Monthly Astro Forecast: New Moon in Taurus
Here we are at dark moon time again. I've been so busy with work, mostly astrology writing for external sites, that I didn't even manage to post last month's forecast. And now spring has sprung, the green is strong and alive all around us, and we reach the new moon in earthy Taurus on April 26th. Taurus loves the simple pleasures that are re-awakened at this time of year, as we emerge fully from our long winter sleep. Spending time outside, picnics of fresh seasonal food, the feel of the warming sun on our skin. We find meaning in these things, the reassurance that the earth turns, that nature endures no matter what new madness is going on in the human world.
There are several planets retrograde at the moment, when they appear to move backwards in the sky. Mercury is the one that we all notice, and whilst I'm not convinced by the simplistic explanations of travel difficulties and such like, I've had some trouble submitting writing assignments in the last few days. The two people I know who are house hunting have both had sales fall through. As ever, Mercury retrograde is a time to be especially careful to dot the "i"s and cross the "t"s, and not to rush into anything which involves contracts, or signing on a dotted line. Mercury is usually fast moving, but retrograde slows everything down, prompting us to take our time, to appreciate those simple Taurean pleasures like smelling the flowers. On April 28th, Mercury retrograde passes Uranus in fiery Aries, and we may have some flashes of insight about something we've been working on for a while. On May 3rd, Mercury stations direct in fiery Aries and begins slowly to move forward again. It passes Uranus again on May 10th, prompting revolutionary thinking and an urge to be true to ourselves. Are you speaking your truth? Are you speaking out for what you believe in? The times demand it of all of us. On the 16th, Mercury moves back into slow moving Taurus, and we know what to do, what visions we need to manifest. As well as our minds, we can use the powers of all five of our senses to understand the world, and how we can change it for the better.
The retrograde planets also remind us to the spiral energy of life. Despite our reliance on linear time, we don't actually move constantly forwards. We ebb and flow, revisiting our past and anticipating the future. Spring is a time of reawakening, a reawakening which happens every year. We constantly flow around to the same point on the spiral, hopefully further ahead than the last time. The new moon chart also has a grand trine in the fire signs, if you include the north node of the moon. Not everyone does, but I find that the nodal axis is very powerful, moving us forward on our life path and towards a more fulfilled version of ourselves. The grand trine is actually out of sign, with two fire sign points - Saturn retrograde in Sagittarius and Uranus (more awakening!) in Aries - and the north node right on the cusp of Virgo. This grand trine brings visions and a quest for adventure, and also the ability to manifest them, with the push of Virgo earth energy and sensible Saturn retrograde slowing us down. We are full of passion and excitement at this time of year, but we can't do everything at once.
Venus has finished her retrograde period, and hopefully we have checked in with what we really value in life, and what brings us pleasure. We are likely to be seeing our relationships more clearly again, and may even have found some healing in the deep introspection brought by Venus retrograde. On April 28th, Venus moves back into Aries, and instead of dissolving into Piscean universal love, we focus on our individual selves again. What are we attracted to? What do we desire? After all, Beltane is just around the corner. What do we seek union with in this fertile spring time? If Venus retrograde showed us where our relationships need some work, now is the time to put that into action.
Also on 28th April (an especially busy day in the heavens!), the nodal axis changes signs, with the north node shifting into Leo and the south node into Aquarius. This axis always moves retrograde, backwards around the zodiac, and shows us how we can integrate our inner (moon) and outer (sun) selves. Its the dynamic between staying in our comfort zone (moon, south node) and reaching out to something more challenging and fulfilling (sun, north node). I'm keeping an eye on this one, as with my Moon in Leo and Sun, Jupiter and Ascendant in Aquarius its going to be pinging my chart an awful lot between now and November 2018, when it moves signs again. Watch this space! Leo and Aquarius express the dynamic between the self and the collective. Its easy to hide in a group (Aquarius), but we can grow by letting our individual talents shine (Leo).
April 30th brings a square between stern Saturn and Chiron the healer, and we are forced to consider who we manifest change in a world that is hurting? Are we looking for a saviour instead of taking responsibility for our own healing? A harmonious trine between Saturn and Uranus on 19th May helps us to find a way forward, bringing the old and established to inform the new and revolutionary. Finally on May 20th, the Sun moves into Gemini. Our minds are energised and we seek the stimulation of the new. Here's hoping Gemini season, starting with the new moon in Gemini on May 25th, brings some positive change!
There are several planets retrograde at the moment, when they appear to move backwards in the sky. Mercury is the one that we all notice, and whilst I'm not convinced by the simplistic explanations of travel difficulties and such like, I've had some trouble submitting writing assignments in the last few days. The two people I know who are house hunting have both had sales fall through. As ever, Mercury retrograde is a time to be especially careful to dot the "i"s and cross the "t"s, and not to rush into anything which involves contracts, or signing on a dotted line. Mercury is usually fast moving, but retrograde slows everything down, prompting us to take our time, to appreciate those simple Taurean pleasures like smelling the flowers. On April 28th, Mercury retrograde passes Uranus in fiery Aries, and we may have some flashes of insight about something we've been working on for a while. On May 3rd, Mercury stations direct in fiery Aries and begins slowly to move forward again. It passes Uranus again on May 10th, prompting revolutionary thinking and an urge to be true to ourselves. Are you speaking your truth? Are you speaking out for what you believe in? The times demand it of all of us. On the 16th, Mercury moves back into slow moving Taurus, and we know what to do, what visions we need to manifest. As well as our minds, we can use the powers of all five of our senses to understand the world, and how we can change it for the better.
The retrograde planets also remind us to the spiral energy of life. Despite our reliance on linear time, we don't actually move constantly forwards. We ebb and flow, revisiting our past and anticipating the future. Spring is a time of reawakening, a reawakening which happens every year. We constantly flow around to the same point on the spiral, hopefully further ahead than the last time. The new moon chart also has a grand trine in the fire signs, if you include the north node of the moon. Not everyone does, but I find that the nodal axis is very powerful, moving us forward on our life path and towards a more fulfilled version of ourselves. The grand trine is actually out of sign, with two fire sign points - Saturn retrograde in Sagittarius and Uranus (more awakening!) in Aries - and the north node right on the cusp of Virgo. This grand trine brings visions and a quest for adventure, and also the ability to manifest them, with the push of Virgo earth energy and sensible Saturn retrograde slowing us down. We are full of passion and excitement at this time of year, but we can't do everything at once.
Venus has finished her retrograde period, and hopefully we have checked in with what we really value in life, and what brings us pleasure. We are likely to be seeing our relationships more clearly again, and may even have found some healing in the deep introspection brought by Venus retrograde. On April 28th, Venus moves back into Aries, and instead of dissolving into Piscean universal love, we focus on our individual selves again. What are we attracted to? What do we desire? After all, Beltane is just around the corner. What do we seek union with in this fertile spring time? If Venus retrograde showed us where our relationships need some work, now is the time to put that into action.
Also on 28th April (an especially busy day in the heavens!), the nodal axis changes signs, with the north node shifting into Leo and the south node into Aquarius. This axis always moves retrograde, backwards around the zodiac, and shows us how we can integrate our inner (moon) and outer (sun) selves. Its the dynamic between staying in our comfort zone (moon, south node) and reaching out to something more challenging and fulfilling (sun, north node). I'm keeping an eye on this one, as with my Moon in Leo and Sun, Jupiter and Ascendant in Aquarius its going to be pinging my chart an awful lot between now and November 2018, when it moves signs again. Watch this space! Leo and Aquarius express the dynamic between the self and the collective. Its easy to hide in a group (Aquarius), but we can grow by letting our individual talents shine (Leo).
April 30th brings a square between stern Saturn and Chiron the healer, and we are forced to consider who we manifest change in a world that is hurting? Are we looking for a saviour instead of taking responsibility for our own healing? A harmonious trine between Saturn and Uranus on 19th May helps us to find a way forward, bringing the old and established to inform the new and revolutionary. Finally on May 20th, the Sun moves into Gemini. Our minds are energised and we seek the stimulation of the new. Here's hoping Gemini season, starting with the new moon in Gemini on May 25th, brings some positive change!