Grace McGrade is an intuitive astrologer and priestess based in Los Angeles. She is the host of the podcast Bitchcraft: Spirituality for Bad People. For more astrology, read her guide to rising signs and moon signs. Read an overview of what 2025 has coming up for us this year here.

The astrology of March is all gas, no brakes, featuring a brand new astrological year, a Venus retrograde, and an eclipse portal that’ll shake things up whether you’re ready or not. While the majority of 2025 thus far has felt nebulous, foggy and uncertain, March shakes us back awake, as Neptune enters Aries for the first time in 165 years.

Kicking things off, Venus stations retrograde in Aries on March 1. Venus governs love, beauty, money and creativity, and when she backtracks in Aries, we take a brash and direct approach toward the objects of our affection. Venus in Aries is blind to fear but can behave like a petulant toddler – wanting everything, now, with zero patience. Aries is all about impulse control (or lack thereof), so think twice before making a dramatic love declaration, splurging on an unnecessary purchase, or cutting blunt bangs on a whim.

Instead, use this time to reassess what and who you truly desire. We may feel the need to ask for more independence, favouring relationships that are spontaneous and adventurous. As always, Venus retrograde usually invokes a haunted text from an ex, but we’re more reactive this go around, never hesitating to assert our independence. Venus will retrograde through Aries until March 27, then dip back into Pisces for some dreamier, more reflective vibes. Until then, proceed with caution – especially when it comes to love, money and aesthetic choices you think are a good idea in the moment.

March 20 marks the official start of Aries season and a new astrological year, giving us a fresh start

On March 3, Mercury zips into Aries, speeding up thoughts, words and reactions. This fiery mental energy will give conversations an unfiltered edge, but with Mercury stationing retrograde on March 15, expect miscommunication, unwarranted opinions and the usual Mercury retrograde mayhem. A Virgo lunar eclipse on March 14 exposes where we’ve been micromanaging our lives to the point of exhaustion. Virgo’s shadow side is perfectionism – overanalysing everything, setting impossible standards and getting caught in cycles of self-criticism. If you’ve been running yourself into the ground trying to meet unrealistic expectations, this eclipse will help release the pressure.

March 20 marks the official start of Aries season and a new astrological year, giving us a fresh start. Aries season catapults us into new timelines, driven by pure bravery, instinct and momentum. Even with retrogrades and eclipse chaos, this shift will be energising. Then, on March 29, an Aries solar eclipse delivers the reset button you’ve been waiting for. Solar eclipses mark fresh starts, but this one is especially potent for self-discovery and reinvention. Aries is all about raw identity and discovering who you really are when you strip away expectations and social conditioning. 

The grand finale of the month occurs on March 30, when Neptune enters Aries for the first time since 1861, inciting an era of raw, instinctual action. Neptune rules dreams, illusions and spirituality, and Aries brings a bold, fearless approach. If you’ve felt like culture has been in an echo chamber, prone to repeating the past, this shift incites exciting new art forms. As if stepping into an eternal brat summer, messy, brash and unapologetic movements replace passivity and confusion. Historically, this transit has been tied to religious wars and revolutionary uprisings, where belief becomes something to fight for. Now, that same fierce energy will fuel creative breakthroughs, psychic awakenings, and a craving for direct experience over abstract ideals.