Is astrology literal or what? Mercury, bringer of winds, has been in the cold wet sign of Pisces for several weeks in aspect to Jupiter, also in a water sign, and we've had more rain in the Bay Area since 1904. Amazingly enough, 1904 was also a year with Mercury in Pisces in extended aspect to Neptune, another planet that brings the damp, itself in a water sign. I hereby predict the beginning of sunny weather with Mercury in Aries on Sunday!

Speaking of which, this week both Mercury and Mars change signs. After several weeks each in adapting signs, both move into the initiating signs that begin seasons. This will liven up things. Messenger Mercury, floating in the Pisces ocean much longer than he'd like, finally gets rescued and heads off for Aries on on Sunday. This will stimulate our minds to race off on new projects, embolden our thinking and increase our productivity, but thinking of others? Nah, that's what Pisces and Cancer are for.

Mars the warrior enters Cancer, the sign of the tender insides, on Thursday. While a relief to be away from Pluto, still this will stir up emotion. At best, Mars in Cancer is good for passion and art and protecting nature and family. And with mutual reception to Jupiter, babies. At worst, anger, deep inside.

Now on to a few comments on aspects for the more astro literate. If you get beyond Sun signs into real astrology, you hear a lot about aspects. But what is an aspect? The word literally means 'to look.' Let's think about this. If lover Venus gets a glance from an old man, does she feel more sexy? Probably not, regardless of whether the aspect is a more challenging square or conventionally positive trine. But does the old man's blood get boiling from the glance of beautiful Venus? You bet, and any look will do! The type of aspect will describe the nature of the interaction, but the essence of the interaction is the relationship between the two planets.

This concept seems simple, but I find it isn't fully thought through in a lot of astrology. Here are a few examples and thoughts.

Venus trine Mars - considered positive for interactions between men and women. Rob Hand in his aspect bible says "positive for sexual relationships and all kinds of creative activity." True enough. Taking this a step further, we can say that Venus becomes more assertive from the energy-glance of bold Mars, and meanwhile driven Mars becomes more swayed by beauty thanks to Venus.

Now let's add signs for a current example:

Mercury in Pisces trine Jupiter in Scorpio. Mercury in Pisces, usually a bit lost in the Pisces ocean, greatly benefits from Jupiter's uplifting direction. Both are water signs, so we have lots of connections (this is the nature of water) and here in CA, lots of rain! But Jupiter is also affected by shrewd Mercury and will become more brainy as he travels through Scorpio's emotional depths.

Mars opposite Pluto - whew, it's over! The reason why this is so tough is that Mars becomes more like Pluto and Pluto more like Mars. To say this brings out the more difficult sides of human nature is a bit mild.  

Waxing Moon trine Sun - often the most yang energy of the month. Moon and our emotions become more confident and action oriented from the glance of the Sun, and the Sun becomes even more focused on growth thanks to waxing Moon.

Waning Moon sextile Sun - the opposite from the previous example, much more yin. The waning Moon, already bent on ending and letting go, acts her part with more gusto. Meanwhile the Sun loses force due to connection with the old woman of loss and becomes more internal.

Moon conjunct, square or opposed Saturn - often the heavier hours of the week when our emotional Moon-mind gets weighed down by leaden Saturn. Yet Saturn benefits from the nurturing of Moon if she is waxing! If Moon is deep in waning then whatever Saturn means in our charts might be even more problematic.

Mercury square Pluto (this week) - Mercury the messenger is as stressed as the running boy for the Mafia who is always wondering who he'll bump in to next. Pluto, however, benefits from Mercury's intelligence. Whatever Pluto means in your chart gets an added dose of IQ.

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Rush ahead in Aries with even more juice. Ideas here.

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Star*Watch
All times Pacific Standard Time. Visit www.alabe.com for the view of the chart for your current location, and www.astro.com also gives planet positions. See below for comments on other visible planets.

The Sun and Moon together set the tone of the time. The Sun is our fundamental orientation for the month; Moon signs and aspects are the energetic pulls of the day, and tell us how we approach the truth of the Sun. Planet aspects influence the energies for several days and sometimes weeks before and after the aspect depending on the planets involved.

Sun * in Aries. Happy Spring! Sun in Aries means new life, motion, raw energy. We are called to be brave, to stand up, speak out, get on with life. Our adventure begins! Hopefully you took some chill time while in Pisces so you know where you are headed. If you didn't, the Aries ram charges blindly. The trap of Aries - not caring (or even seeing) anyone else. With ruler Mars in Gemini and soon Cancer, our new adventures will focus first on learning and communication and then on feelings, family and the inner life.

Moon * days 6 - 12 with First Quarter on Wednesday. 

Monday 4/10 * Moon in Virgo. A bright Moon opposing Mercury means we have emotional intelligence. Sun in Aries and duad sign Sag (i throw this tidbit in for all Virgos out there) means lots of physical vigor. A night for pure water pleasures.

Tuesday 4/11 * Moon in Virgo, into Libra 10:45 am. After days of improvements, we enjoy our relationships. With ruler Venus in exalted Pisces, easy to share the love today, especially after 6:30 pm.

Wednesday 4/12 * Moon in Libra. No official aspects today, but next day's Mercury square Pluto will rub off on the day of the messenger. Our minds are stirred up, so get out of your head and go towards interaction.

Thursday 4/13 * Full Moon in Libra, Moon in Scorpio 10:10 pm, Mercury square Pluto, Mars into Cancer. This isn't just any full Moon, but Moon on Spica, the most benefic star in the sky. Spica is the spike of wheat, the fruit of the harvest in the hands of the goddess. The message - we reap what we sow. If we want results, plan and then enact step by step, just like a farmer plants and weeds and waters and feeds to get her crop. With Sun exalted in Aries, Moon on Spica, Venus exalted in Pisces, a notable day for positive actions of all kinds.

Friday 4/14 * Moon in Scorpio. With Mars in Cancer, we'll be feeling deep. Go with water flow or better, run (Mars) near the ocean (water sign) or eat oysters (Scorpio) with real horseradish (Mars). The general idea is heat with water. If you haven't guessed it yet, this also means romance.

Saturday 4/15 * Moon in Scorpio. Another day to penetrate the depths - this is a theme for the weekend. Mercury on the imagination star means we see where we are in the cycle and sense our fresh start tomorrow.

Sunday 4/16 * Moon into Sagittarius 7:20 am, Mercury in Aries, Sun trine Pluto. Enjoyment comes a little easier today as we're off to fresh starts. Idea for the day: newness. We'll feel much more like spring so get out there and discover a new path, new book, new food, new way through.

Have a stellar week!

Peace and love,
Jonathan Pearl

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Wandering Stars - the planets

Mercury * in Pisces, entering Aries on Sunday. Our mind is compassionate, intuitive and creative. We sense our connection with others and the all. We more easily recognize spiritual truth. And yet ... the details are dropped like an umbrella falling from your 4th frou-frou drink in the Bahamas. Go with the flow, but don't expect the same level of productivity. 

Venus * in Pisces. Venus in Pisces is love of the all - people, animals, the world. Our love grows, and a little chocolate and red wine might just help even more! For real, Venus has been in signs of hard-working Saturn since last November. Enjoy love again. Venus in Pisces through May 3.

Mars * in Gemini, into Cancer on April 13. After 7 weeks of extra thinking and curiosity, we are now driven by our feelings, nurturing, food and family but all in a Mars kind of way. Pass the hot sauce, cathart, move vigorously in or near water. With mutual reception to Jupiter in Scorpio, we have the best side of Mars in Cancer. Mars in Cancer through June 3.   

Jupiter * in Scorpio. Now retrograde, so some prosperity on hold while we pursue inner wisdom and riches. Jupiter in Scorpio blesses therapies, healing modalities, joint finance arrangements and amplifies our sexuality. Jupiter wants to do good, but in Scorpio functions by responding to others with some kind of attack. The energy: This might hurt, but it is for your own good and my own protection! Great regeneration and power is possible if we find the positive side of our deepest emotions. Jupiter here also benefits Aquarius (by antiscion) and sister water signs of Cancer and Pisces. Jupiter in Scorpio through November 2006.

Saturn * in Leo. Now direct, so developments in some long term structures in life get moving again. Essential challenge to self expression. Color feels a bit much; we prefer black. The people revolt against the leaders. Anti-authoritarianism in many guises. A positive vision of this energy: we know the work we need to do and do it. Saturn in Leo September 2007. 

Dragon's Head * in Aries. We gain by new adventures and physical vigor, yet are more prone to hostility. Ruler Mars in Gemini means an extra strong drive for learning; this week ruler changes sign to Cancer, so drives towards nurturing and family.

Dragon's Tail * in Libra. Relationships seem troubled by unseen or past murkiness. Art explores the unseen. Ruler Venus in Pisces means past relationships are quite positive.