April 2024Places to Go, People to See
Dear Agents of Evolution,
Greetings from beautiful Miami, Florida where I now reside. Ancestral lands of the Miccosukee and Seminole peoples, southern Florida is a place where the ocean reigns. The Earth here is teeming with iguanas, manatees, palm trees, wild parrots, mangos, hurricanes, avocados, sharks, mosquitos, peacocks, Australian pines, mangroves... This is a landscape unlike any I have ever known. From the land of the ancestors, I feel my South Indian mother seeing my new tropical home through my eyes.
As far as the astrological world is concerned, April will be a month for the history books. With a total solar eclipse visible in the U.S., two comets, a Jupiter Uranus conjunction and a Mercury retrograde, this month marks a decisive no-looking-back style turning point in our human lives on earth.
To assist you in navigating the evolutionary potential of this month I am offering two online sessions – an evening of engagement with Jupiter and Uranus, in collaboration with Jane Carr, and an afternoon of contemplative practices to address climate grief in honor of Earth Day, in collaboration with Kelly Miller. I hope you will join me for one, or both – please see details for these offerings below.
Wishing you a gorgeous and mercifully gentle experience of the liberation available in the month of April.
April Astro Weather Highlights
April 1-25
Mercury Retrograde
First Quarter Review
As with every roughly three week span of Mercury retrograde, this one presents the opportunity to take inventory of our lives. When the cosmic messenger takes a break from forward movement, he gives us a chance to catch our breath, review, and do the necessary chiseling, editing, refining, distilling, culling, and shaping that aren't possible when we're busy piling up life experiences.
When Mercury retrograde periods coincide with other major astrological lineups (like the total solar eclipse and Jupiter conjunct Uranus of this month,) the period can produce tricky circumstances arising from Merc. retro's indrawn communications, where clear and direct, outward communications would be preferable. One solid rule of thumb to follow during a period like this particular Merc. retro is to listen more than you speak, to assess more than you plan, and to seek balance in all your material resources, recycling and reusing what has outlived its purpose before acquiring more.
April 3
Venus conjunct Neptune
Compassionate Artistry
Great works of art are possible under a transit like this. As are great acts of compassion. Hosted by a part of the sky known for its sensitivity – its conduciveness to sensing the movement of all life – these two planets coming together here offer us inspiration for the unity/undividedness we know is possible.
In the spirit of this transit, consider watching this 4.5 min. music video featuring the group "Otyken," a multinational band consisting of representatives of the indigenous peoples of Siberia. Written in the Chulym language, this song both celebrates and mourns the changing sea.
April 8
New Moon Solar Eclipse in Revati
New Pathways
Eclipses are a big deal, astrologically. Especial solar eclipses. Especially total solar eclipses. Unambiguous astrological events that they are, reliable predictions can usually be made around them.
This total solar eclipse is visible from the United States, which makes its effects particularly felt here. (The next total solar eclipse visible from the United States won't come until 2044.)
Exactly conjunct Chiron, this New Moon Eclipse touches humanity's core wounds. Getting humanitarian aid into places it is needed may prove difficult. (The lunar sign this eclipse takes place in is associated with Pushan, Lord of the pathways, and is endowed with what's called "kshiradyapani shakti" – the power of nourishment.) With pathways and nourishment eclipsed, we're likely to experience some challenges with food distribution channels.
On a personal level, this eclipse provides an enormous evolutionary opportunity for increasing our capacity to love. The practice I recommended to you on this eclipse is radical self-compassion.
We are all more prone to feeling both the collective cruelty and the collective tenderness of the current era on this day and in general, the days surrounding this eclipse. Our bodies and minds may be challenged to metabolize all that we are sensing and feeling. But if we can stay with it, not attaching personal stories to what we feel but instead fully meeting the feelings and grounding in The Here and The Now, we will be helping our web of relations circulate the spiritual nourishment we all need at this time.
I will offer another set of insights on this New Moon Solar Eclipse on Instagram.
April 10
Mars conjunct Saturn
Will Meets Reality
While this transit may help us manifest highly engineered, strategized, technical projects and plans, it does so under a great deal of pressure. This transit may see some jobs to completion, but may also feel like a not so gentle time, especially on the world stage. Be gentle with your heart. Take care of your spirit.
Consider joining me on April 24 for a free, online practice session addressing climate grief that I am co-facilitating with meditation teacher, Kelly Miller.
April 18-22
Jupiter Uranus Conjunction
The Future Has Arrived
Without a doubt the biggest transit of the year, the coming together of these two titans signals our liberation from The Past. We are able to break through that which has until now restricted our landscape of possibilities. How this affects each of us depends on the house, planets, and aspects this transit activates in our charts.
Collectively, scientific breakthroughs can be expected, and introductions of technology into our daily lives – involving A.I., for instance – are likely.
A good attitude to have during this astronomical event is to open yourself to the Grace brought about by great Change, aligning yourself with its beneficence, trusting that evolution's ultimate goal is to bring you home to your divinity.
If you would like to deepen the evolutionary potential of this once every 14 years conjunction, please consider joining me on April 17 for a workshop I am co-facilitating about this transit with healing practitioner and teacher, Jane Carr.
April 23
Full Moon in Swati
Illuminating Self-Study
This bright full moon wants to teach us something. The lesson plan includes the balance between me and we, directness and sensitivity, impulse and strategy.
I will offer a more detailed summary of this Full Moon on Instagram.
April 28
Mars conjunct Neptune
An Ocean Churned, Our Hearts Stirred
This transit calls us to compassionate action, in concert with the rest of humanity. We are all more powerful when we act from the deepest movements of our hearts, aligning ourselves with the great Beauty we are capable of as a human family.
In keeping with this transit, you might consider reading this beautiful statement about the violence in Gaza, called "Responding to War with Love," written by the Nonviolent Global Liberation community. The statement is about 8 pages long, so an involved read, but comes closest to the kind of mature, intelligent, compassionately engaged and nonviolent stance I aspire to take in relation to the ongoing tragedy taking place in the Middle East. I hope it offers your peace warrior's heart some tenderness.
