Welcome Spring 2014: As April begins the planets Mars and Saturn both appear to be going backward in the heavens. It is what astronomers call retrograde and what astrologers associate with internal action and reaction. Mars is the planet of war, but he is also the planet of service and action.

When he turns inward we look to see where we have gone and how that feels to us. Is this a path of war or one of service to your ego, your tribe or to your soul? You get to fill in the blank and you even get to pick which area of service is more important to you. It is simply your path or calling and will likely change so there is no need to act as if anyone is looking over your shoulder. So back to the question: Are you on a path of war? If yes, with what or with whom? Are you on a path of service? If yes, with what, or to whom or perhaps to your body? This season Mars goes backward, then appears to stop in the heavens and to turn direct on May 19th, and then he will go forward. Your sense of resolve will be strongest if you can truly answer this question by then.

Mars and Saturn do not particularly get along. Saturn is the slow-moving planet of experience. Mars is the young warrior and Saturn is the wise old master, who earned his wisdom through decades of experience. Saturn knows what it is to be Mars, but Mars does not know what it is to be Saturn. Saturn is also going backward and will be doing so all season. It is time to pause and ask what the wise, experienced part of you would tell the impulsive, impatient, defensive warrior in you. If you are certain this is taking way too much time for your busy schedule, then you are a Martian and will get to review your reactions in September. If you understand the value of setting an internal course for this ship of your life, then you understand the value of knowing yourself. Many of us are dealing with our bodies and this season we slow down and acknowledge that we have taken them for granted and now must slow down and heal. Anger is natural, but really does not help…sorry.

The big planetary news this spring is more within us than without. It is moving through us even when it feels like it is happening to us.There are 4 big planets holding 4 corners of creative, cathartic change with an emphasis on catharsis. Pluto is the slow-moving, dark horse, but he pokes and prods us out of complacency to courage. Once you hear the voice calling you to change or to try something scary, it’s impossible to turn back. That is Pluto’s corner.

Uranus is the restless planet of change. His is the call to break free and literally feels like you have your fingers in a light socket…pulsing. Uranus comes with surprises that can shock you. Facing Uranus is Mars. He’s moving back to where he was at the beginning of the year. In fact, the planet of war and action will trigger the big outer planets into July. Yes, that does mean that power grabs on the world stage are BIG and power grabs on any stage are big to those in power and those getting grabbed. Revolution appears on many levels both within and without. There really is no way to downplay it.

Finally, Jupiter, the great optimist and guru of the heavens, is moving forward. He’ll trigger the 4th corner through June. Does that mean we can learn from this? You bet we can. Does that mean we will be called to teach or share what we know? Yes, we will- each and every one of us. Does that mean that folks who have a passionate perspective and a story to tell may finally be heard? Yes, it does. Does this mean that we are all vulnerable to us-versus-them and easy war-like dialogue that we hear from politicians and talking heads? Yes, we are. It gets our attention when we are certain that we are the good guys and they should not be heard. Whew!

That’s a lot for a season and it’s as much within us on a drive down the freeway as it is in international land grabs. They are all real and the consequences are as well. I know I am the optimistic astrologer and this sounds dour. It might, but it is a great opportunity to hone your self-awareness. There is no better time to make that big career change or move of any kind. However, do it with courage and passion rather than condemnation and you will be riding the most powerful planetary combination in decades. So I ask: Will you tune in and be aware to what is coming through you? Will you blame the world for what happens to you? Both are real.

April begins with the Moon facing Mars and feeling ready for action. Mars may be reviewing his plans, but the Moon is how we feel or perceive the situation at hand. Go slow and be wise. Feelings can be volatile or overly reactive right now. Yes, it is time to let the aggressive driver have the right of way even when he isn’t really right. This, too, can pass. The big transits this month are Jupiter, the optimist, facing Pluto, the power to change from within. I mean from deeply within. Would you like to get to the core of your beliefs? Would you like to howl at all the wrongs in the world or would you like to be detached enough to know that when you are centered you can truly be there when needed? The answer is easy when we are sitting quietly and not quite so simple when our deepest power-point presentation is giving us all the reasons we should howl. However, this is the stuff that true transformation is made of and this is what April brings.

The April timeline begins with Jupiter facing Pluto and that impulsive Moon poking Mars. Soon Mercury, the way we think and talk, gets into the act along with a lunar eclipse on the 15th at  2:42am CDT to show us how our perceptions may be eclipsed by the matters of life on Earth. At the end of the month Mercury decides to do a verbal throwdown with Mars just as the Sun’s ego is eclipsed by the Moon in a Solar eclipse on the 29th at 1:14am CDT. Whew! And you thought getting your taxes done was all that April was about…grins.

May is the month of labor consciousness: May Day! We begin the month feeling a little vulnerable. The Solar Eclipse on April 29th is fading, but the emotions of the powerful planets and political change are everywhere. Jobs and labor concerns are, too. Saturn is the planet of work and Mars is the planet of action. Mars appears to stop and move forward on the 19th: The beginning of the end of those intense hot zones of revolution and change. Mars begins to move into action. However, since he has literally been stopped or moving so slowly for several weeks, it is like a pressure cooker with the powerful outer planets. Hopefully, it will be peaceful and productive. I don’t know if there will be another Arab uprising, but political and labor uprisings are likely as we move through May. Saturn is strong and what appears to be chaos is actually a process of rebuilding. Venus is strong through the first 3 weeks. She is compassionate and gentle. As Venus crosses Uranus, the planet of surprises, on the 12th through the 16th, you may fall in love or realize something about your own desire to be alone. This placement of Venus is more compassionate than demanding. Venus does enjoy the sweetness of life and here she knows that we can all be generous and lucky. Wouldn’t a new love begun under those terms be lovely? Wouldn’t a new look at your old love with those eyes be glorious? It really does help us see the good stuff and be generous if others need us.

June is the month of weddings and the beginning of summer. For many in the cold, wet north this is an exciting season. We begin the month happy and optimistic as the Moon crosses Jupiter! Mercury goes retrograde from June 7th to July 1st. Better double check your reservations and confirm plans in general. This is a natural time of mental rest in the middle of a busy month! Schedule rest into your life or it will find you through lost phones, computer glitches and confusion. Mars is now moving forward. The first 3 weeks finds Mars moving tightly into the final stressful aspects with Pluto and Uranus. If you’ve felt like a pressure cooker about to blow, then you likely have this transit on a personal planet. If you notice that folks are ready to blurt out their truth and take no prisoners, then they are likely having these transits. Give them plenty of room. Jupiter is no longer in the picture. He’s looking for higher ground. We are wise to do the same.

The final pass is that time when we clear out old unresolved emotions. The primal pressure spews out. If it comes out of you, then look carefully at your beliefs below it. If it hits you, then be gracious and try to understand that it’s really not about you. [This is hard for me, too!] There is no better time to clear out the old and that is what catharsis is all about: On the world stage or on our own.

We all learn through love, money, career, or health. No matter how spiritual we think we have become, we want to know that we are loved and can love; that we are valuable and have marketable skills; and that we are seen as useful in the world and that a career can be a job, but often is bigger than that. And health gives us the opportunity to enjoy it all or brings us to our wobbly, vulnerable knees and that, too, is an opportunity for awakening. No matter how big you are, life in a body is finite. But oh what a party it is! This Spring 2014 we get to see what stands in the way of enjoying every moment. When we clear it out, then we enjoy the little things more and share the big things with gusto. So come and join me for the most powerful season yet!

A planetary play book: If you are particularly sensitive to life in a body as a mortal, then you are having a Saturn transit. Why didn’t you notice you were mortal until now? Just lucky I guess or maybe you were having a big Jupiter transit. Speaking of lucky, Jupiter throws his optimism onto Saturn and helps us all make our suffering a sublime opportunity for awakening and a journey into the joy of simple things. Are you ready to leap or drive into the sunrise to see what awaits you? That’s Uranus! If you feel called to do it no matter what the cost and know that you will perish if you do not heed the call, then you have Pluto in the mix. If you want to charge into the world to help others or to blow them up to make it a better place, then you have Mars madness in the mix. Before you march into any war, foreign or domestic…grins, try your favorite path to redemption. The spring is full of redemption from Christ, to the Buddha to modern day teachers like Byron Katie or the works of Non Violent Communication. This truly is a most exciting time to clear out the old and to welcome in a fresh breath of you!

I expect the Market and romance to be erratic this season. Why? This is a time of revolution, excitement and change. Hold onto what is changing without changing yourself and you might just feel that you were left behind. Open your heart to opportunity even where you cannot see it today and you might just be rich beyond belief.

Yours in love and excitement

c

Cynthia Novak is a professional astrologer. To schedule an Astrology/Tarot session with Cynthia, call metro 817-261-2984 or visit CynthiaNovak.com

Hear Cynthia’s talk entitled, “Astrology & You” at 11:30am on Sunday, April 13 at the Wellness Expo in Addison.

Interested in learning astrology of all kinds? Visit a fun and educational group, the Astrological Society of North Texas, www.asntx.com, which has a speaker meeting every second Sunday of the month!

 

Tags: Astrology