Go forth! but test the ground first

This month is about the cut and thrust of Aries energy and, with the New Moon in the last degrees, this energy flows with the River of Life that feeds all creation. The Sun and Moon are holding that place without connecting to any other planet - so there may be no clear direction even though a lot may be going on. Movement and activity will be picking up anyway, after a four-month lapse (Jupiter direct again since 8 April), and the Aries energy-boost may well get new projects started.

However, this could be a month of false starts (Jupiter trine Uranus). When plans dissolve, when intentions change, when we move two steps forward followed by one or two steps back (Venus square Neptune), we need to make sure we are well grounded inside ourselves. Be sure to test new ground before stepping too firmly forward or burning your bridges (Mercury/Mars in Taurus trine Pluto).

Not just what you say, but how you say it

There is great potential this month for deeply understanding all practical issues - of nature, our health and well being, and all living things. This understanding comes largely through intuition or ‘hunches’ (Mercury/Mars in Taurus sextile Neptune) and, when carefully applied, there could be great and lasting results (Mars trine Pluto).

But expressing this understanding in conversation or debate, we will need to steady ourselves, or our dearly held intentions could be rejected because of a forceful delivery. Trying to go to fast or too far is likely to result in stubborn refusals: too much ‘irresistible forward force’ this month could create benign ‘objects’ becoming immoveable obstacles (Mars trine Pluto who squares Uranus).

And don’t get caught at the stubborn (Mars in Taurus) end of discussions, just because the other person feels too obsessed. It’s more about enjoying powerful situations, rather than getting too heavily serious in them. If you start to take points of view personally, you may have to get out of there for a break (Mars square Jupiter who trines Uranus). It’s an opportunity to

Be sure to check with reality

I think this New Moon chart is suggesting that we go by what we see and know, rather than what we hope for, or what people promise (Venus square Neptune). This may slow things down a bit in your life, but your movement forward will be more sure, and deeply changing. Hopes and ideals and good ideas have a very valuable place, but our judgement around them could be blinkered this month. Have them but don’t identify with them; try things out before jumping in.

And if you do go too far, be prepared to step back a bit without regret or recriminations. We have entered a two and a half year period of learning the truth through experimenting with trial and error, testing and weighing results (Saturn in Sagittarius). The mistake is to think we know all about something before we’ve had actual experience of it - this can happen when we take things for granted, assume things still are as they were, or think something is obvious.

Mean what you say; admit if you don’t know or could be making a mistake - no one is going to mind. My experience is that people feel relieved when someone admits they don’t know, and trust that person more than one who seems confident that they do. And it’s fine to be positive and have fun (Venus sextile Jupiter in Leo), as long as your feet stay steadily on the ground.

Confusion is a fertile ground

The second half of this month from 4 May (Full Moon in Scorpio) has a different flavour as we get the results of the first half’s activity. The learning gets underway (Mercury opposite Saturn), and necessary changes may become clear (Sun and Moon relating well to Pluto). The energy remains grounded and careful throughout the month (Mars in Taurus), but from early May we will be considering more options (Mercury into Gemini square Neptune) which could create a feeling of not knowing what’s best to do. At this time, it’s the felt intuition that will give better results than trying to think it all through (Sun in Taurus sextile Neptune).

. . . last word? . . .

So this month is confusing with a lot happening, and seemingly lots of possibilities. I think the best way is just to be yourself with what’s happening in the moment. Do what you do with pleasure, and allow the current of your soul growth to move you day by day. Let’s keep an attitude of light experimentation with the options that present themselves, and what is right for us will become clear eventually.

All or any of the above may apply to you, but it may not be so for everyone - and isn’t this always true anyway!