April is characterized by that young, enthusiastic sign, Aries. The sap is rising, and we are ready to take on new projects. Taurus, sign of manifestation, and Gemini, sign of communication, are also strong this month.

Aries, Taurus, and Gemini are all personal signs. April is the month when we plunge into our personal business. For the next six months, our immediate lives, needs, and desires will take precedence over our wider social obligations.

And this month we will be very active, indeed, taking care of our business. Mercury, the Winged Messenger, is almost frantically flying about with messages which keep us all on the move. A busy Mercury means busy lives.

All four of the asteroids are also very entwined in aspects during the entire month. Vesta, concerned with security, is most prominent. Challenging Vesta is great mother Ceres, who says nurturing, as well as concern for basic life cycles, is not receiving a fair shake. Pallas in Aquarius continues to architect the future—what kind of future? We must ask. And Juno in Leo is about assuming our power in relationships.

The first few days of April give us a preview of the month. On April 7, Mercury conjoins Sun, and we have some new realizations. Sun is the director of the show, the boss, and every 90 days Mercury meets up with Sun to get his/her new operating instructions.

The aspect of the month is one which has been in effect since February 1—Jupiter oppose Chiron. This is its last and most powerful month. It began with Enron’s financial report, which showed top executives raking in millions last year. There were big demonstrations, and Kenneth Lay resigned. The World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil—"Another World is Possible"—attracted 50,000 delegates. GW put out the U.S. plan to arm and train Colombian soldiers to protect U.S. oil pipelines. The Olympics took place in Salt Lake City. In Washington a strategy was emerging in regard to Iraq—a plan to create an "inspection crisis" which would lead to war by May. Except perhaps for the Olympics, fallout from all of these events is still occurring, and may have some revelations or culmination this month. April 18 is a key date for completion. How was your life being disrupted in early February?

There is another opposition in force for the entire month. This is Reformer Uranus opposing Transpluto, the energy of resurrection. I expect to see two developments: a new surge in the urge for freedom, especially in the U.S., and a renewed push in weapons technology. Oppositions are like full moons: they shed light on things. We can expect lots of revelations and new information to emerge this month.