Cherry blossoms, the call for the Warrior, planets in Aries

For the Japanese Samurai, the cherry was the symbol of the warrior's calling and of the fate for which he must prepare himself. Crushing the red flesh of the cherry to reach the hard stone is, in other words, to sacrifice flesh and blood to attain the corner-stone of the human personality. The Samurai took the cherry blossom turned toward the rising Sun as the emblem and symbol of the dedication of his life. Given that flowering cherries bear no fruit, its beauty is a symbol of purity, and purity of purpose is a traditional warrior code.
"If I were asked to define the spirit of Japan, I would call it the blossom of the mountain cherry scattering its sscent in the morning sun." Motoori Norinaga 1730-1801
Cherry blossom festivals are at the time of the Spring Equinox, the entrance of the sun into Aries, sign of new life and all the energy it takes to thrust it forward. This spring equinox of 2011 includes a five-fold emphasis on warrior spirit as the planets Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus, all major icons of the masculine aggressive force in our solar system, gather in Aries. The new moon in Aries on April 3-4 brings the Moon and the Sun into conjunction with each other in Aries, while Venus adds her spirit of value, money and love into the mix.
All this happens as Mercury in Aries courses retrograde through Aries. Mercury in this phase will layer and reverse and rearrange the obvious, lending messages from the past, the future, and the forgotten into our words and deeds. This is a mighty time on earth, as all of these planets in Fire exactly oppose great Saturn in Libra 180 degrees opposite. (Look to the eastern horizon all month and watch Saturn rise at sundown.) Libra is the sign of the Autumn equinox, the balance and relationships of life on earth. Note: Saturn in Libra, in this blog's archive.
As if this were not emphatic enough, the other brother god of the Greeks, distant Pluto in the early degrees of Capricorn (sign of order, time, and structure),
is a right angles to both the Aries group of Jupiter, Sun, Venus, Mars, Mercury,and Uranus; and at right angles to Libra-- containing Saturn. Right angles signify challenge. At the dynamic heart of the square angle we watch the conscious mind be enforced on the circle of life.
This month is the month of changes. Everything changes now, in a natural spring-like progression and in a violent individualized revolt-- the urgency of the "I." Take your place on the great Mandala, it is gaining speed, and urgently needs you. New life starts at spring, the new moon guarantees a complete cycle of growth, and all this thunder and lightening in fire is assurance that life is stronger than death.