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| April Sunset Catherine Al-Meten |
“The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.” Thich Nhat Hanh
April’s astrological energy is caught up in how we love and are in relationship. This is truly a time to be mindful of ourselves and others in relationship. How are we formed in love, and how do we use love to guide our lives? These are questions we explore this month.
On Friday, Venus formed a conjunction with Neptune in Pisces, sending us underground in an exploration and inner journey examining and turning over and over, ideas, memories, and concerns about our relationships. Whatever had been suppressed, is now clearly making its way into your awareness. Rather than fighting it, allow yourself to face your fears, acknowledge the truth that you may not have wanted to admit to yourself, or delight in the joy that you are presently feeling. Our inner life is active and churning right now, and we are able to sense the deeper meaning of our lives, and to see how loss is blessing, defeat is a valuable lesson, and love is the foundation of all.
The anticipation and growing concern about April’s Full Moon, may be doing little to help us appreciate the beauty and value of how our lives are in a beautiful stage of transformation.
The nature of who we are and where we live, is one of dynamic movement and change. We are always in process, on a new leg of our journey, taking a new step. This is not unusual, it is the norm.
April’s Full Moon in Libra coincides with the first in a series of total lunar eclipses, and with the religious feast day of Passover.
How does this happen, and what is its significance? It is not unusual for full moons and new moons to coincide with religious holy days and events, as most spiritual traditions use the lunar calendar. Even Easter is based on the Moon (Easter falls on the first Sunday after the First Full Moon in Spring). That’s how holy days and events like Lent and Ramadan are determined. We use the movement of the planets, the star (our Sun), and the Moon to help guide us through the seasons of our lives. So what is happening this month?
What is the Lunar Tetrad?
This April, a series of lunar eclipses begins with a full eclipse of the Moon on Passover, April 15. Beginning at 3:05 A.M. EST/12:05 A.M. PDT, the lunar eclipse will last about 30 minutes. The lunar tetrad, a series of four total lunar eclipses, begins on the night of the Full Moon in Libra, April 15, 2014. A lunar tetrad series is different from most eclipse cycles in that there are no partial eclipses between the four full moons over six lunar months.
This series of lunar eclipses has become the center of attention for a wide range of people due to the idea set forth by two Christian pastors that the Blood Moon Tetrad is a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. Lunar tetrads are fairly frequent however, and would likely fall on holidays of any religious tradition that uses the lunar calendar. According to EarthSky, lunar tetrads fell on Jewish feast days in the following years:
- 162-163 C.E. (Common Era)
2. 795-796 C.E.
3. 842-843 C.E.
4. 860-861 C.E.
5. 1493-1494 C.E.
6. 1949-1950 C.E.
7. 1967-1968 C.E.
8. 2014-2015 C.E.
This eclipse cycle includes the following dates for total lunar eclipses:
April 14/15, 2014
October 8, 2014
April 4, 2015
September 28, 2015
The term “blood moon’ was coined by Ron Hagee in his recent (2013) book Four Blood Moons: Something is About to Change. In terms of the Universe and Divine law, something is always changing, and astrology and astronomy follow the dynamic patterns active at all times in our Universe and beyond. This lunar moon is also known as the Pink Moon likely due to the fact that that when you see the Full Moon low in the sky as it rises, you have extra air between you and the Moon making it look pink. As the Moon passes through the Earth’s shadow, it appears to be red. Full Moons almost always appear red or coppery. The expression that the moon is ‘blood red’ refers to this common phenomenon. Common though it may be, it will be spectacularly beautiful. And we can always use a sign from on high.
According to NASA, the four total eclipses will be visible in North America. “There are about two lunar eclipses per year, NASA says. Some of them -- penumbral eclipses -- are so subtle, they are vaguely visible and go greatly unnoticed.
Other eclipses just cast a partial shadow on the moon but lend it none of that brilliant sunset hue. Lunar eclipses -- penumbral, partial or umbral -- occur in random order, NASA says. Getting four umbral eclipses in a row is like drawing a rare lunar poker hand of four of a kind.”
Just like the poker players, astronomers have a name for that lucky draw.
It's called a tetrad, NASA’s Fred Espenak says:
"The most unique thing about the 2014-2015 tetrad is that all of them are visible for all or parts of the USA," longtime NASA eclipse expert Fred Espenak said in a prepared statement. In the 21st century, there will be many tetrads, but look back a few centuries, and you'll find the opposit
Names for April’s Full Moon.
The Full Moon is called many things including the Pink Moon, Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, the Fish Moon, and this month, the Blood Moon. The Full Pink Moon originally referred to the herb moss pink or wild ground phlox that is one of the most widespread flowers of spring. Astrology is meant to be a tool, a guidebook of prevailing and specific trends and occurrences. Like any journey, we have a choice about how we travel. If we take the signs around us as messages or indications to help us make decisions, gain understanding, and become better people, we might understand this Full Moon in Libra to be one auspicious sign and the lunar eclipse/tetrad series as an auspicious time for transformation on all levels.
What does this Full Moon in Libra have in store for us?
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the two-week period of time between the Full Moon and the next New Moon is a time to weed the garden, thin and prune, mow and cut down what needs taking down, and sowing below-ground crops.
The total eclipse of the Moon begins when the Sun in Aries sits exactly opposite the Moon in Libra. The Earth lines up exactly between the two, creating a total lunar eclipse as the Earth’s shadow blocks the Moon. Full Moons are times for illumination. This Full Moon in Libra focuses our attention on relationships, as the Sun in Aries, focuses us on personal freedom, a sense of identity, and personal drive, motivation, and action. The Moon reigns over memory, so this lunar eclipse allows us to recognize, remember, and reflect on what has been released from our lives in order to make way for new beginnings
What does this Full Moon in Libra have in store for us?
April 14, Pluto turns retrograde .The day before the Full Moon in Libra, Pluto turns retrograde. It has been slowing down, and we may have been feeling some heaviness or having less energy. Pluto’s retrograde behind the Sun opens a period of time to go back over whatever transformative and transitional ground may have been turned over in the past two years. Coinciding the aspecting the Full Moon in Libra and the Sun’s transit in the late degrees of Aries, this no doubt will cast light and attention on areas related to relationships and our need and desire to define ourselves independent from but in relation to others and the life paths we choose.
Libra Full Moon at 25/15 degrees, and the Full Lunar Eclipse occur at 12:42 AM PDT/7:42 GMT on April 15, 2014. The first in the series of eclipses, highlights the completion of a cycle and the start of a new one. This cycle and the degree it falls on, is the same degree of an eclipse in 1995. Think about what choices you made at that time, what projects, relationships, or work you began at that time, and consider how you have moved to a point of completion. Not everything is ending, however, chapters of certain relationships, stages of life, and connections are changing. Some relationships may be due for minor adjustments or changes, others may need more of deep cleansing and purging, while still others may reach a final point. Notice what is affected at 25/15 degrees of Libra and Aries in your chart/life.
In addition to the Sun being in Aries, so too are Uranus (planet of sudden change), Mercury (communications), the South Node (areas of weakness, growing edge for growth), and Juno (Goddess of marriages, unions, and finances). Expect the unexpected, and pay attention to how communications, unexpected changes, and changes you need to acknowledge and make are affecting your intimate relationships, your ideas about love, marriage, partnerships, and values.
The Moon in Libra is in conjunction with (same sign and making aspects in her passage of the slower planets and asteroids) Mars (planet of masculine energy, action, the warrior planet), the North Node (gateway to change), Ceres (Goddess of agriculture, nurturing and need for love), and Vesta (the vestial virgin, Goddess of hearth and home). All the issues having to do with feeling at home with ourselves and at home in our earthly home, rise to the forefront at this time. We may desire to make changes, however with Mars in Libra, we tend to ponder that change now rather than making concrete moves. This is actually a good time to learn how to process change within ourselves, working out the details, allowing ourself full rein to our flights of imagination. Let yourself dream big, and then reflect on what really serves your highest good and that of others. Rein in your impulsive behavior (reflected by the Aries action), and set intentions, plans, and visions according to what makes the best sense in the long range view of life. The Lunar eclipse of the Full Moon in Libra, allows us time to think without too much emotional baggage, for we have thrown that overboard by now. We have time to set ourselves on cruise control, to allow the Divine to direct, guide, guard, and provide for us right where we are. Allow the unfolding that is bringing you to a new point of departure, and trust that what you need is always provided for you, in the most unexpected and surprising ways.
This lunar eclipse is setting the waves into motion for our intentions, dreams, purpose, and desires to take shape as we move into the energy of the Grand Cardinal Cross. What has been building, undergoing transformation, falling apart, purging and cleansing us and our lives, is now ready to open the doors to new life, new beginnings, and greater clarity of vision. Listen to your heart, your intuition, and use your highest mind and basic instincts to guide you--body, mind, spirit working in tandem to propel you forward.
Uranus, Pluto, Mars, Jupiter are moving toward one another to form a Grand Cardinal Cross on April 21. Notice now how the Full Moon in Libra is calling your attention to issues you have been working out as Pluto transits Capricorn forcing you to face your inner reality and how your outer life is reflecting your inner fears, strengths, growth, character, and soul calling. Observe how Uranus in Aries has already and continues to highlight individual identity and integrity. How are you living according to your own code of honor, and living out of your truth? Notice how Jupiter in Cancer awakens the need for home and family, and the healing of your emotional health. Mars in Libra, conjunct the Full Moon, also is a key factor in the growing Grand Cardinal Cross, and will again highlight our relationships and our understanding of how our own identity is both shaped and guided by what we understand about our true nature, and how we see ourselves in relationship. Know yourself, and know what you need. Enter into relationships with as much awareness of who you are, what you need, and how you operate, as you have an interest in your partner. Knowing that our relationships reflect who we are-the healed and unhealed parts-make choices, decisions, and repairs with the gentle spirit of love, kindness, and understanding.
The theme of this forecast is Light and Love. We have light shining on the most precious parts of our lives and being. We see in the light, the capacity we have to love and be loved, and we move forward one step at a time to meet that destiny, Divinely inspired and led.
“Love begins at home...and it is not how much we do but how much love we put in that action.” Mother Teresa
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