Aspects for the week beginning 15 March 2009

Mars entered Pisces in the early hours of this morning (for the UK, late the previous night for the US).  The high-spirited idealism of Mars in Aquarius gives way to the true service of Mars in Pisces.  The story which leaps out from the pages of the Sunday papers this morning is that of Mohamed Nasheed, the President of the Maldives, leaping ahead on climate change, announcing plans to achieve carbon neutrality for his country in a decade.  His words are: “Climate change is a global emergency.  The world is in danger of going into cardiac arrest, yet we behave as if we’ve caught a common cold.  Today, the Maldives has announced plans to become the world’s most eco-friendly country.  I can only hope other nations follow suit.”  Perhaps his role is indicated by his Sun and North Node (karmic mission) in the Earth sign of Taurus in his natal chart.  But he has a number of transits which possibly indicate his response to the urgency of climate change: Jupiter trines his natal Mars (a green light for action), Uranus trines his natal Neptune (mental illumination triggering his sensitivity) and transiting Saturn sitting on his Pluto (an urgent recognition of the seriousness of the issue, and a pressure to act carefully and responsibly).  Thursday (19th) brings the next major aspects of this week: first Mercury opposite Saturn.  If you are building up major plans for the Jupiter-Neptune-Chiron triple conjunction of late May they may seem to hit the buffers around now.  Re-shaping may be needed because of the ballooning or mushrooming effect of the triple conjunction, so you may need to take action to prune things or keep things under control and make sure that big ideas become workable.  You may fear that you have taken too much on, or that your plan may have to be abandoned altogether, but this may not necessarily be so.  There can still be a happy ending, especially if you adhere to the recipe mentioned last week.  A more positive aspect on the same day (Mars sextile Pluto) hard on its heels, ensures the courage, strength and energy to go forward despite setbacks and fears.  Friday (20th) is the Spring Equinox, and here in England trees are happily budding away in anticipation of the event.  The climate is still following some semblance of the traditional order.  Let’s hope that President Nasheed’s is the first of many such declarations, of willingness to put the planet first.  The Sun’s entry into Aries represents pioneering action, and the scheme being announced for the Maldives is a step further than other schemes (such as the Norwegian) in its aim to totally decarbonize the local economy.  The energy of the Spring Equinox may inspire more proclamations of high intentions.  It’s a good year, and a good season, to make this effort, with the triple conjunction in Aquarius in May.  Anything which can be done, should be done now.