Dear Friend and Reader:
This week I’ve got the April horoscope for you. The energy has been so dense, it took three days to write. But I’m done and grateful to my assiduous copy team for their patience.
I’ve done a close reading of April and May. The Aries adventure continues, with the Sun working its way through the territory. Then Mercury and Mars show up to stir the pot. So there are going to be a lot of conjunctions. We are working on the aspects roster now and will have that early next week.
When you have a lot of conjunctions all at once (as is happening these days), it’s a shuffle of constant beginnings and endings. You can keep track of them or go with the flow. I consider this a time when acknowledgement and awareness count for a lot, especially with Mercury, Mars and Chiron so active.
Uranus Returns to Gemini — It’s Been a While
However, the big news of the month is Uranus re-enters Gemini to stay. It made a brief visit last year from July 7 through Nov. 7 and on April 25 it’s going to begin the journey in earnest. This is an essential transit to track because we live in the age of computers.
Uranus last entered Gemini in 1941, at the dawn of the computer age. Yes, it has been that long. Between 1941 and when Uranus made its last exit in 1949, computer science went from a casual stroll to 90 mph. Along the way, the Turing machine, as it was called, was credited with the Allies winning World War II by cracking the Nazi code.
That was a big deal. But in the first National Geographic after the war, in the fall of 1945, computers were left off of the list of all the new things that were coming in the postwar world. Things far more esoteric were listed, such as the atom smasher. I’ve thought about this a lot. I think that the omission was intentional, since everyone on that level of technology knew exactly what happened.
Breaking the Curve
We are currently already in an exponential increase in the pace of technology. Few people understand how serious of a crisis this is presenting, but you might.
Uranus in Gemini will have many social implications as well and let’s not forget that Sedna (11,400 year orbit, newly in Gemini) is right there waiting to take a conjunction from Uranus.
Anyway — more news in Starcast, and I’m planning Planet Waves FM for Friday night.
If you’re curious about your personal relationship to events of our time, I highly recommend my Inner Light readings. That’s where you get additional details, textured to your whole solar chart. They are exactly the same cost as an astrology reading by Evangeline Adams in 1930.
Reach out if you want to contact me. You can reply to this email, or write to me or my colleagues at cs@planetwaves.net.
Till soon,
PS — This reading is included in the Galaxy Pass.
This Week’s Photos
Where I live, wetlands are everywhere and they are beautiful, with a spooky, primordial feeling. It’s easy to miss them entirely; you just drive by. In the summer they might just look like grass growing but in the spring they are like marshy little ponds. The one I’ve depicted in this series is about a mile from my home, just where the Hudson River Valley meets the Catskills. Right in this region are some of the earliest-known fossil records of actual primeval forests, including the Gilboa Fossil Forest and others within a few miles of where I am sitting, believed to be the oldest forests on Earth — dating back 385 million years. The contemporary marshlands shown above are their distant descendants and carry some of that ancient, mystical and unspeakable vibe.
April 2026 – Extended Readings by Eric Francis
Aries (March 20-April 19) — Your sign has the reputation for being the assertive go-getter of the world, though you personally may be the kind of person who waits for an invitation. Still, you’re likely to feel tremendous drive, and at times, impulsive. Therefore it’s essential that you attenuate your energy to the situation you’re in. I’m not saying hide your light under a bushel. I’m saying use the minimum of effort and energy to get the result that you want. The fact that you would take initiative is itself meaningful. Yet the energy is going to be so powerful over the next six to eight weeks that you must work with intention, and also consider the law of unintended consequences. Things do not always work out as planned and you will need to consider a diversity of potential effects of your choices and your actions. Mars, the planet in astrology that represents you, will be making many conjunctions to other planets, amplifying their energy. The Sun also represents you and it too will be making many conjunctions over the next few weeks. These setups are what put you into the position of being the initiator and taking action. So it will help if you remember all the time that you’re working with far more energy than you usually are (which is a lot). One last caution: make sure you want to finish anything that you start. Consider the follow-through necessary; consider the effort and energy required in maintaining anything that you establish.
For your full 2026 written and audio reading, please check out Inner Light – Inner Peace.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Venus and Ceres newly in Taurus describe factors that are taking off a little of the internal pressure you’ve been feeling. Both are earth-centered planets that will provide grounding influences. If they have not come to you, you can go to them. Both can be found outside, which seems to get further and further away as the digital age progresses. You know your way there. Both planets speak of some blend of luxury and nourishment, and of having some real experience of springtime and a sense of the seasons changing. There’s a deeper layer, though. The current struggle of the world is about disconnection from basic biology, physicality, sexuality and emotions. It seems to be about technology, wars and billionaires, but these are the result of alienation from ourselves. Venus and Ceres, and later in the season Mars and Mercury, are advents of Chiron’s long-anticipated arrival in Taurus on June 19. This is a bold invitation to sensuality and the sanity of centering yourself in physical space. Chiron’s arrival is about the frame of mind that allows you the privilege of existing in the tangible world. And it may be challenging to suddenly find that you’ve been summoned back into your own feelings — meaning how you actually feel — after enduring so many experiences that have taken you out of them. Most of what passes for feeling is “emoting.” They are different things. I’m talking about something much calmer, centering and thoughtful: remembering who you are.
For your full 2026 written and audio reading, please check out Inner Light – Inner Peace.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Mercury, the Gemini planet, is picking up speed in Pisces after what seemed like an endless retrograde. For Gemini, Pisces is the chart angle associated with your professional activities, your reputation, and certain family matters — all of which are now having the pot stirred. Mars is also present, and that is keeping the pot hot. This is all cautionary. Honesty is essential but so too is knowing when to keep mum about matters that you do not have to admit to, or open up about. This means understanding the difference between public and private. This boundary has been entirely breached in the digital age. Not only does everyone mind everyone else’s business, it seems that nobody can keep their business to themselves. But I cannot be more emphatic: you must. That means inside your private home-space, and off of the internet. I’d go so far as to stop posting to social media for several weeks, or keeping your posts stone cold sober and P.R.-approved. Uranus enters your sign later this month, and that is going to accelerate every facet of your life and shake up the known order of your existence. It’s yet another indicator that there must be clear metes and bounds between you and the world around you; between you and the people around you. And while you may be driving a car that can go 100mph, you must set your own speed limit. You will need to pace yourself carefully, and it would be wise to delay your reactions and responses to new life situations.
For your full 2026 written and audio reading, please check out Inner Light – Inner Peace.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Jupiter in your birth or rising sign is providing you stability and protection. Aspects that might signify risks for others offer you opportunities; what might indicate gossip to some can manifest as fodder for sincere contemplation for you. So you don’t need to let the business or the problems of others distract you; you have done plenty of that. Now is the time to focus on your professional aspirations as if nothing could possibly get in your way. This is a rare time for you, on a scale of your whole life (if you’re young) or many decades (if you’re older). The only condition is that you be true to yourself and your purpose. By purpose I don’t mean anything that was grafted onto you or that you had to do by necessity alone, but rather your chosen purpose. The gift of the twin conjunctions in Aries (each rare in themselves), occurring in your house of professional reputation and accomplishment, is going to be something entirely new and seemingly impossible. Along with being true to yourself, you must add faith in yourself — which means fidelity. It’s a similar concept. And at the same time, you can do the very basic thing of believing in yourself as an active practice. You might have to step over the obstacle of past challenges, difficulties and seeming failures. Once you get the hang of it, this will be easier; and one success will lead to the next. Experiment with bold old ideas and new ones — and stick to it every day.
For your full 2026 written and audio reading, please check out Inner Light – Inner Peace.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Sometimes “spiritual” is calm, reflective and breathe, breathe, breathe. Sometimes it really does feel like the old East-West Books in Greenwich Village where everything vibrated with sacredness and smelled like frankincense. But not usually. Sometimes discovering who you are is thrilling, and at other times, letting go of who you are not is emotionally wrenching. Nearly all the time, the real work of growth must be challenging to be real. At the moment you are going through a profound rebirth, which is likely to be calling on you to devote all of your energy to it. And sadly, part of the challenge of existing now is that there is rarely time to pause, think and feel. Yet this time in your life is so distinct, so unusual and moving you so deeply that it would be wise to focus. You owe yourself some self-devotion, which is time when everything around you is not demanding your involvement. This can be a real challenge because the vacuum nozzles of attention are everywhere, engineered to distract you and suck you out of yourself and into it. So now we come to the real challenge, which is maintaining your self-awareness in an environment that is designed, by engineers, to make you forget who you are. You might imagine a dramatic scene in a science fiction thriller where the hero must struggle to maintain consciousness to keep him/herself alive, and it’s not easy. The air seems thin; it is an act of will to stay focused: inwardly.
For your full 2026 written and audio reading, please check out Inner Light – Inner Peace.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Some of my favorite lines from the Grateful Dead are from the song “The Wheel,” and I’m not alone. Here goes: “The wheel is turning and you can’t slow down / You can’t let go and you can’t hold on / You can’t go back and you can’t stand still / If the thunder don’t get you then the lightning will.” This seems to imply the paradox that is your life at the moment; the situations you find yourself in where there is no easy answer — particularly in your relationships. It is the quest of Virgo to maintain your personal integrity while at the same time being present for the people around you. Yet this can be extremely challenging when you are growing, becoming and emerging so quickly and with such inner determination that there is no stopping you. Then all you can do is be present for yourself, be present for others, and above all, be honest. You may find some clarity when you remember that ultimately, you are responsible for your life. This is the necessary step that so few people actually take. There are times when you must acknowledge the strategy, the agenda and the intentions of others. Right now is a time for both. You may feel like you need to manage both sides of a certain equation. Rather, it will help if you’re aware of everyone’s situation, and what they are and are not saying; or at least track their silence. By the way, the thunder (in the song) is fear. The lighting is the flash of revelation. Gently as she goes.
For your full 2026 written and audio reading, please check out Inner Light – Inner Peace.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You’re currently witness to the weirdest show on Earth. I trust you’re doing your best not to get dragged in. You may yet succeed. This is mostly an emotional matter, one of not getting hooked into the dramas that others are using as survival tools, or the drama of the world. Yet everyone has a right and I think a responsibility to be concerned. Who is? Who steps out of their shell, their self-absorbed world, and expresses their sadness? Do you? People are antsy these days, and some you know are a little mean. It will help if you keep sidestepping any volatility and not let it knock you off-balance. As much as you try to make sense of what is happening around us, there’s only so far your sensibility can go. Yet there is one thing you can do, which is to not energize situations with people who are in any way acting irrationally. It’s essential to disengage and return to your place of observing. You may not be aware of the amount of energy you emit; you may not be aware of your magnetic power. While you are observing how people treat you, be conscious of any undue demands you may feel entitled to make. Listen to your tone when you speak to others, or write to them. Modulate and attenuate. You have a journey ahead over the next six weeks or so, and you will truly need to mind your borders, and be diplomatic with others while you’re being honest with yourself.
For your full 2026 written and audio reading, please check out Inner Light – Inner Peace.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Sensual, not sexual. Right now any loving human touch is on the level of what used to be the best sex. The disembodiment of the digital plane has also intensified the meaning and experience of any sincere, in-person human contact. One might think this makes it more available, though this kind of connection bestows intimacy, and we could look at the digital experience as a vast cultural game in avoiding just that, and pretending any substitute will work. It will not, and we are slowly being driven mad by emotional asphyxia. There can be no agenda in order to have honest contact; no quest for power. The willingness to be vulnerable is as necessary as being present for whomever you are with. If this is evading you, or makes you nervous, you might question why that is. You may get a glimpse into what has been bothering you as the Full Moon lights up the inner sanctum of your chart — a place that you rarely care to look, but will soon see in a gentle light. Yet you must be careful not to come to conclusions about yourself, about others, or about your relationships. The emotional energy is running high right now. Your view of yourself is likely to be distorted by the Full Moon and the overwhelming intensity coming out of the nonstop movement in Pisces and Aries. You are a water sign; you exist as part of the deep element, and must learn how to turn your body and your feelings gently, feeling each movement and point of contact.
For your full 2026 written and audio reading, please check out Inner Light – Inner Peace.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Jupiter, the Sagittarius planet, will be in the sign Cancer for about three more months. For you, this is a study in partnership, resources and agreements. Use this season as an opportunity to get these things right. You have every advantage and are likely to be able to find deep points of contact with someone close to you. Do what you can to settle debts and ensure that your financial assets are secure. In relationships where sex and money are both a factor, it’s essential to have a plan for who those assets belong to. Having done much counseling with clients in situations with joint finances, I have found that it’s sensible for everyone to have their own bank account as well as a shared account. You need your own money and the ability to access it. I get that you may be feeling insecure at the moment. Money is a difficult topic to talk about for nearly anyone — and most people avoid it. But it is often the point of contention in any partnership, so I suggest you get the discussion going. Your home is, or must be, the place where you can be honest with the people in it. So pay careful attention to how that goes. Meanwhile, I think any shaky feeling you have about existence will find some relief in devoting yourself to creative activity and self-care. I don’t think you need to be ambitious now. The planets describe you being involved in life and taking pleasure in what you do. When you find that spot where the time slips away, you’re there.
For your full 2026 written and audio reading, please check out Inner Light – Inner Peace.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — The twin conjunctions that have become new cosmic cycles are taking place in the angle of your chart associated with home, grounding and security. How are you feeling amidst the turbulence of the planet? Are you feeling safe? Are you feeling grounded and stable in yourself? You may be feeling like a new person is emerging from within you. The power of these transits cannot be overestimated. While various metaphors of aspiration and ambition are usually used to describe Capricorn, the truth is that you live your life from the inside out. You exist within yourself in a deep place, and there has been much mysterious transformation that you have not caught up with. So if you feel like staying in your proverbial shell or hobbit hole, honor that need. Look around and you will see that very few people on the planet are grounded in themselves. They tend to exist outside of who they are, which accounts for much of the phony self-obsession, image-obsession and general egotism that we see in the world. Your locus of identity exists within yourself. While developing self-knowledge is an ongoing process, you know who you are in a way that is distinct, and it’s great as long as you don’t forget. The entry of Uranus into Gemini, for you associated with work and wellness, will provide some new reminders of who you are and what you’re capable of. As usual, it’s rather different from what others can do.
For your full 2026 written and audio reading, please check out Inner Light – Inner Peace.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You are about to experience a burst of energy as Uranus enters your fellow air sign Gemini. The past year or so has been a nonstop experience of rethinking and revising many facets of who you are and how you think of yourself, and the pressure has been full-on. Uranus changing signs will give you an outlet for your ideas, and the willingness to take chances. You will feel like you have the opportunity to express your brilliance in new ways. However, neither Saturn in Aries nor Uranus in Gemini bestow sensitivity or empathy. (A word too often used, empathy means the ability to feel the pain or the circumstances of others.) The problem with genius in any form, minor or bold, is that it is usually interested only in itself. Uranus comes with all kinds of amazing developments, but the human cost is rarely if ever measured. You need the people in your life; you need to trust one another. That means encompassing your mind in your feelings, and paying attention to the impact that what you do has on your relationships. People will give you a lot of leeway; they want you to be happy and to be free within yourself. So include them in what you do and be open to collaboration, or at least input. Partnerships are vitally important right now, and it will also help if you reach in their direction to open up common ground closer to their home territory. Sharing really is caring, and intelligence can lead to sincere understanding.
For your full 2026 written and audio reading, please check out Inner Light – Inner Peace.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Recent planetary activity in your sign has been a real case of agita lately. How many times have you lost your phone? What day of the week is it? The recent Mercury retrograde was a monster, and it’s still gradually working out — take it slow. Meanwhile, Mars is finally making its way out of your sign and into Aries. But don’t be in any hurry. Through around April 8, Mars is in a productive aspect to Uranus (a sextile), now in its final moments in Taurus. This is an aspect of charm and possibility and getting something done. So early in the month is a good time to complete important tasks that require both focus and creativity. The next big move is Uranus entering Gemini, which is your home and security angle. There are a lot of ways to read it. I keep having the feeling that I want to get a little office in town. You do thrive on having two places to live, even if one is a friend’s guest bedroom from time to time. You may be questioning your living arrangement; if it’s not copacetic, now is the time to make it so. Then there is the human factor. We live in an increasingly isolated world, and your home can be a center of social activity. Such would make productive use of this transit, which lasts seven years and connects to many other developments that will give you the power to shape your life your way. But you have to do it — so take the initiative.
For your full 2026 written and audio reading, please check out Inner Light – Inner Peace.
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