This month is no joke. Jupiter meets Neptune, Mars and Saturn duke it out, Pluto stands still, and eclipse season begins. April begins with a bang…possibly literally. On the 4th Mars the Warrior meets forever enemy, Saturn, the planet of governments and established power in the sign of Aquarius. This will bring a stressful energy to whichever house Aquarius occupies in your natal chart. On the most basic level, Mars wants to act. Right now! And Saturn is all about moving slowly and building a solid foundation. Right now is never the right time for Saturn. Aquarius is ruled by Saturn, so he will win, and that makes Mars very angry. Think of a child having a tantrum (Mars) with an assault weapon. The father (Saturn) might win the battle, but it won’t be fun for anyone. Keep in mind that this is all happening in an air sign, which could signal issues with mental health, especially anxiety and anger. It will be important to make time for rest, quiet, and all things self-care until the energy lightens when Mars leaves Aquarius on the 15th. Speaking of the middle of the month, Jupiter and Neptune connect in the sky on the 12th. This union hasn’t happened since 1856, so it’s a big deal. These slow moving, outer planets are meeting in idealistic, artistic Pisces. To understand this union, it’s helpful to consider each of the two players. Jupiter is all about good luck and expansion. Neptune signifies spiritual union, idealism, and artistic endeavors. So when they join, this duo can literally make beautiful music or powerful relationships. But...Neptune also rules distorted thinking, addiction, dishonesty, and even psychosis. Combine those with Jupiter’s need to make everything bigger, and you can imagine the problems that may result. This is another month without a New Moon, but we do have a Full Moon in Libra on the 16th. The nighttime luminary will be opposite the Sun in ego-driven Aries. This is the perfect time to let go of selfish desires and strive for balance and compromise. Given some of the warrior energy we’re dealing with this month, take a moment to celebrate themes of unity, partnership, communication, and peace. This is the Pink Moon, which invites the energy of Spring and the birth of a renewed world into our lives. On April 29th, Pluto stands still before turning retrograde in Capricorn. The Lord of the Underworld has been in Capricorn since November of 2008. It leaves the sign of the goat for good in 2024. The day Pluto stands still, his power is targeted and intense. Expect old wounds that have been stuffed deep to emerge into the light. Pluto exposes what’s been hidden and demands transformation. This moment of stillness will expose the issue to be addressed, and the following retrograde period will allow us to look back and gain better understanding. Then, when Pluto turns direct in early October, we can finish the process of healing and emerge into our new realities. Talking about planetary power, on the 30th, we get the first eclipse of the season, a partial solar eclipse, in the sign of Taurus. The eclipses are associated with the Lunar Nodes which mark the path of our destiny. They bring about fated change that helps us move forward. Think of solar eclipses like New Moons on steroids. They bring a time of growth and expansion. There will be important new beginnings in the area of life occupied by Taurus. Of course, you might have to release something to make room for the new, and that something will probably come from Scorpio, the opposite sign on the axis. Just remember, eclipses move us toward our soul’s purpose, so gently let go of what’s worn out and embrace the new. The eclipse energy is going to make the change happen anyway. It’s best to just go with it and be grateful for the journey. It would be utterly foolish to take April lightly. But after the cosmic dust begins to settle around the middle of the month, we should see new beginnings and positive momentum in our lives, and hopefully in the world.