All Times Pacific: Astrology Report April 2-April 9
Friends, we have before us a relatively quiet week of astrological events. Sunday April 2 only lunar aspects are exact. Our first week of Pluto in Aquarius has brought the first indictment of an American president, Finland’s acceptance into NATO, tech titans made a declaration that AI research should be paused while a regulatory framework is created, and no time was wasted declaring the pandemic is over. Frank Rubio will set a record as America’s astronaut with the longest mission.
How about all those Aquarian themes? Holding the elite accountable, space exploration, a group effort to refine artificial intelligence, and an immediate declaration of the end of Pluto in Capricorn’s most oppressive event in the name of reestablishing freedom through faith in science. Each of these themes will dominate the next twenty years but not before Pluto in Capricorn returns June 11. This will be a Pluto in Capricorn summer, fall and winter 2023 and parts of 2024. Expect setbacks and deja vu, but in the meantime lets enjoy Pluto in Aquarius and get a feeling for how different the world will be. As Tolstoy wrote: “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” Or as Rumi put it: “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”
Monday April 3 Mercury enters Taurus at 9:22 AM. Mercury in Aries was a fresh start, eager but flighty, the focus now turns to home, security, luxury, food, the beauties of nature and other sensual pleasures. But with Uranus in Taurus there may be surprises and disruptions in those areas, especially if we’ve grown stagnant. People tend to be a bit more stubborn when Mercury is in Taurus. Patience can help us avoid unnecessary conflicts. Then Mercury square Pluto is exact just before noon. This can indicate a need for repairs or reform. On the negative side arguments and destructive suspicions and obsessions can cause trouble. But this is a good aspect for researching healing, for deep conversations, and shadow work. Meditation and tranquility can help us transcend the pitfalls.
Manly Hall’s secretary Edith once explained to me that a triangle can help us understand how to avoid trouble. At the bottom of the triangle there are two angles opposing each other. When we don’t have any practice to help us get some altitude as we deal with life we get bounced between the angles and things can get rough. But when we rise to the top of the triangle the conflict of opposites doesn’t reach us. We can let others take sides and fight it out with life without participating in the learning experience, because we’ve learned the lesson of the triangle.
Tuesday April 4 only lunar aspects are exact. 2023, with its Pluto in Aquarius spring and the return of Pluto in Capricorn June 11 through the rest of the year may resemble Debussy’s line: “A beautiful sunset that was mistaken for a dawn.”
Wednesday April 5 Mercury sextile Saturn is exact in the late morning, indicating a good time for getting organized. Make that list. Do those edits. Set your boundaries. Discuss something with a mentor or be a mentor. Good for study and practice, especially in practical matters. Sun conjunct Chiron is exact mid afternoon. It can indicate a healing crisis. Don’t ignore troubles that show up. As Eliphas Levi pointed out when we notice the subtle first sign of a problem often we can more easily fix it. If we ignore it the challenge can become more severe. Address these issues and bring well being to a higher level. The full moon in mid Libra arrives at 9:34 PM: romantic, cooperative, artistic pursuits are favored.
Thursday April 6 only lunar aspects are exact. One characteristic of Pluto in Capricorn is bitter judgements of others and factionalism. Pluto in Aquarius is more neutral and supports diversity. If we’ve fallen into that bad habit of Saturn this quote by Baudrillard will seem familiar: “A negative judgment gives you more satisfaction than praise, provided it smacks of jealousy.” Use that time instead to do something constructive for yourself and others, and if you don’t feel like that, at least have some healthy fun.
Friday April 7 Venus sextile Neptune is exact in the morning. This dreamy aspect can indicate inspiration and the joys of the imagination. Creativity can be especially graceful and all artists, filmmakers, musicians and writers are advised to make time for creating something beautiful. Romance is favored and with Mercury sextile Mars exact in the late evening pheromones could be flying, but so could paintbrushes, pens, cameras, and keyboards.
Saturday April 8 and Monday April 9 only lunar aspects are exact. Pluto slows down to stationary retrograde on May 1, making things more intense as April progresses. Pluto returns to Capricorn on June 11. We are only in the second week of Pluto in Aquarius so the preview of the next twenty years will continue. Expect some surprises individually and collectively in April and May. Enjoy freedom, but continue to exercise caution where appropriate. Peer pressure is not a dependable source of security. Each of us must explore our comfort levels.
Aquarius can be reckless, especially with Pluto involved, it’s the die for freedom placement, after all (American, French, Irish, Haitian revolutions). But Pluto in Capricorn rules most of 2023 and there is the risk that over-indulgence in Aquarian liberation could cause another chapter in the story. Those with difficult Saturn, Neptune and Pluto transits, natives of early Pisces, Virgo, Aquarius and Leo can benefit from enjoying freedom in a mindful way. As always the statistics prove most people will be fine, but no one wants to wind up on the wrong end of a statistic, another Pluto in Aquarius theme. As witty Borges wrote: “Democracy is an abuse of statistics.”
Baudrillard added: “Like dreams, statistics are a form of wish fulfillment.” In our own lives now is a good time for exploring which freedoms mean most to us. If we can consider 2024 and the following twenty years a time for liberating ourselves and others, let’s find ways to do so that don’t involve riots and wars. Aquarius is about finding common ground. Solving problems with new technology. It’s as if we must calibrate our imaginations for the new conditions. What about a cultural renaissance? We haven’t had one in awhile. Do we see signs of such anywhere? How might we contribute to such an eventuality? Instead of apprehension can we have clear thinking and constructive imagination? As Thomas Jefferson wrote: “Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day.”
What they used to call the universal reformation, what Marie Hall called the awakening of the voice of the people, will not be televised. It will not begin in your Facebook or Twitter feed. It will not be a group you must join or a bloody conflict we must fight. It will be each of us in our own lives, bringing more light to ourselves and to those around us. This spring we have a chance to clear some of the cobwebs of Pluto in Capricorn, the very symbol of pessimism. Imagine a better future beginning right where we are now. We can start with small changes, supporting what we believe in. Raise your own awareness. As Rumi wrote: “The Soul calls from within me: ‘You, ignorant of the way of Love, set Me free.’”
