Forecast: April 19-30
This week starts with Mercury’s ingress into Taurus, adding some calculation to how we enjoy or relate to ourselves and each other. The sun joins Mercury, Venus, and Uranus in Taurus on April 20th, symbolizing the approximate middle of Spring or Autumn (depending on where you are). This combination of planets turns up our creativity and resource management skills for the next two weeks.
The Taurean magic of Consistency is behind the plodding but steady growth familiar to Taurus Season. This is a time of more predictable weather and events, much like our dependable Taurean friends. This same Consistency helps us create things we value and embody Venus in our lives. The earth element makes for the most stable sign in the Zodiac; we tolerate their occasional stubbornness for the staying power accompanying such steadfast creatures.
Venus, ruler of the Bull’s sign, the brightest visible planet, reflects what makes life satisfying and enjoyable: art, the senses, creativity, our values and desires, play, relationships, connection and cooperation. Taurus is a place of growth, fertility, sensuality, and eroticism; where Venus can attract what she wants through magnetic charm alone. We leave our sense of urgency at Taurus’ threshold.
On April 22nd Venus, in her power, will be on a path to join Uranus and square Saturn. Mercury will make it there two days later. This combination can spark unexpected or lively exchanges with others, creative endeavors, or ideas. Venus, a planet of connection, joining aloof, freedom-loving Uranus may leave us needing to compromise through surprise disagreements. The influence stretches through the weekend, all the while making inspiration easy to find. Saturn imparts realism, galvanizing imaginative ideas into something tangible or at least workable. Individually, Saturn influences pacing, slowing us if our enthusiasm is running high, on a new friendship or project for example. Collectively, this may reflect attempts by societal systems to restrain revolutionary influences.
Mars enters Cancer on Friday, April 23rd. He gets his own essay where I give more practical ways to manage under this sky, but it’s worth saying now that aligning with this sky means intentionally slowing down. This is your alert to not overfill your schedules during the last part of April. Mars in Cancer is about taking the less aggressive path, sometimes against our wishes. However if we can lean into this energy instead of fighting it, we choose to be more efficient with our energy. This can be the wise application of force. The challenge for Mars in Cancer is having the tolerance and patience to let things happen in a less martial way on a less martial timeline. Gather the stress balls.
April ends with an electric Sun-Uranus conjunction, co-present Mercury and Venus. This is a jolt to the independent spirit in us all. Be on the watch for sudden clarifying moments or realizations, just make sure you sleep on it before acting: Mercury is being influenced by a sextile from Neptune, adding an imaginative flair, but subtracting some discernment. If you have any good ‘ah-ha!’ moments come through around the last couple days of the month, record them!
With that, May we all find a pleasant rhythm in our days as we enjoy the increasing light in the Northern Hemisphere!