 by Nina Bouska Nina Bouska and Maya del Mar became dedicated astrology students together nearly 40 years ago, and have met regularly with others from their first class ever since. This free version of the forecast is posted on the site every Monday. Don't want to wait? Get the whole month's forecast at once—PLUS Boots Hart's General Influences, Crystal's Power Portal Predictions, the Daykeeper Travel Advisory and Maya's Retrograde Guide—all as a Premium Subscriber! Subscribe now. Dear Daykeeper friends! You'll notice our April forecast is still here. The only other time Daykeeper was late was at Maya's passing. This time, there's a much happier reason: Crystal and Susan's brand-new nephew, Max, was born late last night (Pisces moon, Taurus sun, Sag rising) and caused a bit of a disruption! Our May issue will be up by end of day Thursday. Thanks for your patience and understanding. INTRODUCTION Probably the most important characteristic of this month’s daily charts is that we now have the two real “heavies” in a chart appearing to move backward. In retrograde motion, a planet’s influences are thought to be modified or directed inward. Saturn has been retrograde all of this year and goes direct early next month. With Saturn in Virgo, we’ve probably experience delays in projects and problem-solving, or things we thought completed crop up anew. Perhaps we’ve had concerns about our health, perhaps a flagging of self-discipline. At least a lessened sense of urgency and anxiety. Pluto goes retrograde April 2. Any impulse toward immediate change may be modified, or held for reconsideration, reevaluation, and the gathering of more facts. We’ll recognize that there are many more facets to be considered before a final decision can prudently be made and that we’ll have to dig in to find the significant kernels of wisdom. As an added bonus, Mars in Cancer is more protective than aggressive, more interested in comfort than dominion, so his fiercely competitive warlike instincts are lessened. Many of the charts hold long-lasting contrary patterns: action-oriented challenging t-squares and grand trines to promote easy-flowing interaction among energies. But the squares for the most part link the most compassionate planets, and the trines are largely grounded in earth signs.
(Except as otherwise noted, all interpretations here are based on a natural chart, using the beginning of Aries as the ascendant, and times listed are Pacific Standard Time. A Void of Course Moon 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.) We can feel a bit self-satisfied as this new month begins, and be amused by the antics of those who continue the traditions of April Fool's Day. We’re beginning to see that we have made important progress in past weeks, although the goal or goals we seek may still be a long road ahead, and we’re intent on starting that journey. Still, don’t really feeling outgoing. A mild brain-fog that’s dulled the past few days should lift now, as Moon crosses in front of Neptune and goes void at 2:14 am, and becomes more clear when Mercury slides into Aries at 10:45 am to rev up his role as courier of information. Shortly after Moon moves into Pisces at 1:55, the big news comes with Pluto’s retrograde station at 2:23 am PDT. From now through September, this big guy’s apparent retracing of his journey calls for rethinking the use of our personal power, our will power, our ability to change and to create change, to make sure we’re on the right path. This occurs in the first degrees of Capricorn, which means it most directly affects the structures and rules we’ve set up for ourselves, and the aims we’ve established for creating and/or maintaining our stature in the immediate world around us. Once Pluto starts moving forward again in September and transits through Capricorn until 2024, we’ll recognize this influence in many ways but especially in relation to the position of Pluto at the time of birth. From many of us, born between 1939 and 1958, Pluto will be demanding serious adjustments in lifestyle. For those born 1958-1972, the changes demanded may be easier, but the details more important. The Pluto-in-Libra generation, 1973-1983, will be challenged to reorganize relationships; those born during Pluto’s tenure in its own sign, Scorpio, from 1984-1995, should look for opportunities to optimize their dependence on others and their ability to call on knowledge beyond the ordinary. The timing of intensity for each of us will depend on how early or late our individual birthday falls in the period. The coming six-month period is auspicious for all of us for getting serious about advance planning. Keep your eyes on the nitty-gritty today but don’t get discouraged. A Pisces Moon can feel enervated by its lack of boundaries, so her staring across the chart at Saturn can be intimidating, and Mercury’s square to Pluto along with Sun’s to Mars are pushy. Whatever it is you have to do, it will all work out, but the course of action is not likely to be smooth. Today is apt to feel like an “ouchy” in a number of ways. Irascible Juno is starting to put the pins to Pluto and the two are harassing Moon, Vesta, Venus and Mercury. We need to think before we speak (or it may not come out as intended) and keep our sensitivity under control. It lightens up when Moon conjuncts Venus and goes void at 2:43 pm, entering Aries at 5:27 pm. We’re far more ready for action today, and eager to get on with it, with Moon hitching up with Mercury in Aries and Venus joining them late tonight. But Luna’s square to Mars in Cancer may slow visible progress. The New Moon at 17 Aries occurs late in the day, 8:55 pm on the west coast, 11:55 pm in Washington DC. Moon slides away from its investigative square to Pluto during the morning, meets up with Mercury to glean some leadership ideas, then picks up a square to an apparently complacent Mars in Cancer to focus on inner needs, before conjuncting Sun. Mars is now within orb of an opposition to Jupiter in Capricorn, a steadying influence on the red planet’s ordinarily aggressive energies. That’s a lot of wholesome fodder to nourish our intentions for the next four weeks. The coming fortnight is a time for inner work, for pawing through the ideas and possibilities that have been compounding over the past several weeks, sorting out and discarding the chaff and bookmarking those germs of genius that show potential. We should reflect on the probable reasons for things that haven’t gone our way recently (making notes to help avoid repeating those mistakes) and relish the ones that have (making plans to help retain and nourish those gains). In our nation’s chart, the t-square emanates from Sun-Moon in the fourth house of security to encompass values and resources, our own and others’. There may be hopeful news about efforts to shore up the economy and cap the burgeoning number of home foreclosures. There may be polite, but firm, insistence from other nations whose economies are being negatively affected by our financial problems. The t-square outlets in the tenth house, which represents our leadership, in Libra, a sign known for its inclination toward mediation and conciliatory intentions. Venus, the most peace-loving planet, holds the strongest position in the chart, being closest to an angle, a mere 3° past the nadir—the point that initiates concern for roots, foundations and family safety. Her sole classic aspect is a square to Pluto, which could add a compulsive note to the pursuit of security. But she is also quincunx Saturn, a spur to modify and restructure rigid conventional thinking to allow more productive end results. The centaur Pholus, recognized only about 15 years ago, is gaining credence with many astrologers. In this chart, he sits less than a degree past the ascendant, which makes his angular affinity even stronger than that of Venus. While most agree that we are still gathering evidence of influences related to Pholus, some commonly accepted interpretations are intriguing: hidden potential coming slowly but thoroughly to manifestation; radical but unexpected change; and, as the “key” to Neptune, vague precognition that opens doors to infinite possibilities. The Sabian symbol for 17 Aries: Two dignified spinsters sitting in silence; the ability to transform a natural lack of potency into poise and inner serenity. “Life has turned inward,” Rudhyar says, “in a self-created mirroring.” But many of us have learned through psychotherapy that richness lies inward and self-mirroring leads to growth. Moon is void again from 8:02 am until she enters Taurus at 6:20 this evening, so it may be good to welcome this as a day of rest. Today is a good day for directing your energies toward yourself and your own comfort level, although there may be minor protest from someone in your camp who thinks the primary need is theirs. Be pleasant, but hold your own. Stick-to-it determination is drawn from Moon’s trines to both Saturn and Pluto, so we sail into a new workweek with a can-do attitude. We may nonetheless have to modify what we want, quite possibly because our expectations are much higher than warranted by the circumstances. Quixotic humor may suggest some unusual but intriguing alternatives. We awaken still charged up, but Moon’s hassle with Neptune as she goes void at 8:13 am may bring a brush with the doldrums. That lasts until she goes into Gemini at 6:27 this evening. Venus is exactly quincunx Saturn, suggesting that our desires and the realities of the situation at hand are still not truly meshing. Moon joins hands with Ceres today for some concerted consideration of our value systems and our resources. What precisely is most important to us? What skills and tools are available to help us solidify those parts of our lives? Moon reaches out to Neptune to help us aim for the ideal; their square to Saturn keeps our thinking pragmatic. An astrologically turbulent day with many aspects, even though Moon is void from 9:11 am to 7:43 pm. Self-interest is a focal point until Moon’s trine to Neptune, which she carries through her void period to bolster our romanticism. Our minds are racing as Mercury squares Mars, and Moon’s opposition to Pluto can make us downright compulsive about something. Moon moved into Cancer at 7:43 pm. so that something may have to do with home and family. We carry the wholesome nurturing vibes of Moon square Venus through the entire day, letting those take precedence over the nagging tension of Sun’s conjunction to Eris, which heightens an atmosphere of rivalry that could get a bit nasty. Moon goes void on her First Quarter square to Sun at 11:43 am. A good thing, really, as we’re pretty revved up by her earlier aspects to Mercury, Uranus and Jupiter. She remains void all day, then moves into Leo at 11:29 pm on the Pacific Coast—which is already 2:29 am Eastern time. Dark Moon Lilith has just moved into Sagittarius, the sign that rules our ongoing quests for adventure, and for understanding. In the next few weeks we will undoubtedly have to face some of the truths we’ve been refusing to see and deal with the ensuing feelings of guilt or regret. Her square to Saturn suggests those feelings may pertain to how well we’ve attended to health issues and obligations, or the way we treat those we serve or those who serve us (on whatever level). Both a multi-faceted t-square and a queasy grand trine distinguish today’s chart. Moon and Mars oppose Jupiter, and all are challenging Sun, Mercury, Eris and Pallas. We still have a great deal of thinking and analyzing and strategizing to do, and our competitive spirit is a goad urging us on. The national chart, set for the exact square in Washington DC at 2:43 pm, shows Leo rising. The multi-pronged t-square shoots from the ninth to the cusps of the sixth and twelfth houses; the import seems to suggest covert activity relating to the military and foreign affairs and liaisons. Moon’s exact quincunx to Neptune, who sits near the seventh cusp, reinforces this notion. A nearby Venus-headed t-square to Mars and Jupiter may see emotions get overheated. The ongoing political campaigning may soar to record irascibility. A loose grand trine links the restraining planets, Saturn and Pluto, to Sun and feisty Eris—but they are both retrograde and not at their best. We can hope their influence is internalized in the right places. This grand trine continues to build over the coming week, offering us opportunities to retrench and reconsider how overly ambitious ego can get in the way of achieving what we actually want. The Sabian symbol for the Moon at 24° Cancer: A woman and two men castaways on a small island of the south seas; the focalization of complex inner potentialities in harmonic and concrete relationships. Rudhyar references the desirability of integration and cooperation over competition. For the Sun at 24° Aries: Blown inward by the wind, the curtains of an open window take the shape of a cornucopia; openness to the influx of spiritual energies. Spirit “blows through the open-mind window and brings into the personality a promise of more-than-material potency,” says Rudhyar, “enabling this consciousness to extend the scope of its awareness and creative expression.” As Moon moves into Leo she creates a quincunx to Pluto, a powerful urge to fall in step with every influence that comes our way, just to avoid conflict or because we feel somehow inadequate to come up with alternative behavior. This brings an ambiguous start to the day, but minds clear by late morning and by mid-afternoon we’re actually feeling groovy. We could use more days with aspects as smooth as this. Sun-Mercury, Mars and Jupiter hook up to help us accomplish what we set out to do. Vibes among the other planets are mellow, and we seem to be able to almost automatically choose the right approach or the right direction. Moon goes void on a trine to Sun at 9:56 pm. Today’s a good one too. Moon moves into Virgo early this morning, at 6:07 am, so we need to pay more attention to the details than we did yesterday to avoid a serious blip in self-esteem. Probing insights are possible into long-standing relationship difficulties; likewise imaginative ways of expressing ourselves whether in relationships, problem-solving or creative endeavors. More than the ordinary amount of coming and going, or back and forth communication, this morning. Someone’s nose is a bit out of joint, as my Grandma used to say, and while the best choice may be simply to walk softly around them until it goes away, chances are you’ll try to make it right. Good luck. Moon goes Void of Course at 10:59 pm PDT. We’re still mulling the events of the past couple of days. Moon opposed Uranus late last night, a harbinger of surprises and unpredictable behavior, and the effects linger. Jupiter throws his weight into the picture to exaggerate the importance of emotional input and Neptunian idealistic nagging. Uranus is coaching Mars to look to the future and ignore outdated rules. Mercury moves into Taurus at 2:07 pm and immediately trines Pluto and Saturn; a note of stubbornness underwrites communication for the rest of the month. Moon goes into Libra at 3:10, striving to keep things in balance. Thank goodness for that steadying trine linking Sun, Saturn and Pluto. Now Moon’s in a waxing square to Pluto, so we (and all the people we’re close to) are trying to get to the bottom of things. There’s assuredly more going on than is apparent. Our energies are scattered and it may be difficult to keep our attention focused. Sun moves into Taurus at 9:51 this morning, perhaps its most pragmatic placement. A grand square now links Moon opposing Venus and Mars opposing Jupiter. It’s a challenging lineup, but the grand trine is pretty solid now so your efforts should promise satisfying results. Vesta has just moved into Aries, which means it’s a bit easier to act quickly and decisively. Squaring Pluto, she doesn’t hesitate to insist that we throw out what is not working. Moon goes void at 1:55 pm. Moon goes into Scorpio at 2:00 am PDT and makes its Full Moon opposition to the Sun at 3:25 am. With this intensified need for candor and connection, she forms a kite’s bowstring of the now perfecting grand trine, aiming the forces of all her connections at the self-identifying Sun. Egos and self-images may be under siege or conversely, in the best scenarios, reinforced. This is a dynamic chart, with six celestial bodies in the first or second degrees of the signs: Moon, Sun, Saturn, Pluto, Vesta and Lilith. This unquestionably should be a cardinal time for initiating new ways of working with our world. Pallas has joined Venus to help forge our desires into workable plans. Vesta and Moon are tightly quincunx, easing our way into the compromises and modifications in our priority lists that can smooth the path toward our goals. Mars is approaching opposition to Jupiter and optimism runs high; as they both are squared by Eris, it would be prudent to take extra precautions against overestimating, overdoing or becoming overly competitive. All the second-to-eighth house polarities are activated, so financial matters still remain high priority. Likewise intimacy and dependence on others’ resources, sensual or sexual encounters, inheritances and matters of trust and betrayal. In the national view, set for 6:25 am in Washington DC, Sun is positioned only a degree from the ascendant, the most personal point in any chart; Moon therefore sits just a degree above the descendant, the initial point of the area in which we deal with others on a one-to-one basis. Our national identity, our leadership and the way we are seen by the rest of the world is under fierce scrutiny—by our citizens as a body, by our enemies and allies. There is intense demand for change—even our most conservative politicos have taken up the theme as a battle cry. But Sun newly into Taurus is “from Missouri” and insists on tangible evidence of the value of any move or moderation of policy before it can be considered viable. The hints and hunches that began to manifest with the New Moon can be seen budding as new possibilities, augmenting the hope for new directions, now. But the 29° Aries ascendant clings unswervingly to the throes of the impetuous, egocentric, martial nature of the Zodiac’s first sign. Our ailing economy and its multiplicity of manifestations are on everyone’s mind, and heated debates both public and private explore its probable causes and possible remedies. In the financially oriented second house, Ceres, now a dwarf planet, opposes Pholus, the centaur asteroid discovered only in 1992—in the eighth house. The goddess of agriculture and seasonal change, a seasoned negotiator whose mythical accomplishments affect all eternity, now faces off with the utopian force that raises a strong urge for growing (often spontaneously and unconsciously) when at the same time we lack an inner sense lack of possibilities. Candidates and their supporters will be running all sorts of concepts up the pole to see how they fly. Astrologers may well learn more about the significance of Black Moon Lilith in the next few weeks. She sits at the cusp of the eighth house of transformation, and—like Scorpio and Pluto who are native to this position—she’s said to go for digging into the deep, dark underbellies of our psyches to ferret out the festering negative traits we’ve been trying to deny: things like guilt, shame, hatred, envy and vengefulness. The scar tissue of racial strife surfacing in current campaign shenanigans comes immediately to mind. In a stunning bit of synchronicity, on this eve of Passover, using ten-degree orbs, a modestly lopsided Star of David pattern is forming in the chart—a symbol said to represent all of space, up, down, east, west, south, north, and center. The many-faceted symbology of the six-pointed star stretches back to the Egyptian period, and quite likely before; only recently has it been adopted as pertaining to the Jewish faith. It originally referred to Saturn, but was ascribed to magic and witchcraft in biblical times and was adopted in that context by the founders of the Masonic Order, then more recently by gangs and satanists. Its appearance in astrological charts is uncommon and is generally considered a fortunate pattern (although in a personal birth chart it can indicate a life of so much ease that normal maturation of a personality can be impaired). Here, the two grand trines link the earth signs and water signs—a combination any farmer’s almanac would welcome. The Sabian symbol for the Moon at 1° Scorpio: A crowded sightseeing bus on a city street; the fundamental human eagerness to experience the results of collective achievements and new ways of life. Rudhyar refers to this as “the first realization of what a larger whole of existence—a more encompassing frame of reference—implies, in very concrete and perhaps startling terms.” For the Sun at 1° Taurus: A clear mountain stream; the pure, uncontaminated and spontaneous manifestation of one’s own nature. The stream has been conditioned by its history, Rudhyar opines, and “out of this past, a new, pure release of potentiality has emerged. It is ready to perform whatever work its dharma is to accomplish.” The two grand trines overlap more precisely today: one linking Moon, Mars and Uranus; the other hooking Saturn and Pluto to Sun-Mercury. The easy flow implied is anchored, though probably not impeded, by the oppositions of Mars and Jupiter, which both square Venus conjunct Pallas and Eris. Some closeted, but nonetheless apparent, and rather bitchy squabbling may mar the progress of an otherwise pleasant day. We start today on a Void of Course Moon, from 1:54 am when she squared Neptune—which could lead to drifting off into daydreaming all too often. Passive-aggressive gestures may come to the fore early in the day, probably because someone’s protective shell feels threatened. At 2:07 pm, Moon moves on into Sagittarius, and more free-wheeling attitudes take over. Venus is tightly square both Mars and Jupiter during the coming week or so. If your finances and love life are in good order, this could be a truly delightful time. If they’re not, all the problems are apt to be truly in-your-face now. There’s some promise in looking into the differences between what you really want for your own needs and satisfaction and what you aspire to for the sake of appearances. Today’s chart cautions us to beware of being over-indulgent, or lackadaisical about safety concerns, as the Mars-Jupiter face-off becomes exact. A little too much of even a good thing could lead to accidents that would take a while to get past, especially if there is any attempt to be secretive about what you’re doing. There’s potential for deep, reflective, constructive thinking today though. Moon goes void at 2:38 pm. Moon moved into Capricorn at 2:47 am this morning, so more stable conditions should be coming about. Her conjunction to Pluto shortly thereafter activates its trine to Saturn, and with both now retrograde, issues around control and discipline find easy inner guidance. Venus is still the focal point of the t-square linking Mars and Jupiter, so Wednesday’s concerns continue. Take a look also at what you are actually doing as opposed to what you fantasize doing. This is a more mellow day than any in the preceding week, although that Venusian trio is still operative. Moon pulls in Saturn, Sun and Mercury before she conjuncts Jupiter this evening. The plan should be “steady as she goes” with no impulsive moves or sudden changes in direction, although such ideas are very likely to pop up. Moon is void much of the day, from 7:18 am, just after she joined Jupiter in opposing Mars, which adds clout to the t-square that’s been hounding us all week—things should all come to a head now and then start to settle down. Mercury collects some Uranian input, so keep an eye out for bright ideas and off-the-wall notions. Teamwork and camaraderie are favored. Moon moves into Aquarius at 2:27 pm. It’s the Last Quarter Moon as she squares Sun at 7:12 am. Sun is still holding the grand trine with Saturn and Pluto, and Venus is moving up to be pinch-hitter when Sun glides out of orb. This continuing emphasis on the earth signs augurs well for those planning to embark on entrepreneurial ventures. It supports careful planning and in-depth research, husbanding of resources and serious consideration of the effects on others—particularly those all-important future clients and customers. Uranus at the midpoint of Mercury and Jupiter brings an inventive facility that, if carefully directed and impeccably timed as suggested by Uranus trine Mars, can be a winning ticket. The nation’s chart (10:12 am, Washington DC) shows this fateful Uranus almost exactly on the midheaven. That’s an idiosyncratic nature to display to the world, but the world is probably accustomed to thinking of us as unique, erratic, eccentric and overly focused on the individual rather than the whole. Although trine to Uranus, with luck Mars’ lethargic nature when in Cancer will moderate the inclination (so common when these two join up) toward impulsive and upsetting behavior. Moon in the eighth shows the nation’s citizens still clamoring for change. Venus at the cusp of the eleventh house retains her t-square to Mars and Jupiter, a triangle that would offer compelling support to dialogue and diplomacy. The earth sign trines falling in the third, sixth and eleventh houses brings hope that the input of internet blogs and labor interests will be heard to beneficial effect by congress. The Sabian symbol for Moon at 9° Aquarius: A flag is seen turning into an eagle; the dynamic incorporation of new social values in individuals who exemplify the spiritual potential and greatest significance of these values. “To see the new archetype, to perceive the new value with one’s mind, is not enough,” says Rudhyar. The see-er must become the do-er. For Sun at 9° Taurus: A fully decorated Christmas tree; the ability to create inner happiness in dark hours. “The prepared and closely united group has created abundance, beauty and happiness within, overcoming the cold barrenness of the outside world,” Rudhyar writes, defining this as the ever-present possibility to transfigure darkness and deprivation. Moon occults Neptune this morning, passing between Earth and the planet so good at clouding the issue to block its rays from reaching us. A more clear-headed view of the tasks that confront us is possible today and we should be quick to grab the opportunity. Her confab with Mercury this afternoon helps us sort out the discrepancies between our hearts’ longings and common-sense thinking. Moon goes void briefly tonight, from 10:25 until 11:11 pm when she enters Pisces. Moon’s opposition to Saturn in the wee hours leads us into starting our day with a shoulder to the wheel, nose to the grindstone attitude. Remnants of all the events of the past ten days are with us, and we need to settle into clearing them up now. Moon’s sextile to Pluto helps us probe the deeper importance of what we’re doing, and her close association with the karmic North Node nudges us into the best path for our long-term growth.
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