The last two weeks of April are extremely charged, potentially volatile, and probably one of the most important times of the year—one of the few most important times of the year—2025. After three and a half months of being retrograde in the water sign of Cancer, Mars is finally entering back into the sign of Leo—the fire sign of the open heart, generosity, and playfulness.

We have transiting Mercury conjoined with Neptune in Aries. This is the first time Mercury and Neptune have been together in the fire sign of Aries in 165 years. We've had Neptune in Pisces for approximately 14 years, and during that time, we've experienced Mercury–Neptune alignments in the water sign of Pisces—sensitive, imaginative, and mystical.

But now that Neptune has just moved into Aries, this is the first Mercury–Neptune conjunction in Aries, a fire sign.

I have been thinking a lot about the Fire element with Neptune moving into Aries and very closely trining (a harmonious aspect of flow and opportunity) my natal Mars and North Node in Leo.

My favorite Tarot card is the Queen of Wands. This fiery queen embodies confidence, high energy, health, creative self-expression, vitality, and ambition to go after her goals.

It was an ordinary early spring morning. I woke up early to wake my 16-year-old son Richie for school… this often took several attempts, as it does for many teenagers. I made myself coffee and, as per my daily routine, pulled a tarot card for my day. I remember it so vividly because, in retrospect, it was relevant—though at first, I denied it after the events that unfolded that day.

Venus is currently going through the early phase of its retrograde cycle from 10 degrees of Aries, tracing a path back to 24 degrees of Pisces. In recent years past, I was busy helping my family and caregiving for my elderly parents and did not have the time to pay close attention to how this cycle was impacting me personally. As a professional Astrologer, I understand the transits, progressions, and current planetary returns aspecting my natal birth chart. However, there is still some mystery, especially during retrograde cycles, regarding how specific themes will play out in my reality.

I decided to create a Tarot spread of how this particular Venus Retrograde cycle will impact me personally. Venus traces a pentagram or rose in the sky over an 8-year period. This post will not go into detail about the beauty and symmetry of this star formation. I will recommend a few books below if you would like to explore.

The first three cards are the major themes of my week ahead.  The last two represent my biggest challenge this week as well as a gift or grace I will experience this week.

The seven of wands is a fire element card that symbolizes unstoppable drive and determination against all odds.  This card, coincidentally, is ruled by the planet Mars. This is hopeful to me because I have been feeling under the weather for several weeks. Mars has been traversing through my twelfth house of the subconscious, dreams, places of retreat and the collective unconscious.  I have had a long period of insomnia and it’s been extremely frustrating.   

The first three cards are the major themes of my week ahead.  The last two represent my biggest challenge this week as well as a gift or grace I will experience this week.

The seven of wands is a fire element card that symbolizes unstoppable drive and determination against all odds.  This card, coincidentally, is ruled by the planet Mars. This is hopeful to me because I have been feeling under the weather for several weeks. Mars has been traversing through my twelfth house of the subconscious, dreams, places of retreat and the collective unconscious.  I have had a long period of insomnia and it’s been extremely frustrating.   

The Nodes in astrology are invisible points where the energy of the Sun and the Moon align to predict the eclipses.  They are symbolic of our personal  karma and dharma, fate and destiny, as well as important happenings on the world stage.

The North Node in Pisces is now aligned with Neptune in Pisces. This initiates themes of major karmic significance and destiny, both personally and on a collective level. The Nodes change signs every 18 months, however, the last time transiting Neptune in Pisces (a 164 year cycle around the zodiac) conjoined the North Node in Pisces was the year 1858!  Looking back historically, this was during the Romantic era when there was a collective movement that saw art, music, literature, mysticism and spirituality come to the forefront. 

I have been avoiding social media for a long time now.  I am very much turned off by all the competing algorithms and intense pressure to speak and promote myself when all I want sometimes is to simply be quiet. 

Personally, my progressed Moon has been moving through my twelfth house for approximately two years now.  This astrological house is all about retreat, dreams, reflection, solitude, behind the scenes creativity and endings before new beginnings.  I look forward to its emergence into my first house of identity, self expression and new beginnings late spring of this year.  In addition, the Mars retrograde has been percolating in my twelfth house creating a strong desire for space and time to contemplate what actions I want to take, and what needs to be let go of going forward.  Mars is all about courage, assertiveness, ambition and passion to act on our goals and desires.  A retrograde cycle encourages us to contemplate and possibly re-evaluate what and where we want to invest ourselves on an energetic level.

My personal, daily Tarot pull is The Four of Swords and the Hermit.  The 4 of swords is associated with astrological Mercury in Libra.  Mercury rules over the mind, communication, logic and reason.  Libra seeks harmony, peace and diplomacy.  The swords in the tarot are associated with the air element.  The message here is all about retreat, rest, relaxation, and quiet time.  I ask myself if I am feeling drained today. Maybe a nice long walk in nature or a massage will restore my mental equilibrium.  It’s time to rejuvenate my weary self.  The Hermit (major Arcana number 9 card) is a double emphasis on introspection.  The Hermit guiding light is asking me to understand my restlessness by spending time alone, and get more in touch with my authenticity. It may also suggest that seeking wisdom from another person who understands how important it is to realign with my inner self is a very good idea.  The astrological correspondence of The Hermit is the zodiac, earth sign Virgo.  Virgos are known to be deliberate with details and organization, however, many Virgos are wayshowers, healers and spiritual guides for others through the cycles of life.

I woke up at 5:18 AM and looked out the window and I saw five swans in a vertical row gliding down the bay outside my bedroom window. In all the decades I have lived at this location, I have never seen a single swan glide by ever. I lost five immediate family members over the last decade, my father being the most recent June 2023. It wasn’t a dream—although it felt like one. June 16, 2024, was the first Father’s Day without my father in my life. He passed away on June 20, 2023, at 93 years old. I was feeling especially sad that weekend, missing him deeply. A girlfriend had visited me, having just gone to see a medium to try to connect with her own deceased father. The medium told her that she would receive a sign. If it didn’t come from her, it would come from someone else, even if it was for both of us. I found that idea fascinating.

Using the Sacred She Tarot by Ma Diva Padma, who also created the Osho Zen Tarot and Tao Oracle, I pulled three major arcana cards: Transitioning (13), Waking Up (12), and Karma (14). All majors—quite significant.

The New Moon in Leo can indeed prompt us to reflect on our desires and creativity, while the Mercury retrograde invites us to reconsider and reassess past decisions. Mercury rules over communication, transport, travel and technology. We may experience delays as we are being asked to go with the flow during this three week period. Remember the RE words….reconsider, reconstruct, reconnect, revise, redo….check out where the Mercury retrograde cycle is happening in your birth chart to understand its impact personally. For example, it’s occurring in my first house, and stationing direct within 2 degrees of my Leo Ascendant. It will be different for each of us individually how this will impact our experiences.

In this article we delve into the profound impact of astrological transits on our lives, helping you navigate the most challenging passages with greater understanding and grace.

Let's focus on the "dark night of the soul," a term often used to describe the intense periods of transformation triggered by Pluto transits. When Pluto, the planet of death and rebirth, touches significant points in our natal chart, it can feel like a shamanic initiation.

July 2024 is an active month astrologically speaking! We start the month with both Saturn and Neptune stationing retrograde in sensitive, feeling Pisces. Neptune is transiting 29 degrees of Pisces, an anaretic degree which represents the culmination of Neptune’s journey through the sign symbolizing emotional sensitivity, creative inspiration, and spiritual awakening.

Every year, close to my birthday on October 14, I study my solar return chart for the major themes which are revealed in my birthday chart.

The natal birth chart of the United States is experiencing its first Pluto return in 248 years.

We can learn a lot by studying the birth charts of famous individuals who are experiencing major life events or dramatic transformation. Britney Spears is one excellent example to witness the unfolding of her planetary cycles and the effects on her life.

At the time of this writing, the planets Saturn in Aquarius and Uranus in Taurus are in a 90 degree (square) challenging angle to each other on June 14, 2021.