Overview
The first half of April will still feel like a Piscean hangover from March.
While fleet-footed Mercury may have stationed Direct on March 28, He is still slogging His way through the Mutable Waters of Pisces, where He is very much at His detriment (opposite from His Home Sign of Virgo). Piscean energy, at its highest vibrational expression, is exquisite for plunging into the Void and merging with All That Is, as the Neptune-ruled currents of Pisces are all about nondifferentiation, getting stirred up in the Cosmic Cauldron of Formless Potentiality.
Far from the Mercurial realms of logic and precise communication, Pisces favors dreamy, altered states of consciousness and poetic reverie. At its lowest vibrational expression, however, Piscean energy translates into having This-World challenges, being unable to accept or conform to the day-to-day demands of Consensus Reality and choosing to escape from it instead via delusional thinking, active fantasy world-building, or addictive behaviors (e.g., the chemical pathways of alcoholism and drug abuse).
Mercury forms an exact conjunction with Neptune at 17° of Pisces on Tuesday, April 2, at 4:38 a.m. CDT, the third exact conjunction between these two planets since the middle of February, when Mercury’s long transit through Pisces began. Hence there is a strong sense of not being able to have the mental focus needed to function at one’s best, or be able to shine a light of clarity into the truth of a situation. Pisces can cast a spell of deception, so as Mercury strives to find accurate and relevant information, Neptune coaxes mental chatter into lazy daydreaming.
This kind of “sluggishness” is accentuated by other planetary activity, or rather the lack of it: the outer planets, two of which station Retrograde in April, move so slowly as to hardly provide a sense of momentum. Additionally, a sense of “going nowhere fast” can be attributed to Mars’ current transit in Gemini, which began on March 31 and which runs through May 14: Mars in Gemini wants to intellectually seek out all possibilities to problems simultaneously and multitask, which can often result in little to no actual productivity. Mars’ energy is easily dissipated in Gemini, so be mindful of pissing time away through Gemini-ruled distractions like the Internet or idle gossip.
It’s really not until April 17, once Mercury bursts into Aries territory, that the rest of the planets follow suit with implementing changes that the later April Taurean energy can help consolidate. By that time, we’ll finally gain the clarity we’ve been seeking.
Editorial Note: As always, the times I cite for planetary aspects and transits reflect my Chicago, Illinois, USA time zone of Central Daylight Time. Please adjust for your world time zone accordingly.
Image Credits: Unless otherwise specified in captions, all images are Creative Commons licensed/public domain images obtained from Pixabay.com.
Friday, April 5: The New Moon at 15° Aries
The New Moon in the Cardinal Fire Sign of Aries rolls in at 3:50 a.m. CDT on Friday, April 5. It’s something of a challenging New Moon energy that can set the tone for a less-than-pleasant weekend as the Aries Moon and Sun will be forming squares first to task-master Saturn at 20° of Capricorn (exact at 2:02 p.m. CDT that day) and power-struggle-prone Pluto at 23° of Capricorn (at 7:50 p.m. that evening). Aries is all about the Self and getting one’s way, but Saturn always injects a need for a “reality check” to whatever one is hoping to accomplish. Given the foggy-mindedness exuded by all the Piscean energy (Neptune, Venus, and Mercury are all transiting Pisces), this reality check that Saturn demands may not be such a bad thing. Are your goals and Aries New Moon intentions doable or not? If they don’t pass Saturn’s muster, it’s no-go. However, if you can make a realistic to-do list and work on your goals step by step over time, Saturn will reward you well for your efforts.
My chart for the Aries New Moon. Please do not share or republish without my express written permission.
This Aries New Moon isn’t all blood, sweat, and tears, however: The Aries Moon and Sun will be forming a lovely trine to jolly Jupiter at 24° of Sagittarius, exact at 10:15 p.m. CDT. So whatever trials and transformation Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn, respectively, require, Jupiter’s Fiery and helpful Trine influence will bring much-needed hope/optimism and good fortune to the intentions you set for the Aries lunation.
Friday, April 19: The Full Moon at 29° Libra (6:12 a.m. CDT)
If the Aries New Moon has a context of challenges surrounding it, the Libra Full Moon that occurs on the eve of Passover for Jews / Good Friday for Western Rite Christians—one day before the Sun enters Taurus—is just straight-up weird. Off-kilter. Abrupt.
In a sense, this is a Blue Moon of a Full Moon because for the second consecutive month, we have a Full Moon in the same Sign (Libra). But whereas the March Libra Full Moon occurred at 0° of the Sign of the Scales, here on the 19th of April it is happening in the very last degree of Libra (29°), which means it will really be emphasizing closure or completion of the Libran theme of relationships. That 29° factor means the energy will be super intense (despite this not technically being a “Super Moon” like the past three Full Moons of this year), so this will be a very emotionally heightened Libra Full Moon. What relationships no longer serve your Highest Good? This Full Moon would be an ideal time to ritualize the letting-go process.
But we don’t get to have the luxury of dwelling on this Libra energy because less than 2 hours after the Moon is exactly Full (6:12 a.m. CDT), She leaves Libra and makes Her ingress (at 7:40 a.m. CDT) into the Fixed Water Sign of Scorpio. Therefore, I suggest if you really want to make ritual use of the Libra energy, time your working/Esbat observance for the night before, on Thursday the 18th, and make use of the energy currents as they still build towards their crescendo of power and fullness.
Another aspect that may make this Libra Full Moon feel “off” or “strange” to many is the fact that the Sun, exiting Aries and getting ready to enter Taurus, will be coming into His conjunction (exact on Monday the 22nd) with Uranus in Taurus. Once in Scorpio, the Moon (at 0°) will begin Her opposition to Uranus at 2° of Taurus, adding more emotionally discordant experiences to this strange-feeling day. The end of this day will feel like wholly new territory compared to how it began, the Libran energy currents having been totally displaced.
Other Key Planetary Aspects and Transits
Sunday, April 7: Mercury in Pisces sextiles Saturn in Capricorn at 4:17 a.m., helping us check our ideas against the litmus test of Reality. Business communications the following day will receive a boost with an emphasis on long-term planning.
Wednesday, April 10, is going to be a very busy day in terms of planetary activity, and it could be a challenging day for many. First, in the wee hours of the morning (1:14 a.m.), we have beguiling Venus in Pisces—the Sign where She is exalted—making an exact conjunction to spell-weaving Neptune at 17° Pisces. While the Arts receive a boost from this dreamy conjunction, interpersonal relationships seem clouded by the tint of rose-colored glasses at best (we will want to see people in ideal form, not as they truly are) or full-on deception at worst, where all that glitters is far from gold.
The Aries Sun also exactly squares Saturn in Capricorn on this day (3:47 a.m.), forcing us to yield cherished illusions to stern reality. Be prepared for news that may disappoint; this will not be a good day for business negotiations, either. Literal road blocks or impediments to our movement may take place on this day as well, as Aries likes to fire ahead at warp speed but Saturn may apply literal and figurative brakes in travel plans, so please exercise caution in your travels and allow yourself ample time to get from point A to point B. Sickness by way of fever/inflammation and car accidents can be other common, unfortunate, manifestations of this aspect, so take preventive measures to make sure illness doesn’t slow you down during this time. If it does, your recovery period may take longer than normal.
There is one saving grace in the afternoon (exact at 4:40 p.m.), however: Mercury in Pisces forms a benevolent sextile to Saturn in Capricorn. This energy is good for cultivating self-awareness and articulating it to someone, so talk therapy in a psychological context receives a boost from this transit. Dreams from this morning could also be yielding rich insights from the subconscious, so have a dream journal and jot down images from your dream narratives (journeys of the soul when you sleep?) and you might find you’ll have good fodder to share with your therapist.
Thursday, April 11: Mercury in Pisces squares Jupiter in Sagittarius (exact at 11:18 p.m. CDT). Make sure you don’t overpromise to people, or take on more responsibility than you’re capable of handling at work. Overconfidence might lead us to erase the boundaries of limitations, and then we find we’re over our heads with too many things we’ve said “yes” to. Remember, “No” is a complete sentence!
Friday, April 12: Venus in Pisces sextiles Saturn in Capricorn (exact at 10:08 a.m. CDT). This energy lends charm and grace to business discussions that favor long-term strategy and planning. Romantic liaisons of a “May-December” pairing, when one partner is significantly older than the other, receive a favorable boost as well. It’s a good day for older people to share life lessons with the young in general. Consider forming a mentor-mentee partnership model for corporate on-boarding/HR initiatives, where seasoned company figures show new hires the ropes when it comes to navigating office culture and the specifics of their departments for their roles.
Saturday, April 13: The Aries Sun forms an exact square to Pluto in Capricorn (3:04 a.m.), setting the stage for power plays. Aries likes to adopt a “my way or the highway” attitude, while Capricorn doesn’t exactly favor compromising either. Who will yield? Apart from relationship dynamics, this aspect at a higher-vibrational level calls one to step into the baptismal fires of self-transformation for the better. Initiation rituals will have far-reaching impact.
Sunday, April 14: Finally, some outright good mojo! The Aries Sun forms an exact trine to warm and expansive Jupiter in Sagittarius (8:04 a.m.). Zap yourself out of Piscean sluggishness! This aspect brings hope and a natural endorphin rush from acting spontaneously. Lottery tickets? Who knows what luck Jupiter might bring your way, especially if you’re a Sun Sign or Ascendant Aries or Sag!
At 6:48 CDT that evening, Venus in Pisces sextiles powerful Pluto in Capricorn. This aspect is great for channeling powerful artistic energy or engaging in ritual with a focus on self-transformation. Relationship partners will find they have an easier time communicating about their wants and needs.
Venus gets another big boost the following day with a square to Jupiter in Sagittarius on Monday the 15th, exact at 6:15 p.m. The concern here is overdoing something/living to excess, whether that’s eating too much, engaging in Piscean escapism, or destroying your monthly budget by overindulging in retail therapy. Mind your waistlines and your wallets!
Wednesday, April 17: Mercury finally exits Pisces and makes His ingress into Aries! Huzzah! We can begin to see things with clarity, all the more so because Mercury will be leaving His Retrograde Shadow period as well, which means He’ll be flying forward in no time!
(Good) Friday/Passover, April 19: We have the wonky short-term Libra Full Moon that I wrote at length about earlier. Stay grounded.
Saturday, April 20: Hail and Welcome, Sun in the Fixed Earth Sign of Taurus! For the next four weeks, our vital principle (the Sun) will be shining a spotlight on the Taurean themes of earthy sensuality, financial conservation/focus on material possessions, good food and drink (Taurus is ruled by Venus after all, so pay up for the luxury restaurants), enjoying time spent outdoors, and making our decisions slowly but surely. Whereas Aries energy can get projects kicked off, Taurus actually sees those projects through to completion with stamina and determination. Good qualities of the Cosmic Bull for us all to emulate.
But we’re not done with Aries energy by any means, as Mercury in Aries gets joined by lovely Venus, Who enters the Cardinal Fire of Aries on the 20th at 11:11 a.m. CDT. Venus in Aries is very playful and spontaneous, up for adventure and casual sex. And She loves the chase!
Monday, April 22: This can be either a very challenging day or a very lighthearted and liberating one as the Taurus Sun forms an exact conjunction to Uranus at 2° Taurus. For folks with their Sun or Ascendant Signs in any of the Earth Signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) or Pisces Sun or Ascendant folks, the energy will come across benevolently: illuminating and stabilizing. Insights from the blue or even financial windfalls can take center stage. For folks whose Sun or Rising Signs don’t “play well” with Taurus (looking at Leo and Scorpio in particular), this can be a very discordant day, from receiving bad news out of the blue to being an accident-prone person. Go about your day slowly (a Taurean trait) and be mindful.
We have outer planet Retrogrades to mention, with Pluto stationing Retrograde at 23° of Capricorn on the 24th and Saturn following suit at 20° of Capricorn on the 29th. The movements will barely be perceptible to us, whether Direct to Retrograde or Retrograde to Direct, as the degrees of these two planets won’t change at all for months. What’s more important for us to note is that Saturn and Pluto will be so close in Their orbits, less than 3° apart, energetically preparing us for Their penultimate, world-/Reality-changing Super Conjunction on January 11, 2020 (which will have Jupiter in the mix as well). We’re seeing the foreshadowing of the events on the world stage (e.g., the Muller hearings here in the US, the Brexit debacle in the UK, the US-led right-wing attempted coup d’etat in Venezuela) that will have the dance of Destruction-Creation/Death-Rebirth play out for us as the collective structures of our lives fall apart. Capricorn energy is deliberate energy, so we’ll see how the Wyrd of the world plays itself out between now and next January and beyond. That’s the thing with outer planet dynamics: these are fated aspects that transcend our individual birth charts, and it’s a matter of recognizing that our human dramas are just minuscule parts to play for a very short run on a much wider, grander Stage. I’ll have more to say about the far-reaching implications of the 5-planet conjunction in Capricorn for 1/11/2020 as the year progresses.
The month ends with a square between Mars in Gemini and Neptune in Pisces, which is exact on Saturday, April 27, at 8:04 a.m. Be mindful of how you expend your mental energy; limit your distractions and discern what’s valuable information versus noise. A square between Uranus in Taurus and Neptune in Pisces will be building, too, ready for detonation on May 1. This could have a measurable impact in terms of the planet’s shifting tectonic plates, so earthquakes and tsunamis could very well be making the world news headlines at this time. For those who celebrate Walpurgisnacht/Beltane Eve on April 30, be safe in your Hedge-Crossings at this time! It’s going to be a wild night!
Afterword
As always, if you’d like me to take a detailed look at your natal chart or cast your personal planetary transit/aspect report for the next 3, 6, or 12 months, email me at jackalmoondesigns@gmail.com. I have various astrology services at different price points, and can include in-person (if you’re in the Chicago area) or online (Skype or Zoom sessions) analysis of your data. I’ve been reading professionally for individuals, couples, and businesses since 2004. Thank you and have a great April!
amor et mortem 