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Horoscope: ?March 30 to April 5, 2020
Astrologer Pam Younghans writes this weekly astrological journal based on planetary influences, and offers perspectives and insights to assist you in making the best use of current energies. This column is not intended as prediction. Your own experience will be more specifically defined by transits to your personal chart.
Highlighted Aspects for This Week
All times listed are Pacific Standard Time. For Eastern Time, add 3 hours. For Greenwich Mean Time, add 7 hours.
MON: Mars enters Aquarius
TUE: Mars conjunct Saturn, Pluto conjunct Pallas Athene
WED: Mercury semisquare Saturn, Mercury semisquare Mars
FRI: Venus enters Gemini, Mercury conjunct Neptune
SAT: Venus trine Saturn, Mercury semisquare Uranus, Jupiter conjunct Pluto
SUN: Mars semisquare Neptune
EVENTS MOVE so quickly this week, life will seem a blur if we try to hold onto a single perspective for very long. Astrologically, two long-awaited planetary alignments accelerate the unfolding of the timeline, and also provide hints on how the rest of 2020 will hold.
Impatient to get started, action-oriented Mars enters Aquarius on Monday. With Mars moving from deliberate, practical, conservative Capricorn to progressive, original, radical Aquarius, we're likely to experience a shift in how we respond to current restrictions on our activities. Hopefully, as Mars travels through Aquarius (until May 12), we will become less controlled by fear (the shadow side of Capricorn) and more inventive in how we use our time and energy. But, some may also become more restless with the restrictions during this lock-down phase, and find ways to rebel.
AS SOON AS Mars makes ingress into Aquarius, it begins to align with Saturn (exact on Tuesday, March 31, at 11:31 a.m. PDT). As these two planets join forces, it can have varying effects. On the one hand, it can represent great courage under stress and steady but sure progress. On the other hand, we can experience the stop-start-stop feeling of applying the gas pedal (Mars) and the brake pedal (Saturn) at the same time.
In mundane reality, we can certainly imagine this alignment representing the extra responsibilities that so many have taken on in recent weeks. We are immensely grateful to the medical teams, the first responders, the grocery clerks, the delivery people, and everyone in the chain of getting food and supplies from field and warehouse to outlets where they are available to the public. We honor the commitment, stamina, and courage of these people, as they do their jobs under long hours and great stress, putting their own fears and care needs on the back burner.
MARS-SATURN may also manifest through even more rules and regulations (Saturn) that affect our independent action (Mars). Even without additional pronouncements from the authorities, we are certainly dealing with a growing impatience (Mars) over having to obey longer-term restrictions (Saturn) on our social activities (Aquarius).
Due to Aquarius being associated with computers and the internet, this is another area where we may see the Mars-Saturn effect. Most of us have already noticed slowdowns in browser activity. Considering the incredible number of individuals worldwide who are literally attached to their personal computers as their primary source of information, work access, social connection, and entertainment, it seems reasonable that systems could overload.
THE LAST TIME Mars and Saturn aligned in Aquarius was in March 1992. It's interesting to note that a different virus was in the headlines that month – the Michelangelo computer virus. While I'm not predicting a computer virus to invade this week, it would be advisable to backup important data sooner rather than later.
Astrologers are also paying close attention to this particular Mars-Saturn alignment because it occurs at 00°39? Aquarius. The Jupiter-Saturn alignment in December 2020, which will influence sociopolitical themes for the next 20 years, occurs at 00°29? Aquarius. By studying the effects of this week’s Mars-Saturn alignment, we may discover clues as to some of the themes of the larger Jupiter-Saturn event.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT event this week is undoubtedly the first Jupiter-Pluto alignment. The exact conjunction occurs at 7:44 p.m. PDT on Saturday, April 4. Both planets will be at 24°53? Capricorn at that time.
We have been dealing with this influence for several weeks now. In this astrologer's mind, it is one of the major astrological components of the worldwide situation we are now dealing with. Jupiter magnifies Pluto's ability to transform, and Capricorn rules the social systems and structures that give form to our lives. We are deep into the phase of the phoenix in which the flame consumes the old, so that the new can eventually be given birth.
I found myself smiling as I listened to what was meant to be a serious NPR report this past week. The woman being interviewed was concerned that without being able to go to work and be on a regular schedule, people might lose track of time, and might start to disidentify with their usual roles. Since I am someone who thinks it's a very positive experience to forget about the clock and to wonder about who we really are, I found the woman's perspective somewhat amusing.
WE MIGHT see this woman's concern as being quite symbolic of the deeper fears being raised now. The very structures (Capricorn) of our lives are being dismantled (Pluto), and it is happening in grand scale (Jupiter). This of course raises fear, requiring that we find new inner strength to deal with situations that are outside of our control (Saturn-Pluto).
For many people, what we felt was important a few weeks ago has shifted dramatically. And, just imagine – remembering one possible manifestation of Mars-Saturn in Aquarius – if most of us truly were without the internet for a few days, what other behavior patterns would be dismantled, and what new levels of self-awareness might we be compelled to access?
THE EXACT Jupiter-Pluto rendezvous that occurs on Saturday represents the peak of a mountain we've been climbing for several weeks. At this time, the already-powerful effects of this planetary alignment are further concentrated. It will be especially important to find your place of calm in the eye of the hurricane this week, and to find the shining light of higher purposes to guide you.
It is true that Jupiter is magnifying Pluto's ability to dig deep into our psyches to unearth the fears that have kept us disempowered. But it is also true that Pluto is deepening Jupiter's capacity to seek meaning, to develop faith and belief, and to find the silver lining to any cloud.
For this reason, I highly recommend expanding your own spiritual practice now. Doing so will of course help you manage your own fears. But, it will also enable you to take advantage of this rare opportunity to take a deep dive into realms that you may not have accessed before, that will connect you with your true source of power within.
ENERGETICALLY, this week truly does represent a pinnacle. It is my hope that as we move further into April and then into May, the severity of the current situation will gradually abate as Jupiter and Pluto slowly distance from each other.
But, we also need to note that this is the first of three Jupiter-Pluto alignments this year. The other two perfect on June 29 and November 12. It may be that the virus re-emerges around those dates – but those times may just as easily represent the next stage of our phoenix process, when we begin to emerge from the ashes, in new form.
TWO OTHER EVENTS I need to mention before I wrap up for today, both of them also alignments: Pluto aligns with the asteroid Pallas Athene on Wednesday and Mercury aligns with Neptune on Friday.
As you know from past issues of this Journal, I feel that Athene plays a crucial role in uncoding the mystery of current dilemmas. Athene is known for her ability to see patterns, and to strategize solutions. As she joins forces with Pluto this week, may her skills be enhanced, especially in her role as goddess of Healing and Wisdom.
At first glance, Mercury's alignment with Neptune in Pisces may seem to indicate another layer of fog enveloping our capacity to reason and plan. But it has been my experience with this kind of astrological event, when Neptune interacts with a planet that is in Pisces, that an opposite effect can also occur – much like when we multiply a negative number by another negative number, and the answer is a positive number.
So, may our vision become clearer this week. May our inspiration deepen, and may we have an enhanced ability to see meanings and purposes. May we connect with our true selves and with loved ones at deeper levels than before. May we each set the intention for powerful and necessary change to occur for the benefit of all beings, as gently as possible.
FOR THOSE who are tracking lunar aspects, here is this week's list of aspects to watch. We are likely to feel more vulnerable and emotionally reactive around these times.
All of these oppositions occur on Thursday, April 2:
- Moon-Jupiter (Cancer-Capricorn): 1:49 a.m. PDT
- Moon-Pluto (Cancer-Capricorn): 2:20 a.m. PDT
- Moon-Saturn (Leo-Aquarius): 12:49 p.m. PDT
- Moon-Mars(Leo-Aquarius): 3:13 p.m. PDT
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IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS THIS WEEK: Relationships are highlighted in your personal new year. You will be coming to terms with any issues with friends and loved ones that create barriers instead of connection. At the same time, you are learning how to fully appreciate your own needs for independence and autonomy. The challenge is in understanding how relationships can enhance your individuality, rather than feeling that you must somehow deny your truth if you are to be in partnership. Your relationships will go through minor tests and most will emerge stronger than before. Only those that severely compromise your truth will be deeply challenged, to see if they still have validity in your life. (Solar Return Sun semisquare Venus)
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For previous weeks of the Astrological Journal, click here.
About the Author
Pam Younghans is a professional astrologer, editor, and writer. She lives in a log home northeast of Seattle, Washington with her beloved animal companions. She has been interpreting charts professionally for over 25 years. If you are interested in an astrology reading, e-mail
