Daniel Sowelu looks at our stars for March 2008.

Even though this is essentially Pisces' month, March continues many of the themes of February, due to the number of personal planets still in Aquarius still activating the heavyweights Chiron, Neptune and Lilith. The main differences are that the Piscean movement of the Sun brings a deeper and broader emotional tone to proceedings (basically, we'll feel things more), as well as drawing in the sharper, and more chaotic, energies of Uranus. Another pot stirrer of a month, but one with great potential for creative manifestation.

To begin with, the Sun is moving away from opposing Saturn in late February, easing off the breaks and picking up in pace and positivity as it gets closer to conjuncting Uranus exactly on the 11th, while sextiling Jupiter in Capricorn during the same period. Overall, this speaks of a lot of erratic energy around, intent on challenging our routines, orthodoxy, conservatism, inflexibility, agendas, plans and expectations. It elevates the need to make dynamic change, increasing restlessness, frustration and the need for freedom, while lowering our tolerance for boredom and doing the same bloody thing day after day!

If we can get in touch with this inside ourselves, then we have a chance of making some good creative decisions which can relieve pressure and allow greater freedom and flexibility in our day to day world. If we are unconscious and/or ignore the call from this higher level of awareness, then we tend to get victimised by "circumstances" that disrupt what our egos are trying to do. Being an outer planet means it's beyond our ability to manipulate and control, so the best plan is to get in alignment with its call, which is to basically break up old habits so that we can express more of our essential individuality. Uranus is also one of those parts of self that have access to much greater awareness of what is possible for each of us as individuals across the board in our lives, personally, professionally, spiritually. If you are significantly stuck in your life, this could be a circuit breaker.

Traditionally, Uranus is not so concerned with the manifestation part of this and, being not so earthy, can be pretty out there in some of its ideas. But whatever is of true value in its inspirations receives good support towards becoming achievable by the sextile with Jupiter in Capricorn. Jupiter has a similarly expansive effect on our awareness and horizons, but in Capricorn also has a realistic eye on what can be created in the physical world. Those of us ready to make some radical, but realistic, leaps in our worlds will be greatly supported by this aspect.
Relationships are an area significantly challenged during this month. The restlessness of Uranus and the need for dynamic change can put paid to some bonds, but the processes are much deeper than the need to change and newness. Venus, along with Mercury, is conjunct Chiron in Aquarius, representing the resurgence of old wounds and unresolved pain that affects our capacity for open hearts and deeper intimacy. Chiron targets early and deep wounds of abandonment and rejection, particularly by a parent, that have become a template for our expectations and experiences in relationship, as well as much more ancient wounds, from conception, birth, even past lives, all of which have produced shadows on our hearts. In true and compassionate ways, he creates experiences that replicate the earlier wounds, so that we can access them in their rawness and be able to do some deep healing around them.

Similarly Juno, the ancient goddess of marriage and commitment, is conjunct Pluto, representing a time of testing and transformation of any issues from the past that has inhibited our ability to go deeper in a relationship or to being able to sustain a lasting connection with another. If a relationship is unable to transform or one partner is unwilling to go with the process, then the energy can easily end the bond. The call for honesty is particularly strong here - much better a policy than getting stuck in power struggles and control battles. The latter is a distinct possibility for some as Mars is directly opposite the Juno/Pluto, a lineup that can invoke some powerful rage stemming from a buildup of unresolved issues, suppressed independence, insufficient honesty and too much handing over of one's power. In the wrong circumstances, this can take some dangerous and violent expressions, but seen correctly, is a calling to release and heal some very deep forces in oneself and one's relationships, as part of the transformative process.

The possibilities for release and purification in this are also significant in a much larger context, as the North Node, which recently entered Aquarius, is in a tightening conjunction with the asteroid Lilith. The North Node is a visionary, futuristic part of the chart that speaks of unification, or more accurately reunification, with whatever it touches. This, then, is a calling to own this ancient and powerful expression of the feminine, in all her sacredness and her psychosexual, psychospiritual potency, a process which necessitates the purification of old rage, grief and anger, whether from family systems, cultural and/or past life sources. Inherent is this vision is the possibility for relationship based on true equality and mutual empowerment, something clearly worth fighting for.

Daniel Sowelu (BSc DipEd) is a therapeutic astrologer, primal therapist and group leader in his 21st year of private practice.