Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of April 23rd - the countdown to the DIE or BE REBORN Full Moon in Scorpio, facing what wounds us, a final brick in the wall, the operating room, truth, alternative truth, danger will robinson, explosions, extreme focus, stamina, ambition, detoxification, FATED change, the curtain rises

.... . . by Frozen-photo

If your schedule didn't meet resistance last week - my entire plans for everything changed -  it probably will this week.

Especially tricky are any areas of life we are trying to power through our own agenda. Stay flexible. Pluto rules the week - if we aren't using our power wisely now, something could blow up in our face or we could find ourselves a victim of someone else's power plays.

On the other hand if we are smart and lucky we could be using this energy with an almost surgical precision.

These are the kind of skies under which someone's great-grandmother coined the phrase, "if you want to make God laugh tell him your plans".

Changes are fated now.

Pluto stationed retrograde on Sunday joined Saturn (in Capricorn) and Jupiter (in Scorpio) - so now we have three powerful planets looking backward. Pluto will return to the degree he sat on December 28th, 2017 - so anything we have done this entire year can be CHANGED over the next five months.

The big aspects in the week ahead:

MONDAY - Mars Sextile Jupiter
TUESDAY - Venus Enters Gemini, Venus Sextiles Chiron
WEDNESDAY - Mercury Square Saturn (3rd of 3)
THURSDAY - Mars Conjunct Pluto !!!
SUNDAY - Full Moon in Scorpio (9 degrees)

On MONDAY, we start the day with the Moon in Leo. We could be focused on Leo themes - a creative project, children, recreation, romance, following our heart's desire or the themes of our natal Leo houses. She will square Jupiter in the morning - not the best time to make a financial decision, especially if we are feeling overly optimistic. Throughout the day we will be building toward a sextile (opportunity) between Mars and Jupiter - exact at 11:44PM EDT. Our actions now make us lucky. This one could be worth staying up for - especially with the challenges ahead later in the week.

On TUESDAY, the Moon in Leo goes void at 2:39PM EDT off a trine (brakes off) with unpredictable and futuristic Uranus. Good energy for our creative ambitions. Don't start anything new until the Moon moves into Virgo at 4:40PM EDT. The Virgo Moon will shift our focus to Virgo themes - our daily actions/activities, work, co-workers, our pets, our health. Virgo trines Capricorn (the sign Mars, Saturn and Pluto are hanging out), so we know the 2.5 days a month the Moon spends in Virgo can be time well-spent. Good energy for decision making and production.

Venus moves from her home sign of Taurus into fast-moving Gemini at 12:40PM EDT.

With the Moon (Virgo) and Venus (Gemini) freshly minted in signs that square each other - there could be some time in the late afternoon where it might be challenging to express ourselves or where we just get bogged down in too many details. The Moon in Virgo wants to dot the i's and cross the t's and Venus in Gemini is like one of those speed-reading courses (that none of us wanted to take because what is the fun in that, but that we are all living out now). She wants to scan it over and move on to the next thing.

Venus will sextile (opportunity) wounded healer Chiron (now in Aries). This aspect makes me think of an artist who comes to appreciate her true value and starts charging what she is worth - the opportunity that comes through the process of working through the pain of those self-esteem issues. Or an aging woman making peace with her appearance. Or love that is painful and healing ... something like that. The love/money/women/beauty/self esteem/values opportunity comes through contact with our sore spot. There could also be something here about an Aries/Taurus relationship/money issue - impulsive behavior/affairs, impulsive spending, a drive for comfort .... whatever this is Chiron tells us it might hurt, but the sextile tells us there is more opportunity than pain here. The hurt makes us stronger.

VENUS INTO GEMINI 

Note - I am putting the Venus into Gemini into the weekly post here rather than doing a separate post since the weekly gets more readers - keep in mind this is a transit that begins Tuesday and runs through the middle of May. It is a process.

And we still have the Sun in Taurus, keeping our feet on the ground and our noses in the roses.

Gemini Suns and rising signs get more attractive - both easier on the eye and able to attract what they want and need. Whatever house in our natal chart holds Gemini hosts a visit from magnetic Venus now - making it easier for all of us to attract what we need in that area.

We are most attractive (use our Venus) through Gemini (our mind). It's a good time (through May 19th) to be talking and communicating with lots of different people about lots of different things.

Venus in Gemini is about variety. In the mutable air sign (Gemini) the themes Venus rules - love, money, value, self-esteem, women, beauty - get more light-hearted. There are quickly more options available. There is also more duality - this is the space where our heart is saying one thing and our brain is saying something else.

We could suddenly recognize a mismatch between what we have and what we want. Or what we thought we had (during Venus in resource-rich Taurus) could be up for grabs a bit.

With Venus in Gemini life becomes more of a flirtation. Communications are more casual, more lively and humorous. It's a good time to set aside any existing constructs about what we like and what we don't like and stay open to new experiences, new people and new situations. Say YES to the things that sound like FUN now.

This isn't the best energy to make an important decision (regarding our Gemini natal house theme or Venus ruled love, money, self-esteem, values, women or beauty) or commit to something permanently although we do have an improved ability to make SMART CHOICES with this energy.

We don't want to be asking long-term commitments of others either. For example it's not the best time to ask clients to be tied into a long-term membership, but it's an excellent time to think outside the box about who would be up for a short-term trial period.  

People will be more open-minded about less important things. For the next three weeks, it's time to "flirt", it's not the time to "put a ring on it".

This doesn't just apply to romance.

Venus in Gemini attracts through communication. If you have a business this could be the time that increasing your social media presence pays off (like ka-ching, Venus rules money after all).

This is a good time to - talk, read, make the call, write the note, tell the joke.

This is not the best time of year for introverts (sniffle). If that sounds like you - let's remember that comfort zones do not promote growth - all the goodies really are sitting right outside our self-made boxes! We can do this thing (ie small talk, light banter, jokes - yikes!).

Gemini rules the 3rd house of our early education. This isn't about high level conversations - nothing has to be profound; words over two syllables will not be necessary. This is about the kind of communication skills we all learned in grade school. Wide beats deep now.

The witty and street smart girl gets the worm this month.

We will be sizing things up quickly and others will size us up quickly, too. It's probably best to keep communications a little light, but in a way that people are left thinking we are more than a light weight (and I am talking intellect here, not squeezing ourselves into too small yoga pants or skinny jeans - exhale girls).

Women (and money) may come and go now. Gemini is a mutable sign - we'll adapt.

We will be attracted to what makes us curious. Other people will find us, and our offerings, more attractive when we make them curious about us, too. Keep this in mind now.

*****

On WEDNESDAY, we have the final square between Mercury (in Aries) and Saturn (in Capricorn).

We had the first square (tension/challenge) on March 11th, the second when Mercury was retrograde on April 4th and now the final square with Saturn retrograde. Our communication/idea/sibling issue/Aries natal house issue hits the Saturnian wall/rule/limit/authority/responsibility. With Saturn retrograde this is not a new issue. There could be a "no" now. Maybe we are the one making a firm decision. Facts could be delivered that might not be to our liking - keep in mind this is the FINAL square. Mercury is moving past Saturn after this. We may not be walking away with exactly what we wanted, but with Mars (action, initiative, anger, independence) meeting Pluto (transformation, life/death) in this same Capricorn house on Thursday - changes will come through our ability to keep moving forward.

Let's look at how this might play out for a couple different signs.

EXAMPLE FOR ARIES/Aries Rising (Aries first house, Saturn/Mars/Pluto 10th house) - you could be at some kind of finish line or culmination point with whatever authority/rule/limit you have going on with your career, an important goal or the way the world views you. There could be tension around a commitment, official paperwork or an added responsibility. On Thursday and Friday Mars and Pluto are going to be sitting together in your same 10th house (these power players last met up On October 19, 2016 -if that time period rings any bells) - this is action, ambition, power moves, you stepping into the authority to change your life/career/goals in a public way.

EXAMPLE FOR PISCES/Pisces Rising (Aries 2nd house, Saturn/Mars/Pluto 11th house) - you could be at some kind of finish line or culmination point with an issue dealing with your money, your values, your resources or self esteem. You may get a "no" now or have to deal with a rule/authority situation that is stressful/critical. News regarding a financial situation may be challenging. News might be somehow 'public' or involve group/team goals. Keep in mind this is the FINAL Mercury/Saturn square in Capricorn - after this Mercury moves on and you will, too. On Thursday and Friday Mars and Pluto are going to be sitting together in your same 11th house (these power players last met up On October 19, 2016 -if that time period rings any bells) - this is your house of the collective - your friendships, groups, causes, the internet, the public, the goals that bring you into relationship with other people, your advancement, technology. This is about ambition and power moves within the public sphere. Watch your back. Your own actions within those 11th house themes will have the ability to transform something in a powerful, public way.

Mercury squaring Saturn would not make today the best day for commerce or wheeling and dealing. Our thinking will be slowed down - we will be looking for things we have missed (and with three passes we won't have missed much by now). This energy might encourage negative thinking and even depression. Know this is a transit. It is transitory even if the results are final. This, too, shall pass. We have been dealing with this since at least mid-March - we are almost past this wall. Just do what you have to do here - give Saturn his due and move on.

On THURSDAY, the Moon goes void at 5:49AM EDT off a trine to Pluto. The Moon will be void all day until she moves into Virgo at 9:13PM EDT. This is not the day to start anything or launch anything into the world that we need 'something to come of' because the Moon isn't aspecting any other planet. The trine (brakes off) to re-framing Pluto and the fact the Moon is void all day will hopefully help mitigate any potential nastiness from the Mars/Pluto conjunction.

At 6:45AM EDT, Mars (action, initiative, anger, war) meets up with Pluto retrograde (transformation, life/death) at 21 degrees Capricorn. We will feel this explosive energy THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.

This is powerful manifestation energy but can be ruthless and brutal. What's ready to be born, will be born. What's ready to end will be cut down. This is ambitious, powerful and potentially dangerous energy. There could be manipulations, obsessions and power plays. The last time these planets met up was on October 19, 2016, so something happening now could connect to that time frame.

Don't wander down any dark alleys. You know the drill.

Be aware that crowds can turn into mobs with this energy. Eruptions are possible. The machinations of war. Earthquakes.

It is best to do something with this, rather than leaving it for other people to act out around us. This is good energy for any project we need extreme focus, strength and ambition.

My natal Mercury is at 21 degrees Capricorn - it sits in my 3rd house with my Sun and Saturn and rules my 3rd and my 8th - since I tend to feel the energies almost exactly one week to the day before they are exact - it left me feeling very POWERFUL and like a totally different person

(kind of coolly logical and less emotional, maybe like a serial killer or a psychopath, yes, I said, serial killer - although in my case it was more like a cereal killer and luckily for my family we were out of Raisin Bran .. and milk ... and clean spoons .. so things didn't have to get too messy - story to follow - as soon as I get far enough into this freakin' transit and can talk/write about)

- it gave me a laser-focus.

And, now that I know what a laser-focused mind can feel like I feel cheated to have my "versatile" 3rd house Mercury in "always looking backward, talking like my grandmother" Capricorn - dammit.

All I can say is - WATCH YOUR BACK (your camera phone in reverse mode can be pretty effective for this) and be aware of the CONSEQUENCES of your actions.

Plutonian changes are permanent and fated.

Mars is impulsive and Pluto is destructive - this is excellent energy to "cut out" what isn't working - just maybe take a couple extra moments to make sure it actually isn't working. It makes me think of a surgeon removing an infected body part. Excellent energy to de-clutter and de-toxify.

Pluto is retrograde. Re-form, re-pair, re-generate - whatever you do here, do it with complete COMMITMENT.

Once you have thrown it out, it's gone. Don't go digging through the trash later with a flash light and your gardening gloves looking for it. It will smell like tuna and be covered in egg-salad. And you won't even have any tuna or egg-salad in the garbage bag.

The good news here is that Mars, who has been trapped for weeks between Pluto and Saturn will move PAST Pluto now - what's to stand in his/our way after this ... well, not a hell of alot.

On FRIDAY and SATURDAY the Moon will be in Libra so we know the Moon will be squaring those Capricorn planets - Mars, Saturn and Pluto. This is challenging energy. We'll talk about it in the weekend's post.

And as if this week wasn't already big enough we spend the entire week building toward the Scorpio Full Moon (courtesy of Scorpio's rulers a newly retrograde Pluto and a newly unencumbered Mars) where we will toss all the 'dead' stuff we have been carrying around onto the proverbial fire.

By the time we reach this Full Moon, the spaces where we have been CARRYING DEAD WEIGHT (holding onto things that are no longer needed) or JUST COASTING BY (we need your full commitment to life on planet Earth now) will be ready for this DIE or BE REBORN, detoxifying uber powerful Moon squaring the Nodes.

Scorpio doesn't play, people.

I know you are already feeling this.

This "I am still HERE" energy. And we are readier than we think we are for what comes next - our whole life has been in preparation for this even when we don't know what this is.

Hint - the North Node is still in our Leo house - what does our heart want? what stage sits empty because our ass is parked in the audience?

Big Full Moon post to follow.

xo all

Weekend Astrology Forecast for Creatives | April 20th through April 22nd - emotional seesaw, home, family, reinvention, root replanting, adjustments

family tree by Sevim Dalan

We kick off the weekend with a Void Moon on FRIDAY morning, then the Moon moves into sensitive, home and family oriented Cancer at 10:36AM EDT.

Our monthly Cancer Moons are not as peaceful this year due to all the oppositions from those challenging Capricorn planets. If your Cancer situation - home, family, renovation projects, real estate, history, mother issues  - has been stressful, know at least this will be the last Cancer Moon this year with a Mars opposition (that feeling that we have to rush, make hasty decisions) and by next month both Saturn and Pluto will be retrograde which should make the Cancer Moons a bit easier.

We will move through the entire Cancer cycle this weekend, so things could feel up and down, with us more sensitive (self-protective maybe) to the fluctuations than usual.

A sextile to the Sun (in Taurus) before lunch should create a feeling of balance and contentment. People are in a better mood. The Moon is waxing, so this sextile is the leg of our Aries New Moon journey where we expand whatever was kicked off at the New Moon. Strategies can be effectively tweaked now. The Sun in Taurus tells us to take things slow - rushing is for ballplayers and people who don't mind falling on their ass.

Don't over-complicate anything. Taurus says - keep it simple sister. But not so simple we are standing still - the opportunity from a sextile will come from our own actions, so what can we do to make things more Taurus - simple, clean, secure, steady?

At 8:42PM EDT the Moon will square Mercury. Our minds could be restless and active. It might be hard to focus. We could get challenging news, meet traffic challenges or be challenged to fall asleep! Not the best date night. Maybe stay home. Take a bath. Eat a nourishing meal. Good for editing, de-cluttering.

On SATURDAY, the Moon has opposed a newly retrograde Saturn (in Capricorn) overnight - hopefully we slept through that and weren't up late reconsidering our responsibilities or overthinking security issues. This is the day we might feel most of the back and forth Cancerian emotions.

After lunch the Moon will trine (brakes off) Neptune - we have an annual family beach clean-up here and the energy is perfect for that. We will be in tune with the people around us. Good energy for making art, a spiritual practice, slipping into that loving feeling, slipping into an addiction - you get the idea here.

By dinnertime EDT the Moon will oppose fiery Mars (in Capricorn). It could be we need to take care of some kind of responsibility now - likely within those Cancer themes highlighted in the beginning of this post or our natal Cancer house themes. We could be channeling our sacred masculine in defense of a group - maybe home, women or children. Not the best energy for a heart to heart talk, unless you are up for an argument.

The at 8:56PM EDT the Moon will trine Jupiter. The clouds part. Do I hear a Hallelujah? Our emotions expand - and our appetites, watch the snack foods. We feel more optimistic and generous.

By 10:21PM EDT the Moon will make her monthly opposition to Pluto - Pluto is strong and still and preparing to go retrograde tomorrow. This energy could create power plays. Jealousy. Compulsion. Again not a good date night unless you can immerse yourself in something dark in the dark - like A Quiet Place. Intimacy/sex would be complicated. This is not the kind of energy to be out in dark places with strangers - not a good time to be drinking. Dreams could be important.

We wake up on SUNDAY morning (8:40AM EDT) with the Moon sextiling Venus. No one will want to get out of bed! This is good energy to be social. Good for money and our possessions.

It's Earth Day - do something for Mother Earth and your own mother!

The Moon goes void before lunch off a square to Uranus. Creative breakthroughs are possible, so are surprises. Pluto goes retrograde during the Moon's void - making his retrograde over the next five months much less troublesome (Saturn also stationed retrograde this week during a Void Moon now that I look back - good news with that, too). We will talk about this retrograde in a later post. Lots of introspection with this one as we go back over Scorpio ruled and Capricorn ruled issues - loans, debts, taxes, other people's money, savings, intimacy issues, reproduction, death/rebirth, career, goals, authority, responsibilities.

At 1:09PM EDT the Moon moves into "time to play, let's get this party started" Leo. Good energy for having fun, time with children, romance, sports, games. We are feeling brave, confident and generous. We will all want to be center-stage. She will trine Chiron in early Aries (our individuation, commitment to being ourselves) kicking everything "me, me, me" up a notch! Sidestep the arrogance.

This weekend's lunar cycle is all about us reinventing our lives as we are drawn toward that massive Scorpio death/rebirth Full Moon at the end of April. 

We are reinventing our lives now - re-committing ourselves to life on Planet Earth.

Can you feel it? I sure as hell can!

At 5:46PM EDT the Moon (in Leo) will square the Sun (in Taurus). Fixed signs make our usual First Quarter Moon adjustments a bit harder. Try to stay flexible. There could be a challenge here around our personal resources. Our values. Our self-esteem. Our natal Taurus house theme. Uranus will begin tossing sticks of dynamite through here in another month, so any challenges now could play into that - maybe note where you are spending your money/resources. That upcoming transit will be harder to manage if we are not valuing ourselves, if we don't know what we really value. Again review progress from that Aries New Moon back on April 15th.

The weekend's final aspect is the Leo Moon's trine to Mercury at 1:32AM EDT - good for creative actions, writing, communicating - our minds are clear and active.

Have a lovely weekend everyone! xo