April opens up between two eclipses.  The first, on March 20th, was a total solar eclipse on the New Moon, while the second falls on Saturday, April 4th, Easter and Passover weekend.  It is a total lunar eclipse of the Full Moon.  The period between eclipses is a notorious void, not unlike a black hole where what you initiate during this time frame can fall flat.   Best to wait until after the second eclipse on April 4th to invest in anything you hope to grow and develop.  Better still, if you can push forward with plans on or after Wednesday April 8th, Joyous Jupiter will give you and your plans a gigantic boost as it turns direct motion.
If there is one word to describe the time on and around the April 4th eclipse, it is volcanic.  With Mercury, the Lunar South Node, the Sun, and Uranus all tightly conjoined in fiery Aries and challenging transformer Pluto, expect radical surprise, a change of will and change of heart.  Explosive growth, eureka/ah-ha discovery-revelatory moments are at hand, especially as stationary Jupiter makes a highly beneficial angle to the Sun-Uranus-Moon trio.   This April is one of those overnight sensation or life-turning-on-a-dime periods, when the completely impossible becomes very, very possible, and very, very real.   Really.  Truly.  Miraculous.  Thus it is imperative to align your thoughts positively, and keep negative thoughts, words and behavior at arms-length.  Believe and trust that all will be well.
Because with Messenger Mercury in this super-charged mix, if you think it, so it will be.  That’s how powerful this time is.  In other scenarios, those who have put up and shut up about their living or work situations for far too long will now find the courage, strength and voice to speak up.  Where in your life have you held back, been too restrained (kind/cautious), not said your piece, spoken/lived your truth, stood up for yourself or another, more vulnerable self?  In a relationship, job, dream you haven’t pursued out of fear, money or inconvenience…?
The good news is there are grounding elements that help us maintain a foothold while we think our world is spinning out of control.  This helps root and brace our bodies, minds and souls during the havoc and tumult pre and post eclipse.   In earthy Taurus, Venus’ wonderful angle to Pluto in pragmatic Capricorn firmly plants us in the work at hand, what must be done, and how to go about it with a practical, step-by-step guide.  Also in Taurus, Mars aligns helpfully with Neptune and the healing asteroid Hygeia, the latter two in water signs assist with cleansing, compassion, and clarification.  With Neptune’s continued challenging angle to taskmaster Saturn in Sagittarius, the truth comes to the surface.  Beautifully dovetailing these truths, Messenger Mercury pairs with the Lunar South Node to deliver messages all around.  Stop and listen to the words of others.  Really hear children….”out of the mouths of babes…”, or those passing through your life for just a moment, the words and lyrics of songs on the radio, listen to the vulnerable.   Take messages to the heart, then act.

With the eclipse challenging Transformer Pluto, facades, fakes and phonies are exposed to stand naked under the radical light of this planetary combo.  Terrorists and the unstable will feel fully justified for any extreme measures they exact.  With Messenger Mercury in impulsive Aries conjoined to the eclipse energy, it is essential to slow down, use the grounding earth energy that Venus, Mars and Pluto now offer to think before you speak and definitely before acting.   During this critical, pivotal time, ASK:  am I helping or hurting, adding to the problem or solving it, am I part of the cure or part of the disease?  Are your choices productive or destructive, to you or anyone else?

As with any cosmic energy, it can be used or directed positively or negatively.  There is tremendous positive energy available with this eclipse so be sure your intentions are aligned with the highest and purest purpose.  Create well.  Turn toward good, wholesome, positive.  When Jupiter turns direct motion on Wednesday, April 8th, launch projects full steam ahead.  The same day, the Moon conjoins hardworking Saturn in Sagittarius igniting our beliefs and faith in our potential, what we hope to accomplish either personally or professionally.  This combination really says the sky is the limit.  How high can you aim your arrow?

Toward mid-month, Venus enters talkative Geminii on April 11th unleashing your curiosity, interest in broader topics, your community, siblings and world at large.  Opposite Saturn, Venus probes the truth of relationships and the circumstances you find yourself in, including money matters and/or how you earn your living and those with whom you work.  Do you like how your job?  Is there some more engaging, stimulating way to spend your time (Saturn), your waking hours?  The Venus-Saturn opposition prods us to ask if we are being honest in all of our relationships including with ourselves?

Three days later, Messenger Mercury joins Mars in earthy Taurus on April 14th, lending a pragmatic beauty and practical realism to our thoughts and ideas.  Mars is moving into a highly beneficial position with transformer Pluto, incredibly helpful for preparing, planning and planting projects:  anything we want to build, create or grow, including healthy relationships.  The challenge herein lies with Mars difficult angle to Jupiter.  In festive, fiery Leo, Joyous Jupiter beckons us to party hearty, create like there is no tomorrow, while the Mars-Pluto alliance says go deep or go home.   This planetary mash up suggests using your time and energy for the highest and best good.  In other words, assign (and use) a designated driver.  Don’t be stubborn and think you can get behind the wheel of a car.  Do not take on more than you can handle now, at home, in the community or on the job.  Ask for help if you need it.  On a higher plane, this planetary trio is wildly creative and productive, giving us ample stamina and drive to drill down to the very essence of a problem/theory/creative endeavor to be solved or produced.  It is the kind of energy that leaves absolutely no stone unturned and penultimate, awe-inspiring beauty in its wake.  Think:  musical/artistic/scientific genius.  Pure brilliance.  Shine bright like a diamond…
Be sure to leave behind you a trail of beauty and solutions or cures rather than a mess to be cleaned up by someone else.  Let Mercury in Taurus be your guide.

On Friday, April 17th, Pluto turns retrograde motion.  In its continued, albeit softer challenge to Radical Uranus, unfinished business still works itself out in the arenas where these two impact your chart.  With Pluto in Capricorn, big business, government, the established and traditional structures of our lives continue to be transformed.  Or unraveled.   This is not easy. So it is very helpful to remember that “life happens for you and not to you.”  You do have choices so take your pick: because how you approach life tremendously affects the outcome.  A positive or negative attitude, one of optimism or pessimism, faith or doubt.  Pluto now turns inward, grinding away at areas we need to unearth, bring to the light, and acknowledge.  Meanwhile, Uranus works from above ground, inciting change through lightning strikes and earthquakes (literally) or via life situations that zap and rattle us to the core.  Ch-ch-ch-change.

Assess your situation.  Because the very next day, on the New Moon in Aries, we are invited to break free, blaze a trail, launch fearlessly ahead.  GO FOR IT!  With Motivating Mars and Messenger Mercury conjoined in Taurus now, it is an excellent time to sow thoughts, ideas, projects, endeavors, partnerships, deals.  What do you want to grow?   This season?  Today, next month, this year?  As Mars-Mercury challenge Joyous Jupiter, do not take NO for an answer.  This trio calls for grit and perseverence.  Dig deep, plow ahead, stand your ground.  Be brave and bold.

Bolstering our thoughts (Mercury) and action (Mars) is the Sun as it enters practical, sensual,down to earth Taurus.  Let us now pause and praise The Earth.  Mother Earth, Mother Nature.  From her, all blessings flow.  Wednesday, April 22nd is Earth Day.  Stop and ask:  how can you give back to Gaia, Mother Earth?  Replenish, restore, renew her?  Thank her for all she gives to you.   At the same time, the Moon and Venus in airy Geminii makes a flowing angle to the Lunar North Node in Libra.  Ideas, intelligence, wonder abound, allowing for maximum flexibility in relationships, whether personally, professionally, to Nature, to yourSELF.   Language and words are particularly strong this day due to the Mars-Mercury pair hitting a critical, super visible degree of Taurus.  The power of of words, what you read, hear and speak around April 21-23 cannot be underestimated.  When speaking, choose your words with utmost care as they will have a deeply lasting affect and impact now. 

Heading into the final days of April, the Sun (our will) aligns with Neptune to cleanse and clean how we aim our will.  It is an amazing time for anything involving music, spirituality, poetry and lyrics, meditation, higher consciousness activities, connecting with each other, to the Universal One Mind, and especially with Nature.  After the chaos and upheaval of March and the eclipse cycle, these are the loveliest of days.