Dear Friend and Reader:
 
April's astrology takes us along the solar journey from Aries to Taurus, with Venus and Mercury in tow. For many, this has been a profoundly frustrating winter; I think even for those who have done well, there's a sense of gratitude for having pulled through. All in all, I see both the astrology and the news as sending the message that we are better people if we take less for granted. Pluto, newly arrived in Capricorn, came into the spotlight with the revelations in late March that there is indeed a credit crisis and recession -- but Pluto is now retrograde, heading back into Sagittarius, so we will see a surge of good old American optimism that may even last until the elections. On a deeper level, deeper than economics and our daily routines, Pluto is confronting us with the bare necessities of addressing both our place in the world, and our soul's place in our lives. When the Sun makes its way into Taurus later in April, we may discover a meeting point open up between the necessities of material world and those of the spiritual world: the one that we secretly fear does not exist.

Note to readers, I have returned to daily blogging at this link.

Aries (March 20-April 19)
Most people take the necessity of communication for granted. Perhaps this is because so few people are actually willing to listen. More likely, it's because when we reveal our plans, ideas or needs, we stand a pretty good chance of getting shot down or plagiarized. You have reached a point where you must put communication first. The thing is, you're likely to need to communicate something new, something you have not heard yourself say before, and which you feel may be threatening to others. I suggest you practice for a while, until you take off any aggressive edge. It is possible to relate exactly what you need to and still do so in an endearing way. Revealing your vulnerability in speaking your truth helps a lot. The truth is daring enough; you don't need to impress anyone with how gutsy you are, or how dedicated you are to conquering any prior system of ideas or beliefs. I suggest you use the identical method whether you're relating to those you consider your peers, or those who you consider to be in positions of authority. They may not be the same, but you are.

Taurus (April 19-May 20)
You seem to be striving for balance between that which is local and what seems to be far away in time or space. Indeed, it's likely that you're struggling with an imbalance you don't quite recognize is there. You might want to count the role that fear plays in the whole setup. The kind of fear you're processing at the moment has several distinct qualities. First, it's invisible to the normal senses, and it may be below your psychic radar. If it shows up anywhere, it's likely to be in your dream life. So pay attention to your dreams for a map of the fears that may on some level be dominating your life from behind the scenes. Second, it seems you're being provoked into a sense of self-blame. The question is not who to blame, but rather what to do besides look for fault. This is to say, your real quest is turning the considerable power of your thoughts and emotions toward creative solutions rather than toward what appears to be going wrong. If you're going to be guided by your insecurities, at least allow yourself to be guided to a safe place, or to the awareness that you are indeed safe.

Gemini (May 20-June 21)
How do you define your values, by what you need, or what you have to offer? I am sure you would prefer to say by what you have to offer, but I get the feeling that at the moment, what you need is the more accurate descriptor. So, what do you need? I suggest you make a list. Write it down, or not; writing has the advantage of creating some accountability for yourself, so that you can track your progress. Next, I suggest you make a list of what you have to offer. Only list those qualities about yourself, or the resources you possess, that you feel entirely comfortable sharing. Relationships are an exchange. It may seem crude to call them a form of emotional commerce, but they don't go anywhere unless we feel like what we have to offer has a home in someone else, and what we need is being nourished in some way. If you can keep the elements of this clear in your mind, you'll have much more confidence in yourself. That, in turn, will make you more attractive to anyone you may be close to, or want to get close to.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)
One by one, planets are gathering in Aries and soaring over the midheaven angle of your solar chart. The rewards of this are visibility and a sense of purpose; indeed, you may be feeling called to embrace a sense of direction like at few times before in your life. This is another way of saying you can trust yourself. You can trust, mainly, that you are who you are becoming. In other words, you already are who you are becoming -- on the inside, and the outer form of your existence is catching up. Translated yet again, that means you are free, because if you have come this far, then you can free yourself from the nagging fear "that something is wrong." The fear of fear itself is indeed what nabs us most often, borrowing from the poet FDR. How exactly do we get out of this one, or rather, how do you? Your particular form of insecurity leads you to be either everything to everyone; or, to restrict your outflow such that certain key relationships become pigeonholed into limited contact points. This, you understandably find annoying, and you may think that it's an indelible fact of life. It's more a fact of mind, and minds change -- or at least they can.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23)
Your faith is burning hot and bright; you and everyone around you can see and feel that you are walking this world with guidance you know will never forsake you. Remember that not everyone else enjoys this cosmic benefit. Not everyone is capable of even accepting spiritual comfort or guidance when it's offered, and many are too cynical to accept even the possibility. As you receive your natural gifts, you're setting the example for others to do so; indeed, you are pointing the way to their recognition that such is even possible. What you might want to point out, or at least be aware of, is that you are able to receive and express profoundly positive energy in a time of actual challenge in your life. You have plenty of work to do, you are processing deep insecurities of your own, and it seems that every time you see the light, you also see a shadow. This is evidence that you're conscious of, and fully experiencing, both major facets of human growth. This is a powerful example in the world, that is, for the people around you. And as others witness your process, it becomes all the more authentic and valid for you.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22)
A compromise is worthwhile when both parties gain rather than lose. If, however, you find yourself in a position calling for a compromise that calls for two or more parties to give something up, take the initiative and make sure that the first things on the list of what's being given up are the ones that everyone needs the least. You may say, well that's not really a compromise, in that case; I'm not really losing anything I value deeply, nor is anyone else. However, if life is a school, then the lesson is how to make these kinds of arrangements efficient. On a planet where more than one person lives, give and take are essential skills. But isn't that language funny? We could just as easily say, "We live in a world of give and receive." In that light, here is yet another way to think of compromise: what do you have to offer the situation that does not harm you to offer; or which in some way helps you to offer; and which assists others in the process? If you drew up a list of the possibilities, it would be pretty long -- and this offers more compelling evidence for abundance than it does for scarcity.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23)
The sky is so radically oriented on your opposite sign Aries right now that you may be wondering where you fit in, or what your part in the arrangement is. Let's start with: you fit in everywhere, and your part is any part you would like it to be. There is only one catch: that bit has to be in harmony with the choices of those around you. Without sounding too cynical, this will be pretty easy because for the most part, human beings merely feign ambition and aspiration rather than go the whole distance. So, let everyone take their role in the drama that appears to be unfolding in your life, while you make up your mind about what works for you. There will be plenty to do while things are shuffling around; skip the Cinderella complex and clean out the wood stove if that's what needs to be done. Never stop paying attention to what you want; keep your eyes on who is working well and who (or what) is not working at all. Then, your contribution -- your chosen contribution, that is -- will become plainly obvious, and you will have done something always worthwhile on this planet -- evaded an unnecessary power struggle.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22)
Yours is one of the signs of the zodiac considered to have the highest level of vitality. I know you don't always feel this way, but if you look at what you've endured, survived and embraced, you may grudgingly concede the point. How often do you call in sick to work? When do you bother with Novocaine at the dentist? Ok, just kidding about that. Anyway -- your chi or core energy is running near a peak at the moment, and you need to figure out what to do with it. Please, don't spend all day at your desk. Get up once and run around the block. Get to the gym, or dust off your bike. It is now officially spring. The more energy you burn, the more energy you will have. The more you have, the more you will want to do -- a victorious cycle. You do, however, need a plan; you may have a backlog of brilliant and/or creative ideas from the recent sweep of Pisces planets through the sky, and until you read this horoscope you may have been wondering just how you were going to get it all done. Remember, true creativity can and must be applied to everything, not merely to those things society deems "creative activities." Think of everything as an art assignment; you have the solution, and remember -- that solution is beautiful.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22)
With Pluto not in your sign for a change, you may feel like you're walking around with one shoe off. If that is the case, you might want to go for both shoes, and your socks. Your charts are all about grounding. It's time to become the earthy Sagittarian -- i.e., a Sagittaurus. If you are going for pleasure, a mountaintop is the place, Sagiccorn. If you are striving for wealth, remember that all wealth comes from the Earth -- respect Her. This is a simple idea, and yet it seems that your values are pretty complicated, full of rules and inhibitions. They don't need to be that way. Imagine yourself breaking down boundaries inside your mind, then burning them as fuel. The feeling is akin to opening up space inside yourself, and turning the devices once used to hold back energy into energy. Do that once or twice and you'll see just how much mojo you're working with. Once you get a taste of this interior chop and burn process, and of that most excellent heat, your inner life may resemble the interior of an airplane hangar rather than the rat maze it has become in recent years. We all know that you need space -- but I'm here to tell you that means inner space.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20)
You are being liberated from within. Your Soul is making itself known to you. There is no arguing with Soul, but it's possible to pretend, to deny, to wish you could be your old-fashioned boring old ego; good luck. Speaking of, if you're not feeling absolutely lucky these days, it's just the consequence of you trying to resist your Soul. You cannot do it, but you can try, and that will run down your energy or keep your focus off of the good stuff and on the difficult stuff and, well, you can miss the point of life entirely. You are not one of those people who requires much in the way of explanation here -- you know what that inner voice of all inner voices is saying. It is merely a matter of listening, and then of doing one pretty special thing -- not allowing your beliefs to get in the way of what is true. Am I implying that your beliefs are wrong? Not exactly, I read someplace in a New Age book that this is a dangerous thing to do. I'm implying that they are old; they are not the kind of antique you want laying around. Look them over once and put them in the recycling. If you think someone is going to get pissed off at you, do it in broad daylight.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19)
Do people keep saying no to you? Do they offer things they cannot come through on? Do they seem to have good intentions, such as to learn how to dance, but they can only dance when they're standing on your feet like the little girl in The Godfather? Yeah well, go where the action is. Physically get up and make the trip. It may be across town, it may be across the country, it may be across a gulf of awareness that seems extremely wide today but which consists of nothing more than a single thought. Make sure you are the one who takes action, and who counts on yourself to take action. For example, don’t wait for someone to call you. Call them, or knock on their door. Finally, I suggest you forget about all the things that people have promised you in the past. If they are in the past, then they were merely promises, which you cannot cash in at the change machine in the supermarket lobby, even though you may have a very large bottle full of them. One last thing -- promises are nothing you want to make, either. You -- and the world, but particularly you -- need action these days. Not (as so often happens) talk.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
You may think that there is an obstacle in your path, but there are many different ways to view the landscape. Yes, one particular dimension of the "relationship" angle appears to be blocked, stuck or a bit stiff. Do yourself a favor and take a different way into the human matrix. Get social and integrate your energy in groups of people, then make yourself extremely observant when you're there. Look at what's going on around you. Notice who is noticing you. Notice how you feel about who is noticing you. Then observe when you have an opening -- you will. Little is guaranteed, but you will. It would help to know if you're scouting for money or for love (you seem to have both on your mind). You don't need to announce your intentions; prudence would call on you to keep them to yourself, but to be aware. In either case, you need to remind yourself how good you feel about yourself. When you forget, remind yourself again. It is specifically the experience of consciously expressing positive vibes to yourself that will turn up the glow of the phosphorescent fish, transforming you into a magnet for all that you deem necessary or desirable.