If you’ve chanced to look west after sunset the past couple weeks or so, you’ve probably noticed Jupiter and Venus, bright and beautiful above the dark horizon. If you’ve felt in love with the whole world, it might be because the lovely Venus is dancing hand in hand with the contagious high spirits and worldly wisdom of Jupiter. The Moon will cut in for a very happy threesome at the beginning of next week (and Jupiter says the more the merrier!).
All this loving is part of a much larger astrological formation. Jupiter, Mars and Pluto are equidistant from each other, creating the shape of an equilateral triangle on an astrological chart. This triangle, or grand trine in astrological terms, indicates that all the planets involved are in an easy-going, harmonious and mutually supportive relationship.
The three primary planets of the grand trine are all very energetic—they have a lot of fire power. Jupiter is expansive, Mars passionate and Pluto transformative. When you take all that successful, courageous, destructive and resurrecting energy and put them together like a cosmic wheel of fortune, change is inevitable. And of course the vernal equinox already means new growth—you can feel the heat this spring as we germinate under this heavenly grow lamp.
The planets of the grand trine are in earth signs. Earth signs are stable, reliable and abundant. Our harmonious and energetic planets are doing their work in an environment of long-term security. We transform with unwavering commitment and our results are enduring.
Sometimes the grand trine energies work so well together they tend to get lazy and take the easy way out. That might be possible while Venus is distracting Jupiter, but the new moon of March 22 will join several planets squaring Pluto, a focal point into which the build-up of transformative energy funnels. The Sun doesn’t form an exact square to Pluto until March 29, but at the time of the new moon, there will be a Sun, Moon, Mercury, Uranus stellium in the first few degrees of Aries that squares Pluto in Capricorn. The beginning of Aries marks the vernal equinox, and these four planets coming together in this place of symbolic budding create a magnifying lens that can direct the grand trine energies into a smouldering focus—and the phoenix will rise from the ashes.

If you are fired up to engage your own transformation, now is the time to do it! I have created a series of tarot spreads for astrologers and non-astrologers alike to help you find what the grand trine in earth means for you personally. These spreads use the Empyrean Key method for personal transformation, so you won’t just get insight into these forces in your life—you’ll harness them and drive them to your destination! Using the Empyrean Key process outlined here, you can analyze the significance of the astrological formations, see how you express them in your life, and synthesize that expression into a unity of purpose and focus. Meditate on the synthesis to discover a simple symbol that summarizes the work you’ve done in your interpretation of the cards, and then use that symbol magically and playfully to manifest change in your life.
Get your free Empyrean Key Harnessing the Grand Trine in Earth Tarot Spreads!
Joy Vernon is a Certified Professional Tarot Reader and Reiki Teacher in Denver, Colorado. Her specialty is the Empyrean Key Transformational Guidance, which combines energetic and esoteric modalities to help her clients break through blocks and align themselves with their higher purpose. For information on upcoming classes or to schedule an appointment, please visit JoyVernon.com.
© 2012 by Joy Vernon. All rights reserved.