It isn't always easy to tell the difference between a vision and a fantasy. Each beckons you to have faith in the phantasmal; to put aside your doubts and fears and follow your dreams. You pray that your dreams are taking you to where you want to go, that you'll arrive at a place in life where you can get everything you want; but you also can't escape this uncertain feeling that they might be leading you astray. This is the question you'll be struggling with on March 19th when the Sun conjoins Neptune in Pisces for the last time in our lifetimes. Are you really on track to getting what you want or are you just chasing after another mirage in the desert? Unfortunately there's only one way to find out and that's by pursuing your hopes and aspirations. Even if you wind up with a fistful of sand it's better than not having pursued them in the first place and being left to wonder – what if?

Are you at the end of your rope? It’s a question worth asking when there’s a Lunar Eclipse in Virgo on March 14th. Virgo is the zodiac sign of work, health, and service in Astrology so these are going to be stressors during this time that the Moon grows red beneath the Earth’s shadow. You may feel helplessly stuck in a dead-end job, that your body is suffering from all the pressure it’s under, or that people are exploiting you while promising you that your sacrifices will be worth it in the end. You’ll want to erupt in anger and maybe even lash out – or storm out – but it pays to remember the three virtues of Virgo. First is temperance because blow-ups only lead to situations that you have to go back and try to salvage, second is self-care that if practiced properly revitalizes as well as builds stamina, and the third is exit strategy where you’ve carefully worked out ahead of time how to leave that corner you painted yourself into. These ideas may seem woefully insufficient while the Moon is eclipsed, but give it a few days and you’ll gradually see that they’re tremendously effective.

Mythologies and Bible stories are full of critical moments where things go terribly wrong. Whether it’s Gilgamesh taking a catnap after retrieving the plant of immortality, Orpheus glancing back over his shoulder to see if Eurydice was still following him, or Judas saying yes to the thirty pieces of silver, we all can’t help but wonder what would have happened if better choices had been made. It’s impossible to turn back time. What’s done is done – that’s what the past is all about; however each of us still possesses the power to course correct, but this can only be done if you’re willing to put aside defensiveness and guilt in favor of reflection and acquired wisdom. It may be remorse that leads you to want to apologize, the realization that you were too careless that motivates you to revisit an important decision, or perhaps the anger you were full of weeks ago has dissipated now that you see the damage it's done. It’s never too late to right a past wrong and with the Sun in Pisces forming a trine to Mars in Cancer on March 8th you’ll have the courage, humanity, and compassion to do just that.

Venus turns retrograde on March 1st. Named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty, Venus will be acting contrary to type as long as she is traveling backwards in the zodiac signs of Aries and Pisces. Needless to say, this isn't the time to change your look, switch love partners, or purchase any shiny new objects because what catches your fancy in the moment will only leave you scratching your head in bewilderment later. But Venus retrograde brings more than just an unforeseen bout of questionable taste. It can also mean trouble. The planet of attraction in Astrology, Venus retrograde, can turn you into a target of jealousy, covetousness, or even bullying. For some inexplicable reason, people will just have it out for you. That's why it's so important to be disarming, courteous, and politic – even when it's others who are at fault. It may feel unfair and like you're the one who has to bear the burden, but remember the famous Venus maxim: “you get more flies with honey than you do with vinegar”. Venus will be retrograde from March 1st to April 12th.

We're not even three months into 2025, and Mars has already left its scorched footprint on the year. Named after the Roman god of war and mayhem, you don't have to look very far to see his handiwork. One would think that the planet's retrograde (Mars turned retrograde on December 6th) would have dialed down the fiery anger, but retrogrades tend to make this planet worse. That's because the backward motion switches the Mars energy from fight to flight. This creates an atmosphere of fear, panic, and hysteria. We see it in our politics, we see it in our media, and we see it in our society. But Mars also stands for good things like chivalry, heroism, and honor. Mars comes out of retrograde on February 23rd and marches forward through that patch of sky it just backslid through. This gives us all a chance to summon our gumption, stiffen our spine, and reach for our better selves so that situations that proved too daunting before are confronted and mastered the second time around.

A Sun/Uranus square always brings an unexpected upset, but this one's close proximity to the Full Moon in Leo on February 12th is bound to be as dramatic as it is game-changing. Whether this signals a breakdown or a breakthrough is hard to tell. Uranus, the planet of revolution and change, is astrology's most famous wild card, and it never broadcasts its intent. For some people, this might presage a surprise release from the stranglehold of circumstances that have held them hostage, and for others, it may bring the final straw that breaks the camel's back. Whether you experience liberation or collapse, it's clear that you won't be continuing on as is. It may seem frightening at first to be free of a situation that has dominated your life for so long, but you'll soon get your bearings. And once you do, you'll be moving on faster than any captive animal that has been released back into the wild.

Jupiter is the planet of good fortune and higher purpose. Jupiter lifts our sights and our spirits so that we reach for our better selves rather than stoop to our lowest common denominator. Last October 9th, Jupiter turned retrograde in the zodiac sign of Gemini. This is when it pulled the rug out from under all those things that make believing easy. This may have been when your trust in a relationship was shaken, when your job performance was questioned, or when you felt like you had lost your way. For many people, the period when Jupiter is retrograde is when doubt overshadows confidence so that they want to throw in the towel and call it quits; but if you were one of those who stuck to your path—no matter how long, winding, and dark it became—then you will see your faith rewarded on February 4th when Jupiter comes out of retrograde and starts moving forward again.

Uranus, the planet of revolution and change, comes out of retrograde on January 30th. After weeks of backsliding, you will feel like you're finally moving with the current of events rather than against it. Uranus's job in astrology is to break down the things that aren't working – like formulaic answers, outdated traditions, and conventional wisdom that's no longer wise – and to push ahead with fresh perspectives, untried approaches, and innovative thinking. No other planet is this forceful when it comes to overthrowing established modes, and you may find yourself struggling to make heads or tails of situations you once thought were rooted in place. It's important to remember during times like these to bend with the winds of change. You don't want to be knocked down any more than you want to be blown away. You may not yet understand how all the pieces will fall into place, but Uranus out of retrograde ensures that one day you will.

You'll want to be careful about the way you rationalize your actions. Whether you're searching for a silver lining or explaining away a dubious endeavor, it's important that you be honest with yourself. The Sun conjoins Pluto for the first time in Aquarius on January 21st. This is as important as it sounds, but you won't recognize its effects immediately. Named after the Roman god of the Underworld, Pluto rules over everything that lies buried beneath the surface. Seeds planted today could sprout right away, or they might take years to appear. The question to ask is: are you doing things for the right reason? Many times we might do something we know is wrong but claim that we were forced to by circumstances beyond our control. Other times we may do things we know are right, but they wind up upsetting our life and the lives around us. Diabolical dilemmas belong to the realm of Pluto, but in the end, the choice lies with each one of us to embrace the highest or the lowest in ourselves. And that first uncertain step forward begins this week.

There's a lot of disaffection going on in the heavens this week with retrograde Mars in Cancer forming an opposition to the Sun in Capricorn on January 15th and Venus passing under the rays of Saturn in Pisces on January 18th. It's clearly not the time to make a pitch, ask someone what they really think of you, or poke the bear because you won't like the reception you get. However, not all the planets are in an ornery mood. A Sun/Uranus trine on Monday, followed by a sextile to Neptune on Friday, shows the benefits of switching focus to those concerns that lie outside your day-to-day life—things like farfetched ideas, impossible dreams, and hopeless causes. This would be an excellent time to take them down off the shelf, blow away the cobwebs, and give them a closer look. You may discover that they still have something to say. This could result in taking up an old passion, or it might lead to something more transcendent given the positive bent of Uranus and Neptune. A lot of good has come from not getting what we want when we wanted it. Frustration can darken our mood, but it can also lift our sights too.