We held on to hope of better days coming

And when we did we were right

I hope the people who did you wrong

Have trouble sleeping at night

—The Mountain Goats, “You Were Cool”

Well, you made it through last weekend’s somber Virgo full moon, hopefully with a sparkly clear view of where—and how—you can improve. This is the week to turn recent full-moon realizations into actions, as the Sun paddles past Pisces and enters energetic fire sign Aries (the first sign of the zodiac) on Monday the 20th. Happy new year! In Pisces, you jettisoned emotional baggage and rinsed away regrets. Now prepare to be reborn.

Monday also marks the spring equinox, the halfway point of the Sun’s ascent as it gains height and strength until the summer solstice. At last! Moods and attitudes, too, are set to heat up in Aries. You may have already noticed a sharp bite to people’s words since the 13th, when communication planet Mercury rolled into Aries and joined Venus and Uranus there. Four planetary bodies in Aries—plus Saturn in fellow fire sign Sagittarius—make for an explosive sky right now.

Wild sparks from the ongoing Venus retrograde (which continues to ruffle our partnership harmony until April 15) only adds intensity to this tinderbox. Everyone’s feeling the heat. However, certain planetary conversations happening this week actually do support relationship repairs … if we can control our tempers. Also: There are some secret benefits to a Venus retrograde. Did you know this is a great time to score sweet deals and deep discounts on things, especially used items and antiques? In addition, major disagreements and even breakups that happen now aren’t likely to stick. Once Venus turns direct, we are more inclined to revisit our relationship decisions with wiser eyes.

ARIES TAKES CONTROL

Any lingering Pisces hesitation or confusion is melting into decisive determination under this new Aries Sun. If the soundtrack to Pisces was gentle Enya and soft Sade, then Aries sounds more like the Stooges, blaring at top volume from a speeding, blood-red convertible. Ruled by war-starting planet Mars, Aries is the hot-headed baby of the zodiac. Symbolized by a ram with golden fleece, the constellation Aries controls the zodiac’s first house—a place where we, like infants, develop our sense of identity and personal will. While Pisces is concerned with the “we,” Aries operates from the “me.”

Although Aries is rather notorious for its anger, impatience, self-focus, and refusal to see another’s point of view, as a cardinal sign, it is also famous for taking initiative, blazing new trails, bubbling with passion, and leading with brave, bold actions. “Nothing’s gonna stop me now!” is the battle cry of assertive Aries. (Now is indeed a keyword for this sign that doesn’t play the waiting game well.) Just as new sap is rising in trees around us this spring, so too is our percolating urge to go, go, go. We can direct this quick-moving Aries energy to help us get stuff done, even if it means trying unfamiliar methods. Passion and even anger don’t have to be wholly negative. In junior high, a vice principal once confiscated a zine I wrote. And that clash with authority still fuels my desire to “get revenge” by continuing to write for the public. Whatever motivates you; just get moving.

DATES TO WATCH

Wednesday the 15th features a truth-telling Scorpio moon that’s good for digging down to the root of an ongoing problem. Make transportation adjustments if you need to. If someone doesn’t want to talk about a sensitive topic on Thursday the 16th, respect their preference. However, if you are open to doing the work, Thursday allows you to address past pains and mental disturbances. Warning: On Friday the 17th, the Sun rubs Saturn the wrong way, echoing issues from the Virgo full moon that occurred on the 12th. You might hit a temporary challenge related to fairness, or encounter harsh words that wound that day. Due to a rare meeting between Venus and the Sun, both Saturday and Sunday support partnership improvements and clearing up misunderstandings. On Monday the 20th the Sun officially enters Aries, but watch for overly pessimistic feelings that day, as a gloomy moon in Capricorn makes for a bumpy ride.

spacewitch@seattleweekly.com