Pluto is the planet of regeneration,death, destruction, decay, sex, reincarnation, recycling and rejuvenation. He is the ruler of Scorpio (old ruler of Scorpio was Mars) and he is connected to the 8th house and the reproductive organs in the human body. Pluto is one of the outer planets of our system and as such, his influence isn’t as strong as the inner planets… but it will still affect us to some extent…He is retrograde in the sign of Capricorn and will remain retrograde until October 2 2019.
What does it mean when Pluto goes Retrograde?
We may find we are re-assessing our use of power, or how we “control or manipulate” others/situations.
Some folks may find they are “forced” into giving up bad habits.. (which isn’t a bad thing if it’s helps you to become a better you)
Our desire to control, or for control decreases, this can be a good thing for the folks around the folks who get through life by controlling or “bullying” others for the sake of their own agenda’s… But might not be so good for the folks who need a push to get motivated or moving with life.
This can be a good time to reflect on how we have been dealing with the changes and transformations that have taken place since the last Pluto retrograde… if we haven’t been doing too well with our changes, we might get some clues on how to make it a little easier now.
If you have folk in your life who have a tendency to want to control you, (remember, this is sometimes done out of love and good intentions) .. it’s as good a time as any right now to distance yourself from these folks or to remove them from your life all together.
Those with the following in their natal, transit or progressed charts will feel the effects of this Pluto retrograde the most.
Sun in Scorpio
Moon in Scorpio
Pluto in Scorpio
Ascendant in Scorpio
Midheaven in Scorpio
Aspects to Pluto
Pluto aspects to the Sun, Moon Mars, Mercury, and Venus.
Void-off-Course: April 12 @ 7:33 pm (ET) 6:17 am (PT)
House: 12th house of institutions, fantasy and illusion (equal house system)
Opportunity Period: April 12 @ 4:02 pm (ET) 1:02 pm (PT) to moon into Leo the next morning. Nice time for a stroll… :)
What does it all mean?
The moon is happy in the sign of Cancer because she rules here.
We can be more nurturing when there is a cancer moon
Domestic chores and responsibilities may be easier to do now, in fact some of us may be very happy making our home comfortable and safe
Cooking may be fun to do now, so go ahead and try out that new recipe
The more emotionally sensitive of us, may take offense or feel slighted or more vulnerable during the Cancer moon… Caution is advised though, check your facts before you “accuse”.
Some of us may feel needy, while others of us are happy to be the cuddler, helping our loved ones feel secure and in deed needed. Caution is advised that some of us can go over board on the needy thing during this moon period, so be careful if you don’t want to “scare” someone off…
It’s a time for cuddles, caring, good food and just plain old lovings… :) Enjoy..
With the Transiting moon in the 9th house, we may be more inclined towards picking up a new subject, learning a new recipe, checking into house improvements and looking for a few days away to relax and unwind.
In the 12th house of fantasy, illusion and institutions. This is the house of Pisces. Some of us may be more emotional than usual, however, displaying or explaining our emotions may not be so easy… It’s a good time to spend alone, to reflect on the past and recognize our strengths and weaknesses… It’s a time to renew ourselves… Drama isn’t welcome, meditation and serenity is… :) An opportune time to be creative and intuitive… we my dream more and feel more connected to our spiritual selves. Because Cancer is a domestic and sensitive sign, and the moon is at home in this sign, take care not over react to family/domestic situations, you may be seeing things from an overly emotional point of view… let logic have a look in on the situation too…;)
This moon sign will have more of an effect on those who have the following in their charts. And to a lessor degree… Those with strong Capricorn in their charts may also be affected
Moon in Cancer:
Ascendant in Cancer:
Sun in Cancer:
Moon in the 4th house:
Moon in the 12th house:
Aspects to the Moon:
Jupiter turns retrograde on the 10th of April, until August 11th.
When Planets go retrograde it usually means some challenges where the planet’s “power” is concerned… Jupiter is the “lucky” or expansive planet and is connected to the sign of Sagittarius and the 9th house.
During this retrograde cycle, Jupiter will visit with the 6th and then the 5th house. (Equal house system)…. While jupiter is retrograde, expansion and good luck are still possible, however, it will likely take more looking than usual to “see the opportunities around us” … Take this time to go over your plans, to view your future in a positive way, with plans to make things better, figure out ways to bring a more positive light into your world…
Exercise, diet and following the same old routine day in and day out, may not be so appealing. We can become restless and perhaps irritated at the “lack” of activity in our lives now. Being patient, while not always easy, is recommended under this influence, as is, keeping our ego under control. Being confident is a good thing, especially when we need to try something new, or we find ourself in an unnerving situation, however, being overly confident is not recommended. Folks should be careful when gambling or taking risks, things may look good, but under this influence they are unlikely to turn out exactly as planned. Children and pets may be around more often, and we will need to be engaged with them… Being creative may be slightly more challenging than usual… but don’t give up, it just means you may have to try a few times to get it right… :)
While this Jupiter retrograde cycle will have an effect on all of us, those with the following are most likely to be affected most directly.
Sun in Sagittarius
Jupiter in Sagittarius
Jupiter in the 5th or 6th house
Moon in Sagittarius
The Moon and Astrology
&
HOW IT AFFECTS OUR DAILY LIVES…
In astrology, the moon is connected to our emotions and reactions… how we are feeling on a given day may well be influenced by the sign that is visiting the moon… Each sign stays with the moon for up to 2.5 days…. :)
The Moon Void-off-Course:
There are times throughout the month when the moon isn’t fully immersed in any sign… this is when we say the moon is Void off Course… and when this occurs, we may feel “foggy” and “unfocused” … We may not be sure how we are truly feeling about a situation or a person…. Therefore it is not recommended that we make long-term commitments or important decision’s while the moon is Void off Course…. However there are 4 signs in the zodiac which may prove positive during the Void-off-Course moon…
Good for Void-Off-Course Moon:
These v/c signs may prove to be quite productive times.
Cancer
Taurus
Sagittarius
Pisces…
Opportunity Periods (thanks to astrologer Jim Shawvan):
There are other periods throughout the month that are known as opportunity periods, when it can prove to be a positive time for most people, however if you have challenging aspects happening within your own chart you may not be able to make use of opportunity periods.
Thanks to Jim Shawvan present day astrologer, William Lilly 17th century astrologer and Llewellyn’s Daily Planetary Guide for opportunity periods.
Uranus, through retrograde motion moves back into the sign of Aries.
What does this mean?
Aries is the most masculine of the signs… he can be heroic, blaze a new path, forge ahead where others may fear to tread…. But, he can also be impatient, insensitive and selfish….
Uranus is the planet of shock, chaos and change… He is the ruler of Aquarius, and governs the 11th house of team work, humanitarianism and community involvement.
The Aries influence in Uranus could see some of us making or being forced to make some changes… it will depend on which house Uranus falls within our personal charts as to which area of life these changes will be.
Because Aries is about moving forward, exploration and trying something new this could be a busy time for those of us who are more than ready to move ahead with changes…
We may be more impatient when it comes to getting things already in motion concluded… and when it comes to getting new plans into the action mode…
Take care when dealing with others, especially those who are slower to respond to new ideas and changes… not everyone will be ready or willing to take on new challenges now.
For some folks, energy levels may fluctuate. Be busy when energy is up if you can, and rest when they aren’t … if that isn’t possible, try not to be too hard on oneself when things don’t go according to plan.
As Uranus can shock us to the point of “knocking us off of our feet” it is advisable to check all the small points before making a commitment… we can make mistakes now in our rush to remove ourselves from a tedious situation.
Uranus will remain in the fiery, action orientated sign of Aries until March 2019. Keep in mind that Uranus is in retrograde motion for the rest of 2018. When planets are in retrograde motion, their influence in our lives will be slightly difference as to what it is when they are in direct motion. This means, that while other factors may indicate it’s a good time to begin something new, (Aries likes to do new things)… it is not always the best time to do so… It is therefore important to check all the facts before committing to long-term agreements, especially if finances may be involved. Instead, it is probably better to continue with situations that are already in process…. adding a new twist or idea to such situations is recommended.
This influence will have an effect on all of us, but will have a stronger effect on those who the following in their charts:
Uranus in Aries
Sun in Aries
Ascendant or Midheaven in Aries
Uranus in the 1st house
Uranus in the 11th house
Any aspects Uranus makes to the 1st house or the 11th house
Any aspects between, Uranus, Mars or Venus
Those who have any Libra in their charts, especially if Uranus is in Libra or the 7th house.
Mars is the planet of action, he can be aggressive and impatient… when he prods us to rush around, he makes us susceptible to accidents, like banging our head on open doors, cutting ourselves with knives and scissors or getting into minor car accidents… He can also be heroic, coming forward to protect the vulnerable and the weak… He is the planet that prompts us to move ahead, to start something new, to be brave.
***“Head’s Up“….Those with strong Aries/Mars chart influence’s may experience headaches as the energy moves into retrograde motion… taking precautions, such as avoiding any triggers is suggested.***
When a planet goes retrograde, the energy of that planet is affected. And while retrograde motion can get a “bad wrap” they can be helpful if we know how to work with them.
Because Mars is a high energy planet, when he goes retrograde his energy is “capped”, meaning that his efforts to move ahead are hampered. And so it stands to reason, that anything begun under a Mars retrograde may not proceed in the way it was expected to… Once the retrograde has passed, projects and situations/relationships we have got ourselves involved in during the retrograde may not last or have the positive outcome we had thought they would.
The best thing to do with any retrograde planet is to carry on doing what we were doing before the planet went retrograde, as it’s not a good time to begin anything new.
Mars is a sexual planet, get together’s for physical encounters may prevail now, so take care if you are on the look out for a lasting relationship…
Be open to new opportunities and new ideas, but don’t act on them until the planet has moved out of retrograde motion.
When Mars goes Retrograde, try not to get involved in new relationships, or start a new job, business or anything new that requires a signature or long-term commitment. Weddings and job interviews that had already been set up before the retrograde and that take place during the retrograde will have a better chance of success, then those that may be done on the spur of the moment during the Mars retrograde.
Mars has a hand in how we deal with anger, he brings out the aggressor in us… When he is retrograde, it may cause some confusion as to how we manage our anger, for some of us, this confusion about our anger, may mean we aren’t sure how to handle it. It is best then, that we monitor our feelings during this retrograde… and if we aren’t completely sure of the reason behind our anger, it’s best to find a healthy, positive way of letting off steam.
Mars is a “high energy” planet, those with Aries or a strong Mars influence usually have lots of extra energy they need to use up … However, when Mars is in retrograde motion, our energy level can be lower or sporadic. This can cause some of us to become “cranky” or more impatient than usual… It is a good idea then, to practice patience while Mars is in Retrograde motion, stay away from situations and people who you know are going to “set you off”. Instead of getting caught up in intense, worrying situations that likely have no solutions, try doing more relaxing and fun things… Playing fun sports such as volley ball, baseball, tennis etc can all help to use up this energy in a positive way, just take care not to fall over, run into things or get hit by a ball, bat or tennis racquet ;).
As Mars first moves into retrograde motion he will be in the sign of Aquarius by the time he goes direct he would have moved backwards (retrograde = moving backwards) into the sign of Capricorn…
Mars in Aquarius, we like to play as a team, our energy can be erratic and we may achieve our goals via hit and miss tactics… Personal power will take a back seat and we are more open to cooperating with others.
Mars in Capricorn, is almost the opposite to Mars in Aquarius, here the energy is more deliberate and persistent… we think before acting and our anger is slower to manifest… however, Capricorn can be cold when angered or upset, this can be rather challenging for those with sensitive water signs in their charts.
Bottom line on retrograde planets… Be aware of how serious you are taking things, try not to start anything new and most of all have fun… life is short and we don’t have time to waste on upside down emotions, unless of course we learn from them… ;)
While Mars retrograde will have an effect on all of us, he will have more of an effect on those with the following in their charts.
Mars in Aries
Sun in Aries
Moon in Aries
Ascendant in Aries
Mid-heaven in Aries
To a lessor extent…. the above planets in the following signs: Aquarius, Capricorn or Libra.
Serenity's Gift Cove (sgc) 