Let the Great Human Experiment Begin!
Saturn is firmly in Aquarius for the next couple of months and, in true Aquarian fashion, we’re in the midst of the biggest, worldwide human experiment.
Aquarius is the sign of humanity, of community of science and technology. It’s also the zodiac sign of detachment. And here we are ‘social distancing’...a distinctly Saturn in Aquarius phrase.
But more important perhaps are phrases like ‘social responsibility’ and ‘social conscience.’ That’s what Saturn in Aquarius is truly here to teach us. Let present circumstances be a good awakening toward that end.
Astrologically, the theme of social responsibility lies at the heart of current world events. So while all this social distancing certainly has a dehumanising effect on our society, there’s much to be learned about what it means to be human, not to mention giant leaps in scientific understanding and in technology - all of which will result from these current events.
Saturn will return to Capricorn in July only to finally re-enter Aquarius for good in December, establishing some long term changes to our society that we can only glimpse at now.
For visions of the future, look no further than the Taurus New Moon on 23rd April, St George’s Day. This New Moon is at 3 Taurus, conjunct Uranus and square to freshly intend Saturn in Aquarius. And as such it presages circumstances and events we will find ourselves in much of 2021, as Saturn and Uranus square.
This Taurus New Moon on April 23rd suggests many of these restrictions are here to stay, impressing upon us a change of priorities.
Libra Full Moon, Venus in her Retrograde Shadow: Relationships Unwind...
Here to aid all this social distancing this month is dear old Venus, ruler of love, money and all that we value in this world. The planet of values, relationships and finances is beginning to slow down this month, entering her shadow as she prepares to go retrograde next month. Venus enters her retrograde shadow around April 8th, bang on a Full Moon in Libra, the relationship sign. And so a long period of re-evaluation begins - around what is truly of value, how we are to relate to each other, and around financial matters too.
Whatever relationship issues come to light on April 7th-8th will take lots of rehearsing and working through before they are resolved. It might not be before the end of July, when Venus exists her whole retrograde shadow, that you are able to move forward and regain a sense of normalcy once more.
And so prepare this April. If people seem distant or disengaged, let them be. Everyone’s shutting shop this month, literally and figuratively, and preparing to turn inwards for answers. That’s sure to affect how you view yourself and others, on a business or personal level. Think of it as taking all your relating, trading and socialising systems offline for maintenance.
This April Full Moon in Libra on April 7th-8th is a peak moment from which the withdrawal begins. Time to initiate appraisals and negotiations that won’t be concluded till July 2020.
Jupiter-Pluto April 2020: Loss of Meaning
Most important this month is the Jupiter-Pluto conjunction on April 5th. This is their first and most shocking meeting out of the three that are scheduled for this year. (The next two are on June 30th and November 12th 2020, by which time you’ll be more used to this difficult energy.)
Jupiter-Pluto brings an intensified sense of threat. As meaningful things are stripped away, this gives rise to deep survival fears and visions of horror. On a personal level, April could bring a deep and scary sense of meaninglessness and hopelessness. But remember: this is temporary.
You’re about to undergo a deep inner transformation that will take all year long to complete and out of which you’ll emerge much stronger.
A cherished hope or vision for the future may die inside you this month. It could be an actual loss or a realisation of something that scares you and it could lead you to question everything. For without hope to guide you, what have you left? But this is only just the beginning. By digging deeper, you will be able to regain a new sense of meaning and purpose - a faith that’s almost indestructible all the more for having gone through crisis. You’ll be given the gift of fearlessness by the end of the year.
Jupiter and Pluto also raise both financial and moral questions. We have seen an incredible display of political power and righteousness with a moral imperative to abandon our normal life, stay indoors and close businesses. And we seen it with the huge financial aid being put in place as we speak, to support people through this crisis (where is all this money coming from?) These are moral, social and financial decisions on an unprecedented scale, all being passed as a matter of principle, almost unquestioningly. What sort of world do we want to live in? How much money can we print and still get away with it?
This Jupiter-Pluto sense of dread and threat should peak by April 5th, with the intensity of horror beginning to recede after April 25th (temporarily as the twain shall soon meet again).
The world is going through an incredible ‘reset’ this year, as many planetary cycles fold into each other. With every personal planet going retrograde too, and six eclipses - the maximum we can possibly have - 2020 is a year of huge importance.
This is a good time to look within, under the surface and give your life a good once over. A long introspection begins this month.