Astrology in April 2009 - A Shifting of the Cosmic Tides As Pluto Goes Retrograde, New Moons and Full Moons, and the Grand Irrationality

by Robert Wilkinson

At this time, in a relatively short span we have had or are having events that show major shifts and changes. In the past week we've had the Spring New Moon in Aries, the inferior conjunction of the Sun and Venus, and the superior conjunction of Mercury with the Sun. Over the next week we'll have Venus square Pluto as Pluto goes stationary retrograde at 4 Capricorn, Mars opposition Saturn, the Sun moving through the Aries sector of the Grand Irrationality, and the Spring Full Moon in Aries at Passover.

Each of these events individually have implications for our charts, and in many ways shows us the promise of the future in several areas. First, let's take a new look at recent events impacting us now. I discussed the Aries New Moon here, which bears a new look since it reveals the emerging seed forms that will become more evident at the coming Aries Full Moon.

Long time readers on this site know the coming Full Moon is the first of the "3 High Moons" occurring each year that offer the world a new infusion of Light, Dharma, and Love. The Full Moon of Aries/Libra brings the renewal of the life force for the year. The Full Moon of Taurus/Scorpio, known as the Wesak Festival, brings a new outpouring of the "Cosmic Buddha Nature" that brings all a renewal of the qualities that Sage brought to humanity to lessen suffering for all sentient Beings.

The Full Moon of Gemini/Sagittarius is known as the Christ Fest, where the World Teacher of the Age takes the wisdom of the Buddha Nature and infuses it with the Loving magnetism so that all may become more lovingly wise and wisely loving according to the lesson of the year. That Christ Fest Loving Wisdom pulse has been active since then. I gave a talk on it last year in 2 parts. For your convenience, here's The Long (and Short) Term Effects of Christ Fest 2008 - Audio Talk Pt. 1 and here's Part 2.

The inferior conjunction of the Sun and Venus at 8 degrees of Aries is very important, since a) it indicates that Venus is now speeding up, and b) the degree itself is one of Spiritual energies originating in the Eastern Wisdom impressing elements of itself on receptive minds. Wherever 8 Aries falls in our chart shows us the area where we will get signals of Eastern Wisdom operating through fusing the Solar and Venusian functions. This will prove important in May, when Venus and Mars again cross over this degree point.

The superior conjunction of Mercury to the Sun shows that now mind is again outracing life, gathering new mental substance to be assimilated and integrated into life from now through the coming Mercury retrograde period in late Taurus and early Gemini in May 2009. I'll be composing more on that in a few weeks. If you want to know more about the phenomenon of the unending series of Inferior and Superior conjunctions showing how the Sun and Mercury dance with each other, please check out How Do Mercury's Inferior Conjunction and the Superior Conjunction Differ? You can find more about how the past Mercury RX inferior conjunction has affected us since January by going to Mercury Retrograde in January 2009 - How Will The Inferior Conjunction in Aquarius Manifest in the Future?

Now we take a look at things coming in the next week. Venus square Pluto as Pluto goes stationary retrograde is a definite turning point in many relationships preparing us to move away from "familiar ground" to note the cohesiveness of our community. This closes one cycle of activity and opens a new one. We can use past experiences to learn and/or teach, and use one ending part of our lives to help the growth of a new part.

The trick will be to stay balanced as we find fellow disciples on our Ray Path to a Higher Truth, and be aware of useless arguments that try to convince us that the old ways still are viable. This will be activated when Mars goes into early Aries at the end of this month and squares Pluto. That will finish the string of inner planets lower (waxing) square Pluto, setting Galactic Center seeds into motion. You can find more about the GC energies by going to the archives and consulting numerous articles I've written about this on-going, years-long Galactic influence opening a new 250 year world cycle.

Mars opposed Saturn is the last of the oppositions from Pisces to Virgo this year, and adds power to whatever Saturn's nozzle is focusing in all of us. Stay focused, don't go out on unnecessary limbs, try not to assume in ways that find you pushing when you should be backing off, get clear about your direction, and keeping bringing old life areas to an end even as you catch glimpses and pulses of emergent patterns. This will most affect people with planets in mid-Pisces, Gemini, Virgo, and Sagittarius, as well as birthdays around the end of the first week of March, June, September, and December.

Venus went stationary retrograde in the Aries zone of the Grand Irrationality, and these "destiny producing forks in the road" have been triggered by Mercury and are now triggered by the Sun. That makes 4 points in the Great Septile active, with the Moon filling in the Cancer point on April 3-4, making for an important turning point in many lives. This Aries stimulation of the larger pattern will be very evident in May as Mars and Venus move through this zone. I'll be composing more on the Grand Irrationality soon.

We complete this article by reminding you that the coming Passover Aries Full Moon will occur April 9, 2009, 7:56 am PDT, 3:56 pm Greenwich time at 20 degrees of Aries/Libra. I'll compose more on that in this next week, but for now, it's interesting to note the degree of the Moon is "A Jewish Rabbi," and this Full Moon falls just before Passover. It promises an ability to know and use an inherited wisdom and eternal values to help others. It promises insights into our spiritual heritage, and ways to embrace permanent values.

And there you have our overview of the times. The birthday celebration continues!

Copyright © 2009 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[robyn]

Oh if only i had read this yesterday.

To what you've explained, all of those planets highlight a relationship. My boyfriend has his sun in the first house, which includes Aries. I have many planets dealing with Mercury.

I can't explain how i understand this but i do.

thank you for reminding me how to be human and to let go of the trivial things, but the shift is felt, and something is very very unbalanced.

[cheryl]

yes! i'm there too. it seems despite great love and a lot of time invested, that my path diverges from my husband's and i am struggling to find a new way of being together in the midst of it. maybe let go? feels unclear...how are vows impacted by these influences?

[Sue Moon]

Sometimes a vow can inhibit the serendipitous flow of change. I think that a vow can be very limiting albeit binding and I have not found God to be in a binding energy. It lacks life and it lacks the ability to change. I'm speaking from my own experience, of course. Having taken many vows in my life, I am only bound by the one that asked God to use me in any way that was for the highest good of all concerned. My vows of marriage, bramacharya, sanyasin though in tact for years, are no longer. Just a thought provoking response, thanks to both Cheryl and Robyn, moving into a thoughtful day of what is mine to do?

[Robert]

Hi Robyn - Yes, planetary patterns work out in more ways than we usually imagine. The fact that something is unbalanced challenges us to see clearly the simple truth, figure out what we care about, and take the initiative to self-organize. Letting go of the trivial is a good thing, since so many of life's confusions are. When we feel, and then examine, what is of true importance to us, then we are usually clear about what to do or not do.

Hi Cheryl - We must learn to dance individually and together. Some divergences will be evident, since we are not identical beings. Even our image of who we are and what we are changes. This realm is about learning how to navigate the changes without getting hung up in what I call "the in-betweens."

A vow is a pledge. Some pledges cannot be sustained indefinitely in an impermanent world, though the pledge to live our heart's love to the fullest can be done to our last breath. I never believed that anything outside us should obstruct our Divine Connection with the Wisdom, the Way, and the Community. We, and only we, can determine what is true for us, and even that, somewhat imperfectly in the moment. Ultimately, it takes two to make a relationship, and where the common interests cease, the relationship changes, for good or ill. But where there is mutual love, affection, respect, and friendship, any relationship is as secure as it can be in this impermanent realm.

Hi Sue - I agree that many times our "vows" hinder our ability to grow. Where the heart is committed, no vow is needed. Where the heart is not committed, vows are empty of meaning. Learning how and when to bind or unbind is the challenge of mastering the Fixed sign energies.

Many things in life must be chalked up to "it seemed like a good idea at the time." And like all other things in our universe, these also change in their season, and new "good ideas" come forth. Truly, the only life worth living is a life totally consecrated to the "Great Work" of merging the lower self with the Higher Self so that Love, Wisdom, and Intelligence can come forth to serve the greatest good for the greatest number. Then we live in the Eternal NOW with no regrets as we dance through Space-Time experiences with our Community.

[Liz]

I had no idea that the Passover Aries full moon would be exactly conjuncting my Libra Asc/Aries 7th house cusp. What can I expect to learn from this - I feel I am on the brink of something significant.

[Chickie]

Speaking of the G Center, Your Highness, a person whom I worked creatively with 26 years ago has recently surfaced. What's interesting is in our progressive chart (leo rising pluto on ascendant 20) our sag 5th house has chiron, juno and vertex conjunct 26. With pluto going retro....could there be some sort of creative expression about to assist a healing?

[Jan]

Happy Birthday Bubba! I got my 8-aries in my pajama-clad 12th house, let's all cuddle up and sing you the birthday song...

[JOAN XO]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
XO

[Larisa]

Hi Robert - today Pluto turns retrograde. How does it affect us?

[NS]

HI Robert,

I continue to return here often for insight, and its amazing how things fit together!

In a previous posting (July 16, 2006) you were going to put up an article about buying property, but when I checked today its still 'under construction'. Would yuo still have the info easily available and post it? Gracias!

my sister is intensely pursuing buying a condo and I feel its not the right time (venus retro) but unsure how to persuad her to wait for a better time -- she is
Sun Pisces 3°48'51 in house 9
Moon Capricorn 2°46'41 house 6
Mercury Aquarius 18°33'11 house 8 retrograde
Venus Aquarius 3°54'01 in house 7 direct
Mars Aries 4°46'02 in house 10 direct
Jupiter Virgo 0°29'36 in house 2 retrograde
Saturn Aries 10°19'52 in house 10 direct
Uranus Virgo 28°09'19 in house 3 retrograde
Neptune Scorpio 26°31'35 in house 5 stationary (R)
Pluto Virgo 22°00'30 in house 3 retrograde
True Node Aries 19°46'57 in house 10 retrograde

I know this is more complex than regular comment stream, but I am just wondering what positives exist in this situation as she is bent on getting out of her stale apt and into her own (expensive) home?

[NS]

And Robert, thank you for any insight you provide. The article mentioned in you jul06 post seemed just the thing, but I couldn't locate it.

while this is a time of enormous transtions for all of us, hopefully its all for the best. The valuable work you do and share wtih us, helps in going in more productive directions than we otherwise would.

Thank you -- NS

[Robert]

Hi Liz - Those who have prepared ARE on the brink of very significant things. I would think in your case it deals with your self image and how you relate to other "equals" in your world.

Hi Chickie - Yes, this is a time when many things can be balanced and nurtured to bring forth a new creativity. I just ran into that in Santa Fe this past weekend. Exciting possibilities for those who persevere.

Hi Jan - 'Twas a great week. If that's what my next year is going to look like, I can only wish everyone such a year!

Hi JOAN - Sure. "Love is given and love is free...."

Hi Larisa - Too many ways to enumerate here, but I'll try in my next Spiritual Astrology series.

Hi NS - In that article I only noted a link to a political article I posted on my last joint project on another site. I saw nothing about buying property, which is a horary question much too elaborate to try to address being a subspecialty of a specialty. That absolutely should not be attempted through advice on a website or comment stream, since it takes a lot of time to examine specifics even by a professional astrologer who knows such things. While I've done it for clients in the past, I cannot imagine how I could do an article addressing all the particulars, which have filled books.

[NS]

ooops! Yes, you are right, RObert. It slipped my mind taht the article did mention taht property buying is a horary subject, and of course as such beyond the scope of discussion here.

thank you, and best wishes - NS

[Isobel]

Hi Robert,

What does the venus-sun conjunction mean for someone with her ascendant at 8 Aries? I've been putting a lot of old, useless, childish habits behind me. Not as ne'er-do-well as I had imagined in the past, especially as Saturn travels through the sign of my Sun.

Isobel

[Robert]

Hi Isobel - It can mean many things, from revisiting old relationship issues to finding things to admire about yourself that you forgot years ago. Saturn can bring long term rewards for patience and persistence.

[Isabel]

Dear Robert,

I have been having a couple of busy weeks, but I would like still to comment on this article of yours.

It is rare to see someone who knws and can speak about the three important Moons. I especially praise the Wesak one and the Christ Moon. Our group celebrates both of them, as they mean for us the outpouring of the Buddha and Christ energies.

Thank you and congratulations once again for being so good as to use your site not only as a very wise education on spiritual Astrology, but also to enlighten people about such important details, so relevant nowadays.

Big hug,

Namasté,

Isabel

[Robert]

Hi Isabel - To me there can be NO separation between the worldly and the Spiritual realms, since in reality there is no separation anywhere in our entire system of existence. The stars merely show us what's happening and when. And of course, the influence of the 3 High Moons pervades our entire planet, whether we're aware of that influence or not. "Important details" indeed.....