For fiery, friendly, and fearless Leo: Here’s what you can expect to enjoy, work through, and receive throughout the month of March.

March will be a particularly volatile month in the cosmos, and that chaotic energy begins with Venus’ transition into retrograde on March 2. Direct, our planetary neighbor influences our connections to love, finances, and ourselves. When retrograde, this energy goes topsy-turvy, increasing the likelihood of romantic strife, financial losses, and low self-esteem. While these are in no way guarantees, they are potential pitfalls worth keeping an eye out for. More often than not, we can avoid problems not necessarily because we know how to fix them but simply because we were paying close enough attention to avoid them before they affected us.

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Guarding your heart will become critical during this celestial period, Leo. Avoid the temptation of giving in to knee-jerk reactions. As much as it might feel like the emotions you’re feeling will explode out of your chest if you don’t express them, that’s not actually the case. A few moments to breathe and collect your thoughts can go a long way in preventing you from doing or saying something you’ll later regret. A coinciding square between your ruling celestial body, the Sun, and prosperous Jupiter indicates challenges associated with taking the high road. This is understandable, considering your usual approach to life is more spontaneous.

Hold tight through the discomfort, stargazer. An auspicious trine between the Sun and Mars on March 8 suggests the hard work you put in during the first week of the month will start paying itself off as early as this week. This cosmic alignment increases confidence, motivation, and energy. Capitalize on this energy while it’s here. But remember, Leo: too much of anything can quickly turn sour. Be careful not to cross boundaries in your pursuit of what you want. This includes boundaries other people set and the ones you’ve placed yourself. The right goals shouldn’t have to jeopardize either. 

The waxing gibbous Moon enters your celestial domain the next day, March 9. This lunar shift also locks in an auspicious trine between the Moon and your ruling celestial body, helping increase emotional awareness as the lunar phase calls you to assess your progress on your life path thus far. Are you happy with the way things are turning out for you? It’s never too late to change directions, Leo. You aren’t as trapped as it might feel from your perspective. Changing things up doesn’t equate to defeat. The greater sign of failure would be identifying a problem and doing nothing to fix it. 

The Sun and Saturn form a potent conjunction under Pisces on March 12, emphasizing feelings of responsibility, motivation, and duty. Considering this conjunction’s placement in sentimental Pisces, these obligations are more likely to be emotional. Internal evolution doesn’t have the same glittery sheen as outward success. But it’s arguably the more rewarding of the two. The stars urge you to take stock of the perspectives, behaviors, and ideas that might be weighing you down. Open yourself up to the possibility of being wrong, and accept the opportunity to grow and improve. 

These revelations will come to a head two days later, on March 14, when the full Moon reaches its peak strength in Virgo. This lunar event coincides with an even more potent eclipse of the Moon. Full Moons already tend to affect you more tangibly as they form a direct opposition to your ruling celestial body. But a lunar eclipse proves even more influential, signaling toward finality and closure. This celestial period encourages us to tie up loose ends, declutter, and recalibrate with what’s important. A coinciding sextile between the Sun and Uranus offers greater rewards to those who dare to think innovatively. The solutions you seek are likely outside your comfort zone. 

As if the lunar eclipse under Venus retrograde wasn’t enough of a cosmic tidal wave, Mercury retrograde adds itself to the mix the next day on March 15. This tiny planet’s retrograde period is arguably one of the most infamous in the Zodiac, thanks to its propensity for delaying travel, sparking technological mishaps, and muddying communication and understanding. Zooming out and taking in the bigger picture can become more difficult during this time. And unfortunately, Mercury’s clouding effects on our mental clarity means we might not even be aware that there’s something wrong with our perspective. If possible, avoid making significant decisions or commitments. If it isn’t possible, take your time, and act slowly. 

You’ll have plenty of positive cosmic energy to enjoy around March 19 when the Sun and Neptune conjoin while your ruling planet forms a harmonious trine with the waning gibbous Moon. This lunar phase has the potential to bring about more conflict or tension, but only because of its managerial perspective. The waning gibbous Moon calls you to reflect on what the past several weeks have taught you. It implores you to enhance your beliefs or address the fallacies in these ideologies. Assumptions can be comfortable resting places, but they shouldn’t be the foundation on which you build your worldview. Allow the Moon’s guiding energy to ground you. 

Your ruling celestial body’s transition into Aries on March 20 signals a fresh start to the Zodiac cycle. Shortly thereafter, on March 22, the last-quarter Moon forms a challenging square with the Sun. This cosmic alignment points to conflict between your assertive spirit and the cosmos’ call for rest and deceleration. The stars urge you to find a better balance between these two pursuits. Yes, there is merit to chasing your goals. But there is just as much reward to gain from resting every once in a while. 

We end the month under the restorative shadow of the new Moon in Aries, which also happens to coincide with a partial solar eclipse. If the lunar eclipse earlier in the month marked the end of a chapter, this solar event marks the beginning of a new one. Keep an open mind and heart as you venture forth into this uncharted territory, stargazer.

Thus concludes your monthly highlights. For more specific celestial analyses, make sure to read your daily and weekly horoscope as well. Good luck, Leo! See you next month.