Divas in Descent

March's Aries Season + Asteroid Retrogrades

Chiron Duong

Spring has Sprung! And so has the Astrological New Year.

The Spring Equinox kicks off Aries Season ~starting today Thursday March 20th~ and Cardinal Fire is a champion of robust energetic re-set, an ideal time to WORK WITH the Double-Retrograde March and put our minds to the matter while un-doing poor patterns. Aries is an agent of Authenticity and the ABUNDANCE of recent Aries placements are HOT. Venus Retrograde in Aries has been sensationally sparky (though prone to over-spending and flirting with disaster) and the recent start of Mercury Retrograde in Aries puts honesty at the helm (though could burst into brutality if not careful). After a long weird Winter, Aries’ signature sass is quite welcome despite its risks and rush into potential problems during Inner Planet backspin.

Aries aspects are a *chef’s kiss* to get out of a funk and step into our own personal power once again.

I have no doubt that many of us crave confidence and courage as of late but the mixed signals in Spring’s Mercury Retrograde undoubtedly puts “identity crisis” on our proverbial plates. The Astrology of “March Madness” is nothing like ever I’ve seen AND many of us are on edge for political and socio-economical reasons as is. Heightened by the emotional intensity of the Blood Moon Virgo Eclipse ~the 2nd Major Moon of 7 in the Pisces-Virgo Lunar Nodal Axis~ resentments and pain points buried by compartmentalization over time may have pushed to the surface. Just like the flowers, even long-buried expectations of decorum or fear-mongering in our youth are piping up in the cosmic psyche. The blooms are of bravery, which many of us need.

Deep-seeded issues will need gentle acceptance during this chaotic but life-changing Retrograde Spring and Eclipse Season. Denial and delusion are not an option.

There’s nothing like another shot at a “New Year” with the “re-” powers of Retrogrades.

With 2 Inner Planets reverse in tandem ~and currently both in Aries~ we’re tasked to admit where we’ve held ourselves back. The subjects of Venus (Love) combined with Mercury (Communication) inevitably influence Earthlings to alter their approach to romantic and creative conflict. The Ram in either Planet pursues self-advocacy, direct or retro. When the Retrogrades work with animated Aries energy, we’re pushed to stand up for ourselves and make honest long-avoided decisions. Whatever is beneath the layers of anger and fear gets set into motion. Aries Season will provide an ostentious optimism to push thru the ick of our stuck situations and create anew.

May the bridges you burn light the way.

With the Aries Solar Eclipse on March 29th as the final Moon of the previous Lunar Nodal Axis and Neptune stepping into Aries the next day FOR ALMOST 15 YEARS, 2025’s Aries Season is hot-to-go and honestly long-overdue. Plus, there are ADDITIONAL relationship-affecting Retrogrades starting this month by way of major Asteroids Juno and Vesta. Both will have their own back-spins in a Fire and Water Signs (dedicated sections below); these heavenly bodies can deeply affect the contractual side of romantic commitments and our sacred attune to sexual expression.

All in all, March Madness has been and will continue to be a golden opportunity to re-invent ourselves.

March’s Aries Season Astrology

• 3/19 Juno Retrograde in Sagittarius begins (more info below). The Pisces Sun-Neptune Conjunction helps us swim through our internal emotional waters and encourages us to use the resources of creativity to process, whether within one’s own hobbies and practices or indulging in other’s expressive artistic outlets. A lovely end to Pisces Season.

• 3/20 Aries Season begins! Take time to celebrate the Spring Equinox if you can. Muse on intentions for the upcoming season. Spring Clean if you did not do so during the Virgo Blood Moon. Jot down goals. Treat this as you would your New Year but with spiritual soul-feeding sparkle. This is a chance to start over.

• 3/21 Vesta Retrograde in Scorpio begins (more info below). Venus Retrograde in Aries sextiles Pluto in Aquarius for an injection of innovative intensity around our goals, influencing us to get out of our comfort zones and be bold about our self-limiting imposed boundaries.

• 3/22 Aries Sun conjuncts Venus Retrograde in Aries for a brief breath from the uphill battle that the Venus Rx has created. There is some calm among the chaos if we are brave enough to center ourselves and stick to our values over vengeance. Responding is different than reacting and this fine line can make all the difference in interpersonal discussions. We may even find conflict resolution pleasurable on this day.

• 3/23 Aries Sun sextiles Pluto in Aquarius, adding an optimistic angle towards any obstacles in our path. A great aspect for the collective in the face of political unrest. Like-minded community lifts hope to our isolated feelings of despair especially around DOGE’s disgusting actions. To our alcohol-sober or sober curious friends, the amazingly resourceful AND wholesome fun sober hang-outs of QUEER + SOBER ATL will be celebrating their 7th anniversary on this day at Teaz Social in L5P. The Astro New Year is a great time to get back on our goals. (Teaz offered us an amazing kava tasting and I must say it is a great alcohol-alternative.)

• 3/24 Aries Sun conjuncts Mercury Retrograde in Aries for a major boost in connective communication, a big boost for presentations, pitches or any other forms of persuasive projects that rely on our words. Only warning is to make sure to only make promises you can keep.

• 3/25 Mercury Retrograde in Aries sextiles Pluto in Aquarius and is paying sharp attention to what lurks underneath the surface re: other people’s intentions. Motives in our personal sphere may be murky. This sextile’s intuitive air is not about to let anyone pull the wool over our eyes.

• 3/27 Venus Retrograde enters Pisces. Beware of loneliness allowing you to fall into “less than” situations or the wearing rose-colored glasses to your downfall. This is an extremely potent healing period but will take serious intention to stay on track. Check our separate dedicated post. The same day Venus enters Pisces, it conjuncts Neptune in Pisces for a dreamy day of enjoyment and expression.

• 3/29 Partial Solar Eclipse + New Moon in Aries with dedicated post up ahead. Mercury Retrograde enters Pisces on the same day and also conjuncts Neptune in Pisces for an imaginative but possibly over-reactive and worrisome doom-seer perspective.

• 3/30 Neptune enters Aries. Section below! But first, let’s dive into our Asteroid back-spins and what their Archetypes mean generally.

TW: Asteroid Retrograde sections mention infidelity, betrayal trauma, sexual assault, financial abuse, childhood disability and other serious subjects

You fell in love with my flowers, but not with my roots so when Autumn came you didn't know what to do.

3/19 - 7/10/25 Juno Retrograde in Sag and Scorpio

As one of the largest asteroids (and said to be the first discovered), Juno in Retrograde is said to be harder on relationships than Venus and Mercury Rx combined - EEK! Asteroid Astrology has NOT been a Moon Muse focus outside of wounded healer Chiron in Aries (since April 2017 until April 2027). Over time I’ve paid more mind to the minor bodies in our Solar System. As the Roman Goddess of Marriage and Money and wife of Jupiter, Juno is on my mind more than ever while going thru a divorce DURING the rare Venus Retrograde! Contractual concerns have been under salacious scrutiny during Juno Rx along with an array of equity issues in partner co-living or even small businesses where friends and family are involved. Unlike general Venusian matters, Jupiterian Juno focuses on the goal expansion of our alliances.

While Jupiter would form clouds to cloak his marital mischief, Juno had the sight to see through the bullshit. Their son, Vulcan, once tried to protect his mother from domestic abuse and was hurt in their fight, leading to the creation of volcanoes but paralyzing him from the waist down. Juno is the only Mother of a disabled child in the Roman Pantheon and a protector of children. She is parallel to Hera and celebrated during March’s Matronalia, a precursor to Mother’s Day. The Venus and Juno Retrograde overlap has deep measures of merit in regard’s to a relationship’s strength around conflict. Creating retrospective conversations to finally face where buried frustrations have hurt our closest partnerships ~business and pleasure~ can be cathartic. Juno is more particular and pointed about relationship balance and justice as opposed to the flowery Venusian manifestations of lifestyle and love.

However, Juno in fiery Sagittarius can read as a jumbled juxtaposition.