Dark Stars - April 2011

Dark Stars April 2011 by Jane Lyle

ARIES

April is bursting with ridiculous amounts of Aries energy right from the start. You’ll have your ruling planet, Mars, in Aries from the 2nd, plus a new Moon in Aries on the 3rd, and magnetic Venus from the 21st. Plus Uranus, Jupiter, and Mercury. Phew. Burning fires of passion and energy await you, with one small proviso. Saturn, sensible planet of limitations, will sometimes act like a lead weight on your shiny red balloon, and Mercury is travelling backwards in your sign.  For all your enthusiasm you might find yourself held back from time to time, but this shouldn’t stop you from making plans and preparations for world domination. You may even succeed.

TAURUS

Please do relish every day of Venus, your ruler, in Pisces until the 21st April. Special days for you are likely to be the 2nd, 20th, and 28th - oases of music and delight in a world lit mainly by the raging fires of planets in Aries. In your solar horoscope, this rumbustious energy illuminates what’s normally hidden or suppressed. In your own personal chart, it could be anywhere. Wherever, whatever, your April promises a certain amount of inner conflict and creative confusion. Positive results will be seen in your work, eventually. Once the Sun enters Taurus on the 20th, you’ll begin to feel more normal. The secrets and tensions that emerge this month have only been holding you back. Clear the ground now, and prepare for a splendid May and June.

GEMINI

The social whirl could reach dizzying speed this month as you renew old friendships and cultivate new ones. Some fascinating work contacts should also find their way to your door - so keep a clear head when you’re out and about. The alchemy of love is complicated this spring - you are drawn to past lovers, or former possible maybes, and you are also intrigued by a friendship that sparkles with a little bit more chemistry than usual. Hmmn. And from 4th April until August, glamorous Neptune will be visiting the zenith of your solar horoscope. This may draw you towards more creative or spiritual goals during the summer months. And, of course, artistic and soulful people. A rich brew then. Enjoy the variety, you can calm down in May.

CANCER

There’s pressure and potential in equal measure this April. So before you go crazy, remember you’re a water sign and make absolutely sure you book in time to rest and time to stare out the window. Fuelled by solitude you can achieve an amazing amount - you have the stamina, vision, and goals to make the most of what looks like a very unusual month. Venus in compatible Pisces until the 21st sweetens the mix by bringing you fascinating subjects to investigate, or beautiful places to visit or dream about visiting. Neptune in Pisces from the 4th until August is another soothing influence, nourishing your spiritual roots and romantic yearnings. Otherwise, April brings things to a head that have been brewing since last summer. Keep going.

LEO

Even if you can’t leave the country, you’ll want to go somewhere this month if only for a day out. Your restlessness means that you’ll be chattier, livelier, and filled with curiosity for most of April. Old friends and contacts are important too, they can help you keep a sense of perspective, and they can probably help you in other ways as well. Perhaps even romantically. Your love life is under fateful influences while the Moon’s nodes travel through Sagittarius, and some of that fate may include unfinished business from the past or the rekindling of old flames. Neptune, which has been confusing you for years, leaves Aquarius for Pisces on the 4th for a summer break. Your renewed clarity of vision may astonish you. Don’t be surprised if you ask yourself ‘what was I thinking?’ more than once. Time for a new beginning.

VIRGO

The resources of others are all-important this month. You cannot make progress without them, whether this means friendship, cash, support, or love. Now, you may not be comfortable asking for help, or admitting to certain dilemmas, but conquer your shyness and hesitation if you possibly can. Other people are ready and willing to join you in a new project or venture, but you must open up first. Both Venus and Neptune in Pisces suggest that longstanding friends and partners are sympathetic now and understand you better than you may imagine. So instead of limiting yourself, or holding back your unique gifts and insights, why not take a deep breath and start communicating?  By late May or early June, you’ll be seeing lasting benefits.

LIBRA

Saturn in Libra suggests that you’re more cautious than usual, and generally this is a good thing. However, with more than half the planets in fiery Aries, you could be driving partners in love and business to distraction if you hesitate for too long. But ask them to understand and be patient. You need some dream-time, musical reveries, and harmonious moments of self-indulgence and pampering if you’re to function at your best.  There’s a full Moon in Libra on the 18th, and this marks a turning point for you. Much has been brewing since last June, and your mind has raced from one thing to another for months.  Now you’ll be able to see what you want to pursue seriously, and what you can leave behind. Whether this means a relationship, or a project, you’re ready for the next stage.

SCORPIO

Making changes to your everyday life hardly seems like an earth-shattering thing to do. So, mostly, you stick to your routines. But one way or another change is in the air this April as you begin to realise that certain habits or unconscious rituals no longer serve you. The truth of that funny old maxim ‘a change is as good as a rest’ becomes obvious to you - will it be your diet, your romantic comfort zone, or your working habits that get shaken up? Love could prompt you to do almost anything as April opens, and again around the 20th. Venus travels through Pisces until then, and mystical Neptune will be casting spells in your house of art and love all summer long. Excite your imagination now, and by mid-May your efforts will be rewarded.

SAGITTARIUS

The bonfire of planets in your fellow fire-sign, Aries, encourages your creativity to bloom in numerous directions. Romantically, too, you’re too hot to handle for a lot of people, and some of them may want to pour cold water all over your bright ideas or passionate emotions. Consider sensible advice, but do not let anyone dent your self-esteem or desire to make things happen. Yes, you must strive for balance, but you must also remember that you can be easily distracted from your goals by negative people. Supportive and positive friends can help you achieve a great deal by the end of April, and it’s vital to get things moving now. By early June you enter a phase of consolidating and building on what you start now. Jupiter, your ruler, leaves Aries on the 4th June, make the most of its lucky and expansive potential while you can.

CAPRICORN

With Saturn, your ruler, in Libra, Pluto in Capricorn, and an extraordinary number of planets in Aries, three pivotal angles of your solar chart are energised and demanding your attention. So it’s home and family versus career and life direction, basically - and it’s up to you to find the time for both. You are one of the most organised signs of the zodiac, and one of the most determined to get what you need and want in life. But even you have your doubts and your energy can be depleted when you drive yourself too hard. Plus, it is vital to remember you cannot control everything, as will be crystal clear around the 23rd. Helpful neighbours, affectionate partners, and close friends are all poised to help you relax and enjoy yourself. Don’t be tempted to neglect them.

AQUARIUS

You’re typically a sociable creature, fond of your friends and good at fitting in with almost everybody. So you’ll enjoy all the visitors and invitations you receive this month - so much so that it might be difficult to get much done. Saturn in Libra suggests that you’re working hard towards an important goal, and that you need to keep going. But your fixed nature can veer towards obsessive, and when you think about it you haven’t had much time off for quite a while. Besides, seeing friends and family, or taking a few short trips, will refresh you and open up other possibilities in all sorts of ways. Neptune leaves your sign for the summer months too, giving you a chance to see more clearly how your life is unfolding. And if you don’t entirely like what you see you can take positive steps towards life-enhancing changes.

PISCES

You’ve been quietly assessing what you have, and what you want, for quite a while now. And this process reaches a peak in April as planets in Aries encourage you to look at your values and assets. Some of this means financial planning, but the heart of the matter is all about your talents and what you are doing with them. You’ve probably underestimated your own capabilities or been unable to explore certain abilities because you’ve been working hard, or coping with the demands of loved ones in recent years. But little hints and potential turning points are scattered throughout the month - the 2nd, 20th, and 28th are special days to look out for. Your ruling planet, Neptune, enters Pisces on the 4th for the summer, reminding you just how intuitive and idealistic you truly are. Hold onto the magic.