The Back End of April -- April 15 - 30 - Rick Levine!

I bring you a gift!  Well, actually the gift is from Rick Levine.   Rick is a talented, seasoned, beloved astrologer.  I used to read his articles on his website with Jeff Jawer in the late early 2000s and found his Youtube channel several years ago.  He has been on Chris Brennan's Astrology Podcast many times as well as Astrology Hub.     He is on Patreon of which I am a member and I usually try to listen to his monthly forecast and his mid month forecast.   Normally, his mid month is only for members but occasionally when the astro is super intense he will open it up to world.  Such is the case with this back end of April.    

For those of you who read my blog, a lot of what he talks about may sound familiar but how Rick talks about it is very interesting and I always think we should listen to other astrologers for their own style and nuances and analysis.   Rick is terrific.   Give it a watch. 

I have also included Rick's text that came with the email and the Youtube link.   

“Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clean your path.”
—Paulo Coelho

NOTE: I have made this mid-month update publicly available because of the importance of this time. Please help by sharing this on your social media. Thanks, as always, for your support. YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1vhA4q33xY

The primary difference between the first and second half of April has to do with planetary motion. Mercury and Venus are both moving direct now with Mercury gaining nearly 15 degrees in the second part of the month after only moving forward one-and-a-half degrees in the first two weeks. Venus lost ground through mid-month but gains seven degrees by May 1. Even Mars is moving 50% faster during this period when compared to the beginning of April. Aside from any other planetary aspects or sign changes, this forward progress gives us the unavoidable sense that a profound transformation—for better or worse—is finally happening. It’s as if the captain of the ship has commanded, “Full steam ahead!” Nevertheless, it will still take time to figure out which way we are traveling with the mists of Neptune preventing us from seeing reality clearly. One thing is certain: the status quo no longer exists, and historic change is inevitable.

 

The shift from receptive water to volatile fire becomes more apparent with interactive Mercury and irresistible Venus blasting into impulsive Aries on April 15 and April 30, respectively. Additionally, Mars moves from its defensive or even passive position in emotionally self-protective Cancer into dramatically expressive Leo on April 17. It feels as if everything is heating up too quickly, like a flame from a small cooking stove is turning into a raging inferno. 

The Sun’s entry into earthy Taurus on April 19 could be the source of some much-needed stability, but its harsh squares to Mars and Pluto on April 20–23 only throw more fuel on the fire in the form of fear and anger. The growing tensions reach a crescendo on April 26 when red-hot Mars forms its third-and-final opposition to domineering Pluto, creating a retrocausal connection back to their first opposition on November 3, 2024. Events that magnified the social polarization of the American presidential election, triggering unrest all around the world, must now be addressed out in the open. Although there is an instinctual urge to burn it all down, it is imperative we take a deep breath and be very intentional in our actions. Choosing the side of love requires the willingness to stand up and fight for the soul of humanity.

Meanwhile, value-conscious Venus conjoined karmic Saturn on April 7, maintaining the connection through the entire month, culminating with its third exact conjunction on April 24. This aspect is a mixed blessing, devaluing the finances of many while simultaneously minimizing some of the burn. Although gratification may seem far away while cold Saturn restrains the riches of Venus, this planetary combo can ameliorate the potential collateral damage of the raging political fires just enough to help us through this complex nexus of cosmic energies. We should note that prior to the Venus retrograde phase (March 1–April 12), the first of three Venus-Saturn conjunctions was in play on Inauguration Day on January 20.

April is a month of dynamic change that continues to intensify through the Taurus New Moon on April 27 at 12:31 pm PDT. Although this New Moon is square the Mars-Pluto opposition, there may be a cooling of tempers if we can individually and collectively avoid the unconscious expression of aggression. Messenger Mercury forms a semisquare just hours prior to the New Moon, suggesting that constructive communication is the key to successfully navigating through these dangerous currents. Fortunately, we can win this battle if we understand the current circumstances are a direct call to action. The shift of planets into pioneering Aries reminds us that necessity is the mother of invention and enlightened creativity can lead to brilliant new solutions.

“We can not solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them.”
― Albert Einstein

Think cosmically, act locally,

   ~ Rick Levine