I’m finishing a hectic week so I will quote from Skywatch. I should be back to my regular schedule by Monday so please bear with me over the weekend. I will try to find interesting things for you to read, though.

On the 18th Mercury trines both Pluto and Saturn, enhancing their influence on each other as they dance together but never aspect each other completely. The addition of Mercury to this combination increases our understanding of the process on a much more conscious level. This is a great time to make plans for the future, especially after a big Plutonic change.

The Sun enters Taurus on April 19, beginning the season of fertility that connects us to the Earth. Taurus is associated with all things associated with Gaia, the mother goddess of the Earth, and as the Sun moves through Taurus those delights are illuminated.

The Moon is Full on April 20th, when the Moon in Scorpio opposes the Sun in Taurus. Scorpio is of course the sign of emotional intensity, where we dive deep into the underworld of our subconscious and discover the nasty bits of greed, envy, jealousy and other dark emotions that lie beneath the surface. By uncovering these emotional treasures we become more authentically who we are, and that is the ultimate goal of the Scorpionic process.

This year we have not just one, but two Scorpio Full Moons!! (The next one is in mid-May. This first one, on April 20th, is an powerful lunation (moon event) – apart from the Scorpio influence, there is also a T-square involving Mars in Cancer opposing Jupiter in Capricorn, both square to Venus in Aries. The opposition between Venus and Mars is interesting, because Venus in Aries is more aggressive and self-centered than it usually is, and Mars in Cancer is far less aggressive and far more concerned with taking care of others. So there is a dual polarity here between self-initiation and nurturing/connection that will be highlighted during the Full Moon period (about three days before and after the actual event). Mercury conjoins the Sun and opposes the Moon, so there is an intellectual component here as well.

Adding balance and stability to the Full Moon event is a Grand Trine between Saturn, Pluto and the Sun/Mercury conjunction, all in Earth signs. This is actually a Kite formation, with the Moon forming the apex of the Kite. The Kite is a more dynamic aspect than the Grand Trine, which is easy and flowing but not at all energetic.

After the influence of the Full Moon has subsided, Mars and Venus continue their dance of influence. On April 22 Mars (energy) forms a trine (harmonious aspect) to Uranus (innovative thinking) and Venus is sextile Chiron, making this an excellent time for collaborative ventures that involve brainstorming or coming up with new ideas. However, Venus is approaching a square to Mars and to Jupiter that will bring up once again the issue of our own individual needs relative to those of others. These aspects culminate on the 23rd and will throw a few ripples into the calm waters of the past couple of days, and the opposition between Mars (individual needs) and Jupiter (expansion) will exacerbate these problems for a day or two.

The energy is shifting, and I know many of you are feeling it. This is part of a larger shift that I believe is the shift between the ages, from Pisces to Aquarius. The more we can work WITH the energy shifts, the easier the changes are. Resistance is what causes pain, not change.