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Skywatch
for April 2009
Dates and times are Eastern time zone The first week in April we are building towards a challenging square of Venus to Pluto that is a new peak for the tension that began with the Aries New Moon on March 26th which also formed a square to Pluto. Pluto is the planet represented by the Underworld, and the presence of Pluto typically signifies a deepening of the intensity with which we approach the day-to-day matters of our life. The planets that have been challenging Pluto over the past week are in the fiery sign Aries which is impulsive and highly energized. Rather than a slow burn, Aries explodes and then the fire fizzles out quickly. Venus, representing relationships and the things we value, has turned retrograde and is passing back through Aries where it is causing us to look back at unfinished business. The first square of Venus to Pluto in this waxing cycle occurred in early February and any issues raised at that time will be brought up again by the second square on the 3rd. This is a good time to willingly explore the issues in our relationships that give us problems, as the door to the underworld of hidden meanings and motivations is open now. If we don?t pass through the door willingly, we may be pulled in there anyway by the intensity of this dynamic. The waxing square is an opportunity to learn something new ? to begin a new cycle of evolution. Pluto will be turning retrograde on April 4, so it is at a stationary point in its cycle where its motion is imperceptible and it appears to be at a standstill. Planets are at their most powerful when at their ?station,? as they gather the strength needed to change direction. If Pluto is prominent in our charts, or if we are going through a Pluto transit to our own birthchart, we are likely to experience life at a more intense level than usual, with more of a sense of urgency. On the 4th, as Pluto changes direction to travel retrograde, Mercury will form a sextile to Jupiter, a harmonious aspect that facilitates our mental understanding (Mercury) by providing us with a more expansive viewpoint (Jupiter). This will help to facilitate the Pluto process of getting to the root of the matters in which we are involved. Also on the 4th, Mars will oppose Saturn in a face off that pits our individual desires (Mars) against our responsibilities and the requirement that we respect authority (Saturn). Mars is in compassionate Pisces now where it does not have the advantage of being able to utilize all of its tools of warfare and when stressed, there may be a temptation to slip into more passive-aggressive behavior rather than confront problems openly. Try not to succumb to this temptation, because Pluto is ruling this time period and demands that we are as honest and true in our actions as we can possibly be. We are likely to feel that our impulse to action (Mars) is slowed for a few days, and that is absolutely normal under the Saturn influence. Over the next few days Mercury (thoughts and communication) will form a harmonious sextile to Chiron (wounding and healing) on the 6th and to Neptune (spiritual connection) on the 7th which will help to bring us in greater harmony with our inner world and provide the insights and understanding to release issues of difficulty. Mercury will leave Aries on the 9th when it enters Taurus which will be a calming influence as our minds become more concerned with achieving serenity and a measure of peace that Taurus so values. The Full Moon in Libra occurs at 10:56 am EDT on April 9, offering a harmonious array of planetary aspects. Libra is the sign of balance and harmony, of beauty and relationships with others. The Full Moon occurs when the Sun, representing the solar principle of the conscious mind and action, opposes the Moon and her lunar principles of receptivity and instinctive wisdom. Under the Full Moon there is a need to bring these two opposites into balance, and because Libra is the sign of balance it is easier under the Libra Full Moon to accomplish this than with any other sign. The Sun is in Aries now, governing the Will of the individual self, so under this Full Moon we need to learn to balance our own will and our individual needs with an intention towards harmony and peace in our relationships. As with any opposition, it?s important to recognize that neither side is better or should take precedence. There needs to be a balance between them. The Sun and Moon are locked in a nearly exact harmonious aspect with Jupiter, the great benefic, offering the promise of great things and a sense of fulfillment. Chiron and Neptune are also connected through harmonious aspects, and therefore the Full Moon on April 9 activates Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune in the triple conjunction that will culminate in May. The square from Venus to Pluto, though separating and diminishing in intensity, it still in effect and imposes its imprint on the Full Moon experience. The stakes are high now, and the need for balance is an imperative. Mercury will trine Pluto on the 11th, a harmonious aspect that will make it easier for us to probe the depths of the subconscious and to focus on that which is important. Also on the 11th, Venus will retrograde back into Pisces where it will station (come to a standstill in preparation for its change of direction) at the last degree of Pisces where it will remain until the 17th. This is a symbol of completion ? there is the opportunity here to wrap up old unfinished business with partners or friends of any kind and to move forward free from old fears and resistance that held us back during the third phase of the Venus/Pluto cycle in early May. Mars will conjunct Uranus on the 15th, and for a day or two beforehand be somewhat careful as this is planetary combination can be decidedly prone to accidents when the aggressive instincts of Mars collide with the impatient reckless behavior of Uranus. In Pisces the urgency to action of Mars is somewhat muted which will soften this dynamic somewhat. At its best, when Mars and Uranus work together there is tremendous excitement and creativity combined with a surge of physical energy that permits great things to be accomplished. On the 17th, when Venus turns direct, Mercury will form a harmonious trine to Saturn that will help to calm and focus our intention and achieve mental clarity. This helps to ground us, and the grounding will continue on the 19th when the Sun enters the earthy sign of Taurus. Venus and Mars collide on April 21st at the 29th degree of Pisces, creating perhaps a sense of urgency around our relationships with others and our values in general. Mars is moving more quickly than Venus now because Venus is at a standstill as she prepares to turn direct again, and Mars tends to be in a bit of a hurry anyway. Again, integration between our individual needs (Mars) and the need for balance and harmony with others (Venus) is called for here. Mars leave Pisces on the 22nd to enter its own sign of Aries. Mars is very comfortable in Aries ? its passion and drive can operate unclouded by the compassion and sensitivity of which Pisces is so enamored. Mercury squares Jupiter the same day, offering an expanded (Jupiter) sense of one?s abilities and wisdom (Mercury) but also creating the potential for arguments and power conflicts. Jupiter wants to be God, and not everyone agrees. Venus re-enters Aries on April 24th on the day of the New Moon in Taurus. With Venus and Mars both in Aries, and still within range of a conjunction at this point, there is a sharp focus on the satisfaction of our own desires. This isn?t a bad thing, but understanding that this dynamic is in play will help us to manage our relationships in case problems arise as a result. The Taurus New Moon occurs on April 24th at 11:23 pm EDT, when the Moon and Sun conjunct in the sign of Taurus. Taurus is the Empress, the mother goddess Gaia. Under the influence of Taurus, we cherish the bounty of earth and the inherent pleasure of living life in a body. New Moons, occurring when the Sun and Moon fuse and begin the lunar cycle anew, are times of new beginnings and offer a new potentiality. This New Moon is trine Pluto and also Ceres, a Grand Trine of creating a solid and grounded life that is full of the bounty that life on Earth has to offer. Mercury is sextile Uranus today, flooding our minds (Mercury) with new ideas (Uranus) to help make it happen. However, the Sun and Moon are nearly exactly square (within ten minutes) to the Nodes of the Moon that act as signposts to the evolution of the soul. This suggests that this New Moon is critical to our progress. There are things that we feel we haven?t completed, that we need to go back to, but the time for going back is past now. It?s time to move forward ? to let go of what remains unfinished and begin anew. The next few days may be somewhat challenging, with a square from Mercury to both Chiron and Neptune on the 25th. The square to Chiron may force us to look clearly (Mercury) at our old wounds as they arise (Chiron), and this combination can also make communications with others more emotional and therefore more difficult. The square to Neptune can confuse the issues and lead to misunderstandings. This is exacerbated by the fact that Mercury will be turning retrograde on May 8 and is entering the shadow of its retrograde period when it begins to slow down in preparation for the change of direction. For a week or so, tread lightly and expect that communication may be difficult. During this time Mars is also approaching a challenging square to Pluto which will culminate on April 26. This is a period where there is a great deal of energy unleashed. This poses the potential for power conflicts and other types of battles, and it is a time when we can feel very angry, particularly if Mars and Pluto are aspecting planets in our own chart. Physical activity and vigorous exercise can help us to channel this energy so that we can utilize it in more constructive ways. On
the last day of April, Mercury enters its own sign of Gemini.
Communication will become of primary importance at that time,
despite the upcoming Mercury retrograde period! |
4/3
Venus square Pluto