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Written and Narrated by Pam Younghans
Current and previous weeks astrological overviews
Astrological Overview: February 26 - March 3, 2024
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.
Aspects of Note this Week:
All times listed are Pacific Daylight Time. For Eastern Time, add 3 hours; For Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), add 8 hours.
Monday: Mercury sextile Ceres
Tuesday: Mars square Jupiter
Wednesday: Sun conjunct Mercury, Mars semisquare Neptune, Mercury semisquare Eris, Sun semisquare Eris, Mercury conjunct Saturn, Sun conjunct Saturn
Thursday: Mercury sextile Jupiter
Friday: Sun sextile Jupiter, Venus sextile Chiron
Saturday: Mercury semisquare Pluto
Sunday: Venus square Uranus, Jupiter semisquare Neptune
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THE ADVENTURES OF JUPITER: Jupiter, the planet of optimism and faith, encounters some obstacles this week, being in hard aspect to both Mars and Neptune. We may find our beliefs challenged by circumstances that are outside of our conscious control in the days ahead, or perhaps feel disillusioned by something that has not lived up to our ideals or expectations.
The Mars-Jupiter square is exact to the degree on Tuesday, February 27, but its influence colors at least a day or two on both sides of that date. With Jupiter in tradition-loving Taurus and Mars in revolutionary Aquarius, events that occur are triggered by a clash between the familiar and the progressive, between tried-and-true solutions and inventive ideas.
Mars is the planet of Action and Desire, and Jupiter always magnifies what it touches. Since a square aspect indicates problematic situations, people may be especially impatient and excitable early in the week, overreacting to anything that seems to threaten their freedom. There is a sense of urgency here, a need to escape, but perhaps without clear understanding or consideration of longer-term consequences.
JUPITER & NEPTUNE: The Jupiter-Neptune semisquare perfects to the degree on Sunday, March 3. While a semisquare is called a "minor" hard aspect, even minor aspects between Jupiter and Neptune can be significant since both planets move more slowly through the zodiac. That slower pace also means that this influence is longer-lasting, being strong for at least a week before and after the exact date.
Hard aspects between Jupiter and Neptune represent a challenge to our beliefs, our ideals, and our faith. There can be sense of confusion as we realize that the beliefs we relied on for stability are no longer valid. We may feel adrift in the fog, without an anchor to stabilize us, nor signposts or stars to navigate by. This is when faith undergoes its greatest test, when we are feeling unsure or unclear. For in truth, faith and certainty are on opposite ends of the spectrum: if we have certainty, we do not need faith; if we have faith, we do not need certainty.
Another possible manifestation of this Jupiter-Neptune influence is having unrealistic expectations, a pie-in-the-sky idealism that is merely masquerading as faith. In this situation, both introspection and a reality check may be necessary.
As we work with both Jupiter aspects this week, the only thing that may be clear is that the past, much of what we have relied upon for stability, is dissolving. We may not know where our next steps will take us, but we can pause and ground ourselves into the present moment and into the Earth, having faith in the Now — and thus, not needing to either whitewash or worry about the future.
THIS WEEK'S ASPECTS: Here are my brief interpretations of this week's most important planetary aspects:
Monday
Mercury sextile Ceres: Mercury in sympathetic Pisces and Ceres in practical Capricorn enhance conversations today, helping them flow more smoothly and leaving us with a sense of being supported and understood.
Tuesday
Mars square Jupiter: There is a sense of impatience and even urgency with this aspect. People may be competitive and confrontational, especially in philosophical, religious, or legal matters, which are ruled by Jupiter. Some could take unexpected risks or overestimate their abilities, or become aggressive more quickly than usual.
Wednesday
Sun conjunct Mercury, with both planets semisquare Eris and conjunct Saturn: Our minds are focused on what we want to achieve, and thus we may be more serious than usual in our thinking and our conversations. However, we're also aware of a certain level of discontent, perhaps with our current goals or with the restrictions and rules that we believe we must agree to, if we are to attain those goals. In some circumstances, we can feel despondent about the amount of work that needs to be done. With the Sun, Mercury, and Saturn in Pisces, it is important to be realistic but also to call upon the spiritual qualities of intuition, faith, and trust in all matters.
Mars semisquare Neptune: Our desires and our course of action may be less than clear now. It may be hard to stay organized or to focus on details. This aspect will also strongly activate the effects of Sunday's Jupiter-Neptune semisquare.
Thursday
Mercury sextile Jupiter: It is easier to think optimistically today. New insights are possible, and the intuition is heightened.
Friday
Sun sextile Jupiter: This aspect helps us feel more positive about the future, and can augment faith and idealism.
Venus sextile Chiron: An increased capacity for acceptance and understanding enables healing between friends and allies.
Saturday
Mercury semisquare Pluto: A lack of clear direction or miscommunications can result in a minor power struggle, if others feel they must step in to take control of the situation.
Sunday
Venus square Uranus: With this feisty aspect, we are likely to feel very impatient if anyone tries to control us or restrict our autonomy. If a relationship has become too predictable or too enmeshed, some may need a break in order to reestablish their sense of individuality.
Jupiter semisquare Neptune: We might feel disillusioned with a less-than-ideal situation. If we've been placing our belief in something that has no grounding in reality, we could experience a minor spiritual crisis.
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IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS THIS WEEK:
You are entering a year in which you may make some serious decisions, ones that require you to find a balance between living by faith and taking responsible action. Certain obligations could require your attention and your energy for many months. This is the completion of a 30-year cycle in your life, a time when you may find yourself reassessing your accomplishments over the past three decades and making new choices based on that review process. It is time for a reality check, to discover if the goals and values you have held dear are still viable, or if it is time to embrace new ones that are more appropriate and will be more supportive in the new phase of your life that is about to begin. (Solar Return Sun conjunct Mercury, sextile Jupiter, conjunct Saturn, semisquare Eris)
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TRANSLATION and AUDIO/VIDEO VERSION: This weekly Journal is recorded (in English) AND the text is transcribed into 30 languages! You'll see a row of flags under "Available Languages" in the upper right. And, there are options to listen to the audio (in English) or watch a video directly beneath the photo (see top of page).
The Journal entry is usually updated by Sunday evening, with the recordings appearing late Sunday or by Monday depending on your time zone. Please share this information with those who might benefit.
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CLASSES AND WEBINARS by Pam Younghans:
MONTH OF ARIES CLASS: My next class, covering the Month of Aries, will be on Tuesday, March 19. For the first section of the class, I will give a preview of the planetary energies that all of us with be working with during the month ahead. Next, I will explain transits to our natal charts and give real-life examples of how they can affect us. In the last part of the class, I will answer your questions about your natal chart and personal transits.
I hope you can join us! If you're interested in the class and want to learn more, or if you're ready to register, click here: https://events.humanitix.com/solar-month-class-aries-2024
DAILY INSTAGRAM POSTS: Please check out my daily astrological updates on Instagram! www.instagram.com/pamyounghans/
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For previous weeks of the Astrological Journal, click here.
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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
For more information about NorthPoint Astrology offerings, please visit NorthPointAstrology.com or visit her Facebook page.
