21 - There's a New Neptune in Town: Astrology for the Week of March 24

This week’s an interesting combination of the past and the future. Some long-term storylines are coming to a close, while new ones are gently taking shape. You might notice some old feelings resurface, or just a pull to go down memory lane. From eclipse round two, to Neptune switching signs, and more of our double retrograde—the astrology is a little wobbly. Put on your floaties, and see if you can just ride the wave.

• 02:14 Week overview
• 05:08 Sun conjunct Mercury retrograde
• 08:47 Mercury retrograde sextile Pluto
• 11:49 Venus retrograde in Pisces
• 15:43 Venus retrograde conjunct Neptune
• 19:20 New Moon Solar Eclipse in Aries
• 21:44 Mercury retrograde in Pisces
• 23:57 Mercury retrograde conjunct Neptune
• 26:05 Neptune in Aries

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Transcript

Hi, I'm Claire Gallagher, and this is Third House Gossip, where we spill the astrological tea. So pour something delicious and let's chat. This podcast is sponsored by me. So to support the show and support yourself, come see me for an astrology reading. Just head to astrologywithclaire. com. That's astrology with C L A I R E dot com. 

Hey astro lover, welcome back to Third House Gossip. This is the astrology for the week of March 24th, but first can we just catch up for a sec? I am having And Neptune transit today. Neptune is trying my Venus, my cute little Venus in Cancer at the 29th degree. And I am just kind of floating through the day.

I'm a little confused. I'm really not on my A game, gotta be honest with you. Very Neptune sort of vibe. And that's perfect because we're going to talk a lot about Neptune today. Neptune is doing some [00:01:00] things in the sky. We've got to talk all about it. But I just wanted to let you know that I am heavily caffeinated and still just like, what?

So if I say anything weird, you know, just love me through it. We're going to get through this together. But the show must go on. Virgo has a plan. Virgo has a schedule. Virgo's going to keep to her schedule. With a little flexibility today, I think so. Let's just sit back and relax and like let Neptune take us on a journey.

I don't think I have any announcements other than I would love to see you in an appointment. The astrology starter kit is available. I also want to remind you that these episodes. Are a retrograde experiment. I am just playing with the idea or the concept of doing weekly forecasts [00:02:00] during Venus retrograde. So if you like them, let me know. Maybe I'll do a little poll at the end of retrograde so that I can get a more objective feel on what the community likes because I care about what you like.

Let's take our 10, 000 foot view first and just kind of feel into the overview of the week. You know, there's a lot of things coming to completion this week. There's a little bit of something old. But there's also a little bit of something new. So it's going to be a really interesting combination of the past and the future.

So I encourage you to try and stay in the present, but that might be a little bit hard. Most of the action astrologically is happening at the end of the week and over the weekend. So Just so you know, for planning purposes, and we're also in round two of eclipses this week. So we have our new moon solar eclipse at the end of the week.

We also have our [00:03:00] retrograde planets, Venus and Mercury shimmying backwards into Pisces. So that'll be a big shift. And the big news of the week is that Neptune is moving into Aries and we're going to be working with a totally new Neptune, new dreams, new mysteries, new. ideas, new confusions, it's going to be something to watch for sure.

I just have to laugh a little bit because it's Mercury Retrograde and I'm trying to record a podcast and, like, I got this bright idea. Oh, I'm gonna do my podcast on Tuesday morning. That's when it's happening. And turns out that Tuesday morning is when, um, the yard crew for my apartment complex comes to do the weed whacking and the lawn mowing and all of the things.

So I I'm pressing record and just hearing, [00:04:00] I don't know if you can hear it. I love you and I'm sorry, but I'm just going to keep going. And then next week I'm saying this out loud so I don't forget. Next week I'm going to record the podcast on a different day because Tuesday mornings note to self are not optimal.

Okay, back to our 10, 000 foot view. Let's do a little roll call. Hey planets, where are y'all at? The sun is in Aries. The moon is in its deep waning phases until the weekend where it'll be new and it's gonna be traveling through Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, and Taurus this week. As we know, Venus is retrograde in Aries and will shimmy back into Pisces.

Mercury is also retrograde in Aries and will shimmy back into Pisces. Mars is still swimming through cancer, bless its heart, Jupiter is in Gemini, Saturn is in Pisces, Uranus is in Taurus, Neptune is switching signs this week and moving out of [00:05:00] Pisces and into Aries, and Pluto is hanging out at the third degree of Aquarius. Did you get all that? 

First up, this week, we have the Sun making a conjunction to Mercury retrograde in Aries. This is happening on March 24th in North America and Europe, and March 25th if you are in Australia. So if you remember last week, The title of the podcast was grab your sunnies because there were so many sun conjunctions and sun things happening.

We could have put this day into that podcast because it is a continuation of the themes of last week where there was really a highlight and a brightening around sun themes. So first Neptune made a conjunction to the sun, then it was Venus and now it's Mercury's turn. Remember to right now that the sun is super strong. It's in its sign of exaltation, so it's like an honored guest at a party, and Mercury has [00:06:00] been brought in to the favor, if you will, of this honored guest. So Mercury, when it makes this conjunction to the Sun, is what we say, in the heart of the Sun. And it's technically invisible, it can't be seen, and so in that way it's kind of weird because Mercury needs to see things in order to communicate clearly, but when it's in this special type of darkness.

It has access to the sun's infinite wisdom and divinity. It has favor from the sun and protection from the sun. So, in English, this might feel like a new idea poppin or a rush of energy to act on that new idea. You might feel some urgency in your body. However, remember that Mercury is retrograde during this conjunction.

And even though a cazimi or a Sun conjunction like this can [00:07:00] be beneficial and give you a momentary break from the retrograde shenanigans, the time surrounding it is still retrograde, right? So, slow down. Take a pause and just enjoy that new idea or that surge of energy. Move it through your body in a different way.

Go take a walk, blah, blah, blah. You don't have to act on the thing right now. Like, simmer in it and take care of retrograde business for a little while longer. Write yourself a note. Definitely capture the idea or the clarity or the thought, but remember that you may not have all the info you need to take action on it just yet, but definitely enjoy the vibe.

So this conjunction to the sun really highlights the theme as well of Mercury retrograde for you. And remember from podcasts past that Mercury retrograde in Aries is bringing attention to things that you've already said, already committed to, already [00:08:00] written, already made, and can help you figure out how to make them more clear or efficient.

That's what Aries is really good at. So this is a nice day for tying up some loose ends or making a plan for the rest of the retrograde before it gets a little more soupy over the weekend, and we'll talk about that in a bit. So write yourself some reminders, you know, it's kind of like a moment when you're hiking or Uh, remember those signs in the mall when it was like, you are here on the map?

Okay, it's like that, okay? So enjoy like having a moment of, oh, this is where I am. Write yourself a reminder of where you're going, because the rest of the retrograde is going to get a little funky. And just enjoy the brightness of this day.

We are moving right along to our second aspect of the week, which is Mercury retrograde making a sextile to Pluto and Aquarius. This is happening on Tuesday, March 25th in North America and Europe, and March 26th [00:09:00] if you're in Australia. So this is a series of three sextiles between Mercury and Pluto and this is number two.

So today's aspect is a callback to March 5th when Mercury was direct and made the same aspect to Pluto. So if you keep a journal or if you just have a calendar or something, take a look back and see what you were doing on that day, what you were thinking about and just See if you can draw any patterns.

This is going to happen again on April 20th. So, when I look back at March 5th, I was organizing and writing intentions for a big new project. I was also making this new work schedule that I was just talking about at the beginning. And, March 25th will be a good time to check in with those things and see if they still work.

Now that you have more information and lived experience. So I already know that I want to change some things because I [00:10:00] have lived experience that Tuesday mornings are not great for podcast recording. It's distracting, it's loud, it just doesn't feel good, right? So I want you to do your version of that re evaluation.

Mercury is very slow right now, and Pluto likes to pull things down to the underworld. So it's pulling Mercury down into the depths. So you might notice that, in terms of focus and attention, that you want to stick with one thing. You might have a really single minded focus on that day. You might have a little trouble task switching, and that's alright.

No big deal. Just plan for that. It's also really great for research and deep thinking or deep studying. It also might be a day where you're revisiting some important conversations you've had recently with maybe influential people that have lasting effects. So remember that Pluto has just recently moved into Aquarius and It's going to be [00:11:00] there for, you know, roughly 20 years.

So all of these aspects that we're having to this fresh Pluto and Aquarius is giving us clues about the alliances and the people and the connections that we're going to be making over the next 20 years, which is, you know, that's pretty big. So. Just pay attention, see who you're talking to, what kind of connections you're making.

And remember, too, under this aspect, that words have a lot of power. I know that's super cliché, but when Mercury and Pluto interact, a lot of the things we say and write down and think about can feel like they have a lot of gravity or a lot of weight. So it's just always good to remember that during an aspect like this and to choose your words very intentionally.

The next astro event is Venus retrograde swimming backwards into Pisces This is happening on Thursday March 27th in most [00:12:00] time zones So let's just recap Venus retrograde for a minute. Remember what Venus represents Basically connection and relationship of all kinds so romantic relationships, but also our friendships Venus also represents what we find fun and interesting what gives us joy and pleasure any Hobbies or activities we might do for relaxation it also Overseas art and beauty and decor and style.

Venus has a lot to do with what we're attracted to, what we want, what we desire, and our stuff, what we possess. So our Venus retrograde questions this year are, Is this still important to me? Do I still want this? Does this still feel fun? Does it still feel good? good. Now, Venus has been retrograde in Aries so far, and you may have noticed that this is a little [00:13:00] bit more of an independent Venus when it comes to relationships.

You may have noticed some irritability or desire to have some space from the people that you're close to. You may have wanted to kind of go your own way a little bit, You may be seeing where things in relationship don't feel awesome and maybe where you can potentially bring some repair to that. There might be a mismatch in what you want and what you're spending your love and attention on.

You know, all of those things are coming up with Venus retrograde in Aries. I kind of imagine Venus retrograde in Aries as showing us the problem and Venus retrograde in Pisces as showing us the solution. So Venus in Pisces is a major improvement for Venus. This is a sign of Venus's exaltation and we've talked about that a lot recently with the Sun in Aries.

So Venus in Pisces is again like you invited someone over for dinner [00:14:00] and you're going to put your best out for them. So Venus in Pisces is really powerful, really influential, and it has a lot of ability to magnetize and attract things to it. So instead of pushing forward and making things Happen and fixing things, etc.

Venus and Pisces kind of sits back relaxes, and it's like I'm gonna let all of the magic work in my favor So it's really sticky and it's more interested in connecting with others and having deep bonding than Venus and Aries is So, my point is, from a relational standpoint, if things have felt a little prickly, I anticipate them to feel a little bit more calm and soothing and peaceful as Venus moves back into Pisces. Yeah, Venus is still retrograde, but [00:15:00] it is a major improvement, so you'll still be reviewing and revising and rethinking how you connect with other people, but it will be from a very different mindset in a very different place. If you want to look back in your journal, Venus was first in Pisces starting January 2nd of 2025 and was basically there for all of January until February 3rd.

So this might be a good time to also look back at any New Year dreams or intentions you may have set and see if they still feel nourishing, fun, good, interesting, attractive to you. Check in with those things and check in on where you are with them and allow yourself to make some adjustments if you want.

Just a few hours later, Venus will make a conjunction to Neptune, which is at 29 Pisces. So again, this is happening on March 27th in North America and Europe. And very early in the morning, really just past midnight on March 28th in Australia. [00:16:00] So again, this is a series. The last time this happened was on February 1st, the next one will be on May 2nd, but it'll be very different, and I'll get to that later.

But this is very similar to the Sun making its last conjunction to Neptune in Pisces. We talked about that last week. So it's Venus's turn to wrap up some old dreams and visions. This is the last time Venus will make a conjunction to Neptune in Pisces. So, just like last week when the sun did this, it's another good day to reflect on the last 14 years, go down memory lane a little bit, and cultivate some gratitude, and think about how far you've come, whether it's been a windy road or a little bit more straightforward.

For me, it was very windy. Since I have the sun in Virgo and Neptune was opposing my son, I had a lot of confusion, made some interesting decisions that were kind of roundabout. [00:17:00] So I'm doing a lot of reflecting on that. And one of the practices that not a practice, but A project that I've decided to do at this time is to go through all of my old journals and make a chronology of my life An abbreviated chronology and you know as an astrologer.

I'm a calendrical scientist and nerd So this has been really fun for me But it's also brought up a lot of feelings that need to be processed And this is what I mean with all of these final conjunctions to neptune and pisces. It's a really It's a really interesting time to sit with your former self, hear what it has to say, and acknowledge it.

For example, I noticed as I was going through my old journals that I was really, really afraid. Afraid of astrology and really afraid that every eclipse was gonna mean something terrible. And every retrograde meant I was gonna break up with my boyfriend at the time, who is now my husband.

It was just [00:18:00] really uncomfortable, and I'm going through kind of a grieving process for her, and sometimes Neptune and Pisces can bring. up some grief and some deep compassion. So just notice if that's happening for you, it might be in a different area of your life than mine, but, um, it would not be out of the ordinary to have a lot of feelings come up.

Venus making a conjunction to Neptune may offer a balm for any disappointments or, or hurts, or even illusions that Neptune and Pisces may have brought about. So from a. Practical perspective in a vibe perspective. This day is likely to feel a little sleepy as the moon will also be in Pisces at this time, and it'll be really closing down very dark at this point, maybe.

Completely dark, preparing for its new cycle. So in reflection, [00:19:00] energy is probably going to be a little low. It's a really good time for creating more space in your schedule, taking things down a notch, and if you can, just allowing yourself to sort of float through the day. Try to lift off major time constraints or rigid structures, and really just try to go with the flow.

Then we skip forward a little bit and we come to our new moon solar eclipse at the ninth degree of Aries This is happening on Saturday March 29th in most time zones So again, this is the end of a series. So we're doing a lot of reviewing. We're doing a lot of memory lane stuff. So going back in time, really thinking about where we started, where we are now, how we got here. And it's no different with this solar eclipse.

So yes, this is technically a new moon, right, and the beginning of a new lunar cycle. But this is our last [00:20:00] eclipse in Aries that we've had over the last two years. And we've had three of them, if I've counted correctly, over the last two years. The first one was in April of 2023. So even though this is a new moon and it's happening at the first sign of the Zodiac, it's also bringing something to completion.

And again, this is supported by the holistic astrology as well, and it's important to put astrology into context. It's not helpful or really accurate to just take a new moon out of context and go. Oh, new moon in Aries. It's going to be like, let's rev our engines. It's totally not going to be like that. We have to put it in the context of the rest of everything else that's happening.

So I want you to consider on this day, what are you bringing to completion over the last couple of years? So check your chart and see where Aries is and what house Aries occupies. And this might help you come up with some clues or ideas or thoughts about the [00:21:00] general area of life that you're kind of closing a chapter on.

This is a much more mild mannered eclipse than our full moon eclipse on March 14th. There are no major aspects that this eclipse is making. I think the only thing that it's really doing is applying to a sextile with Jupiter. Which equals yay. So I imagine it to be somewhat encouraging and uplifting. I think it'll also feel quite nice and like a, a gentle boost of energy on a day where the rest of the astrology is pretty soupy and pretty watery.

So enjoy that little glimmer of fire.

Speaking of soup and water, on the same day, so Saturday, March 29th, Mercury will re enter Pisces and it'll also pretty immediately make a conjunction to Neptune. So, let's break those down. So, [00:22:00] Saturday, March 29th in North America. March 30th if you're in Europe or Australia. This is a big change for Mercury.

So Mercury has been up until this point doing its retrograde thing in Aries. So we've been reviewing and revising things that we've already done and already said and figuring out how to make them more efficient. This is a change in strength for Mercury. So it's moving from a sign where it's pretty neutral and doing its thing in a quick way to a sign where it's like, where am I?

Who am I? What's up? What's down? What's left? What's right? So Pisces is a sign of Mercury's detriment. Meaning that it's the sign furthest away from home . So it doesn't have it's normal tools, it doesn't have it's espresso maker, it doesn't have it's Google Calendar, it's just kinda like, analog.

It's got a piece of paper, and a [00:23:00] pen, and, you know, really weak coffee. Okay, so, just imagine with me, right? So what does this mean for us? This means that the retrograde vibes, like the classic idea of what mercury retrograde is, will probably intensify. So take plenty of time to pause and slow down. Tell people you'll get back to them instead of pressuring yourself to make a decision right away.

Just give yourself some space. Can you make a decision during this time? Of course you can. Can you sign a contract during this time? I did, of course you can. So, The point is you just slow the process down. You take some space around it. You really think things through. You give yourself some buffer time around decisions. It doesn't mean you have to sit on your hands. You just, you know, want to be more intentional and a little bit more careful.

Just a few minutes later. Like [00:24:00] 30 minutes? I don't know, I can't do math. Anyway, Mercury retrograde will make a conjunction to Neptune. So again, this has happened a lot recently. Venus just did this. So Mercury, it's its turn now to wrap things up with Neptune. And it's making a conjunction with Neptune and Pisces for the last time.

So again, this is an exaggeration. You know, Neptune is a little confusing. It doesn't work. Walk in a straight line, it kind of like does twirls, right? And cartwheels, right? So, Mercury's not going to be doing its typical bulleted list thing, right? And that means you probably won't either. There might be some miscommunication, there might be a few text nafus, but it is a great time for finishing something up, recycling something, processing something old, especially old feelings, emotions, you know, experiences, memories, [00:25:00] like we've been talking about.

It's not necessarily a great day for starting something fresh, but again, If ideas stream in, write yourself a sticky note, okay? Allow yourself to be led by your intuition and to be led by your body instead of pressuring your thinking mind to work really hard. It's probably going to be a day where there's some mental fatigue and maybe a little bit of like, Ugh, I can't really wake up today.

If you feel really creative, that's a possibility as well. Just let yourself get in the zone, let yourself get in the flow and don't worry about Um, hitting some type of quota, you know, unless it's forced upon you, it's going to be really hard to do something like that. Just try to loosen up any really tight constraints.

I think I've said that three times in this podcast, which means let's pay attention to that. Let's really let that sink in because [00:26:00] when we have repetition in astrology, it's really important and something we should notice.

All right, we have finally made it to our last astro event of the week last but definitely not least So this is Neptune moving into Aries and it's happening on Sunday, March 30th in most time zones Neptune has been in the sign of Pisces since 2011 and what's happening on March 30th is a big deal. You know when an outer planet changes signs, it's something to Observe.

It's something to watch. It's something to be curious about. You're probably going to notice a lot of things in the collective shift and start to wobble a little bit. So pay close attention. Neptune is just going to dip its toe into Aries starting March 30th. It'll be there through October 22nd, 2025. And then it'll retrograde back into Pisces, uh, for a [00:27:00] little while.

It's going to enter Aries for good in January of 2026. So we're in this weird straddling phase where Neptune is, you know, one hand in Pisces, one hand in Aries, or one foot. Yeah, you know what I'm saying.

So we're getting a really good preview of what's to come for the next 13 ish years. So on the day that Neptune changes signs, just put on your observation goggles, put on your mad scientist cap, and just pay attention to what's happening. Observe your surroundings, notice the headlines if you don't already notice them, like watch the news, see what's going on, okay?

Notice any wild ideas or even fantasies that cross your mind that you're like, where did that come from? Write that down on a sticky note and put it to the side. So when Neptune switches signs, there's two things. There's [00:28:00] new dreams that pop up and there's also new mysteries. Uh, that's a nice way of saying new confusion.

So we're kind of used to the area of life that Neptune's been transiting in your chart in. you know, in Pisces for the last 14 years. You're kind of used to that story of like, what should I do in this area? Which direction should I go? That's kind of switching.

Let me backtrack. What are some Neptune keywords? This is very Neptunian. I'm all over the place. Neptune keywords. We already said dreams and mysteries. Neptune also brings illusions. confusion. It's very idealistic. It can sometimes bring disappointments. And that happens when we have these grandiose ideas. Sometimes we put things on a pedestal and then they topple.

That can happen with Neptune occasionally. Neptune is associated with deception and lies, but also glamour. And [00:29:00] it has an interesting ability to dissolve things and wash things away. And that can be very therapeutic. And that can be challenging. You know, it all depends on what's going on in the rest of the chart.

So Neptune in Pisces is a very different beast than Neptune in Aries. So Pisces is really interested in how things connect and come together and how they merge. Neptune in Aries is different. It's more interested in how things separate, how things are distinct and different from one another. I want you to notice what you're dreaming about, what you're fantasizing about, and they're probably going to have a bit of an Aries tinge or tint to them, and therefore also a Mars tint to them.

So the collective will probably be thinking about idealizing. Aries and Mars types of things, so independence, being an individual, doing your own thing and going solo. Very different from the [00:30:00] collective vibe of Pisces. We might be really, uh, idealizing courage and bravery and craving Deep passion, maybe more energy, maybe more speed and efficiency, but we can't forget the other side of Aries on the other side of Mars where there's conflict and division and separation and rage and anger, and so all of those things can be bubbling up as well.

And just as a final technical note, take a minute to find Aries in your chart. And notice what house it occupies. So this is the house that Neptune will be transiting for the next more than a decade. Alright, so notice if you have any planets or angles in Aries. Libra, Cancer, or Capricorn. If you do, you might be having a really significant Neptune transit over the next few years.

I would definitely give it a small orb of [00:31:00] influence. So I, I really wouldn't read a Neptune transit until it's at the exact degree as your natal planet or angle, maybe one degree on either side if you want to be generous. So If that's you, come and see me. Let's have a chat. Let's, let's go through this together and kind of make sense of what Neptune might be offering you over the next decade and what its interaction with your natal planets might mean.

I know I'm having a Neptune transit. It's going to conjunct my IC. That's going to be really interesting. I'm very curious about that. What's going to happen in my home life? I don't know. I have some thoughts and ideas, but I'm going to keep them to myself for now. So everybody just get your mad scientist cap on, start observing, start taking notes.

If you don't keep a journal and you're listening to this podcast, I highly recommend you start keeping a journal so you can watch astrology in real time. Maybe I should do a separate episode all on thinking like an [00:32:00] astrologer and journal keeping for. astrological purposes. But until then, it is time for me to shut my mouth because I am getting all wordy and Neptunian, which is very odd for me.

All right, my friend, thank you so much for listening. I love having you here. I hope you have a great week. You know, it's an interesting week. It's got a lot of different. energy going on, but most of it is about reflection and about the past, so give yourself plenty of time to process, give yourself some space, get a lot of rest, and I will talk to you next week.