Astrological Forecast March April, 1996 By Terry Lamb, M.A. In the past few months we have entered what I would call the Millennium Era. The era-defining planets have just entered the signs that they will be in when we turn the century, so we have the feel of the millennium now. (There remains one more major planetary ingress to take place before the feel is complete. This will occur in 1998.) There has been much talk about what the millennium holds, amongst astrologers and lay people alike. Everyone senses a difference, but astrologers can label and describe its nature with perhaps more clarity than those who are unaware of this perspective. Well, whatever It is, It's here. As of January 11th/12th (depending on location), we are in It. However, we may not yet have been able to put words into action, ideas into plans, plans into effect. We are more likely to get a grip come April 7th (or possibly 5 days before) when Saturn enters Aries. Saturn transits a sign in about 2 years; it takes 29.7 years to complete its circuit through the heavens. Every time it enters Aries it does, in a sense, begin a new cycle. Aries is the beginning of the Zodiac in part because it is the initiation of life that spring (in the Northern Hemisphere) heralds. In the sense that we will plunge into life with renewed vigor once Saturn enters Aries, we can say that a new 30-year cycle is beginning. Saturn in Aries is likely to help us feel more alive, more ready to take on those big tasks that just seemed too much only a few months ago. Things that didn't seem likely to go beyond the dream state now become possible if you are willing to work at them. Saturn is the planet of great reward for those who can let time work for them. Now you may be more willing to let time act, to temper your impatience, to apply yourself to something. Not only will we wake up as individuals to Saturn's new thrust, but it will allow us to feel fully the newness of the slower moving bodies in their new sign positions and to act on those feelings. There will be many new initiatives launched, new gauntlets run and impossible dreams manifested. If you know where Aries is in your natal chart, you know where you will be applying yourself with renewed vigor, where you will experience new life. Think also about what you were doing 10 years ago, when you were laying the groundwork for what is happening now. This year is also a time for reaping some rewards (or paying some penalties) for the actions taken over the last 12 years. This will be true both individually and globally. Capricorns (or those with planets in Cap) will experience a boom time during the coming year. Just keep in mind that it is not likely to last unless you have used Saturn over the past 10 years to build toward something of lasting value. Capricorn has been well populated and challenging us to grow in wisdom and our sense of responsibility over the past 12 years. In fact, we experienced a major planetary event there in the late 80's, one which signaled the start of a 1542-year cycle. This is the energy pattern under which the Soviet Union fragmented and Western materialism began to reach its limits. While the learning process with Capricorn is not over, we can expect the naturally ebullient optimism of Jupiter to be tempered over the next year, perhaps being applied in more pragmatic, earthy ways into our lives. MARCH:
Tuning for the Coming Performance Although the big band strikes up its new tune in April, March is not to be overlooked. The 4th may not seem like a momentous date, but we are starting a new two-year cycle at this time. If you feel like looking a little farther into the future around this date, you may be looking at a two-year process at work—something that will take that long to complete. Otherwise, farsightedness is not a strong suit for this planetary configuration, and you may be occupied with putting out fires, or distracted by some minor inflammation or infection if this is touching your chart personally. We are likely to feel dreamier, more romantic or idealistic, or more spiritual at this time—so make sure that your high-mindedness can withstand the scrutiny of a more grounded eye. The full moon the next day will bring any flaws in your vision to light. Here we must balance the logical and efficient with the idealized and visionary. You are likely to feel very strongly about your vision, but you will have to examine your dream to see if you can fulfill it, because you will want to very much at this time. You may actually need to put it on the back burner for a year, until the time is more propitious, allowing the groundwork laid for this new process to really get underway. You can still work on it, but you will find it really takes off if you stick with it in March 1997. The 5th may bring some explosive events into our awareness as well. Transformation and intense experience are keywords to describe the energies at this time. Other critical dates related to this one are November 22nd (1995) (the beginning of the cycle), May 22nd (mid-cycle) and August 10th (resolution point). An issue is likely to come into your awareness at this time (which has probably existed for a long time) that may take a year or more to resolve. Still, look forward to breakthroughs on the dates in May and August and do your homework to get the most out of them. This does not have to be an unpleasant experience. You may be empowered to do something in a new way or to act with more effect in your life. Or you may be cleansed of things you haven't yet been able to let go of—which can be pleasant in its own way. New awareness associated with relationships or bringing a new understanding of your own emotional woundedness will arise at this time as well, running through the 8th. This may include one of those love at first sight types of experiences or a sudden, electrifying awareness about someone you already know or are in relationship with. While this type of aspect happens at least twice a year, it is coupled with something that happens only once every 13 years (approximately), so it carries more impact than usual. Communicate, communicate, communicate! This the way to make it through the next few days leading into the new moon. A little planning wouldn't hurt either, since we're starting the new Saturn cycle on the 17th. We may feel a stronger-than-usual sense of responsibility or obligation at this time, but also a desire to make plans and structure our lives a little better. You may be up to your neck in cognitive material laying around your house and want to attack the clutter at this time, to do a final cleansing to prepare for the activation we instinctively know will occur in a few short days. The new moon on the 19th occurs in the shadow of this renewal and may be the final rest before we leap from the cliff. When we reach the equinox on the 20th, we can eagerly embrace the return of the Sun King in His full power of ascendancy. The Goddess too is maturing, from the childlike Girl to the comely Maiden. Celebrate the blossoming of all life—in your dreams as well as the world around you! It is a good time for nurturing seeds planted earlier this year, whether symbolic or real, and for planting others whose time has come for sprouting. We can look forward to 3 months of ascending light and 6 months of warmth and growth, so let's start now with our inner awareness to make the most of it! Inevitably there are times when we must hold back, discipline and apply ourselves, to make use of the insights of our true better half, our Higher Self/Soul. The 21st or thereabouts is likely to feel like a good time to do that. The horse will definitely want to take the bit in her teeth on the 24th, however, and there'll be no holding her back in that last week of March. However, the 31st may give us pause (paws?) as we encounter some new feedback which will suggest that we slow down and consider alternative perspectives. Spiritual phenomena and acute inner awareness may be strong at this time as well. APRIL: Here Comes the Big Brass Band! April starts off with a bang, as we experience a full moon lunar eclipse on the 3rd. This brings us a new awareness in no uncertain terms. It requires us to activate fairly, while balancing all necessary factors. The issues that arise at this time may require action immediately, or we may find ourselves shifting our focus toward something that will be fulfilled within the next 6 months. Chances are, whatever you are focused on now became a focus last October. You may still be working with this issue until this time next year, but the emphasis will shift slightly this coming October. Other stresses abound at this time as well, suggesting that what arises will not be easy to work out harmoniously, but a sense of humor will go a long way to alleviating those stresses. All of this may culminate into relationship difficulties on the 6th that will be hard to talk about, if the partner in this interaction is even present. The 7th brings Saturn into Aries, the next step in the activation process. You will feel ready to change, eager to greet life, even though we know it won't all be a downhill ride. Check your direction and adjust as necessary on the 15th. You may need to slow down in some areas of action and allow them to develop on their own—especially if you have been over-extending yourself, as is likely now. The 17th is a great time to do an activation ritual for the next 6 months (which will dovetail with the yearly cycle) to bring about the results you are seeking for the issues you now face. It wouldn't be a bad time to ask for the will to use patience and wisdom in what you do, either! This is the time of the new moon solar eclipse. This is usually more eventful than the lunar eclipse, although last year's lunar eclipse brought the Oklahoma City bombing; while the solar coincided with the tank incident in San Diego, where a tank was stolen from the National Guard and taken for a joy ride, causing much destruction. I think we can agree that the latter does not compare to the former event, although it could have been worse than it was. Typically, life-changing events do occur on eclipses, but they are not likely to affect you unless you have planets in direct contact with the eclipse points. Education and communication concerns should be highlighted during the next 6 months and harmoniously resolved. It is a good time for making agreements, especially the win-win type, based on an already-taken risk. On the 19th, the Sun makes its ingress into Taurus. Settle in and enjoy the growth you have been creating. It's true, the creative process isn't over yet, but there's almost nothing that patience can't cure. In fact, giving things time and patience to grow on their own works best during Taurus. We can only interfere and keep ourselves from having fun. So go smell the roses while everything develops on its own. Remember that intense November we had in 1994? In fact, there was a lot of intensity that whole year. Well, that's Jupiter and Pluto, for you. Now, on the 24th, Jupiter and Pluto enter their next phase of development. If you started something then, you may feel like putting some extra effort into boosting its growth about now—fertilizing it, as it were. You know what you use to fertilize things, don't you? Just consider the wisdom and understanding that you have gained up to this point in life as the, uh, life-giving excrement to feed into this new dynamic in your life now. You can feel free to liberally spice the brew with whatever leftovers (concepts, knowledge and processes) you would like to recycle, since this is intrinsic to a Plutonian process. November 94 brought those young radicals into Congress. Any guesses as to what will happen around the end of April? I can assure you that something will! As April closes, we have two more major processes coming to the surface. One is a harmonious aspect between Saturn and Pluto. We were caught in the grip of their conflicting energies back in 1992-3, when the economy was flailing and the budget deficit became a big political issue. This suggests that our economy may be stable while this aspect is in effect, which will be for the greater part of this year. The second process involves something begun on or around January 15th and having to do with idealism, glamour, spirituality and inner truth. Subsequent dates that will tie into these are April 29th (now), July 18th and October 6th. You may notice glamorization, a snow job or a con of some sort in the news. There may also be events related to poisoning, toxic dump sites or sightings of Buddha. For yourself, it is a time to be aware of the subtle energies of life. This crisis point may pass as an apparent non-crisis, since it has to do with energies that are typically hard to pin down. Stretch your awareness and you may tune in to what's happening! This spring should offer a refreshing change from what we have been dealing with in the past three years. We will get a real taste of what the millennium has in store. I sincerely hope that we begin to take our environmental crisis seriously before Gaia's imbalance puts Her on the critical list. When we pray for blessings, let us pray that all people on the planet learn to feel the Goddess and the life within Her and begin to treat Her—and themselves—with respect. Blessed Be! Terry Lamb is an astrologer, writer, speaker and instructor living in the San Diego area. She may be reached at (619) 589-1774 or TerryLamb1@aol.com for bookings, appointments, and information on local or correspondence courses. | 
