April 18th ~ 25th
“Guldnyckeln and the Norns” by John Bauer
Every choice has a long afterlife of consequences. No one can know the eventual outcome of any decision. All you can do is make the best choice you can make in the moment. ~ Cassandra ClareChoices have consequences, out of which the tapestries of our lives are ceaselessly being woven. And never is this more apparent than when Saturn gets tangled in up the Nodes of the Moon. It is because of this that we saw Saturn opposite the Lunar Eclipse last month, and opposite (with Neptune) at the Solar Eclipse next September. The Nodes describe where those perfect alignments take place in the year. On April 21st, Saturn will make its conjunction with the true North Node at 26º Pisces 51’. And thus our fates unfold. Saturn will enter Aries on May 24th. But before we get there, Saturn will be making its way through the final degrees of the final sign of the zodiac. When at this stage, it can bring this feeling that things are in their final stage of dissolution. And no matter you much you may wish it to be otherwise, or pretend it away, this feeling of being in the final stages is imminent. This is the natural order of things, this cycle of beginning, ending, then followed by a renewal. But it is also interesting to note that never in our lifetimes has Saturn been conjunct the North Node in the end degrees of Pisces. The last time they were conjunct in Pisces was in 1877. This was a significant time in history here in the US, with the abandonment of reconstruction in the South. However, although in Pisces, the conjunction was still not at these end degrees. When major planets enter this latter part of Pisces, just before they will enter Aries, the sloughing off process becomes more acute, accompanied by an almost emotional despair for the loos of what once was. Neptune crossed this threshold in March. And now Saturn will follow. But now without feeling like a door is closing behind us. Saturn conjunct the North Node can show us the consequences of our choices. Like a stark, and sometimes harsh moment of clarity, we see things as they are, and cannot look away. And just as we see the ramifications of decisions made in the past, we are also planting seeds with the choices we are making now. Saturn plays the long game. When you toss a stone into the still center of a pond, you will see the ripples extend outwards till they reach the edges of the pond. Therefore know that there are ramifications for decisions being made now, whose consequences are going to continue to ripple out to the far reaches of the shore. On April 24th, Venus, the planet of alliances, values, money and the economy, will make its exact conjunction to both Saturn and the North Node. Know that these are when the conjunctions are exact. But due to Venus’s station on April 12th, it has been, and continues to be conjunct both Saturn and the North Node for the entire month of April. And so the fates are working assiduously, rearranging the pieces on the playing board of life, separating some, while uniting others. But also know that they do not do this alone, for we serve as co-collaborators in our destiny through the choices we make each day. Reality is that which, even when you don’t believe in it, doesn’t go away. ~ Peter ViereckAs mentioned last week, when Venus meets Saturn it will feel like a brush with reality. Venus in Pisces will often weave their own imaginary tapestries, based on possibility, hope and potential. And this can be true even when there is no reason for her to hope or believe. That is, until the chickens come home to roost, and we see things as they are devoid of the illusion. And that’s when the disenchantment sets in. That’s when the illusion comes undone, and the small tendrils of hope we cling to, begin to fall away. Venus/Saturn continues to give us permission to say No More, to back out of situations that are no longer working, to even embrace our limits and learn to set better boundaries. Saturn in Pisces does not mean to destroy our dreams. It just aims to show us what is possible. And within the parameters of what is realistically achievable, we can then make any necessary adjustments. Venus/Saturn/North Node are also sextile Uranus. And although the conjunction to Saturn can feel like a terrible thing: a loss, a rejection, a denial, a fear of the inevitable; the sextiles to Uranus are showing us that there are other options. One door may be closing, but another is also opening, leading to avenues as yet unexplored. You will show the people who would have caged you, how mistaken they were to think they ever could. ~ Claire Legrand (Lightbringer)On April 26th, just one day before the New Moon, Mars will make its 3rd opposition to Pluto. The first was on November 3rd, the 2nd on January 3rd. This is the last of these oppositions. Mars/Pluto transits are indicative of extreme power struggles against powerful forces. On Friday, Mars enters the sign of Leo. In opposition to Pluto in Aquarius, one might think all sorts of possible outcomes: the position of the King, a fall from grace, a contest between powerful leaders; or the abuse of power. It can also be the resistance to those powerful forces. Even forces that seem so much larger than ourselves. Mars can also be a catalyst and call for action. The end game. Channeling the positive attributes of Mars in Leo can bring courage, confidence, and an extraordinary will. These are the qualities that allow us to stand firm, even under extraordinary circumstances. But there can also be a sense of desperation. On Sunday, the last quarter Moon will conjunction Pluto and oppose Mars, as Saturn creates a t-square, bringing a situation to a head. Mars/Pluto oppositions can be primal, and deep. Last quarter moons, as well as oppositions, are times of conclusion. With Saturn conjunct the North Node our Karma is unfolding. And we are all being inexorably drawn along with the tide in order to fulfill our destinies. We are all here, in this place, at this time, for a reason. Which is precisely why the sorts of decisions and choices we make now, are so important. This is not just about our own individual evolutionary growth (which it is); it is also about the evolutionary growth of humanity as a whole. And every choice we make, every little bit of resistance, every kindness and action we take contributes to the outcome.Saturn will be exactly conjunct the true North Node on April 21st. On the days leading up to it, and after, lean into it. Move towards it. Saturn asks us to slow down, to consider and deliberate. Use the conjunction between Saturn and the North Node for: Contemplation. This is a time of honesty and clarity, where there is no room for denial. This is about seriously considering the circumstances of our lives, in the light of this reality. Retreat. Find your own place of refuge away from the storm, where you can safely connect with yourself. Undisturbed. Use spiritual practices to ground you: Meditate if you are so inclined, pray, read the cards, connect with your Spirit Guides, asking for Clarity and Guidance. Purify and cleanse. That can be literal. Symbolically wash away the detritus of the past, smudging, cleaning, releasing that which is negative, unholy and un-sanctified, while dedicating it all towards the resurrection of the Good. Letting go with Grace. It can feel like the end of an era when Saturn comes to the North Node in Pisces. A gradual sloughing off. A winding down. Untethered and unmoored. And yet in some ways we are being asked to move on from what once was, and what we knew so well, because it is simply the time to do so. Faith. The North Node in Pisces is asking us to have faith. Even when there is no apparent reason for us to have faith. And we are told to Believe. Believe in the True, the Good, and the Sacred. Saturn is about commitments, oaths and promises. Therefore may we take an oath in service to the Highest Good, and commit ourselves to the greater betterment of humanity. For this week’s horoscopes, click below: HOROSCOPES