Astrology of April 2018 Highlights

April is one of the most intense months of the year. Chiron changes signs, we have three planetary stations, and Mars makes conjunctions with the ‘bad guys’ of the zodiac, Saturn and Pluto.

Things start to precipitate around mid-April when Mercury changes course, Chiron moves into Aries starting a new journey around the zodiac, and Saturn goes retrograde. Your will will be tested! The best thing you can do is to go with the change and commit to it.

End of April brings some well-deserved relief. The Full Moon on April 30 is one of the best full moons of the year. Your strength and determination will be rewarded, in the end, so stay strong!

Let’s have a look at the most important aspects of the month:

1 April 2018 – 7 April 2018

On April 1 Mercury is conjunct the Sun. Every time retrograde Mercury makes a conjunction to the Sun, a new Mercury cycle starts. So even if Mercury is still retrograde, Mercury conjunct Sun is a good time to initiate a new project.

In the next 2 weeks, focus on formulating your objective (not on launching your idea to the world!).

If you want to dig deeper into Mercury’ cycles check out an article I wrote on Mercury cycles.

On April 2 Mars is conjunct Saturn. This can be a frustrating transit and you may feel that the whole world is against you! When things get tough, remember how diamonds are made. Just like the carbon needs to survive an immense amount of pressure to become a diamond, so do we need to go through some difficult experiences in order to develop our maximum potential. If you want your true beauty to shine through, remember that every test like this will make you stronger.

On April 4 Mercury is square Mars. The frustration that has been building up over the last week will reach a tipping point. Try to stay away from verbal quarrels if you can. Remember Mercury is still retrograde and you may not have the full picture.

8 April 2018 – 15 April 2018

On April 10 Sun is square Pluto and Venus is trine Mars.

What happens when you go for what you want? As long as what you want is also what others want, you will most likely get it. But when what you want goes against what the world wants, you will encounter hostility.

This might sound obvious, but whenever we want something badly we forget about this basic truth. Sun square Pluto is a test of your inner power. You may get what you want, but you will have to pay the price. How far is “too far”? This is a question to ponder upon during this transit.

On April 15 we have a New Moon in Aries. This is the most unpredictable New Moons of the year because it is in a tight conjunction to Uranus, the planet of surprises.

To make things even more interesting, on the same day Mercury goes direct!

This is great news, especially for Gemini and Virgo ascendants who will feel a sense of relief. However, with Mercury stationing plus strong Uranus – expect the unexpected!

You will most likely find out something that will shock you, especially if you have planets in the last degrees of Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) or around 4° Aries.

16 April 2018 – 22 April 2018

On April 16 Venus in Taurus is opposite Jupiter in Scorpio. An opposition is an intense, challenging transit. On the other hand, Venus and Jupiter are the most positive planets of the zodiac. With Venus opposite Jupiter, you can choose to enjoy this ‘friction’ and indulge yourself in pleasurable experiences. Or you can find that no matter what how much you have, you “can’t get no satisfaction”.

Whatever you go for, it is likely you will question your deep-rooted values (Venus in Taurus) and seek a deeper meaning in your life (Jupiter in Scorpio). Venus opposite Jupiter is about striving to find the balance between material pleasure and spiritual pursuits.

On April 17 Saturn goes retrograde. You have done a lot since Saturn moved into Capricorn in December 2017. Now is time for your first revision.

Think about what has changed in your life in the last months. Do you see any patterns? Can you identify any lessons? Can you see where you need to work harder (or smarter) to turn your goals into reality?

On April 18 Chiron moves into Aries. This is one of the most important transits of the year. Chiron hasn’t changed signs since 2010! This transit is particularly important because Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, so Chiron ‘starts again’ a new cycle of healing.

If you have been stuck with your pain for a while, Chiron’s move into Aries is good news! Now you have the chance to start again, to leave behind any wound you haven’t been able to heal, no matter how hard you tried. Chiron in Aries will show you a new perspective and will open new doors of healing for you.

In the same day, Sun is conjunct Uranus. Uranus is the higher end of Chiron’s expression. Sun conjunct Uranus on the same day of Chiron’s entrance in Aries is a promise that Chiron in Aries is truly about the liberation of the self.

In the coming years, you have the chance to leave behind the Saturnian expression of Chiron and embrace the more evolved, liberating expression of the Uranian expression of Chiron.

On April 20, the Sun enters Taurus. Happy birthday to all Taurus out there! As nature starts to bloom, we feel that same need. We want to take concrete steps in improving our lives.

Taurus is all about concrete steps and concrete results. If in the Aries season we felt inspired to take action, now is the time to make it happen. Take advantage of this energy! Taurus will give you all the practical intelligence and stamina you need.

On April 22 Pluto is stationary retrograde. Whenever a slow-moving planet like Pluto changes direction, we feel the energy of the planet stronger than ever.

Pluto always brings transformation. If you resist it, Pluto will bring fear, anxiety, and obsessions. It is normal to find it difficult to detach from the past, so don’t be hard on yourself during this transit.

But try to remember that what seems to be an ending, is always just a new beginning. You may not be seeing it yet, but trust that the universe always works in your favor!

23 April 2018 – 30 April 2018

On April 24 Venus moves into Gemini. No matter what your Venus natal placement is, you will become a little bit more chatty and experimental during the next few weeks.

You will find more pleasure in reading, learning, trying out different things, reaching out to the world.

If your natal Venus is in Gemini, a new Venus cycle will start for you, bringing new opportunities in the sectors of relationships and finances.

On April 26 Mars is conjunct Pluto in Capricorn. This transit is as intense as you can get! I cannot think of anything more intense than this.

Pluto is the most intense planets out there, although you may not always see it like that. Pluto is like a cooker under pressure. It’s like the lava waiting to erupt. You may not see what is going on – but with Pluto, you bet there is A LOT going on! Pluto just changed directions a few days ago and is stronger than ever.

And here comes Mars, the planet of action. Mars will stir the cooker under pressure even more… so it might be that this time you will make a mess in the kitchen. Instead of getting upset, think about what it is that you have been trying to suppress in your life. That part of you is alive and will always come back to haunt you until you learn how to tame it.

On April 30, we have a Full Moon in Scorpio. This is one of the best full Moons of the year because it makes some great aspects to Saturn, Jupiter, and Neptune.

Yes, you’ve worked hard (Full Moon sextile Saturn) and now the Universe will reward you with something truly special (Full Moon conjunct Jupiter and trine Neptune). Take it, you deserve it!

You will especially benefit from this transit if you have personal planets or angles around 9° Taurus or Scorpio.

April is not an easy month, but knowing what’s coming up will help you better handle these intense energies. Make sure you mark your calendar with the most important transits so you can keep track of them.

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