In like a lion and out like a lamb?
Astrological insights for a month of gentle beginnings and roaring endings
There’s an old saying that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.
This year, not so much!
We begin the month in dreamy, mystical Pisces, the sign of unconditional love, boundless water, deep empathy and our imagination.
Final sign of the Zodiac and the place in our birth chart where we lose ourselves in order to find transcendence, Pisces season represents endings, integration and the setting of the Sun on the current astrological year.
You may notice you feel more emotional at the moment and it may be easier to tune into your intuition and psychic abilities.
Mercury, the planet of the mind and communication moved into Pisces on 23rd February for a brief stay until 10th March.
It’s not an easy place for the Messenger of the Gods who prefers zipping round in the ether to swimming in the depths of the ocean, but he may help you better express your innermost feelings and speak from the heart.
Read my Pisces Season blog here.
On the Spring Equinox, Wednesday 20th March, things start hotting up!
The Equinox is the start of Aries season, a cardinal fire sign and the first of the Zodiac archetypes, with it’s headstrong, initiatory energy and a whole new astrolgical year. Ruled by Mars, God of War and planet of action, passion, energy, drive, determination Aries is a distinctly different feel to watery Pisces, like drinking a double espresso with a flaming shot of Red Bull on the side.
And then there’s a South Node Lunar Eclipse on the Full Moon in Libra on Monday 25th May.
South Node eclipses are about letting go, and being in Libra, the sign of relationships, March’s eclipse is asking us to release people pleasing, co-dependency, indecision, superficiality and relying on others to validate us.
A bit like buses, eclipses always come in pairs and the corresponding North Node Total Solar Eclipse is happening on Monday 8th April, more on that in next month’s article.
Think of late March as a baptism of fire into the new astrological year.
Much more lion than lamb!
I’m leading a Full Moon Lunar Eclipse Flow at Align Studio, Hampton Hill on Sunday 25th March, you can find out more here.
Read on for Eclipse Basics or find out more about the Lunar Nodes, Eclipse Pairs and our collective destiny here.
Eclipse Basics
Lunar eclipses take place during Full Moons when the Earth's shadow casts a dark red glow onto the Moon, sometimes referred to as a "Blood Moon." They’re visible from the nighttime side of Earth and can be observed from anywhere the Moon is above the horizon.
The Full Moon is visible because the Sun is directly opposite on the ecliptic, the orbital plane of our solar system, illuminating her.
She’s radiant and powerful at this time of the month (or moonth!) and energy can be high, intense and excitable - the term "lunatic" comes from the recognition that Full Moons can cause a temporary madness.
In the 18th century you could seek clemency for crimes committed during a Full Moon, reflecting the belief in its influence on human behaviour. Even today it’s a known fact the police service and A&E departments are busier at this time.
Ring of Fire
Conversely, Solar eclipses coincide with New Moons, as the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth and on 8th March the Sun will be completely covered, leaving only a radiant halo around the edges, aptly referred to as the "Ring of Fire."
As you can see in the photo the Moon is dark at the New Moon because she’s in the same zodiac sign as the Sun, and due to their close proximity the Moon has no light source to illuminate her.
New Moons are about introspection, quietude and contemplation and often our energy is low, reflective of the lack of light and energy being emitted by the Moon. It represents the end of one cycle and a new beginning which is why intention setting rituals are carried out at this time.
However, it's essential to remember that eclipses are NOT recommended for spiritual work or rituals. Eclipse energy is considered to be unstable, often bringing unexpected twists and turns. Think of them as power outages as the usual flow of light and energy to and from the Luminaries (Sun and Moon) is disrupted and everything feels temporarily distorted.
The best way to honour them is to do some gentle yoga, breathwork and meditation, allowing the energy to wash over you and observing any intuitive insights that emerge.