“We have arrived in April, one of the most powerful months of the year,” explains Jetteke van Lexmond, co-founder of the Moonsisters, whose lunar calendar marks a new moon on 8 April. “We are in the middle of the solar eclipse season and Mercury has been retrograde since 1 April, where it will remain until 25 April. We have just had a full moon and a partial lunar eclipse, and 8 April will see a new moon and full solar eclipse. And that’s not all: on 20 April, we have the strongest planetary conjunction of the year: that between Jupiter-Uranus. In short, buckle up!”
Prepare for your soul to grow
The past full moon and the accompanying eclipse were “all about letting go”. “This eclipse will continue to have an effect for the next few months, and will join with the solar eclipse’s energy,” says van Lexmond. Eclipses are turning points – they mark both endings and new beginnings. As a result, many of us now either face life-changing decisions that can no longer be put off, have have had a strong wake-up call or are currently going through a crisis. Sound like you? “Be aware that the universe doesn’t always give you what you want, but it does give you what you need for your soul’s growth.”
We are facing a time in which pressure is increasing – you will be reminded of “who you really are and what unique contribution you are making to the ‘grand cosmic plan’”, says the moon expert. Unprocessed emotions and traumas may rise to the surface: “It can feel like the floodgates have broken – everything rushes out all at once. Make space for your process and let it happen,” van Lexmond concludes.
A super new moon in Aries meets a total solar eclipse
There is yet another super new moon on 8 April – the third in a row. The new moon is in Aries and coincides with a total solar eclipse. “A super powerful combination”, says van Lexmond. “The fiery, driven Aries is eager and ready for fruitful new beginnings.” The solar eclipse will not be visible everywhere “but you will be able to see it in Texas, north America and parts of Canada, where it will have the greatest impact.”
Even if you can’t see it, you are still likely to be affected by this astrological combination. “The effect will be different for everyone. Some experience a radiant new beginning, others struggle with trauma and lose themselves for a while,” she says. “In the past, total solar eclipses were seen as something terrible because the light – and therefore Earth’s source of life – is temporarily obscured. Today we know that solar eclipses are temporary events that only block the sun’s light for a moment and then release a tremendous force. Compare it to water in a dam – when the dam is removed, it flows faster than before.” It is therefore quite possible that you will “feel this surge of light” in the days after the solar eclipse.
Be prepared for the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction at the end of April
“Just when we’ve recovered from the eclipses, the next cosmic highlight will take place on 20 April: it’s called the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction.” The two planets will be reunited for the first time since 2011. “When Jupiter, the planet of growth, happiness and abundance, and Uranus, the planet of transformation, renewal and revolution, come together, you can expect fireworks, breakthroughs, surprising twists and turns, and a gigantic shift in consciousness. This conjunction sets the tone for the next 14 years, opening hearts and eyes to new techniques and methods. And this energy, like the eclipses, helps you realise your heart’s desires. Hello new beginnings, new world and new you… here we come!”