April 2018: Get Grounded to Shine Bright
April opens with a continuation of several strong events that closed out March. Much to everyone’s collective horror, Mercury stationed retrograde in Aries on March 22, and it has been a doozy so far. The need to be independent and develop self-awareness is paramount to Aries, and while the planet that rules communication is in the fire sign of the warrior, we may find ourselves speaking without thinking. That can be good if you’re finally able to be honest about things you’ve been holding back, but consider what you say before you say it. A good guideline to consider is: does it need to be said, does it need to be said by me, and does it need to be said right now? If all three answers are yes, then please speak your truth, but remember that there is a dearth of kindness in public discourse right now. Be the change you want to see in the world by assuming the best of people, and speaking with diplomacy and tact in all settings.
Mercury will station direct on April 15, but the residual effects will linger for at least a week after. Back up your computer, save your work frequently, double check your receipts, and beg for mercy because this retrograde is exposing all those weak spots you didn’t know you had.
The new moon in Aries is also happening on Sunday, April 15. New moons are a time of reflection and renewal, and this moon is full of questions about innovation and employment. What you do for a living may not reflect who you are as a person, but how you carry out that work most certainly is. Are there changes you could make that would help you work smarter not harder? Seek out inspiration and allow yourself to jump down it’s rabbit hole. You may pop up with some fresh ideas.
On Saturday, March 31 (happy Passover!), the Full Moon in Libra coincided with Venus entering into her earthy home sign of Taurus. A planet in it’s home sign is in its full power. They have the maximum ability to carry out their work in the world, and what Venus likes to make is love, beauty, art, and connection. In Taurus, she especially wants to do these things at home, in nature, and with a steadfast resourcefulness. Fortunately, Venus will be in Taurus helping the flowers grow until April 24, when she moves into Gemini. This month is the perfect time to commit to creating rituals around the creative in your daily life.
Society has standards and ideals for all manifestations of Venus, but those are sanitized, flat, in the service to the status quo, and invisiblize the tremendous amount of labor that goes into creation. Birth is a dangerous, courageous, messy process. It requires skilled guides and a community of support to bring new life into being. Venus wants to help you manifest your babies, whether they be human, artistic, business, or terrestrial. What dream was growing in your heart this winter? The remainder of Aries season is the perfect time to shine that forth. Collaborate with your friends and lovers and create something beautiful together or just let people lift you up as you go through the incredibly brave journey of making and becoming on earth.
The Sun enters Taurus on April 19, highlighting these sensual, aesthetic Venus topics on a soul level. Give up ideas of what your art should look like and instead ask what it wants to be. Surrender your fear of not being good enough and focus on what you know you came here to do. Trust yourself and love what you produce, as the Divine already does.
The month closes out with an intense Full moon in Scorpio on April 29,probing issues of the Self and Other. Essentially, how we do relationships. The mirror that’s held up when we are intimate with people can illuminate our Shadow side: the things we'd rather not acknowledge about ourselves, the qualities we find unacceptable, and the facets of ourselves we prefer to hide. Scorpio likes to get real intense, but also knows what to do with it.
There is a tremendous amount of energy trapped in the parts of ourselves we’re cut off from. When we're able to connect with that pain and change our relationship to old wounds, we liberate that animating force, which can then be redirected towards healing and growing.
Take April as an opportunity to ground into yourself, your body, and your dreams. With two feet firmly planted in the earth, you will be able to harness the incredibly fertile energy of Gaia to accomplish your goals and shine forth from the heart.
Blessed Be.