Retrogrades, Eclipses, a Stellium, and an Abundance of Caution
Okay, I haven’t seen this sort of a thing in a long time. Part of it is the current transits (Mercury Retrograde in Aries, Venus Retrograde in Aries and Pisces, a fat stellium, and a pair of eclipses, one in Aries and the other in Virgo and Pisces). The other part is the extreme variety of ways people are feeling and responding to those transits. I have seen people handle worse transits with more joy, ease, and grace. I know part of it is the socio-political-economic impacts of the times we live in. But still, it made me curious. And cautious. I had a feeling there was more to it than that.
And I was right. This visual alone on this one pretty much tells you all you need to know. The first thing that caught my eye in today’s chart is the gigantic stellium spanning the end of Pisces and all of Aries. Seriously. Six planets (Saturn, a retrograde Venus, Neptune, a retrograde Mercury, the Sun, and the Moon), the North Node, and the Asteroid Chiron. Four of them in Pisces. Four of them in Aries. This sure explains things. And it changes things quite a bit. You have to go at this sort of a thing from a bit of a different angle. A very cautious angle.
With so much energy all in one place, in two different signs, it’s just complicated. Especially given the exceedingly dissimilar nature of the signs involved. Watery Pisces, as the last sign of the zodiac, yearns for connections and the consciousness needed for karmic completions. Yet Aries, the fiery first sign of the zodiac, is when we start our star cycle all over again. So that makes this particular New Moon in Aries a time when you really have to pace yourself. There are a lot of endings and a lot of beginnings all happening at the same time. Concurrently. Despite how bewildering it is, despite how confusing it may feel, you can get a lot of traction if you can learn how to be a little more sophisticated at taking the right action in the right way at the right time. There is some behavior modification involved. In corporate America, it’s called a “training opportunity.”
On the one hand, there are moments now when you need to be daring, and take valiant action. On the other hand, there are just as many moments when you need to sit in the stillness, listen to the energies of the people and situations, and wait for instructions. Moments when you are not punting or improvising, you are simply being prudent. Moments when you wait in a place of deep listening for a clear—or clearer—path forward. If ever there was a time to revisit the basic premises of David Amerland’s The Sniper Mind, it is now.
It’s also a good time to take a deeper dive into the interpretations for the Year of the Wood Snake, as it is the same remedy explained in a different way. In Chinese Astrology, 2025 is the year of the Wood Snake, which has not occurred since 1965. That was a year of big changes: the Voting Rights Act and the Immigration and Nationality Act both passed, significantly expanding democratic rights in America. There were also unprecedented protests around the country for more of the same. For dramatic changes to successfully occur, they must be righteous in their strategies of managing those juxtaposition of stillness and action, of going solo and of being in the company of others. This energy is definitely dominant this whole year, but especially at certain times.
Times like now. And especially today, at the Aries New Moon. The energy of a sign is at its highest vibration and most tangible intensity at the New Moon. Also today, at about the same time, there is a Partial Solar eclipse. Also in Aries, the ruler of the divine male archetype, of anger, of violence and war, of bravery, and of bold, decisive action.
The eclipses always reveal. Usually, an eclipse involving Aries will show us where we are strong, where we need to be stronger, and how. Because Aries is an impulsive fire sign, part of what we learn here has to do with discipline and discernment. And this year —to a certain degree—is no different. But when you factor in the Mercury Retrograde in Aries and the Venus Retrograde in Pisces, and when there are so man simultaneous beginnings and endings, the revelations get a little uneven, nebulous, and hard to understand.
And scary. I am seeing a lot of fear, some of it seemingly irrational. And some of it is totally logical and rational. Because Pisces rules fog and illusions, confusion and delusion, all that Pisces in the air cannot help but make things rather foggy. Never has it been so difficult to figure out moment-to-moment, day-to-day, what is real, what is true, and what is not. All the more reason to slow down. Because Venus is involved, especially in matters of the heart.
Which brings us back to the daily discipline of the Sniper Mind Mentality and the opportunities of the Year of the Wood Snake. An eclipse in Aries with a Mercury Retrograde in Aries and Venus Retrograde in Pisces is the astrological equivalent of a warning. This combination of transits sends up a metric ton of red flags. It is a time of far-reaching inner transformation—the kind we all need to do in order to figure out the world and the countries in which we now live. But it needs to be approached more mindfully than we are perhaps used to.
This is especially true in areas within ourselves and our relationships where we feel trapped or imprisoned, where we yearn for greater freedom. Especially in relationships. Places where we know or suspect we are simply not getting the levels of love, care, respect, and nourishment we need from the humans in our spheres. This is deep stuff. Old stuff. Some of the most painful of it goes back lifetimes. This requires an extraordinary amount of presence to sort out. Be patient, tolerant, and kind as you do it. But do it. Again, you have a lot more support now than usual. It is an opportunity. Take it.
We also have a Grand Trine in the water signs. A mark of luck, grace, and opportunity for achievement, a Grand Trine is a pattern in the chart where three planets form "Trine" (120 degree) aspects with each other. Because astrological signs at 120° angles to each other belong to the same element, Grand Trines tend to involve planets in all of the three signs of one element (fire, earth, air, or water) in three separate houses. According to modern interpretations, in order to make a Grand Trine work for you, you have to work it. If you put some thought, energy, and precise action into it, you can do and get a lot more out of it than usual.
So, take a little time this weekend to figure out where yours are and how they relate to your current experiences. What are the recurring themes in your life up to now? What do you want to get out of 2025? Because Aries rules priorities and brevity, stick to the top three to five, and write them down—in your journal or your day planner, or wherever you document your personal journey, your Hero’s Journey, this lifetime. Ask your Gods, guides, guardians, angels and ancestors for clarity and guidance, protection and direction. Follow what you are given. And if you get stuck, call me.
We’ll figure it out.
Calendar
Below are some of the dates when your opportunities for wizardry, magic, and alchemy will be the greatest, and some generic wisdom about them.
March 29
Partial Solar Eclipse at the New Moon at 2:57 AM Pacific Time, the Moon and the Sun are conjunct at 9° Aries
Mercury moves into Pisces
Eid-al-Fitr (end of Ramadan) at sunset
March 30
Neptune moves into Pisces
Mothering Sunday (United Kingdom and Ireland)
March 31
Cesar Chavez Day
April 7
Mercury goes Direct at 26° Pisces, Mercury Retrograde Shadow Period begins
April 10
Siblings Day
April 12
Full Moon in Libra (also known as the Hare Moon, Pink Moon, Peony Moon, Sprouting Grass Moon, Growing Moon, Egg Moon, Fish Moon, and Paschal Moon)
Eclipse Shadow Period ends
Venus goes Direct at 24° Pisces
Passover/Pesach begins at sunset
April 13
Palm Sunday
April 15
Mercury moves into Aries
Tax Day
April 16
Emancipation Day
April 17
Mars moves into Leo
Maundy Thursday
April 18
Good Friday
April 19
Sun moves into Taurus
April 20
Easter Sunday, Passover/Pesach ends at Sunset
April 22
Earth Day
April 23
Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) begins at sunset
April 24
Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) ends at sunset
April 25
Arbor Day
April 26–27
Earth Day Celebration in Santa Barbara
April 27
New Moon in Taurus
Free Seminar
Making Grace
The Alchemy of Aging, Elder Care,
End-of-Life Transitions, and a Good Death
Wednesday, April 9 at 7pm
Carpinteria Women’s Club
1059 Vallecito Road•Carpinteria, CA
carpinteriawomansclub.com
In virtually all ancient cultures and most modern ones, the end-of-life and death windows are the most sacred times in all of life for individuals, families, and their communities. These windows are single-handedly and simultaneously the most powerful opportunities to heal old wounds, to learn and grow spiritually, and to transform the existential pain of life into something beautiful, joyful, and meaningful for all involved. In end-of-life and hospice circles, this experience is known as A Good Death.
Through a compelling and skillfully woven combination of presentation and group discussion, I will show you how to use astrology, modern psychological principles, as well as ancient and aboriginal spirituality to walk this hallowed ground and breathe this rarified air. I will also show you how to use opportunities inherent in the earlier phases of life to build the foundation you need to achieve your goals and the goals of those you love.
I’m on Substack!
For nearly 20 years I have put out a newsletter that is largely focused on astrology. But I do so much more than that! I’m finally ready to share some of the other facets of my work including business consulting personal and career crisis management and aging and end-of-life care. Visit my new free Substack for real-life case studies organized by topic.
Check back often as I’ll be adding to it regularly. I started with examples of how I have supported individuals through thorny business-world DEI and HR issues. In the coming month I will be shifting to the topics of Aging with Grace Caring for Elders and End-of-Life Care and creating what is known in hospice circles as “A Good Death.” (Note: All case studies use fictitious names.)
If you are willing to let me share about the work we did together–anonymously of course–in order to better help others with struggles you have conquered please contact me at beth@bethmcdonaldconsulting.com.
