Monthly Vedic Astrology Forecast

Mars+Rahu in Taurus February 22 – April 13
Mercury Transits Aquarius March 11 – 31
New Moon in Aquarius/Purvabhadra March 13
Sun Transits Pisces March 14 – April 13
Venus Transits Pisces March 16 – April 10
Full Moon in Virgo/Hasta March 28
Mercury Transits Pisces March 31 – April 15

Mars+Rahu in Taurus February 22 – April 13

Perhaps the most notable planetary configuration of March - April 2021 is the conjunction of Mars and Rahu in the sign of Taurus from February 22 – April 13.

The Rahu-Ketu axis moves naturally retrograde through the zodiac, spending about 1.5 years in a pair of opposite signs and taking approximately 18 years to move through the entire zodiac. The nodal axis has a reputation for destabilization, unexpected events, forces beyond our control and circumstances that remind us that we all are sailing on the seas of fate.

With Ketu currently placed in his own sign of Scorpio, which is co-lorded by Mars, this 1.5 year stretch between October 2020 – April 2022 could seem like one long retreat, which for some is a dream and others a nightmare. At any rate, this is a strong placement for dealing with major blockages whether on the physical, mental or spiritual plane.

Rahu in Taurus is a similarly strong placement for the same date range and since his entry there, he has received a monthly visit from the Moon, but hasn't directly conjoined with other planets. In the next four months, between March – June, all of the faster-moving planets will flow through Taurus, with Mars leading the charge. Aside from the Moon each month, for this Mars + Rahu transit, no other planets will be joining.

Rahu tends to act as an amplifier where he sits, so the actions of Mars may seem rather robust during this two month stretch between February 22 – April 13. Mars in Taurus tends to focus our power and problem-solving into the realm of Taurus, Venus' earth sign that represents the fertile ground in which we grow our food. Taurus is about material resources that sustain us, which includes those relationships that give us stability.

Mars is fiery and Rahu is windy. As many people who live in dry climates know, this can be an intense and dangerous combination. The key here is water, which could be provided physically to keep things cool, moist, intact and alive in such an environment. Water is life; the surface of the planet is mostly water, the content of our bodies is also water. In a physical sense, water will help balance this sensitive combination.

Metaphorically, the water element leads us toward love, care, nurture and compassion. Make this your basis and the chemistry that comes from Mars and Rahu joining could be quite amazing, creative and pioneering.

It's always a good idea to know where the fire is, though. With Mars in Taurus with Rahu, that is a healthy bonfire. Tongues of flame will lick out to some other signs, as Mars can aspect with his hot gaze. Leo, Scorpio and Sagittarius, you may want to increase the water levels in your tanks in order to absorb the heat.

When Mars gets agitated, we can get a little hot-headed and lash out. This could be a slightly agitating combination, so perhaps a plan should be placed to remain calm when things don't go our way during this time. We will want things to go as planned very much and things probably will not go as planned.

Mars has power and unchecked power can quickly cause unexpected things. Slow down and watch your trigger finger. Some actions can't be taken back. Rahu joining Mars could cause avoidable accidents. Plan to NOT have an accident.

This Mars + Rahu in Taurus has two phases. Phase 1, Jupiter is aspecting from Capricorn. That is good. Jupiter influencing Mars is always preferred, as this is good advice directing power in a positive way. Of course, Mars will be hearing advice from Rahu as well, so listen intently to Jupiter! The exact conjunction of Mars and Rahu happens March 28, so it is good to have Jupiter's aspect on that combination.

Phase 2, starting April 5 when Jupiter moves to Aquarius will give us just over a week of Mars + Rahu without supervision.

Remember, explosions need both air and fire to ignite. When the wind gets too strong, put out the flame. If the fire gets too big, shut off the air. When we're sailing on the seas of fate, we have to know our stuff, sharpen our skills and act quickly to compensate for rapid change.

Another word of advice to avoid Rahu+Mars mishaps would be to rely on those strong gut feelings. Ketu in Scorpio is able to send strong intuitive messages. Listen to them.

Author's Note: The day after writing this section, there was an explosion at the local whiskey distillery that injured two people with severe burns. Planets associated with alcohol are Venus (ruler of Taurus) and Rahu. Planets associated with explosions/accidents: Mars, Rahu. Tectonic activity seems to be increasing with this combination, as well. Pay attention!

Mercury Transits Aquarius March 11 – 31

Mercury has been skipping between Saturn's signs this winter, having entered Aquarius in February, and then returned to Capricorn on a retrograde wave that stationed direct on February 21.

During the last week of February, Mercury approaches Jupiter, making an exact conjunction with Jupiter on March 3. On March 10 – 11, the Moon joins the cohort in Capricorn and ushers Mercury into Aquarius on March 11, leaving only Jupiter and Saturn to find the balance once again.

Mercury is in friendly territory while in Capricorn and Aquarius, as he is a friend to Saturn, ruler of both signs. Through the past months, we've been exploring the foundational changes that need to be made in order to move forward after and amidst experiencing varying shades of chaos. In Capricorn, Mercury is helpful in organizing, assessing and moving things about as he says farewell to Saturn and Jupiter, currently moving through the late degrees of Capricorn.

A meeting of Mercury and Jupiter always carries a touch of the meeting of minds that occurs between student and teacher. Mercury moves past Jupiter from March 2- 5, when the pair will be within a longitudinal degree of one another. This could be a good time to begin a new course of study or seek educational avenues.

Mercury in Capricorn, along with Jupiter and Saturn, are currently feeling the strong breeze that comes from Rahu as he aspects the signs that are of the same element as the sign that he occupies, currently Taurus, an earth sign. While we are trying to lay foundations under some sense of duress, we at least have our friends and colleagues (Mercury) to weather the tough times.

As Mercury moves to Aquarius on March 11, it will be similar in some ways to the Capricorn territory. In Aquarius, the lords Saturn and Rahu will have some say in things, so those associations are similar. Receiving Rahu's aspect while conjoining Saturn is perhaps more intense than just occupying their sign, so Mercury's work may shift somewhat during the Aquarius transit from March 11 – 31 as things may feel a bit more free and quick.

Mercury joins his bestie Venus and his constant companion, the Sun, in Aquarius. This crew has moved on from the hard work of foundation building and is fully committed to getting the word out to the world. Rebuilding relationships and networks could become a theme during the last couple weeks of March. While the initial plunge into Aquarius could be active, by March 16, both the Sun and Venus will have moved to Pisces, leaving Mercury for some quiet time.

After the action-packed Mercury retrograde and the Capricorn stellium of February, we could use this time to slow down and organize our communication platforms and distribution systems. This is a good time to take inventory and shift resources.

New Moon in Aquarius/Purvabhadra March 13

The Sun and Moon meet at 29° Aquarius on March 13, joined by Mercury and Venus. This zone between Aquarius and Pisces is spanned by the lunar mansion Purvabhadra, ruled by Jupiter. The positive influence of Jupiter comes through in this potent and transformational nakshatra.

The final four signs of the zodiac are ruled by Jupiter, Saturn, Saturn/Rahu and Jupiter. With this new Moon, we straddle between the penultimate (Aquarius) and ultimate (Pisces) signs, implying the hope of reaching a goal that has been sought for a lengthy time. It may feel like a combination of exhaustion and hope as the finish line appears in the distance.

Within a few days, the Moon, the Sun and Venus will all pass into Pisces. As Mercury remains alone to organize his thoughts and analyze the numbers in Aquarius through end of March, we may feel a pull toward finalizing chapters that are not included in the next story.

Sun Transits Pisces March 14 – April 13

Each year as winter becomes spring, the Sun moves through the sign of Pisces, the final sign of the zodiac. In Pisces, we can expand into the spaciousness of the cosmic ocean, allowing the dissolution of that which has passed out of relevance. The Sun is well positioned in Pisces, as Jupiter's signs are friendly territory.

This year, Venus will be tightly clinging to the Sun during the Pisces transit, which is an interesting phenomenon to analyze. Planets in proximity to the Sun in the zodiac are not perceivable from Earth, as they become "combust," and their individual form and light becomes subsumed into the bright halo of the Sun's light.

While Sun and Venus are not naturally friendly with one another, they are both well received in Pisces. The Sun is friendly to Jupiter and Venus is exalted, functioning at the highest level, in Pisces. You will notice that the date ranges for the Pisces transits of these two planets is rather similar, showing how close this pair will be from mid-March to mid-April.

Since vast Pisces gives us a universal perspective, we are invited to turn that toward the realm of relationships at this time. When Sun and Venus get together, we always have the opportunity to feel the feels about the balance between individual preferences and collective concessions that is crucial when living through the social contracts we have built: relationships, marriages, groups, families, society.

With the realistic and practical lord of karma, Saturn, throwing his gaze into Pisces, our process of self-assessment may feel a bit brutal (but we know its true.) Take responsibility for how you may be selfish in the context of participating with others. Take responsibility for how your need for peace may cause betrayal of established boundaries. Find a way to express your truth without the need to outshine anyone else.

Venus Transits Pisces March 16 – April 10

The sign of Pisces is the watery sign of Jupiter, the final sign of the zodiac that is represented by the expansive cosmic ocean and the fish that swim therein. Paradoxically, this spacious sign is also associated with the 12th house in an astrological chart, which is known as a place of both confinement and liberation.

While Venus and Jupiter are not natural friends, they both represent the concepts of teaching and evolution. Venus is considered to be exalted while in Pisces, functioning at her best.

As the 12th sign, Pisces represents the environment of ending only to begin anew. When we finish one lesson and integrate it, it is time for the new lesson that Aries promises as the first sign of the zodiac. With Venus' influence, we are getting into the agenda of social connections, artistic celebration and earthly delight. This period between mid-March and April 10, as Venus moves through Pisces, we could experience finality within relationships, where connections complete and individuals turn toward new horizons.

Superior conjunction of Venus comes on March 26, which means that Venus moves behind the Sun, totally obscured from Earth's viewpoint. What this means in a physical sense is that Venus is at its furthest point from Earth, with the Sun itself separating the two neighboring planets.

This is a backstage moment for Venus, when we cannot observe her from Earth. Time for costume changes and the birth of new creations.

Full Moon in Virgo/Hasta March 28

As March comes to a close, the Moon is waxing, coming into exact opposition with the Sun on March 28, when the Moon sits at 15º° Virgo (Hasta nakshatra) and the Sun+Venus pairing sit at 15° Pisces (Uttarabhadra nakshatra.)

The Moon is well appointed in Hasta, as he is also the ruler of Hasta, which translates as "hand." This nakshatra is truly a meeting place of the minds, with Mercury as ruler of Virgo and the Moon as ruler of Hasta. These two planets represent two different concepts of "mind." The Moon shows our emotional, naturally reactive capacity. Mercury represents our intelligence which we apply to analysis and evaluation.

With the Moon alone but bright, meaning that no other planets are joining or closely flanking this full Moon, this may give us an opportunity to calmly and clearly gain perspective on the current situation.

Because of Jupiter's and Rahu's placement in earth signs and both of them having the ability to aspect all signs of the same element, this full Moon gets pulled into that earth-changing energy that is slowly and surely, along with suddenly and instantly, pushing us to create new forms and rearrange our material situations.

Aside from Mercury and Ketu, the other planets are moving together in three pairs:

1. Jupiter and Saturn in Capricorn (earth sign) – Supporting the careful and deliberate building of foundations in preparation for new growth.
2. Sun and Venus in Pisces (water sign) – Completing, dispersing and renewing energy in the realm of balance between self and other.
3. Mars and Rahu in Taurus (earth sign) – Aggressively plowing through what needs to be activated in order to discover and repurpose resources.

With the Moon being nicely set in Mercury's sign, alone, and Mercury happily moving alone through Aquarius, this really gives an opportunity for mental perspective from both our informational mind (Mercury) and our sensitive mind (Moon.) After a somewhat worldwide rocky road for the past year, signs are pointing toward recovery and stabilization, but the reality also demands that something's got to give or has already given. The space that's left after those changes will invite us to create new projects and environments.

Another interesting piece of this full Moon is that Rahu and Mars will exactly conjoin at 20° Taurus on this day, which could increase the intensity levels somewhat.

Mercury Transits Pisces March 31 – April 15

After retrograde periods, our friend Mercury tends to do a quick sprint in forward motion, enjoying the boomerang effect immensely. After moving through Aquarius, Mercury joins up with Venus and Sun in Pisces, paddling furiously from March 31 – April 15.

Mercury is debilitated in Pisces, but if any planet knows how to make the best of a sticky situation, its our Mercury. With Mercury joining exalted Venus, this effectively cancels the debilitation of Mercury and gives him a pair of water skis to sail across those seas of fate.

Venus moves out of Pisces on April 10, followed by the Sun on April 13, followed by Mercury on April 15. The trio moves into Aries together, which will increase the volume on the fire element, rapidly increasing natural growth as spring heats things up.

We may be grateful for this increase in the water element in early April as the month shapes with a few significant events: Jupiter moves to Aquarius April 5, Venus moves to Aries April 10 and Mars moves away from Rahu in Taurus to Gemini on April 13. This effectively spreads the planets out into what looks like more of a chain, what is known as a "graha malika," a garland of planets. This is when things start moving, so make sure that time spent ruminating in March has that future forward motion in mind.

PHOTO CREDIT: Navneesh Ramessur, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons