The Great Slow Down & April Horoscopes

The world has completely changed. It happened very suddenly (URANUS in TAURUS), and at first, we didn't see it clearly (MERCURY retro in PISCES, co-present with NEPTUNE), but we have entered a new and unprecedented time of the breakdown, slow down, dive in, that precedes and leads to breakthrough.

The dark is getting darker, and the light is getting lighter. I have been tracking the likelihood of some version of this happening for about 15 years.

We have passed over the event horizon, or as my friend Michael Ruppert called his book, Crossing the Rubicon. Life will never be back to what it was pre-2020. In some ways, that's a big loss that we need to grieve, and in some ways, it's liberation.

Our life on Earth is always dependent on the upper 6 inches or so that we call topsoil, and for a while, we've been able to forget that fact, always being able to go to the store and buy what we need. Back in the day, stores used to have storage rooms of backstock, but these days, stores have about 3 days of anything in stock, dependent on the next truck delivery, the inventory continuously updated via the bar code at checkout.

We are now seeing the cracks in that system. We have stepped onto a whole new continent, and we will never return to the place we just left. This is very good in some ways, and very challenging in others.

Yesterday I learned that the next tier of panic buying, after TP, includes seeds, baby chicks, and sewing machines. I joked that it's like the whole world is panic-turning-into-hippies. Hippies have always stayed closer to the earth and her cycles. I was born during the Back to the Land movement of the early 1970's, and although my parents weren't hippies, I somehow found my way in that direction. My Dad has a passion for plants, and instilled a deep love of them in me early on, which naturally led me into herbalism and horticulture. I've always felt very connected to the green world, and studying herbalism as a way to be empowered with our daily health care, was a no-brainer. By extension of that, I went into horticulture so I could learn how to grow the plants we need for medicine, food, clothing, and shelter, and I have never looked back.

Now, suddenly these skills are critical, and we all need to embrace the back to land movement in one way or two to be able to survive what's coming. We knew that URANUS in TAURUS (for the next six years) was going to bring a revolution in our food systems, and voila, here we are.

The Great Slowdown is unprecedented. There has never been anything like this giant social experiment, motivated by a need to keep the virus from spreading. People are cooperating; the cities are empty, the outings revolve around essentials such as food and supplies. Trips to the local grocery store now have the distinct flavor of dystopia and strangeness. The familiar has become strange, the social distancing practices, though necessary, are straining people's mental and emotional health. Here in the Bay Area the reports are that our attempt to flatten the curve are working, but our Shelter in Place has just been extended for another month.

All this just as MARS has entered AQUARIUS, joining SATURN. Multiple challenging planets together create the most difficult situations. MARS in AQUARIUS tells us that there is a rebellion brewing against the status quo, against the powers that have been. There is a force majeure bubbling up that will not be quelled. In conjunction with the efforts to keep us safe, there are massive, dark shifts, shown by MARS SATURN and PLUTO JUPITER, that intend to use this crisis to clamp down on our fundamental freedoms. RIght now we are not allowed to gather, to attend any events, to visit any state parks. This makes sense in the face of the virus, yet is a deeply unsettling prospect as something that might be continued, or be recurring. MARS in AQUARIUS will fight for freedom and will fight against the tyranny it finds in SATURN in AQUARIUS (the ruling power of the elite.)

We've all seen the futuristic dystopian flicks such as Terminator, Blade Runner, Mad Max, the Road, or read the classics such as Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, 1984, and Animal Farm. All more or less paint the same picture of a society tightly controlled on all levels of people, ruled by powerful elites w a very tight grip, and any innovative, rebellious thinking or dissent is punished harshly, and those that have left the system of control are in the wild, dangerous, anarchic unknown. We know that China treats its dissidents severely, but like to think that here in the West, we have democratic freedom and a bill of rights. Some of that may be at stake now. We need MARS in AQUA to be vigilant about what rights and freedoms are being taken away, and be very vocal about getting them returned past this current crisis.

Here is a thoughtful analysis of what is going on by Charles Eisenstein.

I recommend reading it, it's worth your time.

The Coronation

"For years, normality has been stretched nearly to its breaking point, a rope pulled tighter and tighter, waiting for a nip of the black swan’s beak to snap it in two. Now that the rope has snapped, do we tie its ends back together, or shall we undo its dangling braids still further, to see what we might weave from them?

Covid-19 is showing us that when humanity is united in common cause, phenomenally rapid change is possible. None of the world’s problems are technically difficult to solve; they originate in human disagreement. In coherency, humanity’s creative powers are boundless. A few months ago, a proposal to halt commercial air travel would have seemed preposterous. Likewise for the radical changes we are making in our social behavior, economy, and the role of government in our lives. Covid demonstrates the power of our collective will when we agree on what is important. What else might we achieve, in coherency? What do we want to achieve, and what world shall we create? That is always the next question when anyone awakens to their power.

Covid-19 is like a rehab intervention that breaks the addictive hold of normality. To interrupt a habit is to make it visible; it is to turn it from a compulsion to a choice. When the crisis subsides, we might have occasion to ask whether we want to return to normal, or whether there might be something we’ve seen during this break in the routines that we want to bring into the future. We might ask, after so many have lost their jobs, whether all of them are the jobs the world most needs, and whether our labor and creativity would be better applied elsewhere. We might ask, having done without it for a while, whether we really need so much air travel, Disneyworld vacations, or trade shows. What parts of the economy will we want to restore, and what parts might we choose to let go of? And on a darker note, what among the things that are being taken away right now – civil liberties, freedom of assembly, sovereignty over our bodies, in-person gatherings, hugs, handshakes, and public life – might we need to exert intentional political and personal will to restore?"

SATURN PLUTO have also been major players in other eras that saw world wars and epidemics, but also, major change. A regenerative transformation is within our grasp, and really there is no way around it. No one escapes this portal we have entered. There are those who say that we chose to be here at this time.

From Soul Sloth Astrology:

The Hopi elders say about this time:

You have been telling people that this is the Eleventh Hour, now you must go back

and tell the people that this is the Hour.

And there are things to be considered…

Where are you living?

What are you doing?

What are your relationships?

Are you in right relation?

Where is your water?

Know your garden.

It is time to speak your truth.

Create your community.

Be good to each other.

And do not look outside yourself for your leader.

Then he clasped his hands together, smiled, and said,

“This could be a good time!

There is a river flowing now very fast.

It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid.

They will try to hold on to the shore.

They will feel they are being torn apart and will suffer greatly.

Know the river has its destination.

The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river,

keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water.

And I say, see who is in there with you and celebrate.

At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally, least of all ourselves.

For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey come to a halt.

The time of the lone wolf is over.

Gather yourselves!

Banish the word ’struggle’ from your attitude and your vocabulary.

All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.

We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

--Hopi Elders' Prophecy, June 8, 2000

We all incarnate here, on this soul-school called earth, to evolve.

Evolution takes place in our emotional body. To heal and grow, we must feel it all.

That is what we are here to do, whatever era or circumstances we find ourselves in.

This time is no exception. We can only go forward from here, with an open heart, to embrace the lessons in our path, to love each other and ourselves,

and when it's time, to let go and to die.

This current era may be a portal where many people pass over, which is a part of life.

I believe our time is written in the sky when we are born, and our task

is to live a good life, and when it is time, to die a good death.

And in the meantime, as Ram Dass said, we are all walking each other home.

These are PLUTO SATURN truths. There is no looking away;

we must embrace the truth of life in order to regenerate.

AQUARIUS is the new and better way, and it's where we are headed. SATURN and MARS are now there, serving as powerful, shorter-term mouthpieces for the coming age.

MARS will spend a month and a half, SATURN, off and on the next 2.5 years, and PLUTO will get there in 2023. So the big early work is being done now. To cultivate our future, we must now do the hard work of tilling the hardpan of the old civilization, turning under and composting our disconnection from nature. We are using many horses' power to dig in and turn over. Large rocks are blocking our way, and that's where we find ourselves with MARS and SATURN together. We realize where we are blocked, and with MARS in AQUA, the only solution is revolution.

With our final pass of the MERCURY NEPTUNE conjunction on April 3, we are in a time where what we imagine carries a lot of weight, for good or for ill. Use your imagination wisely and consciously. It's one of the only tools we have right now.

For the April Horoscopes, I'm going to come at it from a different angle,

knowing that life is not normal in terms of all the regular options of life.

I'm mostly going to focus on where the Full MOON lands for your sign.

Also, I'd like to remind you/introduce you to Feng Shui, a traditional,

shamanic practice originating in ancient China, that believes everything is alive,

including our spaces. The same life energy (chi) that animates you, also flows through your home. And since most of us are home now, all the time,

what a great time to practice this art.

Using the Bagua, you can start to understand the zones of Feng Shui in your home,

and how to work with them, change them, improve them, as a way to improve those parts of your life. As above, So below, as Without, so Within.

Here is a Bagua:

Overlay this on top of your house plan, aligning your front door with the Black square/

Here is a good place to start, in understanding how to use it.

Plus there are lots of good links to follow if it catches your interest.

April Horoscopes:

Read your ASCENDANT sign first,

SUN sign second if you were born during the day,

and your MOON sign second, if you were born at night.

ARIES/ARIES RISING

There is a self/relationship focus for you this month, with the SUN in your SIGN, and a Full MOON in your opposite sign of LIBRA. In this Slow Down, if you are working or staying in, you need to both tend your close one on one relationships (love, biz, BFs) as well as your own needs. If you are isolating with another person, then you need to work harder to make sure you also get some alone time. This can be tricky, but sitting in your car, listening to music can be self-care. And with all the wild planetary energy, I recommend both profound classical pieces, including opera, as well as some good old fashioned hard rock. And if you are on your own, please find a way to gather with your besties and your tribe on line, or over the phone. Keep in contact. This will keep your energy flowing and your vibe high.

TAURUS/TAURUS RISING

Hi TAURUS, I know that being home all the time isn't too terrible for you, but the inability to go out and have luxurious experiences might be getting to you. Make sure that in some way or another, you get a tiny or bigger garden to tend. You can plant kale seeds in a small pot in a sunny windowsill, or you can start to plan your summer garden now. Health is a focus this month, both physical and mental (they are of course, connected). Don't forget to take your regular supplements as well as extra immuno protectants that you're taking, but also get out at least once a day, and move your body somehow.

GEMINI/GEMINI RISING

GEMINI, you are among the signs for whom this the hardest. You live and breathe talking to folks. The plus is that you do have your inner twin to talk to, so there's that. VENUS enters your sign on the 3rd, meaning that to add insult to injury, you are extra cute and attractive this month. Find ways to flirt and interact! Internet dating sites also are used just to make new friends, and that might be what you need to do to get through this unscathed. Also, put that mind to use and take this time to hatch a "paper child." How about writing a story, some letters, or that book you've always been meaning to write?

CANCER/CANCER RISING

SATURN and MARS exiting CAP has lifted a big portion of the endlessly heavy weight you've been carrying in the last two years. It's not gone for good yet, but you get a three month break. Between now and July, taste what SATURN in AQUA means for you. Instead of the heavy focus on shared resources, debt, loans, and death, the heavy lifting becomes about your philosophy. The story you tell yourself about life and your place in it. The NORTH NODE is at the end of its eighteen month passage through your sign, so there is pressure on a soul level, to stay current with processing your emotions through all this radical upheaval. To avoid getting stuck in long moody phases, excuse yourself as needed and take a long bath or shower and shed those tears. It's a big reset for you that will always help. I also recommend developing, during this time, a self-care toolkit to soothe and comfort you. Such as rescue remedy, your fave blanket, and socks, your favorite albums on headphones, an art journal where you record whatever you feel like recording, to decrease any anxiety or pressure.

LEO/ LEO RISING

LEO, you're used to moving around town freely, encountering your familiar people and places, going to the movies, out to dinner, etc. Now you're just home unless working. Don't give in to the shlump! Make sure you get dressed each day, in beautiful, colorful clothes that make you feel good. Wear lipstick, do a deep oil hair treatment, take selfies in each room of the house, setting up exciting backdrops and lighting. If you aren't staying in with kids, reach out to some friends with kids and talk with them. They will lift your spirits.

VIRGO/VIRGO RISING

VIRGO, this is a good time to do the most in-depth "spring cleaning" ever (whichever hemisphere you're in). MARS and SATURN are in your sector of work, the daily kind that keeps you healthy. Chores and tasks that generally can only get done once a season await you. The way you do anything is the way you do everything, and deep cleaning is the trendiest thing going right now, worldwide, but no one can do it like a VIRGO. This Full MOON happens in your house of resources, meaning that it would be prudent not to assume that things will return to normal soon, and think about what that means for you. What do you value and need to have? What would you like to make sure that you still have in a world where supply chains may be disrupted? Not in a panicked way, but in a calm, methodical way, begin to gather those things for your deeper preparation.

LIBRA/LIBRA RISING

This month is your Full MOON, LIBRA. This activates your already very social nature and makes the need to connect acute. Find a way, maybe have an online dress-up, dance party that you host, where there can be some flair and fun. If you are staying in alone, and do not have a pet, consider fostering a cat or a dog during this time, to have some warm cuddly companionship. If you are home with your kids, this month may feel trying, with MARS and SATURN in your 5th house. Keep your cool, and if you can't, then find a way to blow off steam rather than showing them your frustration.

SCORPIO/SCORPIO RISING

OK SCORP, you are no stranger to intensity, but this is still all a bit much. This Full MOON lights up your mental and physical health sectors, so please remember to eat well and drink plenty of clean, fresh water. Practice radical self-acceptance and self-compassion, and then practice this same compassion and acceptance of others right now. No one is at their best. Make sure that everyone in your home has a place to retreat to, so if tempers flare, there can be some buffer zones where mandatory constant overlap is mitigated.

SAGITTARIUS/SAGITTARIUS RISING

I think this may be the toughest for you SAG. You who never likes to be limited or bound to any terms besides your own. Find a big project that requires long term thinking and engagement, into which you can dive. Spend some time finding the positive, hopeful stories in the media. Find some new friends from other countries online, with whom you can talk and flirt. It will make you feel better.

CAPRICORN/CAPRICORN RISING

You are benefiting from Team Malefic exiting your sign for a few months. Now you just have JUPITER PLUTO and the SOUTH NODE. It's still an evolutionary tightwire act for you in some ways, but you get some breathing room. Now it's time to focus on your resources, how to shore them up for this unexpected, unprecedented time.

AQUARIUS/AQUARIUS RISING

Well, it's time for you to start stepping up AQUA. This is your time; you are being called to the front. The tasks are to be grounded and responsive to the times. You're a visionary leader, no matter how under wraps you like to keep that shit, and in this time of breakdown, that is going inevitably to lead to some version of revolution, we need your brilliance, your ability to see the future. Your time is now.

PISCES/PISCES RISING

PISCES, you'd like to just sleep through this whole thing, and MERCURY NEPTUNE together in your sign are helping. This may just be feeling like a surreal dream to you. That will change on the 11th, when MERCURY moves into ARIES. Suddenly things will feel more urgent, and the gaps that need to be filled will become apparent. Home is a sweet sanctuary, but you need to make sure that you have money in the bank to pay for what you need. VENUS in your 4th house brings extra sweetness, fun, and play to where you live, though it is building to a retrograde next month. So tend to your home this month, fixing anything that needs attention.