Greetings to all, it is my pleasure to introduce myself and launch this new column for astrology. My name is Belle and it is my great joy to be here with you all. I’m a very amateur, but also rather long time and curious astrology practitioner, of Western Astrology in particular. I started over 25 years ago, as a skeptical yet mystical and romantic teenager. The skepticism remains to this day and keeps me somewhat vigilant and questioning like a detective and the mysticism remains keeping me fascinated, amazed, and open to the myriad patterns and songs the sky sings through us.
My approach to astrology, and to most things in general, is to learn, to listen, to be open minded, to research, and then to check it out deeply for myself, using my common sense, my intuition, my body, contemplation, observation, waiting and cross checking. Somewhat like a scientist. Somewhat like a meditator. Somewhat like an artist. I don’t and never have taken things on blind faith, and I would highly recommend you don’t either when you read my posts. Please receive that as an important drop of guiding advice for all my sharings in this post and all future posts.
Astrology is an extraordinarily vast and complex kind of psychological cosmology, of which anything I could ever say is less than the smallest speck. Each astrology interpreter has their own way, their own emphasizes, interests and of course style of expression. And it is most important to note that anything I could ever say is never as important as what your own heart tells you and your own common sense. Please remember that.
It is my wish to make things that I am aware are apparently, I say apparently because it is best to take it lightly, going on, somewhat simple to understand as astrology can be as complicated as the most obtuse language or abstract mathematical computation and I have neither the skill nor the interest to relay that! All that now being said, let’s get started on our first meal of some hopefully digestible star-chewing shall we?
Firstly, I feel compelled to say, this month of March and all the way to mid-May are astoundingly NOT the BEST TIMES FOR MAKING BIG LIFE CHANGING DECISIONS, COMMITMENTS, OR MASSIVE DEALS.
In a bit more detail: Venus is retrograde all this month until at least mid next month, bringing up much to reflect on, possibly dredge through, review, recalibrate and either deepen into, return to or get ready to release when it comes to all matters of love and what we value and our finances.
Examples of how this backward trajectory of Venus may play itself out on the ground, in your life, may include such things as past lovers coming into your mind to haunt you, or even re-appearing by making some kind of contact or perhaps you towards them; or belated lessons may be learnt now from your relationships in the past, informing you about what matters most to you now. Other ways this could play out for us all is that we may be experiencing the dawning of new understandings about what we enjoy and appreciate on the level of our senses, are we deciding we want to be more glamorous in the future, admiring different clothes or colours than usual, conceiving of relationships differently than we have before?
Venus rules our physical senses and our own unique appreciation and perception of beauty. Venus also rules our financial affairs, and more specifically how and what we value, and how and what we feel about possessing and possessions in general. Venus shines her light on the way we adorn, decorate, offer, receive, enter and operate within the sensory sphere. On a higher octave, it is what we most value in life and how we work to attract/make/create/gather/keep/cherish that. Venus can be pure finance and wealth itself. We may be opening ourselves to unexpected approaches to our money and material assets at this time of the retrograde, are we wanting to be more generous, to sell something precious, invest in something we realize is truest to hearts or take up a new enterprise that reflects what we love? These kinds of questions may appear as Venus becomes more introspective. Though as mentioned, it may be best to implement and fully commit to what you are now imagining and preparing for, especially major changes to your body like cutting all your very long hair off, or plastic surgery, tattoos, or even buying a new house, because you may regret it after Venus comes out of her reverie, later in May 2017.
Mercury, planet of communication, and all things related to communication in every way, be it spoken, written, messaged, posted, signed, sealed, delivered, contracted, and also all matters to do with travel, journeys, tours, and the nuts and bolts of our voiced energies, is going into shadow and then also retrograde all next month.
How might this touch our actual lives? Typically, when Mercury, related to the Mythical God Apollo, puts on his breaks and starts creeping backward, we may all experience some hesitation and some confusion when it comes to matters of communication. Like all retrograding planets, when Mercury turns around, it brings a turn around in our life, particularly in the area where Mercury is moving through your personal natal chart, which will differ for everyone, depending on factors of birth time, date, and place. However, it will always suggest one of a few key aspects. A change or at least big questioning of mind, word, opinion or vow. A slowdown of movement in general of mind or/and body, or a delay or change or challenge in travel plans and activities. A return of something from the past, a return on money owed or promised or due is possible or a reminder of a debt.
A return of an old friend or love. A return of something you thought was gone or lost. Mercury when retrograde can also famously manifest in crossed-wires, having to re-do things we have written or re-state things we have said, perhaps repeatedly, so that our message comes through more clearly than we would otherwise have to ensure. Many astrologers suggest, that this is typically not the best time to sign any major contracts. We are also cautioned to be more patient with technology and all forms of transportation which may be affected by delays and glitches.
Mercury moves retrograde around three times each year for chunks of several weeks so this might not always be practical. But in our case during April 2017, if we can postpone making major proposals that may radically change our life and require our full backing or at least hold off on closing on them in a locked way until the direct motion of this Lord of all matters Linguistic, Lawful, Social and Civilised- we may find out some more information during April that will come in handy for when, and if, we do decide to go forward in whatever communication area this may apply to in our lives by May. If we must send off those requests or confirmations during April, that is fine, but be prepared that we may need to do more fine tuning, re-doing, or even reneging on it at a later stage after Mercury clears his head when racing forward by June.
Saturn, sometimes called Lord of Karma, planet of duty, maturing and maturity, responsibility, and whether we are taking it or not, commitment, hard lessons leading to sobriety and wisdom, will also retrograde on April 6th for many months, until stationing direct on August 25th., but planets always take a while to get back on track, so give that until September to really be back in gear. When Saturn turns retrograde, what we tend to find is the onus of responsibility is more inwardly thrust. Instead of feeling like we are duty-bound and answerable to some kind of big authority outside of us, we are somewhat more supported, and this may feel daunting depending on where we are at in our growth, to really see what we are responsible for, of our own accord, not because somebody else is reminding us or pushing us.
Pluto, the planet of power, empowerment, hidden treasure and hidden poison, death, rebirth, sexual energy, profound transformation, purification, is also retrograde, April 20th to September 28th.
With Pluto going retrograde, the common theme will be taking back our own power where we may have been misplacing it onto others. This is a huge reprieve and somewhat of a blessing for us all, but also entails potential strong emotions as we pry ourselves away from our projections and unearth deeper layers of psyche for purification and integration. Who is the real boss of our lives? What have we been hiding from ourselves? How have our relationships become unbalanced? What is eating at us deep inside, what is lurking in the dark? What do we need to let die, so that we can rise up from the ashes like a phoenix? These may be a few questions for us to courageously ask during Pluto’s powerful retrospection.
Jupiter, the giant planet of optimism, expansion, good fortune, beneficence, growth and luck, has been retrograde since February 6th. Jupiter is the energy within us that is potentially overdoing things, but because Jupiter has so much generosity can usually fall on her feet. Jupiter presides over a range of life areas including learning, teaching- particularly higher level learning, philosophy, religion, things at a distance, long distance travel, foreign affairs, law and the internet.
Jupiter’s current retrograde has supported good fortune when it comes to internal growth and spiritual work and will continue to particularly assist us if we apply ourselves to well-motivated activity in that way at this time. Anything involving behind-the-scenes preparation for growth, large scale travel, and launching big new bright moves benefiting many may be large in hearts now. It is in celestial harmony to take more outward action on these ideas and big plans after Jupiter goes into forwarding motion from June 9th.
So, as can be seen, we are experiencing personally and as a collective, an astoundingly retrograded astral weather period of many months, particularly intense in its impact, or let’s say: an invitation for some inner-book-keeping, during April 2017. What does this mean in a nutshell? Retrograded planets appear to be moving backward in space. The resonance they are known to have by those long schooled in these matters, even on a theoretical level of astrological portents alone, but more incisively and insightfully perhaps, by those long observing, even somewhat skeptically, in the laboratory of their own bodies and minds and perceptions, is that retrogradation of planetary bodies does cause more of an introversion of energies.
What does this mean in a nutshell? Retrograded planets appear to be moving backward in space. The resonance they are known to have by those long schooled in these matters, even on a theoretical level of astrological portents alone, but more incisively and insightfully perhaps, by those long observing, even somewhat skeptically, in the laboratory of their own bodies and minds and perceptions, is that retrogradation of planetary bodies does cause more of an introversion of energies.
A retreating, reflecting, reforming, repeating, reckoning, refining, researching, reviewing, recasting, recalling, rewiring, rewriting, renovating (inner), reminiscing, reconstituting, recognizing, but perhaps not yet announcing or doing, realising, retracing, renouncing, repaying, reposing, resisting, reserving, resolving, reversing, reclaiming, redressing, redeeming, rebalancing. Ok, yes, you get it: anything pretty much with a ‘re’ at the start of the word may be applicable here.
All those planets mentioned above being or imminently going retrograde and thus doing these backward prostrations (thank you for that term, Lama Rangbar, when you used it for the action of deliberate falling back in a faithful surrender from a standing position into deep snow), gyrations and reversed circumnavigations, have their own sphere of influence, as briefly touched on when I announced the planets, and in any particular individual’s natal chart will be affecting each and every individual in a specific way and area of our day to day existence according to how it is transiting any of the 12 houses within a personal natal chart. That kind of detail can be discerned only by looking at your own birth chart or by having an astrologer go through it with you.
But for general purposes, based on this mega retro season for the planets, and certainly as April unfolds, the planets and their motions backward have their discernible influences ( see above again, for the ‘re’ words to get the basic gist). We may well be wise to heed the signs if things don’t feel quite right yet or quite ready yet. Be open to some extra introspection and extra effort when it comes to communication. And also, wherever possible it will be helpful to say yes to some extra rest.
My prediction is that by September a lot, and I mean a lot, will have shifted into a new light and feel lighter and feel much more aligned with everybody’s true callings, integrity, love, direction, and purpose. It is an excellent time now and in these next few months to really be as honest as possible with ourselves, to see what is coming up inside, to hold a non-judgemental space for it, always a good thing any time of year but extra helpful this month and next, to write down or express these things in a more private way, either just for yourself or the most trusted, and let things percolate and marinate a bit.
In summary, March to Mid May is not, I’m sorry if this feels inconvenient to plans and agendas, the very best time to push hard for anything or to make huge external leaps. It is ok, you have time. And this time now is important for what will ripen and start to be harvested for the better later in the year if you let some important seeing and releasing happen in this now and this short term.
I will see you again in a month for your next astrological update, with features including the new moon and the full moon pearls of wisdom for May, and how mid-May onward won’t be stagnant for you, but rather, loaded with opportunity and auspiciousness to get things moving!
Enjoy being more retro this April.
With Love from the sky in my heart to yours,
Belle