Astro-Insights

What a different world we find ourselves in at the beginning of this month! The concentration of planets that congregated in Capricorn in March, sextiling Neptune, and the New Moon focus on Chiron seem to sum up our global situation quite well.

Authority has suddenly become very tangible, even if it is for our own good! The eery ease with which quite draconian measures have been implemented and are being enforced with severe pressure in some parts is quite scary. What is even scarier is that some governments may not be so happy to relinquish that level of control once this crisis has passed. But will they be able to hold on to it? Or are we seeing the seeds of further political upheaval that will be unfolding down the road? The fact that this intense activity is taking place in Capricorn suggests that our social structures will be transformed. The stars don’t tell us what shape that will take – we are all actors and agents of change in this scenario.

The suffering we are currently seeing around the world cannot be stopped. It can only be limited. Collective action, mutual support, and solidarity is what is needed to weather the storm if what we are aiming for are minimal costs or losses.

So this is where we find ourselves now, at the beginning of April. This month will be dominated by the Jupiter/Pluto conjunction. The actual conjunction takes place on April 4, but its effect has been felt since the end of March and that will continue at least to the end of April. The dark view of this would be an expansion of totalitarian power and death.

The more upbeat interpretation is: challenges are transformational opportunities if we rise to them. But, they are not a given. However dire the situation is now, we can but try to use this pause to re-envision our future. If nothing else, this crisis has stopped us in our tracks and forced us to become aware of the dangers and shortfalls of our heretofore comfortable and seemingly secure lifestyles. We are forced to reconsider what is really essential and important when we come face to face with existential questions.

  Venus changes signs on April 3, moving into the sociable sign of the twins. Although most of us find ourselves in social isolation as far as physical contact is concerned, communication and the need to stay connected with our loved ones is stronger than it has ever been in. The internet, as well as phone calls, are turning into life-lines of support, especially for the elderly.

But Venus in Gemini can also be a bit of a chatterbox and a spreader of gossip and fake news. This is emphasized by Mercury conjuncting Neptune on the very next day, April 4, while Venus is also forming a trine with Saturn – all on the eve of the Jupiter/Pluto conjunction on April 5.

Tension is also building up prior to the Full Moon in Libra on April 8 (another super full moon), as Mars first forms a semi-square with Neptune and then a square with Uranus on April 7. Mars and Uranus banging heads may cause a shockwave, which, however, looks to be mitigated by Mercury, who first sextiles Pluto on April 7, and then Jupiter on April 8. The Mars/Uranus square is still operational on the Full Moon, so be careful, especially if you have planets in the early degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn)

Chiron shifts into focus on the Full Moon as it is sextiled first by Mars, then by Venus on April 11, which suggests that some progress is afoot in the realm of medicine – perhaps not a vaccine, but something that may ease the situation.

Also on April 11, Mercury changes signs and moves into Aries, which will probably come as a relief. While not its strongest sign, in Aries Mercury shows a fighting spirit – which, however, will be modified by its encounter with Chiron on April 15, just after the Sun squares off with Pluto and Jupiter on April 14 and 15, respectively. These are no trifling aspects.

Venus is also getting into the mix by casting a sesquiquadrate to Pluto on April 15 and Jupiter on April 17. At the time of writing, this is the approximate timeframe that authorities have projected for the current lockdown. Whether it will be lifted or eased as these planetary energies convene, remains to be seen. Chances are, it will not be a straight forward decision that will just magically flip the switch and we can all continue living as before.

These planetary motions are part of the build up to the New Moon in Taurus, on April 23. The New Moon is close to Uranus and forms a square with Saturn – not a flavour to be savoured. In these early degrees that Saturn has been hovering in, he also forms a quincunx to the north node, which in my observation, does not bode well. There maybe a growing sense of social unrest due to the financial upheaval that has been triggered by the Coronacrisis.

On April 25/26 Mercury squares Pluto and Jupiter which seems quite argumentative, especially since Mercury is still in Aries. Pluto starts his annual retrograde period on April 26, the same day as the Sun conjuncts Uranus, and Venus forms a sesqui-quadrate to Saturn. This augurs a time of re-alignment and purging. The turbulent times of the last two months, with all their chaos and confusion, have reached a point of culmination. 

Nobody can stop a virus, but there are structural and systemic issues that can and should be addressed during the summer retrogradation of Pluto and other outer planets.  Root causes, such as social inequality and underfunded health care systems can and should be fixed so that we will not have to repeat similar scenarios in the future. This is how the harsh lessons of Pluto may yet bring about a radical and positive change that we could not have imagined before. That is one possible outcome…there are others, that I don’t want to envision.

On April 27, Mercury enters Taurus, a much more practical sign. We may see some sense yet.