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The Sun enters Aries I The Double Bladed Axe, on 20 March 2026 at 10:45 am EDT — the start of the astrological new year. Dedicated to Aidoneus or Hades in at least some Hellenistic calendars, it’s also a powerfully Mars-coded ten-day era: Mars rules the sign of Aries, as well as its first decan. The Sun will pass through this Decan over the next ten days, three hours, and 42 minutes, entering Aries II The Crown on 30 March 2026 at 12:58 pm EDT. The Sun arriving at 0° Aries marks the start of the astrological new year — and this year in particular it will be accompanied by the Sun’s immediate conjunctions with Neptune and with Saturn, offering new and unexpected visions — but also placing wearyingly predictable limitations on those imagined possibilities.

The Greeks called the ruler of their underworld Hades (technically ‘Ades, or ‘άδης) — but they understood this name to be a shortening or structured epithet or “hiding” of the god’s real name: Aidoneus, the hidden one or unseen one — and that the ancient Greeks themselves had a number of folk etymologies of his name, which included “the wealthy one” and “the ruler of many.” It’s easy to dismiss that — Ghosts are often felt rather than seen, observed from the corners of the eyes rather than directly face-to-face, and so it’s appropriate that the ruler of the underworld is also an unseen deity… and equally appropriate to number among his subjects all those persons that have gone before us into death’s depths.

I’ve written about Aries I before, in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020.

Yet it’s important to remember that Hades/Aidoneus is not the god of death, but the god of the underworld. Nor was it a realm he chose for himself; with his brothers Zeus and Poseidon, they cast lots for control of the Three Worlds of Sky, Sea, and Beneath the Earth… and Aidoneus got the least-desirable of the three realms. Possibly because his two older brothers cheated him. It’s hard to say; certainly some myths put forward that vision.

In the season of Pisces III, just past, though, I believe that the high priest and high priestess of Eleusis conducted private rites for candidates for initiation. The true content of those rites included startling revelations about the nature of the relationship between Hades the underworld lord, Demeter the goddess of useful growing plants, and Persephone the goddess of flowers — and future queen of Hell. Today that relationship is presented from Greek mythology in strong terms: rape or sexual assault as well as kidnapping are thrown around as part of the dialogue around this particularly important myth. Yet it must be remembered that for nearly two millennia, the myth of Hades and Persephone was specifically bounded by rites of such secrecy that the penalty for violating those secrets was death — and that Euripides the playwright was specifically exonerated of that crime for writing and directing a play that included discussion of the sexual violence in the Hades/Persephone myth. What if the story we think we know, is only the version they tell the uninformed and uninitiated? It’s a real possibility.

So. We have a god of the land of the dead, who isn’t really the god of death, and isn’t really the god of the dead. And we have a goddess of flowering plants who also rules the underworld. And we have a myth of a happy couple who live in a palace below the earth… a home with a white fence, a dead myrtle tree in the yard, and a three-headed dog… and a Mystery performed at this time of year, where a priest whispers to you the secrets of eternal life: “here’s how to come back from death.”

Maybe the first decan of Aries is a time to look lively.

Dodekatemoria

I’ll gradually be integrating this information more consciously into the column, but here’s a foretaste of what’s coming.

• The Sun and Neptune are in Aries of Aries
• Saturn is in Taurus of Aries
• Venus is in Scorpio of Aries
• the Moon is in Sagittarius of Aries
• Uranus is inAries of Taurus
• Mercury is in Gemini of Pisces
• Mars is in the Leo of Pisces
• Jupiter is in Capricorn of Cancer
• Pluto is in Aries of Aquarius

Dates to Watch

March 21-22 — Sun conjunct Neptune; Mars trine Jupiter — The first part of this transit often involves the ethical awakening of how to care for others and support them beyond your usual habits. It’s often also associated with the discovery of occult and spiritual forces. The second part often manifests as a series of lucky breaks that can lead you to believe in your own strategic thinking or tactical prowess. Learn to help others, take comfort from the lucky breaks — but follow both up with real planning.

March 22 to April 6 — Saturn sextile Pluto — This transit is often associated with great tests of both intellectual and physical strength and moral and ethical character, as you work harder than normal and achieve results that are beyond the usual. Many receive recognition for their work in this time, and some receive professional advancement. There is some need to focus or re-focus one’s attentions on what is most important to yourself.

March 24-25 — Sun conjunct Saturn — If satisfaction and contentment come during these days, it will take the form of the peace of mind that comes from doing a job well, or completing a task that you thought would never end. Organization and planning are incredibly important during these days, and the presence of Saturn may deny you the benefit of quick fixes or short-cuts — but what you complete in a steady and deliberate way, will last.

March 30 — Venus enters Taurus, 12:01 am EDT — Having Venus in her home sign is likely to bring considerable grace and ease to the topics ruled by this house in your natal chart or solar return chart. This will be Venus’ last co-presence with Uranus in Taurus (their conjunction is on 23 April 2026 from 9:45 to 9:51 pm EDT), and the celestial ingenue may lay one last, lingering, relaxing hand on the shoulders of the fierce revolutionary, to sing a refrain of “try not to get worried, try not to hold onto problems that upset you…” Venus creates, relaxes, diffuses tensions, enjoys luxuries, and steadies herself with a cup of tea before starting work in Taurus, and she also takes a fika break mid-morning, and maybe late afternoon as well. Try putting cardamom in your coffee as Aries Decan I gives way to Aries II this year.

House Delineations

The First House of self and self-presentation is Gemini, ruled by squaring Mercury, who is retrograde, debilitated and in exile in Pisces. The other Air triplicity rulers are either sextile (Saturn) or inconjunct (Jupiter). It may be a time to define yourself and establish your identity in terms of how you and your friends interact. Are you the leader, or the follower, or the outsider looking in? Maybe you can be the diplomat and the manager, but you should take some time to consider what — and who — you really want to be.

The Second House of money and possessions is Cancer, ruled by the squaring Moon in Aries. Exalted Jupiter and the Lot of Fortune are present. The Water triplicity rulers are square (Moon, Venus) or trine (Mars). Professional roles bring in unexpected windfalls, but important friends may be in need of handouts.

The Third House of extended family and intimate friends is Leo, ruled by the trining and exalted Sun. The Fire triplicity rulers are trine (Saturn, Sun) or inconjunct (Jupiter). Gathering and organizing your inner circle, siblings and family is important work this week, and brings a critical form of contentment. Be prepared to perform for them and lead them.

The Fourth House of home, household, and parents is Virgo, ruled by the opposing but retrograde, detrimented and exiled Mercury. The South Node is present. Home and family are places of unpleasant and difficult calculations that require you to maintain an important professional role at times when your beliefs and career goals may not be aligned with familial expectations. Recognize where your roots are, and communicate clearly with the oversees about what your plans are.

The Fifth House of pleasures and pastimes is Libra, ruled by opposing and detrimented Venus. It’s a time for balancing pleasures against the fires of new acquaintance and social connections. Get out there and enjoy the early springtime, but don’t plan to get much work done on personal hobbies.

The Sixth House of daily routines, pets, and injuries is Scorpio, ruled by trining Mars in Pisces. The other two Water triplicity rulers are both inconjunct (Venus, Moon). The Lunar Apogee is present. Daily routines involve keeping secrets and hiding certain facts from others. Expect that not every to-do list is going to wind up finished or fulfilled; be prepared to transfer important tasks to tomorrow or the day after — but get them done.

The Seventh House of spouse, peer partners, and rivals is Sagittarius, ruled by exalted but inconjunct Jupiter. The Fire triplicity rulers are either inconjunct (Jupiter) or trine (Saturn, Sun). Partners are likely to be uplifted, honored and recognized over and over again in coming days, but be aware that money is not the only way to reward others who take on substantial burdens.

The Eighth House of obligation, duty and legacy is Capricorn, ruled by squaring Saturn exiled in Aries. The Earth triplicity rulers are sextile (Mars) or square (Venus, Moon). Taking up odious responsibilities and completing them often means leaving friends or allies in the lurch, but also brings opportunities to hold more important roles in your workplace. Be wary of taking on roles where there “is no one else” who can do what you do, though — you’re likely to get stuck if you tackle niche tasks with too much enthusiasm.

The Ninth House of higher learning and long-distance travel is Aquarius, ruled by sextile Saturn exiled in Aries. The Air triplicity rulers are sextile (Saturn), or inconjunct (Mercury, Jupiter). Pluto is present, as is the Midheaven. You may find yourself retaking classes or revisiting places you’ve already been in the next ten days, but paying for the review may be worth it — and bringing a friend along may help you to see old places with new eyes, as well as to investigate and critique your prior assumptions and expectations. If you go back to old destinations, be prepared to let go of these places for a while. Sometimes you can’t go home again.

The Tenth House of career and professional reputation is Pisces, ruled by trining and exalted Jupiter. The Water triplicity rulers are either present (Mars) or inconjunct (Venus, Moon). Mercury is present, but exiled, detrimented, and retrograde; the North Node is also present. Professional matters and career goals benefit from a sudden burst of ambition, and unexpected hunger to perform; but be wary of asking for new roles that you may want before subtly showing the boss your capacities to do the work.

The Eleventh House of friends, associates, and allies is Aries, ruled by inconjunct Mars. The Fire triplicity rulers are either square (Jupiter) or present (Saturn, Sun). Neptune, Venus, and the Moon are also present. Social norms and expectations around your friendships and acquaintances go through a series of sudden changes; be prepared to look closer at which associations benefit you and which should be perhaps limited or re-thought.

The Twelfth House of both obstacles and opportunities is Taurus, ruled by inconjunct and debilitated Venus. The Earth triplicity rulers are sextile (Mars) or inconjunct (Venus, Moon). Uranus is present. It will be hard to get new projects started or to make progress on long-term goals or objectives. You’re more likely to succeed by diving into the realms of establishing daily routines and personal goals on a day-to-day basis. Be reluctant to commit to revolutionary plans or sudden upheavals of your routine if you want to accumulate progress — but allow yourself an occasional hurrah, even so.

Horoscopes by Rising Sign

Decan I of any sign (usually covering the 21st of the month to the first of the following month) is free to all visitors; Decan II is only available to Patreon and Ko-Fi.com subscribers; and Decan III is available to Patreon, Ko-Fi, and MailChimp subscribers.

I recommend reading your Sun sign, Moon sign, and Rising sign for best results. I write them with rising sign in mind, but several people have told me they find that they do better with all three.

Gemini: The next ten days will require you to be proactive in several different aspects of your life: what friends you want to see (and which of your professional colleagues you schmooze with) should be of considerable importance; but you may find that some attention to upending your longterm plans and shifting away from a purely comfort-seeking existence will be necessary. Professional matters, and how they relate to your income, are also important — but seek funding and resources first, rather than recognition and honor in your career goals. It might be a good time to marshal the evidence that you deserve a raise. You can expect home and family members to be a source of temporary difficulty, but don’t let the trouble get in the way of recognizing them as the reason why you’re seeking career advancement.

Cancer: Much of your life over the next ten days is going to be public information and possibly scrutinized, so attending to being above-board and honorable is essential: make sure your personal brand and your real self are clearly aligned with one another, both online and in-person. Issues with your friends and colleagues are likely to be a reason to take up daily prayer — the immaturity and imaginative idiocy of your workplace has a risk of bringing on frustration and fury. Long-distance travel plans, and certifications for work or classroom issues require roundabout solutions as well as accepting that you’ll be trapped in some circumstances where you must react to changing conditions rather than establishing your plan and sticking to it. People may try to make you take responsibility for unpaid labor; invite them to show you the money.

Leo: Your immediate neighborhood and inner social circle bring contentment and ease, but it’s your relationships (romantic) and partnerships (business) that attract attention and invite critiques that may have financial implications. Your responsibilities may be married to delightful pleasures and intellectual discoveries, but there’s a risk of taking on more than you intended that’s likely to persist through early July. One solution to this is to ‘get the hell out of Dodge’ — the confluence of planets in the ninth house suggests that a vision for new travel or educational opportunities should be high on your planning and prioritizing list. Upheavals in your work life also encourage you to adopt a long-term strategy which either cultivates your private garden at home — or drinks from new glasses under unfamiliar trees.

Virgo: Take a walk around your house and observe which trees might be at risk of falling on your roof, your car, or otherwise cause you trouble. You may not need to take care of them immediately, but — even if your skills include chainsaws — it is worth your well-being to hire someone else to do the work. You can give the job to a friend, but even then I would make sure that they’re professionally licensed and insured. When traveling, you might want to shell out the extra cash for travel insurance, as well. When taking on new work, particularly with new clients, a thorough preview of your contract should be part of your preparation — the environment in which you’re operating is not the one that existed six months ago, and you may be taken advantage of if you’re not careful. Even if you make no changes, ask for more money: the work you do next week or month is actually going to cost you more than it will today.

Libra: Fun and delight could be your priorities right now, but instead you’re likely focusing more on “what your partner’s fun and delight should be.” There may be issues of depression at work, or executive function, or rough patches in the relationship — but you’re unlikely to figure out how to fix things alone. Spending time with friends — their friends, not yours — may be the cure you’re looking for. This may be hard, if you’re unfamiliar with those folks or don’t like their habits or activities. But you can’t think of them solely as a den of bandits (even if they are). Your partner has to be the person who walks away from the associations that no longer serve them; if you try to build that wall yourself, you’ll fail without their help. If you’re single, it may be a good time to try out a bunch of new activities, both physical and intellectual, in the hopes of meeting new friends and possible new partners. You can expect some reorientation in your own relationships to friends and allies, as your own tastes for pleasure shift or former hobbies become more expensive than you’re willing to pay.

Scorpio: plan for a bit of fun in every day these coming ten days. Play hooky if you have to, but make sure that there’s more than a taste of the Nine Delights in all of your days. These come from a Tumblr post back in June 2021, but they are — walking, fellowship, deliciousness, transcendence, goofing, amelioration, coitus, hyperfocus, and wildcard. You may find that the wildcard appears most often in the form of playful argument this week, but it’s worth remembering the famous poker player Jimmy the Greek, who said, “I like it when there’s a lot of money on the table and I win, but I learn more when I lose.” Keep an open mind these next ten days, and if you find yourself in an argument, be honest about losing — and learn from those losses for best effect on your overall success.

Sagittarius: Spouse, business partners, significant others, rivals, and business peers should all be on your radar this week, but you may have trouble identifying what your key responsibilities are and how to fulfill them. All the same, it is in completing those duties you have, that you are most likely Abel to make progress. You can expect some familial issues to blow up or expand beyond their usual proportions. You can also expect household matters to be fodder for ongoing review and argument. Focusing on fun will require that you assemble your colleagues into teams and groups, but you can expect that scheduling meetings will be somewhat difficult; persist in this effort, and make superiors understand how important each meeting will be. At the same time, prepare a high-quality experience — showing up for a lackluster event is more disappointing than anticipating a canceled shindig.

Capricorn: Responsibility is almost what you’re known for, but that ‘can-do’ attitude is likely to be flummoxed when it comes to household management this week (and for some time to come). As a useful reminder, water and electricity don’t mix — I hope you don’t need that reminder but fire on top of water is usually a bad sign; fire in water is worse. Keep a level head, though, and remember that phone a friend is a legitimate option in less-serious circumstances. No matter how competent your spouse believes you to be, they’re likely to have a generous heart when it comes to you knowing your own limitations; and they’re also likely to shield you from malicious opinions formed by extended family. If you need to go on a trip, allow for considerable extra time, and don’t be surprised if you get stuck close to home.

Aquarius: Travel plans in the next ten days are likely to go awry in ways that may require you to loosen expectation or even unravel your plans completely, and publicly. Getting your money back for all your unexpected costs may require some level of professional expertise; don’t hesitate to call on family friends “in the business” or who know the landscape better than you do. Yet, when you must call on larger networks, remember to do so with logic and clarity of intention. Your household and family may be facing larger upheavals than usual this week, too — and sometimes all that’s really asked of you is to be present and attentive and involved in challenging times.

Pisces: Ordinarily you try to keep business and career matters separate from pleasure and hobbies, but you can expect the streams to get crossed these next two weeks in surprising ways. You can also expect that your financial life will be under a mix of both strange pressures and unlikely reliefs, both this March and in years to come. ARE you thinking about launching a small business or side-hustle? If not, you should be — but remember than any self-employment rarely survives without long-range planning, attention to detail, and a degree of self-critical grit to get through the first two years. Spend some time over the next two weeks learning about your proposed business plan. Yet be prepared to get humbled by what you don’t know. Learn from these discoveries, though, and you’ll be capable of grand achievements.

Aries: Getting by with a little help from your friends is likely to require both more than a little help, and more than a few friends. Try to make dinner arrangements for a party of six, though, and you quickly discover how challenging it can be to find a restaurant everyone likes, or a potluck menu that really satisfies. All the same, this is the two-week stretch when you’re best able to organize and plan a really serious occasion for all involved — it may just hit your wallet harder than you like, even if you try to save money by throwing the event at home. It’s still likely to bring great contentment and ease, though, and people will be talking about it for years. It’s up to you to decide if you want to create something that will be notorious for its debauchery, or infamous for how poorly it went off compared with the plan. The reality will be somewhere in the middle, I’m sure.

Taurus: Steady routines are due for some quick changes and sudden shifts, and you might start by slimming down your possessions or recognizing that you don’t need as much of what you have. It’s also possible that what you own could make a great deal of friends, family, acquaintances and unknown neighbors quite happy. Is it time to hold a yard sale, or at least a gift exchange of some kind? A surprising number of people may come to you for career advice this week, and you may consider taking payment (even if it’s only payment-in-kind) for your preternatural wisdom and perspicuity. Be aware that you’re in a unique position these next few days to set all sorts of plans in motion, and virtually nobody is going to create contexts to which you must react. Decide what you want to do, and make everyone go with your flow.

Colophon

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If you want to read some of my astrologically-oriented poetry, the largest collection is called A Full Volume of Splendor and Starlight, available through my Etsy shop, and containing poems and hymns to the planets, constellations, decan deities, and Moon Mansion angels. While not astrological, Festae contains hymns to some of the older Roman gods and spirits from the calendar created by Numa Pompilius, the second ancient King of Rome.

I use iPhemeris for my charting software, and screenshot it to make charts. I want to thank the team that develops iPhemeris for the addition of Terms and Decans to their charts. I also use Hugh Tran‘s Physis typeface to craft logos for this blog, as well.

I use Christopher Warnock‘s The Mansions of the Moon as the basis of my Moon placement delineations, and Austin Coppock‘s 36 Faces for much of my planetary delineations. Neither gentleman endorses me.