Blank Page of Possibilities

 Ask any writer or artist about a blank page or canvas.  It    can be so exciting as well as very intimidating.  What to put on that page and canvas? Its meaning, representation and projection reflects the writer and artist, their mind, skill and creativity.

Such a blank page or wide open frontier and landscape is offered to each of us now, cosmically speaking with Neptune and Saturn hovering around 00 degrees Aries.  Called the Creator Degree, 00 Aries is the very beginning, the initial spark of the entire zodiac.  As I record this podcast in mid-March 2026, both planets are at near 1-2 degrees Aries.  These critically early degrees of Aries brings to mind Michelangelo’s painting on Sistine chapel depicting God’s finger reaching across the sky and touching life to Adam’s outstretched hand. 

If you know the Tarot at all, this moment is represented by the Fool card.  The card shows a person with a completely unspoiled, natural expanse of land in front of them.  No decisions have been made; not a single foot has stepped out yet, perhaps not even an inkling of ideas, let alone agenda stirs regarding what action to take next.

This image represents each of us now, just like the Fool in the Tarot deck, staring out at the vast stretch unfolding before them, life inviting us forward, with no pressing constraints about how to use that land, what to become, grow or build on it.  For some, the sheer emptiness may be difficult to comprehend, scary even; for others, they know exactly what they want to do, say, or create.

So let’s talk about the two planets involved here.  First, Neptune, since it crossed the threshold of Aries in late January 2026.  Neptune represents our soul, its journey through the zodiac. Neptune is consciousness itself as well as our subconscious and thus the mental health realm, mysticism, spirituality, and nothing short of the entire breadth of human condition, from the desperate, disillusioned and downtrodden to divinely inspired artists, saints, and angels.

That is quite a huge range.

Then we have Saturn.  Saturn followed Neptune into 00 Aries on Friday, February 13^th.  Saturn is the taskmaster of the planets, ruling dharma and karma, responsibility, honor, and integrity. It sets the agenda, focuses our time and attention on current events, what is front and center in our life.  Saturn moves much more quickly than Neptune, as it is an outer planet of the galaxy.

Where Neptune takes about 12-14 years to move through a zodiac sign, Saturn cycles through a sign in two and half years.

Both respective signs of each planet deal with finality, finishing and completion.  Neptune rules Pisces, the final water sign of the zodiac; while Saturn rules the final earth sign, Capricorn. Where Neptune operates in rainbows of color, Saturn is black and white.  Neptune blurs, mingles, fades, fogs, cleanses and clarifies. Saturn, on the other hand, holds us to formal, crisp account.  You either did it, or you did not. Neptune is the very hippy dippy music group, deeply immersed in the creative moment; while overhearing their music, Saturn calls the group and offers them a record deal.  After all, there’s money to be made!

In short, Saturn brings into useful form all of Neptune’s dreams and fantasies. This is how the two planets work together.  One inspires, the other anchors.

Neptune is ephemeral, temporal, that which you cannot touch, such as music, soul and spirit.  Saturn is form and matter itself, granite and coal to be harvested from the earth and used.  Together, they make a very interesting couple.  That much more so when they cycle through Aries, the first primal sign of the zodiac.

Let’s talk about Aries, the sign Neptune and Saturn have just entered and will be passing through together until early 2028.  A fire sign, Aries is the Great Initiator.  It gets things started, hence it begins on the Spring Equinox and signifies all new beginnings.  It is brave, fearless, and impulsive. Aries is the Warrior, Pioneer, the First Responder, the Leader.  Aries jumps right into action, leaps before looking without much consideration for any consequence. Aries is that Tarot Fool card that I mentioned earlier.  The Fool doesn’t know what it doesn’t know as it looks out at that wide open landscape; but boy, is it rarin’ to get to it.  What, exactly, IT is we will figure out as we go along.

So altogether, in combination, Neptune and Saturn in Aries draws our soul’s focus to anything brand new.   Saturn anchors to earth Neptune’s divine inspiration in entirely uncharted territory. Enter that blank canvas, page or landscape.   Begging the question:  What will you paint, write, build, or create upon your blank screen?

Making matters that much more interesting or challenging for many, is that there is no one currently alive who has ever experienced the Neptune-Saturn in Aries dynamic.  No elder or wise woman to turn to for guidance, about what happened the last time this combo occurred.

For context, the outer planet Neptune has not cycled through Aries since 1861, or, 165 years.  Thirty years ago, Saturn cycled through Aries.  Together, Neptune and Saturn have not overlapped in Aries since 1703.  Historically, this was early colonial America, 70 plus years prior to the American Revolution. Europe was having a moment, in the full throes of expansion, colonial domination of foreign lands, prospering at the expense of others.

Diving even further back in time, Neptune and Saturn were last joined precisely together at 00 degrees Aries in 4361 BCE.  No one alive has any remembrance for these periods of time, neither 1703, nor 4361 BCE.  However, at least in 1703 we had written historical records to document events; but it was anyone’s guess as to what daily life was like in 4361 BCE, since the period occurred before written language.

The best we know about this time is archaeological evidence using carbon dating.  It was the Stone Age.  Think Stone Henge.  Communal villages were beginning to form.  Life was rural, agrarian, hunting and gathering, and still largely nomadic. Talk about a blank canvas.  A time before pre-Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, when the maternal, goddess culture prevailed as humanity followed cosmic cycles of the Sun, Moon and Earth.

Now in 2026, we have just completed a long cycle of shedding, cleansing and purging.  Some may know this as the Year of the Snake in Chinese Astrology.  In the Western cosmos, Neptune and Saturn completed a protracted tour through Pisces, the final water sign of the zodiac.  Mystical, dreamy, spiritual, inspirational and delusional, ruling fear as well as faith, Pisces’ influence these last few years cleared out any residue, person or situation not to be carried into this next new era.

The age of all-knowing gurus, especially of the spiritual kind has now ended, giving way to invitations for self-empowerment and trusting that you, your SELF knows best, what is for your highest potential, long-term well-being.  No more outsourcing your own gut knowing, intuition and natural intelligence.  We are each being pushed out of the proverbial nest.  Time to spread your wings and fly!

A caution is that Aries energy might have you inclined to rush in where angels fear to tread.  Just remember to take a breath.  There is absolutely no rush.

We are just now getting our bearings in this brave new landscape.  Be mindful as you are still growing, developing and getting the lay of the land.  To say that this is a highly holy and sacred time is an immense understatement.  It is not to be messed or tampered with.  After all, such a moment has not occurred for over 6000 years!  Yes, for those who have done their work and have been patiently waiting, it is a tremendously exciting time.  Most, however, are given to pause.  All of us sense the enormity of now.  Our souls know that we signed up to usher in this brand new era.  So, take your time.  There is no urgency to decide, to become, to do.  You will know when the right time comes to take action and move forward. For right now, trust the process.

 

 

Into the Fire

In terms of the weather, March notoriously begins like a lion and exits like a lamb. Cosmically speaking, this tenet proves the opposite is true during March 2026.  March begins like a slow, soft drum beat that increases in volume and pace as we move toward April.  In the wake of February’s planetary whiplash, a quiet hangover lingers as we try to get our bearings.  We are recuperating from February’s tumult and turbulence.

I’m not one to exalt the glories of Mercury retrograde; but it does have its purpose, time and place.  And as we enter March, the messenger planet’s reverse motion feels like a reprieve to sort ourselves out.  Mercury continues its retrograde cycle for the first 3 weeks of March, the tide pulling us into retreat and reflection mode. 

Mercury turned retrograde on February 25^th, cycling in reverse gear through the March 20^th spring equinox.  Dive into the RE words for the first three weeks of March:  research, restore, renew, refresh, renovate, relax and more.  Many school spring vacations occur during this window; so use this time for a break or escape from the daily routine.

Certainly the first week of March we want to drop everything and run away. With four interior planets (Sun, Mercury, Mars and Venus) plus the lunar north node in Pisces, dreaming dominates.  Music, water, imagination and inspiration surround and envelope us.  Watch for divine downloads, pristine clarity and insight. 

Artists of all variety benefit from this energy, especially musicians or those using fluid mediums in their work or the maritime trades.  Equally, athletes who ski, skate, swim or boat shine now. It is also a deeply spiritual time.  Retreats for yoga, meditation and contemplation are highly restorative.

The volume of water signs at the beginning of March may feel emotionally overwhelming to some, as though they are drowning, hence driving a big urge to escape.  Pisces rules both fear and faith.  Should fear spike its gnarly fangs, hit the pause button.  Avoid heavy drug and alcohol use now.  Ground yourself:  Turn music on, take a hot bath, shower with essential oils or walk in fresh air near a body of water.

Ask yourself:  what is real and what is not. 

Helping to keep things real is the Lunar eclipse in practical Virgo during the wee small hours of Tuesday, March 3^rd.   The moon in earthy Virgo seeks healthy practices, adores animals and asks how to be of service.  With Sun and Moon opposite in Pisces and Virgo, this eclipse emphasizes health, wellness and work.  On one end of the equation, the Virgo Moon streamlines information while the Pisces sun invites surrender.  If someone or something is not feeding your soul, they do not deserve a seat at your table nor receive your service.

Lunar eclipses focus on endings.  Situations and relationships must be healthy for you.  If not, then the time has come to surrender it.  What is your soul asking you to give up for the sake of your future self?  Your highest potential, well-being and benefit?  A lifestyle, a belief system, a toxic relationship, a soul-crushing job?  Pay particular attention to those in power, influencers wielding power, including spiritual influencers or gurus.  Smoke and mirrors of yesteryear dissipate now and all are seen clearly.  See those whom you look toward for guidance, direction, answers, for who they actually are now.  Instead of relying on others for answers, derive your own guidance by asking what feels right for YOU?

This is the primary lesson of 2026:  to become our own guru, mentor, and guide.  The Universe is pushing us out of the proverbial nest.

Increasingly, we are invited to step into our strengths, to be fully empowered and less reliant on external validation. This may certainly bring an end to a variety of imbalanced relationships.  Do not expect to be liked should you walk away from anyone using you as their battery, energy or power source. The price tag is your freedom.  Yet the cost is worth every cent, no?

Stirring life up and adding some spice, Valuable Venus joins the Saturn-Neptune duo in Aries on March 6^th.  We feel an urgency to get going; however it feels like we’re swimming against the current or pushing against invisible forces.  With an equal number of planets (Sun, Mercury and Motivating Mars) still cycling through Pisces, the tide of life is decidedly out right now.  While Messenger Mercury continues its retrograde for the next two weeks, March 7-20^th, we feel at loose ends.

Best to use this time for preparation, as a dress rehearsal if you will.  The weeks from February 25^th to March 20^th offer a steep stillness and profound quiet when we allow for it. This is the Great Pause before a leap into action.   Reflect, reset and recalibrate; take inventory and consider your plans.  You will be glad you did. Because just after mid-month, we may feel like we were shot out of a cannon.

Three back-to-back events occur beginning on Wednesday, March 18^th.  Late in the day, the New Moon in Pisces arrives, helpfully aligning to Radical Uranus in Taurus.  Talk about make a wish! With both Sun and Moon in dreamy Pisces our intentions and goals are realistically grounded into reality by change agent Uranus.  Take time on March 19^th or the spring equinox March 20th to carefully hand write 3-5 goals you seek to manifest over the coming months and season.

The Sun enters fiery Aries on Friday, March 20^th, marking the beginning of Spring. After a particularly long, cold winter in the Northern Hemisphere, we move increasingly toward light and new growth.  Fully one-third of the planets, four out of ten are in Aries.  Here they throw down the gauntlet:  what are you doing about all of your dreams and desires?  The Sun, Neptune and Saturn hover at the Creator Degree, the initial impulse and spark igniting our creativity.  Feel the urge to take action.  You are ready to leap at a mere suggestion, to take the risk you’ve been mulling over but never quite pulled the trigger. Now, you do.

This is the energy of the Chinese astrology Fire Horse that you may have heard about.  It is here. The warrior in you has arrived!  Leap and the net will appear.  Creativity, momentum, strength and speed carry us forward into unknown terrain. 

Underscoring this, the very same day on March 20^th, Messenger Mercury turns direct motion ushering in a two month phase where every planet is moving forward.  Time to sign the significant documents, book the travel plans and invest in major purchases.

Our thoughts, words and drive continue downloading dreams and clearing out residue from the past.  This is one powerful moment.  Our visions are inspired like never before; our next steps clear and grounded in practical values. We possess fearless courage to create the reality of our dreams. Late March 2026 is one potent time.

April draws near and the promise of longer, warmer days ahead.  As if to seal the promise of what is to come, Valuable Venus turns into its own sign, Taurus on Monday, March 30^th.  Earthy yet artistic, sensual yet pragmatic, Venus clashes with Powerful Pluto through early April, asking us to keep our goals realistic.  Exactly how do you plan to finance the house you plan to build, or the invention designed in your head?

Ask whether these are roadblocks or rather tests that, when tackled head-on, will make your dreams that much stronger and built sturdier for the long term?

The Universe has already said YES to you.   The Divine gives us an open-book test.  Now you are tasked with filling in the blanks.

Of Special Note:

Is your intuition calling you?  The 3 Wise Women are three veteran metaphysical practitioners offering community, conversation and connection via zoom every first Tuesday of the month @6 pm eastern.  For just $10/session, feel safe among like-minded seekers to ask your wildest woo questions and learn from each other.  Join us!  To enroll: www.hilaryharley.com

Mystical Messages features my monthly astrology forecasts if you prefer listening via podcast.  Also featured are cutting edge healing arts practitioners.  Tune in and listen through Youtube, Apple or Spotify or hear previous episodes: www.hilaryharley.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

The Uprising

February 2026 is a seismic month.  There are historic landmark moments which define everything that comes before and then what happens afterward. February 2026 is such a time.

In an era when the word unprecedented has become completely overused to the point of cliché, February gives unprecedented a whole new meaning. We live in unsettled and uncertain times; but if tumult were the name of a month, February would be IT.   I’m no alarmist but anyone unfamiliar with the French Revolution should brush up on their history.

From the get go, the cosmic energy is wild.  Sunday, February 1^st is the Full Moon in festive Leo.  Astrologers often tease that this passionate sign should really be called Look at me Leo… The sign that roars, Leo rules creativity, romance, taking chances, drama, sports, parties and vacations.  It is the good time guy/gal sign.  While Leo rules playfulness and fun, Leo can attract attention through unbridled narcissism for all the wrong reasons.  

Either way, a Leo Full Moon does not take a back seat to anyone.  It is seen and heard. Opposite the Sun in quirky Aquarius, this Full Moon demands attention.  Raising the stakes even higher, this noticeable full moon occurs just days before Radical Uranus turns direct motion.  In other words, it is loaded.  Think: overflowing boiling point.

Here’s why:  Uranus is the change-agent and planet of great awakening.  It rules shock, surprise, breakthrough, revolution, earthquakes and lightning strikes.  As the planetary ruler of Aquarius, Uranus has been cycling retrograde since early September. Now it is shifting gears, moving forward with a thrust that inevitably brings upheaval.  Under the light of a bombastic Full Moon opposite the rebellious Aquarius Sun, Uranus turns direct on February 4^th.  This is not energy to be messed with nor taken lightly.

Adding fuel to the fire, dreamy Neptune just entered fiery Aries on January 26^th, setting up the bonfire. Along comes the feisty Leo Full Moon pouring kerosene all over the wood, then Uranus tosses a lit match onto the pile.  KABOOM. Expect the unexpected is an understatement.

What can you do to minimize the impact on your life and best manage this explosive energy?  Be prepared.  Lay low. Have cash on hand. Stay put. Play it safe. Leave the party early. Trust your gut instinct implicitly. Pack extra supplies. This is not a time to go out on a limb.

With all the fire energy in the planetary mix, make sure appliances are turned off before leaving your house, including the dryer and stove.  Stay ahead of maintenance for your car, furnace, and water heater or any other heat and engine-related devices.

By the end of the first week of February, we may feel we’ve lived a whole year or a thousand lifetimes.  Yes, it is that dramatic.

Where are the other planets while all of this Full Moon drama is happening?  Either stoking the flames and spreading sparks into an immense wildfire OR standing back, removed and detached, watching the scene burn.  It is noteworthy that as Uranus turns direct motion, five planets are in this planet’s rebellious sign Aquarius. All four interior planets cycle through innovative Aquarius:  Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars, along with transformer Pluto.  Aquarius rules groups and public consciousness.  Five out of ten planets in Aquarius is a lot, enough to mark a seismic shift in public awareness and opinion. 

Those who haven’t been paying attention now awaken.  Many now personally feel the impact of decisions foisted upon them by global power brokers. Aquarius rules technology, connection and networks. Social media sparks chain reactions.  Word spreads instantly. Awakened and (often) increasingly angry groups may turn into mob rule, something along the lines of Viva la revolution!  This is a global mood.  Check Iran, Venezuela, and yes, the USA.

Turning the heat up and fanning the flames that much more, Messenger Mercury and Valuable Venus challenge Uranus in Taurus like heavyweight boxers in a ring.  All demand change.  The clash is over how change will occur. Meanwhile, the Sun stands at 15 degrees Aquarius as Uranus shifts forward, commanding world attention. 

Pivotal moments in history mark exactly where we are as incidents occur:  when JFK was shot or when 911 happened.  This is one of those times.  No, it is not hyperbole.

Good thing then when Mercury and Venus enter compassionate, spiritual Pisces on February 6^th and 10^th, gradually joining the lunar north node.  The trio throws water on that raging wildfire and cooler heads prevail through the week ending Friday, February 13^th.  The second week of the month is the one stretch of calm during a highly volatile month, a pause-button window where we can come up for air.

And boy, will we need this break from the frenzy. Take advantage and use this week for self-care and reflection as it is a quiet stretch of the month.  By Saturday morning, February 14^th, Taskmaster Saturn joins soulful Neptune in Aries, injecting fresh kerosene into the raging cosmic wildfire.

Tomes have been written about this one cosmic event in February.  It is historic to say the least. No one alive has witnessed the pairing of heavyweight Saturn and Spiritual Neptune in Aries. The last time it occurred was 1703. For a reference point: America began to colonize. The planetary duo conjoins at 00 Aries, called the Creator Degree, the veritable starting point of the entire zodiac.  Together they mark an entirely new passage where spirituality meets reality.

Key words are:  emergence, frontier, blazing trails, pioneer, blank slate, new beginnings, impulse, spark, fearless, courage, fierce.

Images are: God touching Adam’s finger on the Sistine Chapel; a spark igniting fire; pen to blank page or brush to empty canvas. Each of us are handed exactly that now:  a blank template to create our destiny.

Last year, 2025 was a continuous purge that finally finished in January 2026.  On Valentine’s Day, February 14^th, new thresholds greet us.  On the other side of the open door, brand new opportunities await.  Will you dare cross the threshold and discover what greets you?

I say dare because this passage is not for the faint of heart or anyone with fear of the unknown. The good news is we are all crossing the threshold collectively.   Better to embrace the fresh unknown than cling tightly to what once was. That is surely foolhardy.

What better time for this historic duo to enter Aries than on the eve of a New Moon solar eclipse?!  The first eclipse of 2026 on Tuesday, February 17^th, both Aquarius Sun and Moon demand change, reinvention and innovation. The pair clashes with Uranus over just how change should come to pass. 

They tell a tale as ancient as time itself: the old versus the new, the old wanting life to stay as it is, refusing to let go of custom and tradition, and pushing away calls for different and alternative approaches.

In the push-pull, planetary tug of war, some very great people and noble ideas will be crushed.  The best case scenario is a draw between old and new. Given that the Sun enters Pisces two days after the eclipse on Thursday, February 19^th, there is hope that warring interests will lighten their grip, ease up a bit or even surrender entirely. Such is the nature of Pisces’ flowing influence.

As the Sun joins Mercury, Venus and the lunar North Node in fluid Pisces, aligning to nurturing Jupiter in Cancer, the impact of planets in water signs offers a sufficiently steady drip-drip to finally dampen the wildfire burning earlier this month.

If we know anything about wildfires, it is the purest form of cleansing and clearing.  Fire burns through everything no matter what the fiber or substance.  Time now to assess how far and wide, how deep the fire purified.

The uprising abates. For now, take a beat. And take a well-earned deep breath.

Perfectly orchestrated divine timing delivers Messenger Mercury’s retrograde motion on Wednesday, February 25^th.  For the next three weeks, until the Spring Equinox in mid-March, we are called to turn inward, to reflect, contemplate and meditate.  This is one Mercury retrograde phase that is most welcome after February’s upheaval. Use this sacred pause to consider where to go from here.  Anywhere is possible and the impossible is calling.

Of Special Note:

Is your intuition calling you?  The 3 Wise Women are three veteran metaphysical practitioners offering community, conversation and connection via zoom every first Tuesday of the month @6 pm eastern.  For just $10/session, feel safe among like-minded seekers to ask your wildest woo questions and learn from each other.  Join us!  To enroll: www.hilaryharley.com

Mystical Messages features my monthly astrology forecasts if you prefer listening via podcast.  Also featured are cutting edge healing arts practitioners.  Tune in and listen through Youtube, Apple or Spotify or hear previous episodes: www.hilaryharley.com