Hey sweet ones,
The Astrological year is winding to a close with the final couple of weeks of Pisces season. I’m feeling a shimmering and shaking beneath the earth as the seeds begin to soften underground with anticipation, knowing that the springing upward of Aries season is right around the corner.
The season of the Ram, represented by a glyph that resembles a sprouting plant, arrives on March 20 this year, heralding the Spring Equinox and the Pagan holy day of Ostara. I’m wrapping up my first season of Cycles of Time forecasts with a super special Pisces season double-guest episode next week, welcoming Pisces suns Britten La Rue and Johnathan Koe to the show next week to chat about the power that our doubt & confusion hold in the process of imagination and truth-seeking. It’s gonna be juicy!
So that I can give all the airtime to that conversation next week, I thought I’d spend this week’s episode recapping the final 3 gates of Pisces Season. With Venus just having stationed retrograde on Saturday March 1, the desire to review & reflect is back in action.
Perfect timing, because Pisces is a reflection of the entire Zodiac, the entire wheel of the year (and many years) that has come before it. Aries season is a seed sprouting and bursting above ground to start a new cycle, and so I like to think about Pisces season as the germination stage of the seed below ground. During this process, the seed absorbs Piscean elements of water and oxygen, causing it to swell and rupture its seed coat. The embryo inside the seed then begins to grow, with the radicle, or primary root, emerging first.
The seed, small and unassuming, cradles the whisper of a forest within. Wrapped in stillness, it waits—patient, listening, dreaming in the dark. Then, as if stirred by an ancient memory, the earth’s warmth calls it to awaken.
A crack forms, delicate yet inevitable, as the seed coat surrenders to transformation. A single root, pale and trembling, unfurls downward, seeking the embrace of soil. Above, a tender shoot stretches toward the unseen light, blind yet certain, breaking through the hushed earth with quiet defiance.
Moisture feeds it, the pulse of life quickens, and with every breath, it remembers its purpose. The first leaves, fragile yet determined, unfurl like tiny green prayers to the sky. What was once hidden now begins to rise, whispering of the life it will become—a tree, a flower, a promise fulfilled.
Pisces is certainly a star of the show over the remainder of Pisces season, beyond the sun’s transit through the sign and gates of the fishes. Venus and Mercury are retrograding back into Pisces after a dip into Aries, working with the mysteries of the seed for one last time before springing forward into a new cycle. Our first eclipse of the year is on the Pisces/Virgo axis, a lunar eclipse in Virgo that asks us to shed our fastidious and nitpicking Virgoan tendencies in order to make space for the nonlinear dreams of spiritual Pisces.
This & next week’s highlights:
March 1- April 12: Venus Retrograde in Aries
March 13- April 7: Mercury Retrograde in Aries
Friday, March 14: Full Moon Lunar ECLIPSE in Virgo
Human Design/I’Ching:
Sun, March 2 -Fri, March 7: Gate 63, the Gate of Doubt
Sat, March 3- Weds, March 12: Gate 22, the Gate of Grace
Thurs, March 13- Tues, March 18: Gate 36, the Gate of Crisis
Themes for the next 2 weeks:
The astrological year and Pisces season come to an end
Eclipse season begins with a lunar eclipse in Virgo, and we are on the cusp between the cycle of Aries/Libra eclipses and the cycle of Pisces/Virgo eclipses.
We have been releasing people pleasing and now we’re releasing perfectionism. We have been hungry for self-sovereignty, and now we’re hungry for connection to spirit, to something greater than ourselves.
Retrogrades ask us to review, revision, and reassess, in the areas of what we value, how we relate, and how we communicate and move through space
Our Place in the Wheel of the Year
Medicine Wheel Direction: East (Earth, Spring, Birth & Childhood, Physicality)
Wuxing Cycle Element: Wood
Pagan Season: Between Imbolc & Ostara
Zodiac Season: Pisces (Feb 18-March 20)
Moon Phase: Waxing to the Full Moon Eclipose in Virgo in HD Gate
I Ching Hexagram/Human Design: 37, 22, 36
63: Water over Fire or “After Completion (Already Fording)”, aka the Gate of DOUBT
22: Mountain over Fire or “Grace (Adornment)”, aka the Gate of GRACE
36: Earth over Fire or “Darkening of the Light”, aka the Gate of CRISIS
The Final 3 Gates of Pisces Season:
THE GATE OF DOUBT (63): Sat, March 1 - Fri, March 7
I'Ching:
Hexagram 63 – After Completion (Already Fording)
Trigrams: Water over Fire
Gene Keys:
SHADOW: Doubt
(REPRESSIVE: Suspicious | REACTIVE: Distrustful)
GIFT: Inquiry
SIDDHI: Truth
Gate 63, the Gate of Doubt, holds the energy of mental pressure, critical questioning, and the pursuit of truth. It is the mind’s drive to analyze, test, and refine ideas, systems, and beliefs, ensuring that what is accepted has been rigorously examined. This gate represents the energy of uncertainty—not as a weakness, but as a tool for progress, innovation, and deeper understanding.
In the I Ching, Hexagram 63 – After Completion symbolizes a time when a major cycle has been completed, yet new challenges emerge. The image of Water over Fire suggests a delicate balance—if maintained, clarity is possible, but if disturbed, confusion arises. This hexagram reminds us that even when things seem settled, questioning is essential to maintain stability and prevent stagnation.
Located in the Head Center, Gate 63 is a mental pressure gate, designed to question everything. However, its shadow manifests as paralyzing doubt, leading to constant suspicion or an inability to trust one's own conclusions. The challenge of this gate is to turn doubt into inquiry rather than fear, using it to seek deeper truth rather than to undermine confidence. The gift of Inquiry emerges when doubt is embraced as a path to greater clarity, rather than a source of anxiety.
Gate 63 teaches that doubt is not a flaw—it is a tool that sharpens perception and deepens wisdom. When balanced, it leads to Truth, where clarity is no longer sought externally but emerges from within.
Themes: Mental clarity, questioning, skepticism, analysis, insight, innovation, wisdom, truth.
Contemplations:
💭 How can I use doubt constructively instead of allowing it to create fear?
💭 Am I stuck in overthinking, or am I directing my questioning toward meaningful discovery?
💭 How can I develop trust in my inner truth while still allowing for critical inquiry?
THE GATE OF GRACE (22): Sat, March 8- Wed, March 12
I'Ching:
Hexagram 22 – Grace (Adornment)
Trigrams: Mountain over Fire
Gene Keys:
SHADOW: Superficiality
( REPRESSIVE: Self-Doubt | REACTIVE: Pretentious )
GIFT: Graciousness
SIDDHI: Grace
Gate 22, the Gate of Grace, holds the energy of deep emotional refinement, presence, and the ability to soften life’s harsh edges with beauty and kindness. It is the gate of charm, poise, and natural elegance, not just in physical appearance but in the way one expresses emotions and moves through life.
In the I Ching, Hexagram 22 is called Grace (Adornment), symbolizing how true beauty and influence arise not from superficial appearances but from inner alignment. The image of Mountain over Fire suggests a steady presence (Mountain) illuminated from within (Fire), signifying a dignified, warm energy that can uplift others simply through presence.
This gate is located in the Solar Plexus Center, linking it to the realm of emotions. It carries the ability to express feelings with refinement and awareness, influencing others through the quality of its emotional state. However, in its shadow, this energy can manifest as superficiality—either doubting one's own worth or projecting an exaggerated persona to mask insecurity. When fully embodied, Gate 22 radiates an effortless grace, demonstrating the power of true authenticity and emotional wisdom.
Gate 22 teaches us that grace is not about perfection—it is about moving through life with presence, openness, and the ability to transmute suffering into something beautiful. It reminds us that true influence comes not from force, but from the way we carry ourselves, the words we choose, and the emotions we embody.
Themes: Elegance, refinement, emotional expression, charm, presence, authenticity, influence, beauty, wisdom.
Contemplations:
✨ How can I embody grace in my words, actions, and emotions?
✨ Am I expressing my emotions with authenticity, or am I performing for approval?
✨ How can I transmute difficult emotions into wisdom and beauty?
THE GATE OF CRISIS (36): Thurs, March 13- Tues, March 18
I'Ching:
Hexagram 36 – Darkening of the Light
Trigrams: Earth over Fire
Gene Keys:
SHADOW: Turbulence
( REPRESSIVE: Suppressed | REACTIVE: Dramatic )
GIFT: Humanity
SIDDHI: Compassion
Gate 36, the Gate of Crisis, carries the energy of deep emotional experience, transformation through challenge, and the initiation into wisdom through hardship. It represents the unavoidable emotional ups and downs that come with human life, teaching the soul resilience, patience, and ultimately, compassion.
In the I Ching, Hexagram 36 – Darkening of the Light tells the story of inner radiance being temporarily obscured by darkness. The image of Earth over Fire symbolizes the struggle of light (Fire) being buried under heavy circumstances (Earth). This hexagram reminds us that times of crisis are temporary, but how we navigate them determines our growth.
Located in the Solar Plexus Center, Gate 36 is tied to emotional waves, unpredictability, and the need for experience before wisdom can emerge. Those with this gate often find themselves thrown into intense or chaotic situations, learning firsthand how to manage emotional turbulence. The shadow of this gate can manifest as either extreme emotional repression or over-dramatization—either avoiding crisis altogether or becoming addicted to emotional intensity. The gift of Humanity emerges when one learns to embrace emotional experiences without fear, recognizing them as essential for growth.
Gate 36 teaches that true wisdom comes from living through life’s storms and emerging with a deeper sense of empathy and understanding. It is the journey from raw emotional suffering to compassion, where one's struggles become a source of healing for both self and others.
Themes: Emotional growth, challenge, transformation, turbulence, experience, wisdom, resilience, compassion.
Contemplations:
🔥 How can I embrace emotional challenges as part of my journey instead of resisting them?
🔥 Am I avoiding my emotions, or am I getting lost in them?
🔥 How can I develop resilience without becoming numb to life’s experiences?
MARCH 14: Lunar Eclipse in the Virgo Gate of Friction (Gate 6, opposite from the sun in Gate 36)
Lunar eclipses happen when the light of a full moon is blocked by the shadow of the earth; in essence blocking out the light of the sun reflecting off the moon. I see lunar eclipses as times to tune in with the Earth herself, as our planet’s shadow makes herself known in the sky. I recommend spending some quality time with the earth and in your body on March 13-14, paying her reverence and fortifying your body.
The point of greatest eclipse will be in the Pacific Ocean, North America and South America, and some areas of Europe will get a slight view of the moonset, while East Asia will glimpse the spectacle at moonrise.
This lunar eclipse is occurring in Gate 6, the Gate of Friction, with the sun across the sky in Gate 36, the Gate of Crisis. The eclipse brings a powerful emotional reset, highlighting themes of conflict, boundaries, and emotional clarity. Gate 6, located in the Solar Plexus Center, governs our ability to navigate tension in relationships and interactions—whether that tension leads to resolution or further division depends on emotional awareness. Since this is a south node eclilpse, happening at the “tail of the dragon”, these Virgoan qualities of discernment and over-analysis are what we are being called to release on this eclipse.
In the I Ching, Hexagram 6 – Conflict describes an unavoidable period of tension and confrontation, but it also holds the wisdom that not all conflicts need to be fought. This gate teaches discernment—knowing when to engage, when to hold space, and when to walk away. With the eclipse magnifying this energy, we may face heightened emotional intensity, unresolved disputes, or suppressed feelings rising to the surface, and called to release them in order to focus our attention on bigger picture crises - and opportunities- that lay ahead.
This lunar eclipse is a cosmic pressure point, forcing hidden tensions into the light. Since Gate 6 is a doorway to intimacy and emotional boundaries, expect relationship dynamics—whether personal, professional, or collective—to undergo shifts and revelations.
The Shadow of Gate 6 (What we are being called to release): Emotional volatility, unnecessary conflict, avoidance of deep emotional truth.
How The March 13 Lunar Eclipse Might Affect You:
Emotional Clarity: It may bring sudden realizations about what (or who) is truly aligned with our path.
Relationship Tension & Healing: Unspoken conflicts may surface, offering an opportunity for resolution or release.
Collective Impact: This gate influences group dynamics, making this eclipse a tipping point in societal debates, activism, or political divides.
Contemplations for the Eclipse:
🌑 Am I reacting emotionally, or responding with awareness?
🌑 What boundaries need to be reinforced or redefined?
🌑 Is this conflict necessary, or can I choose peace without avoidance?
This eclipse in Gate 6 is not about avoiding friction—it’s about learning how to transform tension into wisdom. The emotional waves stirred by this lunation are guiding us toward greater self-awareness, stronger boundaries, and more authentic connections.
Hope you have a beautiful end to Pisces season, leaning into the themes of inquiry, presence, attuning to your inner light and finding compassion for yourself and others in the face of crisis.
I’ll see you next week for our special double-guest Pisces episode!
xox
Alison
PS: My new website is live! I have some limited availability for readings and breathwork sessions at the moment, where we can look into your astrology chart or transits, human design bodygraph, or a custom cycles of time deep-dive into the multi-faceted mythologies of your chart. <3
WANT TO ATTUNE TO THE TRANSITS ON YOUR OWN ? Check out my Cycles of Time Google Calendar that I have available as a digital download on my Etsy store! If you’d like to follow along with the cycles I talk about here on the pod in a deeper way, you can import the calendar with detailed descriptions of the major Astrology/Human Design/Wheel of the Year transits as a digital download, and that can be imported into your Google Calendar.
It helps me so much to be able to look at the transits alongside my calendar’s obligations and appointments- I hope you find it useful too!
xoxxo,
Alison
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