This week’s headline items: the first Quarter Moon in Cancer becomes exact on Monday afternoon; Mercury starts to slow down (station) again on Tuesday (preparing to end its 3-week Retrograde phase); on Thursday, Pluto starts to slow down as well – preparing for its yearly Retrograde phase — and “Eclipse Season” comes to an end. The Sun changes signs from Aries to Taurus late on Friday morning; finally, a powerful Jupiter-Uranus alignment in Taurus becomes exact late on Saturday evening.

There will be three Moon Void of Course (VoC) phases this week: Monday evening (for 3 hours), Thursday morning (for a little over 2 hours), and Saturday evening (for almost 3 hours).

On Friday, April 19th at 8am EDT for another episode of Hot Astrology Friday! on the Soulivity Today Morning Show.

I will have an interesting chat with the lovely Brian Westley Johnson about the upcoming Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in Taurus! **If you live in California, you can listen in via KMET Radio at 8am PT.

***Also, there are some Membership changes that went into effect on Jan. 24th with some NEW Membership features and some minor price changes ==> You can watch a brief video OR read about those changes here.

Monday, the Moon remains in protective, nurturing Cancer until 10:24pm EDT. With this Moon placement, we are more sensitive to what people say, and our feelings are thus more easily hurt — so be kind to yourself and others. Self-care is key!

Monday late morning, a Mercury/Chiron alignment in 20 degrees of Aries becomes exact at 11:23am EDT. We started to feel this aspect build from Thursday evening (April. 11th) on; it will remain strong until Saturday morning (April 20th). Due to Mercury’s Retrograde phase we are experiencing this aspect for the second time within the last month.

Think back to March 20th, and ask yourself: What did I discover about my human identity at that time? How did I engage with my physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being?

Did I experience any triggers? What was I able to communicate about myself and my sensitivities? Was there anything I was not able to share?

This alignment allows us to communicate our flaws, insecurities, and sensitivities and thereby begin to heal them.

Bringing compassion to our past wounds and current sensitivities feels soothing, empowering, and healing; doing the same for others is going to feel really good.

Remember: what you can do for yourself, you can do for others more easily, and vice versa.

As best as you can, whatever you do or don’t communicate, cut yourself a little slack. Be open to bringing love and understanding to your communications — especially when you are feeling triggered.

Remember: Our past wounding (and ancestral wounding) makes us more sensitive to certain things, and that is why we get triggered

Being human means being “imperfect”; there is no shame in that. Our so-called imperfections open hearts and create and spread compassion, which is precisely what heals everyone’s wounding and sensitivities, including our own.

Ask yourself: Could I give myself 5% more permission to be “imperfect”? Could I acknowledge my sensitivities that stem from past wounding? Could I love myself because of those so-called imperfections and sensitivities?

Double-check: Does blaming or judging myself for being “imperfect” or “overly sensitive” actually serve me? How about when I do that to others? Who is served when I do this?

Could I be open to the possibility that my “imperfections” and sensitivities — whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual — exist to serve not only my personal evolution but also that of humanity? If that were true, what else would need re-evaluating?

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in 18-22 degrees of Aries, Libra, Cancer, or Capricorn? If so, you will feel this alignment quite strongly. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Virgo or Gemini (since Mercury is the ruler of Gemini and Virgo).

Monday afternoon at 3:13pm EDT, the first Quarter Moon in 26 degrees of Cancer becomes exact. We started to feel this aspect when the Moon entered Cancer on Saturday afternoon (April 13th). The Moon in protective, introverted Cancer makes a challenging aspect to the Sun in bold, fast-paced Aries.

Last week, on April 8th, saw a powerful New Moon/Solar Eclipse in Aries. If we set some intentions on April 10th, 11th, or 12th, we are now ready to make some adjustments.

This is a time to stretch and grow — and create some forward momentum — in fact, we may feel compelled to act, stirring up anxiety or overwhelm, so just go one breath at a time.

Remember, we’re still in Eclipse Season until April 18th and thus don’t have all the information we need to move brand-new projects forward yet. Allow for changes, remain flexible and adaptable, and find creative solutions in day-to-day interactions with others.

Allow also for new downloads and for the release of “old” codes and conditioning. Simply put: an open mind and heart will serve us best (that’s true in general, but especially true until Eclipse season ends.

Another thing to remember: if something is beginning or ending in a way that seems organic… allow it to be. As best as you can, observe your feelings and stay grounded in the “here and now”. Connect to your intuition and inner wisdom; they will help carry you through this period. We are receiving a consciousness upgrade — that’s a good thing!

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in 24-28 degrees of Cancer, Aries, Capricorn, or Libra? If so, you will feel the effects of this first Quarter Moon more strongly than otherwise. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Leo or Cancer (the Sun rules Leo; the Moon rules Cancer).

Monday evening at 7:22pm EDT, we enter a Moon VoC that will last for 3 hours until 10:24pm EDT. Use this intuitive time to be in a state of “flow” and emotional connection to others; spiritual and creative endeavors are favored at this time.

As always with a Moon VoC, as best as you can, don’t start anything brand-new, stick to routine things, or simply go with the flow. You may also want to plan Monday evening ahead of time.

Monday late evening at 10:24pm EDT., the Moon moves into fun and attention-loving Leo, where it will journey until Thursday late morning. We may lack objectivity and struggle with backing down or compromising. We all love to be admired — or at the very least acknowledged — for our greatness …

So hand out some compliments — let people know how proud you are of them, and tell them how much you love them. Come from the heart in this and all other things… be honest and authentic as best you can.

Fun, games and romance are a big part of this energy as well. You might also enjoy spending time with little ones.

If there are no “outer children” around, how about getting in touch with your “inner child” — it’s definitely easier for the next two-and-a-half days.

What are you most grateful for today? What would be heaps and heaps of fun? What would be so much fun, you let out a tiny squeak, just thinking of it?