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4/2 Pluto retrograde
      Mercury enters Aries
4/3 Mercury square Pluto
4/5-6 New Moon in Aries 11:56 pm
4/6 Venus enters Aries
       Venus square Pluto
4/10 Mercury square Mars
4/13 Mercury sextile Chiron
       Mercury square Jupiter
4/14 Venus sextile Neptune
4/17 Mercury enters Taurus
4/18 Mercury trine Pluto
      Mercury trine Saturn
4/19 Sun enters Taurus
4/20 Full Moon in Scorpio 6:26 am
4/22 Mars trine Uranus
       Venus sextile Chiron
4/23 Venus square Mars
       Venus square Jupiter
4/24 Mars opposite Jupiter
4/25 Venus sextile Neptune
4/27 Mercury square Chiron
       Mercury sextile Uranus
4/28 Mercury trine Jupiter
4/29 Mercury square Neptune
       Mercury sextile Mars
4/30 Venus enters Taurus

Dates and times are all Eastern time zone

Ever since December, we have been experiencing a lack of planets in the Fire element. Fire provides the inspiration and energy to take action, and that inspiration has been missing over the past few months. That is about to change during the first few days of April as Mercury (mental functions) and then Venus (love and beauty) join the Sun in the fiery sign of Aries. This should give us all a bit of a boost in our physical energy, but it does mean that during the first week of April both Mercury and Venus will be square to Pluto. Pluto intensifies everything that it comes into contact with and tends to dredge up anything that is hidden, so this is no time for secrets. The truth will come out under the Pluto influence, and this is all for the best.

Speaking of Pluto, Pluto has been "stationing" (slowing down to a standstill) in preparation for its annual retrograde turn on April 2. With Pluto retrograde, or appearing to be moving backwards from our perspective here on earth, we tend to experience its influence a little more deeply as it pressures us to go back and review the debris in our life that is keeping us from moving forward. Pluto rules over our spiritual destiny, and sometimes using a heavy hand to keep us on track.

Saturn comes within a degree or two of a trine to Pluto during most of April, which helps to give form and structure (Saturn) to Pluto's urge to destroy and create new life. Saturn's stability helps us to create strong structures out of the wreckage of what we leave behind under Pluto, and is a wonderful ally in this process.

The New Moon takes place around midnight on April 5-6 (EDT). This New Moon is in Aries, the sign of initiation and courage. Because New Moons are times of beginning, in Aries that sense of a new start is even more pronounced. The New Moon forms a sextile to Chiron, indicating that healing is possible and helps to facilitate our moving through old blockages to begin anew. A square from Jupiter to the New Moon warns that we may have a tendency to be a bit reckless in our optimism now, but that abundant possibilities (Jupiter) await us.

On the 10th, a square from Mercury (communication) in Aries, where it is already more aggressive than usual, to Mars (warfare) suggests that for a few days tensions will flare and misunderstandings erupt, and a square from Mercury to Jupiter on the 13th will expand and exacerbate this tendency. However, a healing sextile of Mercury to Chiron will likely enable us to see beyond the ego and disagreements to the issues that lie beneath, making it easier to resolve these problems.

By the 14th, when Venus (love and beauty) makes a lovely sextile to Neptune (transcendence), harmony will prevail and the creative impulse will facilitate all of our interpersonal endeavors.

Mercury enters Taurus on April 17th and our thoughts turn to physical pleasure and matters of material security. It is more difficult to change our minds with Mercury in Taurus - under the previous influence of Aries we tend to crave speed and conquest but Taurus is much more solid, and tends to be far more stubborn.

On the 18th Mercury trines both Pluto and Saturn, enhancing their influence on each other as they dance together but never aspect each other completely. The addition of Mercury to this combination increases our understanding of the process on a much more conscious level. This is a great time to make plans for the future, especially after a big Plutonic change.

The Sun enters Taurus on April 19, beginning the season of fertility that connects us to the Earth. Taurus is associated with all things associated with Gaia, the mother goddess of the Earth, and as the Sun moves through Taurus those delights are illuminated.

The Moon is Full on April 20th, when the Moon in Scorpio opposes the Sun in Taurus. Scorpio is of course the sign of emotional intensity, where we dive deep into the underworld of our subconscious and discover the nasty bits of greed, envy, jealousy and other dark emotions that lie beneath the surface. By uncovering these emotional treasures we become more authentically who we are, and that is the ultimate goal of the Scorpionic process.

This year we have not just one, but two Scorpio Full Moons!! (The next one is in mid-May. This first one, on April 20th, is an powerful lunation (moon event) - apart from the Scorpio influence, there is also a T-square involving Mars in Cancer opposing Jupiter in Capricorn, both square to Venus in Aries. The opposition between Venus and Mars is interesting, because Venus in Aries is more aggressive and self-centered than it usually is, and Mars in Cancer is far less aggressive and far more concerned with taking care of others. So there is a dual polarity here between self-initiation and nurturing/connection that will be highlighted during the Full Moon period (about three days before and after the actual event). Mercury conjoins the Sun and opposes the Moon, so there is an intellectual component here as well.

Adding balance and stability to the Full Moon event is a Grand Trine between Saturn, Pluto and the Sun/Mercury conjunction, all in Earth signs. This is actually a Kite formation, with the Moon forming the apex of the Kite. The Kite is a more dynamic aspect than the Grand Trine, which is easy and flowing but not at all energetic.

After the influence of the Full Moon has subsided, Mars and Venus continue their dance of influence. On April 22 Mars (energy) forms a trine (harmonious aspect) to Uranus (innovative thinking) and Venus is sextile Chiron, making this an excellent time for collaborative ventures that involve brainstorming or coming up with new ideas. However, Venus is approaching a square to Mars and to Jupiter that will bring up once again the issue of our own individual needs relative to those of others. These aspects culminate on the 23rd and will throw a few ripples into the calm waters of the past couple of days, and the opposition between Mars (individual needs) and Jupiter (expansion) will exacerbate these problems for a day or two.

Fortunately, Venus again interacts with Neptune on the 25th, smoothing the waters and reviving the compassionate nature that can bring about creative changes and opportunities.

Beginning April 27 and continuing throughout the end of the month, communication issues come to the forefront. Mercury is in Taurus now, and as noted before in Taurus ideas and conceptualizations become more rigid and less subject to negotiation. This could be made more difficult on the 27th when Mercury squares Chiron, even though there is a sextile to Uranus that day which adds a creative touch of innovation. On the 28th, Mercury trines Jupiter, making it easier to imagine new possibilities and providing a more positive outlook, and then on the 29th when Mercury squares Neptune there can be some confusion and an erosion of our confidence and ability to think and communicate clearly. A sextile from Mercury to Mars on that day will help to energize our thinking which should give us a boost out of the Neptune fog.

On April 30 Venus enters Taurus which should make things easier on relationships. In Aries, Venus has been much more concerned about individual needs, and in Taurus there is more of a desire for stability and harmony. Venus is heading into a trine to Saturn and Pluto on May 1st, and Saturn is particularly powerful at that time because it is stationing in its preparation to turn direct on May 2. This will add even more stability and commitment, along with a sense of perseverance that is very useful for all of our interpersonal dealings.

This is another amazing month - enjoy it!!