New Moon + Solar Eclipse

New Moon is April 29th at 1:14 am CDT while Moon is in Aries and Bharani Nakshatra. The annular solar eclipse will occur simultaneously.

Over the past months we’ve been working with issues and themes of relationships, balance, stability and support, while ego, power issues and strength have added further complexity to our understanding and growth. These themes are enlivened, intensified and strengthened during the new Moon on the 29th, while getting an extra edge of intensity due to the solar eclipse occurring simultaneously.

Solar eclipse begins on April 28th at 10:53 PM CDT and continues until April 29th at 3:15 AM CDT. The maximum eclipse is on April 29th at 1:04 AM CDT, though it won’t be visible from the US.

Sun and Moon are in exact conjunction in Aries for the occasion of new Moon and solar eclipse. They are both simultaneously conjunct Ketu and Mercury as well. These four planets receive direct drishti (gaze) from a compromised Saturn (retrograde, exalted in Libra, deeming it debilitated) and the north node, Rahu. Additionally, Mars throws his 8th aspect on this combination, heating and intensifying the situation. Think: pressure cooker.

Pressure cooker for the mind, the ego, the sense of Self, the emotions. Restructuring, transformation, change and endings are inevitable as a result.

We’ve been called upon to restructure our thinking, our behaviors, do less and accomplish more- out of force. We’ve been both challenged and supported in our relationships and are striving to find a balance with these pieces. The times have called for letting go, purging and pruning, finding solutions and “best practice” for ourselves and our momentum.

The ego has been tested, forced to change some old habits and asked to quit going over the same old territory while still hoping for different results.

If you’ve been paying attention, self tracking your behaviors and actions, these pieces have likely found a more natural momentum forward. Awareness truly does offer growth, not that it insures ease, grace, or comfort. With a certain willingness present however, it is much easier to change when we can accept what is, and let the “art of allowing” be enlivened.

This new Moon + solar eclipse combination marks the ripping and shredding of the veils that we’ve been clinging to. If there are any left with the current themes, you can be assured that this new Moon marks the sacred extraction process for each of us in our own way. The pieces that have been left unattended or ignored, will get their day of illumination now as they come out of the shadows and from our depths.

Sun, Moon, and Mercury will be in Bharani nakshatra at the time of the new Moon and eclipse, while Ketu is in Ashwini. Yama, lord of restraint and death, is holding us firmly in his grip at this time. There will be a certain amount of restriction being felt for us as a result. Pressures arise over “doing the right thing” and what pieces of our lives and our relationships must die in order for us to fully live.

This complexity is most definitely necessary for the re-building that is coming; the next phase of life. And though we may feel as though we are precariously perched on the edge of our life, balancing the impossible, there is healing and rejuvenation likely if we listen carefully to the messages that are coming.

Unless you are the type who needs extreme force, chaos and calamity to make life and personal changes, expect the messages of necessary change to come more subtly. Expect flashes of insight and moments of awakening. Don’t ignore these signs.

The coming weeks will offer the purification and transformational elements we need to live more freely and harmoniously with life. But expect this new space to be provided after clearing out the rubble. It will require great restraint and self control to get the job done and carry forward the actions necessary to achieve our desired outcomes. The most challenging question for all of us will be “what is the right thing to do?” A simple/complex inquiry to answer.

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Planetary Transits

Venus entered Pisces its sign of exaltation on April 27th at 13:49 CDT and remains here until May 23rd. Out of Rahu’s gaze, Venus now enters direct drishti from Mars seven houses away in Virgo. A passionate, expansive and creative month is ahead for all of us. The heat of Mars provokes and stokes the passion and creativity of Venus. Though fire (Mars) and water (Venus) don’t mix, the steam created should inspire movement, change and creative action at this time, while instigating momentum.

Relationships will be in the lime light and provide much fuel for the fire. The critic may be high in the weeks to come, the mental confusion may set in, or some friction. Watch for these things with personal and professional relationships.

If at all possible surrender to an ease and flow instead. Seek clarity for your self around what nurtures and soothes, vs. what irritates and agitates.

Where can you create more clarity within your Self? Where can you get more clear about your needs and boundaries? Where can you let go and allow a certain ease to settle in?

Akshaya Tritiya, the auspicious “day of lasting achievement” in the Vedic calendar, occurs on May 1st in the USA while Moon is in the third tithi (Moon phase) of the waxing cycle.

The third tithi begins at 00:53 CDT on the 1st and continues until the wee hours on the 2nd at 1:32 am CDT. Moon will be in its mulitrikona sign and in the auspicious Rohini nakshatra during the majority of this time. Akshaya tritiya is considered to be a very powerful time- free from malefic influences of all kinds and highly auspicious for all new ventures. For lasting success and achievement, this the the day! Meditation, pujas, action steps, will all bring powerful and lasting results. Go for gold today.

Mercury Moves to Taurus on May 4th at 11:25 pm CDT, out of the complexity of Aries and away from conjunction with Sun and Ketu + multiple aspects from Rahu, Saturn and Mars. Swiftly moving Mercury completes this transit on May 23rd. This transit may inspire some exploration of our depths- which can offer some necessary understanding and awareness- proving valuable as we navigate the relationship themes alive right now.

Expect some new information and resources arriving that will help you make sense of your current experiences and predicaments. Find new ways to connect. Expand communication and commerce. Work on themes of support and sustainability, comfort and clarity.

The planets are ever changing and so are we. I’ve created a new virtual workshop series to help you navigate the constant movement in and around us. Read more about my four part series, the Cosmic and Creative Self workshops.

Full Moon is on May 14th at 14:15 CDT while in Libra. More about this fascinating full Moon in my next transit report for the waning Moon cycle.

Big transits are coming. First Jupiter exalts in Cancer June 18th, then Rahu and Ketu move in July to Virgo and Pisces respectively, and later this year Saturn moves to Scorpio. Needing some guidance and clarity for this coming year? Schedule a yearly progression with me.

Horoscopes for the Waxing Moon Cycle {April 29th to May 14th}

*Horoscopes are based on your Vedic rising sign. You can also check your Moon and Sun signs for further insight. Do the same with your Navamsa signs for further clarity. Do not use these horoscopes with your “Western Sign” as there is likely no correlation. These horoscopes are meant to be used as a broad overview of the current transits and obviously do not address the specifics of an individual’s unique chart.

Aries: Use this waxing cycle to clean up. Clean up your gut and diet. Be sure to alkalize. Clean up your words and get clear on boundaries so you can voice them effectively. Let your inner passions swell as romance becomes hard to resist. Relationship themes still persist as you navigate opposing realms of head vs. your libido. Don’t confuse this with what the heart actually needs.

How can you make more mindful choices now? Can you make choices for your self that bring more comfort, creativity, support and nourishment? Can you slow down to listen? Challenge your Self to find new ways and means. Ego and self power are strong right now. Balance others’ feelings and needs with your own.

Taurus: There is a fire lit within you and though you are shining brightly from the inside out, others may not notice the power fully. This is part of an internal overhaul; transformation and changes that have been coming on for months now. Emotions and self expression are crucial parts of your changes. Share your Self in sacred ways that attend to your need for comfort and support. Make sure you don’t use your energy and resources frivolously. It is still vital that you listen to your gut for intuitive messages. Ask it directly for insights.

Gemini: One of your many gifts is being able to roll with the punches as changes occur and challenges arise. You may be experiencing a sense of your remarkable resiliency right now. Use this as a potent take-away for moving forward. No matter what, you will re-create your Self. Your infinite creativity is a potent resource for you to remember and can be used to reinvent your Self. You can do this consistently so don’t hold back and don’t hold out on your self. Find new ways to offer yourself and use this potent, passionate creativity running through you to get the job done.

Cancer: Everything you’ve been learning about giving and receiving is valuable for your growth and transformation, your boundaries and your clarity. These are the pieces that will allow you to get your needs met more sustainably and not wear yourself out. Use this information and apply it to your career in this waxing cycle. Who are you trying to impress? And how does this need for acceptance effect your offerings and what you are striving for?

Best practice right now is balancing the outer offerings with turning inward. Find time to listen to your inner realms. Find comfort in creativity and your passion for life. Channel this into your gifts and offerings.

Leo: The natural teacher in you is flourishing right now. There’s a certain ease in how you offer and share your self. It is important to remember that every teacher is in fact a student who learns the most with their offerings if they are open to receive. Be the beginner. See with fresh eyes. Watch for moments of ego that keep you from listening more carefully and being completely present. Allow constant inquiry. Let your knowledge come from your depths and use the unknown as your greatest creative, transformational inspiration.

Virgo: Relationships are passionately progressing right now and your cravings are strong. Desires are coming from your depths and likely bring confusion. The unknown seems to sabotage your courage and action steps.

Are you revisiting the same old patterns or are you willing to refocus on a new, more brilliant agenda? Are you willing to expand in the name of growth, or play small and keep doing what you’ve been doing? The only way towards new outcomes is to step into new actions. Work with the fears, not against them. And definitely don’t avoid them all together.

Libra: Cut, clear, purge. Attend to the business at hand. Function moment to moment. These themes from the past months have helped you step into some new realizations and the clarity has been a boon. The coming weeks can bring temptations to return to the old ways of life and being.

Don’t succumb to past addictions or fall victim to relationships that do more harm than good. You know better now. See these bumps in the road as tests. Creativity comes from your gut and intuition. Make sure there’s room for your artistry and embodiment practices.

Scorpio: Agni flares, providing necessary digestion for many old thoughts and feelings right now. Listen to your own digestion and assimilation process and use this as a resource for your offerings and gifts. Share from this intuitive resonance, teach from your depths, and be present to your vast creativity percolating within.

You are able to download a lot of brilliance right now because you naturally listen more carefully than most. Avoid distractions and past pain traps, woundologies and the like- instead use these to inform your process and gather momentum for actions and insights. Connect, create, share, but do so in new ways with a new agenda.

Sagittarius: Suddenly there’s been a fire lit within you, though it may appear to have you moving in reverse. Your level of comfort and ease increases, giving the heart and home some extra padding. Use these pieces to bolster your contentment, your creativity and your zest for life.

Find ways that these overlap with your career, your offerings and your gifts. Communicate effectively; don’t make assumptions. Clean up your gut and your diet with the intention of clarifying and purifying from the inside out. Let this cleanliness seep into the rest of your life- including your relationships. Get clear on what works and doesn’t work for you.

Capricorn: Charge forward with your creativity courageously. Think outside the box. What foreign and far off connections can offer support and resources to you? How can you upgrade your skills with language in order to teach, create, connect and communicate more effectively? Inspire others by inspiring your self. Retrace your old steps and edit them.

Now is the time to reformulate the way you share your self and your gifts, but you’ll have to do it differently then before if you want to sustainably move forward. Heart work and conscious attention to your emotions prove invaluable.

Aquarius: Comforts abound. Passions are ignited. Speak and communicate creatively and profoundly. Take courageous steps forward with relationships and connections. Be clear with needs and boundaries and use this time as an opportunity to restructure the way you connect and communicate.

Is there a way to be compassionate and kind to your Self and others while both of you get your needs met? Is there a way to open the ego up to more harmonious intake of environment and relationships? Watch for overindulgence in general and note when you are eating to comfort your self rather than nourish your self.

Pisces: As you continue to expand and flow like water this month, it may feel like your relationships are trying to burn you a bit. There’s clean up happening in who and what you relate to, how you relate and for what reasons. These issues are directly connected to your ability to speak and express your Self- both your needs and your healthy boundaries. Right now you are getting an opportunity to attend to new ways of self nourishment and comfort, learning what works and what doesn’t. Find a healthy balance between unadulterated pleasure and passion without overindulgence and excess.

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Editor: Renée Picard

Photo: courtesy of the author