“April is the cruellest month.” So goes the opening line to grumpy T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land. A benchmark of high modernism, sure, yet not the most buoyant poem (for that I choose Frank O’Hara’s Chez Jane, perhaps). But still, might Eliot be right about April’s supposed cruelty? Astrologically speaking, pretty much: the next few weeks, at least, are going to be tough.
We start off with a recalcitrant Mercury retrograde on April Fool’s Day. While Mercury deals with communication, conveyances, and commerce, a retrograde refers to a transit during which a planet appears to be moving backward relative to us on Earth. When this happens, that planet’s influence gets wonky. Expect delays and difficulties, therefore, around things related to Mercury: a contract torpedoed by a costly error, say. This Mercury retrograde could make fools of us all on the 1st.
Then, alas, a big Solar Eclipse in Aries on April 8th. This means that the Sun, very well-placed in the sign of the Ram (ego, rationality), will be blocked out by the Moon (emotion). A day where cooler heads will not prevail. Instead, a world cloaked in darkness, irrationality, and madness. It won’t be that dramatic – but expect some emotional drama.
Two days after the Solar Eclipse, we enter into the astrological version of The Waste Land. How so? On April 10th, Mars (war) and Saturn (mischief) go conjunct. This is an ugly transit that happens every two years. Mars and Saturn are known as “malefics” and when they cross each other in the sky, bad stuff tends to happen: invasions, ill luck, road rage over traffic jams that start for no reason, basically “a heap of broken images,” to borrow from Eliot.
Thankfully, after this triumvirate of disruptive transits, the Stars relax, most notably with a soothing start to the season of Taurus (our most decadent, languorous sign) on April 19th. Much better.
And, of course, the Cosmos, in all its infinite clockwork, will be impacting your own chart, too. To learn more about how, read on, friend, for your April Horoscope.
ARIES
Until April 19th, the Sun energises the Ego zone of your chart. Your friends may lament this placement somewhat, as it amplifies your headstrong Aries nature even more. Lots of mansplaining indicated here. But also, lots of initiative to put words, thoughts, and plans into action. On the 19th, the Sun shifts into lux-loving Taurus, where it will be impacting the Money zone of your chart. Align with Taurus energy and treat yourself to something slightly above your pay grade. Finally, take special note of April 8th: Solar Eclipse in your sign. You could be extra emotional about little things on this date.
TAURUS
We begin the month with the Sun camped out in your mystical 12th House of Dreams and the Unconscious. This is an introspective transit for you, as the Sun is weakly positioned in this part of your chart. The astrological advice during solar transits through the 12th House tends to be about reflecting on the past year and the ways you’ve improved as a person (hopefully). For the next few weeks, avoid ballyhoo and too much socialising, where possible. Instead: look to the garden of your inner life. On the 19th, the Sun shines bright in your Ego zone for a month. Expect more effervescence, self-esteem, the world is your oyster – those kinds of vibes.
GEMINI
The Aries Sun powers up the Friendship zone of your chart for the first few weeks of April. Aries energy can be super bossy, but it can also be fiercely loyal. Which aspect of the Ram do you want to be refracted prismatically onto your friendships this month? I’m hoping for the latter, that is, the fiercely loyal aspect. Fight for your friends, not with them. Listen, don’t lecture. On the 19th, the Sun moves into Taurus, a decadent sign that could have you wanting to repose on velvet couches. Why? The Sun will be impacting your dreamy 12th House of Dreams and the Unconscious. Anticipate less yen for activity for a couple of weeks.
CANCER
The most sensitive and maternal of the signs, your nature tends to prefer the hearth to the heat of battle (understandable). But you have the brassy Aries Sun highlighting the Career zone of your chart until April 19th. Aries can bring aggression, but also courage. When transiting your Career zone, the Aries Sun indicates, therefore, bold moves – maybe it’s time to change jobs? Or maybe it’s time to take on more responsibility or raise your voice at your current one? On the 19th, the Sun moves into Taurus (also a very domestic sign), where it will be impacting your Friendship zone. Evenings with friends, nestled about the hearth, making hearty stews indicated.
LEO
Until the 19th, the bold Aries Sun impacts the Travel zone of your chart, which also pertains to higher learning. There’s a bit of a catch, though: On April 1st, Mercury goes retrograde for a few weeks, which usually portends glitches, cancelled flights, and other such irritations. Focus on the life of the mind, instead. “Learning” is your keyword. Aries energy is initiatory, so attack a longstanding book on your reading list, or delve into some online college course on YouTube (may I suggest Robert Sapolsky’s fabulous Human Behavioral Biology?). On the 19th, the Sun enters deliberate Taurus, where it highlights your Career zone. Not the time to make moves. Taurus energy is fixed and determined.
VIRGO
Paradox alert: The Aries Sun indicates an independent, autonomous, “me-first” energy, yet it’s highlighting your 8th House of Intimacy (sharing). How to square Aries selfishness with the 8th House and its calls for interdependence? Paradox, indeed. But a world without paradox would be boring – as would a world without intimacy. So align with Aries and the 8th House by truly sharing more about your inner self with an intimate partner. Paradox solved. Unless, of course, they recoil in horror at what you reveal. On the 19th, the Sun enters Taurus, where it will impact your Travel zone: a much easier placement to decipher. Taurus energy is very luxe. Book a mini-vacation to London and stay at a fancy hotel whose sheets have a high thread count (somewhere between 750 to 1,000, but over 1,000 is unnecessary, according to the website Real Simple, which may or may not be an authority on the matter).
LIBRA
An interesting month for you. True, you have your House of Relationships activated until the 19th, and then your House of Intimacy gets lit up for the remainder of April – so, two parts of the chart dealing with a significant other. The catch is that, until the 19th, you have Aries energy (your polar opposite) infusing your House of Relationships. Aries suggests a selfish, brash, and somewhat untoward energy that tends to upset the balance and harmony you cherish. But, it also influences us to get what we want and to be bold in our desires, something the Libra nature can be, shall we say, horrible at. So, align with Aries, and be bold in voicing your needs and desires to a partner. No dithering. On the 19th, the Sun moves into Taurus, a decadent sign, where it seductively lights a scented candle up in your Intimacy zone. Slinky negligees indicated.
SCORPIO
The steroidal Aries Sun powers up your zone of Tasks, Routine, Diet, and Health. Now, we are not suggesting that you align with Aries and start taking steroids to get ripped at the gym over the next few weeks. We are saying: align with the universe and hit the gym more until the 19th. Then, the Sun shifts into the less workout-prone energy of Taurus, where it activates your Relationship zone. At this point, you can go back to watching Netflix on the couch with your bae and eating Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, marbled with those obscene chunks of Reese’s pieces and cookie dough.
SAGITTARIUS
A strong month for you, Sag, at least the beginning part (then not so good). You’re a fire sign and you’re the most adventurous party animal of the Zodiac. And look what we have here: the brazen Aries Sun (fellow fire energy), blazing through your House of Fun until the 19th. In other words, the universe is writing you a blank check to go ham the next couple of weeks, during which you can follow all your kinks, drives, and desires (just remember that the House of Fun also pertains to fertility). But the party’s over on the 19th, as the Sun moves into slow-poke Taurus, where it activates your boring House of Routine and Health. The Cosmos: always giving, then taking away.
CAPRICORN
Spring is in the air and the initiatory energy of the Aries Sun amps up the Home zone of your chart until the 19th. Time for some changes to the hearth: cleaning, re-arranging, decluttering, organising the closets after a long winter of bulky sweaters and musty corduroy blazers hanging around like hopeless barflies, telling stale jokes over stale Guinness that tastes like defeat. Get some life and movement into your immediate environs. On the 19th, the Sun activates the Fun zone of your chart. If the first few weeks indicate domestic/inside/home, the end of April betokens social/outdoors/tavern. Night time. Philandering. Fun. Romance.
AQUARIUS
Communication is your theme until the 19th, but of a complicated kind. To explain: the robust Aries Sun impacts your 3rd House, which deals with, you guessed it, communication. But lo! There is also a cumbersome Mercury retrograde coinciding with this placement. And Mercury pertains to communication, as well. So, you’re going to want to be singing from the rooftops (Aries in the 3rd), but your melodies are going to be all garbled and out of key (Mercury retrograde). You know what they say though: it’s better to sing garbled lyrics from rooftops than to never sing at all. On the 19th, the Sun tap dances into Taurus and energises your Home zone. Taurus energy is very low-key and domestic. Tending to your rhododendrons indicated.
PISCES
With the Aries Sun in your Money zone until the 19th, you could very well be exercising a more commercially-minded attitude. To this end, I hear TikTok is looking for yet more people to film themselves putting on their make-up, or dancing and lip-syncing to Beyoncé in their panties, or exploiting their children by forcing them to play Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier on repeat as the family dog sits atop the piano, intently watching. There’s money in all this, little dreamer, cold hard cash. On the 19th, the Sun thankfully moves out of this TikTok transit and lights up your communication zone. You can return to writing verse in the mode of T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land then.
Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik
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