Astrological update for the week of April 3-10, 2023

This week is packed with juicy astrological energies to inspire and supercharge pretty much all areas of our lives, with a focus on care of the soul through nurturing the body and the mind so that any maelstrom of wounded memories can safely emerge and be released into the ethers.

Ceres opposite Neptune. This aspect doesn’t culminate until next Monday but will be in effect for most of the week. This is the midpoint of a cycle which began last fall and will conclude in June of this year. Ceres is the planet which bestows the grace of good nutrition and a sense of being embodied in the world; we get to Ceres through what is now called “wellness” – the care of the body, mind and spirit to fully integrate a healthy incarnation. Ceres is in Virgo now, the very sign which calls our attention to imbalances in the body mind spirit system, and the Moon is in Virgo as the week begins to help us focus on these areas..

The opposition to Neptune can bring with it a tendency towards illusion and deception, or at the least some confusion and uncertainty, especially as it relates to the ways in which we nourish and nurture the body. Under this influence it may become more difficult and therefore more important to take additional care with our nutrition and our body’s energy. We may feel lethargic and unable to take care of our physical bodies in the ways we know are necessary, but it is even more important now to do so.

Libra Full Moon. The Moon will leave Virgo for Libra on Tuesday and set the stage for the Full Moon on April 6th just after midnight EDT. Under the Libra Full Moon our focus turns to love and the harmony that peace and equanimity brings. Libra is idealistic and craves balance, and in the Full Moon the polarity is the fire sign Aries, a sign which is self-oriented; a sign of action. Achieving the delicate balance between our own needs and the needs of others is a highlight of this Full Moon.

With the Sun and Moon tightly aspecting Chiron, planet of wounding and healing, there could be a high degree of emotional reactivity at this time which will make finding that balance more difficult. Fortunately the Moon’s ruler Venus will be in its own sign of Taurus, paving the way to achieve the tranquility and equilibrium which we crave, and harmonious aspects from Venus to Ceres and Neptune will aid in the discovery of new ways to care for our nervous system and emotional needs even in the intensity of the peak of the Full Moon.

Mercury in Taurus. Mercury, planet of the mind and information, has just entered Taurus, and because it will retrograde later in April it will be spending a much longer time in Taurus than is typical. Mercury inspires motion which begins in thought and ends with movement – Mercury rules short trips and adventures that begin in the mind and filters through all of our experiences. In the placid and fixed sign of Taurus, this kind of motion is more difficult. We may feel less able to put our ideas into motion, and while the fiery rhetoric of Mercury in Aries will be a lot quieter, resolution may be more difficult due to the stubborn nature of Taurus.

On the upside though, when Mercury is in Taurus it may be easier to concentrate and to create solid plans. We will be more concerned with matters of security and there is likely to be less speculation in the financial markets. Mercury will turn retrograde on April 21st.

Here’s what else you need to know this week (Dates and times are for the Eastern time zone, here is a time zone converter to adjust for your locality.)

Monday April 3. With Mercury newly in Taurus and the Moon in Virgo, the desire for stability and security will be paramount. This could feel a little rocky on for a day or so and our best laid plans may be turned upside down, but this will ease by Tuesday. (Mercury enters Taurus 12:22 pm, square Pluto 2:55 pm, Moon trine Uranus 4:28 pm.)

Tuesday April 4. Tuesday is a day of creative flow. We have the Virgo Moon interacting with both Venus and Neptune, seeking beauty and refinement, and then with Ceres to assist with the nourishment of the body/soul before moving into Libra just before 6 pm EDT.

Under the Libra Moon we crave balance and equanimity and will do pretty much anything to get it. Emotional sensitivity will begin to become more acute as a strong Chiron aspect begins to build which will culminate at the Full Moon on Wednesday and Thursday, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself wrangling old emotions which you thought were long forgotten. This is all part of the cleansing process as old emotional debris is released. (Moon trine Venus 2:04 am, opposite Neptune 9:49 am, conjunct Ceres 12:33 pm, Moon enters Libra 5:51 pm, Moon trine Pluto 6:13 pm.)

Wednesday April 5. A harmonious Mercury aspect today helps to facilitate our mental understanding and focus which is a great help when there is a lot of undefined emotional information floating about. If you find yourself feeling particularly emotional on Wednesday and Thursday you’ll know it’s old memories and emotional imprints that are ready to be released. Breathing is an important key to release, so don’t forget to breathe!

Sometimes emotions emerge as energetic sensations rather than feelings that make us want to cry or get angry – this type of unease lacks the story of emotions but can be just as intense. This is such a great time of release if we can avoid the temptation to self-medicate our discomfort. (Moon square Mars 4:11 am, Mercury sextile Saturn 12:20 pm, Sun conjunct Chiron 6:18 pm.)

Thursday April 6. The Libra Full Moon culminates just after midnight EDT but its effects linger throughout the day. Before making the shift from Libra to Scorpio, the Moon interacts with Jupiter for a burst of confidence and optimism which will carry us for the remainder of the day. (Moon opposite Chiron 12:07 am, Full Moon (Moon opposite Sun) 12:34 am, Moon opposite Jupiter 8:42 am). 

Friday April 7. The Moon enters Scorpio at 2:29 am EDT and challenges Pluto shortly thereafter. This is a double whammy of intensity that could push any negativity out into the open, and the Moon is quite active on Friday which suggests a bit of an emotional roller coaster. Fortunately a beautiful Venus/Neptune aspect opens the doorway to creative solutions and urges us to relax and enjoy the beauty that’s all around us. (Moon enters Scorpio 2:29 am, square Pluto 2:53 am, trine Saturn 8:44 am, opposite Mercury 1:52 pm, Venus sextile Neptune 1:58 pm, Moon trine Mars 2:42 pm.)

Saturday April 8. Today we get to relax. A Venus/Ceres trine encourages us to be kind to ourselves and get comfortable, and Mercury harmonizes with Mars to inspire and motivate. This is a great day to do something fun and active that will feel good. There may be some tension for a few hours in the late morning EDT but it will soon wane. (Venus trine Ceres 2:25 am, Mercury sextile Mars 2:28 am, Moon opposite Uranus 9:55 am.)

Sunday April 9. Sunday brings a very active Moon, finishing its journey through the intensity of Scorpio before moving into Sagittarius at around 9 am EDT. The Sagittarius Moon is optimistic and hopeful, and offers a few days of expensive thinking and adventure. We are likely to feel a bit scattered under competing influences, but overall this is a great day to plan and dream.

Remember we are nearly at the peak of the Ceres/Neptune aspect on Sunday, so planning something wonderful for yourself is an excellent idea! (Moon trine Neptune 1:49 am, sextile Ceres 2:29 am, opposite Venus 5:09 am, Moon enters Sagittarius 8:56 am, sextile Pluto 9:22 am, square Saturn 3:21 pm.)

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