Horoscopes for the Week of 03.17

Moon is waning (Krishna Paksha) and transits Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and into Sagittarius this week.

For a jyotish Moon-centered approach to your day, follow my daily Moon Mind posts via Face Book.

Libra (and the planets in and connected to Libra) continues to demand our attention. Rahu, Retrograde Mars and Retrograde Saturn are all there, receiving drishti from Jupiter and Ketu. This puts three planets in backward motion in Libra. Remember that Libra is Saturn's place of exaltation, however, it is retrograde currently, which makes it debilitated. Saturn is also sandhi and at the edge of Libra (near Scorpio) which weakens it, turns it more inward, slows it down, and requests that we pause, listen and be more quiet. Read more about Saturn's dance through Libra.

Mars is also nearing the edge of Libra this week, but edging back towards Virgo. Mars weakens as it goes sandhi this week and may cause "fuzzy brain" syndrome for us. Expect slower reaction times right now with communication, action steps and plans. Relationships delays and all things Venus require patience and pause as well. Read more about Mars and his movements here.

We are nearing the spring sandhi "gap"- expressed during the time of Navaratri where the veil is thin and we are asked to pause, be still and sync more closely with the Divine Mothers, Nature and her wisdom. The portal is opening now. Let the slowing take over and resist the urge to force actions, outcomes and agendas. Use surrender as your modus operandi.

Mercury moves from Dhanishta nakshatra to Satabisha on 3.18. He moves from a Mars ruled nakshatra to a Rahu ruled nakshatra on Tuesday (the day of Mars). Satabisha is ruled by Varuna who is connected to "unseen obstacles" as well as health calamities, judgement, punishment and the rules created by the Gods. His main objective is to keep us connected to the Laws of Nature. Mercury is mind, intelligence, communication, finances, marketing and such, so be aware of Varuna's connection to these affairs in the coming week and a half.

This nakshatra change for Mercury is in keeping with the need for surrender, the continued focus on Libra (it's ruled by Rahu which is transiting Libra) and a reminder not to force actions. We may feel as though we "aren't doing enough" or need to force our hustle when things don't seem to be coming together very well. As things fall apart and crumble at this time, remember that it is a time of dismantling what is not working in your best interest. As we clear the decks, we make space for what is in fact more ideal in the long run. The coming week will show us where we need to let go. Are you continuing to cling? Force? Push? Look for your own resistance and remind your Self to surrender. Avoid over working right now. Keep mental health at the forefront.

Spring "officially" begins here in the Northern hemisphere on the 20th as we celebrate the spring equinox. This coincides with Holi which happened on the 16th and 17th here in the US and leading us into Vasant Navaratri on the 31st. Use this time to plant your seed of desire for the coming year. How will your garden grow?

For increased awareness, utilize my jyotish inspired Body-centered Expressive Art Therapy articles. Each week I post a new Creative Engagement Activity to help inspire your own unique creative process, Self-tracking, and to enrich your cultivation of presence. This week, we are planting gardens.

It is a big year with multiple {major} planetary changes. We will experience the changes of Jupiter, Rahu and Ketu, Saturn and unusual movements of Mars all in the next eleven months. Big changes are in store for each of us! Feeling uncertain about your action steps? What needs to change in order for growth? What kind of support you need? Schedule a yearly progression with me in order to make your New Year a truly transformational year. I still have some sessions available for April.

*Horoscopes are based on your Vedic rising sign. You can also check your Moon and Sun signs for further insight. Do the same with your Navamsa signs for further clarity. Do not use these horoscopes with your “Western Sign” as there is likely no correlation. These horoscopes are meant to be used as a broad overview of the current transits and obviously do not address the specifics of an individual’s unique chart.

Aries: This is not your time to shine. A better use of your energy is to rest and restore while Sun is in your 12th house. Take time for meditation, relaxation and rejuvenation. Re-examine relationships and what is needed to make them more doable, lasting and comfortable. The same goes for children, education and romance. Don't push, just surrender.  

Taurus: Communication seems to be a valid use of your efforts right now. How are you connecting? Who are you communing with? Why are you reaching out? Find a sense of purpose with your communications and upgrade your networking skills. This is more than speech. Commerce, intuition, writing, singing and the healing arts are involved as well. Heal and be healed. Start with your gut.

Gemini: Creative energy soars, but not in familiar ways. You may be feeling confused about the messages coming to you, unless you are taking time to pause and listen. Intelligence, knowledge and learning are all coming at you but in very unusual and different ways. Children, romance and passion may feel off. Remember that this is not a time of pushing, but of letting go and surrender. Let go of the gas and the brakes and see if you can catch some air time.

Cancer: Heart and emotions may feel all over the place. Home, land, and issues with your mother and father may feel overwhelming. Same old issues resurfacing? Confusion about where to go next? Leading with your heart and feeling vulnerable? Let the transformations have their way with you. Continue to surrender and let go of what you are clinging to.

Leo: You may be feeling mixed messages with your action steps. Stop or go? Yes or no? As much attention as your third house of action and courage has been getting lately, you should be learning a few things about how to balance your efforts more effectively. Work backwards. Pause more. Listen to the physical body's needs. Sun is still in your 12th house which is a time of transformation, solitude, rooting through the past, and a need for more silence and stillness. Find new ways to meditate and transcend. Art is a great place to start.

Virgo: Communicating differently is highly important right now in order to create more effective relationships. Digest and assimilate words; yours and others. Use this information to upgrade your offerings to others and spark some career support. Communication of all sorts (intuitive, energetic, monetary, mentally, and with speech) can offer you a strong creative edge right now and bring a heightened awareness to you. What are you listening to? What is your response? Download an upgrade, and rewire your hard drive.

Libra: Feeling pulled in multiple directions simultaneously? Remember that less is more right now. You are digesting some very old pieces of life. These experiences can bring a heightened sense of awareness right now which may make you feel extra emotional. Consider this a "cleaning house", a "spring cleaning" of sorts, in order to move you forward on your Path more effectively. Let the purging begin: from inside out.

Scorpio: This is a time of endings and losses. A time of cutting and chopping life to bits and pieces that feel more bite sized, digestible. Little pieces are easier to burn, compost, shred, let the wind carry off with its wings. It's also easier for us to hold onto the most important scraps, put them into our satchels, pack them up and ride off into the sunset with less baggage. What pieces are you keeping with you in your life? What pieces are you letting go? Don't look back. Surrender them to the wind.

Sagittarius: You may be offered a chance to revisit some old gains, relationships and experiences. Weigh and measure the options before jumping in with two feet. Make sure it's not your own flattery that is saying yes. Remember, your physical, mental and emotional bodies need to be supported in order for the answer to be yes to any new projects or endeavors. Create, communicate, sing, and expand your intelligence right now. Think outside the old boxes in order to upgrade your relationships, career, and romances.

Capricorn: You may be feeling wildly creative with a renewed sense of career vigor. But before you start amping your Self and your efforts back to 200%, remember that you are still in a time of grande change in directions. Your career is asking you to re-visit some of your old efforts and re-imagine them. Right now, slow and steady will help you win the long term race. Even if you feel like pushing, stop your Self. There will be plenty of time for your Capricorn ways; now is not one of them. Put your energy into working smarter not harder. 

Aquarius: Mental acuity or mental cravings? Mind control or mind taming? You are in a phase of Mercurial communication that can afford you some new, powerful, personal growth. Intuition, intelligence, speech and heightened creativity abound. But don't look for the old ways to bring new responses. You are stepping into uncharted territory so embrace the change and look for innovation.

Pisces: It may appear to others that you are glowing. Perhaps the transformation you have been going through has given you a new golden hue. Enjoy your luster, but the inner work is far from complete. In fact, you are still in the thick of a rich purging of old goo. Start chipping away at the hardened chunks still clinging to your innards. Upgrade your tool kit for maximum shifts to take place and more mental/emotional support. Hint: you will be looking in very different places for this support.