The six-week long Venus retrograde is about to end as Venus will turn direct on Friday, April 17 at 12:24pm PDST. It has already slowed to a crawl indicating that the issues we’ve been deeply looking into have, for the most part, been presented. Many of us are now working through what has been revealed and just beginning to either implement whatever changes we feel are needed or deal with the changes that have already been made.
The square to Pluto is still a very big part of what is still in play, though. In fact, Mars is about to join Venus and both will square Pluto from around April 19- May 4. This is a strange period. That’s exactly the words I am often hearing lately and will continue to be true for awhile longer. So, I ask people what do they mean by ‘strange.’ I hear different things of course, but the flavor of what is being said is consistent with the feeling that something important is changing within oneself about their self-image, how they relate to others including romantic encounters, and the strong emergence of the priority we must give to being authentic and real in all we do.
To me, Pluto presents and can destroy those aspects within us that block us from being able to simply present ourselves to others as we are. I have heard so many people express feelings of being vulnerable in the past few weeks. But this vulnerability is stripping away the need to be ‘invulnerable’, whatever that is. Of course, it is a façade, a societally-created pretense that sometimes we need to succeed in the world, but which also makes our lives feel awful. When we allow ourselves to live with and fully feel that state of vulnerability, something magical can happen. We can begin to feel good about ourselves as we truly are and by living with that vulnerability, fear gradually gives way to feeling stronger than ever and able to deal with whatever life presents to us.
This is often how Pluto works. By intensifying negative feelings and considerations, we find that we are able to directly examine them and resolve to let them go and move toward more healthy expressions of our fundamental needs. The present transits are giving us a unique opportunity to engage in this process. It isn’t over yet, but is finally moving us towards a greater clarity of the importance of engaging fully in this process.
The Unusually Long Dance Between Venus and Mars
Usually, Venus moves much faster than Mars, but right now Venus is moving very slowly while Mars is chugging along at its usual pace. This results in these two sexy planets moving together from now until the end of June. In other words, we will have these two lovers dancing together for 10 weeks instead of just a few days. Yes, this is a great time for all kinds of romantic relationships as well as other types as well. Specifically, Mars will exactly conjunct Venus on April 21st and it will then take until June 21st for Venus to catch up and align with Mars again.
I believe the timing of this couldn’t be better. Venus retrograde is helping us discover what we truly enjoy, even love. Now, with Mars, the archetypal force of going after what we want, joining Venus, we are able to realize those very things we are now seeing as real needs. And it’s giving us time to begin going after these deeply held motivations and needs over the next 10 weeks. It’s like getting to the nub of something, having clarity and certainty, and then immediately having a chance to DO something about those things we have discovered that we really want and need. We are even being given the time to do get them started.
This 10-week period is likely to be a special time. And during the midst of it, Saturn will also help us out as it will go direct on May 16. This can become a very powerful time for us and is one of those rare periods where we are being urged to go after what we want and are able to trust that we’re not being fooled by blind, ill-considered urges that are controlling us. Act with what you know in your heart is needed and take the risk to go for it. That’s my suggestion. And it becomes especially true after the next New Moon, which is in slow and methodical Taurus, beginning on April 24th.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The new Westside class is not quite ready to start. There remains one open slot for anyone interested in attending the new Beginning Astrology class that will be held on Thursday evenings on the Westside. The first class begins on a Sunday, April 26th and on Thursday’s after that. If you think you might want to attend, please contact me as soon as possible.
know the economy is difficult so I am continuing the reduced price of $110 for a 60- 80 minute consultation. I welcome people who have never had an astrological consultation to give it a try as well as those of you who have.
If you haven’t already, please check out the website for Sher School of Wisdom at www.sherschoolofwisdom.org.
All the best,
Jim Sher
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