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The Sun enters Aries III The Burning Rose, on 9 March 2026 at 4:40 pm EDT. Associated in ancient and Hellenistic calendars with Eros the god of desire, it was given this name by Austin Coppock in his book 36 Faces. T. Susan Chang, in her book about Tarot titled 36 Secrets, called it Beauty Weds the Architect, relating it to the Four of Wands — showing two people lifting bouquets of flowers into the air in triumph, while a canopy draped with garlands of blossoms stands as a gateway before a castle and a bridge. The Sun will be in Aries III until 19 April 2026 at 9:39 pm EDT, making ten days, four hours, and forty-nine minutes.

I’v’e written about Aries II in the past, in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020.

The Hellenistic era seems to have honored or recognized Eros at this time of year. Eros could be the lovely winged cherub or Cupid that we associate with Valentine’s Day, with the golden arrows that bring love — the ancients also recognized that he could shoot leaden arrows that brought hatred and scorn, but we tend to forget that part of his myth.

We also tend to forget that Eros was sometimes honored as Eros Protogonos, “Firstborn Desire” — the creative and sexual energy that arose from Nyx the goddess of the night sky, and who ruled all living creatures with the desire and instinct to create… and to procreate.

In myth Eros is also the husband of Psyche, as well as the child of the goddess Aphrodite. Struck by one of his own darts in a hunting accident, Eros falls madly in love with the nymph Psyche — whose name means something like mind or consciousness. He marries her secretly, but his mother disapproves of the marriage, so Eros is forced to hide her in his home, and to protect Psyche from harm he only visits her in complete darkness. One day, Psyche’s sisters (including possibly Aphrodite in disguise) come to visit her… and they find Eros’s palace so beautiful, but the story of the night-time visits so strange, that they conclude that Eros must be a monster of terrible form. They persuade Psyche to secretly light a candle so as to look on him and know how he truly appears. When wax from the candle drips onto his naked flesh and burns him, he flees from the palace and refuses to approach her any more. Aphrodite seizes this opportunity to put Psyche through all sorts of violent and dangerous tests, like filling a sieve with poisoned wine and walking through a labyrtinth of thorns and stinging nettles, as a prelude to arranging a divorce. Yet Psyche passes all the tests, and her devotion to him persuades Eros to return to her side.

The Dodeks of Aries III are

• Sagittarius of Aries: Emptying Closets
• Capricorn of Aries: The Morning Oven
• Aquarius of Aries: The Gnostic’s Adventure
• Pisces of Aries: The Skyscraper Hospice

Dodekatemoria

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

The Dodekatemoria or Dodeks are the 2° 30′ sub-sections of the zodiac. There are twelve in each sign, and 144 in the whole of the Zodiac. The word, from Greek, means “twelfth part”.

• Sun: Sagittarius of Aries
• Moon: Cancer of Capricorn
• Ascendant: Aries of Virgo
• Saturn: Gemini of Aries
• Jupiter: Capricorn of Cancer <<< Note the mutual reception between Moon and Jupiter!
• Mars: Aries of Aries
• Venus: Libra of Taurus
• Mercury: Sagittarius of Pisces
• Uranus: Aries of Taurus
• Neptune: Taurus of Aries <<< Note the mutual reception between Uranus and Neptune!
• Pluto: Aries of Aquarius

Dates to Watch

Thursday, 9 April, is the day that Mars enters Aries at 3:39 pm EDT, and sets us all up for a series of powerful conjunctions between 9 April and 30 April, which covers the time period in which the Sun will be passing through Aries III and Taurus I. The most traditionally malefic of these is the Mars Saturn conjunction on 19 April 2026, which has been associated with Death, War, Famine, Drought, Plague, Pestilence and Disaster since before Moses was in diapers. Members of my Patreon get access to a daily apotropaic ritual for gently mitigating and easing the effects of this conjunction to be performed between 10 April and 30 April. But it’s worth understanding that none of these conjunctions are particularly gentle, and especially so since they’re squeezed into such a short timeframe.

• Mars and Neptune will conjunct on 13 April 2026 at 1:30 am EDT — associated with delusions, strong reactions to misinformation, and forms of discouragement and depression of personal goals.
• Mars and Saturn will conjunct on 19 April at 6:43 pm EDT.

These coincide with other conjunctions, triggered by Mercury’s entry to Aries on 14 April 2026 at 11:22 pm EDT.

• Mercury and Neptune on 16 April 2026 at 10:01 pm EDT — your communications will be too subtle. Don’t hint. Speak your thoughts clearly. You have to be ok with being told you’re delusional, though.
• Mercury and Saturn on 20 April 2026 at 7:22 am EDT — you’re going to be too precise, too precious, and too nuanced. Don’t forget that communication is supposed to accomplish something.
• Mercury and Mars on 20 April 2026 at 5:44 pm EDT — you’re getting too ambitious about your diplomacy and letting “perfect” be the enemy of “good enough.”

There will be a further round of conjunctions as the Moon passes through Aries (and over Neptune, Saturn, Mercury, Mars, and the Moon) which will occur between 10:04 am EDT on 15 April 2026, to the New Moon on 17 April 2026 at 7:52 am EDT, to the Moon’s entry into Taurus at 11:58 am EDT on 17 April 2026. These will create a heightened emotional state resembling immaturity or half-baked ideas (Neptune), harsh irritability (Saturn), anxiety about uncontrollable issues (Mercury), anger (Mars), and desperate negotiation with forces you can’t persuade (Sun).

The nature of these transits is not really coded toward the idea of peaceableness and ease. Remember that a great deal is going to be beyond your control for most of the remaining days of April, be gracious and kind to your friends and family, and make no immediate plans that you can’t change or cancel on short notice.

House Delineations

Look to House Delineations to answer questions about issues related to each house.

The First House of self and self-presentation is Virgo, ruled by opposing, detrimented and exiled Mercury. The South Node is present. It’s difficult to get enough time and attention for yourself these days, and you find yourself eager for company and connection to others. Reach out often, and hope others respond.

The Second House of money and possessions is Libra, ruled by inconjunct but domiciled Venus. It’s easy to commit to buying goods and services, harder to tell if you got your money’s worth or if it was a fair price. Buying from afar is easy but receiving what you bought is hard; buying locally is expensive but quality will be uneven.

The Third House of extended family and intimate friends is Scorpio, ruled by inconjunct but domiciled Mars. Secrets and unspoken feelings (both desires and resentments) are ever present but often disguised. Light social entertainments and shared learning experiences may help close friends open up.

The Fourth House of home, household, and parents is Sagittarius, ruled by inconjunct but exalted Jupiter. The Lunar Apogee is present. Contentment, peace and ease is found at home, but only if you bend your usual rules, norms and customs; be more dutiful in your household chores but expect some argument about whether they’re done “well enough.”

The Fifth House of pleasures and pastimes is Capricorn, ruled by squaring and exiled Saturn. The Moon is present in the 23rd Mansion. Favorable time to stick with hobbies but remember that comparing your work to others is a thief of your joy. Be sure your entertainments don’t impinge on responsibilities too much. If you’re a co-parent, be on the same page with your spouse about appropriate boundaries for your children.

The Sixth House of daily routines, pets, and injuries is ruled by sextile but exiled Saturn. Pluto is present. Criticisms of underlings prove expensive and challenging. Everything costs more than you’re used to paying; the alternative is to cut back or make yourself or repair what you have (isn’t there some Great Depression phrase that matches that vibe?). Recognize when you’re obliged to contribute by rule, and what’s just undue influence. Connections with significant others may feel wobblier than usual.

The Seventh House of spouse, peer partners, and rivals is Pisces, ruled by trining and exalted Jupiter. The North Node is present, along with detrimented and exiled Mercury. It’s important to look after your spouse or significant other, but they may be something of a ‘black hole’ this week — no matter how much communication or effort you put into the relationship, it may feel like nothing comes back.

The Eighth House of obligation, duty and legacy is Aries, ruled by present and domiciled Mars. Neptune, Saturn, and the Sun are also present. A hightened focus shines light on both what you have, and what you owe to others thanks to your efforts. New ambitions to be more dutiful to your visions appear. DOn’t let your commitment to perfection get in the way of practicing the skills you need.

The Ninth House of higher learning and long-distance travel is Taurus, ruled by present and domiciled Venus. Uranus is present. High quality learning opportunities present themselves but it may be challenging to get started. Treat it as an occasion for delightful entertainment and try not to be oppressed by the difficulties of starting out.

The Tenth House of career and professional reputation is Gemini, ruled by squaring and detrimented and exiled Mercury. The Lunar Perigee and Lot of Fortune are present. You are more able to manage your professional honor this week, provided that you remember and hold to your code of conduct. A client, a colleague, a vendor may bring up old unaddressed issues with hope for favorable resolution; it’s best you address their concerns carefully but in a way that doesn’t compromise your interests.

The Eleventh House of friends, associates, and allies is Cancer, ruled by the detrimented and opposing Moon. Jupiter is present and exalted. Private time with associates becomes expansive, generous and playful, but be careful when hanging out with folks in hierarchical relationships to you. Make space and time for guests from distant places; clean the house before you have visitors.

The Twelfth House of both obstacles and opportunities is Leo, ruled by the trining and exalted Sun. Surgeries and health matters go swimmingly. Great insights appear during spiritual retreats. Remember to record what you learned or it will slip away from you.

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.

Virgo: Try to be more outspoken, organically but semi-publicly, about what’s troubling and worrying you. Your spouse or significant other may have a hard time understanding your newfound verbosity, but express both your thoughtful opinion of the current situation as well as your hopes (rather than your fears) about what comes next. Strive to have some fun, but don’t get too wrapped up in tasks that require precision or sustained attention. It’s helpful if you learn something that results in immediate gratification.

Libra: Maintain a careful financial balance between your learning objectives, your desire to journey, and your current “immediate to-do list”. There are issues that won’t wait; do what you can to solve them as soon as they hit your desk. Recognize and honor that parts of your relationship, and its obligations, may require some judicious pruning even if you don’t cut it all away. Plan to use the rest of April to cut through some bullshit, but be ambitious in new agreements.

Scorpio: It will be hard to see, day to day, what your new task-list should be or who’s watching over your shoulder (or guarding your back). Plan to have someone else’s back, though, and be honorable, loving and clear with the person that you’re not just doing it for fun. If you get intimate with someone new, let it be playful and delightful but don’t get too intense too fast. Make new social connections a mix of labor and play, even if it’s all supposed to be ‘fun’.

Sagittarius: Hearth and home call to you in ways that seem to require breaking from plans — but you still need a mix of your own work and play. It’s ok to bend norms, but try not to destroy them. Be generous in your self-assessment of your ability to do the work required of you. Shine some light on how intensely you’re trying to have fun, but try not to wreck yourself bringing happiness to the month called “the cruelest.”

Capricorn: Having fun while the world is burning may feel like an inappropriate action. Similarly, it may feel like the world-fire is actually in your house this week, although it’s a sort of burning chill, the kind that they use to freeze warts off. Is there some part of your regular routine that you’ve forgotten to do? Is there some obligation that you’ve forgotten to your household? Would doing it now make things better, or worse? How are you going to learn from this error? And more specifically, is it better to argue and fight about the predicament you’re in, or to accept the current situation with friendly grace and forbearance?

Aquarius: You’re going to be the big spender this week, day after day, even if all you do is criticize the results of your expenditures. Don’t believe all the advertisements, and expect that it’s easy to justify your purchases to a spouse or significant other, even as you question their wisdom to yourself regularly. In confidential chats with close friends, and with familial circles, you may find that the firing squad is circled up and pointed inward; walk away before someone shoots off their mouth or off the cuff about who’s not putting in the work. With your own work, be aware that keeping yourself and your team happy and willing to raise a glass with you or hoist a hand skyward for you, is essential: keep their spirits up, and they’ll keep fighting for you.

Pisces: Passionate but confused communication leads to delightful new experiences, especially in private spaces or behind garden gates. Old traumas manifest as tragic backstory; hopeful verbiage may wag your tongue more aggressively than you intended. It’s easy to spend cash you don’t have, but easier still to be tactful and creative in designing surprise experiences for your friends — just don’t be disappointed by their failure to reciprocate.

Aries: Ambitious new personal goals are likely to arrive in the next 21 days, but there’s going to be a strong temptation to overdo it or overdose on your sense of commitment. Don’t re-injure yourself in the process of self-improvement! Especially tomorrow through April 18, be moderate as you throw yourself into new tasks and responsibilities. At home, be a generous and fair leader, and make sure you make home a welcoming place for friendly gatherings.

Taurus: The learning experiences are likely to come fast and furious this week as you must diplomatically and graciously navigate immediate decisions around travel or learning opportunities: the disruptions may be frequent — some pleasant, others less so. Be prepared to make the best of it when isolation or limitations constrain planned actions. You had best act to preserve your wealth and resources in ways that feel conservative or traditional, but breaking from duty may bring unexpected contentment.

Gemini: Find great freedom in being your most ‘traditionalist’ self this week, but plan to lead with clarity wherever you can. Draw attention to the mistakes of the past even as you express hope for the future. Your friends may be a source of difficulty or frustration, but it’s best that you shine some light on leading them toward what you think you all desire. Even if they don’t follow right away, they’ll come around eventually. Financial matters bring some gain, but inviting those self-same friends out for meal you pay for, plus a little gentle advice, might go a long way to lightening your wallet … and their load.

Cancer: In professional matters you’re likely to rely on help from your friends, but it’s important to remember that it’s help, not leadership. You’re the source of that direction and guidance this week: direct and delegate appropriate powers to them, but acknowledge that you have to count on their discretion and ability to self-manage. This may lead to some difficulties between you and them, and you may feel caught between their seniority or circumstances, and your own limitations or inexperience. Try not to be too alarmed: face the crisis with honor and dignity, and don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Be kind in every moment for best results.

Leo: So many issues may prevent you from traveling this week, or getting to a class or a lecture that you want to go to. Go anyway, go anywhere, but go. It’s easy to give of your time and energy to people who seem to need it; it probably seems vital to make excuses and stick by your friends or acquaintances. All that is true… but sometimes you have to let your feet or your wheels take you even when your existing obligations seem to be telling you to stay. It’s likely to work out for the folks you leave behind, but it’s important for you, as well, to acknowledge both your formal obligations to slow down and stay put — and to cut the kite strings and fly free.

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.