Astrological Forecast for March & April 2012

The energy of 2012 is building through the springtime, creating challenges and opportunities that will follow us throughout the year. We are still a couple of months away from the astrological highlight of the year – a square between Uranus and Pluto – but we can feel it coming like a thunderstorm on a hot summer afternoon. Much of the planetary activity in March and April will take on a greater importance because it is happening in the shadow of Uranus and Pluto.

Mars is retrograde for most of these two months, slowing down our collective energy, especially those of us with the Sun or ascendant in Aries or Scorpio.

Relationships and money may be the focus of the first half of March for many of us, as Venus, Goddess of Love (and valuables) is busy communicating with her planetary partners. Her first order of business is an opposition to Saturn on the 4th. We may feel a bit of disapproval from others, or perhaps from a nagging voice within. The real message here is that we need to focus on what we really want and need – if you can clarify what you value most, this is a good time to work on making it a reality. The next day, Venus comes to her first home, Taurus, where a kind of relaxed sensuality is favored. She will be at home until April 3rd.

There isn’t much that is relaxed about March 5th, though, as Cosmic Messenger Mercury meets up with Uranus. Brilliant ideas and impulsive decisions are possibilities. Taking the time to listen to others’ ideas can be enriching, but we’re likely to be in a very outgoing, talkative mood. Jot down your thoughts, and check them in a day or two to see if your flashes of insight hold water.

Mercury stations to go retrograde on March 12th, beginning three weeks of miscommunication and technological snafus. Avoid buying a car, computer equipment, software, or books (except mine) during the retrograde. A little nonverbal activity like a nature walk, listening to music, or meditating is a good idea during the retrograde.

The retrograde also means that Mercury will meet up with Uranus again on the 18th. What got started in a storm of inspired brilliance on the 5th might have to be redone around this time, although the final result may have to wait until Mercury meets up with the god of the skies one last time on April 22nd.

Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and Pluto are all on good terms mid-month, from the 12th through the 14th, as they form a series of easy aspects. Now, Venus and Jupiter get along very well, and when they meet up we can usually expect a good time – lots of good energy for social gatherings and maybe a little romance. Mars and Pluto also get along well with each other, in a tough-guy sort of way, and when they are in cahoots we can usually get a lot done (or done to us). As a group, however, it is a strange energetic mix, not unlike bikers or mobsters showing up at a fashion show or holiday party. The trick for managing this part of the month is to say what you really mean and act as you really want, but in a nice way. There is a kind of grace about this time that should allow us to be very real yet avoid ruffling too many feathers.

The Sun enters Aries at 1:15 a.m. EDT on March 20th, beginning spring and the start of the astrological year. Because we are heading into the New Moon, on the 22nd, we may not feel that it is a time of beginnings just yet. Take the time between the 19th and the 22nd to set your intentions for the shank of 2012 – just as we are waking up from winter, it is the dawn of a new year. The Sun meets up with Uranus on the 24th and by that time the forward energy should be obvious to everyone.

On March 29th, the Sun will square Pluto. The period from the 22nd through the 29th will probably be quite charged, as the Sun triggers the impending Uranus-Pluto square. Watch both the news and your own life for clues to the direction things are moving in, and be prepared to act to create what you are seeking.

The first event in April is Venus’ move into Gemini on the 3rd, beginning a month where casual dating may seem more in tune with our needs than serious relationships. Social connections of all kinds get a boost with Venus in Mercury’s sign, especially after the Messenger starts moving forward again on the 4th.

With the Moon coming to the Full in the sign of Libra on the 6th, a charged Venus-Neptune aspect on the 5th should put the focus on relationship. But maybe focus isn’t the right word, since Neptune often exaggerates or blurs the lines between things. We could idealize someone new or someone we’ve lost, or pine away for that which never was. It is a romantic time, perhaps full of hope, perhaps full of melancholy. Enjoy it if it is good, but don’t get too down if your feeling blue.

Sentimental feelings may run high around the Full Moon, but Venus’ aspects with Mars and Uranus on the 7th and 9th are anything but mushy. These will help you break out of a funk and chase away the blues with a breath of fresh air.

We may feel a dark cloud forming from the 10th through the 13th, as Pluto stations to retrograde and Mars stops to move forward. These are two intense planets, and we feel their power strongly around their stations. Simmering anger and a low tolerance for others is a down side, but this time will bring about a concentration of our energy that can be very productive. With Mars moving direct again, we should be feeling a return of energy and be ready to begin new projects.

Not just yet, however, as the Sun opposes Saturn on the 15th. Both of these planets are feeling quite strong now, but they pull in very different directions. The Sun suggests that we should go our own way and fulfill our individual destiny, while Saturn reminds us of our obligations to others. The scales of Libra suggest we might try to balance these energies, but the Ram in Aries would rather push his horns through any obstacles.

This time is quite important for us as individuals and also for our relationships. Many of the issues that surfaced over the last two months will have to be dealt with now. We need to stand up for ourselves, even if that means breaking the spoken or unspoken rules and breaking expectations. Yet we have to do so without stepping on others’ feelings more than necessary. If we try, we may find a way to be gently persistent and compassionately insistent.

The Sun enters Taurus on the 19th, just before the new moon on the 21st. This is likely to be a relaxed time for many of us, and introspection (or licking our wounds) may be better than action before the New Moon. Afterwards, however, the gates are open and the horses are running.

The 22nd through the 24th are days to get moving with plans and projects. A Mercury square Pluto on the 25th suggests we will say just what we mean. Gentle words are rarely an option when these two planets grate on each other. Still, try to get your meaning across without digging too deeply with sarcasm or nastiness. An easy Sun/Pluto aspect on the 29th can help to repair some of the damage. The 29th is also a good day for financial transactions.

March and April will have us busy on many levels. Try to find some time to back away from the pace of change, especially during Mercury’s retrograde. With cosmic energy this intense, the compulsion to remain constantly active has to be balanced with some down time to recharge and get your perspective.

Armand M. Diaz, Ph.D. helps clients make decisions that are in harmony with their greatest potential, offering a truly integral approach to astrology. Armand has practiced divination for more than twenty years, working with the I Ching and Tarot in addition to astrology. He has published in various astrological journals, including The Mountain Astrologer. His book, "Transformation: The Four Keys to Thriving in Times of Change," is available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.com. He can be reached at 917-216-1541 or armand@integralastrology.net, or though his website at www.integralastrology.net.