For dynamic, mysterious, and intuitive Scorpio: Here’s what you can expect to enjoy, work through, and receive throughout the month of March.

Your cosmic forecast begins with a favorable sextile between your ruling planet, Pluto, and the waxing crescent Moon. This lunar phase encourages planning and preparation, which will become all the more crucial as the cosmos delivers a round of tumultuous ups and downs throughout the month of March. Between planetary retrogrades and two major eclipses, our senses of ourselves and the world around us will be significantly jarred. Getting your ducks in a row now can help you navigate these periods of flux without letting the fear of change overwhelm you.

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Celestial changes begin early in the month on March 2 when Venus goes retrograde in Aries. Direct, our planetary neighbor influences our romantic connection to others, financial well-being, and self-esteem. Venus’ retrograde period turns these elements of daily life on their heads. Miscommunication in relationships, reckless spending, and poor self-image are all more likely during this cosmic period. Guard your heart closely over the next several weeks, Scorpio. You’re already prone to catastrophizing and self-deprecating behavior. Don’t let this temporary shift in the stars convince you these are trains of thought worth getting on.

Your ruling planet flows through a series of varying relationships to the Moon, starting with a square with the waxing crescent on March 3. This cosmic alignment indicates emotional conflict manifesting as an inability or unwillingness to take the first step toward your goals and aspirations. No one will be able to determine the right timing or direction for you, Scorpio. These decisions are yours to make. This fact of life is either a blessing or a curse, depending on how you want to look at it. The stars encourage the former.

This period of emotional ups and downs comes to a head on March 10, when the waxing crescent Moon forms a direct opposition to Pluto. The latter dwarf planet’s transformative energy butts against the Moon’s calls to action. Something in your subconscious is holding you back, stargazer. Until you take the time to find out what that is, this is an impasse you’ll find yourself at time and time again. Tear out the issue from the root, and a second (or third or fourth) visit becomes far less likely. There’s more work in the short term but less in the long term. It’s all about perspective.

Several days later, the full Moon reaches its peak strength in Virgo on March 14. This lunar event coincides with a lunar eclipse, which is far more potent than an already powerful full Moon. Lunar eclipses signal endings and closures, some of which our hearts and minds might not be fully ready for yet. Now is the time to tie up loose ends and commit to closure. No more beating around the bush, Scorpio. Under the red, hazy glow of the lunar eclipse, the stars urge you to release the old and make room for the new. Life is a never-ending cycle of ending and beginning chapters. The sooner you acclimate to the ebb and flow, the easier it will be.

In case a lunar eclipse wasn’t a big enough cosmic whammy for you, Mercury retrograde adds itself to the mix on March 15. This pesky retrograde period has a bad reputation for its propensity for tech mishaps, travel delays, and communication breakdowns. Messages are likely to get lost in transit. Electronic resources we rely on heavily are more susceptible to failure. Even relying on one’s own devices becomes more precarious as Mercury retrograde increases forgetfulness and comprehension difficulties. If possible, avoid making significant, life-altering decisions during this time. If it isn’t possible, then, at the very least, take your time.

The Sun’s transition into Aries on March 20 marks the beginning of a new Zodiac cycle, increasing confidence and motivation as the ego-driven celestial body treks through fiery Aries. Pluto forms a favorable sextile with Venus right around this time, further suggesting positive energy regarding self-esteem, romance, and financial well-being. Your ruling planet falls into the same alignment with the Sun on March 23, making this an exceptionally fortuitous part of the month for you, Scorpio. Enjoy it!

The following day, Pluto forms a brief but potent conjunction with the waning crescent Moon. This lunar phase calls us to rest, relax, and rejuvenate. There have been plenty of changes this month to process. The longer you wait to acknowledge and reflect on these experiences, the harder this exercise will become. Let the Moon naturally slow things down, and take the opportunity to breathe. You can make just as much progress during these periods of downtime, even if it doesn’t look like the progress you’re typically used to. Trust the process, and don’t try to force anything.

On March 29, the new Moon reaches its darkest and most restorative phase under Aries. This dark Moon forms a favorable sextile with Pluto, reaffirming the benefits first presented by your ruling planet and the Moon’s conjunction several days earlier. Notably, this lunar event also ushers in the first of two partial solar eclipses we’ll experience this year. Even as a partial eclipse, these celestial events serve as much-needed contrasts to the finality and conclusiveness of the previous lunar eclipse. Indeed, if the lunar eclipse was a chapter closing, this solar eclipse is a new chapter’s beginning. The cosmos constantly operates in a state of ebb and flow. Why would you, a creature of stardust, operate any differently?

The final day of March ushers in a challenging square between your ruling planet and the waxing crescent Moon. Just like at the beginning of the month, this lunar phase encourages you to start planning and preparing for what’s to come. Now that you’ve had time to reflect on the events of the past month, the stars ask an even more important question. What are you going to do with all this newfound knowledge? You mustn’t let the hardships you endured be for naught, Scorpio. Take these last moments of March to alchemize the negative into something more positive.

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