From fire to earth, Mercury cools his jets and attempts to find grounding in the sign of Taurus. He enters the sign of the bull, Taurus on Monday, April 3rd. Taurus, fixed earth is a stabilizing temple, ruled by Venus, and varies wildly from his time in Mar’s temple of Aries. Where once the movement was spontaneous and erractic, in Taurus, Mercury embodies a more yin nature. Moves a little slower, time is of qualitive nature, and makes certain of what he is communicating. Venus is still present in Taurus, lending an even greater dignity to his entrance, and a touch of compassion. This will be important. Mercury will immediately move into a challenging square aspect with Pluto in Aquarius. Mercury aspecting Pluto, is an important cairn on Pluto’s steps through fixed air. Mercury by signification applies to themes of communication, technology, writing and speaking, medicine, and divination. An inferior square aspect to Pluto can be an affront to all of these themes, and setting the tone for months to years to come. 

Mercury in fixed Taurus seeks stability, reason and rationalization. Calculated purpose, function, and quality are all desirable outcomes. Stable footing, clear communication, a well-sought game plan. When it squares Pluto who resides in an airy, fixed sign ( one also centered around technology, future-forward planning, a focus on the collective good), themes around how we are progressing and at what speed may be highlighted this week.

I think of ethics around AI, for instance the lightning speed of Chat GPT’s development has even developers on edge with concern on how quickly it is being upgraded into the collective. Other relevant conversations around Tiktok or even the Twitter files may be front and center this week.

While I write on this on the airplane, my daughter watches the movie M3GAN, a movie based on an AI robot designed to be a human companion who quickly learns to communicate, evolve and embody emotion, and essentially becomes sentient and self-aware, ultimately leading to a hostile human interactions. This movie has a deeper reflection on the over-dependence society can have on technology and the warning that human connection can never be overrode by AI. The movie and its message is a great example of Mercury in a fixed earth sign receiving a square from Pluto in Aquarius. The shadow aspect to fast-paced technology, artificial intelligence, and its relationship to the human experience.

On a personal level, Mercury’s entrance into Taurus and following a square to Pluto, can signal conversations you may beginning to have around yourself with a deep personal change or catharsis. Is there a hard conversation you need to have that you have kept buried? If there is to be forward movement in your own life, or with your own goal, what is the biggest hurdle? Where do you trip yourself up?  This transit may attempt to bring you down closer to the hard earth, rather than floating up in the sky.

Pluto, Hades of the Underworld, may pull up to the surface of the collective, buried concerns or secrets, and Mercury may want a more clear and conscise conversation.

What brings you down to your own earth, stabilizes your feet to the soil and allows you not to get too lost in the ether. If you are ready for the promised Pluto upgrade, how do you still remain connected to the world and human experience around you and still grow? How do you as an individual integrate larger technology into your own life, and remain still connected to external communities around you.

This I think is supported by the Moon’s movements. Luna herself will have favorable aspects with both Mercury, Venus and Pluto and then will move into Libra, the sign of the scales. Here the Moon will finds her fullest illumination late on the 5th. A Libra Full Moon finds mediation to prove helpful in proper discourse and trajectory. Venus, the ruler of the Full Moon, again has very distinct dignity being in her other home sign Taurus. The capacity to hold a loving, compassionate, even nonjudgemental eye in the sign of the scales is a huge advantage. Jupiter opposition will be the Moon’s next move, this could bring too light a crisis of confidence, but maybe not one that lasts long. Next week Jupiter will be reborn when he heads into the heart of the Sun. Right now he is shedding his aging solar cycle, and letting go what no longer serves.

This may be a really good week to gain the advantage of perspective and being able to look at all sides of a situation. A Libra Full Moon illuminates new paths, new perspectives, new problem solving skills. 

This week we are supplied with three separate instances of sextiles between planets: April 5th-Mercury and Saturn, April 7th- Venus and Neptune, and April 8th- Mercury and Mars. Sextile aspects are pleasant, and of the nature of Venus. They have a harmonizing effect, and this repetitive aspect says to me that whatever is going on, whether it be deeper conversations, creative problem solving, or seeking a more humane approach, the planets are aligning to be supportive in this quest.

Go forward this week seeking perspective, and more profound understanding. The stars are aligned to move you forward on this week’s journey.