There is a lot of activity this month with many energies shifting and changing … what’s in store? Read on 😉
Key Dates :
5 April – New moon Pisces.
11 April – Jupiter retrograde sag/scorpio – gandanta until 6 May.
15 April – Sun moves to Aries
16 April – Venus moves to Pisces
20 April – Full moon Libra
30 April – Saturn retrograde in sagittarius
Saturn Ketu conjunction until 25 Jan 2020
The planets reflect the cycles of life on earth. Here is a brief overview of the significations of the planets and the psyche :
Moon – mind, emotions, nurturing
Sun – soul, vitality, authority
Mercury – analytical mind, communication, travel
Venus – vehicles, spouse, relationships, business
Mars – energy, ego, ambition, pride.
Jupiter – teachers, wisdom, philosophy, children.
Saturn – structures, responsibilities, hard work, karma
Rahu/Ketu – karmic bridge linking our past lives to our our current life, and the desires that can block us our lead us to liberation.
(The outer planets are considered, but for the sake of this blog I have omitted them for now as they work on a generational level. The 7 planets plus nodes give ample information when studied from a Vedic view point)
The key to understanding how planets affect us is found in a deepening relationship to ones inner reality and truth. Our emotions, thoughts and feelings act as a barometer that can help indicate our inner state. It’s important not to judge but to detach and observe, in order to accept and transform.
A confused inner state will lead to confusing events and situations. A lack of clear boundaries with oneself will reflect in feeling like people are taking advantage of you. Inner tension, mindless activity and incessant mind chatter will also reflect in your relationships, work and environment.
5th April – New moon Pisces – Revati nakshatra
Pisces, the emotional, artistic and visionary part of the zodiac, where ideas and inspirations are born to be used at a future date. This new moon encourages us to be still and work with our feelings. Intuitive flashes may arise as well as the sense of completing some projects or stage in life. Jupiter, ruler of pisces is currently dipping into the first degrees of saggitarius, so the sense of optimism and a desire to move/change may increase, though Jupiter is currently in an insecure place, one may be feeling uncertain of which direction to move toward.
11 April – Jupiter retrograde sag/scorpio – Gandanta until 6 May.
Jupiter signifies our philosophy, beliefs, education, children, male partner, teachers, gurus and priests. Our faith in ourselves and in life will be indicated by Jupiter’s placement. Currently our faith and optimism has been challenged as Jupiter has been wading through the potent waters of scorpio, currently making a brief dip into sag, before moving back to scorpio on the 6th of May. He will return to Sag fully, by November.
Gandanta means knot, and also can mean drowning. It its the junction between water and fire signs, which are incompatible elements. However when working with these elements in our nature and psyche, we can regulate and work with these forces. Gandanta indicates karmic, knotted issues that are difficult to unravel or get tighter the more you try to force it open. Some knots can be undone, but it depends on the person and situation. This gandanta throws up questions on one’s beliefs and basic attitudes to life.
Too often, our ideas are too shallow and ungrounded, or they are based on fundamentalist/dogmatic ideologies and are too rigid, preventing the flowering of the soul. This Jupiter retrograde will shed more light into the fallacies perpetuated by religious institutions and other faith organisations. Hopefully with further breakdowns, truth can shine as a bright light, illuminating what is real and eternal.
For some, their relationship with their children may be challenged – parents need to remember that their children are not theirs, and have their own mind and spirit. Children come through you and of you but will never belong to you. Jupiter in scorpio is powerful and can reveal many secrets of the soul for those seeking. Wisdom always comes with trials.
15 April – Sun moves to Aries – Exaltation
The sun is a creator and in Aries is its exaltation sign. The fire of the sun can express itself with ease. Aries is impulsive, inspired, warm and supportive.
Aries is a future oriented sign, tending to focus on new projects before finishing the one’s at hand. With mars in taurus for the rest of the month, the naturally impulsiveness of Aries may fare better, as taurus tends to plod along and actually finish what it’s started. A good exercise for Aries dominant people is to write down your brilliant ideas to attend to in the future. In some ways, the sun moving into aries represents a new natural solar cycle – one where we can tune into and adjust to the impulses of our souls.
Are your current activities aligned with the purpose your soul has? If not, the challenges of this year may seem harder. Ambitions may feel thwarted. Sometimes all we need to do to align to our soul, is to just stop and slow down, breathe and sit still. From that place of stillness, answers arise.
16 April – Venus moves to Pisces – Exaltation
Venus in pisces can be a good time for relationships, artists and visionaries. The quality of venus in this sign gives it an altruistic quality that struggles to see anything negative in people. There is a tendency to seek and project the ideal in relationships, which is impossible for anyone to fulfill. No spouse or relationship is perfect and this is usually the source of the disappointments that pisces people can experience. With Jupiter going through an unsettled zone, this insecurity can reflect in your relationships, so, take the time to do beautiful things that honour and respect each other as well as the specialness of your union.
You may find that your desire to be in relationship changes as well. Retrograde jupiter may cause a re-evaluation of your relationships. Friday is venus’ day, the colour is white. Friday is always a good date night and time to give your attention to your loved one. Mercury will also be in Pisces, and it is normally debilitated in this sign, however is it cancelled due to Venus’s exaltation. It can still cause confusion in communications and plans, but can also find a creative solution to the problem. Venus and mercury means beautiful thinking – a wonderful time for writes and musicians or any art form that involves some kind of technicality.
30 April – Saturn retrograde in Saggitarius.
Now : Saturn Ketu conjunction –
Rejection of responsibilities OR decluttering and eliminating what is obsolete. – Will write a separate piece for this.
All retrograde energy invites us to take some measured steps backward to re-assess our direction and course of action. Life is not a continuous forward trajectory.
The major signature occurring this year is the Saturn/Ketu conjunction in Sagittarius, with the sign lord Jupiter also retrograde. What makes this particular combination so potent is that Saturn and Ketu are travelling together in a very tight conjunction for most of the year. People who are Capricorn, Aquarius or gemini rising, sun or moon will be feeling the effect quite strongly, Sagittarius rising, sun or moon will feel the energy acutely.
The key theme is the rejection of responsibilities OR decluttering and eliminating what is obsolete. Ketu separates us from things and couldn’t be a more opposite nature to Saturn. Ketu acts like mars, is firey and spiritual. With Mars joining the scene in June, things will get very intense.
Ketu is a spiritualising force. By facing the truth of a situation, without any props, we have an opportunity to move forward authentically.
The best way to use this difficult energies is to face up to the things that you would prefer not to look at.
Ignoring our duties and responsibilities is a sure way to attract trouble. I have been using this energy to declutter my life, bank accounts, follow up on details that I have been ignoring for months. It’s a good time to be very thorough with things. Don’t put it off or cut corners. Get everything up to speed, don’t over complicate your life, avoid taking on too many responsibilities. Know your limits, keep it simple, avoid starting new things, and if you absolutely must travel, make sure you are well insured, and stay in safe places. This is a very challenging energy that will test your patience. Staying humble, open and receptive will be your best allies in this time. Do the hard work now and enjoy the fruits later in the year and beyond, when the complex matrix of energies has moved apart.
Above all, be kind to yourself. As the saying goes, life may give us a cactus, but we don’t have to sit on it!
Thanks for reading,
Love,
Darinka X
I have studied Jyotish for a number of years and have gained so much from applying the insights and knowledge to my life. To me, life is an adventure, an exploration of the universe, self and others. If you like what you read and would like to know more about your own chart and how the planetary energies are affecting you personally, I offer consultations in person or over skype.
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Darinka Maja 