NMR ISSUE 36

An Urban Wicca
Artemis
Astrological Forecast 36
Daddy Long Legs, Stork & Swallow
Editorial 36
Esoteric Symbology of the Tarot
Eve of Persephone
Gematria
Guidance vs. Thou Shalt
Letters 36
Never Again the Burnings?
Pysanky Spring
The Magical Flute VIII:
Year of Vision

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Astrological Forecast

March April, 1995

By Terry Lamb, M.A.

If you've made it to March, you're nearly through all the hoops that life has to present—for the moment. The hump that you had to get over came in mid-February. New issues present themselves in March and April, and the distractions of the ego take on a new form. You'll recall that January and February were characterized by new beginnings and by Mars energy, because Mars is traveling retrograde (an illusionary backward motion due to our not being the center of the universe—er, I mean, solar system).

Many of the things we encounter during Mar's retrograde are better taken with a strong dose of humor—providing that you are laughing at yourself. As we finish up the retrograde transit of Mars (due to end March 24th), we can bid a fond farewell to the lessons that Mars brings: those of the ego and the damage it causes. (See the last issue of NMR for details.) I say fond because Mars really is our friend if it can help us get to a place inside ourselves where we can resist the childish heart, which acts because it must, before it is wise and before it knows the right path. Often this is the only problem—we act before we have listened to all the messages which life has to present to us on the issue, before clarity has set in. If we can just wait—the hardest thing for the ego to do—just wait, the rest of life will take care of itself. This is not the waiting of procrastination, which is a fear-based prevention of action. Waiting is an open-minded non-action that is ready to act when clarity comes, when the right situation presents itself, and you know it is right. This leaves the way open for God/dess to operate in our lives—She is known for waiting until the last minute just to test us and make sure that the ego is fully disengaged.

This is a lesson that can be applied in any area of life. But when the lesson comes through Mars in some fashion, the response of the universe to your shift of consciousness comes quickly (so-called instant karma, you might say); while it can seem arduously slow with the other bodies. Resolving a Mars (or Jupiter) issue may take a single working and only a little bit of patience; while with the slower-moving planets, it may take several workings which bring about a successive refining and adjustment of your focus in order to achieve the ends you ultimately desire. Then the results only come after much patience—maybe years of it. This is the true nature of the tests of the outer planets. They deal with issues that we consider more important and paint the changes in our lives in vast brush strokes.

They are meant to bring to us, among other things, the experience of shock. Shock is a way that life forces us to let go of the ego. Its jarring impact brings us to our center, loosening the hold of attitude, expectation and belief. In fact, if our focus weren't tainted with these things of the ego, we wouldn't notice a shock at all.

These longer term, often shocking processes are what are uncovered as we enter March and proceed through April. Apply the lessons learned from Mars during the months of January and February to this time period and see if you weather the storm more felicitously.

March: Chaos and Conflict Clear

March begins explosively. Watch what happens in the world over these first few days of March (and last few of February), because the prevailing volatile energies tend to emerge in mass consciousness in a negative way. The bombing of the World Trade Center and the immolation of the Waco compound occurring at nearly the same time two years ago are events of the nature that can manifest now. Look at the world hot spots, if any of them have been heating up (Chechnya, Mexico), the events may be especially brutal now. If they have been cooling down (North Korea, Israel, Ireland, Bosnia), there may be reprisals from those resentful of the changes for the better, and there may be further progress toward improvement.

In our personal lives, these may be trying times as well. While most of us are surely more evolved than to use these energies in their most negative way, we may be pressed to take unwise actions. These are any actions that come out of haste, a desire for a quick-fix, negative emotion or lack of clarity (inner independence). Vanity (pride) and fear may be pervasive now.

The 1st begins with a new moon and an emphasis on relationships. The new moon in Pisces brings a month when we focus on spirituality, imagination and romance, and pine away for spring and the zest that Aries brings. It can also be a time of confusion and a desire to escape the real world, especially if we are not comfortable with the inner world of spirit. Expect the unexpected and expect a desire to get in touch with reality in relationships on the 1st and 2nd. You may be inspired to quick fixes on the first, but wisdom will prevail in actions taken on or after the 2nd if you are properly suspicious of the easy path.

The 3rd will be a day of a new perspective leading to action. The action taken may, however, be ill conceived and hasty, even volatile or (in world events) deadly. Temper your responses, as others may be irritable and trigger-happy. This is the time when things begun on or around November 20th begin to take shape. This shape may come in the form of an emerging problem or dilemma, or it may be a possible solution to issues that began to develop at that time. Either way, the efforts that will be required of you in this area are readily apparent.

On the 5th, a new yearly cycle begins which is associated with the use and development of structure in our lives. The lesson here is that if we apply ourselves to all areas of life with perseverance, patience and reticence, a gradual development will occur which will bring with it robust success.

After the 5th, we get a nine-day breather, in the sense that the planets do not pile on any more to deal with right now. However, the trends of this time run so deeply, that it may not feel like a breather. Blood may continue to run hot, although there are some opportunities for insight (the 7th and 8th), peace and resolution (the 9th through the 13th).

The 14th brings a culmination of awareness of issues surrounding health, illness and emotional/spiritual woundedness. Interdimensional contact may be possible at this time as well. The issues receiving focus here were begun September 7th and became more interesting on or around January 10th.

The full moon on the 16th continues the crescendo experience. The theme continues in the spiritual, inner-growth vein, yet we must rely on applying our instincts logically and practically at this time. This is a good time to come up with coherent answers to your life's burning issues. If you are dealing with long-term illness or health problems, you may find that you reach a new understanding, possibly even experience a breakthrough in healing, at this time and in the ensuing week. In the world around us, tales of epidemics may reach us, as the flu (or another collective illness) may peak at this time, or AIDS may be in the news.

In the 20th, the sun enters Aries and brings spring at last to the Northern Hemisphere. It is also the time of Eostar, the goddess of the Celts (the Saxon equivalent of Astarte), around whom revolved the Easter rituals celebrating the death of death—the rebirth/resurrection of the Sun God each spring. The spring equinox is a time to heed the elements of balance in your life, as the days and nights become equal in length, and to celebrate the upsurge of energy which accompanies the continued ascendancy of the light (Lord), as we enter the months of warmth and rapid growth. Aries represents a raw, unsatiated energy that reaches out for satisfaction in its quest for its own identity. Desire runs high during this month, as does vigor.

If confusion and impatience run rampant on the 21st through the 24th, I suppose you can blame it on the planets. (But are they the ones running around helter-skelter?) It's a good time to wait things out, or act if clarity emerges in your consciousness. Still, you should see the effects of confused action in the world around you at that time, with a sense of relief after the 24th. You can stick your head in the sand again regarding your use of Mars if you like; it won't be causing you so much trouble again for two years.

The 25th brings up weighty issues and fortunately an understanding of how to deal with them. It's a good day to sign contracts and other documents, especially if you pick the right time of day. This felicitous energy continues through the 26th, but relationship tensions build and may break on the 27th and 28th. Communication will end all in peace, however, and the month ends on a positive note.

April: Obstacles Require Perseverance and Build Strength

As of April 1st, if you feel as though you took a long walk off a short plank, you won't be alone. This isn't the first Jupiter retrograde you've been through (if you're old enough to read this), and it hopefully will not be your last. But for four months, the three E's—education, enterprise and expansion—will be out of your hands. They won't be on hold, you will just be relying on what initiative you put into the Jupiter process between mid-November and now. By August 2nd, all your issues will be resolvable, and they will reach some sort of conclusion by mid-December. The direction we are likely to move in can be described in terms of the sign Jupiter is in: This time it is Sagittarius. Sagittarius defines itself in terms of philosophy and cross-cultural mixing; it seeks the truth. Society may pay closer attention to its ideals and redefine its philosophies. Cross-cultural interaction may provide some relief to the fears engendered between peoples of different cultural backgrounds.

Jupiter will continue to carry forth the energy of its conjunction with Pluto, completed on November 18th. As Pluto enters Sagittarius and begins to have a transformative impact which will continue for about 15 years, Jupiter will bring us a taste of what Pluto holds for us, and so not all Jupiter's messages may be friendly.

Uranus also enters Aquarius on the 1st, testing the electrical waters of this Air sign. Although it will leave Aquarius on June 8th, it will reenter in earnest next January, there to remain for the next seven years. Aquarius is ruled (this means `measured,' not `dominated') by Uranus and thus is expected to bring us a wonderful new era of love, harmony and understanding. However, it is more likely to bring us idealistic insurrection and a major shift in political ideologies, traditionally more toward the liberal, but certainly toward the progressive or radical. This is not the herald of the Aquarian Age, which is anywhere from 200-600 years away, but we may see more people opening to alternative lifestyle patterns—everything from health to recycling to meditation may become more accepted as the fringe becomes more status quo. We can certainly expect people to assert their sense of individual freedom—this will not a time of curtailment of privacy rights, at least not without a fight.

Around the world, consciousness may become more planetarized; that is, we will begin to develop a consciousness of ourselves as planetary rather than national citizens. Were this to happen, many of the conflicts that have erupted along nationalistic lines would be dissolved.

Life responds to the vibrant energies of the first two weeks of April with action that at times may require some backtracking and sidestepping in order to adjust to emerging circumstances. On the 5th through the 8th, inspiration may flow freely when you least expect it—keep that note pad or dictation unit handy! The 9th suggests discord in relationships, bringing to the surface more serious issues than the events might suggest. This focus continues through to the full moon on the 15th, with resolution energies available on the 10th through the 14th. These may, however, involve rules and limitations.

The full moon itself will bring awareness of the need for balance in our lives. This is also a lunar eclipse, so more critical events than what we expect may occur. This is the first eclipse in 9 years on the Aries-Libra polarity. It brings with it issues of peace and war, both at home and across the globe. Some startling events are likely to occur at this time—sudden attacks or natural catastrophes. These phenomena will arise out our alienation from each other. We can't live comfortably in the extremes, nor without a reliance on each other. A recognition of this mutual interdependence is essential to working with this lunation, this 6-month eclipse period, and this 18-month period of working on the Aries-Libra polarity.

You will probably feel like relaxing a bit more after the 16th, even if you can't. Nervous energy may run high on the 17th. Try to bear with it, because things will flow more smoothly after that. A moment of peace on the 18th (if you can remember to look for it) and a new awareness comes on the 19th. You may even meet someone important to your future on the 19th.

The sun entering Taurus on the 20th should slow you down to a more reasonable and sustainable level of energy output. Taurus is a builder of beauty (and an enjoyer of sensual things!). Taking time to smell the roses should be easier now. Stabilize the initiatives that you have been working on since Yule during this month of Taurus. Make sure that you are building a robust form for your ideas.

On the 21st, Pluto backs into Scorpio for its final curtain call in this sign. The old, worn-out battles of the past 13 years have nearly spent themselves, but those who cannot let them go may be particularly venomous in trying to drive home their point during the short time that they have left (until November 10th). In the meantime, remain inwardly independent of the battles that lie ahead over the next few months; you may be able to apply inspiration and insight to them for a successful resolution if you can remain emotionally unattached to an outcome.

Since 1987, Saturn has had a new traveling companion. Chiron, which had been moving in tandem across the chart from Uranus for nearly forty years, is now reflecting Saturn's energy. Chiron (thought to be a bridge of consciousness between the structures of Saturn and the insights and disruptions of Uranus) now brings us the opportunity to ground the insights gained through Uranus. The opposition of Saturn and Chiron is exact on the 22nd of this month, the first of three times this cycle. While the 22nd may not bring noticeable changes in consciousness or experiences, it contributes to a long-term process of inner growth that you are certainly engaged in.

On the 27th, Neptune turns its face toward the past and travels familiar territory once again. This retrograde period (always lasting about 5 months) will bring to fruition the focus you undertook around January 13th. Other significant dates associated with this cycle are July 16th and October 4th.

The challenges of the next six months will be laid out for you on the 29th, although you may not be aware of them or know precisely what form they will take until the full moon following this on May 14th. Chances are, this will tie in with events of the previous full moon on April 15th, when there was a lunar eclipse. As you can see, the two eclipses that always fall two weeks apart do not always come on the same lunar cycle. This astrologically places the cart before the horse, but I have not seen a perceptible difference in the way people respond to the two patterns.

The first part of 1995 brings three new and very different energies to us, opening the door to a brave new world, the world of the millennium. We can see the seeds of change; some planted in the soil of misunderstanding, fear and anger; while others are planted in the earth of wisdom, love and trust. Every time we stand up for connection with each other, bond with another person, smile at a stranger or share our resources wisely, we nourish the seeds of positive change. Do not underestimate the impact of your efforts, however small or insignificant they seem.