Astrology: Spring Forecast

Spring 2018 from an Astrological Perspective 

By Leah Mueller
QuailBellMagazine.com

​Spring arrives every year at approximately the same time, yet it never fails to surprise me. Winter in the Pacific Northwest is accompanied by an almost ceaseless drumbeat of falling water—rain that waxes and wanes, but always seems imminent. As the perpetually gray sky bulges with moisture, I often wonder whether the rain will ever stop, and if I’ll recognize the sun when it does return. And yet return it does, exactly on its own schedule.
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Each spring has a unique template, informed by the changing weather patterns. As an astrologer, I am ever-aware of a different, subtler pattern, one that is often referred to as astro-weather. This system is based upon the ever-shifting orbits of planets, a dance that creates a kaleidoscope of angles between the heavenly bodies. Sometimes the angles are sharp and hard—like a 90-degree angle, known to astrologers as a square. Other times, they are softer—for example, a 120-degree formation, referred to as a trine.

On any given day, the sky is filled with a combination of planetary angles and their accompanying energies—some pleasant, others not as much. As planets shift, moods shift as well. The moon changes its sign every 2-3 days, but Pluto spends 248 years in the same one (and yes, most astrologers still consider Pluto a planet).

Each vernal equinox dawns with the planets in a different formation. As I write this article, on May 15, I am struck by the explosive nature of the next few days. Mars is leaving hard-headed Capricorn for pie-in-the-sky Aquarius, and individual thoughts turn from pragmatic concerns towards social reform.  Meanwhile, Uranus, planet of revolution (ruled by Aquarius) has just entered Taurus after charging through its home sign of Aries for over seven years. These two planets will square each other until the end of May but will be most exact mid-month. Mars represents anger, lust, and aggression, and Uranus seeks change at any cost.
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I’d be lying if I didn’t confess that the impending shift didn’t make me feel more than a tad uneasy. American society has been in freefall mode for quite some time, a state exacerbated by Trump’s recent election. People are furious and looking for scapegoats. At the same time, many fledgling adults have emerged, enraged by the status quo, mad as hell and unwilling to take it anymore. These young folks have been simultaneously lauded and lambasted by a fickle media. Still, they remain upright, refusing to compromise their views. As an Aquarian, I applaud them, and hope they don’t bow to the inevitable temptations that will entice them to cast aside their ideals in favor of fear and/or mind-numbing comfort.

Taurus is a slow and steady earth sign. Its entry into Uranus, after considerably more feisty Aries, will seem frustrating to many people seeking change NOW. However, the May square from Mars in electrifying Aquarius may well cause much friction between powerbrokers and people who are fed up with everything. It’ll be interesting, to say the least.

Meanwhile, retrograde Jupiter, planet of expansion and luck (also waste and gluttony), continues its retrograde sojourn in intense-as-hell Scorpio. It trines Neptune in dreamy Pisces through the end of spring. The aspect continues for several months thereafter. Neptune rules Pisces and is at home in the sign. Neptunian principles include sleep, meditation and prayer, but also confusion, dissolution, and trickery. The trine is usually a much less harsh aspect than a square, an astro-fact which may give succor to folks who are searching for answers to social dilemmas. Hopefully, this formation will bring out the more beneficial aspects of Jupiter and Neptune. People will be digging deeply and will utilize esoteric methods for approaching problems.

Will this be positive or negative? There is no way of knowing for sure. Everyone will respond differently, according to her/his/their unique astrological template. Collectively, folks are restless and likely to remain so. Can we transform that anxiety into societal improvement? I continue to hope this is possible, despite my cynicism. The alternative is despair, and that’s more than most of us can handle.

Keep in mind that astro-weather is like meteorological weather—if you don’t like it, wait a while, and it will certainly change. Sometimes the weather will improve, and sometimes it will worsen, but almost anything is better than stasis. At least, it makes me feel better to think so. I laugh a bit inside when my new age buddies say, “We’re experiencing big shifts now.” When have we NOT been experiencing shifts? It’s more accurate to say we’re just now beginning to pay attention, after a long and frustrating period of slumber.

But I’m an Aquarius and think I know everything. No need to listen to me. Just try to be patient during the next couple of weeks, and open your mind to others’ perspectives, rather than blindly lashing out at them. At the very least, you might expand your consciousness a bit, and learn something you never imagined before. It can’t hurt to try, right?

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