April's Big Transits Simplified

 Many astrologers and intuitives see April as a volatile month or if they gaze positively at the month, April represents another big shift. 

First, we will experience a Lunar Eclipse in a cardinal sign, the North Node in Libra and Mars spending a long transit (8 months) in Libra plus a Grand Cardinal Cross involving several planets in Cardinal signs.

What does this mean?

First, let's look at the Lunar Eclipse.  A Lunar Eclipse happens when the transiting Sun and transiting Moon oppose each other.  The Moon is full which brings out emotional responses in others as well as, releases repressed emotions often times anger erupts.  The earth also releases tension around the time of a Full Moon and especially around Lunar Eclipses (volcanic activity, earthquakes, mudslides, rock slides and the crumbling of buildings).  Research has also proven that more crime happens around the time of the Full Moon.

On a positive note, we also experience inspiration and a flurry of ideas.  We feel full, pregnant and ready to give birth to something new.  For some people, Full Moons represent manifestation of deep desires.  We feel more courageous and energetic around Full Moons.  Eclipses release old emotions and bring up desires.  We find that events happen more quickly and have a greater impact.  We feel impulsive or reactive as if stuff flies at us.  The Tower card of the tarot deck represents a Lunar Eclipse, but nothing happens without forewarning or out of the blue.  We just ignored the subtle and not so subtle hints.

Let's now look at the transit of Mars in Libra.  When Mars transits in Libra its energies are repressed and like any bottled up emotion or energy needs release.  But Mars isn't going to get relief in Libra, especially when the planet moves retrograde (more repression).  So think of this scenario.  A Mars type person (think athlete, brawny, not a man of many words, but a man of action) shows up at an elegant dinner party (Libra) where he's forced to make nice conversation and follow the protocol.  Mars types would consider this scenario hell, basically.  Mars spends eight months in a sign that represses its energy.  And in April Mars gets invited to participate in a Grand Cardinal Cross.

So let's break that down.  First, we have planets in high-energy Cardinal Signs. Cardinal Signs are fire-starters or presenters of change on a grand scale.  They are powerful and in a chart represent the Angular Houses which deal with the major themes in our life (self, home/family, partnerships and career).  The planets for April in Cardinal Signs include Jupiter in Cancer, Pluto in Capricorn, Uranus, Sun & Mercury in Aries and Mars in Libra.  The North Node also falls in Libra as does the Lunar Eclipse on April 14/15.

A Grand Cross happens when two planets oppose each other and two planets square the opposing planets.  So we have four squares and two oppositions forming both a Grand Cross and Grand Square.  Pluto opposes Jupiter, Mars (Libra), Sun, Mercury, Uranus (Aries) provide the squares at different points in April.
Uranus wants freedom from repression and it falls in warrior Aries.  Pluto takes us into our subconscious through showing us our shadows and projections.  Jupiter expands what it touches, focuses on higher ideals, higher education, religion, the law (along with Libra) and it currently transits in nurturing Cancer (bringing protection to Cancerians) and Mars represents the warrior/fire-starter and change bringer. Mars also represents children and the ego.

For more information on the Grand Cross/Square and eclipses see April 2014 Forecast and the April Eclipse post. 

Also check out Bill Attride's article on Sun Square Jupiter.