to communicate our personal truth, and reach for deeper, broader levels of universal truth at the same time. Talk things through these days. Ask for honesty and give it back.

We are becoming a lot more aware of our desire nature. The effort is needed in releasing these old desires and allowing more returning (to God/Goddess) desires to surface and manifest. How can you be more loving to those you encounter in every area of life?

Mars enters Cancer on April 13 as well for the next seven weeks. There might be a little resistance here. Mars liked flexible Gemini after seven months in Taurus (during its retrograde cycle last fall). Now our desire nature must get in touch with our emotions and insecurities. This is not one of Mar’s favorite places, and yet, it is a necessary step along the zodiacal wheel.

Mars in Cancer makes a natural square to Aries, the sign Mars naturally rules. This brings up insecurities, the most common of which goes back to the original insecurities we felt upon birth – the separation from the womb. If it was a gentle time for us, we may not find Mars in Cancer so stressful. If the birthing process was harsh (very typical in modern times and facilities), we can have unconscious emotional insecurities surface as Mars enters Cancer.

This is where we need to utilize our conscious desire nature, Mars, and make the eternal effort to deeply love our self. It is one of the biggest lessons. Souls must learn to individualize and self-love before we can really reconnect with others, and Source, and realize we truly are all One.

So allow Mars to reveal your insecurities and make the repeated effort to love your self better in those areas. Cancer is learning emotional self-reliance. Regardless of your circumstances, you are the only one who will ever really meet your own emotional needs. Mars in Cancer can be free when we figure this out.

Mercury enters Aries on April 16 for almost three weeks. Mercury is moving full steam ahead again and catching up to the Sun. Ideas are sparking all over the place. Slow down and make an effort to complete your thoughts, and sentences. New ideas are almost always helpful with the security nature of our souls.

How can you look at everything in your life from a new perspective? What new opportunities are popping up? It may be a time to do the communication thing again. Just remember to listen as well. Equal time for speaking and listening.

The Sun makes a waxing trine to Pluto retro on April 16 as well at 26/27 degrees Aries-Sagittarius. This is the creative actualization of our desires. Here is where we can be in sync with achieving that which we desire. Enthusiasm can work both ways with the trine aspects. We may see beautiful manifestations in our lives.

However, Pluto retro could mean we are still releasing old desires. If so, Sun is able to understand why and move into new desires and directions. Either way, we can create excitement over things in our lives changing and growing. Let some Aries energy move you in a variety of directions as you create new Sag understandings in your soul.

Venus makes a conjunction to Uranus on April 18 at 13/14 degrees Pisces. This tends to be a love excitement love aspect. It works both ways – creating and ending relationships. Pisces may soften things up a bit, however, that can lead to projecting ideals outward. That can then create bigger Uranian shocks.

Venus-Uranus can expose the new ways we need to self-love. Utilize Pisces to help in that direction unconditionally. Again, Uranus in Pisces can just want to check out, and that can create bigger upsets when reality comes crashing through. Getting real with love is exactly what Venus and Uranus teach us to do.

The beginning of this solar month initiated new relationship beginnings and patterns. How are those things progressing as we get feedback from others? Get your feet on the ground with love. Then strive for more ideal ways of giving and receiving love. Listen to your emotional body as honoring those emotions can lessen any surprises from relationship partners checking out.

Mercury makes the third and final waning square to Mars on April 18 at 2/3 degrees Aries-Cancer. The first two waning squares took place in Aquarius-Taurus and Pisces-Gemini. It has been a long interaction between these two planets. Here is another reality check with our emotional insecurities again. What have you been holding on to?

As Mars has been getting in touch with our desire nature, Mercury is helping us let things go. Mercury is helping us process through whatever no longer makes sense in our lives. Work with the energies. Let old thought processes go and see if you can think in new ways. We learn it all the time. Let old passions go. It will be clear by now what is ready to be released.

Emotional self-reliance is the mode of action needed.

Finally Mercury makes a waning trine to Saturn on April 19 at 4/5 degrees Aries-Leo. Desires that are still working for us and serving a purpose can manifest here. Saturn in Leo is going forward again. This can be a time period for others to notice our creativity. This can spark us with even more ideas about life and work.

It still will be good to listen to the feedback coming in. We can be more open to with the waning trine. We can take on more self-responsibility, and this might lead to others giving us more to do as well. Those promotions at work and in social settings that make us feel worthy. How are you ready for your next level of social responsibilities?

Sun in Aries is coming to a close, yet ideas are still coming in. Find the networking with others to make your life happen. Be in the world, Saturn in Leo, that which you wish to see in the coming Aquarian Age world.

May God/Goddess bless you through Sun in Aries!