The chart for the Equinox, set for the nation’s capital, is interesting in the fact that the Moon is exactly opposite Mars, and at a critical degree, 29, in Cancer and Capricorn respectively. Looking at the chart it is interesting that Aries, the sign that belongs to this season, is intercepted and the Sun, Venus, Mercury (retrograde) and the North Node are all located in the 12th house of what is hidden and unconscious. It will be interesting to see what happens both politically and nationally this season, since so much energy is going underground, in a way.
The Equinox is officially the start of the new year in many religions, both organized and earth based, since spring heralds the new birth of the year. Aries is the sign represented by the soaring into spring motif and as such it incorporates all those qualities of newness: rashness impatience impulsiveness selfishness and also energy drive desire and enormous zest for life and all it has to offer.
Mercury is in Aries for the duration of March, and goes Retrograde, backwards, on March 19th at 15 degrees. That’s the day before the Equinox, which means that not only do the next three weeks carry that retrograde energy in a literal sense, in a more metaphysical sense, so does this spring season which will be upon us on the 20th.
Now what does that translate into politically, for the nation and world as a whole? What can we expect to see this spring season which lasts from March 20th until June 20th; energy wise? I think we can put together a pretty accurate picture from the jigsaw pieces of the aspects if we just look at what the astrological placements tell us.
It seems to me so much of the powerful energy that is always part of the Equinox is underground. It carries as its starting number, (if you want to look at it like that), the Aries Zero Point, the beginning of the zodiac and a very potent degree to hold. Now in this chart, again set for Washington DC, so much of that power is muted, or hidden, or unavailable. Why?
Mercury is in Aries; again, a vigorous, fast moving, quick thinking placement, but it is not moving ahead or even holding steady, it is going backwards. Its’ full energy cannot be used in a positive expression. Mercury in Aries is prone to go fast, furious and forward, but now it must go backwards; imagine you are in a car and trying to get out of a snowdrift and you keep going forward and then backwards to try to get your car out of the driveway (I just had to do that this morning so the analogy seems to fit perfectly to me.) It can be time-consuming and frustrating as you have to keep going into reverse and then forward…and with Mercury Retrograde there is no forward, just reverse.
Mars, ruler of Aries, has come to the end of its reign (in Capricorn) and so has the Moon (in Cancer). Aries is intercepted, its sign is submerged and consumed by another sign, namely Pisces, a watery nebulous sign which has swamped and submerged the more potent aggressive ram.
Venus is the ruler of the chart since it is in charge of Taurus the sign on the ascendant, and Venus is placed in where else the 12th house. The Sun is there as I stated earlier and Mercury and the North Node. The Nodes are karmic placements; the North Node of good fortune as opposed to the South Node, the yang to the yin of the North Node and as such the bearer of ill tidings, (not to get too esoteric but still I think that is the best way to read this chart, with an eye to the symbolism inherent.)
With such a prominent 12th house (the end of the zodiac) and with the Mars and Moon placements in the endings of their respective signs, (having to do with security and home and money and ambition) and also with Mercury going backwards, turning inward as it were, I see this chart as a time of endings and not beginnings.
Now whether that means the ending of the sense of security people have in their pension plans and retirements funds, or in the sense of America as the most powerful player on the board, or whether one of our political leaders passes away or is incapacitated by illness for a while, I am not sure. But is seems this Equinox season brings with it a submerged energy, one that can’t burst forth like it should, like the new shoots from the plants we are going to be seeing soon. Again, on a metaphysical theme, it seems to me this chart is out of sync with what we are all going to be seeing soon, the new spring energy and the warmth in the air and buds on the trees, etc. etc. It is trite but it is still true, spring is a time of love, and joy and just plan feeling good to be alive.
No matter what happens nationally or on the world scene that feeling is going to stay with us this spring season, just like every other season gone by. In that way nothing is different this Equinox than any other year.
ISABELLE GHANEH