The energy of April 2023
April begins with a Venus – Uranus conjunction, energising our social lives, bringing the unexpected, or the desire for freedom, so relationships may not be entirely stable just now. Uranus can bring the exciting or the downright explosive, so best to wait until next week, then check the validity of feelings, especially about relationships.
We are still in the early stages of Saturn – the planet of structure – moving into ethereal Pisces, and it may still feel a bit uncomfortable. Saturn is our big teacher, and Pisces … well the glyph gives us a big clue: two fish swimming in opposite directions, one towards the mundane aspects of life and the other towards Spirit. We can expect more focus on both these sides for the next few years as Saturn attempts to bring structure to flowing water.
The Sun and Mercury both move from action-oriented Aries into the slower, steadier pace of Taurus. We may feel drawn to go into nature, or this energy may bring our stubborn streak to the fore, digging in our heels – particularly if someone is exerting pressure on us.
The Moon is Full on the 6th, at 16° Libra. Full Moons amplify emotions, and Libra energy speaks of feelings of insecurity and indecision, so it may be harder than usual to make sense of our emotions, or to have self-belief. The main message of Libra, though, is balance, so take the invitation to ask what is needed to lighten our emotional load, to recognise which old hurts or stories keep coming up, and what will help us to find balance.
Whilst speaking of the Moon, the main focus of the month takes place around the New Moon on 20th in Aries – which is an intense place for the Moon at any time, but this one is a real doozy. The Moon obscures the much larger Sun at a solar eclipse, so our logic can be obscured by our emotions, or our emotions can be so highly charged that logic is just not available to us. Aries energy is immediate and brings fiery feelings, intense emotions, volatile responses, and a tendency to over-react in relationship issues. The New Moon speaks of endings and beginnings, so definitely not a time for hasty actions, so be sure to look before you leap. Aries will provide the drive to get started on new ventures, but make sure the destination is truly in accord with future plans, and won’t be regretted after the intensity of this moment has passed, especially as the New Moon takes place at 29° Aries, a degree that always brings a sense of urgency into the mix. All in all, beware of rash actions or reactions, and don’t be surprised if sleep is elusive – we are being called to action.
There are several other layers of intensity to this New Moon, one of this is because all this is happening in square to Pluto, so the energy may incite power struggles, or may feel like picking at the scab of an old wound that has not healed. There is a need to work through internal dialogue before finding peace – often a much deeper understanding will emerge as a result. If certain results have been expected and instead another scenario unfolds, it can feel like the last straw at this time.
Yet another layer of intensity arises from this New Moon being a solar eclipse. Times around eclipses are unstable. On one hand this stops us from getting too complacent, but they often present us with a challenge, and bring the kind of change that seems inevitable only with the benefit of hindsight.
Mercury stations retrograde at this exact time too, whilst conjunct Uranus. Stations always bring a heavier emphasis, in this instance adding erratic emotions and an urgent need to communicate our feelings. The few days around the New Moon feel as though they have been underlined four or five times with a red marker. They may stay in our memories.
Mercury in Taurus enters the shadow phase of retrogradation on 7th, but the retrograde motion begins in earnest on 21st during the New Moon. Mercury turns our minds more inward when retrograde, he wants us to converse with the inner self rather than with others. He asks us to reflect, pause, contemplate, and his advice is to embrace this slower pace in order to avoid delays, screwed-up schedules and general frustration. Slow down, tune into slower rhythms, there is a lot going on. The retrograde period continues until 15th May, but the shadow phase will continue throughout the whole of May – best to leave any major decisions or purchases until June, as there may be more factors that aren’t yet available.
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