Dear friends,

Happy Spring! With pleasure I report that the astrology for the coming week is much, much better than the last two. Saturday 3/26 was the day of Pluto retrograde - and all the prior week the entire country was in the throes of a sad life and death drama. Many of us may have felt our own roles in the cosmic wheel of fate that brings us inescapable experiences of darkness from time to time. Pluto, lord of the underworld, brings the darkness to the surface and reminds us that no one is getting out of here alive. Better to live with true glory while the light shines.

Note to astrologers on the list: can we have had a more dramatic example of the importance of planetary speed, not only in events but birth charts too?

Now to the astrology of the week. On Tuesday morning, Messenger Mercury joins with King Sun. Our minds return to the origin of our truth. Whatever our discipline, we return to its foundations for re-grounding and inspiration. The very same day, Mercury joins with Lady Venus. Mercury, our minds, are suffused with love and pleasure. But since we're talking about Mercury retrograde and Venus in Aries, we connect with past loves and re-spark older romances, and at the same time we seek new experiences. Old friends become new lovers.

The passion goes on. On Wednesday eve, King Sun joins with Lady Venus. While Venus and Mars get the headlines on the glamour astro rags, those in the tradition know Sun with Venus is the real shebang. Our very life with pure love. Mercury is retrograde, so skip the shopping; focus your energy on love. Sit with your own heart. Where is the real love music? Lyrics of the 60s seem almost quaint to our cynical ears. Don't abandon your heart's inspiration - love lives.

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On the island of Buena Yerba, where all the residents know their astrology, there are 7 exaltation festivals, one for each planet. The Sun is exalted in Aries and the island is in its annual celebration of Springtime and the Sun on the rise. Residents are wearing brilliant yellow, scarlet and sunset red; for Sun adornments, some wear amber, others rubies, and the Leos like the gold, especially on Sun Days; the master chefs are adding extra leaves of bay laurel and rosemary to their dishes and cooking up saffron treats. All the residents are using extra fine frankincense for their meditation. (See Flower*Pearls email if you'd like this for your own celebrations!)

As with the Venus celebration at 26 Pisces, the Sun's peak of glory is long held to be 18 Aries. This year, however, just as it reaches this most magnificent degree, there is an eclipse and the Sun's light is snatched away by the dragon in the skies. The headliner takes the stage - and the lights go out. This, the royal astrologers have decreed, is an inauspicious omen. Since the Sun is the source of life, the astrologers are urging the residents to support life in any way they wish. The residents would be doing this anyway for Sun in Aries exaltation festival, but this year there is extra urgency. Some are dedicating extra funds to save lives of animals destined to be killed, a traditional Buddhist ritual of fostering the powers of life. Others are eating veggie on certain days of the week. On Buena Yerba everything is organic, but if we applied the spirit of the island to the mainland we'd avoid pesticides and factory farming to do everything to support life this month.

With 3 planets in Aries, sign of the warrior, we also might take up the call of the noble battle and fight on behalf of life in the oceans, life in the Arctic, life in the redwoods, life in Iraq, life on American city streets - wherever you feel called to contribute your own life force to help the life around you. When faced with Pluto or Saturn or any forces of darkness, light and light life are the only way out.

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Star*Watch
All times PDT. See below for comments on other visible planets. The Sun and Moon together set the tone of the time. The Sun provides our orientation for the month; Moon signs and aspects influence the energy of the day, and tells us how we approach the truth of the Sun. Planet aspects influence the energies for several days (sometimes weeks) before and even after the aspect depending on the nature of the planets involved.

Sun * in Aries. New beginnings! Sun into the first sign of the zodiac means new life. We pursue our power and strength. The Sun is exalted in Aries, but Aries remains a sign of Mars.

Moon * days 19 - 25 (new Moon is day 1). 4th quarter Moon in Capricorn on Friday. In our way down from full Moon in Libra, we share the energy of partnership.

Monday 3/28 * Moon in Scorpio. With 4 planets in signs of Mars, we are burning. With Sun and Mercury together with Venus, lady of love, and Moon in sign of deep desire, we know what fuels our fire.

Tuesday 3/29 * Moon into Sagittarius in the afternoon, Sun conjunct Mercury, Mercury conjunct Venus. A day of royal meet-ups in the sky - see above for more.

Wednesday 3/30 * Moon in Sagittarius, Sun conjunct Venus in the eve. Venus in the heart of the Sun - our heart of life and heat of desire and love are perfectly intertwined. The aspect perfects in the evening, but the energy lasts all day and all night.

Thursday 3/31 * Moon in Sagittarius, into Capricorn. Is Sun Venus is still going on? Yes, it is! With Moon in sign of Jupiter and Jupiter day, we turn our love to our teachers, wisdom and other sources of abundance.

Friday 4/1 * Moon in Capricorn. Today is Fools Day, but Moon in Capricorn will urge us to get real. Can we make this love last? How? With Mercury near Venus this week, we can learn (Mercury) about love (Venus). Here are books on my list:

Can Love Last by Stephen Mitchell http://tinyurl.com/4q75d

The Healing Sun by Richard Hobday http://tinyurl.com/5rsj8

The Doctor's Heart Cure by Al Sears http://tinyurl.com/625ax

Plants of Love by Christian Ratsch http://tinyurl.com/65qlt

Saturday 4/2 * Moon in Capricorn, into Aquarius in the evening, Venus opposite Jupiter. Save the shopping for Mercury direct - we find real pleasure in teaching and wisdom. Oppositions are known for difficulty, but this aspect between benefics can only mean too much of a good thing.

Sunday 4/3 * Moon in Aquarius, Sun opposite Jupiter. Is this weekend too good to be true? Can we have *that much* of a good thing? Moon conjunct Mars in the late afternoon - time for movement, then a Sunday eve of learning and knowledge, pursuits of Aquarius.

Have a stellar week!

Peace and love,
Jonathan Pearl