Is April the Cruelest Month?

April is the cruelest month  said the poet. I suppose it depends on where you live. This year, April has some of the most challenging astrological aspects imaginable. The great Cardinal Cross, involving Jupiter, Mars, Uranus and Pluto is firing on all fronts. Even without the guiding light of astrology people are on edge about what’s happening to the planet as well as her inhabitants. It is easy to be frightened and confusing to know what to do about it.

Contrary to how it feels, there is much that is going right on this planet. Consider the following quote:  “Wrong is an addictive, repetitive story; Right is where the movement is. There is a rabbinical teaching that holds that if the world is ending and the Messiah arrives, you first plant a tree and then see if the story is true. Islam has a similar teaching that tells adherents that if they have a palm cutting in their hand on Judgment Day, plant the cutting. Inspiration is not garnered from the recitation of what is flawed; it resides, rather, in humanity’s willingness to restore, redress, reform, rebuild, recover, reimagine, and reconsider. ‘Consider’ (con sidere) means ‘with the stars’; reconsider means to rejoin the movement and cycle of heaven and life. The emphasis here is on humanitiy’s intention, because  humans are frail and imperfect.”
p.4 BLESSED UNREST by Paul Hawken

There is much to read about the strength of the Cardinal Cross in April – good and bad . My personal perspective is that whatever happens be it political or climate related the crises will be about leadership. Cardinal signs are leaders. Each one starts a season.

Jupiter in Cancer suggests the need for food and shelter for great numbers of people.

Pluto in Capricorn suggests the decay and need for renewal of structures that are meant to hold society together such as banking, government, corporations and you get the idea.

Uranus in Aries is the need for change of a more confrontational sort. It provides energy for revolution, protest, and fearless (not necessarily intelligent) demands.

Mars, retrograde in Libra is the one to watch most carefully: in Libra it is all about diplomacy, negotiation and war. ‘Libra fights for peace’ is a short way of hinting at the complexity of human reasoning when it is fueled by passion.

As individuals we can only step up to leadership in our own lives as is realistic and possible. You can follow along with my ‘Insights’ if you would like a daily insight for these ‘interesting’ transits.