Here comes the beginning of the astrological year for 2024, with the Spring Equinox for the Northern Hemisphere and the Autumn Equinox for the Southern Hemisphere. This particular start of the astrological year finds us with 2 planets in Aquarius, Mars and Pluto, 3 planets (Venus, Saturn, and Neptune) in Pisces plus the centaur Nessus, 4 planets in Aries, the Sun (of course), Mercury, Chiron, Eris, and the North Node, and 3 planets in Taurus, Jupiter, Uranus, and Sedna.
This seems to lay out on our table what we have seen before. Aquarius speaks to us about the advent of AI, reinforced by the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in Taurus, among other things. Pisces speaks of the urgency to realize once and for all that we are all in the same boat in the immensity of this unknown Universe, and that the only race on this planet, which we call our home, is the human race. While the planets in Aries remind us that we still resort to war to solve issues that should be negotiated by politicians to find solutions for all, rather than simply opting to destroy those or that which challenges us. The three planets in Taurus, including Sedna, are a clear expression of our struggle with global warming and the disastrous prospects if we do not address it.
Although this may sound terribly simplistic, this is where we find ourselves as occupants of this incredible planet on which we live. The question is why it is so difficult for us to collectively grasp some of these archetypes, particularly Mars. The God of War leads us to fight for what we want, literally, instead of giving more voice to Pallas Athena, who suggests strategies for managing peace.
A grand trine between the Sun in Aries, the Moon in Leo, and Pallas Athena in Sagittarius, augurs the possibility of a potential strategy to find a path to a ceasefire, to help us avoid a larger disaster, particularly in Gaza, although it may seem impossible now. On a personal level, something tells us that this is a year for action and reconciliation. The Moon in Leo seeks recognition, and if we manage to give it to those around us who ask for it, we can avoid greater misunderstandings that lead to more aggression. Mars’ anger worsens when one feels undervalued or abused.
With Mercury conjunct the North Node and Chiron, sitting down to talk seems to be the best solution. Eris, on the other hand, puts pressure on us to find a solution for the millions of refugees and migrants in the world. On a personal level, this invites us to observe how and where we feel ignored, undervalued, and the effect on our happiness and physical and mental health. In the end, we learn that the validation we expect from the outside and others is only possible within ourselves.
The Venus-Saturn conjunction in Pisces drives us to finally do those acts of charity that we have always dreamed of doing. There are many people who need help in this world, and we can all contribute a little. On a personal level, this combination can be somewhat more complicated, as suddenly the roses evaporate and we see the reality of who we have in front of us. This does not have to be a bad thing if there is true love.
On March 25th, the first lunar eclipse arrives, this time occurring in the penumbra, so we will see a great Full Moon, as it is also a Supermoon.
For this semi-eclipsed Moon, Mars has already entered Pisces and Venus is moving away from Saturn rapidly, indicating that it has understood the message of the Lord of the Rings. Now we must move towards action, which involves, as a Saturnine mandate, taking responsibility for our actions and decisions.
Eclipses are a reminder that when it darkens, something new that we did not see, blinded by the distraction of superficial daytime connections, emerges in the darkness. When the Sun sets, and the sky turns black, suddenly the stars appear, which are always there, even though we cannot see them because the sunlight prevents us from it. It is then that what we need to see appears before us.
This is a Full Moon in Libra, and this Aries-Libra angularity launches us into the eternal struggle of how to be Me when I am with You. How to love without losing oneself in the other. Romantic as it may sound, it is never healthy. At the same time, we learn to collaborate without ceasing to be oneself. This is the eternal quest for that necessary balance that eludes us in the evolutionary mandate to join another. On this occasion, it is the Sun who is next to the North Node, as if wanting to remind us that I can be in a couple or in collaboration with another without ceasing to be or do what I must do. Particularly difficult in this Full Moon, as the Goddess of the Night is in an out-of-sign opposition with Neptune, in the last degrees of Pisces, which only seeks fusion. At the same time, the dispositor of this Moon in Libra is Venus, which is also in Pisces, calling us to find, at least, inside of us, a compromise and compassion.
Another aspect of this Aries-Libra angle is that the sign of the scales tends to seek harmony sometimes at the expense of its sincerity and self-assertion. For this eclipse, perhaps we are called to say what we need to say without remorse or fear of reprisals. Faith is necessary, not only in the gods and goddesses but in oneself. The trine between Pluto and the Moon can give us the certainty that affirming ourselves in change does not necessarily mean loss.
Nessus and Lilith are opposed, and this centaur can show us that letting go of what triggers Lilith in our psyche can be a good idea. Despite the power that Lilith gives us, listening to her voice all the time can be mentally and spiritually exhausting. Still, not respecting that aspect of our psyche can lead to feelings of resentment that can be even more exhausting.
Learn to look in the dark where we often find the most interesting characters and, above all, where we can investigate and connect with our own creativity.
Happy beginning of the Astrological Year and Lunar Eclipse in Libra!
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Cristina Laird's Astrology 