Mars Gittin' Jiggy

Revisiting the Saturn/Neptune Conjunction

On February 20, 2026, we experienced an astrological event that had not occurred since March 2, 4361 BC: the conjunction of Saturn and Neptune at 0 degrees of Aries. Let's just say it was a while ago. This collision of bricks (Saturn) and bubbles (Neptune) has correlated with clash of wills between established rules and structures and dreams of a more idyllic and boundaryless society. In my forecast piece about the Astrology of 2026, I wrote the following about this important celestial event:

This exact position at the zodiac's Aries Point, the first degree, marks an unprecedented "world point" alignment, amplifying themes of new structural-spiritual paradigms, martial idealism, or collective rebirth through sacrifice, unseen since antiquity. Some are calling this a reset, others a new beginning. It is no doubt something we will soon remember as a turning point. As I have already introduced, I am choosing this year to offer up a series of one-line delineations concerning the various paradigm shifting astrology occurring in 2026. Here are some potential manifestations of the Saturn Neptune conjunction at 0 Aries:

•An explosive collision of forceful authority with fiery idealism

•Independent and courageous movements challenged by militant resistance

•Self-determined spiritual actions achieve new respect and solemnity

•Stubborn stalemates are fiercely melted by brave imaginings

•Personal divinity clashes with authoritarian church dogma and rules

•Confident dreamers bring powerful visions into trailblazing reality

•New mystical initiatives cut through old obstructions and fraudulent orthodoxy

•Eroding boundaries dissolve the restrictions of impervious monopolies

•Inflexible rules aggressively disintegrated in favor of flexibility and spaciousness

•Destructive cabals engage in covert activities against expanded consciousness

•Fiery quests and heroic causes find powerful and dedicated momentum

•Warrior like organizations pushing for integrity and commitment to higher ideals

For the record, this article is being written on March 14, 2026. In looking ahead to the month of April, there will be in important transit creating a conjunction of the planet Mars to both Saturn and Neptune since the above-mentioned conjunction they had in February. This will be Mars first contact to this auspicious duo since that event. Transiting Aries Mars (fully empowered in the sign of its rulership) will reach an exact conjunction with Aries Neptune on April 13, 2026, at 2 degrees and 39 minutes of Aries, and then on April 19, 2026, this same Mars will be at an exact conjunction with Aries Saturn at 7 degrees and 51 minutes.

In the world of astrology, Mars is known as a triggering energy by transit, activating themes and events that are associated with aspects that have been formed previously by outer planet activity, particularly involving Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, or Pluto. As Mars rumbles through the zodiac, he moves quickly (about 2–3 days over an exact aspect), so it helps pinpoint moments in time when what the outer planets have been building for months or years can suddenly appear, and often explosively. During this fleeting contact is when you see events, decisions, conflicts, or bursts of activity that express that backdrop. I fully anticipate the period between April 13–19 (I would even look to the period 2-3 days before and after this window) to be a time of energizing, activating, and awakening of the core themes of the Aries Saturn/Neptune conjunction. Expect a turning point of some nature.

When events such as this occur, I always find it of interest to check the frequency with which a particular astrological configuration has taken place. In searching for the above event back to 1000 BC here is what I found:

The search parameters were Mars in Aries, Mars conjunct Neptune, Saturn conjunct Neptune, with Saturn in Aries. Of the above dates there were two occasions in which Mars, Saturn, and Neptune found themselves at the same degree of Aries, those were March 19, 232 and January 23, 1703. When considering the ignition of this conjunction's tension, Saturn's structure with Neptune's dissolution we should see examples of events potentially manifesting as pent-up energy in form of conflicts, breakthroughs, or decisive actions. There exists a strong proclivity toward the Mars/Saturn part of this configuration showing up as frustration or violence (Mars–Saturn = suppressed anger exploding) as well as resolute and disciplined action emanating from Neptune's desires for spacious and brave imaginings (Mars-Neptune = forceful pursuit of dreams).

If we take a brief look at the major historical events that occurred in 232 AD this period falls during the late Roman Severen dynasty and at the time of Roman Persian Wars. Here is a table that summarizes some major correlative global events:

KEY GLOBAL EVENTS 232 AD

Region	Event
Roman Empire	Emperor Alexander Severus repels Sassanid Persian invasion of Mesopotamia/Syria led by Ardashir I; three-pronged Roman counterattack halts at Ctesiphon, leading to truce and status quo after heavy losses.
India	Ongoing Mauryan Empire under Ashoka (r. 268–232 BC, but note year confusion in some sources); his death traditionally around 232 BC marks empire's peak/decline—not AD. ​
China	Eastern Han dynasty continues; no major upheavals recorded, but regional wars persist. ​

1703 was a turbulent year amid the War of the Spanish Succession, Great Northern War, and natural disasters across Europe and beyond. Here is a summary of some of those:

Month	Event
January	Port Royal, Jamaica, destroyed by fire; 1703 Apennine earthquakes devastate central Italy (Norcia, Montereale, L'Aquila), killing thousands. ​
March	Recruiting Act forces unemployed English men into military service; Siege of Guadeloupe begins (English vs. French). ​
May	Portugal joins Grand Alliance against France; Peter the Great founds Saint Petersburg after retaking Ingria from Sweden.
July	Tyrolese farmers expel Bavarian forces from North Tyrol; Daniel Defoe pilloried in London for seditious libel. ​
August	Ottoman Sultan Mustafa II deposed in Edirne event. ​
November	Great Storm ravages England (8,000+ deaths, 15 Royal Navy ships lost); first Lutheran pastor ordained in America (Philadelphia).
December	Methuen Treaty (England-Portugal trade pact favoring Portuguese wine); Ahmed III becomes Ottoman emperor. ​

Themes of upheaval characterize the periods of 232 and 1703, marked by military stalemates, imperial overreach, and defensive consolidations. Additionally, these times experienced catastrophic storms and earthquakes globally, with the most extensively recorded being the Great Storm of England and the Apennine earthquakes in Italy.

Mark Twain is frequently credited with the saying, "History never repeats itself, but it rhymes." Although many think this quote is incorrectly attributed to Twain, I found a very similar phrase in his 1874 novel The Gilded Age: "History never repeats itself, but the Kaleidoscopic combinations of the pictured present often seem to be constructed out of the broken fragments of antique legends." I personally prefer this quote. As an astrologer, one of the most compelling aspects of this ancient art is the ability to recognize patterns over time and interpret them through the archetypal lens of the zodiac, helping us understand what we might expect individually or collectively in the present. At times, the accuracy can be truly astounding.

On May 24, 1844, the first message was sent successfully by electric telegraph by inventor Samuel F.B. Morse from Washington, D.C. to Alfred Vail in Baltimore. Morse, a devout Christian, borrowed from a Bible verse to exclaim... "What hath God wrought?" I too would like to play off this same verse and ask, "What hath the Saturn/Neptune conjunction at 0 degrees of Aries wrought?" Thus far, it's a small but powerful sample set of events. The conjunction occurred on February 20, 2026. One need not look any further than the U.S. and Israel launching Operation Epic Fury against Iran on February 28, 2026—just 8 days after the Saturn-Neptune conjunction at 0° Aries—with nearly 900 airstrikes in the first 12 hours. Iran's response was to launch hundreds of missiles/drones, which they fired across the Middle East; U.S. bases in Bahrain, UAE, Kuwait, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia were hit. Thus far, this has caused oil market chaos and geopolitical shocks rippling around the globe, not to mention untold death and destruction.

As I sit here now and finish out this brief look at the upcoming transit of a powerful Aries Mars to the Saturn/Neptune conjunction, I want to leave you all with the vision of a distant candle flickering in the wind on a stormy night. To me, that candle is Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, which began to form a grand sextile that started to come into orb in mid‑2022, with the pattern forming, slipping out, and then reforming more steadily from 2023 into 2024. This July, Uranus, the fastest moving planet of this trio, will make exact aspects to Neptune by sextile on July 15, 2026, and Pluto by trine on July 18, 2026. On July 15, 2026, Uranus will be at 4 degrees and 23 minutes of Gemini, and Neptune Rx will be at 4 degrees and 23 minutes of Aries. On July 18, 2026, Uranus will be at 4 degrees and 29 minutes of Gemini, and Pluto Rx at 4 degrees and 29 minutes of Aquarius. Neptune is the flame at the top of this celestial triangle. A grand sextile of the outer planets in air and fire signs points to innovations and spiritual awakenings. Further, this signals a rare window of harmonious flow between innovation (Uranus), spirituality (Neptune), and transformation (Pluto), fueling collective paradigm shifts toward intellectual liberation and pioneering actions.

It's going to be a bumpy ride, but where we end up getting off might just be a place we have dreamed of for millennia.