Buckle in for April. You’re about to go on a journey – one that is potentially life changing at some level. Quests and adventures lie ahead and it will require courage, strength and resilience. There’s never been a better time for true initiation as the month of April 2024 reveals many opportunities for you to step up to the challenge and receive upgrades to your way of life and make some potentially monumental shifts. Are you ready for the challenge?

In some way, the journey has already begun. Through a wide lens, the seed might have been planted around April 2023 when the first eclipse in Aries dropped. Closer in, the last month may have developed this story further along its path with the opposing Libra eclipse two weeks ago  – the second of its three-fold eclipse journey. 

In this edition, I’ll outline the three major planetary phenomena dropping this month, along with some peripheral planetary considerations that surround them….

Mercury’s Journey

This month begins with Mercury Stationing Retrograde in Aries (2 Apr) – the sign of the brewing eclipse later this month. Could it be the harbinger of a crisis unfolding? Or will it herald a process of immense upgrades for you and the collective?

Whenever Mercury stops to move backwards in zodiacal degrees, it symbolises a need to slow down, turn inwards and reflect on what’s been and what’s to come. Rather than requiring us to take on more to do, it’s a time we need to complete a process and get back to ‘tabula rasa’ or a fresh palette. That’s because around 10 days after Mercury Stations Retrograde, it will come into an exact conjunction with the Sun, signalling the beginning of a new Mercury cycle. So, task number one for April is to tie up all your loose ends and attend to the messy, unresolved aspects of your life, especially pertaining to Mercurial matters like administration, business matters, communication and travel issues.

There’s three Mercury cycles in each year, usually in the same elemental signs marking a three-fold opportunity for you to develop that triplicity within your evolution. This time around, the Thrice-Great Hermes will offer you the lessons to develop the visionary and creative fire element in your life, beginning with this new Mercury cycle in the initiating fires of Aries. Last year saw Mercury’s cycles focus on the earth triplicity, which may have seen you develop better ways of surviving in your earthly incarnation, prioritising practical pursuits with physical and tangible results for more comfortable and sustainable ways of living. This year’s fire triplicity will shift the focus towards more intangible, immaterial ideations. Our ancestors have all used fire as a symbol for light and illumination as well as purification and renewal. Fire is often associated with the sacred and can represent the presence of divine intervention through the eternal flame of existence. So, with the onset of this new Mercury cycle which will begin at the Mercury Inferior Cazimi (12 Apr), you’ll begin a new process of creativity and a visionary journey of self discovery. It is drawing on what Maslow coined as the need for ‘self actualisation’ as part of your human existence, so the three fire-focused Mercury cycle of 2024 could potentially clear more of the path ahead towards your self-understanding, personal enlightenment and the actualisation of your truth.

With this in mind, think about where the sign of Aries is in your birth chart? Can you feel great developments brewing here? During this Mercury Retrograde, you’re encouraged to prepare for your big growth journey now by collecting firewood to fuel your sacred fire. Ask yourself, what is wood a metaphor for you right now? What is going to fuel your burning desire for personal creation? The house of Aries will also point to the contents of your wood as well as the forest where you will find it. For example, if Aries is in your third house, perhaps your fuel might be knowledge and information and you might find this in a local study group or a good book resource.

Solar Eclipse in Aries #2 – 8 April 2024

Thick into the Mercury underworld journey, you’ll encounter the darkness of the Solar Eclipse in Aries, the second of three installations of this event. The last one happened April 2023 and the next (and last) one will be in April 2025, so it’s hard to say that this eclipse will be an initiation in this regard. I’m more inclined to look at this eclipse as an invitation to step up to the challenge you accepted last April. Things will have that ‘new’ experience feeling yet it’s an old story – kind of like a soldier stepping onto new territory within a war that’s begun a long time ago. This eclipse may encourage you to be brave, take bold steps and finally take the plunge into something that’s been on your periperal for some time.

The energy of this Solar Eclipse will be a big one. It’s a Total Solar Eclipse that belongs to a greater family of eclipses, called the Saros cycles. The Chaldean astronomers’ observation of Saros cycles is the earliest historical record we have and it has been made popular today by the work of iconic Australia astrologer, Bernadette Brady. This April eclipse belongs to Saros 139 which commenced in the year 1501 and will finalise in the year 2763.

Total eclipses are the strongest, most powerful form of all eclipses and they usually occur in the middle stages of a Saros series. In this instance, Saros 139 contains 71 eclipses all happening about 18 years apart in distance. The April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse will be the 30th eclipse of this series. It will be the longest solar eclipse to date, lasting 4 minutes and 28 seconds, and this series will continue to host longer totality times as it unfolds; the longest one in this series lasting more than 7 minutes. According to Bruce McLure, a totality time greater than seven minutes is the longest period of darkness the earth will have seen from between 4000 BCE and 6000 CE – that’s a 10,000 year record! The fact that this April eclipse belong to this family of long eclipse darkness for a 10,000 year timeframe may illustrate to you the great times that we’re moving into – one of growing darkness, deep inward initiations, peak experiences and long-lasting impact.

Coming back to today, the Solar Eclipse in Aries this month, is not the easiest vibration that one could encounter. Firstly, the North Node associated with this eclipse, otherwise called Rahu, can be problematic in the sign of Aries. It can produce qualities of conflict, aggression, impulsivity and impatience based on poor choices, rash decisions, over-compensations of the egoic drive, and generally acting without thinking for immediate gratifications. It can bring greed, compulsion and obsession over control, power and dominance, yet cowardly reactions when the pressure is on. It’s the ego on steroids. However, this energy can be great for focus and devotion towards your passions if you can tame the Ego Self.

Ruling this eclipse is the warrior planet Mars, who will be approaching a conjunction with Saturn. These two dominant and opposing energies are dictating the quality of the eclipse, making for a week of hard work and difficulties. Don’t be surprised if your levels of frustrations grow, your tolerance for others wanes  and your impatience gets the better of you. With both planets being in the chaotic sign of Pisces, the growing tensions might be forcing you to submit and surrender against your will. Learning to pick and choose your battles will be the key, as most likely, the rash actions that you feel driven to take might undermine you. 

It’s best to work solo during this eclipse week, remembering that despite the drama and chaos that surrounds you, there’s an important milestone occurring within you that requires your full focus and devotion. Scattering your attention to trivial issues in your environment is only taking away energy from your personal vision of self actualisation. In this instance, it’s okay to put yourself first if it means overlooking the spot fires so you can tend to your sacred flame. Being mindful of your energetic hygiene and environmental contributors during the eclipse will help to create a protective space from where you can initiate some important personal developments.

Four days after the Solar Eclipse in Aries, the new Mercury Cycle will commence when Mercury makes its Cazimi with the Sun (12 Apr), only around three degrees away from the Solar Eclipse point. If you happen to have any planets or important points between 19 to 22 degrees of Aries, you’re in for some major new cyclic shifts. I strongly recommend that you make time during the Eclipse for self purification and time for the Cazimi for insight. In the future, you’re bound to look back at this time for its significance in your life trajectory. Both the Eclipse and the Cazimi are new beginnings for the personal planets of the Sun, Moon and Mercury, broadly representing your purpose, your soul and your mind. These two major events are timing tools that you can utilise to accelerate your development in whatever area the house of Aries occupies in your birth chart.

Jupiter Uranus Conjunction – 21 April 2024

The Jupiter Uranus Conjunction is a much anticipated transit that will occur on April 21, 2024. There’s a lot to look forward to with this conjunction given that they both share similar traits such as freedom, liberation, insights and an aspiration to reach newer heights in whatever domain it influences in your birth chart. Both planets want to reach upwards towards the sky, symbolising concepts of evolution and ascension. When they come together, there’s a potential for upgrades, advancements (particularly in the technology and spiritual fields) and innovative co-creation with higher intelligences. Building on the theme of April, there’s an opportunity for you to step up towards new territory that you’ve never walked before. I remember the last time the Jupiter Uranus conjunction happened (2010-2011), I was stepping into my motherhood phase of life. It was certainly a new challenge that required great personal and physical advancements in my way of living.

Happening after the eclipse season, this Jupiter Uranus Conjunction, is the proverbial ‘light at the end of the tunnel’. Whatever the darkness of the eclipse brings can potentially be re-invigorated or redeemed when the sudden light of the Jupiter Uranus conjunction collides. The hard work that may have been pursued during the Mars Saturn Conjunction earlier in the month might finally be paying off in this third week of April as the Jupiter Uranus Conjunction comes into a sextile alignment with Mars. You may not be reaping the full rewards right now but you may be clearer about why you had to undergo what you endured earlier in the month. With Mars stimulating this conjunction, you may feel a powerful drive to take action towards your goals of self understanding and self actualisation. This alignment creates an enthusiastic, entrepreneurial spirit full of excitement and boldness.

Even though Uranus brings a great sense of unpredictability and disruptions, having an awareness of this conjunction ahead of time can help you to consciously align yourself with the brilliance of what it could also bring. Have a think about where Taurus is in your natal chart. If you have any planets around 21 degrees of fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio & Aquarius), they are prime indicators of ingenuity, innovation, upgrades and advancements.

In the sign of Taurus, this Jupiter and Uranus conjunction could show great insights and developments around the industries of finance, land, earth, food, assets, agriculture and commodities. Personally, aside from what the location of your natal Taurus house suggests, this conjunction could also show a general shift in the way you value yourself, others and the things you own.

Just like the Solar Eclipse and Mercury Cazimi in the preceeding week, the Jupiter Uranus Conjunction is initiating another new cycle. Each Uranus Jupiter cycle takes about 13 years to complete so essentially what this April 21st moment indicates is an ending of a 13 year phase, and a beginning of another one. Reflect on what new phase you started 13 years ago, and how you might be transforming that into its next evolution during this month.

Shortly after the Jupiter Uranus conjunction, Mercury will Station Direct (25 Apr) and rise from the Underworld, changing places with Venus who will be setting into the beams of the Sun (28 Apr). While we experience an underworld Mercury quite often (three times a year), Venus in her underworld phase is much more occasional. By the end of April, she will be in her long underworld phase, nearing her halfway mark of her 18 month cycle, which is one of the most challenging times for connection and relationships. This will be the theme for May to July 2024 which will be covered in next month’s news.

Week 4 could feel a little messy and disorientating as you integrate your learnings and advancements of the month’s activities into your daily, mundane life. It continues to be an inward style of integration given Venus is making her morning set. But the good news is that both Venus and Mars will move into their own powerful signs by the end of the month, suggesting that control and order might start to emerge. Knowing this, you may consciously step into your own sovereign power over your personal domain as you prepare for the deep Venus underworld journey that will unfold in the next month.

Takeaways for April 2024

• Use week 1 to resolve any loose ends as a way to prepare for big shifts later this month. Start turning your focus inwards towards your personal quests for self understanding and self actualisation.
• Weeks 2 and 3 are the big climax points, not only for April but for the year. Be open to changes that can shift you into new stages of personal evolution. Accept any challenges as an opportunity to upgrade your physical, emotional, psychological and philosophical orientation.
• Be committed to your personal goals and steer away from distractions of people and situations in your environment. Be mindful of what you involve yourself in, especially in week 2. If it’s not your business, stay out of it. Too much action taken in the wrong areas without the right focus, despite all good intentions, could be self sabotaging to your own purpose.

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See you next Sunday for the next installment of planetary news.

Shu xx