April 12th ~ 19th

Should we continue to look upwards? Is the light we can see in the sky one of those which will presently be extinguished? The ideal is terrifying to behold, lost as it is in the depths, small, isolated, a pin-point, brilliant but threatened on all sides by the dark forces that surround it: nevertheless, no more in danger than a star in the jaws of the clouds. ~ Victor Hugo (Les Miserables)

Jupiter only just stationed retrograde last week. In the relative scheme of things, the stations of Jupiter are fairly benign. Even when things seem to be taken away surrounding the Jupiter station it is usually because those things distract from our true purpose in some way. And if there is a purpose to these annual retrograde periods, it would be to position ourselves with our own ethical and moral positions and standards. Jupiter is a social planet. Meaning it is our ways and means of fitting into the social fabric, by identifying those groups, those tribes that share our beliefs and values. And these retrograde periods can also help to situate ourselves into our appropriate social group, by first identifying what our own core values and beliefs are. 

But then there are Saturn and Pluto, which are also slowing for their retrograde stations this month. Saturn at the very end of April, and Pluto on the 24th. Both in Capricorn. Both hovering about the South Node of the Moon. Both lingering in tandem, as they prepare for their conjunction next January. And now both appearing to slow for their retrograde stations. And just in case we weren’t aware of this crucial and discordant dance that is going on, the first quarter Moon on the 12th, is here to let us know a little bit of what that is all about.

At the first quarter Moon the Moon will first oppose Saturn, and then as it closes for the quarter it engages the Sun, Mars and Pluto in a contest for power and control. Any tensions that have been brewing or building up could be brought to a head before some sort of detente is achieved. And we are all going to be feeling this in some department of our lives. These are planets that have to do with sheer survival, control and determination. What we might worry about, is with all of this pent up anger and frustration roiling and broiling about, what is going to be unleashed with the Full Moon on the 19th?  

At the crux of this is that Saturn/Pluto/South Node conjunction. Things are needing to be released, needing to end in order for a new order to unfold. And at this point there is probably nothing to be done about it. We could feel pressured or pushed into a corner, or overwhelmed. But even if that is the case, we must not let go of the light. No matter how threatened that light might seem to be at certain points, and we may even believe that this light is capable of being extinguished by the dark forces surrounding it. But that is not really the case. Those dark forces are no more than clouds, and these too shall pass. 

Pluto will be rolling about in his lair after the Full Moon next week. And he will bring all sorts of things to the surface from the primal depths of the lower realms, where he dwells. And we will need to face all of these wraiths and demons and forces that are rearing their hoary heads. And we will bring them into the light and render them harmless. For it is when we face our fears and overcome them, that we realize that they do not have power over us. And that is freedom. 

For next week’s horoscopes, click below:

HOROSCOPES