April 2018 By Bob Mulligan (a personal note is at the end of the newsletter) We enter April with Mercury Retrograde turning Direct on the 15th, just before the New Moon, effectively cutting the month in half. The first part of the month will be a flurry of activity (Mercury is in Aries); the second half of the month (with Mercury Direct) will be colored by the Sun and Moon being Conjunct Uranus at the time of the New Moon. There is a pioneering spirit, leading us forward to new goals and adventures. Of course with Mars (ruler of Aries) transiting through Capricorn all month, we will all be striving for some practical results for our effort. Mars makes a Conjunction to Saturn on the 2nd and Conjuncts Pluto on the 26th. We are attempting to harness the new energy of the year to long term projects. Timing will be critical all month and as with all things Saturn, we need to make sure we have taken care of our real obligations before expending energy on anything else. The New Moon on April 15th at 9:57 PM EDT is on the 26th degree of Aries. This inaugurates the new year, giving gravity to the Equinox we experienced three weeks back. With Mercury having just turned Direct a few hours before, we are really prompted to take a fresh look at life and be willing to take a few bold steps. However, even though this New Moon is Conjunct Uranus, prompting us to do something even when we don’t know where we are going, with Pluto Squaring the New Moon we are creating a cautionary tale of woes if we move beyond our foundation too quickly. Saturn is Squaring the Stationary Direct Mercury, warning us to make sure we have our facts straight before we move forward. Because Jupiter has just completed a Sextile to Pluto, we may see some positive movement on the world stage, on things that can potentially benefit everyone. With Venus Opposite Jupiter and Trining the Pluto/Mars Conjunction, we do well to harvest the opportunity to improve our own personal lives by tending to our most precious relationships. With Neptune in Trine to Jupiter and Sextile Mars/Pluto and Venus, our spirits can be lifted all month and there is good traction for artistic and cultural activities. The Sun enters Taurus at 11:13 PM EDT on April 19th. With the Moon in Gemini having just crossed over Venus and next to cross over Jupiter, we may find ourselves making small changes that turn into big results. With Uranus between the Sun and Mercury, we are likely to see unexpected events showing up in the news. With Mercury Square Saturn and Venus (ruler of Taurus) Trine to Pluto, we are apt to be hesitant to act; but if we are willing to take chances, things have a way of working out. The Full Moon is on April 29th at 8:59 PM EDT on the 9th degree of Taurus/Scorpio. This is the time of the Wesak festival. Every year on this Full Moon it is said that the Buddha returns and revitalizes the planet. This year is particularly potent as both Neptune (compassion) and Saturn (obligations)are in their own rulerships, Sextile each other, and in soft aspects to the Sun and Moon. We can take a great step forward in consciousness, but with Mars Conjunct Pluto in Saturn’s sign (Capricorn), we need to be materially grounded if we want to see practical results for our efforts. However, this is not the best time for attempting material progress as the Sun and Moon are Square the Nodal Axis, showing we are at a crossroads in our earthly life. The Nodal Axis shows our life direction and the energy of the Full Moon runs in counterpoint to this. We best spend our time clarifying what is really important. Meditation can be really important and a blessing. From the 1st to the 8th we move forward with many areas of our lives by making massive mental corrections. Editing our current work is favored. This is a great week for looking over our past, while also charting our future. Our own internal conflicts can be at the root of arguments that develop. A little restraint and common sense goes a long way in leading us to knowledge. From the 9th to the 15th relationships, especially romantic ones, play a key role in how everything else turns out. Conflict is there, but a great deal of abundance and optimism are taking center stage…we just have to have eyes to see. A positive mental attitude is our ticket to the main event. From the 16th to the 22nd our enthusiasm, and everyone else’s, is difficult to contain, the key is to channel our energy into something productive. An underlying nervousness can lead us afield. It’s ok; we don’t need to understand everything before advancing. Talk less and act more. From the 23rd to the 30th love of diversity can lead us away from the main point of our efforts. Staying true to our original purpose may mean not letting our eyes wander, but to keep our central focus on the immediate goal. Discipline keeps us moving; if we are unafraid, much can be achieved, but this is not a moment of haste. “Good food takes time; people can wait.” 1st – Sunday – Sun Conjunct Mercury – For the universe, this is the beginning of a new mental cycle. If we are valiant, it is possible to discard tons of unneeded and un-useful garbage from our lives. This whole month is preparation to live a new life. 2nd – Monday – Mars Conjunct Saturn, Mercury Contra-parallel Neptune – Flights of fancy can take us away from our mark. Getting the right rhythm with our work and our everyday chores allows us to make the day enjoyable as well as productive. 3rd – Tuesday – If we have gratitude for the gifts of life, we receive more of them. Most difficulties come from internal friction; life smoothes out if we can welcome corrections, regardless of the source. 4th – Wednesday – Sun Parallel Mercury, Sun Semi-sextile Neptune – Coming up with a new idea may not be as problematic as it seems. Talking to people can prompt the flow of important information. Changing our minds about something immediate and crucial is ok if we are speaking to others from our heart. 5th – Thursday – Mercury Square Saturn – Accepting the inevitable is a blessing; Imagined limits can disappear if we become empirical. We need to put our thoughts into action and see what happens. We may need to change our thinking as well as alter our actions; in both cases we learn more and achieve a modicum of inner congruence. 6th – Friday – Mercury Semi-sextile Venus, Sun Contra-parallel Neptune – Although we may feel a wave of compassion, the main question is: can we overcome self-interest long enough to do some good for everyone else? Focusing our attention on what we personally possess, we recognize what we can share from this inner fountain of abundance; this is a powerful heuristic device for self-mastery. 7th – Saturday – Venus Trine Saturn – Commonsense and practical planning can take us on an adventure of realistic self-discovery. A steady hand on practical matters allows us to explore our wildest idealistic fantasies, and still be home for dinner. 8th – Sunday – Mercury Sesquiquadrate Jupiter – Flashes of insight can reveal new paths hereto unexplored. This can be laying the groundwork for a future adventure, rather than just supplying practical answers to our current situation. Finding balance is not so easy. Too much activity leads to exhaustion; too much holding back from the excitement leaves us poorer for the missed opportunities. Balance! 9th – Monday – Information flows rapidly and many decisions are made or altered. Commitments are harder to live by than we might imagine; we are smart to be careful to promise less than we think we can actually accomplish. 10th – Tuesday – Sun Square Pluto – Our enthusiasm has to be measured against the backdrop of what can literally happen. The most major task now is to get our timing right. Inner frustration comes when we attempt to accomplish too much without sufficient preparation. We need to keep moving but with regard for external circumstances. 11th – Wednesday – Venus Trine Mars, Sun Quincunx Jupiter – Translating our impulses into useful activities hinges a lot on our ability to keep other people’s interests and concerns in our central focus. Our creative ideas are finding a home with others. 12th – Thursday – Venus Sextile Neptune – Cultural pursuits are favored and there is an artistic flare to all activities. We can cement closer ties with important people in our lives when we let the lighter and more loving side of our personality lead the way. 13th – Friday – Venus Contra-parallel Jupiter – Blessings are everywhere and we need to be aware of both our self-satisfaction and propensity for over-indulgence. As long as we guard against complacency and a desire to go beyond our foundations, we are on safe territory. We should relax and enjoy the pleasures of the moment. 14th – Saturday – Jupiter Sextile Pluto, Mars Sextile Neptune – Our ideals and fantasies can take form. If we are aiming at goals that are ultimately really beneficial, we can harvest something wonderful. When our talents match our objectives, success is finally within reach. 15th – Sunday – Mercury turns Direct, the New Moon is at 9:57 PM EDT on the 26th degree of Aries – Innovation and excitement power a series of unexpected events. Our desire for personal freedom is instinctive and can prompt impulsive actions. Getting to the root of what is powering our current interests allows us to see what is real and what is escapism. This New Moon inaugurates a month of self-discovery. 16th – Monday – Mercury Semi-square Venus, Sun Parallel Uranus – Just when we think things can’t get any more complex, several other factors enter our lives. Even though there is a carefree vibration in the air, we are best off cultivating a “wait and see” attitude. It is a time to choose; if we select things favoring our long term betterment, we will be immediately rewarded. 17th – Tuesday – Venus Opposite Jupiter, Venus Trine Pluto, Saturn turns Retrograde – This is a moment ripe for consolidation; there will be many who continue forward, not taking stock of where they have been. To be content with what we have is a virtue; there will be a time to explore the far reaches of the rest of the universe shortly. It is best to take a breather now. 18th – Wednesday – Sun Conjunct Uranus – Sitting still isn’t an option; running in place or in circles doesn’t benefit us much. How to progress meaningfully? Being conscious, we will make use of new information coming from friends and the collective will of those around us. 19th – Thursday – Venus Sesquiquadrate Saturn, Mercury Sesquiquadrate Jupiter – Intermittent support from others can seem like no help at all, but if we are diligent in separating facts from fear, we can use these circumstances to take a great leap forward. Brilliant ideas can emerge; we need sensitivity to the real insight being offered now, even when others let them go unrecognized. 20th – Friday – Sun Semi-square Neptune – Escape into an artistic world may be a good way of going with the momentum of the culture. When we talk to people, or listen to the news, we may feel that the world is split into opposing factions. However, from a higher perspective, everything fits together in one big symphony; our job is to hold onto the hand of this higher truth. 21st – Saturday – A wave of ideas pointing to the past turns on itself. At the same time, there is genuine clarity coming through our emotional lens. We grow in spirit by holding a truly empathic view of others. For all the turbulence, there is still an unmistakable current of purity uniting us all. 22nd – Sunday – Pluto turns Retrograde – Decisions regarding our ultimate worth come to us as we see what to hang onto and what to discard. To push for change can be good, but we need to be careful that we don’t surrender our real needs for a short term gain. We are restructuring our own inner boundaries. With some skill and effort, we can develop a new closeness to others we care about, as well as learn to show concern for those outside of our immediate circle. 23rd – Monday – Venus Semi-sextile Uranus – If we are willing to take the risk, we can add something new, wonderful, and adventuresome to our lives. We can see farther today if we know where to look. New information is coming and our lives are just about to get a whole lot more interesting. 24th – Tuesday – Mars Sextile Jupiter, Venus enters Gemini – Two things are important now; we need to keep driving toward completion of personal goals, and we need to keep other people in our thoughts as we plow forward. New information arrives and we have some significant decisions to make. Complexities of the moment are flavoring to life’s mix if we don’t take ourselves too seriously. 25th – Wednesday – Mercury Square Saturn – Reigning in our thoughts can be a gratifying step in our development. We will have some fanciful notions that don’t really hold up to a reality test. This doesn’t mean that we are escaping responsibilities, only that our timing might be a bit off. If it looks like we are being stopped from completing a task, we need to take note. We suffer if we try to just push through outer world resistance. Looking for causes and being patient help us to make the most of the moment. 26th – Thursday – Mars Conjunct Pluto – Lots of energy can be expended. We need to be sure we are advocating for something that must happen now; without taking stock of possible collateral damage, we make difficulties that didn’t need to be. “What you do is not important, how you do it is.” 27th – Friday – Venus Contra-parallel Pluto – Making graceful moves toward an objective requires acting in accordance with other people’s concerns. Love relations can suffer if we put too much effort into our romantic lives. Good conversation can clear the air. 28th – Saturday – We may find the harmony we seek is out of reach. Misunderstandings emerge if we change the rules. It is easy to be distracted by perceived obligations; this can carry us away from the joy in our personal lives, which can seem less straight forward and more testy. There is enough stress to go around; relaxing and enjoying the day (such as it is) reduces tension. 29th – Sunday – Sun Trine Saturn, Venus Sesquiquadrate Pluto, the Full Moon is at 8:59 PM EDT on the 9th degree of Taurus/Scorpio – Discipline is easy if we choose our targets carefully. Living life intentionally is much more fulfilling than just waiting to see what shows up, or seeing how we are feeling moment to moment. Meditating at the time of the Full Moon is always a good thing, but this is an especially important one. 30th – Monday – Venus Contra-parallel Saturn – As the path to adventure unrolls in front of us, we need to be sure we aren’t overlooking something important. Truncated messages can leave others guessing. Emotional stimulus is powerful; our job is to make sure we don’t put too much or too little energy toward our objects of affection. Bob Mulligan is available for personal appointments, astrology classes, and astrological material. Call him at 239-261-2840 or by e-mail at bobmulliga@aol.com. Visit our web site, www.theastrologycompany.com This newsletter is free to all who want it…if you stop getting it, but didn’t cancel, check your spam folder. This happens every so often to people. Thank you for your continued interest. y trip to San Diego from the 8th until the 14th of March was deeply gratifying.. I took 65 handouts for my lecture on Friday night, “Astrology, Karma, and Reincarnation”. Well, so many people attended my lecture that I ran out of handouts and had to take a list of people’s emails for the overflow so I could send them the handouts. The Saturday and Sunday workshop, “Your Birth Chart as a Spiritual Roadmap” was also well received. It was one of the most productive workshops I have ever done. My Monday and Tuesday was full with seeing clients…and then I flew home on Wednesday. Thank you to all who made the effort to come and be with me in San Diego. Mary Weiss holds the distance record for the journey; she came from Hawaii. Even though I’m seeing clients here in Naples now, much of my time is spent preparing for my talks in Chicago at UAC. My talks are both on Sunday, the 27th of May. My first talk, “The Five Gifts of Astrology” is the first chapter of my book, “The Spiritual Aspirant’s Astrology Guide”. My second talk, “The Hierarchy of the Planets”, is from chapter 11 of this book. Both chapters are being rewritten extensively now. More information is on my website, www.astrologycompany.com. Here is the link to the UAC website https://www.uacastrology.com/. If you only listen to news in the USA or only read our daily papers or on line, you probably missed the event on March 23rd in France. A gendarme, Arnaud Beltrame, was shot three times after voluntarily taking the place of a hostage during a supermarket siege in southwestern France on Friday, March 23rd, he died the next day. He is a hero, and a good reminder that the goodness of self sacrifice is in every one of us. France’s president, Macron, said of Beltrame: “In offering himself as a hostage to the terrorist holed up in the Trebes supermarket, Lieutenant Colonel Beltrame saved the life of a civilian hostage, showing exceptional self-sacrifice and courage.” “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” ― St. Francis of Assisi | 
