The Astrology Company
1053 Futrell Dr., #328
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

March 2023

By Bob Mulligan

(a personal note is at the end of the newsletter)

March Highlights 

March is the pivotal month this year, and will continually alter and augment circumstances over the next few years. On the 7^th, Saturn crosses into Pisces, and will be there until May of 2025.   This two and a half year period will emphasize the already existing bifurcation between people who accept that we are all in it together, and those whose fear creates a “them and us” mentality.  On the 21^st (the day of the New Moon), Jupiter is Semi-square Saturn.  This will be a test of our dedication to our espoused values.  Is this just talk, or do we have commitment? Pluto enters Aquarius on the 23^rd and will be there until the 11^th of June. Zero Aquarius was the place of the Jupiter/Saturn Conjunction in December of 2020.   Consequently, we will see some rapid steps forward; our beautiful vision will materialize from February 2024 forward; this is when Pluto returns to Aquarius and remains there until March of 2043.  This points to a long period of revolution in human thinking.  The next few years will see a greening of technology.  Mars enters Cancer on the 25^th, after completing his stay in Gemini which began August 20^th 2022.  Other than the Moon occasionally being in an air sign, Mars in Gemini is the only planet in an air sign from the 7^th until the 23^rd, when Pluto goes into Aquarius. This two week time period will see much conversation running in circles, and eventually running out of steam.  Promises that can’t be fulfilled will turn the tide.  

The Full Moon 

The Full Moon is on the 7^th at 7:40 AM EST on 16 degrees of Pisces Virgo.  Full Moons always bring culmination and an opportunity to let go. Mars in Gemini is at the base of a T-Square with the Sun and Moon.  T-squares always require motion; movement aimed at mental adjustment must happen when in mutable signs; Sun, Moon, and Mars are all in mutable signs.

Venus in Aries is separating from the Conjunction to Jupiter.  In Washington, D.C., Jupiter is Conjunct the Ascendant within minutes of exactitude. This indicates positive emotions with a release of enthusiastic proposals.  With Mars ruling Aries and in aspect to Venus, Neptune, and Saturn; there will be several turns of events, and changes of mind before we see the benefits. Uranus is Sextile the Sun and Trine the Moon; there will be voices pushing for faster and more direct action.  With Mercury Sextile the MC from the 12^th house in Pisces, there are many things negotiated behind the scenes which affect everyone.

Saturn is separating from the Semi-sextile to Pluto suggesting that the heavy lifting has already been done. It may seem that our contribution to world culture is insignificant.  However, with six planets in mutable signs, positive thoughts have great impact. We each do our part.

 The Sun enters Aries 

The Sun enters Aries on the 20^th at 5:26 PM EDT.  This is the Spring Equinox. The chart will be the powerhouse prognosticator until the beginning of summer.  The Sun Sextile Pluto indicates the drag of past issues that need resolution: climate change, the Coronavirus, war, and so on.  Pluto on the 29^th degree of Capricorn suggests a turning point on these issues.  Moon Sextile Uranus shows that our habits will be reoriented along more potent lines.  Mars (desire) Square Neptune (ideals) and Trine Saturn (practicality); our image of a better world needs revitalization many times during the next few months, but there will be good news for all of us by summer. Saturn is Semi-square Jupiter; this is the testing period for our lofty principles, promoted back in December 2020.  Saturn (now in Pisces) is also Semi-sextile Sun/Mercury, Sextile Venus, and Trine Mars.  This means hard work, lots of compromise, and reconnecting to the traditional roots of our emotional truth; we are all in it together because we’re in fact, all one.  

The New Moon 

The New Moon is on the 21^st at 1:24 PM EDT on the first degree of Aries.  This will be a most active and adventuresome month.  With four planets in Aries huddled around the Midheaven in Washington D.C., there will be tremendous energy for change.

All the planets are above the horizon, showing visibility, and all in direct motion; this shows tremendous outpouring of physical energy. Mars Square the New Moon and Trine Saturn shows accommodation through hard work in a shifting landscape.  Because Mars (desire) is changing signs in a few days, our attitudes will shift.  Venus Conjunct the North Node of the Moon encourages us to go slow, enjoy the sensual pleasures of life.  We will be kicked into action in a few days.  We can stay ahead of the curve (if have the gumption to change with the times) without sacrificing principles. 

The Weeks 

From the 1^st to the 5^th enthusiasm is palpable, but unless it is grounded in common sense, the obvious slips away.  Mental gyrations can actually be productive.  Great events have their birth in the fire of imagination.  How much physical energy needs to be expended now? This is a season for gestation.

From the 6^th to the 12^th tensions are strong and nervousness dominates waking hours, unless we put our attention on something tangible.  Creating something of value sounds easy, but confusion and disappointment push us to the brink of folly or despair unless our motivation is to serve.  Being at the command of a compelling  force, whether it is your conscience, a boss, or a less fortunate person, ignites a profound passion, a purpose for getting on with life.  We are asked to grow mentally. 

From the 13^th to the 19^th psychic perceptions can give deep insight to our current situation, if we are intelligent enough to put data into the larger context of society and the cosmic plan.  The trick of success now is to extend forward and see the logical outcome of choices we are about to make.  Sometimes the truth is not sexy or enticing, but when we embrace it whole heartedly, illusions fall away.

From the 20^th to the 26^th we do turn over a new leaf, but the past sticks to us like a wad of gum to the sole of our shoe.  Basically, none of the recurring memories can be discarded. Everything remembered from the past must be addressed.  Some things need a little attention, some things need a lot.  Remembering who our real audience is helps prioritize our time and actions. Mental peace comes by letting go and moving on.

From the 27^th to the 31^st it is the changing of the guards; those that were trying to slow us down are now pushing us to go faster.  We don’t want to spend time and energy building a Maginot line.  Drinking in new information doesn’t mean to disregard past insight; we are just expanding our universe. Allotment of time with your child matters more than your computer; however, they don’t have to be at loggerheads. 

The Days 

1^st – Wednesday – Mercury Semi-square Jupiter, Venus Parallel Jupiter –  We may jump on a train going in the wrong direction.  Somehow, with luck, we still end up where we are supposed to be.  Enthusiasm overpowers common sense, but still pays dividends. 

2^nd – Thursday – Venus Conjunct Jupiter, Mercury Conjunct Saturn, Mercury Semi-sextile Pluto, Mercury enters Pisces –  Mental clarity is present, but is running in second place to the supreme self-confidence that dots the landscape.  Emotional impressions are there; we are inclined to interpret everything that happens based on personal experiences.  Logic still has a place and must remain as part of the mix if we are to be fruitful. 

3^rd – Friday –  Sun Semi-sextile Jupiter, Saturn Semi-sextile Pluto, Mercury Parallel Saturn –  Relying on past impressions can mislead us. New information can be a fluke and unreliable.  The safest way forward is to take a small step, reevaluate, and take feedback from the first trial balloon.  Next, we need to either change course or to double down.

4^th – Saturday –  Venus Semi-square Saturn, Venus Semi-sextile Uranus –  Fear is the big enemy, but it can also prevent us from doing something foolish.  First impressions are not the best measure of what is possible. Yes, instincts about people can be right on, but not the best judge of what is possible.  There is an angel on our shoulder that must be acknowledged. When we start using what we have, we recognize we are capable of a good deal more than we had guessed. 

5^th – Sunday –  Sun Semi-square Pluto, Sun Contra-parallel Venus –  Eliminating the unnecessary allows us to see what is essential.  We may have a taste for things not in our best interest.  If we stay calm we can see more clearly what is really at stake.  Jumping to conclusions may carry us off a cliff.  Now is not the time for extremes.  Slow measured steps are most beneficial.

6^th – Monday –  Sun Sextile Uranus –  Some things that are delightful, beautiful, and unique are only for now.  The realm of imagination can lift us into escape mode.  There is a place half-way between overindulgence and dismissiveness. Rather than being overcome with sensual pleasures, it is better to serve the needs of the spirit.  This is a magic moment for transforming the materiality of life toward its true purpose.   

7^th – Tuesday – The Full Moon is at 7:40 AM EST on 16 degrees of Pisces Virgo –  The doorway to self-discovery is opened by an unquenchable thirst for variation in our information gathering.  Identifying the direction we need to go now requires getting ready, then removing the debris cluttering our minds.  Dreamy imagery can actually provide important insight into our lives. 

8^th – Wednesday – A tug-a-war between the brutally practical and a reframed picture of the ideal continues.  We are at a turning point.  It is possible to cover lots of ground in a hurried up mood.  Details fall into place and help is present at every turn.  Some things that appear too hard to complete probably are someone else’s responsibility. 

9^th – Thursday –  Sun Contra-parallel Jupiter –  It is time to “get the lead out”.  We are prone to over-think every situation or to wait for someone else to join us.  Acting alone doesn’t mean to ignore the impact we have on others, but it is time to be directed by our own inner guidance.  Once we see where we are going, we need to engage immediately. 

10^th – Friday – Mercury Contra-parallel Venus, Mercury Semi-sextile Jupiter –  A leap of faith is required when our heart is telling us what we cannot verify by direct inspection.  Our spirit moves in a realm unapproachable by reason.  Our conclusions are based on past experiences; our soul demands an awakening into a different reality.  We can either be numb, sulk, or take the leap. 

11^th – Saturday –  Mercury Semi-square Pluto, Venus Sextile Mars, Mercury Sextile Uranus – Two impulses stimulate us: the fear of leaving something important undone, and the desire for novelty.   Our first inclination is to go with innovation and excitement.  We can’t ignore commitments from days gone by, if we are to be successful today. At the same time, our optimism and enthusiasm is the rocket fuel carrying us forward.

12^th – Sunday – Daylight Saving Time begins in many places, Venus Semi-sextile Neptune, Sun Parallel Neptune –  Do we preserve our individual identity or merge with the larger community?  Of what value is uniqueness if we are not able to share it?  We may wrestle with these issues if we are detached and in a thoughtful mood. On the other hand, we may just relax and let the inner bliss unfold. 

13^th – Monday –  Many options lay in front of us.  We are in a process of deciding what is appropriate for us now.   Some possible roads in front would have been good a year ago, but are not likely to stimulate us now.  Expanding our activities breaks the routine, but can also complicate our lives.  We don’t have to fly off in a new direction, nor be stuck in a rut. There is a middle way.  We are learning about our new reality, one step at a time.

14^th – Tuesday –  Mercury Contra-parallel Jupiter, Mars Square Neptune –  Switching from reason to intuition is stressful. Rather than fighting against old incrusted habits, we do better to find the gold hidden in the discarded and outdated patterns.  Some ideas from the past have a place in the modern world being born.  What can’t be recycled does need to pass away. 

15^th – Wednesday – Sun Conjunct Neptune –  Watching a movie is more beneficial than going on a safari. Not being able to separate fact from fantasy is fine if we set the context of our experience to be able to enjoy both.  Imagination and invention is better than acting for a material result.  Meditation centers our being. 

16^th – Thursday –  Mercury Conjunct Neptune, Sun Square Mars, Venus Square Pluto, Venus enters Taurus –  Exercise is a great way to burn off excess energy.  Nervousness can degenerate into anger and imagined slights can prompt disruptive actions. We win if we take every moment as just part of a passing show. 

17^th – Friday –  Mercury Parallel Neptune, Mercury Square Mars, Sun Conjunct Mercury, Venus Sextile Saturn –  We easily read the words coming from others without them speaking them.  Taking time to internalize our experiences can stop us from going off in the wrong direction.  It is counterproductive to focus on other people’s bad behavior; instead we need to see what we can do to improve our own actions. 

18^th – Saturday – Venus Contra-parallel Saturn, Mercury Sextile Pluto – Subtle clues in the environment help us rein in our feelings. Reframing our expressions allows us to get our intentions to the surface in a civil and acceptable manner.  We could just let the moment pass, but the truth of the matter is that we have attractions and repulsions to others. This can be a day of receiving and expressing clarity.

19^th – Sunday –  Mercury enters Aries, Mercury Semi-square Uranus, Mercury Semi-sextile Saturn, Jupiter Semi-sextile Uranus, Sun Parallel Mercury –  We go for a mental tumble. Things look different.  It is as if we are just waking up. Our perception of life and our place in the world looks like a completely different reality.  We are in midst of a long process.  Both fear and enthusiasm propel us forward, but we are best to take note, and not make any nonrefundable purchases. Clarity comes in a week.  

20^th – Monday – Sun Contra-parallel Mercury, Sun Sextile Pluto, the Sun enters Aries at 5:26 PM EDT – There is lots of talk, but not so much direct actions.  Still, there are plans being hatched.  A lofty vision of the possible, coupled with determination, can lead to scribbling notes for future adventures that we will put into action in the coming period. 

21^st – Tuesday –  Jupiter Semi-square Saturn, the New Moon is at 1:24 PM EDT on the first degree of Aries –  The first trial balloon runs into headwinds.  We aren’t on the road we think we have chosen.  Luckily, we have clear signals that this is the time to change course.  Now we must be pliable to see our way through.   All talk and no action won’t get us very far, but it is important to synchronize our timing with others, and the reality of conditions in the environment. 

22^nd – Wednesday –  Sun Semi-square Uranus, Mercury Semi-sextile Venus, Sun Semi-sextile Saturn –  Bottled up enthusiasm must be released in an organized and measured fashion to be productive.   A flash of inspiration can be captured and used efficiently, if we are observant and recognize the angel of innovation when she lands on our shoulder.  

23^rd – Thursday –  Pluto enters Aquarius, Mercury Contra-parallel Neptune-  The snake is shedding his skin.  Will he develop a new layer genetically the same as the old one?  Regardless of the outcome, it is essential that each be true to the higher nature.  A glimpse into our new reality is possible.  Seeing the top of the mountain is different than actually being there.  On the other hand, “seeing is believing.”

24^th – Friday –   The weather report, the temperament of the day, is relaxed.  Our habits and daily routines can give the instructions.  We need to enjoy the day and keep moving.  A few hiccups are an ironic foreshadowing of coming events.   

25^th – Saturday – Mars enters Cancer, Mars Quincunx Pluto, Venus Semi-square Neptune –  Feelings and impulses are unreliable guides.  When we feel the world is working against us, we need to see that the real conflict is inner.  We are at war.  Basic habits are dug in and our inner prompting is to move into a higher alternative.  The universe is there to liberate us.

26^th – Sunday –  Mercury Parallel Jupiter –  Some behind the scenes reorganization allows us to approach the task at hand with renewed vigor.  The obvious path in front of us creates opportunities to apply personal ideals and beliefs to the ongoing events in our current life.  Mixed outcomes create breeding ground for self-revision. 

27^th – Monday –  Mercury Semi-sextile Uranus, Mercury Semi-square Saturn, Venus Parallel Uranus, Sun Contra-parallel Neptune –  Brand new ideas seem to echo concepts we have looked at and rejected in the past.  Did we really let go of them?  A second look gives additional meaning to the concept of recycling.  We need to somehow utilize what we can’t bring ourselves to discard.

28^th – Tuesday –  Mercury Conjunct Jupiter, Mars Semi-square Uranus –  Brilliant insight and boundless enthusiasm can pave the way for great success. There is a danger here of not knowing where and when to put on the breaks.  A change of heart may bring an awareness of the effects that our actions have on others.  Love and empathy temper the direction of our actions. 

29^th – Wednesday –   Our emotional impulses can sweep us away on a magic carpet of energy.  We establish equilibrium by stopping long enough to see if our current direction is in step with our values.  Common sense may be on vacation, but a quest for personal integrity has a way of keeping us on the straight and narrow.

30^th – Thursday –  Mars Trine Saturn, Venus Conjunct Uranus – When settled down to straight forward and conscientious attention to our job, wonderful things happen.  We can thread the needle and get on with life if we just stay at it. We can be rewarded beyond what our efforts would suggest we  deserve. 

31^st – Friday –  Some items we have relied upon are passing away.  This is necessary; we need to develop unused skills; to enter a new area of activity.  If we can no longer run, can we fly?   This is an era of permanent experimentation for everyone, and for civilization.

Bob Mulligan is available for personal appointments, astrology classes, and astrological material.  Call him at 239-261-2840 or e-mail bobmulliga@aol.com.  Visit our website, www.theastrologycompany.com 

My Personal Note

By the time you read this I’m either in India or on my way.  My flight takes off Sunday the 26^th from Miami at 8 PM EST.  I’m traveling with very little luggage and no computer.  Katie will monitor my emails every few days.  I get home on the 15^th of March.   Because my health is not vibrant, I would not take this trip if it were not urgent.  “The aspirant who enlists in the service of the Master may be compared to a broom with which the Master sweeps the world clean of its impurities.  The broom is bound to accumulate the dirt of the world; and unless cleansed again and again and given a new tone, it becomes less efficient in the course of time…” – Meher Baba.  This will be my 60^th pilgrimage to India to be at the feet of my Master.  My first trip was in January of 1976.  Meher Baba’s Birthday is February 25th and I had already decided that I would prefer to not arrive until a few days afterwards, because of the crowds.  However, it is already hot by this time and gets super hot after March 15^th.  I’m not climate adjusted to either hot or cold.

Judy Fettig (a longtime participant in the Newsletter, Q&A and other events generated from the newsletter) took the time to write me.  It is always gratifying to hear from the readership.  Of course, if no one else was reading my newsletter, I would still write some version of it every month, just for my own understanding, but it is gratifying to know I’m helping someone else.  In her email Judy asked, “ My question is: WHEN will FOOD prices stabilize? When will food prices level off to reasonable amounts?”  This is my thinking:  when Saturn crosses into Pisces (March 7^th) some prices of food items will plummet. Others will stay the same or go up.  In May, when Jupiter crosses into Taurus, the price of fruits and vegetables will stabilize and start to inch down.  This will be on the backs of new farming methods which will gather strength over the next five years. Inflation in food and housing is the cruelest punishment for the people living on the margins of society. When I go to the Indian grocery store and dal masala curry (which I eat almost every day) is $2.14 more than it was two years ago, it is a shock, but I still buy it.  But what about those that live on fixed incomes; or a mother of two children living on food stamps?

What does AI mean for the rest of us? With Pluto in Aquarius, we get a preview of what is coming in two years time.  ChatGPT was launched November 30, 2022, by San Francisco–based OpenAI.  It started as a free service. December 4, 2022, ChatGPT already had over one million users.  By January 2023, ChatGPT reached over 100 million users, making it the fastest growing consumer application in history. What does it do?   All chatbots are designed to mimic a human conversationalist; however, ChatGPT is a step beyond other revisions of AI.  It  can write and debug computer programs,^[ compose music, teleplays, fairy tales, write stories in the style of any published author, it can and does write student’s homework assignments and answer test questions.  It can compose poems and song lyrics; simulate an entire chat room; play games like tic-tac-toe; or simulate anything else that a human would ordinarily do.   Unlike other AI applications, ChatGPT remembers previous prompts given to it in the same conversation, so it can be used as a personalized therapist, surrogate partner, etc.  Like all breakthroughs in technology, the chance for abuse or help is dependent on the level of consciousness.  And even with the best of intentions, there are unintended consequences.  There will be an ebb and flow with this technology over the years and will become instrumental in many areas of life by April of 2026. 

My longtime friend and colleague, Arlan Wise, gave a talk on Mercury for the Kentucky Astrological Society.  In her talk, she mentioned Stephen King’s book, “On Writing”.  I got it from the library and it is a delightful read.   I’m not a big fan of Stephen King, but I am a fan of anything that can help me be a better writer.  His style of explanation is unique, personable, and extremely useful.

My book, “The Heart of Astrology for the Spiritually Minded” is in the hands of editors now, and I should have it with a publisher by next month.  This is the final step.

I saw this documentary on DW (German Television).  I not only enjoyed it, I learned a great deal.  Take a look:

Dogs & Us – The Secrets of an Unbreakable Friendship | DW Documentary – YouTube

 I’ll see you next month.

Bob Mulligan is available for personal appointments, astrology classes, and astrological material.  Call him at 239-261-2840 or by e-mail at bobmulliga@aol.com.  Visit our web site, www.theastrologycompany.com