GET READY FOR SPRING HOW THE PLANETS ENCOURAGE A FRESH MINDSET

The month begins with Mercury, the planet of communication and intellect, exiting the sign of Aquarius and entering Pisces Mercury, the mythological messenger, will leave behind the energy of Aquarius which has been fast-paced, logical, and unconventional, and allow us the time to process things in a more deeply, introspective, and compassionate manner.

Written By Linda Watson

When Mercury enters Pisces on March 2nd, be prepared to experience a more imaginative and dreamy mindset Your words don’t just come from you, they come through you There is a sense of intuition associated with this combination. Lean into this energy for the next couple of weeks so that you can take advantage of the perceptive and creative nature that comes with having Mercury in Pisces

By March the 18th, Mercury will move out of Pisces and into the sign of Aries where communication, learning, and ideas are again expressed in more passionate, innovative, and direct ways You may be able to initiate into action some of the creative thoughts that you had when Mercury was in Pisces. However, be aware that listening may not be your strongest gift during the time that Mercury is moving through Aries You may have to remind yourself that it is important to listen to other people’s points of view in order for you to learn to see things from different perspectives

Also, during this first week of March, from the 1st through the 6th, the Moon will be in her Waxing Gibbous phase This is a week to prepare for the Full Moon which is right around the corner Mercury in the sign of Pisces will be quite helpful in quieting your mind so that you can concentrate on areas of self-development and self-awareness You can begin to devote time to reflecting on the ways you want to improve your life, your work, and your relationships. Focus on the best ways you can progress and grow

The Full Moon will then occur on March 7th in the sign of Virgo, which is the sign ruled by Mercury A Full Moon in Virgo reminds us of the importance of being useful and of service to others. You may be in a situation that requires you to mentor another person. Or you just may feel your happiest being busy with your day-to-day routines and organizing life for yourself and others in your family or work environment Even though you feel amazing being able to help others, be sure you set boundaries so that your good intentions are not taken advantage of

At the exact same time, a major change is happening when Saturn leaves Aquarius and enters a 2-year transit through the sign of Pisces How in the world does the “Father of the Zodiac” behave in the watery and compassionate sign of Pisces? Saturn is the strict and authoritative father figure who makes the rules and sets our curfews He provides structure and boundaries. Teaches us about responsibility and forces us to have discipline and order in our lives. Saturn Is practical and anchored in reality

Pisces on the other hand is ruled by the planet Neptune. The planet that represents spirituality, dreams and fantasy, imagination, and our capacity for compassion and sensitivity.

So, what can we expect to see as Saturn spends the next 2 years in this sign? Possibly some great things can come out of this For instance, on a societal level, the way this country looks at and deals with mental health issues Perhaps the powers that be will get more serious regarding these matters by taking a closer look at what could be beneficial for those struggling to stay emotionally and mentally stable by passing legislation making it easier and more affordable for people to get the help they need in terms of therapy and in-house treatment.

Other areas that may come to the surface could be making greater strides in the legalization of cannabis, or perhaps some greater rules and regulations around social media, or maybe something as simple as creating less confusion in your own personal life Allowing your eyes to be wide open to friends, lovers, your career, or wherever you have the tendency to view things through “rose-colored glasses.”

I highly recommend that you take a look at the area of life in your chart where this transit will be moving during these next 2 years This will help you to see where you need to be more responsible and to understand the importance of learning everything you are capable of in this area of life. To know and recognize boundaries and to develop discipline and structure. If you don’t know how to do this, contact me or another trusted astrologer for help in breaking it all down.

Venus enters Taurus on March 16th and will be here until April 10th Venus is in her rulership in this sign which means that she is very comfortable and happy here and has full access to all of the sensual and earthly pleasures that Taurus has to offer. What this means for us is that it is an opportunity for us to do more of the things that we love To be open and aware of what we are drawn to and to let ourselves enjoy the things that bring us pleasure Venus puts us more in touch with the beauty of the world around us, as well as the beauty within ourselves. For these next few weeks allow Venus to set the stage for what makes you happy, allow yourself to appreciate what you view as beautiful, and open yourself to love, and affection, and reignite the fire within your close relationships.

Again, I suggest taking a look at which house Venus will be transiting in your own chart so that you can see where the emphasis will be in attracting what you want It may also help you to realize that what you wanted a year ago, may not be what you desire now It can help you define what you want and what it is that will make you happy

March 20th signals the start of an amazing week of new beginnings and also a major planetary shift which may be THE most important one of the year and beyond

On March 20th, we welcome the Spring Equinox. At the same time, the Sun enters Aries. Both the Equinox and the Sun transiting into Aries marks the official arrival of spring and the astrological new year With this comes the anticipation of what each day will bring and creates hope and excitement that new beginnings could possibly be around every corner Pay attention to the area of life where your light seems to shine Look closely at what is going on in your life and where you may possibly be able to find a new purpose in what you are doing

The very next day, we have the New Moon also in the sign of Aries. New Moons are always about new beginnings and when you factor in the timing with the Equinox, this New Moon is really encouraging everyone to put on their creativity hats, decide on the seeds you want to plant for the year and be courageous This is an absolutely magical time for setting intentions for your year Make your wishes and visualize seeing your dreams come to fruition This would be an absolutely perfect time to tune into your inner self by meditating on your wishes, then journal about what you want to create. Continue this practice throughout the year for the best results.

Let’s end by looking at that major planetary shift that is happening on March 23rd For the first time since 2008, the planet Pluto is changing signs and transiting into the sign of Aquarius This won’t take place all at once Yes, it begins on March 23rd but will swing back out into Capricorn on June 11th It then transits back to Aquarius in January of 2024 until September 1, 2024, then finally moves back into Aquarius permanently on November 19, 2024, for the next two decades. This will be important to remember as we continue to understand the importance of this shift.

Pluto is the planet of death and rebirth, regeneration, and transformation In Greek Mythology, Pluto was Hades the Lord of the Underworld This is an extremely powerful planet and symbolizes our personal power He represents the power of shattering and reconstruction Every time you have been betrayed, lied to, deceived, or had your emotions crushed, Pluto is the planet that gives you the power to go to the depths of hell and come back stronger This energy is about forcing intense issues into the light for the purpose of self-transformation and soul renewal, hopefully emerging more enlightened and clearer having learned powerful lessons.

On a personal level, wherever Pluto is transiting in your chart is where you will see ongoing change and probably the most profound transformations in your life Try to use this energy to guide you through your deepest issues without fear, but with a curiosity of how to come out on the other side a more enlightened being I say, embrace your power and “don’t fear the reaper.” Whatever is supposed to happen will happen for your greatest good. Wherever there is a death, there is a rebirth.

When we look at how it will shift our world collectively, as Pluto leaves Capricorn and moves into Aquarius, it signals perhaps the end of the rules and structures that have bound our society in terms of social and governmental structures I think we can all agree that we have been witnessing the collapse of these things as we have always known them And these changes will not be happening suddenly It will be a slow and painful process until Pluto stops moving backward and forward and finally settles down in November of 2024. We probably will witness many ups and downs and transformations, not seeing the total fall-out or change until after Pluto has made his final move

When Pluto enters Aquarius, we can expect to see a new era in terms of societal ideals, hopefully in the transformation of humanitarianism and social justice for the better. Probably many changes involving science and technology But, it could also indicate some type of revolution Aquarius is known for not only being innovative and progressive but also for breaking the rules In its best outcome, I’m hoping for a more cooperative society Where we finally understand what works and what doesn’t. When people finally see the inequality and injustice that still exists in our society and we finally make strides to right any imbalances

Linda Watson is the owner and creator of Soul Guide Astrology. She is a member of the American Federation of Astrologers. She provides birth chart readings and solar return (yearly) chart readings, offering support, insight, and guidance to better help others find their focus and move forward with their dreams. You can schedule a consultation by visiting her website, www.soulguideastrology.com. Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/linda.watsonastrolog or on Instagram at instagram.com/soulguideastrology

I want you to take a second and think of when you were just a child What did you think your life would be like today?

Be honest, are you living a life that the younger you would be excited for? These are tough questions It requires a good deal of reflection and self-awareness, and that often doesn’t feel too good after life has given us a few good ones on the chin.

The reality is that when we’re young we can’t truly grasp what life is like We don’t really know what the world has in store for us, and for nearly everyone, the journey of life is littered with potholes and all sorts of unexpected turns It’s not crazy to assume that if you’re reading this, you’ve had your share of setbacks. I know I certainly have.

I’ve dealt with setbacks in my health, my business, and my relationships Really all across the board I remember there was a stretch where within a year, I lost my business, my apartment, and a long-term relationship with a woman whom I loved very much

There were times during this where it was so hard to simply keep my head above water, and you better believe I had all sorts of excuses locked and loaded and ready to spare my feelings through it all.

See, that’s what the ego does. It tries to protect itself and it does so in a way that takes the burden of responsibility off of you. After all, if it’s all someone else’s fault then you can’t very well be blamed for much. That feeling is a trap though

It’s incredibly disempowering to view the world as a predatory place that will just exploit you, knock you down, and never let you back up We almost all think that at some point or another though Thinking of that kind is a prison that can be so hard to break free of because it kind of feels good to not have to take ownership Without the burden of fault, you can’t be obligated to change either, and that’s the problem

Understand that our brains are wired to do two things: pursue pleasure, and avoid pain Every choice you make is to do one of those two things Creating the framework that life happens to you can feel kind of good because it protects you from having to better yourself. Hell, if you drum up a sad enough story, you can even score the social equity of getting sympathy from loved ones With this thinking, you have a carefully laid out trap that just keeps you down because you don’t have to make yourself get back up

The power is in the opposite thinking

It’s incredibly empowering to realize that you’re not where you want to be and it’s your fault Yeah, the ego may be a little bruised, but knowing that you’re the one who messed things up is great because that means you can fix things You can change You can improve You can get it right next time

When I audited the setbacks I had, I played a role in all of them In the moment, in each instance, I had the urge to blame circumstances around me At times I gave into that urge At best in each of those instances, nothing changed, and I just kept spinning my wheels Often, however, things got worse because I was looking at things from a position of ego and letting myself play the victim, when there were simple moves I could have made to improve my situation by just taking ownership of it

Accepting the fact that you’ve played a role in the shortcomings in your life is the only way to true empowerment. It’s the first step on that journey. From there comes the understanding that if you have the power to break things, you have the power to fix them as well. That is true empowerment.

Ryan White is a fitness and MMA coach who has been in the fitness industry for over ten years. Growing up obese and unhealthy, Ryan changed and committed to a healthy lifestyle when he decided to become an MMA fighter. Having lost over one hundred pounds in preparation for a competition, he now strives to help others make meaningful change having trained everyone from marathon runners and UFC fighters to average Joes and Janes.

Ryanwhitefitness@gmail.com https://www.instagram.com/ryanthegreatwhite85

Marching in to shedding sweaters

Marching in to new and fun recipes

Marching in to new colors

Marching in to daffodils blooming

Marching in to vibrancy

Marching in to new ideas

Marching in to breathing fresh spring air

Marching in to all things new…..

And….

Marching with great anticipation!

Happy March!