The Wheel of Light
Monthly Newsletter - March 2023
Two major planetary events will take place this month. On the 7th, Saturn will transit into Pisces after being in Aquarius since December 2020. On the 23rd, Pluto will transit into Aquarius after having been in Capricorn since January 2008. I will address the Pluto transit in my column next month. This month I will focus on the Saturn transit.
For about the last 5 years Saturn has been in Capricorn and Aquarius, the two signs it is said to rule. This means that Saturn’s energy has been manifested in a clean and powerful way when in those signs. Pisces, however, is not that comfortable for Saturn.
Saturn is the energy of personal responsibility. It is oriented toward defining concrete goals that can be manifested in productive ways. It tells us where work needs to be done. It can pertain to setting and enforcing limits and boundaries and at times can be rigid and authoritarian. Pisces is mutable (adaptable, flexible) and water (sensitive, intuitive, gentle). It is the sign of the subconscious mind and higher spiritual being. By nature it is humble, compassionate and service oriented.
Pisces is one of the signs of healing, specifically focusing on mental, emotional and psychological healing. One manifestation of Saturn in Pisces is to work to de-stigmatize mental health so that new, more effective ways of understanding and treating mental illness can at least get started. By extension, this can also include creating new paradigms for dealing with the homeless population and prison reform.
It can be hard for Saturn to express itself in its usual defining and controlling way since Pisces is the sign of devotion and unconditional love. It’s as if there is nothing solid enough about Pisces that will enable Saturn to organize a concrete plan and then work to pull it off. With Saturn in Pisces, it’s almost as if its focus has to change from external to internal manifestation. Instead of defining a reality, Saturn in Pisces needs to be open to intuitively realizing what the best and most productive path going forward is. We will need to tune in to the “inner directive” that we receive from the Universe.
If we are off-center, we can experience Saturn as the energy of fear. Because Pisces recognizes that all physical manifestation is an illusion, that we are ultimately and intimately connected to each other and every other living thing, there may be a lot of vague fears that emerge in the psyche (both individual as well as collective). How can we discriminatively determine which fears are real and what to do about them?
It’s been said that of the 12 signs of the zodiac, 11 have a clear sense of self. The 12th sign is Pisces. On the other hand Pisces has an easier time accessing the transcendent consciousness that enables us to connect with Divine Spirit than the other 11. So one thing to remember is to let go of the need for external control and use the self-discipline that Saturn can bring to focus inward. This can help us surrender the sense of an individuated self and put time and energy into selfless service.
We can also use the nature of Saturn in Pisces to develop the spiritual discipline that can enhance our meditation experience. This can help clarify our inner voice and inner directive which in turn can provide guidance into how we can be of the greatest service to others even as we feel protected by the unconditional love of spirit at all times. In this context we can replace fear with faith. Faith is about the power of positive thinking and not about wishful thinking. It reminds us that one way to transcend fear is through responsibility (Saturn) and faith (Pisces).
One of the most important and powerful goals (Saturn) we can set for ourselves this year is feeling and acting from a point of compassion for the suffering in the world Saturn in Pisces could provide the inner guidance to learn how we can be a healing agent in the world.
Aries (March 21-April 20)
Aries: After having been in Gemini since August, your ruling planet Mars will transit into Cancer on the 25th. This can be a challenging transit for two reasons. One is that Mars, which is a physical energy, can lack drive and motivation in Cancer. Two, this transit can bring up a flow of emotion that can be hard for you to deal with effectively. Growth can come from tuning in and feeling your feelings.
Taurus (April 21-May 21)
Taurus: Venus, your ruling planet, enters Taurus on the 16th. This can bring up the desire for harmonious relationships. However, you may be confronted either by a partner or close friend whose values and relationship behaviors significantly differ from you own. Or, you may notice that your values and behaviors are changing on their own. In either case, growth can come from updating these core qualities.
Gemini (May 22-June 21)
Gemini: With Mars leaving Gemini, where it has been since August, you may feel a drop in physical energy but also a decline in ambition and competitiveness. This is a time to turn your attention more inward, specifically on learning and sharing new information in new ways with new people.
Cancer (June 22-July 22)
Cancer: Both the Full Moon in Virgo on the 7th and the New Moon in Aries on the 21st offer similar influences this month. There could be verbal or physical conflicts and challenges around those events. However, there could also be a lot of energy and information to tune into that will bring powerful feelings of personal liberation and consciousness development.
Leo (July 23-August 23)
Leo: Two patterns emerge for you this month. One is the need for introspective alone time that can be beneficial for both creative as well as spiritual activity. The other is tendencies for conflict with others. One way out is to follow the Saturn in Pisces transit and surrender the ego in service to others.
Virgo (August 24-Sept 22)
Virgo: The Full Moon will be in Virgo on the 7th. This can bring up clarity about your feelings and emotional life that may not often be a priority or even point of awareness for you. Growth can come from tuning into your emotional reality as a way to enhance your spiritual growth. Expressing feelings can be liberating.
Libra (Sept 23-Oct 23)
Libra: This month could be all about relationship. Early month is a good time to either begin a new one or take an existing one in a new direction. Later month is time to deepen the emotional connection and develop the trust that will enable the situation to stabilize.
Scorpio (Oct 24-Nov 22)
Scorpio: Two main themes emerging for you this month. Early month could bring challenges with partners or children. Much of it based on communication difficulties. Late month through early April energies flow more productively. This could be a good time to begin a project that may take a while to be completed.
Sagittarius (Nov 23-Dec 21)
Sagittarius: A main theme for you this year is new adventures. This month that could mean activities involving creative or athletic endeavors. Fun and play can bring joy and meaningful connections with others who enjoy the same pursuits.
Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 20)
Capricorn: With your ruling planet Saturn entering Pisces this month, this is a time to spend time looking inward on a regular basis. This could take the form of a daily meditation practice that could anything from yoga, to T’ai Chi to tracking and journaling your dreams. Saturn will remain in Pisces until February 2026, so think of these practices as becoming part of your daily routine.
Aquarius (Jan 21 to Feb 19)
Aquarius: Intellectual stimulation and communication acuity are strong in early month. Later month is a good time to be more physically active or to implement projects that will have some type of physical benefit.
Pisces (Feb 20-March 20)
Pisces: Saturn will be in Pisces until February 2026. The good news is that this transit will help you to be grounded and productive on the material plane. It will also help with deepening and stabilizing your spiritual discipline. The bad news is that this transit may limit your creative imagination. Growth can come from tuning inward and using the inner guidance to provide productive direction.
Rio Olesky has been studying astrology since 1967 and has been a practicing professional astrologer since 1976. The author of Astrology and Consciousness, A Manual for the Modern Mystic, and The Astroreader, Rio offers weekly classes through Zoom. You can call Rio at 707-887-1820. Check out his website: www.starwatcher.com.