April
Changes—
April 3
Jupiter direct
April 25
Chiron retro
April 26
Mercury retro
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A P R I L 2 0 0 3 R E T R O G R A D E W A T C H  by Maya del Mar In April, Jupiter turns direct, and Mercury and Chiron turn retrograde. Those planets are emphasized around the days when they station, and make their turn—either direct or retrograde. It is as though the planet’s influence is concentrated at that time. When one is born at the time of a planetary station, that planet has major influence during the entire lifetime. We might look at other events occurring around station times in the same manner. Their influence is deeper and more lasting. On April 3, Jupiter makes its long-awaited direct station at 10:03 p.m. EDT. It will travel direct for the remainder of the year. We can now move ahead on those activities on which we’ve been holding back. Jupiter denotes growth and expansion in our lives. It shows belief, optimism, and success with our projects. When Jupiter turns retrograde, that energy is turned inward, and we review our philosophies, and the beliefs behind our behavior, at inner levels, instead of just mindlessly pushing ahead. We will make inner changes during the retrograde time, which is about four months for Jupiter, and when we resume our enthusiastic marching ahead, it will be from a firmer sense of conviction. During the retrograde time, we may change alliances, or decide to change alliances, and when Jupiter resumes direct motion, we are prepared to ally with groups with whom we feel a real affinity. Jupiter also refers to social groups. My father, a Jupiterian type, died the night Jupiter turned direct. I saw the chorus of angels welcoming him, and he was ready then to join the company waiting for him on the other side. Jupiter turned retrograde last December 4. Gen. Tommy Franks arrived in the Middle East then, preparing for an Iraq invasion. That invasion did get delayed during nearly the whole of the retrograde time. The invasion started while Jupiter was still retrograde (not good timing), and delays continued to plague the American-British forces. In the meantime, people of the whole world have been rethinking their attitudes towards both war and towards the U.S. War as an activity, and the U.S. as a nation, are both associated with Jupiter. We may see a huge emergence of real anti-war activity when Jupiter turns direct. Jupiter is also associated with law, and one thing is apt to be the drawing up of a war crimes indictment against Tony Blair and GW Bush. There is a great plentitude of ammunition. Jupiter will not turn retrograde again until early in January 2004. Mercury and Chiron station together. On April 25 and 26, Chiron and Mercury turn retrograde within less than 24 hours from one another. Slow-moving Chiron’s station lasts for a few days, so Chiron will still be essentially stationary when Mercury makes its turn at 7:59 a.m. EDT on the morning of April 26. Chiron and Mercury station trine one another, both in earth signs. They are addressing a concrete, tangible situation. Taurus is the sign of Earth’s abundance, and Chiron of the system, represented by government. That weekend is apt to demonstrate a dramatic situation, one which needs new (Chiron) solutions. Mercury adjoins Earth Mother Ceres. We are apt to be faced head-on with the humanitarian crisis which many agencies have been warning of for months. Large-scale starvation, death, and environmental destruction are happening now, and this may be the weekend when it becomes too great to ignore any longer. It is certain that this will be a mentally fertile and inventive weekend. We will have a great deal to review and redo during the next three weeks. Mercury turns direct on May 20, between two eclipses. Mercury has its retrogrades in the same element for two years. It cycles through all four of the elements, so that every eight years it repeats the same element. In January 2003 we started a new cycle of earth signs, with Mercury retrograde in Capricorn. Now we have Mercury retrograde in earth sign Taurus, and in September we will experience Mercury retrograde in Virgo. Over the course of a year, then, we get to revise our thinking about the entire element. In 2003 and 2004 we work with earth—i.e., money, resources, values, and the institutions which embody them. Mercury now turns retrograde conjoined the U.S. Vesta, which refers to the nation’s investments. Rethinking, reviewing, and re-prioritizing are in order now. Mercury turns direct on May 20, and we can begin then to act on our new ideas. In general, Mercury retrograde periods are not favorable for purchases. In Taurus, their influence on buying is extra strong. We can prepare and compare while Mercury is retrograde, but wait to move on major purchases until Mercury turns direct. Chiron turns direct on September 19, again in tandem with Mercury, but now direct. Again they are trine. This is like hauling in the big earth movers, to solve a major problem. |