Sun in Aries, Moon in Pisces, Mercury Turning Retrograde – Reduced Rates Readings for May & Summer School Updates for June

29 March 2024

Mercury Turning Retrograde, Sun in Aries & Moon in Pisces

Summer School Update for June Courses

Reduced Rate Readings – for when Mercury Turns Direct

Welcome to the free fortnightly newsletter that I’m sending a day earlier than usual to say Happy Easter weekend. Here in Greece it’s the Orthodox Easter that’s celebrated, and it’s huge, equivalent to Christmas elsewhere. This year it’s not until 5 May, and a late Easter is generally unpopular on the islands as the new season is then only just getting underway, so it’s a bit tricky for families but it’s a treat for visitors.

So what’s going on in our skies/world at the moment? We’re already through the first decanate of Aries, the first ten degrees, with another two to go. The Equinox was last Wednesday, and just two days later Mars moved into Pisces and will be travelling through this sign until 30 April. Venus is on her last leg through Pisces and will move into Aries next Friday 5 April. So in other words we’ve still got a combination of these two signs going on.

When we start studying astrology we learn about opposite signs – eg Aries the individual, opposite Libra, the significant other. But consecutive signs also work as opposites in terms of their symbolism, as if reacting to everything that the previous or next sign stands for – eg Aries save yourself, preceded by Pisces save the world. Aries Cardinal Fire, immediate and impatient, followed by Taurus, Fixed Earth, slow and deliberate. It’s an enlightening exercise to work your way through the zodiac, looking at befores and afters.

I’ve been serializing the Moon signs over the last year and it just so happens that this newsletter features the last sign, so you’ll find the lowdown on Moon in Pisces at the end of this newsletter. And here’s my take on Sun in Aries, from my book Essential Astrology.

ARIES

Symbol: The Ram

Ruling Planet: Mars

Element and Mode: Cardinal Fire

Key phrase: I am

Spot the Aries

Aries rules the head and the face and you can often spot this sign by the sharp profile, high cheekbones, an aquiline nose and firm jaw. Look for a scar on the face too. When you meet an Aries person they tend to look you straight in the eye and ask direct and highly interested questions. They’re the masters of giving undivided attention, even if they do quickly move on to the next person or the next topic of interest.

Mars’ colour red is also a big clue. It’s quite astonishing how many Aries people are red haired. You’ll also find that most Aries women have dyed their hair red at some point in their life, even if it doesn’t suit them. What does suit them is a hat. Baseball caps are a favourite but they can carry off any kind of headwear, from beach sombreros to an Ascot creation. Royal milliner Frederick Fox, who made 350 hats for the Queen and many other members of the royal family over 35 years, was an Aries.

The Aries nature

As the first sign of the zodiac Aries people are initiators and individualists. They thrive on action and immediacy and are energetic, impatient and direct. They are the first to volunteer to do something and they do it straight away. They have a knack of getting straight to the point, cutting through red tape and finding the positive answer.

This is the sign of the ego so they’re also competitive and tend to regard second place as for losers. This can be coupled with irreverence, or even total disregard for the “rules”, as they know that giving too much weight to what others might think will hold them back.

Here then is the archetype of the pioneer and the trailblazer. Just because something has never been done before doesn’t mean that it can’t be done now. In fact, the challenge of “finding a way” is irresistible to this can-do sign. Tucking a “first” under their belt, no matter what it may be, is possibly one of their greatest missions in life.

Love & Relationships

It is not unusual to find that the Aries courage often wavers when venturing into emotional territory. The fear of rejection is the fear of failure and to feel ridiculous is the Aries nightmare. They are also speed freaks and it’s practically a knee jerk reaction to up the tempo and race to a conclusion.

In this respect it’s difficult for them to endure the courtship stage and, once partnered, they then have to learn that the “let’s compromise and do it my way” approach doesn’t work. Their opposite sign of Libra, the sign of balance, partnership and arbitration, embodies the natural skills and arts of relating that Aries has to acquire.

However, their vision can often be proved right. The most successful Aries marriage I know is for a woman who proposed after six weeks of dating with words that amounted to, “Well are you going to marry me or what?” They’re still together 36 years later.

Generally for an Aries to be happy in love there must never be any risk of playing second fiddle. Love triangles are a no-no, as are long distance relationships. The need to feel special and prized is an essential ingredient in the Aries life, and in their love life it’s indispensable.

Vocation

Fiercely independent this Mars sign is not ideally suited for teamwork, unless they happen to be team leader of course. They’re generally self starters and are capable of phenomenal single mindedness. They are “project people” and therefore unlikely to stay in the same job for years on end. In the words of an Aries client, “We like to set it up, put in a plan, ensure it’s working, then we’re bored and ready to move on.”

Whatever their chosen profession the Aries goal is not just to achieve but to excel, and at some point in the conversation they usually manage to tell you how good they are at their job! They’re absolutely brilliant at self advertisement, they believe in hard work and striving for what they want, and have little time for the moaners and complainers of this world.

The flip side of the Aries coin is the “self”-ish streak and a capacity for diva behavior but when they’re fired up with a worthwhile cause it’s a completely different story.  Suddenly the tables are turned and they are selfless in the role of inspirer or role model.

As natural defenders they will move mountains in order to help someone in genuine need. Many Aries people are to be found in the caring professions that require fight as opposed to pity, such as social work or human rights. They are natural born crusaders and delight in making a difference.

Health

A typical Aries doesn’t need any instructions when it comes to living it up but all fire signs have to be careful of “burnout”. It’s too easy for this sign to overdo things, to burn the candle at both ends, and they have to learn to slow down occasionally and recharge the batteries. Early warning signs of depletion are afflictions such as headaches, migraines or sinusitis.

They’re also prone to all Mars’ heat related conditions, such as burns, fevers, rashes and inflammation, bites or stings, injuries incurred through haste such as cuts or grazes, sports injuries or strains to the body incurred when not recognizing their physical limitations.

In a nutshell: immediate, incisive, direct, innovative, inspirational, effective.

Textbook Aries:

Journalist and broadcaster Piers Morgan whose career is peppered with controversy and clashes of ego. Editor of First News, a UK national newspaper for children.

Anne Sullivan, who as saviour, teacher and lifelong companion devoted her life to deaf and blind Helen Keller, as portrayed in the move The Miracle Worker.

Reba McEntire aka “Big Red”, the first to win the Country Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year Award four consecutive times and the only female to achieve solo number ones across four decades.

RETROGRADE MERCURY

The next big event is Mercury turning retrograde on Monday evening. The textbook definition of this event is “problems with transport and communication”, which is an umbrella title for all kinds of glitches and gremlins. Think of it as Mercury the Winged Messenger exchanging his Magician’s hat for the Trickster’s. Leave nothing to chance.

Mercury’s exact moment of switching to retrograde may be late on Monday evening, but the themes are kicking in now, as “stationary retrograde” means slowing down to a standstill before starting the backwards loop.

Today Mercury is at 26 Aries, will turn retrograde at 27 Aries, will get back to 26 Aries next Thursday, so spends a whole week appearing to be “stuck” at those degrees. This turning point also happens slap bang in the middle of the Lunar and Solar Eclipses.

This subject and the implications for the next three weeks will be covered in depth in this week’s blog, going out on Monday as usual.

Don’t forget you can now buy single issues of the blog for £1.65.

I need a PayPal payment or request by message/email no later than midday Monday in order to add you to the mailing

If you’re a keen follower of astrology you’ll know that Mercury’s pattern is to turn retrograde three times a year for three weeks at a time. Did you also know that he works his way through the elements? This year it’s the turn of the fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sag) with just one turning point out of sequence, early Virgo for the second retrograde of the year.

Here are the dates for your diary, forewarned is forearmed!

READINGS

Regular readers will know that it’s my general practice to set up shorter and reduced rate readings for when Mercury turns direct. I didn’t offer these last time as I was on deadlines for finishing the new book. This time around I can schedule in these readings, especially as am not starting Summer School until 5 June.

The offer is a 45 minute astrology reading based on Mercury’s turning points, as above, and how these fit in with your other key astrology for the rest of the year. You can also include one tarot spread for a specific question.

These readings are £85.00, or £70.00 if you’re a paid up subscriber. You can get your reading for free if you have other people ready to sign up for the blog and here’s the offer:

IF YOU’RE ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER TO THE WEEKLY BLOG –

Sign up two new members to the mailing list for the Weekly Blog, one of which must be for an annual subscription, then book in for your reading.

IF YOU’RE NOT YET A SUBSCRIBER TO THE WEEKLY BLOG –

Sign yourself up and become a subscriber to the Weekly Blog, along with one other new member, who can be a monthly or annual subscriber, then book in for your reading.

• The weekly blog has now been going out every Monday for over 15 years, following current astrology and relevant horoscopes, and how to make sense of the week ahead
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MOON IN PISCES

All of the water signs operate on their feelings but the Moon in Jupiter’s feminine sign is possibly the most sensitive combination of all. Even more than the Sun in this sign these individuals have very thin skins and are easily wounded. Traditional astrology teaches that Pisces is the sign of suffering, sacrifice or loss and often there is a difficult start in life connected to these themes.

Co-ruled by Neptune, god of the boundless seas, these Moon people seek fusion but in fact need firm and clear boundaries. Without them life is disillusioning, painful and characterized by escapism, sometimes through being loners or through alcohol or drugs. Their demons are despondency, self pity or paranoia.

In love they idealize and can feel totally crushed when the loved one inevitably topples off their pedestal. Psychologically, they may have missed out on a healthy “separation” phase in childhood, which results in issues around where they stop and other people begin.

At best, there is pronounced artistic talent, generosity and the ability to empathize on a phenomenal scale. One of my Moon Pisces clients, without knowing anything about astrology, is a spot on example of how people “speak their chart”. Her own words capture the imagery of mutable water, and the empathic and sacrificial nature:

“I like to look into a person’s eyes and know I’ve made them happy. More, I want that person to be overflowing with happiness. I have made a person feel good by giving them something of mine I value, it’s hurt me to give it away but, when I see the happiness, it’s worth the loss.”

In a nutshell: receptive, impressionable, kind

One of these days I’ll get around to compiling a list of actors – writers – musicians who have a powerfully placed Neptune in their horoscopes. I’ve seen it again and again. So unsurprisingly there’s no shortage of hugely talented people amongst those with the Moon in Neptune’s sign. Here are my top 25:

CELEBS WITH MOON IN PISCES

1. Ann Boleyn
2. Audrey Hepburn
3. Catherine Zeta Jones
4. Coco Chanel
5. Elvis Presley
6. Frank Sinatra
7. Gianni Versace
8. Grace Kelly
9. Hillary Clinton
10. J R R Tolkein
11. James Cameron (the Titanic!)
12. Joni Mitchell
13. Leonard Cohen
14. Leonardo da Vinci
15. Liam Gallagher
16. Lisa Marie Presley
17. Marie Curie
18. Martin Luther King
19. Martin Scorcese
20. Michael Jackson
21. Michelle Obama
22. Prince
23. Rita Ora
24. Robert di Nero
25. Robin Williams

SUMMER SCHOOL – SPRING COURSES