The Spring Equinox, a time of rebirth in the northern hemisphere, comes on 20th March as the Sun enters Aries beginning a new astrological cycle. It coincides with Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. The four Cardinal Ingresses of the year – Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn – are held to be significant in the quarter year which follows.
This Spring Solstice sees the Aries Sun close to Neptune Saturn offering an array of possibilities. Neptune, the compassionate healer softening Saturn’s rigid self-reliance and uncaring streak, to offer a hand to the underdogs. Or Neptune’s tendency to fantasy undermining Saturn’s grip on reality, leading to neurotic fears. Often associated with suffering and sacrifice, it can lead to illness. There usually is a struggle between lower and higher motivations, between primitive responses and humanitarian ideals.
Relocated to Teheran it puts the confused Sun Saturn Neptune on the Descendant, in the chart area of allies and enemies; with a grandstanding Pluto in the 5th and confident Jupiter in the 10th. Relocated to Washington, DC there is an indecisive Sun Saturn Neptune in the 11th, hinting at a lack of forward planning.
Eris, the planet of chaos and discord is conjunct the wounded-healer Chiron, a toxic combination well illustrated in the Middle East conflagration.
The Mars is not prominent, as it was in the recent late December Capricorn Ingress with a disturbing Sun Mars square Neptune Saturn.
And more so in the 2025 Libra Ingress – Mars square Pluto, and on the apex of a yod inconjunct Saturn Neptune sextile Uranus. With another yod of Mars sextile Venus inconjunct Neptune Saturn. It was a particularly strong chart with an Air Grand Trine of Pluto trine Uranus trine Sun opposition Neptune Saturn. One ancient astrologer believed the Libra Ingress was the key to the year ahead.
Another point of interest is the New Moon in late Pisces on March 19th, the day before the solstice. It is the first New Moon after the 17 February Solar Eclipse at 28 Aquarius square Uranus. My impression looking back on past eclipse cycles is that the following New Moon can often be a trigger for events connected to the eclipse. That eclipse located to Tehran has Eris Chiron (= chaos, conflict and unhealable wounds) conjunct the Midheaven and Pluto conjunct the Descendant, marker for enemies and allies.
Roll on the August Solar Eclipse which promises “a time of breaking out of a negative situation which has seemed hopeless into a more positive space with more options available. Worries will clear. Solutions will appear and need to be grasped.” Can’t come a moment too soon.