April 2016 Astrology Forecast

Mercury Stations Retrograde

“Thinking is the talking of the soul with itself… All thoughts begin in wonder.” Plato

Mercury stations retrograde Thursday April 28 at 23 degrees of Taurus and the retrograde period will last through May 23. All retrograde periods are a good time to rethink, reflect, re- envision.

Do take extra care with communications and the tools of communication – emails, texts etc. as it is easier for things to go awry in this area of life – creating snafus and misunderstandings as a result. It’s best to clarify in person or on the phone if confusion arises. Avoid assumptions.

This roughly three week period provides good timing to reflect on the Taurean areas of your life: what you think about your resources, what you value in general on a deep level, how you create pleasure in your life and what brings a sense of abundance. We are living in times of great change both personally and globally and a reflective period on these matters helps create a clear and more appropriate path forward.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is, “A white dove flying straight and fearlessly over troubled waters.”

Sabian symbol quote from Lynda Hill’s 360 Degrees of Wisdom.

Full Moon in Scorpio April 2016

“Transformation comes from looking deeply within, to a state that exists before fear and isolation arise, the state in which we are inviolably whole just as we are.” Sharon Salzberg

The Moon waxes full Friday 4/22 EDT in the wee hours at 2 degrees of Scorpio. This Full Moon is on the Scorpio/Taurus axis meaning that it provides a good time to get in touch with your soul’s deeper yearnings and to use your imagination to envision ways to move your life in that direction. Given the underworld nature of Scorpio and Pluto this requires an inner journey into facing fears and limitations that often lie dormant and unexamined and hold a powerful sway as a result. It bodes well to illuminate the darkness and dissolve fears to create a new path forward. There is much help from unseen worlds at this time for this process.

They say people fight their destiny harder than anything else and this Full Moon is at the midpoint of Saturn and the North Node – both karmic indicators. There is a calling to move beyond your comfort zone and grow in a more authentic direction.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”A youth holding a lighted candle in a devotional ritual gains a sense of the great other world.”

The Sun Enters Taurus

The Sun enters the earth sign of Taurus Tuesday 4/19 at 11:30 EDT.

The Chandra symbol for 1 degree of Taurus is “A red garnet ring. The garnets glow.” This is interpreted as “A passion for bearing ripe fruits. Feeling transported by an ongoing realization that you are in your own element, doing what you need to do and subtly fired by an inner purpose that clarifies everything. The glow of your central intent warms you through. One cannot grasp complex matters in this sphere. But you know what you need to know, and you’re on the beam so palpably that nothing much matters except being there. ” Elias Lonsdale

Mars and Pluto

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” Martin Buber

With Mars and Pluto slowing down and preparing to station retrograde it is a time of liminality – a time in between. It is best to let ideas and intuitions emerge. What is calling to you on a soul level? Avoid the tendency to overwork. Provide extra down time in nature to keep frustration at bay and to tune into the life of the natural world.

Notes on the Week Ahead

“Opportunities multiply as they are seized. ” Sun Tzu

The trickster is about! The influence of futuristic Uranus has been very strong and will continue into later this week. Uranus is the planet that upends the status quo- often through surprising events and occurrences. Love at first sight is a good example of this influence when aligned with Venus the planet of love. The planets of the Lovers – Venus and Mar- are aligned favorably this week making it a good time for attraction and romance.

There is a strong Aries influence now – meaning it is a good time to start things. If there are changes you have been wanting to make in any part of your life, be inventive and innovative in your thinking about how to approach them.

With the planet of desire slowing down to a station soon it is also good to start the process of getting in touch with what you desire for your life on a very deep level . There is time to consider this as the Mars retrograde period runs from April 17 through the end of June.

One of the Sabian symbols for this week is,”The gate opens to the garden of all fulfilled desires.”