We have eventful and complex weeks ahead. Jupiter is stationary retrograde Wednesday. Sunday (April 14) is Palm Sunday, which begins Holy Week (also called Passion Week), all leading up to Good Friday (and second full moon during Aries), Holy Saturday (sun enters Taurus) and Easter Sunday (April 21), the Resurrection Festival.
Jupiter—planet of love, wisdom, expansion, and beneficence—becomes stationary retrograde this week. Jupiter retrogrades at 24 degrees Sagittarius back to 14 degrees Sag (Aug. 11, when Uranus then retrogrades). Where are these degrees (14 – 24 degrees Sag) in everyone’s chart? Everyone needs their own astrology chart. Without it, we “see only see life through a glass darkly.”
When planets are retrograde, humanity enters a state of inward focus, assessment and review. The sign and house the retrograde moves through determine what area of life is affected for each of us. With Jupiter in Sagittarius, we assess our goals and the power we have to achieve those goals. We learn how to direct thought power, love and wisdom into our world. Jupiter in Sagittarius creates the “one-pointed, mentally focused Disciple.” Wisdom becomes practical. We review our aspirations, our intellectual growth, our horizons, and what inspires us. Jupiter is beneficent, good, always kind. Jupiter offers us optimism, is broad-minded, happy, philosophical, charitable, generous, and welcoming. Jupiter helps us cultivate the goodness of our Soul.
Sunday is Palm Sunday, the triumphal entry of Jesus (overshadowed by the Christ) into Jerusalem (city of peace). Palms (symbols of peace, victory and respect) waved in procession heralded the Christ as the promised Messiah. Lent (preparation) ends, and Holy Week begins.
The Christ enacted major initiations (transformations that expand our ability to absorb light) during Holy Week, which ended in a trial, a crucifixion and a resurrection. This deep psychological theme of restoration is offered to humanity each year, living as we are on planet Earth, one of the three planets of suffering. Holy Week is a drama of cosmic proportion played out for humanity’s redemption.
ARIES: No longer just a burning ground of desire and aspiration, your true calling comes forth. As the world begins to reorient everywhere, your initiating abilities, philosophical beliefs and goals clearly emerge. You are now at a high level of opportunity in terms of doing world work. Begin to see your career in terms of how to help create the new culture and civilization, how to assist humanity so their gifts can come forth. You’re at the doorstep, the periphery of the Ashram.
TAURUS: So often you stepped into the shadows, didn’t want to speak up and out, thought others would do a better job. This gave you the needed preparation, strength and stamina, developed your awareness and abilities. Now staying behind the scenes is no longer appropriate. You step into the limelight and begin to communicate, teach, lead, facilitate, make the transition from dark room to lighted world. You give hope to humanity. Your words are the “waters of life” for them.
GEMINI: So much of your life has been about observing the needs of others, stepping into the greater world of serving others. This has been good. However, there comes a time when your focus must shift from others to self—to develop new tools of self-observation. That time is now. For further development, you need new studies, new people, new information. You’re ready to answer a further call from the Soul. This is a transition time for you. All you need is intention. Offer your personality to the Soul and stand in its light.
CANCER: Who you’ve been will no longer be who you are. What you’ve been asked to be is no longer who you can be. All the responsibilities you’ve assumed for so long will begin to chafe, annoy and irritate you. You will gradually want more things in the world, less of a sense of duty, so your gifts and talents can come forth. The larger world, beyond family, needs you. Do not limit yourself in what you feel you can do. Appreciate your diligence, your orderliness. Celebrate all that you have done. Joy follows with these endeavors.
LEO: Over and over, you will review plans, agendas, regimes, and rituals in your daily life. And over and over, these will change in terms of work, health, people, and all environments you interact in. Old concepts shift to new concepts; discoveries break the mold of how you’ve worked and your thoughts on health. You’ll seek new environments that allow for accelerated activities in areas, people, places, and things your heart desires.
VIRGO: Creativity, opportunity, options. What do these mean to you, in what areas of life? Gates will open for you, the Sun will shine brighter in your garden, and a new creative impulse soothes any sense of isolation. You’ve had to make adjustments, living on hope. New realities dawn, a new sense of self-expression, too. And a new philosophy takes you on a new journey far away. Be sure to have sturdy shoes.
LIBRA: All that’s important to you, all that formed your foundational beliefs, will be revised. This is part of growing up. You took a path into the new world long ago. You learned new understandings, eliminated restrictions to your true identity. Now you revise your values, assume a greater sense of self-assurance, knowing this brave new world will always support you and that every life dimension has its own truth. As you adapt and change, the world changes too. You love more.
SCORPIO: You will find the need to speak the truth in many situations. Usually you stand aside, and allow others to be the voice of society. However, this is changing. You become the voice of reason, allowing no false information to pass you by. You’re very aware of the impact of untruthfulness. You practice “ahimsa” (doing no harm). Your work becomes a response to world events. Destiny has arrived. It’s within your heart, written in the stars. You are the truth, and it sets you free.
SAGITTARIUS: Sag is always philosophically minded. Recently you’ve become security minded, wondering, as you age, how to prepare and build a strong system of resources for later times. It feels like providence has arrived. You sense this and bring forth purpose, energy and passion to whatever you believe in. And so, the question is what do you believe in? What is most important to you now? The answers when contemplated are interesting and surprising.
CAPRICORN: You’ve stepped into power, a most interesting situation. Authority figures, not understanding the energy of relationship in astrology, may feel you’re challenging them, which you’re not. However, your very presence challenges previous beliefs of others and those in authority. You bring revolutionary change wherever you are. What is this? A call to leadership requiring you to display your ability to lead with willingness, intelligence and love. You remain poised within the center of power. You will be learning this over time.
AQUARIUS: As personal and outer world events continue to change, you learn to move easily within those changes. This helps you understand the requirements of the new world coming forth. Only your inner self can understand the truth of all matters, understand Right Direction and Right Attitude and how to shine a bright new light of hope for others to see. Your life situation calls forth your humanitarian endeavors. You will understand more later.
PISCES: It’s a time of healing for all of humanity, but especially for Pisces, Virgo’s opposite sign. Tend to all health matters for all parts of the body, inner and outer. Find a functional doctor or one who understands alternative methods of testing and healing. After tending to your health, new opportunities will present themselves. New decisions will be made. A new change of focus will appear with new endeavors. Much of this year is a time of healing and preparing for what’s to come. For now, though, health and healing are most important.
