Home is where the heart is this month! The Sun is now in TAURUS – it’s the time to slow down, mellow out and smell the flowers! Have you been feeling fried and frazzled over this past month? Ease off the accelerator pedal and retreat from the intensity and turbulence of the past ARIES month. Reconnect with nature – take a drive into the country, walk in the woods, or roll around in the grass. Hug a tree! Feel the earth beneath your bare feet! Snuggle in with family & friends, and put some energy into creating more comfort and stability in your personal universe.
Since TAURUS is a fixed earth sign, you’ll want to dig your roots a little deeper, put your base of operations in solid condition and reinforce your support systems & foundations. Domestic affairs, property matters, community involvement and environmental concerns are major priorities these days; it’s appropriate that we celebrate both Earth Day (April 22) and Mother’s Day (May 14) during this solar cycle. You may feel like baking bread, getting a massage or bodywork, studying voice, piano or an acoustic instrument, exploring your genealogy, consulting a feng shui expert or taking a class in ceramics, jewelry making, weaving, flower arranging or woodworking.
With the nesting instinct so powerful now, it’s the ideal time to build, remodel, decorate, garden, lay carpet or tile, buy real estate or make a major move. Building contractors, interior designers, realtors, landscapers, furniture outlets and home improvement stores will be doing a booming business this month! You may feel a primal urge to experience the natural world, make a deeper connection with the earth, put your hands in the soil and grow some vegetables, flowers, trees or herbs. TAURUS symbolizes the “freshly plowed earth of springtime, ready for the seed.” The best planting days for above-ground crops are: April 26-27, 30, May 1 & 6-10; the best days for root crops and perennials are: April 22-23, May 14-15 & 19-20.
You’ll feel a real burst of earthiness when the Sun joins both Mercury and Mars in TAURUS as this solar month begins. However, there will be an immediate energy shift once Mercury (still in retrograde) returns to fiery ARIES on April 20; it’s likely that you’ll be rejuvenating some last month’s projects over the next few weeks (especially since Pluto begins its 5-month retrograde the same day). On April 21, Venus, now direct, will form its third & final square to Saturn (from PISCES TO SAGITTARIUS); the first was on January 27 and the most recent was on April 8. For many, this aspect has brought up deep disappointments, frustrations and grief − over the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, the loss of a job or a lack of trust in the political system or the universe. This is now the time to let go and move on. . .
Also on April 21, Mars ends its 6-week transit of TAURUS and begins its new cycle in breezy GEMINI. A restless, inquisitive energy may come over you, stimulating increased communication, short trips and increased contact with neighbors & relatives. Reconnect with your grapevine , get back into circulation and lighten up! GEMINI is associated with the local media, networking, transportation and distribution. The press will be having a field day, as there will be a lot to talk about! This would be a good time to upgrade your phone or TV, buy a new car or subscribe to the newspaper.
The NEW MOON in TAURUS (the Bull) will arrive on April 26 at 5:16 am; be gentle with yourself, indulge your senses to the max and get grounded! The throat, vocal chords, neck, cervical vertebrae, lower jaw & ears are associated with TAURUS; anxiety & stress in home, family and security matters will often manifest as dis-comfort in these parts of the body. So be good to yourself and tend to your creature comforts! On April 28, Venus (ruler of TAURUS) leaves PISCES and joins both Mercury & Uranus in ARIES. With three planets now in ARIES, a playful spirit could activate new friendships & associations, lively social activities and dynamic creative efforts. Kick up your heels and have fun!
Mercury finishes its 3-week retrograde cycle and turns direct in ARIES on May 3 – from this point forward, it’s onward & upward! Expect an impulse to get something new off the ground with the Sun/Pluto trine on May 9; there will also be some surprises and unexpected developments due to the Mercury/Uranus conjunction. Also on May 9, the North Lunar Node finishes its 18-month cycle in VIRGO and initiates a new cycle in cheerful LEO – get ready to experience a more joy-based life. Hopefully, we will all spend less energy on worry, criticism and complaining ‒ and put more emphasis on creative self-expression, positive self-image & authenticity. Put on a happy face and become the star of your own show!
The FULL MOON in TAURUS & SCORPIO will reach a full boil on May 10 at 2:42 pm PDT – deep emotions, power struggles, domestic and territorial issues can arise with this particular Full Moon. The challenge is to channel these potent energies constructively and defuse any potential conflicts or jealousies before they get out of control. Make sure things are safe & secure on the homefront. Mercury will return to TAURUS on May 15, bringing a more calm, grounded perspective for the next few weeks. You could discover a different and more enlightened approach to dealing with old patterns with the Saturn/Uranus trine on May 18. Think outside the box!
This solar month ends with Moon Wobble (a 2-week period of instability due to the Sun/Lunar Node square) which peaks on May 19; use common sense and avoid making rash, impulsive decisions during this time. The Venus/Jupiter opposition, on the same day, could add fuel to the flames; you could feel overextended or overwhelmed, so do your best to create a balanced approach to your social activities. The message of the month: relax and chill out!
©2017 Diane Elizabeth Clarke