Current Transits for April 2013 Current Transits for April 2013Here's some of the important astrological news this month ...
Chiron Sextile Pluto, 4-4
Ceres enters Cancer, 4-4
New Moon at 20Ar40, 4-10
Pluto Retrograde Station at 11Cp35, 4-12
Saturn Quincunx Uranus, 4-12
Mars enters Taurus, 4-20
Vesta enters Cancer, 4-24
Full Moon / Partial Lunar Eclipse at 5Sc45, 4-25
Hindsight
An online ephemeris for the month is available.
First the good news: as we wind down the massive planetary storm with towering Koz Quakes that dominated late March, the infamous Double Yod pattern is actually starting to break up. With Saturn backing up still and Jupiter about to start a mad dash for the sign of Cancer (arrives on Jun 25), the aspects binding the outer planets together into the Double Yod are beginning to come apart. I suspect that after this month, we won't hear much from this pattern except for an occasional aftershock, ending it's long, 4 month reign. Of course, as the Yods dissipate, they make room for some totally new patterns that will check in this summer -- I'll mention some of these shortly. Not that we're going to be able to leave all this intense outer planet energy behind us completely. One of the big stories for April is the annual Pluto retrograde station on the 12th. This is typically the milder of Pluto's stations, a time when old problems and things you should really let go of start to become an issue for you. It starts out slowly, but the tension in your life around these areas builds until it reaches a breaking point at the direct station (Sep 20). It also means Pluto is standing still the entire month of April, so his energies can feel more intense than usual in coming weeks. Pay attention to any important themes entering your life this month, especially hints that you're outgrowing some cozy habits, as you'll be working with these themes throughout the summer. We are also entering an eclipse period. The full moon on the 25th is a lunar eclipse, while the new moon and full moon in May are also eclipses. They tend to stir things up and prod you to do some spring cleaning on your life in order to put your affairs on a firmer foundation for the future. In particular, those tedious tasks and mundane chores you've been putting off amid the rush of day-to-day living this winter are still waiting for you. It's good to go through your to-do list and take care of some of those demands hanging over your head. We've been in a rut for a few months now -- life is shifting...
Jupiter was a kingpin of the Double Yod pattern since December. He's moving rapidly now, covering the last half of Gemini in the next 3 months and then entering Cancer. As he takes off, the Yods fall apart. Saturn is also backing up, straining the Yods further. The coming months are a kind of "in between time" as the outer planets play musical chairs and reorganize themselves. It's time to start thinking about these new patterns looming on the horizon. The first is an intriguing Grand Trine (3 planets forming a big triangle in the sky) consisting of Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune in July. With Jupiter going over many of the Cancer planets in the US chart, this Grand Trine will undoubtedly effect the country in some marked ways. Following that, Jupiter connects up with the ongoing Uranus-Pluto square to form a difficult T-square in August, a catalyst of profound social changes happening in slow motion (2012 to 2015). Both of these patterns will be active off and on from this summer through the first half of 2014, so it's good to start thinking about them upfront. As always, life changes...
The most influential of the events this month is Pluto's retrograde station on the 12th. There are a pair of "big aspects" among several of the outer planets in the Double Yod group, a couple of aftershocks as things start settling down somewhat. Mars and a pair of asteroids change signs.
Chiron is sextile Pluto on the 4th, the 3rd of 5 such contacts. They met previously on 2012-5-12 and 2012-9-6 ; the remaining contacts are on 2013-10-28 and 2014-2-25. Both of these bodies have much to do with approaching the unconscious or the hidden within, even when we have an aversion to facing these parts of ourselves. Most people shy away from these deeper parts of the psyche, whether out of fear, disgust or a sense that "good people" aren't like this. The problem is the more you hide from your wilder side, the more these parts become negative, undermining your conscious intentions. When life turns bland and lifeless, it's often because the wildness has gone into hiding over the years. Those same behaviors you rejected or ignored so long ago (for a good reason, you tell yourself) are the ones that can renew and invigorate your life now. Pluto allows you to go deep within to the source of power and authority that animates your life, while Chiron helps clear out the emotional barriers that you use to keep your bogeymen at bay. This is a sextile, an aspect that says if you put in the work, you'll see the rewards. This sextile is operating at the same time as the Uranus-Pluto squares, an influence that forces revolutionary change and overhaul on so many levels of our individual and collective lives. These forces can seem overpowering and impersonal, like a force of nature. Perhaps the sextile is trying to smooth over this process of growth and evolution, make it more personal, more welcoming. We each have our own role to play in the greater drama, but it requires an element of courage and honesty of us. Your inner nature is knocking -- are you willing to answer the call? You're still in the middle of this intense process of transformation, so the way may not seem clear yet. Trust the path you're on and keep walking...
Ceres enters Cancer for the second time on the 4th. She first entered this sign back on 2012-9-26, went retrograde on 2012-10-31 and backed into Gemini again on 2012-12-4. She's back in Cancer once more, where she'll be until she moves into Leo on Jun 22, right after the summer solstice. Nothing says "Mother!" quite like Ceres in Cancer. Ceres is the Great Mother of ancient times that nurtured all living beings under her care. Cancer has very similar meanings, a sign of caring and support towards those you love, as well as all those ties you have based on family, blood, heritage and lineage, the emotional bonds that define your place in life. Ceres has been dancing back and forth across the border line between Gemini and Cancer since last fall (the thick of the political campaigns), trying to get our attention. Usually, the vision of Ceres and her Great Web of Life that connects us all and binds us to serve each other, is contrasted with a rugged individualism, of every man for himself. In fact, much of the political debate in this country seems to boil down to this contrast of values. The rhetoric can get heated, particularly when the realization sets in that this Web of Life includes the nonhuman beings that we share this world with, not to mention the Earth herself. These connections and bonds are real and tangible, even if we prefer to ignore them. This is home, we're all family. It's time we learn to take care of what's important to protect.
There's a curious split going on in the new moon chart. There's all the inner, fast moving planets in one tightly knit group. Sun, Moon, Mars and Venus all lie between 20-23 degrees of Aries; Mercury at 24Pi46 is also in this same degree region. The outer planets of the fading Double Yod (Jupiter, Saturn, Chiron, Uranus, Pluto) fall in the 9-13 degree range, totally separate from the faster planets. These two groups even have separate peaks in the waveform. The only outer planet to have a connection to the new moon is Neptune (an octile) and that is fading. This is typical of a disconnect occurring between the surface and deeper levels of the psyche. Among the outer planets, two upcoming events (both on the 12th) stand out: the Pluto station and the Saturn-Uranus quincunx.
First of all, Aries is busy with 5 planets. There's an urge to burst out, get moving, push back and do something! All parts of your personality are in the mood to get out of a rut and kick off some new plans. It's easy to be impatient or short tempered with people, so be extra diplomatic with them or figure out how to work alone. At least this is what is going on at the surface level. There's also the unconscious level that lies below the regular ego frame of mind and it seems to be chugging along slowly on a totally independent path of its own. While you're off tending to your latest scheme, the larger universe is working off in the background on a different plan. We've been in the midst of a window of spiritual transition since at least December and that window is slowly closing. It's still visible if you're paying attention to the background, but it's also easy to overlook when you get caught up in the busy-ness of daily life. In particular, some of the basic structures and core beliefs you hold onto are being challenged. You may be able to keep these structures limping along with increasing effort, but down the road (this summer?) it will take too much time and energy to be worth it anymore. Stay open to the subtle levels. It may seem like life is going along smoothly now, but that may be an illusion. With that caution in mind, get out there and get busy! It's good to have a tailwind...
Pluto reaches his retrograde station of 11Cp35 on the 12th, starting 5 months of reverse motion. This retrograde period continues until he reaches his direct station of 8Cp59 on Sep 20 (around the equinox) and resumes normal forward motion. Pluto's retrograde cycles are one of the more amazing of astrological phenomena, especially if you're in the cross hairs. Pluto is more or less your higher self or the deep psyche, your spiritual roots that call the shots of your life independent of what the conscious ego intends to happen. We all come into this world with an agenda or certain lessons to experience for your spiritual growth. And like so many things in this life, we get distracted by detours that seem attractive to us or make us feel comfortable or superficially happy. We lose our way. It seems to be Pluto's role to remind you of the tasks you accepted before your birth, to get you back on track. This reminding typically happens when Pluto is making an important contact with your birth chart via one of these retrograde cycles. At first, around the time of the retrograde station itself, there's little more than a vague feeling that something is wrong, dissatisfying or not working smoothly in your life. Often, some activity in your daily life that you've relied on to make living comfortable or that you feel is indispensable to who you are starts to fall apart and takes an increasing effort on your part to hold together. The sane way to deal with this hint from Pluto is to recognize you've outgrown this activity and need to let go of it, but few people respond sensibly. You start putting more time and energy into shoring up this failing enterprise and Pluto puts more effort into undermining it. Guess what -- Pluto is more powerful than you are and he never takes "No" for an answer. Over the course of the cycle, his hints become more insistent and unrelenting. By the time of the direct station (next fall), he runs out of patience. The situation you've been trying to hold together simply falls apart, favorite possessions crumble in your hands, your detour of a path reaches a dead end. It's time to finally let go of what has failed, pick up the pieces that are salvageable, turn your back on the past and find your way back to your true path. Pluto strips you down to basics, leaving you "lean and mean" in a spiritual sense, but ultimately you are now being true to who you really are deep down. Pluto cycles are rarely fun, but they are powerful times that leave an indelible mark on your development. Pay attention early and cooperate with Pluto instead of trying to fight him off. It makes the process much easier in the long run.
Saturn is quincunx Uranus on the 12th, the 2nd of 3 contacts. They first met on 2012-11-15 and their final contact will be on Oct 4. The nature of the quincunx is that it combines two planetary influences that need to be reconciled because they aren't harmonizing well. Saturn is a planet of stability and order, the status quo, the way things are and have always been on the physical plane. Uranus is the revolutionary rabble rouser, the guy who wants to overcome the current order and start something -- anything -- new. This is literally a combination of the big, heavy rock meeting the lit dynamite stick. Obviously, something has to give here. There's an impatience with the old ways, an urge to grow and change, to try something new that bumps up against the conservative tendency to maintain your world as it is, to resist any change. What are you resisting? What are you holding onto, even if you've outgrown it or it's holding you back? Ruts may feel comfortable and familiar, but we weren't meant to live in a rut. You may feel profoundly stuck in your old ways at the moment. Use the remainder of this aspect of move beyond your limitations.
Mars moves from his favorite sign of Aries into Taurus on the 20th. He'll be in this sign until May 31, when he enters Gemini. Technically, this is not a good placement for Mars, but I've often found it works out better than it should. Mars is an action figure. He wants to get off his butt and get things done. Taurus is famous for his lazy streak, for wanting to lie down and take life easy, so it doesn't sound promising. However, Mars is coming from impetuous Aries, a fiery sign that is good for starting new activities, but often lacks the follow through to see these projects to a conclusion. Taurus tells Mars to slow down, take things one step at a time, have patience with the process, even the setbacks. This slow and steady approach is usually more successful than the impatient style of Mars in Aries. Settle down for the long haul, take on each problem one at a time, keep your eyes on the final goal. And don't forget to take some time off now and then to take care of yourself and avoid burning out. It sounds counterintuitive, but this slower approach is typically more successful than a frontal attack. Slow and steady wins the game...
Vesta shifts from Gemini (after a long retrograde cycle in this sign) into Cancer on the 24th. She'll be in this sign until Jul 6, when she enters Leo. This is a funny sign for Vesta to be in. Vesta is an introvert, a bit of a loner. When she finds people too much to handle, all the drama and emotions of being around others, she wants to retreat and go off by herself to get centered again. Cancer is all about emotional relationships with people, a sign where the heart is wide open to others. She's just coming off that Gemini retrograde cycle, another sign known for its social nature. It doesn't seem like she's really getting much of a chance to disengage and go within. It's easy for others to misinterpret any kind of withdrawal or aloofness as a form of rejection or a change of heart. It's really just a need for solitude. So Vesta is feeling in a bind, caught between opposing demands on her attention. If you're one of those people who responds strongly to Vesta's influence, this is a frustrating placement, so try to balance out these conflicting demands. Take some time for yourself, certainly, but don't disappear too long. Close friends will understand, but weaker relationships may complain. Hang in there...
The split we saw at the new moon between inner and outer planets is much less now. The eclipse is a time when the deeper issues that we've ignored recently reassert themselves, like a rubber band stretched too far that is snapping back. Venus has been triggering the outer planets of late and the Sun is about to take his turn at it. The main pattern in this chart is called a Kite. It involves Ceres, Saturn conjunct the Moon, and Neptune in a Grand Trine, plus the Sun conjunct Mars. While Kites are usually constructive, this one may be harsher than usual.
This eclipse is visible mostly in the eastern hemisphere, especially the Indian Ocean basin. It's not visible in the US. The Moon will be only slightly dimmed by the Earth's shadow.
The planets closest to the Sun and Moon are Mars and Saturn, respectively, both very difficult planets. People are really digging in their heels and refusing to budge an inch. The outlook for any projects begun now is not favorable -- too many roadblocks and setbacks, not to mention a hot temper or two. The Grand Trine planets are all in water signs, which softens the Mars-Saturn tension somewhat, but also puts everybody in a moody, overly sensitive mood. Neptune may well be the most central planet in this chart, an indication that coming from an open heart is the best (though not always the easiest) approach. Try to maintain a calm, "big picture" perspective on your daily affairs instead of reacting emotionally to every little bump in your path. Some of these obstructions are cosmic hints to reassess your situations, possibly letting go of things that are no longer working for you. Be forgiving in your daily interactions.
Another interesting connection between the winter solstice and the Galactic Center with world changes appeared with the election of Pope Francis by the Vatican conclave on March 13. His predecessor, Benedict, announced his resignation the day after the February new moon, which sounded like "the winds of change" to me. Francis was elected right after the March new moon. My brother texted me later in the day to report his birthday as Dec 17, 1936. I don't have a birth time, so I'm assuming noon Buenos Aires time. His Sun (25Sa31) and North Node (24Sa16) are conjunct the GC (25Sa58)! He was born 4 days after a solar eclipse. His Mercury (11Cp14) has Pluto on top of it and would have been activated by the Saturn-Pluto sextile on Mar 8, just before the conclave. His Sun is also widely conjunct his Jupiter ("upward career moves"), currently sextiled by Neptune. I'm intrigued by an close opposition between Saturn (16Pi29) and Neptune (18Vi57) in the new pontiff's chart, a classic tug of war between mundane and spiritual forces. This opposition should be affected by numerous outer planets in coming years that should be crucial for Francis' reign. He likely has a Moon-Venus conjunction in Gemini, giving him an interest in the role of women in the church, as well as giving him that common touch with the people that's so refreshing after Benedict's stiff persona. His Chiron is on his South Node, perhaps the skeletons in the Vatican closets that he'll have to deal with. His Pluto (28Cn17) in late Cancer, a sign of tradition and heritage, perhaps reflects his conservative nature theologically. (The next pope will undoubtedly have Pluto in Leo, the baby boomers.) It will be interesting to see if this Pluto position gets activated some year and what kind of transformations it might entail. Finally, the Sun in this month's eclipse chart (5Ta45) is right on top of Francis' Uranus (5Ta56), a thorough shake up of him personally and maybe even the institution he now heads. It will be interesting to watch him in the years ahead...