There’s a Zone of Harmony that the fast-moving planets (Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars) pass through each month that has been with us much of the time since October last year (2012). The Zone of Harmony is a set of degrees in which all of the slow-moving planets are currently situated. This means two things: first, these planets are in a pattern with each other; they resonate at the same frequency or “chord of existence”. In this case, the harmonic is one of ease, stability, and flow.
Second, it means that the fast-moving planets each pass through the Zone on a regular basis, giving us a little bit of this, a little bit of that, in bite-sized chunks. It isn’t always pleasant (there are some disharmonies in the Zone as well), but it is strikingly soothing and flowing. It gives us just the right amount of stimulus and opportunity to get things done if we are patient and follow the steps, even if we don’t know what they are ahead of time.
The Moon passes through the Zone once every 2.5 days for a day; Mars does so once every six weeks for about a week. Mercury, the Sun, and Venus all pass through the Zone about once a month for about five days.
This means that we have a flurry of generally harmonious activity once every three days, then lots of “down time”. Then we have a few days of the Zone courtesy of Mars, Mercury, Sun, and Venus.
In April, the Zone of Harmony is at 9°–12° of any sign, with a supportive outlier influence (Neptune) at 4°. For more on the Zone, see the Planetary Overview.
What’s even more remarkable is that the fast-moving planets are also clustered, giving us short bursts of their activity all at once, then times when there are no significant advances in any situation.
We’ve had this “Fast-Movers’ Promenade” since about mid-January, a grouping that has been tightening up until they come together from the end of March through the end of April. Before the shift began on March 28, they were now tightly packed in the order Mars, Sun, Venus, and Mercury.
First in the chain is Mars, prompting us to take action. In Aries, we feel emboldened, perhaps able to overcome the trepidation that is natural under the current long-term transits and do something. However, while Mars is first it is also at the end of its biennial cycle with the Sun. The urge we feel from Mars is tied to completing an old cycle, so we will engage in a process of elimination more than lighting the spark that ignites a new beginning, for now. Mars does not connect at those degrees until May.
Venus is next, having just passed behind the Sun on the far side of its orbit, away from Earth, the “Full Venus”. This was a Venus-Earth opposition, creating maximum separation and/or perspective about what and who we love, so that we can make the right choices at this important juncture, the halfway point in the Venus cycle. It is a culmination of awareness that leads to the resolution of situations that commenced in early June last year, deep and complex. Venus connects with the Zone of Harmony April 21–25.
The Sun carries on predictably, the clockwork measure of time in the yearly cycle, with Mercury now the caboose in the arrangement. Mercury is still engaging us in a soul retrieval and healing process, putting the final touches on the saga begun February 8. The Sun transits the Zone April 28 – May 2.
Mercury comes along behind, not really playing the game with the rest of the bunch. He had his round with them in February-March, when our focus was drawn toward healing our karmic/ancestral past. Mercury trails along, still recovering bits from the past as it goes, transiting the Zone on April 20–23.
Meanwhile, the Moon dances in and out of each sign around the zodiac, donning new garb with each ingress, reflecting its expression of that persona. We gain perspective on the long-term cycles and their processes as the Moon reflects our needs in the moment.
By April’s end, the order of these planets is virtually reversed, to Venus, Sun, Mars, Mercury. Three planetary transitions occur to bring this about, the Sun-Venus conjunction (March 28), the Venus-Mars conjunction (April 6), and the Sun-Mars conjunction (April 17).
The Sun-Venus conjunction on March 28 was packed into their individual and simultaneous conjunctions with Uranus in Aries, and all this on the Full Moon.
This will produce memorable effects in everyone’s life, but we may not realize it right away. It will certainly show up right away for some. The Venus-Mars conjunction arrives on April 6 at 19°58′ Aries, ending the love-and-finance cycle that commenced on May 23 2011 at 9°01′ Taurus. The last Sun-Mars cycle began on February 4 2011 at 15°31′ Aquarius. The new cycle of action and physical expression starts on April 17 at 28°08′ Aries.
The Moon finds us empty of identity in some area of our life as it darkens to New on April 10, then fills us with a new expression of that identity come the Full Moon on April 25. This Full Moon is also a mild Lunar Eclipse that will nonetheless pack a punch as it picks up the Full phase of Saturn with the Sun to give us a sharp awareness of how we’re doing with the changes we took on last October. This eclipse is the first of three this time (Lunar-Solar-Lunar), signaling a shift in timing so that the Lunar occurs before the Solar now for a couple years.
Tangled in with these beginnings are the deeper rumblings of Pluto’s station retrograde on April 12 at 11°35′ Capricorn. This guarantees that the tireless efforts we’ve made over the past five years in deepening the meaning and authenticity of our lives will not be set aside for a superficial fix, but built into what develops on each of the new cycles.
We aren’t likely to see quick and final results at this time either, because the changes we are experiencing now go very deep. It is a start, and there are many related connections being made at this time to suggest that a gradual, stepwise process will lead to the most solid and unassailable results in both love and life.
So look for changes in April as a follow-through on what was developing in March, perhaps with a plot twist at the end of the month. This plot twist will fuel our adventures for many months to come, with April showing us the shape and potential held in the direction we’re choosing.
(Except as otherwise noted, all interpretations in this astrological forecast are based on a natural chart, using the beginning of Aries as the ascendant, and times listed are Pacific Daylight Time (UTC–7) after March 10.
A “Void Moon” or “Void of Course Moon” (or “VOC moon” for short) makes no significant aspects until it enters the next sign. Its void period is thought to be a poor time for starting new projects or making concerted effort toward existing plans.
According to William Lilly, the Moon in Cancer (Moon’s rulership), Taurus (Moon’s exaltation), Sagittarius and Pisces (signs ruled by Jupiter, the Great Benefic) “performeth somewhat.” Lee Lehmann reports that she has tested this, and “you can take it to the bank.” Another way of putting how this works in an astrological forecast is that, when an action is taken during the void period in one of these signs, you get “unanswered success.” That is, the lack of planetary action prevents your action from being denied.
Daily Success Guide Astrological Forecast, April 2013
There’ll be time for fun and plenty of hijincks for April Fool’s Day, as the Moon completes its stay in Sagittarius. Although void of course, we can use this time actively. The Moon’s entry into sober Capricorn at 10:35 pm PT (1:35 am April 2 ET) tones down the mood, and we settle into more serious concerns. As Sun sextiles Jupiter, we feel the end of our yearly cycle of enterprise and expansion, with the urge to get what we can from it without delay.
The energies begin to spin inward as we pass the Last Quarter Moon at 9:37 pm PT/13°35′ Aries/Capricorn (12:37 am April 3 ET). The chart for this lunation shows how well organized the planets are, with so many clustered around 11 to 13 degrees of their respective signs. Now we can more fully understand the powerful and exciting truths that came forward in late March as the Moon in Capricorn brings a deeper awareness to the surface. A cradle provides a softening energy to help us assimilate these transformative energies and create a new life chapter.
In the chart cast for Washington DC, the Last Quarter Moon occurs on April 3/0:37 am. The economic well-being of the people is spotlighted, and the demons that cripple the economy are called out of their hiding places. With extreme weather patterns as a backdrop, and an increasingly flagrant misuse of land (quick, before they find out), political clashes are certain. The mainstream media turn a blind eye to what’s really going on, but the truth is out there.
Both Sabian Symbols for this lunation evoke images of the past, suggesting that the key to resolving current conflicts lies in understanding their roots.
The Moon’s symbol is “a serpent coiling near a man and a woman”, suggesting the Adam-Eve story and invoking the power of the Serpent (Water Snake) in its (Chinese) Year of power. We are tapping corrupt concepts from the seeds of thought pl anted in the origins of our current world civilization, especially those that have to do with gender differences and how violence against women is perceived and handled socially.
The symbol for the Sun is “An ancient bas-relief carved in granite remains a witness to a long-forgotten culture.” Look to the stories that we have accepted as our own, handed down by cultural authority (religion, government, etc.), for what needs to be revived and/or revised.
It’s all over by daybreak, as our Capricorn Moon brings us a night of active dreaming, allowing us to integrate recent experiences into our heart-mind-body complex. At 3:35 am (6:35 am ET), the Moon enters a day-long void period, when assimilation, completion, and organizing are good ways to focus the energy.
At 1:41 am (4:41 am ET), the Moon enters independent Aquarius and makes it easier to free ourselves of oppressive thoughts. This feeling is magnified by the opportunity to heal presented by Chiron’s latest sextile to Pluto, its third of five. This is point of healing release is especially powerful though as Pluto is at its retrograde station (SRx), which is exact on April 12 but very strong now. With a square to Saturn to remind us of the need for change, we will be heartened by our well-tested conviction that what we are doing is correct. Jupiter is there to strengthen our confidence and inner wisdom.
Just before it clears its retrograde shadow, Mercury trines the North Node to give us a sense of the new heights of understanding we have gained through our healing work of February–March while Mercury was retrograde. We have come far indeed, even though the results are still in development. At the same time, Venus quincunxes the North Node from her position in Scorpio, bringing awkward circumstances to the surface. All may not be well in our relationships yet, but the first step— awareness—has already been taken. The Moon helps us smell the roses, with nothing but harmonies until it enters a void-of-course at 10:22 am (1:22 pm ET) that continues the sweetness.
Today is the big event: the new Venus-Mars cycle begins with their conjunction at 9:58 pm/19°58′ Aries (12:58 am Aril 7 ET). The Sabian Symbol for the conjunction carries a powerful symbol of love and compassion, “a young girl feeding birds in winter”. It speaks of offering love and nurturance in a time of particular need. May we all carry this energy in our heart to express throughout the coming cycle. The Moon is in dreamy Pisces as of 6:00 am, harmonizing with Neptune and Saturn to open us to our feelings and the truth of the inner world.
What we felt on Friday is echoed today as the Sun quincunxes the North Node following up on Venus’s connection. We set our intentions now for how to use what we’ve discovered as we enter the eclipse energy later this week. The Moon proceeds through Pisces, bringing forth our healing process for one final lap around the track. The pattern that stimulated it is separating now, but today we get another shot at releasing any remaining discomfort. The Moon’s void period commences at 9:10 pm (12:10 am April 8 ET) through midday tomorrow, but in Pisces the Moon still supports our efforts to activate.
A quiet morning gives way to a lively afternoon of anticipation as the Moon enters Aries at 12:02 pm PT (3:01 pm ET). The Moon makes no contacts today (nor does any other planet), but it is heading toward the architects of transformation, Uranus and Pluto, with which it connects early tomorrow. We’re feeling it today as the urge to act, perhaps an increase in tension or anxiety if we project ourselves into the future. Live in the moment, and stress disappears.
We feel a peak of energy as the Moon in Aries reaches Uranus and Pluto. These challenging ties heat up the dilemmas in our lives so we can see them more clearly, part of an ongoing process that leads to resolving a big problem. Fortunately, Jupiter helps us see the silver lining and ways to alleviate the current circumstances. We get a quiet afternoon to focus on and take action in support of our new understanding.
The Moon treats us to an early experience of sweet energy as it glues Sun, Mars, and Venus together again in a happy trio. This is the energy of love and connection, and it will infuse the entire lunar cycle to come, as this is also the New Moon (2:35 am/20°41′ Aries) (5:35 am ET). This stretches out the joyous spring-y feeling of the Venus-Mars conjunction and gives a boost to our expression of these energies of love early on in their cycle, which lasts until February 2015. This is provides the opportunity for an auspicious start to any enterprise. Watch for changes to come!
The Moon is void of course from its conjunction with Venus at 9:25 am. When it enters Taurus at 8:22 pm, we can pick up steam again and carry on with our plans.
In the chart cast for the United States setting the lunation in Washington DC, there’s a sense of lost dreams as the population picks up the search for new ones in light of the need for changes in the cultural value system. Many people are questioning the foundation they’ve built their life around. They feel betrayed by the “system” to which they have devoted much faith and effort, without an equivalent, or even adequate, return. This lunation is more about the people, their attitudes, and fate, than it is about the leaders.
There is contentiousness in the air, found in the Sabian Symbol for the New Moon degree of 22 Aries, “A boxer is entering the ring.” This could be the start of a competition of might, where there is usually a winner and a loser. Looking deeper however, all contestants may both win and lose depending on the purpose and machinations behind the scenes. Look beneath the surface to find what’s really going on. A win-win could be created through an enlightened viewpoint.
The Moon in Taurus makes mostly harmonious contacts today as it reaches the planets in the other yin/feminine signs—Neptune, Chiron, Saturn, and Pluto. It’s still a time of deep and serious thought, with Saturn and Pluto involved, but the Moon helps us see an enterprising way through and find joy in the moment.
As the Taurus Moon greets an empty portion of sky, Pluto begins its apparent backward motion, turning Stationary Retrograde (SRx) at 11°35′ Capricorn. This retrograde lasts until September 20 and ties in with events on December 30 (2012), March 31, July 1, and October 1. For at least two weeks we’ve been experiencing this energy in all its power, and the shift we feel today is one of settling into a process that will lead to an important and beneficial transformation in some area of our life. A note of awkward reality creeps in as Saturn Rx quincunxes Uranus at 9°21′ Scorpio/Aries. This means that whatever we’re taking on now is not going to be universally well-received, but it is the right path even if it does startle some around us.
Head and heart synchronize as Moon in Taurus makes a sextile to Mercury before entering its void period at 5:30 am (8:30 am ET). This brief pause in the action ends at 7:13 am with her entry into curious Gemini. A late afternoon contact to Neptune suggests that a nap or a time of daydreaming will be more productive than applying ourselves to a linear or logical task. At 7:37 pm, Mercury enters Aries, the last of the bunch to reach the sign of bold adventure. Accordingly, we feel more spontaneous and mentally sharp, which supports our confidence in taking new steps.
The Moon in Gemini meets the planets of ingenuity and enterprise, Uranus and Jupiter before noon, giving us the rest of the day to use it in inspired projects or the spirit of play.
Venus enters Taurus, its yin/receptive home sign, at 0:25 am PT (3:25 am ET) to steady our feelings and lead us to seek more pragmatism and stability in our relationships. The Moon supports our good mood with the easy flow of sextiles over the day, going void in Gemini at 12:41 pm to give us a half-day to reconnoiter from our recent adventures. At 7:49 pm, mood trumps mental cogitation as the Moon enters Cancer.
The Moon continues through Cancer, accessing nearly every planet today. This could bring distress if we let our moods assume top priority, but if we use our feeling awareness to prime the pump of wise action, we strengthen our resolve and find the power of determination within.
The Moon is still in Cancer, heading toward the Sun and Mars to bring out areas where emotion could lead to conflict. The New Mars cycle commences with Mars’s conjunction to the Sun at 5:20 pm/28°08′ Aries (8:20 pm ET). This sends us on a new journey or adventure in life that lasts two years. It’s a good time to turn inward to get in touch with our purpose and how we want to manifest it. In Aries, this two-year round needs to be based on our unique gifts, who we really are deep inside.
The Moon reaches its First Quarter phase at 5:31 am/28°38′ Cancer/Aries (8:31 am ET), picking up the energy of the Sun-Mars conjunction and augmenting our urge to take action. If we have been immobilized, this can provide us with the boost we need to take a long-contemplated action. The crowd in Aries is a bit thinner and less intense, with Venus now in Taurus and the Sun past Mars. However, Mercury is about to conjoin Uranus and square Pluto, so unexpected communications and connections lie as yet unseen, to emerge in the coming week. We’ll know much more within the next few days.
Venus brings a peak of awareness about how progress in relationship and finance is going, as it moves toward its opposition with Saturn. For now we can dreams, as Venus sextiles Neptune. After the Moon goes void of course at 5:31 am, it reinvigorates life when it enters Leo at 8:13 am, giving us a full day of fruitful pursuits.
In the US, the rabble-rousers of the House are engaged in a full-throated campaign of distraction, while something is being slid by unnoticed. The faithful parrots of the mainstream media will look the other way, but the alter-net will bring any corrupting influence to light. It seems once again as if the forces of separation and greed will prevail, but something new is being built on the quiet, away from decrying eyes.
Once again, the Sabian symbols for this lunation carry a mythological theme with ancient roots, filled with the promise of good things to come.
The Moon’s symbol is “a Greek muse weighing new born twins in golden scales”, while the Sun brings to us “the music of the spheres”. Either way, we can tap into the rich and powerful energies of the universe that led the Greeks and those from whom they borrowed to see the beauty and harmony of the skies and the sublime meaning that can be found in simple events—a child’s birth or a musical performance.
It’s a good day to watch what we say, and perhaps to remain silent despite the powerful urge to explain, as Mercury quincunxes Saturn. The Moon in Leo checks in with Saturn to ensure we are taking the path of gradual progress to our long-term goals, about which we must be patient and persevering. Its fiery nature is supported by connections with Uranus and Jupiter, stimulating our inspiration to rise above the things that block us. We can do it! At 3:03 pm (6:03 pm ET), the Sun enters Taurus, grounding our efforts into a more productive version of reality. The Moon goes void of course on a note of possibility at 2:06 pm, until tomorrow evening.
Finally, Mercury reaches its conjunction with Uranus entering the Zone of Harmony, bringing out a truth that will propel us in a more precise direction than before. At 4:48 am (7:48 am ET), Mars enters Taurus, building on the formative power granted to us via the Sun and Venus, already in this constructive Earth sign. At 6:08 pm, the Moon urges us to more industrious activities when it enters dedicated Virgo and harmonizes with Mars and the Sun over the evening.
It’s the drop of the other shoe, as Mercury squares Pluto to bring forward all that we need to know now about the big changes to come. Give your inner process some care and focus today, and your path will be clearer in critical ways. The Moon links up with the majority of the planets today, as it makes it way through the early-mid degrees of Virgo. We’ll feel pulled in several directions with too many appealing possibilities. It’s a busy week ahead, and we may want to do some preparation today. The Moon is void of course from 11:02 pm PT (2:02 am April 22 ET), until early Tuesday morning.
As Venus opposes Saturn, she enters the Zone of Harmony, and we get a glimpse of how we’re doing with those projects and responsibilities we took on last October. We are especially focused on our relationships and how they are progressing. The Moon continues its void period in Virgo through today, giving us plenty of time to look inward, to integrate past experiences, and to organize for the next foray.
Mercury sextiles Jupiter at 16°06′ Aries/Gemini, as Jupiter leaves its retrograde shadow, allowing us to create benefit from the challenges we’ve recently been prompted to take on. This bodes well for all kinds of agreements and communications. The clarity we feel today will infuse all our connections. This takes Mercury beyond the Zone of Harmony, and our minds can move into a more stable mode; we’ll be able to make plans now.
At 0:25 am (3:25 am ET), the Moon enters Libra after a very long void period in Virgo. Now we can—feel compelled to—take direct action to affect the changes we want in our life. The energy of the Full Moon is upon us, and this is no ordinary Full Moon, but one in which a Lunar Eclipse carries the energy of Saturn’s Full appearance as it opposes the Sun.
Things in our relationship life take a turn for the better, especially if we have been focused on authenticity in our connections. Venus trines Pluto, which brings an opportunity to make a harmonious change in our way of loving. In both ourselves and others, we are placing a higher value on loyalty, stability, resilience, and wisdom (especially financial). Our bonds with others are shifting to accommodate this long, deep change.
With a Sun sextile to Neptune, it just gets better. There’s the opportunity to align dreams and reality if we can keep our eye on the big picture and be ready to undergo some challenges to our faith and intuition. Don’t feel compelled to say it all now. Our ties and connections will go through a natural shift over the next few days, and we will be freed of some old conditions and step into some new ones. Nothing will be finalized now.
As Venus finishes her sojourn through the Zone of Harmony, she sextiles Chiron, a healing moment. We’ll just generally feel better. Pain levels will abate or disappear—not a permanent change perhaps, but the sign of a trend in the right direction. Relationships have the chance to heal as well, and if the door is opened transformation can reach to all levels of consciousness.
After the Moon enters Scorpio at 3:25 am (6:25 am ET), we feel an uptick in intensity as the Full Moon energy is completely present. The Moon becomes Full at 12:57 pm/5°46′ Scorpio/Taurus. This is also a very weak Partial Lunar Eclipse, as the Moon nips into the edge of the Earth’s shadow.
This Full Moon has its challenges unrelated to the eclipse but deepened by it. The key event is the Sun’s impending opposition to Saturn, in orb and building until it becomes exact early Sunday morning. It gives us a sobering look at the progress we’re making in building our lives in an area or project we took on in October. Feelings of stuckness are likely to be magnified, and these feelings should be used to firm up our resolve to continue on our path of change.
The Full Moon chart cast for Washington DC shows a big triumph for the President. While it may not play out immediately, it will cast a long, beneficial shadow into the future. The forces of oppression are weakened, and better times lie ahead for the public. People will feel a renewed sense of hope that will lift the economy, but how long this lasts will depend on similar successes that support the good of all.
The Sabian Symbols for the Full Moon Eclipse suggest travel and migration, perhaps a time of transition.
The Sun is on the degree of “a bridge being built across a high narrow gorge”, which suggests a project providing public good, both in its creation and its result. A bridge unites people and makes flow easier amongst those who were previously separated or prevented from moving.
The Moon is on the degree of “a gold rush tears people away from their native soil”. This reminds us of the need to let go of the past in moving to the future, which can involve spiritual and psychological as well as physical relocation. There is a breaking free that is happening now, and the more that we can let go, the more movement we will see in our lives.
The Moon goes void of course at 1:56 am (4:56 am ET), on a perspective-giving opposition to Venus. We have a day to deepen into and assimilate the energies of the Full Moon, with a beneficial Mars sextiles to Neptune to support our inner inquiries. We are drawn to search the inner realms for answers and insights.
The Moon enters Sagittarius to lift us into the realms of optimism, in spite of our uncertainty about what’s real. By the end of the day something feels more settled and stable, as we remember the changes that have brought us this far.
Overnight, the Sun reaches its opposition to Saturn, the Full culmination of Saturn’s yearly cycle. Think back to what you launched last October and how far you’ve come with your initiative. It may feel incomplete and vague at this point, but things are about to get clearer—a little bit now and a lot more in the next two months.
Pay attention to what actions you feel are called for. It may be time to make changes to your long-term plan, but not your goals and purpose, which should remain firm. Self-doubt is our greatest obstacle now. The Moon continues through Sagittarius and brings an accord of head and heart by day’s end. Its void period begins on a harmonious note, at 9:37 pm PT (12:37 am April 29 ET).
It’s a day of kismet, as Venus conjoins the South Node at 17°20′ Taurus. This occurs as Jupiter quincunxes it, and we see what is yet to be completed before our situation is “ripe”—ready for the next big step.
At 5:21 am (8:21 am ET), the Moon goes into Capricorn, carrying us into the Zone of Harmony from a challenge perspective so we get another perspective on the big picture and what needs changing. A startling realization at the end of the day will help us in the long run.
The Moon in Capricorn transforms us overnight, then shows us the rewards for continuing on our path. Encouraging signs show up as the day progresses, especially in our relationships and social interactions. Mars reaches its opposition to Saturn, bringing an action-oriented perspective on events of the past week (as well as the past six months of Saturn’s cycle).
This also puts Mars into the Zone of Harmony, where we can take a hands-on approach to changing our circumstances. Now we can do something substantive to build our future. For now though, the feeling may be more one of frustration with what we have not yet accomplished, but this is the ego talking. Let your heart reveal to you what’s real, what’s been accomplished, and the purpose in the process.
For more than 20 years, Terry Lamb (M.A. Linguistics, UC San Diego; C.A. NCGR, EEMCP) has been helping people to understand how cycles and energies work and interact in their lives. She augments her astrological acumen with energy medicine, Yijing (Chinese Book of Change), cosmology, psychology, and a broad range of health and spiritual studies.
Terry is among the nation’s most knowledgeable, insightful, and engaging astrologers. With pragmatic optimism and compassion, Terry’s approach has helped clients and students find their own way to “walk among the stars”. She is dedicated to using astrology as a way to create our future and free ourselves from “fate”. She goes along with Abraham Lincoln, who said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
Her unique approach to astrology can be learned through her home study and apprenticeship programs (contact her directly).
Great post, as always! Thank you.
Terry,
Your insights are consistently brilliant and full of wisdom Thanks for your planetary service!
Rev. Dr. Judith Larkin Reno