April 2010

PLANET REPORT: With Mercury gearing up to turn retrograde on the 18th, the beginning of April is a window in time to clear up outstanding matters in practical affairs, which will be prone to delays, frustrations and mix-ups until May 12th. In Taurus and moving alongside Venus, which is also in its own sign until April 25th, material matters that affect our general sense of security are where our energies should be concentrated. People and organisations will be slow to respond to communications so if you require a speedy response, have red tape to cut through or seek a settlement or a claim then it is best to attend to matters well before the 18th. Also be prepared to look again at details. After that time, it is better to wait until Mercury turns direct again on May 12th unless circumstances or opportunity dictate otherwise. The Full Moon in Scorpio on the 29th imposes its emotional weight on intellectual concerns making it difficult to separate thought from the emotional investment in areas where security and stability are important. Frustrations may also arise from Mars’ current extended stay in Leo when the Full Moon simultaneously affects matters where pride and ego have been most evident since mid-December. Mars is a little like the guest who won’t leave at the moment! Feelings can run high by month’s end as a result and though it may be difficult to contain the hidden attitudes that will surface, it would be a good idea to work through issues in advance knowing that the slightest spark could set off a firestorm if things have been left hanging. Whatever does happen now will be a final clearing of the air before major planetary changes occur from June. Saturn returns to Virgo on the 8th where it will remain until July 22nd. This means that between April and May we may see a re-run of issues that have affected the world markets and our general equilibrium when Saturn opposes Uranus in the second to last of five hits that have occurred over October 2008, February and September 2009. The last will occur after Uranus moves into Aries in July 2010 when a whole new cosmic era will have begun and life moves along very quickly. This makes the next four months a time of on-going uncertainty and highlights the need to take a continuing wait and see approach but there could also be golden opportunities that will disappear once the planetary energy starts moving again. Saturn will try to impose rules and regulations that no longer hold substance while Uranus nearly always means that we won’t know which way the cards will fall when life eventually settles into a somewhat predictable pattern. Surprising twists and turns make planning hard but we should avoid paralysis by analysis.

ARIES: On the threshold of a new 12-month cycle when Jupiter enters your sign on June 6th, April is the month to sort out the books and balance the ledger. With Mercury orbiting in an apparent backward direction from the 18th in your financial sector, it would be nice to start your personal year with a clean slate. You may find that something like searching for a receipt or invoice spurs on a massive filing fit or perhaps circumstances require that you make payment arrangements for outstanding bills. Whichever way, it’s a time of settling and sorting finances, possessions and material matters. At work or in investments, the issue of earnings is also important and only you can know whether to pursue this particular avenue. If you do decide ask for raise but things look uncertain, then it could pay to wait until after May 12th when the energy is less stressed. Weigh up the pros and cons in a very detailed manner to arrive at an answer. By the 29th, you may find that matters happen in a natural sequence of events. Your annual New Moon occurs on the 15th – there are clues everywhere that point to the changes that will take place in the second half of 2010.

TAURUS: There is a lot of cosmic action taking place in your sign as you approach your birthday month. Venus, your ruler, is on your side until the 25th and this puts you in the driver’s seat as delays and mix-ups occur, or details and information start to unravel when Mercury does an about turn on the 18th in your sign. Entering into a period of personal review, you have plenty of support around you and you may find that a supportive admirer is the cornerstone of your world as he or she acts as a guide or is there for you when you need them. By month’s end, be particularly careful of hidden landmines as the Full Moon approaches on the 29th. The stakes might be quite high then and there’s a possibility that the emotional content of your hard drive causes the intellectual content to crash. Becoming deadlocked with someone or something is the worst case scenario; however, if you are aware that things could build to a possible breaking point then deal with as much as you can before feelings take over. Better to arrive at a compromise than not arrive at all.

GEMINI: Your ruler Mercury turns to retro motion on the 18th. This always creates instability and insecurity as suddenly the solid stuff that makes up your life turns to jelly. These periods are useful as a means to review your affairs and rethink areas that may not be as promising as they once appeared. Make adjustments as information comes to hand. You may also find that during this particular period you disappear behind the scenes either through choice to think about things or through circumstances dictating that you attend to people or matters that occur on a private level. You may have increased dealings with large institutions. Saturn moves back into Virgo on the 8th so those of you born in the last few days of this sign will once again feel the squeeze of matters that are on the cusp of being resolved, however, this is the last lap of a two-year stint and by July you will be home and hosed.

CANCER: In June, Jupiter, the planet of expansion reaches the pinnacle of your solar chart and heralds a new 12-year cycle in your area of career, life direction, parental concerns and your public image and reputation. By reflex, your home and family life will also form part of this picture. With a New Moon in Aries occurring in your area of life direction on the 15th, if you are observant you will see early clues of how this energy might manifest in the latter part of the year. It could be time to start tentatively thinking about new career initiatives, perhaps by updating your CV or looking into courses that can lead to amazing lifestyle or career changes in the second half of 2010 and into 2011. Mercury will be retrograde in your sphere of friends, associates and general hopes and wishes from April 18th until May 12th and with the Full Moon of the 29th challenging all your ideas about friends and friendships you may need to wait until May before you can focus clearly on the big picture. Distractions could keep you busy in the meantime. Keep faith in those, this month is a temporary glitch that gives you a window in time to review everything from top to bottom.

LEO: Yes, Mars is still in your sign but at least everything is now on the straight and narrow and your identity has at last started to gel with your immediate environment or circumstances. After the Full Moon of the 29th, the battles you are fighting will begin to lose their fire and you will burn less of your energy in non-essentials than you have been. We are in the last throes of an old cycle that is giving way to an amazing new cycle in June and beyond. And even though Mercury retrograde will throw a spanner in the works until May 12th by bringing delays or setbacks, when it comes to career, lifestyle or parental issues, you need to adopt a forward-looking approach and know that the pot holes you encounter will soon be in your rear vision mirror. Look into courses or places that you have either longed for in the past or that can directly enhance your knowledge or experience in your current position as the realms of education, travel, publishing and philosophies will become increasingly important to you.

VIRGO: Saturn re-entered your sign on April 8th resurrecting issues with health, your emotional and physical well-being, as well as the way you support or get support from your immediate environment. You will be used to these issues by now and it’s simply a matter of clearing up the residue of what has been taking place. The biggest question is what have you learned about yourself and others? Virgins born in the last days of Virgo will be most influenced by this placement but rest assured that by July this particular episode will be over once and for all – it has been a hard two-year stint! Your ruler Mercury also turns retrograde on the 18th in your area of travel, education, publishing and philosophical beliefs. It could be that you will look into ways of solidifying your life knowledge so that you can package your talents into one parcel. You might also consider looking outside your normal territory both physically and intellectually. The coming months will place a heavy emphasis on your finances so now is the time to think ahead.

LIBRA: Saturn swings out of your sign temporarily moving into the area of your chart that takes you to a place where secrets or burdens weigh heavy. You have nearly got to grips with what these private issues mean and where they will lead and by July 22nd you will be free – at last - from their weight. In the coming months, the important relationships in your life will become increasingly important as you free yourself from the shackles of convention. In the meantime, April is the month to take care of finances and business matters, especially those that involve other people or government sectors. Read the fine print, set up a payment system or simply avoid taking on more than you can handle. Change will be swift once it starts to happen from June onward so position yourself and get ready to fasten your seatbelt!

SCORPIO: All signs point to your annual Full Moon on the 29th! With Mercury retrograde in opposite sign Taurus from the 18th and the Full Moon highlighting all communications that are either in progress or about to begin, this is the month to work hard on the small details, pay special attention to the fine print in agreements, and modify how you express your feelings. Negotiations could stall due to an unwillingness to give ground but this can be overcome by finding the middle ground. If you agree to disagree then it might be best to wait until this phase is over (May 12th) before trying again. Look back six months ago for clues on what might transpire now. So much is taking place behind the scenes that will become to the fore in the coming months so keep sight of the big picture. Watch your health and well-being first and foremost.

SAGITTARIUS: May will be a month full of amazing opportunities that lead to bigger and better propositions in the second half of 2010 and into 2011. This means it makes sense to turn April into the month where you clear the decks so that you are in a position to make the most of what turns up later. Health and work are where your energies will get dragged down by delays and setbacks but as long as you are practical yet flexible, you will get through this phase which lasts until May 12th. Your ruler Jupiter will soon be in a much more playful position where you can get out and about, or even start to think about the realm of children and their achievements and activities. Sports and creative pursuits may also be high on your agenda. Look for clues around the New Moon of the 15th, which will gives you an exciting preview of what can develop in your life in the next year or so.

CAPRICORN: Like Cancer, Libra and Aries, the lunar energy this month focuses upon the changes that are about to land on your doorstep – two more months and you will find yourself in a new time and place altogether with the current hassles a thing of the past. On the 8th, your ruler Saturn moves back into your zone of people and places at a distance as well as publishing or philosophical matters that have weighed heavily on your mind and those of you born at the end of your sign will need to sew up the remaining threads of an era that has spanned two years. It’s time to ask how you can put what you have learned during this time to use on a career or public relations level. The New Moon of the 15th throws light on domestic issues that are about to change in a spectacular fashion.

AQUARIUS: May will be a month of astounding financial developments that will lead to a whole new ballgame in the second half of 2010. First we have to navigate Mercury’s retrograde passage from April 18th until May 12th and Saturn’s opposition to Uranus, which occurs on the 27th. Polar opposites, old structures butt up against a changing landscape that will take hold in June and beyond. We will all be amazed at how quickly life can change either through a single event or a series of events that are occurring in the background now. Your home zone will be one place where you will need to focus upon the needs and wants of family, flatmates or a parent. Stick to practical solutions and plans rather than try to bring in new angles. Patience is the name of the game.

PISCES: The life or persona you have carved for yourself over the past year will take a huge leap in May when a twist of fate thrusts you forward into a new era that will take hold in June. In the meantime, late-born Fish have one last chapter of an on-going relationship issue to contend with. By July this episode will be put to rest and you can finally move on. Around the middle of May, you may feel as if your newly formed wings have been clipped so prepare for this pulling in of energy by keeping your expectations low knowing that bigger things are on the horizon later in the year. Financially, things are going to change dramatically and you need to focus on how to make the most of opportunities while reducing risk.