EYE IN THE SKY:Â LOOK AHEAD INTO MID-APRIL 2018
Big change this weekend as Venus gets ready to go into Aries on Monday leaves the exact point of exaltation at 27 Pisces on a Friday with moon in Taurus where there is a wonderful and expansive high and emotional fullness and moves into Aries on Monday an enemies sign. Enjoy her fullness today for a peak of artistic creativity, friendship, love and comfort today. On Monday, Venus  moves into the transitionary place between Pisces and Aries, called the Gandanta over the weekend and into the sign of Aries on Monday which will write about. Taurus and Libra may feel a lot of emotional overwhelm with the transition.  It is always a bit of a shock going from Pisces to Aries. I have watched this in the marketplace also where Pisces is a bullish sign and Aries a bearish one and the markets often start falling from the shock and that can be true of our emotional fullness also.
Mars is weak next week from March 25-April 1st being in the Cancer section (Navamsha/D-9) of Sagittarius and entering the final passage through the constellation of Mula known as the Galactic Center in Western astrology. Mars is also getting too close to Saturn for comfort and and usually within 5 degrees we really start noticing the tensions. Weak Mars will be more tired next week and prone to anger and rushing around so slow down and watch ego encounters and having to be right or staying stuck in your position and not bending. This section of the zodiac has a karmic and transformational energy with fragility and regret over past desires and there is a strong desire to change your life. Mars here will need more emotional support and lay down their arms around battles they need to fight. Sometimes Mars has to be like Arjuna on the battlefield and take up a strong cause and go for it. That may be some of the energy up next week for Aries and Scorpio rising.Â
Calm Mars’s frustration with exercise and meditation and drink coconut water if Mars gets too over-heated from running around. Watch your language so you do not harm others and stay careful with driving and working with tools and stay alert and focused and not thinking about the all the things that you are angry or frustrated about.  As we pointed out the constellation of Mula (Sagittarius 0-13.20) is connected to readdressing our past mistakes and cleaning them up. Aries and Scorpio rising will need to continue to revisit regret. Time to complete the examination and releasing any old feelings of bitterness, victimization and at the tame time to make amends for those you have hurt with apologies and difficult actions to clean up the past.
Mercury is retrograde and weak now for a bit and a fuzzy and unfocused mind and aspects from Mars and Rahu are not helping matters. It is thought that retrograde Mercury will cancel its debilitation which may mean that if you have retrograde Mercury in your natal chart, the transit will kick in your intuitive nature. There is square aspect from Saturn impacting Mercury exactly into April 5th and it can lead to deep self-criticism, insecurity and self-deprecation so lighten up on yourself. this influence will also come between April 2-26th when Mercury is in the constellation of Uttarbhardrapada (Pisces 3.20-16.40) No one benefits when we beat ourselves up. Praise and forgive yourself in the mirror and stay aware of maya of the planets trying to take you down when you are a Divine being. Forgive your imperfections–no one expects you to be perfect and neither should you.
Mars and Rahu are also aspecting Mercury now with the exact Mars square to Mercury impacting into April 4th so it will be important to not let anger get your mind whirling too much so remember to focus and stay in the moment with driving and working to avoid accidents. Rahu’s aspect is pretty tight within 4 degrees today and will move toward being exact into March 30-1st and have a strong influence through the first week of April. This combination with Saturn/Mars/Rahu impacting Mercury the first week of April will make the mind intense and agitated and frustration with communications, business, technology and travel would be impacted. Learn to be patient with upsets from Mercury. Laugh when things don’t work and see the game of Hermes the trickster testing your equanimity. Most of us will throw our gadgets against the wall in disgust. Be patient.
Personal communications could be impact with misunderstandings, being paranoid, mixing up facts and feelings so remember the planets are dancing and creating great maya to test your equanimity so rise to the occasion and stay disciplined with Yoga and meditation and exercise to smooth things out. The cobra pose in Yoga and the shoulder stand can help balance Mercury also.
Mercury in Pisces usually has a buzzy, busy mind and the mind can wander off on tangents and not realize what it is doing and not be in the moment. This can be a problem if you are thinking and not focusing on what you are doing. You will need to work harder to stay present and grounded in this cycle. Do the chair pose in yoga or deep knee bends to ground. Mercury retrograde cycles until April 15th are a chance to regroup and plan you next actions so use this time for that and wait to launch important projects when it goes direct after April 15th. The exalted Sun in April, April 13-May 14th will give you renewed confidence to move forward strongly with leadership and get things done. Until then, it will be a time to release and renew.
Jupiter is retrograde now but out of the worse place past the last degree of Libra. It moves toward an exact opposition with Venus into April 16th and we will write about that more in a few weeks. Stay on top of taking care of your liver and running difficult decisions by someone with clear judgment as it may seem more difficult to make those decisions between Mercury being retrograde and also Jupiter.
Saturn is afflicted by Mars with the impending conjunction into April 2 and having a strong impact March 26-April 9th. Capricorn and Aquarius rising will have to watch anger and frustration and stay calm with herbal teas and not run around too much like a rabbit or the air or vata element will get out of balance and increase anxiety. Find ways to stay grounded with yoga and meditation and remember that all the things you fear usually do not happen so offer your fears to the Divine.Â
If you like the way I analyze  transits and want to learn how to do this, you can take my Transit and Aspect Class which is 7 Video Tapes and is available for download now.  https://www.appliedvedicastrology.com/products-2/timing-your-life/ on sale for 99.00 through April 1st.
We also recommend our intermediate foundation course which covers some the basics of Jaimini astrology, and principles on timing dashas.   https://www.appliedvedicastrology.com/products-2/timing-your-life/secrets-timing-foundation-course-tapes/ which includes 7 vidotapes for 195.00.
There is one space left in the Nakshatra live webinar that starts on Sunday. Â
BarryÂ