The month of April holds many shifts and turns in the general energy. The inner, personal planets, Mercury and Venus are both retrograde at the start of the month, and the start of the new Spring season. The pair of planets influence many qualities of daily life as well as the function of systems that work together in the body, the activities of social life, and in the economic systems. Mercury networks makes deals and Venus, through agreement sets the value and standards. In this monumental turning point of history, their participation is central with the ending and closure of an era and the eruptive opening of a new one.
Neptune is the planet that influences the collective spirit, everyone on the deepest inner and spiritually highest realms of the mind and Soul. Its cycle around the Zodiac takes 164 years in total and it spends around 14 years per sign.
Neptune has just entered the first Zodiac sign, 0 Aries on March 30th. It will turn retrograde on July 4, and travel back to the last degree, 29 Pisces on October 23, and linger until stationing direct on December 8, and re-entering 0 Aries on January 27, 2026 where it will travel until May, 2038. The Fixed Star at the last degree of Pisces is Sheat and is associated with shipwrecks and watery disasters. The extended period this year where planets will pulse at this point of the Zodiac may suggest that we all prepare to be surprised at what we learn and may be polarized by the beliefs we try to hold on to.
Historically, Neptune’s last entrance into Aries was April 12, 1861, which marked a time of struggle and dissention between belief systems that brought about the Slavery Emancipation Proclamation. It marked a time in American history that initiated a new innovative period of international leadership and an exemplary style of government: Self-ruled Democracy.
Venus has retrograded back into the last five degrees of Pisces. The good thing is that Venus is exalted in Pisces, making Venus the influencer this month. Mercury is following Venus’ path in these ending degrees. Together they are recovering old, suppressed information that might be compared to the idea of “draining a swamp,” where buried secrets become known. Deeply discerning Saturn in Pisces exposes fraud. Saturn is a major part of this planetary picture and is the driving force of reconstruction of government happening in America this Spring. Other countries are having their own similar issues: Canada, France, Germany, and the UK are among them.
On April 7, Mercury turns direct at 26 Pisces, as Venus, still retrograde conjoins with Saturn at 25 Pisces. Mercury does not rejoin Venus or Saturn, which could see some projects or plans not being fulfilled because agreements or decisions leave off without completion. As these planets station direct, decisions will have been reached that may change the course of planned intentions.
Venus stations direct at 24:37 Pisces on Saturday, April 12, which is also the day of the Full Moon at 23 Libra. Venus rules Libra, so this lunation offers the culmination of processes. There is energy of compromise and willingness to adjust in a committed resolution. The Sun in Aries will conjunct Chiron, the Wounded healer, suggesting that we can recognize the pain and woundedness we carry and take responsibility for Self-healing. We can be bold and direct now in making choices.
Venus will again conjoin Saturn on April 24th, when something between them will be finalized. Venus rules gems and minerals of value. These are mined from the earth. Saturn is the planet ruling such digging and removal from deep, dark places. President Trump has made it clear that America needs to return to being self sufficient in energy production and manufacturing of goods. This process of the retrogrades between Pisces and Aries is showing up in the United States chart where 0 Aries is at the fourth house cusp, the arena of homeland, property, and the people.
Venus is the bringer of Peace agreements. This time can bring together parties who have been at a standoff, and who can now begin to see potential for the benefits coming out of recent decisions to make cuts in spending, and to examine where the money has been going. Saturn sets out limitations and restrictions, but also stays practical and purposeful to a cause. Negotiations can come to workable terms soon.
Saturn also is very slowly passing through the last five degrees of Pisces. It will enter 0 Aries on May 25. It is the force of restructuring the foundational agencies or departments of government. The new Department of Government Efficiency is a good representation of Saturn’s task of orderly management and the restrictive and reductive style of defining and designing what is necessary and worthwhile.
Neptune, the planet of social ideals and the “image/ideal” of “what we all dream of” has been in Pisces, the sign of all possibilities, things without boundaries, and vague definitions, even deception, is about to change signs, to a territory ruled by Mars and symbolizes the individual, the personal “I”, bold individualism, and things that come on suddenly and fade away, like sunrise and sunset. Neptune is mixed in these planetary patterns of influences on the collective mood.
Venus, ruling values and money, and Mercury, ruling bureaucratic agencies, are in-between Saturn (restrictions) and Neptune (allow everything) for the first two weeks for Mercury, and for the whole month for Venus. The Piscean phases are emotional and sometimes “delusional.” The Aries phases cut to core issues and want immediate action with no discussion. Not much middle ground between the two styles, so people will be polarized and swing between plans and choices.
Mars, the planet of military strategy, cuts, and excisions, has been traveling in Cancer since last September with a retrograde period that lasted December to late February. The United States is a Cancer Sun Country with Venus, Jupiter and Mercury all occupying the seventh house of international partnerships and relations with others in general. As a sign representing family, property, security, and children, we can recognize these topics are in the crosshairs of government policy changes.
Mars has one last opposition coming to complete a series with Pluto. Due to the retrograde, Mars is having three contacts with Pluto, the planet of transformation, power, and metamorphosis. The first opposition was November 4, with both planets at 29 degrees Cancer\Capricorn; marking end of an era of political power. The second opposition contact had Mars retrograde in Leo and Pluto was direct in Aquarius on January 3, 2025. The final opposition will be April 27 with both direct and at 3 degrees Leo/Aquarius. This day is also the New Moon at 7 Taurus, in a square to the opposition. The pattern started with the Election, and the second contact was with the certification of the Election. This final contact will show us what the current American relationship is with the world.
One more theme can be added to broaden the picture. Uranus, planet of revolutionary spirit is in a harmonious aspect with Venus and Saturn and the North Node, adding a point of fateful change with the sudden, unexpected nature of Uranus. This is an energy often associated with volcanoes and earthquakes, as is the earth sign, Taurus. Uranus rules the mineral Uranium. Pluto rules Plutonium and petroleum. Pluto and Uranus are coming into a closer trine which can stimulate the individuation of this generation to explore the deeper truth of life in the current period of rejuvenation and regeneration through Air element: ideas, genius, revelations, and explorations.