March is a “4” Universal Month [3 (March) + 1 (2026) = 4] in a “1” Universal Year. 4 Months are about digging deep and establishing structure, something that might be somewhat difficult in THIS 4 month that includes a lunar eclipse in Virgo and our first Mercury retrograde of the year. Sticking to our routines is the big flex all month long, but it won’t be easy.
The Set Up
We begin the month with the Sun, retrograde Mercury, and Venus in Pisces, Mars and Pluto in Aquarius, retrograde Jupiter in Cancer, Saturn and Neptune in Aries, and Uranus in Taurus. We are seeing the classic late winter/early spring setup we’ve been experiencing for the last couple of years, where all the planets are in a line from Aquarius to Aries. By month’s end, the Sun and Venus will have entered Aries (Venus will move on to Taurus on 3/30), and Mars will enter Pisces. Additionally, both Mercury and Jupiter will station direct.
The Nitty Gritty
This month will be a mix of energies. The lunar eclipse in Virgo is likely to be intense and emotional, but Mercury’s ongoing retrograde in Pisces will keep us stuck in the mud up until 3/20 when they station direct on the day of the Spring Equinox, when the Sun enters Aries. This is our “Go” signal for the month, but it’s worth noting that at 00° Aries, the Sun will immediately conjunct Saturn and Neptune. This is a cosmic go, surely, but it has conditions.
A Note: On 3/8, most of the US enters Daylight Saving Time and leaps forward one hour. The dates and times prior to 3/8 fall are in EST/UTC-5:00, and those on 3/8 and after are in EDT/UTC-4:00.
Our Lights: the Sun and the Moon
We are rounding out the last solar month of the year as the Sun heads towards 00° Aries on 3/20, the astrological new year. The Sun isn’t doing much in Pisces other than resting. Remember that Pisces is sign #12, ruled by Jupiter (traditional) and Neptune (modern), and the home of the 12th house of the unconscious. This is the seed phase; things are starting to happen, but they still lie solidly below the surface.
Our full moon peaks for the month on 3/3 at 6:37 AM (EST/UTC-5:00) and is fully eclipsed. This is our last full moon in Virgo for this eclipse cycle; the lunar nodes will switch to Aquarius (North) and Leo (South) in July. This puts a lot of emphasis on this full moon and on the South Node, with which the Moon will be tightly conjunct during this lunation. This lunar eclipse is about letting go, something that Virgo, as an earthy sign, can struggle with. It may be better to think of this lunation as a cosmic clean-up, ushering out what we no longer need as we race towards 00° Aries and the start of the astrological new year.
It isn’t an accident that both March and September are months of cleaning (we like to call it “spring cleaning” and “fall cleaning”), as both Pisces and Virgo have a connection to endings and the changes in seasons – Pisces is the last sign of Winter, and Virgo is the last sign of Summer. Tap into this energy during the Virgo lunation – through physical cleaning, energetic cleansing, or perhaps creating cleansing items which will be used on a later date.
After our lunar eclipse, the Sun only makes a single trine to retrograde Jupiter as it makes its way through the rest of Pisces season. Jupiter is still retrograde, so this isn’t a particularly strong or beneficial trine, and will likely pass mostly unnoticed.
Our new moon for the month falls at 28° Pisces on 3/18, just barely shy of our transition into Aries and widely conjunct to both Saturn and Neptune in Aries. This is likely be a dark and moody day. Although the Moon has been reborn anew, we are still in the dark side of the solar new year. Some people will certainly be stuck in their own shit. Many people will be deep in their emotions. This is a great day to plant seeds, but intention setting would be better left until the Sun enters Aries on 3/20.
3/20 is the day to circle on your calendar. The Spring Equinox is always a powerful day, as the hours of sunlight and darkness come into alignment, Spring is begun, and we enter the astrological new year. This forward momentum is further accentuated as Mercury stations direct on the same day. If you have been feeling stuck, this is your day to find your momentum.
Keep it real, though. This isn’t a time for unrealistic daydreaming. Saturn is sitting at 04° Aries, just waiting to catch out anyone who’s planning plans without any inclination to follow through. Saturn will always be a buzz kill, but he doesn’t have to kill your dreams. Saturn is the planet of consequences, and rewards are consequences, too.
That said, we are in for a more serious Aries season than some, and there’s no getting around that. This is the time to dig in deep and really show up for yourself. Do the work needed to set yourself up for a good harvest in the months to come. Saturn rewards those who work for what they want out of life.
The Sun conjuncts Saturn on 3/25; this could be the heaviest day of the month. The Sun is exalted in Aries, but Saturn is at its fall. Let the Sun lead if you are working with planetary magic during this time.
Read More: Eclipse Season February-March 2026
Mercury
Somewhat unfortunately, Mercury will remain in watery, mutable Pisces all month long due to their ongoing retrograde. This has to do with Pisces being doubly detrimented for Mercury, the sign of both Mercury’s exile and their Fall. Mercury needs to talk and rationalize, while Pisces (ruled by Neptune and the 12th house) would rather have their head in the sand than ever – even for one minute – acknowledge reality. This may lead many people to lead with their emotions rather than their brains, especially when Mercury is retrograde from 3/1 until 3/20.
This may play especially strongly during our lunar eclipse on 3/3, which is in Virgo, ruled by Mercury.
We should note three specifically mercurial days: 3/7, when the Sun conjuncts retrograde Mercury at 16° Pisces, 3/9, when retrograde Mercury trines retrograde Jupiter in Cancer, and 3/15, when retrograde Mercury conjuncts Mars at 10° Pisces.
The first of the three, Mercury combust, is our business-as-usual aspect – Mercury always conjuncts the Sun as a part of its retrograde cycle. This is the low point in the retrograde, but nothing new or particularly exciting.
The second is a specifically unlucky day. Both Mercury and Jupiter are the two planets that control luck, and both are currently in retrograde. This aspect could be used to take away another person’s luck, if that is something you are interested in. It is, at best, a powerful baneful aspect.
The last is actually a stellium between retrograde Mercury, Mars, and the North Node. There is an opportunity here to realign with your life goals, but you will need to work hard to keep your eyes open and your feet grounded in reality. We should note that Mercury and Mars are crossing the North Node in opposite directions, with Mars moving in prograde motion and Mercury in retrograde motion. Action is far more powerful than thought during this time.
There’s a lot of mist obscuring things during this retrograde; it may feel like you are viewing your future from underwater. This will start to clear up around 3/20 as Mercury stations direct.
Notably, Mercury makes no additional aspects before the end of the month.
Read More: Mercury Retrograde Spring 2026
Venus and Mars
As our two interpersonal planets, the placements of Venus and Mars (and how they interact) create a lot of what we might call the general “vibes” of the month. This month, Mars enters Pisces on 3/2 and remains there through much of April. Venus enters Aries on 3/6 and remains there until 3/30. Neither planet is particularly well placed – Mars needs motion and intensity, while Pisces’ fish swim in an eternal circle, going nowhere and not even fast. Venus is actively exiled in pushy, ego-centric Aries.
This doesn’t bode well for any interpersonal relationships during March. Venus is going to be too pushy in Aries, and Mars is not going to be pushy enough in Pisces. It may feel a little bit like opposite day, where Venus rules aggression and Mars people-pleases their way through something that’s a little bit like diplomacy. We will need to watch out for manipulation (the immature Piscean specialty) and unnecessary aggression (Venus in Aries).
Some months are just like that. Schedule less (socially) if you can. Avoid the people who tend to piss you off or who always overstep boundaries. Nobody will be communicating effectively anyway, at least as long as Mercury is retrograde in the sign of their fall and their exile. This is just confirmation that it’s not a very social time. We’re still in winter, let it be winter. Watch out for those who push social obligations; if it’s not your circus, it’s not your monkeys.
Venus is especially pressed all month long, but especially as she enters Aries on 3/6 and then conjuncts Saturn at 02° Aries on 3/8. This (along with the lunar eclipse) is the day to lie low and avoid unnecessary social conflicts.
We should also note that Venus squares Jupiter in Cancer on 3/18 under the light of the new moon in Pisces; that reads almost as unlucky as the retrograde trine between Mercury and Jupiter. Don’t step on your own tongue during that time, or get in your own way. Less is more. You do not need to engage.
On the other hand, there is an opportunity on 3/21 (notably the day after the Spring Equinox when the Sun enters Aries and Mercury stations direct), as Mars in Pisces trines newly direct Jupiter in Cancer. If you need a good day, that one is likely it. Use it to smooth out any ruffled feathers Venus in Aries has been making.
Looking Forward
April will be much easier as we exit eclipse season and Mercury’s post-retrograde shadow. We get a bit of a break from rough astrological weather through most of the spring, and we should all take advantage of it.
The Details
Important aspects are bolded.
3/2 – Mars enters Pisces
3/3 – Lunar Eclipse 12° Virgo
3/5 – Sun in Pisces trine retrograde Jupiter in Cancer
3/6 – Venus in Aries
3/7 – Sun conjunct retrograde Mercury 16° Pisces, Venus conjunct Neptune 01° Aries
3/8 – Venus conjunct Saturn 02° Aries, Daylight Savings Time
3/9 – retrograde Mercury in Pisces trine retrograde Jupiter in Cancer (2)
3/10 – Jupiter stations direct 15° Cancer
3/13 – Mars conjunct North Node 10° Pisces
3/15 – retrograde Mercury conjunct Mars 10° Pisces
3/18 – New Moon 28° Pisces, retrograde Mercury conjunct North Node 08° Pisces, Venus in Aries square Jupiter in Cancer
3/20 – Sun enters Aries, Mercury stations direct 08° Pisces
3/21 – Mars in Pisces trine Jupiter in Cancer
3/22 – Sun conjunct Neptune 01° Aries
3/25 – Sun conjunct Saturn 04° Aries
3/26 – Venus conjunct Chiron 25° Aries
3/30 – Venus enters Taurus
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