TODAY WE ENTER the Last Quarter phase of the Moon. This coming week, leading up to next Sunday's New Moon, is a time for reflection, release, and acceptance. We are letting go of what has been, to clear the way for what may be. It is also the transition phase between the Pisces lunar cycle that is ending and the Aries lunar cycle that will soon begin.

At this time, we benefit from being in a place of surrender and trust, with a willingness to let go of the need to control outcomes. It is also a time to sense with our hearts instead of trying to know with our minds. We may find it easiest to be in tune with those Piscean directives during the hours that the Moon makes its monthly transit through the twelfth sign, from 1:30 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, through 11:11 p.m. PDT on Friday.

ONE OF THE MAIN EVENTS on this week's planetary agenda, a Mars-Neptune square, advances similar themes of trust and faith. Although the aspect doesn't perfect until Friday, we will be feeling this influence throughout the week.

For the most part, Mars and Neptune are uncomfortable dance partners. Mars is the highly energized hip-hop dancer, and Neptune prefers a slow waltz tempo. Mars represents assertiveness and personal desires, while Neptune is the planet of compassion and spiritual oneness. This difference in motivations becomes even more apparent when the two planets are in hard aspect, as they are this week.

WITH MARS currently in Gemini, ego needs and anger tend to be expressed verbally. In general, people are more impulsive during this transit, more likely to take action on a random thought, perhaps without really considering the consequences. There can also be a lack of focus, or a scattering of effort due to our minds taking us in so many different directions. 

As Neptune in Pisces squares Mars this week, our actions – and our thinking – are not well defined, and it can be easy to get lost in the fog if we try to advance an agenda. We might also lack self-confidence, since we may not have a strong sense of where we are going, or even why. The lessons of Neptune always involve going within for answers, and this will be our best advice this week. It is in allowing the higher self to lead that we will find our direction.

PERSONAL INTERACTIONS are another strong motif this week. We relate fairly well to others at first, supported by a Venus-Mars sextile on Tuesday. And, a Sun-Ceres conjunction on Wednesday bodes well for family relationships, as long as we allow loved ones the same autonomy that we wish for ourselves.

But, interpersonal dynamics heat up in the last half of the week. Venus is conjunct disgruntled Eris on Friday, which can help us assert our needs, but is not necessarily conducive to playing well with others. On Saturday, a Venus-Jupiter sextile can help us enjoy shared time and may inspire some refreshing moments of laughter. But on Sunday, Venus is square Pluto -- and with that aspect tightly woven into the energies of the New Moon, it may be a time for some major shifts in relationships.

THE NEW MOON is exact on Sunday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. PDT. It occurs when the Sun and Moon are both at 22°24´ Aries and within orb (range) of conjunctions to Mercury, Ceres, Eris, and Venus. This stellium (close group) of planets in Aries strongly emphasizes the traits attributed to the first sign of the zodiac: the positive qualities of personal initiative, courageous action, and an ability to take risks, and the shadow qualities of selfishness, impatience, willfulness, and combativeness. 

The square between Venus and Pluto perfects at 8:20 p.m. PDT, less than one hour after the lunation. Due to this proximity in time, and since Venus is conjunct the Sun and Moon, the effects of the Venus-Pluto square will be emphasized, both on Sunday and throughout the new lunar cycle.

When Venus and Pluto are in hard aspect, relationships and values go through a deep cleansing process. Emotions are heightened, especially suspicions and jealousies. "The gloves are off," in a sense, as we seek the truth. Unspoken needs tend to come to the surface, whether or not they are reasonable, and we should watch tendencies to try to control the other person. Whatever is revealed under this influence can be used to gain greater intimacy with a loved one, but such raw honesty can sometimes be painful.

THE OMEGA AND CHANDRA SYMBOLS for next Sunday’s New Moon underline the fact that we are entering a new chapter in our story, one that requires courage and intention. Here are those symbols, and their interpretations, by astrologer John Sandbach: 

• Omega symbol: "A painting with countless layers of paint." The ability to keep experimenting with a situation until you have found a way to make it work. Being open to the potential of change, knowing that nothing is set in stone, and even if it seems to be, stone, too, can be re-carved. Everything is open to modification and experimentation, and knowing this is your strength.
• Chandra symbol: “A bottle labeled ‘drink me.’” The bottle asks you to try something whose results you won’t know until you do it, just as the painter applies successive layers of paint to see what will happen. We tend to think it's good to be careful – but not always. This degree has a refreshing lack of caution that most often carries it to surprising and wondrous places.

It seems worthwhile to repeat those last two sentences, as our directive for the new lunar cycle that begins next Sunday: 

"We tend to think it's good to be careful – but not always. This degree has a refreshing lack of caution that most often carries it to surprising and wondrous places."

IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS THIS WEEK: Relationships are a central theme in your life this year, most especially your connections to family or those who you regard as family. You are able to move forward in developing certain relationships due to a stronger knowing of what you truly value, as well as a greater courage to take risks. As you interact with others, you will be challenged to be clear and clean in your motivations, and to be willing to reveal aspects of yourself that you may usually keep hidden, or that may have been unconscious. (Solar Return Sun conjunct Venus, conjunct Ceres, sextile Mars)

Wishing you a journey to many wondrous places over the coming weeks!

Pam

Aspects of Note This Week:

All times listed are Pacific Daylight Time. For Greenwich Mean Time, add 7 hours.

• TUE: Venus sextile Mars, Jupiter semisquare Chiron
• WED: Sun conjunct Ceres
• FRI: Mercury conjunct Chiron, Mercury semisquare Jupiter, Mars square Neptune, Venus conjunct Eris, Saturn trine North Node 
• SAT: Mercury sextile North Node, Mercury sextile Saturn, Venus sextile Jupiter
• SUN: New Moon 7:30 p.m. PDT, Venus square Pluto

JOURNAL NEWS: I'm excited to share that this weekly Journal is now recorded (in English) AND the text is transcribed into 22 non-English languages! To see the options, click here to visit my forecast page on InnerSelf.com: Horoscope. You'll see a row of flags under "Available Languages" in the upper right. And, there are options to listen to the audio or watch a video directly beneath the photo.

The Journal entry is usually updated by Sunday evening, with the recordings appearing by Monday. Check it out and let me know what you think! And, please share this information with those who might benefit.