MARCH THEME: BREAKDOWN/BREAKTHROUGH
by Simone Butler

There's nothing like a health crisis to get you thinking about your life. We go along, expecting our bodies to be our willing slaves, and when they stage an uprising, it catches us by surprise. Compared to many people, I lead a pretty healthy life. I rarely eat junk food, abstain from caffeine and exercise regularly. I'll have an occasional glass of wine to grease my feet on the salsa dance floor, but otherwise I toe the health line. Sure, I could lose a few pounds-but overall, I assumed I was doing okay.

Then along came Pluto (death and rebirth) to oppose my Moon (habits). Suddenly, fundamental change was demanded. While my quick Gemini Moon (instincts) raced along, making plans, my slower-moving Cancerian Sun (body) shut down and refused to cooperate. At first I ignored its rebellion and plunged ahead. This led to extreme pain. Like a balky donkey, my body wouldn't move until I took the time to attend to its needs. Now, with the help of medical astrologer/healer James Hopson (www.inspiringhealth.net) I'm starting to rectify some chronic imbalances and bad habits. Who knew that soymilk, my favorite drink, was blocking my thyroid? Or that Saturn, now transiting my Jupiter, indicated a dysfunctional liver? So, I have committed to building a strong physical foundation from which I can launch myself into a higher orbit. Driven by suffering, I'm finally giving that sensitive beast, my body, proper nutrition and nurturing.

Balky donkeys come in many forms. Maybe it's the resistance to forgiving someone, or letting a relationship go. Some resist a higher calling and stay stuck in work that isn't fulfilling. Others get swept up in a whirlwind of activity and rarely take time for themselves. Wherever your resistance lies, the retrogrades and eclipses of March could bring a breakthrough. Mental Mercury turns backward on the 2nd (through the 25th) in Pisces, squaring Pluto, to unearth what has been hidden. And, adventurous Jupiter goes underground in Scorpio a few days later, until early July. These explorer planets in backward mode send us into our depths and/or back to the past to retrieve crucial info and awareness that has been buried or denied. This will be particularly strong for those with Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces Sun or rising signs, who are ruled by Mercury or Jupiter.

The lunar eclipse of March 14 in Virgo/Pisces should bring what's broken (or where you are resisting) to the light of awareness so you can heal it. Energetic Mars (in Gemini) and lovely Venus (in Aquarius, after the 5th) are skipping along in a playful mode, happily returned from their long retrograde journeys. And, the Sun moves into Aries on the 20th, marking the astrological New Year and Spring Equinox. These developments offer a sense of freedom and a fresh start.

It may be wise to wait until after the Aries solar eclipse of March 29th to implement new beginnings, however. This eclipse coincides with Pluto turning retrograde at the Galactic Center, which can shift even the best-laid plans into a different direction. Pluto at the GC, as we saw last month, is an opportunity to tune in to the pure messages of truth and guidance emanating from the Black Hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy. March 29 is an optimal day to listen closely-you may be surprised by what you hear!

Light a candle and say a prayer for the balky donkey in your psyche. Commit to nurturing it rather than whipping it. Cayelin Castell (www.shamanicastrology.com) says it's possible to "amplify and transmit new programs of operation and awareness directly to the DNA" while Pluto at the GC is triggered. Activation dates in March include the 4th, 17th, 22nd and 29th. Saturn will be stationary at the end of March/early April as it prepares to turn forward on April 5 (good news for Capricorns, who will finally be able to hit their stride again.) The combination of Saturn standing still, Pluto going backward and a solar eclipse may feel like you're slogging through a swamp with landmines going off around you. Tread carefully, but don't avoid the quagmire-what you discover there is bound to be worth it.

© 2006 Simone Butler.

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