Astrological Forecasts

Heads Up!

The Writer’s Astrological Almanac

by Kathy Watts

April 2018

all times are PDT.

This is not the time to be afraid of retrogrades. Mercury and Jupiter are both retrograde for the first half of the month. For the second half of the month, Jupiter and Saturn are retrograde. Slow down and get more serious about simply doing things right. They don’t have to be right the first time. Stick with it. You’ve got this month. April starts on Sunday, the Sun’s day of the week. Shine your brightest.

Sun Apr 01 the Moon is in Libra when the Sun conjoins Mercury retrograde. Follow our heart but that doesn’t mean to ignore your mind. Heads Up. It’s Easter Sunday. Yes, it’s also April Fool’s Day. This happens ever so often. However, the Sun rarely fools around. Do something real.

Mon Apr 02 the Moon is in Scorpio when Mars conjoins Saturn at 8:44 am. Heads Up. The two malefics together do not have to lead to something bad. Stay focused on something constructive and have the energy to see it through. The good news is, earlier at 8:18 am then 8:19 am the Moon made a sextile with Mars, then Saturn. That might soften the impact a bit.

Tue Apr 03 the Moon conjoins Jupiter in Scorpio. Feel lucky about something fundamental. If you’ve been plugging away at something for a long time, it could get done now.

Wed Apr 04 the Moon is in Sagittarius when Mercury and Mars make an exact square, both planets in Cardinal signs. You may think you know what you’re doing, but don’t count on it. It will be hard to do nothing, however. Heads Up.

Thu Apr 04 the Moon is still in Sagittarius when Mercury makes a square with Saturn. Heads Up. If something was done in haste yesterday, it may stand out like a sore thumb today. Fix what needs fixing and move on.

Sat Apr 07 the Moon conjoins Saturn in Capricorn at 5:19 am. Heads Up. Get through the morning slowly but carefully. Not bad. Later, at 6:37 am we have a trine between Venus and Saturn. Feel good about something that you did a while back and was not pleased with at the time. At 10:41 am the Moon conjoins Mars in Capricorn. Heads Up. It may be hard but don’t be in a rush to finish something. Now’s the time to appreciate that first Moon-Saturn conjunction. What a morning! Passover ends today. Ahhh.

Sun Apr 08 the Moon conjoins Pluto in Capricorn. Heads Up. If people make you edgy, steal a bit more private time and write. It’s Easter for the Orthodox Church.

Tue Apr 10 the Moon is in Aquarius when the Sun squares Pluto at 9:54 pm. Heads Up. If today has felt unsettled, the evening should be smoother. An hour and 9 minutes later is the trine between Venus and Mars. After a nightcap or a last cup of tea, feel good about what was accomplished today.

Wed Apr 11 the Moon is in Aquarius for half the day, until 11:40 am when the Moon enters Pisces. Do your serious work in the morning, and your inspired or emotional work in the afternoon or evening.

Thu Apr 12 the Moon conjoins Neptune in Pisces. Let the world get emotional around you. You have work to do. You might find inspiration in the confusion.

Sat Apr 14 the Moon conjoins an extremely slow, strong Mercury retrograde in Aries. Heads Up. It’s the last day of this Mercury retrograde cycle. It’s also the day before the New Moon. How much more of a Heads Up day do you want? Tidy up what loose ends you can, and make a list of anything important. Do you know where your keys and phone are? You’re ready.

Sun Apr 15 the very dark Moon is in Aries when Mercury goes stationary direct at 2:21 am. Heads Up. That wasn’t so bad, was it? Now don’t be in a mad rush because it will take time for Mercury to get back up to speed. At 6:57 pm we have the New Moon at 26 Ari. Heads Up. Resolve to begin something important to you and you alone. You don’t need to broadcast it, though. At 10:59 pm the Moon conjoins Uranus and then goes void of course. A last minute brilliant idea may strike. Write it down and go to sleep if you can.

Tue Apr 17 the Moon is in Taurus all day. At 12:00 am, Venus opposes Jupiter retrograde. Dispel any argument or dissatisfaction that is stuck in your head and sleep more easily. At 3:05 pm the Moon conjoins Venus in Taurus and then goes void of course. Don’t get hypercritical or let people get hypercritical on you. Listen if you must but don’t overreact. At 6:47 pm Saturn goes stationary retrograde in Capricorn. Heads Up. Here’s another celestial vote to not let criticism get out of control.

Wed Apr 18 the Moon enters Gemini at 5:02 am. Rise and shine! We have from now until Friday morning to pack in as much mercurial creativity and mischief as we can. At 7:00 am the Sun conjoins Uranus in the end of Aries. Heads Up. Be open to something truly inventive. Perhaps there’s a new market or publishing medium. Today is also the last day of the year that the Sun spends in the fiery realm of excitable Aries. Tomorrow the world may seem a bit slower and more stubborn. Heads Up.

Thu Apr 19 the Moon is in Gemini when the Sun leaves Aries and enters the luxurious material world sign of Taurus. Heads Up. Let the Gemini Moon keep you energized until you find your true direction.

Fri Apr 20 the Moon enters Cancer at 7:26 am. Have a good breakfast and get back to work. Or, sleep in and have a good cup of coffee or tea later and get back to work.

Sun Apr 22 the Moon is in Cancer when Pluto goes retrograde at 8:26 am. Should we even mention it? Pluto is retrograde almost half of this year. Astronomers don’t even categorize Pluto as a planet, but rather a Kuiper Belt body. Happily, astrologers don’t have this dilemma. Anyway, Pluto doesn’t care what we call it, does it? Let’s hope not.

Tue Apr 24 the Moon is in Leo when Venus changes signs, leaves Taurus and enters Gemini at 9:40 am. Heads Up. Artistic efforts may become more glamorous and playful. For four brief hours we have the Moon and Venus both in Leo. Then the Moon leaves Leo and enters Virgo. Get in the mood to work. You can do a lot today and tomorrow.

Wed Apr 25 the Moon is in Virgo all day. If you don’t aim too high, you can accomplish an amazing amount. Editing counts.

Thu Apr 26 the Moon is still in Virgo when at 4:00 am Mars exactly conjoins Pluto in Capricorn. Heads Up. Don’t feel compelled to watch the news unless you can’t resist. Write that battle scene, or that blowout argument. Keep real life under control, though. At 6:13 pm the Moon enters the calming atmospheres of Libra. Have a smoother evening.

Sun Apr 29 the Moon is in Scorpio when the Sun trines Saturn. Heads Up. Being responsible and properly exerting a bit of authority can take you far. At 5:58 pm we have the Full Moon at 09 Sco. Heads Up. Determination can also take you far. Be sane about it, though.

Mon Apr 30 the Moon conjoins Jupiter retrograde in Scorpio. End the month with an extra dose of good luck where you need it most.

It may not be a uniformly tense month but it has its moments. Mars and Saturn do their best to keep tensions high. And the Mars-Pluto conjunction on April 26 is one of those stellar firecracker days that happily comes only once every other year. Keep tempers under control and avoid conflict of any sort if you can. Tomorrow is another day. Write that nasty email or Facebook comment later.

Retrogrades do their share to slow down the pace and give us a better chance of keeping it together. Retrogrades may not be our friends but they don’t need to be enemies, either.

Welcome the days of the Sun in Taurus as our time to keep the head under the hood and to continue hammering on those things we love the most. Make them true and beautiful in your own eyes. The world will see what it chooses.

Heads Up!