The Astrology of April 2021
/Welcome to your monthly overview of the astrology of April 2021. In this issue, I'll share the major transits of the month and give you a sense of what to expect and how to best manage whatever arises.
April is a VERY exciting and dynamic month, featuring a number of disruptive and chaotic transits. Mercury finally leaves the misty, murky waters of Pisces for Aries, where they enjoy a clarifying mutual reception with Mars in Gemini. This is an invigorating, motivating transit that can help us set our eyes on the prize and go for it… but it might also try to burn us out.
There’s a lot of action this month as the inner planets travel through Aries, into a square with Pluto at 26° Capricorn, and then into Taurus, where they will collide with disruptive and destabilizing Uranus. If you have planets or points at 26° of cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn) or planets/points at 11° of Fixed signs (Aquarius, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio), this month is going to be particularly intense and important for you. (Not sure how to read your birth chart? Check out this free guide!)
Now that March is over, head over to last month’s forecast and let me know how you experienced the transits. Were my descriptions spot-on or did they manifest differently for you? The more you share your stories, the better I can make my forecasts, so I truly appreciate any feedback you have!
I always aim to give a range of possible expressions of how the energy might manifest, and I am ALWAYS curious about how they resonate with you. So let me know how your month goes and how these transits play out in your life — leave a comment below and share how these energies are showing up for you!
All dates in the Eastern Time Zone.
April 2 - Mercury in Pisces sextile Pluto in Capricorn - 26°
Kelly Surtees describes a sextile as "two planets holding hands and skipping together," which I absolutely love as a description of the gentle, harmonious energy of a sextile. When Mercury and Pluto hold hands and skip together, we can be more expressive and articulate about our deepest feelings and bone-deep truths. Pluto can often bring up themes of power — how we use it and how others use it against us. With this transit, we can be inspired to speak truth to power or use our power for the greater good. And while in Pisces, Mercury can be inspired to expresses itself through art, music, beauty and creativity. Sextiles are pretty subtle energies, so you might not feel this unless you have an important planet or point at 26 degrees of Pisces or Capricorn.
April 3 - Mercury enters Aries
Mercury climbs out of the misty, mystical, mutable waters of Pisces and into the fresh, fiery energy of Aries. Mercury gets quite a boost by being in Aries. Mars, the ruling planet of Aries, is currently in Mercury’s home sign of Gemini. When planets are in one another’s signs at the same time, it is called a mutual reception, and both planets are able to express themselves more easily, and achieve their goals with more power.
In our day to day lives, this might feel a bit like our minds are "drying off" — suddenly we are able to think more clearly, stay more focused, and point our efforts towards a specific goal. Now that Mercury joins the Sun and Venus in Aries, your mind might suddenly able to keep up with momentum of the rest of your life. Hold onto your hats, kids! Mercury in Aries wants to go, go, go, and it can be hard to rein ourselves in. Try not to let your ideas run away with you and burn you out.
April 6 - Venus in Aries sextile Mars in Gemini - 19°
The hand-holding metaphor from earlier feels especially apt when we're talking about Venus and Mars, two famously contradictory energies. Obviously the gender binary is bullshit and "men are from Mars, women are from Venus" is idiotic. But is fair to say that Venus represents union (coming together, how we forge bonds and social ties, harmony) and Mars represents separation (Mars literally rules knives in traditional astrology because of this intense emphasis on separation). During this sextile, these seemingly oppositional energies are brought into harmony. This is especially nice for Venus, who is currently in the Mars ruled sign of Aries, where she traditionally struggles. But through the sextile, we can bring these energies together a little more productively. Excitement is always a little disruptive, isn't it? Creativity is sometimes disturbing. Romance can be passionate. Watch out for what is stimulating you during these days. Let your passion guide you towards your next adventure.
April 9 - Mars in Gemini square Neptune in Pisces - 21°
Speaking of the planet of separation, our boy Mars moves on from Venus to faces off against dissolving Neptune. This might be a time where your motivation, passion and direction feels bogged down, foggy or disoriented. Maybe you felt confident and self-assured a few days ago, but now the imposter syndrome is back. Like your fire has gone out. The golden rule with Neptune transits is to not fight it. Go limp. Let Neptune help you reset your energy a little bit. If possible, try to avoid major deadlines or deliverables on this day. Instead, try to encourage activities that work WITH Neptune's energy — brainstorming with your colleagues, watching tutorial videos to get inspired, scrolling endlessly on TikTok — all are valid ways of working with this energy, depending on your chart. This day feels like you WANT a clear vision and direction, but you just aren't going to get it. So why not go with the flow instead?
April 10 - Mercury in Aries sextile Saturn in Aquarius - 12° / Venus in Aries sextile Jupiter in Aquarius - 25°
Mercury and Venus are both fast-moving inner planets, and sextiles are generally pretty harmonious and quiet aspects, so to be honest, the energy of these transits might end up getting swept up in the drama of the transits on April 9 and 11. But it's good to know that the chart of your birth chart that contains Aries is getting some love from the part of your chart that contains Aquarius. What exactly this looks like will vary greatly from person to person, birth chart to birth chart. But it's good to know that whatever Mercury and Venus represent for you or are activating in your life, you are getting a boost from abundant, lucky Jupiter and mature, disciplined Saturn. Whatever house contains Aquarius, lean into that and use it for grounding. That’s where you’re going to find the support you need to help you tackle whatever Aries-house themes come up for you during this time.
April 11 - Venus in Aries square Pluto in Capricorn - 26°
Venus in Aries, already in a sign she struggles in, faces off against the powerful force that is Pluto. Pluto has this nasty habit of dredging up our deepest, darkest fears, shame, self-destructive tendencies and asking us to confront them. With Venus in her detriment in Aries, this might stimulate themes of independence vs interdependence — are there places in your life where the walls are too thick, where you are too removed? Or have you been wearing your heart on your sleeve and now you're finding yourself getting a bit banged up? Venus square Pluto can bring our self-worth and self-esteem to the surface, and force us to get real about what haunts us and where we need to shore up some extra love and support. Power dynamics might show up in our relationships, friendships, or with our colleagues and coworkers, inviting us to be emotionally honest, when we would much rather keep things surface level. Venus in Aries is impatient, so watch out for your temper — it only takes a tiny spark to make a barrel of oil go up in flames.
April 12 - New Moon in Aries
Happy New Moon, lovelies! New Moons represent the beginning of a new lunar cycle and are beautiful opportunities to reflect on the previous month, set intentions for the upcoming weeks, and carve out space to prioritize your self-care practices. This New Moon occurs in the last 10 degrees of Aries, meaning we have already had a few weeks to acquaint ourselves with how Aries energy feels in our lives and how it manifests for us. Use this time to review the House that contains Aries in your chart (check out my guide on the birth chart if you don’t know what that means) and do some journaling about how those topics have come up for you so far in Aries season. Then, think about what intentions you want to set for the upcoming lunar cycle.
This can also be a potent time to reflect on the element of Fire in your life. As a Cardinal Fire sign, Aries energy is driving, motivating, initiatory and stimulating. It can often inspire us to be more forceful than we otherwise might - to take up space, to step forward, and dare to accomplish our goals simply because it feels important to us. Where do you need more Fire in your life — more courage, more spontaneously and recklessly entitled to your own happiness? And where, perhaps, does your fire need to be reined in? Have you been burning other people in pursuit of your own delights? Are you burning yourself out, simply to stay distracted? This New Moon can help you get in touch with what your truly need in order to come into balance around your creative energy and ambition.
April 13 - Sun in Aries sextile Mars in Gemini - 24°
Energizing and dynamic, the Sun sextile Mars could feel like we are getting back on track after all of the Neptune and Pluto nonsense. The Sun represents the path our life takes, what we desire and want to bring into our lives. Through a supportive and energizing sextile, Mars helps to give the Sun a boost of energy, drive and motivation. If you are still feeling stimulated from the Venus-square-Pluto the day before, you might want to try to put some boundaries on this energy — because in Gemini, Mars can easily have you accidentally using your words as weapons, or having your energy be extremely diffuse and all the place.
April 14 - Venus enters Taurus
Oh thank goodness, Venus is in Taurus! Not only does Venus rule the fixed Earth sign, but Taurus is actually Venus' preferred sign (for some complicated astrology reasons that you'll have to one of my future workshops to learn more about!). Compared to Venus in Aries, Venus in Taurus is like a breath of fresh air, a calming hug, a warm mug of team, a nice meal to soothe our wounds and repair all the hurts and make up after getting into fights. Venus in Taurus is a lovely time to reach out to the people who bring nourishment and joy in our lives. It's also a beautiful opportunity to reconnect to the element of earth and our grounding practices. No matter what the weather/climate is like where you are, how can you bring in more of the abundant, nourishing and supportive energy of spring in your life? Venus in Taurus wants you to ENJOY THE BODY, so get out there and relish in your own skin.
April 15 - Sun in Aries sextile Jupiter in Aquarius - 25°
The Sun sextile Jupiter gives the Sun — already motivated and brimming with power in Aries — an extra boost of energy, dynamism and abundance. Jupiter in Aquarius is all about helping us hone our long-term vision, and with the Sun sextile in play, this could be a time where we receive extra clarity, insight and motivation. The vision crystallizes and we can see the steps we need to take to get there. Keep in mind, the Sun is about to square Pluto which is a MUCH more potent, specific kind of energy, and it might be drowning out this quiet sextile. Trust that Jupiter is supporting you from behind the scenes, but don't feel bad if clarity and motivation is the LAST thing on your mind on this day.
April 16 - Sun in Aries square Pluto in Capricorn - 26°
As the Sun prepares to leave Aries, he slams into the square with Pluto that Venus enjoyed only a few days prior. The Sun is associated with sovereignty, rulers and leaders. Often, solar transits can manifest in the world around us as events that affect powerful people such as CEOs, presidents, and prime ministers. Pluto is associated with power, corruption, scandal, and secrets. During difficult Sun-Pluto aspects, we might see a powerful figure fall, or a big scandal erupt with political figures. Or it could be your OWN secrets or self-destructive tendencies that come to the surface. The Sun's light is illuminating... but sometimes it reveals things we'd rather keep hidden. Remember that sunlight is often the best disinfectant, and the fear that drives you to ignore a situation is ALWAYS worse than just confronting it straight on. Control vs sovereignty, power vs agency is always a big Sun square Pluto theme — watch out for who is trying to control you, why you might want to control others, and question the underlying motivation of both your and others' behaviours. It's not that everyone is out to get you... this is just a time when power dynamics are being revealed, and the dynamics that you observe during this time might help you get a much clearer picture of your life in the long run.
April 17 - Mars in Gemini trine Jupiter in Aquarius / Mercury in Aries square Pluto in Capricorn / Mercury sextile Mars and Jupiter - 26°
It's a busy day in the sky as Mercury ricochets between Jupiter, Mars and Pluto. Mercury is the Messenger god, the planet of communication, technology and the realm of human intelligence. So when Mercury is involved in so many aspects, it amplifies the other transits happening around them. Mercury is forming a sextile to both Mars and Jupiter, acting as a kind of conducting rod for Mars in Gemini's fierce expression and Jupiter in Aquarius' vision of the future.
Mars trine Jupiter is a very energizing and stimulating transit. Mars' passion and willpower is being supported by Jupiter's enthusiastic, abundant and optimistic nature. While in Gemini, Mars wants to go in a million directions. And Jupiter in Aquarius says: "Would you like to turn that up to 100, babe?" Mars trine Jupiter is one of those transits that reminds us that the cliché "too much of a good thing" exists for a reason. Jupiter gives Mars a powerful boost, but Mars is a malefic planet — its nature is to separate, to conquer, to fight, to drive forward, no matter the cost. Watch out for Mars being EXTRA on this day. Especially while in Gemini, this aspect can manifest as Mars wanting to say yes too many things, trying to do too much in too little time, or being extra aggressive with your words.
Following close behind the Sun, Mercury then squares Pluto. It's a super quick transit (like most things Mercury days), but one it packs a punch. Plutonian energy can be challenging for us to manage because its main objective is to reveal that which is hidden. Often these can uncomfortable things — secrets, fears, traumas — because people tend to hide and dissociate the things that are uncomfortable or difficult to experience. When Mercury and Pluto square one another, secrets can burst forth. We might experience fits of uncomfortable outbursts, almost as if the things we have kept inside can no longer be contained. If you're someone who keeps things deeply bottled up and internalized, this transit could help you share the things that you struggle to express. Just watch out for the Mars-Jupiter influence at play, especially as it pertains to anger and rage.
Be careful about what you say today. With Mercury is sextile both Mars and Jupiter, words might flow a little TOO easily and quickly. And since Mercury is simultaneously squaring Pluto, our words might be betray us — with potentially explosive results. This will be most active for people who have important planets or angles at 26° of Gemini, Aquarius, Aries or Capricorn.
April 18 - Mercury conjunct the Sun (cazimi) in Aries - 29°
Mercury then moves into the heart of the Sun at 29° of Aries. The Mercury cazimi is an important part of Mercury's synodic cycle (aka its relationship to the Sun). Just like New Moons are the beginning of lunar cycles, we can think about this Mercury cazimi as being the beginning of the next Mercury cycle. Mercury will next station retrograde on May 29 in the sign of Gemini. Whatever the Mercury retrograde has in store for you will start to be hinted at during this time, almost as if the seeds of whatever journey that cycle will take you on, are being planted.
Whenever a planet moves through the heart of the Sun, it’s a kind of "purification" process. Think about it like doing a really rough/intense exfoliation or skin scrub. Just like we remove dry and dead skin, in order to reveal the freshness underneath. Only when Mercury is cazimi, it's like our thoughts, our way of thinking, our way of organizing and understanding are being being dusted off, scrubbed down and then cleaned up. The Sun bestows wisdom on Mercury, a moment of enlightenment as you receive a pummeling of energy, stimulation and insight.
In our day to day life, cazimis can often manifest as times of difficulty when it comes to Mercury-ruled things: finances, technology, all of that jazz. The last degree of a sign also tends to be a bit more ruthless an expression of the zodiacal energy of the sign — and with the Sun already exalted in Aries, this is a very powerful Sun. So keep an eye out for Mercury shenanigans on this day. And pay special attention to any new information you learn/receive.
April 19 - Mercury enters Taurus, Sun enters Taurus
The post-cazimi mood shifts almost immediately, as Mercury and the Sun step across the border into sign of Taurus. Venus is already in Taurus, and welcomes them graciously into the fixed earth sign. As the ruler of Taurus, Venus gives a boost to all other planets in the sign, simply by being in the same sign as them. How nice!
However, it's not all sunshine and roses. As they move into Taurus, Mercury and the Sun are also moving into co-presence with Uranus. In the last week of April, we will have a series of explosive transits to Uranus, as Venus, Mercury and the Sun make their annual conjunctions to the outer planet. More on that later — it's the major feature of the last week of April.
As a Venus-ruled, Fixed Earth sign, Taurus energy lends itself to growing, stabilizing, and improving what already exists. It's not about going out and finding new territories or new ideas — it's about focusing on what you have already, developing the resources you already have, and refining your relationship to things around you. Taurus represents the growth of spring, as the land wakes up in earnest and shakes off the last of winter. Flowers bloom, trees blossom, and sprouts shoot up from the earth. Taurus season is the time to focus on what you can develop and grow around you, how you can work with what you've got, and encourages us to indulge in our senses. Spring is here, friend — enjoy yourself.
Book an astrology reading to get a glimpse at the year ahead!
Happy birthday, Taurus babes! I hope you are enjoying your solar return by indulging your senses and treating yourself. Birthdays are very important in astrology — they serve as your personal New Year, and mark the close of one chapter and beginning of a new one. They are moments to pause, reflect on how you have grown and changed in the last year, and to look ahead at the year to come.
Book a solar return (aka birthday) reading to receive clarity and insight into the year ahead — you'll discover the major themes of the upcoming year, and get personalized forecast about upcoming transits and what they might trigger in your life. These are practical, grounded readings that will help you plan for the year ahead and be better equipped to face what comes your way.
April 22 - Venus conjunct Uranus in Taurus — 10°
Venus is the first planet this week to make a conjunction with Uranus. Because Venus is in her home territory, she is better equipped to handle this interaction than her guests, Mercury and the Sun, but you should still be on the look out for fireworks today.
Venus conjunct Uranus brings the Uranian themes of liberation, freedom and revolutionary ideas to how we build, grow and collaborate with others. Venus represents harmony and how we can work with others to create peace, beauty and happiness. When Venus touches Uranus, we can expect to see major disruptions in our relationships and social bonds. This could be in our intimate partnerships, our friendships, family dynamics, coworkers... any situation in which we need to collaborate with others might feel a little extra volatile on this day.
Uranus' job is to break us free from the the structures, systems and rules that no longer serve us. So often we can end up in situations in which we are fundamentally dissatisfied, but we barely even notice, it's been such a slow shift into the mind numbing blahs. Uranus is here to wake us up from that daze. To make us feel ALIVE. And when it's conjunct Venus, we are being awoken to all the ways in which we haven't been expressing our needs, the ways in which we need to be loved.
Depending on your particular circumstances, this transit could be a lovely little jolt of creativity, a sprinkle of creative or sexual energy in your day. But if you have been repressing your needs for some time and it's time for a change, this week could be the time where you find you just can't take it anymore.
April 23 - Mars enters Cancer
Mars leaves the Mercury ruled sign of Gemini and moves into the Moon ruled sign of Cancer. Cancer is a difficult placement for Mars. Mars and the Moon are oppositional forces to one another: Mars' nature is to divide, separate, and — ultimately — to end life itself. Whereas the Moon (which rules Cancer) is one of the most powerful symbols of fertility, life, and growth in astrology. Thus, when Mars enters the Moon's domain, it is said to be in the sign of its fall.
When planets are in the sign of their fall, it's as if the odds are stacked against them. They have to overcome some kind of difficulty and issue that impedes their ability to fully express themselves. While in Cancer, Mars struggles to do what it does best — fight, conquer, strive forward — because Cancer's nature is much more oriented towards peace, calm and the conditions of life/birth. If you're someone with Mars in Cancer in your birth chart — don't panic! Placements in the natal chart express themselves very differently than when I'm just describing the "astro weather". (If you're still freaked out about what it means, it's always best to book a reading with an astrologer to get this big picture.)
For the next six weeks, you might experience more difficulties in the area of your life that Cancer governs — look at the house that contains Cancer in your birth chart for more clues about the themes that might come up for you. But in general, we can think about what the Moon rules in astrology, and expect a little more frustration, difficulties in that part of your life: emotional stability, intimate relationships, your innermost feelings, how you support yourself. This transit won't last forever and it won't feel tough every minute of the day. But if you do experience some extra difficulty in these key areas, at least you know which planet to blame it on!
April 24 - Mercury conjunct Uranus in Taurus - 10°
Mercury is the next planet to face off against Uranus. This time, Uranus' revolutionary, dramatic, liberation-oriented nature expresses itself through words, ideas, technology, communication, finances and other Mercury-ruled things. This is a time when we might receive a sudden flash of inspiration, new ideas, or downloads come through you. This could be an amazing time to create work, especially if involves language, expression and communication. Keep an idea notebook near by and don't censor yourself during this 24 hour period as you jot down ideas. (But maybe don’t share them, just yet… just let yourself dream.)
While this transit could certainly have impact us personally (whether mentally, emotionally or physically), I am most interested in how the transit will manifest in the world of business, finance and global politics. Mercury rules things like money, financial markets, and communication technology — all of which are extremely important to the day to day function of our society. Watch out for how the Uranian energy will disrupt these important systems. I'll be looking out for some surprising developments or information in the news — perhaps something innovative, perhaps something sudden or revolutionary.
April 25 - Mercury conjunct Venus in Taurus, square Saturn in Aquarius — 12°
Mercury and Venus come together at the same degree in Taurus, while simultaneously forming a square to Saturn in Aquarius. What a combination of energies!
Mercury conjunct Venus can be an extremely creative and expressive transit — Mercury is expression, Venus is beauty — when the two planets come together, we often see themes of pleasant conversation, mutually beneficial contracts/agreements/business deals, or artistic expression that is incredibly moving. Graphic design is a great expression of Mercury and Venus energy together — the technical details and ability come from Mercury, while Venus turns the technique into something beautiful and creative.
However, the buzz is killed somewhat by Saturn's looming square. Saturn is in the superior/overcoming position, which means that Saturn has a lot of power in this dynamic. Saturn basically comes in to say, "Ok that's a great idea, but what about THESE practical considerations?" Saturn is here to remind you that ideas are great, but hard work and effort is needed to make your ideas a reality.
This energy might express itself in a variety of ways, ranging from productive (constructive criticism, doing practical work that will serve you in the long run) to destructive (a major road block, a resounding "No", a surprise rejection). While Saturn energy can be tough and annoying, it is ultimately productive — Saturn is in Aquarius right now, which means it WANTS you to have a long-term, sustainable vision. This square is here to bring you back down to earth and to centre the practicalities in your work.
April 27 - Full Moon in Scorpio - 7° / Pluto stations retrograde at 26° 48' Capricorn
The seeds your planted in the darkness of the Aries New Moon come to fruition under the beams of the Full Moon in Scorpio. And my sense is that what comes to light might be a little tough for us to stomach. People love to get excited about Full Moons, but honestly y’all, I think this one might bring up some challenges for us.
Scorpio is a tough placement for the Moon. While the Moon is associated with things like life, birth, generation and nourishment, Scorpio is a Mars-ruled sign that supports depth, investigation, secrets and decomposition. Full Moons in Scorpio have a tendency to bring to light things we would rather ignore, to reveal secrets long kept hidden. Things we’d ignore come to the surface. Scars we thought long-since healed suddenly start to ache again.
In ancient Hellenistic astrology, Mars rules the sign of Scorpio (not Pluto), which means to learn more about this Full Moon, we look at where Mars is in the sky. And Mars, as it turns out, has just entered the Moon-ruled sign of Cancer. The Moon and Mars are in each others signs — known as mutual reception — and are thus able to give one another some additional support. However, it’s kind of like two people in a really hard place commiserating about their lot in life, and not quite as supportive as I’d like to see. With both the Moon and Mars in water signs, our emotions, interpersonal relationships and psychic realms are being highlighted.
This is a very Marsy Full Moon, so watch out for extreme, potentially even violent emotions to manifest in the world around you. You might be feeling extra heightened and sensitive in the days before and after this New Moon. April has had a lot of Mars influence, and at the tail end of it, we might be a little frustrated and exhausted from it all. This is definitely one of those days to remember that if you don’t have anything nice to say, you can always choose to say nothing at all.
Meanwhile, Pluto stations retrograde today. The outer planets go retrograde so frequently and for such a long period of time that they rarely impact our day to day lives. However, when an outer planet stations retrograde, it is still worth paying attention to. That's because the planet appears to slow down in the sky dramatically in the days and weeks leading up to the station, and it will continue to "pause" in the sky for the days immediately after.
Pluto is our slowest planet and thus stays stationary the longest. We probably won't feel the retrograde station in our day to day life, unless you an important planet or point within a degree or two of 26° 48' of any of the Cardinal signs (Capricorn, Aries, Cancer, Libra). If this is the case, this part of your chart will be receiving a LOT of attention from Pluto as it sloooooowly starts to move backwards in the sky.
April 30 - Sun conjunct Uranus in Taurus - 10°
We finish April off with a bang as the Sun makes its conjunction to Uranus. This is the third in our trio of Uranus conjunctions, so at least after this we can breathe easy until next Taurus season. While the Venus conjunction to Uranus might have brought up issues in our personal relationships, and the Mercury conjunction might have given us new insight and ideas (or destablized the economy who knows), the Sun conjunct Uranus will likely stir up changes, chaos and revolution in BOTH our personal lives AND the world around us. That's because the Sun is a universal signifier, and it stands in for so many things.
Enlightenment, understanding and inspiration might be part of the energy of the day, as the Sun represents lights, illumination and understanding. Watch out for new ideas and insights, particularly when it comes to spiritual matters. The Sun can also stand in for leaders and visionaries: political leaders, CEOs, influencers, authors, religious leaders are all examples of solar figures. During this time, we might see some sudden and unexpected changes to our leadership — Uranus transits have a tendency to push people off their pedestals. This energy will calm down after a few days, so take it easy, breath deep, and keep your eye on your long-term vision to help you weather whatever storm the transit throws at you.
Want to go even deeper with the astrology? Get a personalized overview of your birth chart.