8 MARCH 2024
This is a copy of the free fortnightly newsletter that went out to my mailing list last weekend. Anyone can receive this straight to inbox for free, just send me an email address to be added to the mailing.
It should in fact have gone out last weekend but I ran out of time. My excuse is that I’ve just been commissioned to write a new book and writing is underway, with very tight deadlines. More info on that nearer the publication date but the material is based on my own observations over the last 40 years so I hope it will be an astrology title that stands out from the crowd.
In this newsletter you’ll find –
- All about retrograde Mercury & Venus
- Why the Mercury – Venus Relationship is currently so important
- The Weekly Astrology Blog – what’s the forecast? Preview of what’s coming up and why this is a weighty week, including the Lunar Eclipse, and how to subscribe for £1.09 a week
- Summer School – what are the four courses to choose from, in June or September?
- Course descriptions, availability for places (max of 10 per group) & good news about flight prices
RETROGRADE MERCURY & VENUS
So let’s start with the info about the two crucial turning points, these are the hotspot dates for your diary –
- Mercury will turn retrograde at 9 Aries next weekend, Saturday 15 March
- Mercury will turn direct again at 26 Pisces on Monday 7 April
This doesn’t mean that everything will start to unravel or that we should put our life and decisions on hold during this time, but it does mean being more aware of how matters that should have been straightforward go pear shaped or how even the best laid plans can go wrong.
Start by locating the degree of 9 Aries in your own chart. In which house do you find that degree and does it link up to any natal planets? Do you have any planets or Angles at or close to 9 Libra, the opposite sign to Aries?
In terms of understanding any kind of retrograde symbolism we can simply put the phrase “it’s complicated” in front of our concerns. My retrograde Mercury checklist is by no means the final word but it will give you plenty of ideas with regards to the kind of things to expect. As with all events indicated by specific astrology, they’re obvious when they happen.
Throw into the mix that Venus is also retrograde at the moment –
- Venus turned retrograde at 10 Aries last weekend, Sunday 2 March
- Venus will turn direct again at 24 Pisces on Sunday 13 April
Looks familiar? Yes, Venus’ turning points are almost exactly the same as Mercury’s. So also locate the area of 24 – 26 Pisces in your chart to see where the turning points back to direct will fall.
It doesn’t stop there. The coming week starts with the two planets coming together at 8 Aries, not as common an aspect as you might think. Now add to this bubbling pot the fact that this week’s Full Moon is also a Total Lunar Eclipse at 24 Pisces …. Curioser and curioser. I’ll be exploring all of this in next week’s blog.
Here’s the picture for the whole of the coming week. I lay out the coming astrology in this way at the beginning of every weekly blog, so that you have an “at a glance” picture for what lies ahead. We can see immediately that both Saturn and Uranus are in on the Eclipse act –
Tuesday 11 March
- Mercury conjunct Venus 8 Aries 22.56
Wednesday 12 March
- Sun conjunct Saturn 22 Pisces 10.30
Friday 14 March
- Full Moon/Total Lunar Eclipse 24 Virgo 06.56
- Sun 24 Pisces sextile Uranus 24 Taurus 09.17
Saturday 15 March
- Mercury turns retrograde 9 Aries 06.47
WHY SUBSCRIBE TO THE WEEKLY BLOG?
The Astrology Blog is about 3k words, has been going out every Monday for over 15 years and focuses on how to make sense of the week ahead. This includes the relevant horoscopes for what or who is in the news, plenty of interpretation tips for the avid student and guidelines about how to locate the astrology in your own chart, and important dates for your diary – such as lunations, retrograde cycles and so on.
Here are a few comments from blog readers –
Your weekly blog is AMAZING. I’ve loved this year’s issues so much, I’m kicking myself for not starting earlier. I’m learning so much! Thank you so much – Irim
Your knowledge and experience shine through in every blog. I’ve been one of those eternal students but I’ve gained more insights and learned more in these last few months than I have in the 10+ years I’ve been studying. This has been the best investment ever! – Maria
How do you take the astrology for the week, every week, and turn it into over 3k words of brilliant tuition? Your work is so clearly structured, easy to follow, and full of information and insight. Much appreciated – Abi
The quality and content of your weekly blog are second to none – Beverly
If you’d like to start receiving the weekly blog the annual or monthly subscription rates are designed to be affordable for everyone –
- Annual subscription £57.00 (£1.09 a week)
- Monthly subscription £5.95 (£1.37 a week)
- SINGLE ISSUE – any week, any time £1.65
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE
You can go straight to my PayPal account, they will send me a notification of payment and I’ll then add you to the mailing list at this end –
https://paypal.me/joannawattersGREECE
Or you can click on the yellow PayPal button on the home page of my website –
If you don’t want to use PayPal just let me know so that I can give you the other options, eg UK bank transfer – joannaw@otenet.gr or WhatsApp 00306976296085
YOUR RETROGRADE MERCURY CHECKLIST
At a universal level these backward loops (3 times a year, 3 weeks at a time) are when Mercury wears his Trickster’s hat – gremlins everywhere! Compiled from many years of observation these are the kind of themes to be aware of, now and during the next 3 weeks –
- Second chances are there – look at what went wrong the first time and do it differently
- Cut out the middle person – relying on someone else to do things for you is asking for trouble
- Get back to the conversations and the things you wanted to say but didn’t, no matter how long ago
- Think ahead. Don’t take things to the wire. Allow as much extra time as possible for your “must be done” list on the basis that you could easily be caught out by something going wrong at the last minute
- Similarly, try not to do things when you’re in a tearing hurry – more likely to be easily distracted, forgetful, clumsy
- Be cautious or at least selective in your use of social media. Avoid posting anything too personal or getting involved in any kind of angry debates. Also check privacy settings
- Guard against trying to construct situations or distressing yourself with regard to anything beyond your control. Forcing any kind of round pegs into square holes won’t be worth the effort and could cost you dearly
- Try not to struggle on with things that are clearly beyond your area of expertise. You can’t be good at everything! Ask for help
- Adopt the mantra of one day at a time … going too far ahead creates anxiety, especially with problems which have no clear or immediate answers
- Know that there are things you don’t know – yet
- Try to operate by “re” words – review, revise, research, reappraise, rethink, repair, redress the balance and so on. Also remember rest and relaxation, give the brain some time off and try not to put yourself under unnecessary pressure
- Expect cancellations or rescheduling of appointments or personal arrangements
- Buy yourself time wherever needed – keep options open
- When in doubt, check it out – second hand opinions are a dead cert for getting hold of the wrong end of the stick – and don’t believe everything you hear
- Write things down and double check everything – forgetfulness, being distracted, inattention etc can be a troublesome theme
- Back up all your computer work
- Don’t delete any documents – you may need them at a later date
- Getting back to ideas on the back burner
- Getting back in touch with those who’ve been neglected or important to you in the past – let them know how much they matter
- Keep a close watch on all belongings – especially keys or anything linked to communication such as phones, laptops, tablets, cameras etc and don’t even think about buying new ones for the time being
- The same for cars – it’s best to avoid buying any mode of transport under a retro Mercury BUT it’s the ideal time for doing all the hunting and research
- Plan any journey with extra care, don’t trust to luck or to fine timing, and make sure tickets are covered on your insurance
- Kill your speed when driving – allow extra time for getting there slowly but safely
- Take extra care with form filling/signing on dotted lines – paperwork and admin of all kinds are a minefield
- Decide to ease the pain or cool the resentment. Write the letter you can’t send or you’ll never send – whether it’s to someone you’ve lost or to someone you want to strangle it’s great therapy
- Turning this the other way around you can also write a letter to yourself from someone you’ve lost – which is even greater therapy
- Stop trying to fix others – just focus on yourself. Changes starts with us, and within us, from the inside out, not the other way around
- Assume nothing. No matter how certain a situation might seem there is a good chance that it will morph into something else over the next couple of weeks – the “x” factor is at work …
- Reserve the right to change your mind/keep an open mind. As you start to see something from a different angle the truth, reality or logistics will evolve in a way that you couldn’t possibly have planned or expected
- KEEP A SENSE OF HUMOUR lol
SUMMER SCHOOL 2025
Here’s the availability for the four courses being held this year on the idyllic Greek island of Lefkada. All further info on request.
https://joannawatters.com/astrology-courses/
- 4 June 2025: SYNASTRY & THE ASTROLOGY OF RELATIONSHIPS with Joanna – suitable for refresher and intermediate levels
- 3 of 10 Places Available
- https://joannawatters.com/course/astrology-relationships-course/
- 11 June 2025: MOONOLOGY with Elisabeth Brooke – suitable for all levels
- 3 of 10 Places Available
- https://joannawatters.com/course/greek-island-moonology-course/
- 3 September 2025: TAROT & ASTROLOGY with Joanna – suitable for all tarot levels & beginners/refreshers astrology
- 6 of 10 Places Available
- https://joannawatters.com/course/tarot-and-astrology-course/
- 10 September 2025: – DISCOVERING ASTROLOGY with Sally Kirkman – suitable for beginner and refresher levels
- 4 of 10 Places Available
- https://joannawatters.com/course/discovering-astrology-course/
