The month begins with Venus stationing retrograde on the 1st. Relationships will be tested. It’s best to exercise patience, which won’t be easy because Venus is in impulsive Aries. Mercury will be in Aries from the 3rd until the 29th, bringing originality, decisiveness, and enthusiasm. This is a good time for bold leadership. Conversations can be exciting as well as incendiary during this transit. It’s best to speak candidly, but try to avoid misunderstandings.
A bit of restraint will go a long way toward keeping the peace. This retrograde can bring exes back into the picture. Spending habits need to be watched carefully during this retrograde as well. Venus will station direct on April 12th.
This retrograde gives us the chance to look over and review our affections, relationships, and finances. We may question a current project or commitment during.
Retrograde Venus affects us mainly in the areas of love and finances but also extends to some areas of business and pleasurable pursuits. These matters are not straightforward during this period. It’s a time for reviewing our attitudes and attachments instead of forging ahead boldly into new love relationships or financial projects. Old friends and lovers may reappear, perhaps complicating current relationships or we might reminisce about the past. There can also be a call to deal with relationship issues from the past. Unorthodox, experimental, and non-intimate relationships may be in favor.
Some of the more challenging associations of Venus in Aries, and later, Pisces, may be hard to deal with like egoism, arrogance, impatience, and vagueness. Those who have a lot of Aries or Pisces in their charts can be more introspective, distant, or hard to reach during this time. It can be a time to reevaluate our relationship needs, but major decisions in love are best saved for after the cycle ends on April 12th, and better yet, beyond the shadow phase after May 16th.
There are two eclipses this month falling along two different sign axes. The first is on March 14th, a Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in the sign of Virgo. It brings sudden awareness to our lives, especially in areas that require more order. Something may be exposed or illuminated, prompting us to pay attention to those things that we may have been neglecting or putting off, especially regarding work, services, habits, health, and routines.
This eclipse is the second in a set of seven occurring along the Virgo-Pisces axis from September 17th, 2024, to February 20th, 2027. The first one was a Lunar Eclipse in Pisces. While we’ve been focusing on building our faith since September 2024, this March eclipse in Virgo prompts us to consider getting organized and how it affects the work-rest balance.
The Lunar Eclipse in Virgo on the 14th is your best lunation for spring cleaning. Declutter, deep clean every nook and cranny, and open the windows if the weather is nice. However, eclipses can be wild and this one could illuminate a work issue that needs to be addressed.
On March 15th, Mercury stations and turns retrograde in the sign of Aries. Miscommunication is possible, especially if you’re speaking more than listening. Travel could also be problematic, so it’s wise to allow extra time to arrive at your destination. It’s also important to back up your computers and avoid signing contracts until Mercury stations direct on April 7th. However, this is a good period for reviewing our initiative, courage, and independence. We may be looking at projects, items, situations, problems, and maybe even people in new ways. Mercury starts its shadow phase on March 1st so that issues encountered, conversations, and projects started at the beginning of the month can come up for review later. Having both Venus and Mercury retrograde in the signs of Aries and Pisces is unusual.
The Sun enters Aries on the 20th, the first day of spring. During Aries season, you may want to start new things, take chances, and blaze trails. Remember to pace yourself. If you don’t, you could burn out.
Venus moves back into Pisces from the 27th until April 30th. This is a good time to reflect on your relationships. Pisces is ultra-sensitive, so if you need to check in with your feelings about a loved one or an ex, you’ll have an easier time accessing your emotions during this time.
On March 29th, the New Moon occurs in Aries, and it’s a Solar Eclipse, the final one of a set of six eclipses along the Aries-Libra axis. This Solar eclipse can highlight and challenge our issues around independence and personal courage. Circumstances encourage us to see where we haven’t been true to our authentic selves. It’s a final push to correct imbalances. It is great for fresh starts and new beginnings. This is a great time to clean up your act, start a new side hustle, or start a new adventure. Nothing can hold you back now. Bear in mind the eclipse can be unpredictable. It’s wise to have a plan B just in case.
On the 29th, Mercury moves back into Pisces. Emotions can color your thinking, so you’ll want to ground yourself before making decisions. This transit can blur the truth, so it’s best to check facts rather than accept things at face value.
Neptune dips into Aries on the 30th after years of being in Pisces. Neptune wants to dream while Aries is ready to DO. It may feel like waking up from a dream only to realize that there is work to be done. While Neptune is in Aries, we idealize independence, courage, bravery, freedom, and fresh starts. However, we may not see ourselves clearly, or we might struggle with defining ourselves and our boundaries during this time. We might also inflate our importance in times of insecurity, which can be detrimental. Presenting false images of ourselves that we end up identifying with can be especially tempting during this period.
Conflicts are possible during this transit, and we will need to decide whether we fight for the future we want and build the dream together or waste our energy fighting pointless battles. No matter the choice, we have until 2039 to sort it out. Neptune’s move into Aries tends to echo some of March’s themes that spotlight Pisces-Aries energies in sometimes confusing or atypical ways.
The First Day of Spring 2025
The first day of spring is on Thursday, March 20, 2025, at 5:01 a.m. EDT. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, this is marked by the arrival of the spring equinox also known as the “First Point of Aries.” In the Northern Hemisphere, the spring equinox occurs when the Sun crosses the celestial equator going south to north.
On the Spring equinox, the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere receive roughly equal amounts of sunlight; neither hemisphere is tilted more toward or away from the Sun than the other
Most locations (the North Pole and the equator being exceptions), the amount of daylight has been increasing each day after the winter solstice. After the spring equinox, many places will experience more daylight than darkness each day. The amount of daylight each day will continue to increase until the summer solstice in June, when the longest period of daylight occurs.
Equinoxes are the only two times yearly that the Sun rises due east and sets due west everywhere on Earth. While the Sun passes overhead, the tilt of Earth is zero relative to the Sun, which means that Earth’s axis neither points toward nor away from the Sun.
The word equinox comes from the Latin words for “equal night”—aequus (equal) and nox (night). On the equinox, the length of day and night is nearly equal in all parts of the world.
Astronomically speaking, the first day of spring is marked by the spring equinox, which falls on March 19, 20, or 21. The equinox happens at the exact moment worldwide, although our clock times reflect a different time zone. And, as mentioned above, this date only signals spring’s beginning in the Northern Hemisphere. It announces fall’s arrival in the Southern Hemisphere.
Due to time zone differences, there hasn’t been a March 21 equinox in mainland United States during the entire 21st century. We won’t see a March 21 equinox again until 2101.
Meteorologically speaking, the official first day of spring is March 1 (and the last is May 31). Weather scientists divide the year into quarters to make it easier to compare seasonal and monthly statistics from one year to the next. The meteorological seasons are based on annual temperature cycles rather than on the position of Earth in relation to the Sun. Meteorological seasons more closely follow the Gregorian calendar since using the dates of the astronomical equinoxes and solstices for the seasons would present a statistical problem as these dates can vary slightly each year.
Our ancestors were more connected to the Sun than we are today. They observed its pathway across the sky and tracked how the sunrise, sunset, and day length changed, using the Sun and Moon as a clock and calendar.
There are many ancient sites that mark the equinoxes and solstices. One of the most famous ancient Spring equinox celebrations took place at Chichen Itza in Mexico. The Mayans built a huge pyramid around the year A.D. 1000. The way the Sun’s light falls on it signals the beginning of the seasons. On the spring equinox, it looks like a huge snake is slithering down the steps. Mayans called this day “the return of the Sun serpent.”
Some Ideas on How to Celebrate Spring:
The vernal equinox signals new beginnings and nature’s renewal in the Northern Hemisphere. Many cultures celebrate spring festivals, such as Easter and Passover.
Get outside and look around. Watch the arc of the Sun across the sky as it shifts toward the north. Birds are migrating northward, along with the path of the Sun.
Trees, shrubs, and flowers are sensitive to temperature and day length. Since ancient times, people have used natural events as indicators of when the weather is right for planting. Can you feel the Sun getting stronger? The longer days bring higher temperatures.
There are plenty of ways to celebrate spring. Go on a nature walk or hike to enjoy the blooming flowers and fresh air. Have a picnic with seasonal foods. Start a garden and plant flowers, herbs, or vegetables to embrace the season. Visit a farmers market to support local vendors and get fresh produce. Go birdwatching – spring is a great time to see migratory birds returning.
Celebrate the Spring Equinox with a personal ritual or gathering. Attend a spring festival, cherry blossom festivals, tulip festivals, or seasonal fairs. Host a spring-themed party and decorate with pastel colors, serve fresh fruits, and have fun spring activities.
Do a spring cleaning by decluttering your space to refresh your home. Refresh your wardrobe and swap out winter clothes for lighter, brighter outfits. Try a new outdoor hobby, such as cycling, rollerblading, or kayaking. Practice mindfulness outdoors by meditating or doing yoga in a park or garden.
There are plenty of other creative and fun activities you can do. Decorate with fresh flowers to brighten your home with springtime blooms. Make spring-themed crafts, such as DIY wreaths, painted flower pots, or pressed flower art. You can also cook seasonal dishes using fresh spring ingredients like asparagus, strawberries, or peas.
