Virgo (23 August – 22 September)
Your ruling planet Mercury is retrograde as April begins and continues on go slow until the 15th of the month. This is potentially a frustrating Mercury retrograde phase for you as Mercury is in retreat in Aries, a sign that’s not known for its patience. Aries wants everything to happen fast and that may not be the case for the first half of the month.
The start of April, however, could be a significant turning point. On the 1st, the Sun and retrograde Mercury sit side-by-side and, for a short window of time, the Sun illuminates what’s hidden. Listen out for insights, find a new solution to an old problem and be willing to change tactics or set off in a new direction in order to make progress.
This is still a time when you need to be relatively cautious, particularly around money matters, but keep reviewing your situation or get alternative advice. Aries rules the sector of your horoscope which represents joint finances and shared resources so this is likely to be a busy time of year for you with regard to money and financial transactions.
You might be busy with your tax if you’re in the UK or needing to balance the books. If you’re a typical Virgo, you’re a stickler for detail and you always do a thorough job if you’re organising finances either at home or work.
This could also be a month when it’s wise to be honest with yourself and others about where your money goes. Mercury clashes with two key planets on the 4th and 5th, Mars and Saturn respectively. This could indicate an argument over money or a need to lay down the law.
You might be feeling cross with a child or lover, someone personal to you, or perhaps you’re finding it hard to justify a hobby that’s expensive or you’re struggling to fund an activity you love.
If this is the case for you, the time to act is mid-April, when there’s a whoosh of planetary activity in Aries. Firstly, Mercury turns direct on the 15th and this often brings new information to light or helps you get hold of someone who can take on a supportive role.
This is followed by a New Moon in Aries on the 16th, a symbol of new beginnings. This is the time to actively engage with money matters and, where possible, separate your emotions from your financial ties.
The other planet closely involved in the astrology is Uranus, which often coincides with sudden twists and turns. You might find someone else’s actions take you by surprise so keep close tabs on your money and decide whether the time is right for you to cut ties and move on.
Any situation that restricts you financially isn’t going away entirely, until at least mid-May. Instead, you have to come up with alternatives and be realistic about what you can and can’t achieve. Note what happens on or around the 25th, when Mercury once again runs into the planet of limitation, Saturn. A time when less is more.
Action planet Mars is currently storming through Capricorn, your fellow earth sign, so you may sense an urgency about children and pregnancy, or your work if what you do is your passion, your vocation in life. Mars in Capricorn is great for self-discipline and getting things done but Mars encounters Saturn on the 2nd and Pluto on the 26th, also in Capricorn.
This is another reason why April’s stars may reveal which doors are closed to you and where you need to move on. Note too that planets in Aries are about taboo issues, which includes sex, money, power, death and rebirth. Therefore, you may be dealing with some difficult issues in your life at this time, although the timing is right to grapple with them. Answers are likely to come from mid-April onwards.
It’s also important to turn to the benefic planets, Venus and Jupiter, for support and nurture. Venus is currently in your fellow earth sign, Taurus, highlighting travel and study. Venus remains here until the 24th and the period from the 7th to the 17th is excellent to go somewhere new so you gain a fresh perspective on your current situation.
Love and foreign connections go hand in hand with this combination, whether you’re planning a holiday with the one you love or you’re lusting after someone who lives on a different continent. Jupiter is also helpful throughout April and Jupiter is your partner planet.
Turn to the ones you love for insight, a heart-to-heart or getting to the root of a problem. There’s a Jupiter-Pluto connection on the 14th which promises a breakthrough. All the exciting planetary activity takes place during this mid-month period, an excellent period to engage fully with life and be bold in your decisions.
You may find that other people need you more than usual this month too. You might have to be there for a child or sibling more than usual. This is a time when you can connect deeply with the people close to you, as long as you prioritise them.
It’s all too easy to get caught up with the things that feel urgent or important and yet, this month it’s your personal connections which can be most helpful and supportive. As a Virgo, you care about other people and you often find your sense of self through giving to others and being of service.
Your focus is less on work and status now, unless you’ve turned a hobby into your profession or what you do on a daily basis is what you love. The side of life which brings you pleasure and gives you meaning is where fulfilment can be found. Do start to turn your attention towards your career after the 24th when the planet of relating, Venus, enters Gemini, an ideal date to expand your connections and networking skills.
The Full Moon on the 30th completes the month and it too highlights the learning and travel sectors of your horoscope. Line up an event that nurtures and nourishes your soul in the last weekend of April.