March 2026By Bob Mulligan (a personal note is at the end of the newsletter) We enter March with Mercury (god of communication) Retrograde until the 20th so the first three weeks are likely to be tricky, requiring extra help with basic interactions, travel plans, and reasoning. Connecting our thoughts with actions, and behavior with results, may require extra attention. Mars and Neptune in each other’s signs will find us reappraising our way of materializing our values. Is it time to see if our actions match our beliefs? March Highlights On the 1st Mars Conjuncts the place of the February 17th Eclipse. We have already seen people in high positions be toppled (which happens on Eclipses), but this is an important timer, as Mars was the rising planet in the Eclipse chart. This isn’t the beginning or the end of the beheadings. On the 2nd Mars enters Pisces where he will be until April 9th. Mars (planet of assertion) is in Mutual Reception with Neptune (god of culture) now in Aries. This will be a 40 day period where each of us will be asked by circumstances, “What are you willing to sacrifice? What do you believe and are you willing to stand up and be counted?” The time of hiding in the shadows is over. On the 3rd the Full Moon Eclipse is on the South Node at 6:37 AM EST. With 5 planets in water signs (empathy) and Pluto in Aquarius as the only air (reasoning) planet, people and circumstances are likely dictated by emotional impulses rather than by carefully thought out logical conclusions. With Moon on the South Node in Virgo, habits of the past pull us toward conclusions; while practical, they are completely out of step with the gut impulses of the collective. Retrograde Jupiter in Cancer is Trine both Sun and Mercury in Pisces, while being Sextile the Moon in Virgo. This is our saving grace if we acknowledge the past and relinquish it. This is a moment of recognizing we have outgrown the clothes we wore last year. On the 6th Venus enters Aries. Venus is the goddess of love, aesthetic appreciation, taste, and beauty. The pleasure goddess will be in the sign of war until the 30th. We are apt to be uncomfortable with our choices regardless of whether we get what we desire or not. We advance by recognizing that our desires are ephemeral, and we should take ourselves with a grain of salt. On the 7th the Sun Conjuncts a Retrograde Mercury. This starts a new mental cycle, and at the same time, Venus is Parallel and Conjunct Neptune indicating that we can immediately acquire something we have longed for. We win if we know what to ask for. On the 10th Jupiter turns Direct and will remain in direct motion until the 12th of December; plans expand; corrections are made. We are on our way with renewed confidence. Acceleration will pickup gradually over the next few months. On the 18th the New Moon at 28 degrees 27 minutes of Pisces is at 9:23 PM EDT. With five planets in water (feelings) and 3 in fire (enthusiasm) our emotional nature must be sound because we will, more than likely, rely on our instincts. Venus is Square Jupiter and our “eyes can be bigger than our stomach”. Our reach is wider than our grasp. The New Moon is Sextile Uranus in his Detriment in Taurus; it’s OK to admit our judgment was wrong and correct it. If we are controlled by either fear or greed, we perpetuate our difficulties. We can choose the Goldilocks option (not to big, not to small) and move ahead with confidence. On the 20th the Sun enters Aries at 10:47 AM EDT – this is the Spring Equinox and this chart tells us something about the next 90 days, as well as the next month. With the Sun, Moon, and three other planets in Aries (the sign of pioneering), Aries will make its voice heard regardless of other conversations going on. Mars (ruler of Aries) is in Pisces, Trine Jupiter (ruler of Pisces) and in Mutual Reception to Neptune (the other ruler of Pisces). Mars may be muted, but Mars is still Mars (god of immediate and spontaneous action). Just when we think we have seen the last of the destruction, Mars will strike again, and Jupiter and Neptune will fashion the direction of his demolition expertise, just where it will have the most lasting effect. A greater good will come from this ground clearing. Each of us has an energetic value in the cultural mix; we have a responsibility to applaud the emerging good without hatred or malice. On the 20th Mercury turns Direct. Whenever Mercury changes directions, he has a way of drawing our attention to his specialized universal functions: communication, travel, perception, thinking, reasoning, defining, maintaining the illusion of duality, etc. Mercury is sitting on the North Node of the Moon (dharma) in Pisces (higher integration). We have a golden opportunity to take an unqualified stand on our higher principles, and to reorganize our thinking. On the 22nd the Sun Conjuncts Neptune. Of course this can be a time of confusion, but this is really an opportunity to examine our beliefs, to see what we really want, and to speak our truth. On the 25th the Sun Conjuncts Saturn. A brick wall stops our forward motion but also offers shelter from the gathering storm. We can learn from the natural world. On the 28th Mars is Semi-square Pluto. If we go our own way without butting into other people’s affairs, we can turn the corner on circumstances that have prevented us from moving forward. The spirit of adventure and innovation opens a new door. On the 28th Saturn Sextile Pluto. If you can remember January 12th 2020 this will give you a leg up on the offerings of today. This was the day Saturn was Conjunct Pluto; remember the beginning of COVID? This ushered in a couple of years where personal boundaries took on a new meaning for everyone. Everyone, regardless of your beliefs, politics, or health condition, participated in this transition. We are offered a chance to see the beauty of this period of reprieve and what we have actually gained from it. Now is the time to share in a new way. On the 30th Venus enters Taurus, where she will be until the 24th of April. During this period, the mistress of touch (Venus in Taurus) will remind us many times to connect with Mother Nature, with each other, and our own inner essence. She will also play a role next month when we will be shaken out of our sedentary mood to take up some new tasks. My Personal Note If you read my newsletter and want to connect – call me at 239-261-2840 and leave a message. You can e-mail me at bobmulliga@aol.com. My website: www.theastrologycompany.com Take two minutes of your time and watch this: https://youtube.com/shorts/sKxRnOtFykg?si=ivUJTDyFDReV2Y0a Right now, February 23, 2026, I am in India, without access to my home library and other tools of my trade. To my memory, this is the first time I have written and sent out a monthly newsletter away from home. Without a printer, Katie and I are using our limited resources hunched over a computer screen, doing our best to proofread. I’m having a great pilgrimage; this is a time to rest, regenerate, and gather new spiritual insight. I wish I could find words to describe India. For those who have never been, the sights, sounds, aromas, the general vibration and tenor of life is so different. When I landed in India for the first time in this lifetime, I had the literal experience of being home, for the first time in this life. On February 20th the long awaited Saturn Neptune Conjunction occurred. Like the effect of most big cycles, this will be most evident as time goes on. However, if we look closely, there are some indications of its immediate effect, in the economy, in the political arena, and in our personal relationships. There has been a not so subtle shift in the tenor of everyday life. In my February Newsletter I gave the wrong time for my talk on April 18th for the San Diego NCGR. “Jupiter and Our Higher Mind” sponsored by the San Diego chapter of NCGR is at 11:00 AM PDT at the Encinitas Community Center located at 1140 Oakcrest Park Dr, Encinitas, CA 92024. The cost is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. Here are the links to register: For NCGR Members: https://ncgrsandiego.org/?product=april-18-ncgr-lecture-with-bob-mulligan-member For non NCGR Members: https://ncgrsandiego.org/?product=april-18-ncgr-lecture-with-bob- mulligan-non-member I’ll be there in person and will answer questions. You can join the talk via Zoom if coming in person is not possible. I’ll be in San Diego for a few days before and after. I will have both social and professional time available if you want to see me. Jupiter and Our Higher Mind Exploring the multifaceted nature of Jupiter opens a door, granting us an audience with him in his inner domain. Jupiter, as king of the gods, is unique in many ways. What does it mean to be king of the gods? What role does the mythology of Mount Olympus play in our lives? Who is Jupiter, really? To understand the critical role that Jupiter plays in each one of our lives, we need to come to terms with many things. Why does creation exist, and what is Jupiter’s function in fulfilling this cosmic purpose? This is the foundation for understanding what Jupiter does for each of us. As the higher mind, Jupiter provides the ability to make good judgments, to find shortcuts, to strengthen our moral fiber, to avoid actions that will disappoint us in the long run. Jupiter rules everything that has to do with the “long run”. Where does this ability come from? What role does he actually play in our lives, and how is he integrated into our personality in a way that makes him relevant? Come and find out. For the beginning of the new year, the San Diego chapter of NCGR had a group of talented speakers address various aspects of 2026. They were all interesting. Kelly O’Tillery gave a short talk on Mercury’s three retrograde periods in 2026. With her permission I would like to share some insights she posted on her website. 2026 Mercury Retrograde in Water Signs – When I offered Ripple as a song sung around the world a few months back, I received lots of enthusiastic responses; it touched me. If you missed the song here is the link again Ripple (Grateful Dead) feat. Bill Kreutzmann | Playing For Change | Song Around The World Your emails inspired me to share this short documentary with you, my friends: The SONG That Made Grateful Dead IMMORTAL — Without Being a Hit This documentary is worth 16:56 of your time. Peter, Paul and Mary – Wedding Song “There is Love” (25th Anniversary Concert) How the monks ended their trek: A 15-week ‘Walk for Peace’ concludes with Buddhist monks’ arrival in Washington Heather Cox Richardson gives an explanation of what is going on politically. She is good and her talk dovetails directly with the astrology of the moment: Today in Politics | Explainer February 19, 2026 – Chris Brennan gave this talk two days after the eclipse, the day before Sun entered Pisces, and the day before Saturn Conjuncted Neptune Eclipses and Downfalls: The Astrology Behind the Fall of Public Figures My job is to participate in helping to raise consciousness on the planet. When everything seems gloomy, it is good to find someone doing something good, especially when it is anonymous. I stumbled on this short clip and it reminded me that we are all capable of secret acts of kindness. For the record, I did due diligence to make sure the story is true: HE PAID HER SALARY 32 YEARS 💔😭 “There is no Sadhana greater than love, there is no law higher than love, and there is no goal that is beyond love – for love in its divine state becomes infinite. God and love are identical, and one who has divine love already has God.” – Meher Baba – Discourses – The Deeper Aspects of Sadhana page 264. If you read my newsletter and want to connect – call me at 239-261-2840 and leave a message. You can e-mail me at bobmulliga@aol.com. My website: www.theastrologycompany.com | 
