Astrology

Pluto Retrograde Activates Radical Change and Transformation

Published on April 23, 2018

Article by Cathy Coleman for Bodhi Tree

Your Astrology Forecast for April 22–29, 2018

The Sun is now in the zodiacal sign of Taurus, symbolizing nourishment and growth. Seeds are planted to grow into flowers and vegetables. Taurus symbolizes all things sensual: beauty for the eyes, music for the ears, delicious food for taste, spring fragrances for our sense of smell, and delightful textures and people to touch. The planetary energy is gentler than it has been the past month now with the Sun in Taurus, as the Taurus Sun makes benefic trines to the planets in Capricorn: Saturn, Mars and Pluto. Now Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto are in retrograde, making for a lot of inner reflection and reconsideration. This week builds toward a powerful Full Moon that holds a lot of tension as well as power and promise. These strong, potent energies can be employed to get us out of ruts and stuck places and move us forward.

Pluto Turns Retrograde as the Week Begins, Activating Change

Sunday, April 22, Earth Day, holds yet another big planetary shift: Pluto turns retrograde in Capricorn, following Saturn’s lead a few days earlier. The morning’s Moon-square-Uranus can knock us off schedule or bring some surprising news. When a planet is stationary, and changing motion, the symbolic energy is strong. Pluto symbolizes power, transformation and change, so these energies are more activated. The Moon shifts into Leo, amplifying the drama quotient. Expect it to be a significant day.

We are confident and courageous on Monday, and willing to take risks. Buoyed by a Leo Moon, our hearts are full and generous. The day is sunny and playful. Make it fun and enjoy this Monday!

Tuesday begins bright and sunny as the Moon moves through the last few degrees of Leo. Venus shifts into Gemini for the next four weeks, stirring curiosity and drawing us to new explorations. The Moon is Void of Course (VoC) for a couple of hours from 11:39am to 1:40pm PDT. You may want to extend your lunch hour, soak up some Sun and go for a diversion in the outdoors. The Moon ingresses into Virgo at 1:40pm PDT, signaling the time of the month to clean things up and get organized. This Virgo Moon’s focus on order and practical matters will enable us to get a lot accomplished through Thursday evening.

A Virgo Moon Midweek Shifts Focus to Work and Completing Tasks

Work is the focus on Wednesday, specifically on tasks and details that need be completed, as opposed to big projects. An early morning Saturn-Moon trine in Capricorn and Virgo respectively, frame the day for work. An edgy Mercury-Saturn square may bring out our imperfections and inadequacies and make us uncomfortable. The antidote is to push through the challenges and responsibilities before us and give this day the works. A Moon-Neptune opposition at the end of the workday in the early evening softens the energy and calls us to relax, and marvel at all you have accomplished.

Thursday is another industrious day with the Moon in Virgo. Although this day is compromised by a long 16-hour VoC Moon, it is superpowered by the Mars-Pluto conjunction at 21 degrees of Capricorn. With the Moon void it is not a good day for meetings, decisions and connections. However, it is a great day for attending to numerous tasks and tidying up your home office. Make sure to use this powerful energy to get some vigorous exercise, which will then fuel the day with extra drive. After the Moon shifts into Libra at 6:13pm PDT, enjoy a fine, copasetic dinner with your mate or beloved friends.

The Weekend Brings Energy for Positive Change

Edgy cardinal aspects from the Libra Moon to Saturn, Mars, Pluto and Uranus on Friday and Saturday, combined with the Mars/Pluto conjunction that was exact on Thursday, make these days rumble with turbulent energy. What calls for big change in your life? You can harness this energy to make positive, powerful change. If you meet with power struggles, back off and think about things before you charge forward. Make these days count! You can help to break apart old, worn-out structures.

A Full Moon in fixed signs (Sun in Taurus, Moon in Scorpio) lights Sunday with power and promise. Saturn makes benefic aspects to this Full Moon, and the combination of industrious Saturn in Capricorn; the practical, grounded Sun in Taurus; and the deep, transformative, powerful Moon in Scorpio creates a firm foundation. A Moon wobble occurs when the Sun is conjunct or square the Moon’s Nodes, and this Full Moon forms a tense square to the Moon’s Nodes, creating a fixed Grand Cross (with a Moon wobble). The wobble creates instability; the Grand Cross pattern carries a lot of tension, yet tension creates change. An opportunity is presented to get out of ruts and stuck places. Neptune makes a benefic trine to Jupiter and the Moon, broadening our vision, and opening our hearts to love and accept ourselves and others. This is the Wesak Full Moon, when Buddha bestows his blessings on humanity. We can open our hearts to the messages and blessings of the light of this Full Moon. 

The Week in Short

Sunday: Pluto turns retrograde. Expect a powerful, significant day.

Monday: Sunny, playful day. Make it fun.

Tuesday: Try new flavors of fun. After 1:40pm PDT, get to work and get organized.

Wednesday: Get organized and take care of a myriad of tasks. At the end of the day, relax and marvel at all you accomplished.

Thursday: Industrious day for accomplishing small tasks. Moon VoC for 16 hours until 6:13pm PDT. Enjoy a fine, elegant dinner with your mate or beloved friends.

Friday: Turbulent day! Harness the powerful energy for positive change.

Saturday: Another edgy, turbulent day to employ for hard work and change.

Sunday: A wobbly unstable Full Moon. Move out of stuck places and broaden your vision.

Looking for more ways to align yourself with cosmic energy? Check out our Bodhi Talks given by authors, healers, philosophers, teachers and scientists at the original Bodhi Tree Bookstore. Explore now!

Published on: April 23, 2018

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