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This week begins a month of exciting, enlivening and refreshing astrology.

We enter the week coming off the heels of a Mercury cazimi in Aries. A cazimi occurs whenever a planet is within approximately one degree of a conjunction with the sun. Ancient astrologers observed that as planets move closer to the sun, they become invisible in the sky, blocked out by the sun’s rays. They referred to planets in this condition as being “under the beams,” and interpreted this to symbolize an inhibition of that planet’s will. For the brief moment that a planet is cazimi, meaning “in the heart of the sun,” it is as if that planet has exclusive access to the sun’s power.

With Mercury in this condition from April 2-3, you may have taken part in a fiery but productive debate, made some important deals or purchases or wrote as if powered by a motor. Mercury’s voyage through Mars’ fiery temple of Aries, lasting until April 10, may generally bring some boldness to our thoughts, speech and writing.

On April 4, we see a steely conjunction of Mars and Saturn in Aquarius. Mars-Saturn conjunctions, which occur every two years, mark new cycles of strife, struggle and suffering on the one hand and determination, focus and vigor on the other. This conjunction ends a cycle which began on March 31, 2020, when Pluto additionally joined in on the conjunction in Capricorn. Any alignment of these two planets marks a time when we should consider the material realities of our lives, especially the most challenging or frightening, with sobriety, focus and will power to change them. Difficulties may arise here, but you should take this opportunity to tap into your strength rather than submit to hopelessness.

On April 4, Venus ingresses into Pisces, the sign of her exaltation. When a planet exalts in a sign, it is as if that sign is a temple with a special wing devoted to honoring and uplifting that planet. Venus is this honored guest in Jupiter’s watery temple of Pisces, finding bliss in the optimism, wistfulness and dreaminess of this sign.

With Jupiter also present in Pisces throughout all of Venus’ stay, this becomes an especially beneficial journey for both planets. Venus has been stuck in Saturn’s signs of Capricorn and Aquarius since November of last year, bringing weight, dryness and darkness to Venusian themes of love, beauty and pleasure. Many astrologers see this ingress as a sign of much better things to come in the Venusian sphere. Look for a feeling of much-needed rain replenishing fields of pleasure, both in your own experience and our collective life. Venus will remain in Pisces until May 5.

Remember, as we explored in last week’s column, Jupiter’s conjunction with Neptune in Pisces will continue intensifying all throughout this week. On top of the Mars-Saturn conjunction and Venus’s ingress, these planets will lay a thick blanket of dreamy, mystical, psycho-spiritual wonder. Venus’ ingress into the same sign may emphasize even more the themes of this conjunction, bringing to the fore the sweetness and bliss contained therein.

Published on April 4, 2022 at 12:40 am

Astrology Columnist