Horoscopes: April 21 to 27

Illustration by Ash Cheshire

Aries: April 21 begins our exciting new Mercury retrograde in Taurus, where it heightens our awareness of our social interactions and makes us feel awkward and impatient at times. It is a time to be more deliberate and to choose words carefully. On April 24 as Venus and Pluto meet in a sesquiquadrate (the astrological occurrence of two planets or heavenly bodies separated by 1.5 quadrants) we feel the influence of curious and mysterious Pluto on our Venusian love and romance sector. There is a tendency to feel jealous or suspicious with partners, or to make mountains out of molehills.

Taurus: This week Mercury goes retrograde in your sign on April 21. There can be a lot of scary forecasting around this classic astrological event. It’s true that it is a time of general disarray and inconvenience, but it is also a time of heightened self awareness of how we react when things don’t go our way or don’t go according to plans. Consider this an opportunity to play it by ear and go with the flow. Getting inventive can make this a learning experience and an interesting adventure of sorts. Meanwhile on April 24 a Venus and Pluto sesquiquadrate (an astrological event in which two planets are separated by 1.5 quadrants) has you overthinking your relationships and looking for flaws that aren’t there.

Gemini: This week your ruling planet goes retrograde in Taurus on April 21. While it is a time of general disarray and inconvenient delays, it can also be a time to self-reflect, collect your thoughts, and move more deliberately through your day.This transit highlights your privacy sector and can be a reminder to choose what you share carefully. Keep your goals realistic and stick to what you are best at for the time being. Soon enough you’ll be able to branch out again.

Cancer: This week, Mercury begins its almost month-long retrograde in the sign of Taurus on April 21. People from your past may be reaching out to you, or you may be revisiting memories or places from previous days. This can change the way you view yourself or certain situations in refreshing new ways. This retrograde also will cause classic travel delays or technological glitches, so take this as an opportunity to practice being patient. The Moon in your sign on April 25 and 26 has you feeling energized and comfortable in your own skin. Take this time to do the things you enjoy that are uniquely your own.

Leo: This week Mercury will turn retrograde in Taurus on April 21 and will be with us until early May. You may be thinking deeply and reminiscing about past versions of yourself and wondering how you can reconcile and unify these versions into who you are now. It is a time to slow down and reflect and also to plan ahead, since travel, communication, and technology will not be on its best behavior. You’ll want to have wiggle room in your schedule to get where you are going on time. Meanwhile, Venus and Pluto’s transit on April 24 may have you looking for problems in your relationship where there aren’t any.

Virgo: This week your ruler Mercury goes retrograde in fellow earth sign Taurus on April 21 where it will be with us until early May. During this time you may be feeling nostalgic and somewhat melancholic. Consider it an opportunity to slow down and explore your feelings and memories. Since Mercury retrograde is known to cause difficulties with travel, communication and technology, it is also a good time to plan ahead and not to rely too much on electronics. Be sure to have backup plans and don’t have your heart too set on any one thing right now.

Libra: This week Mercury turns retrograde in Taurus on April 21 where it will be with us until early May. This transit highlights your intimacy zone and creates some tensions around sharing, quality time, and intimate relationship dynamics. This can be a sign to slow down and to be more deliberate about your communication as well as how you divide your time and energy. Beware of suspension and jealousy as they can show up out of nowhere during this time and cause you to look for issues where there really aren’t any. This can be an opportunity to check yourself if your imagination gets the best of you. It’s also a time to find out the root of the feelings within.

Scorpio: This week Mercury begins its retrograde of Taurus from April 21 until May 14. This transit highlights your partnerships sector, which includes close friends, romantic partners and those who you work one-on-one with. Misunderstandings and personal projections can cloud judgment and perception of the situation during his time. It is extra important to be clear and simple in communication, to listen with forgiving ears, and to not actively search for hidden meaning or disguised slights that are probably not there. It is an ideal time to practice compassion and flexibility with others and also to speak more kindly to yourself. As Pluto, your ruling planet sesquiquadrates (when two planets are exactly 1.5 quadrants apart) Venus on April 24, you may experience a rise in jealousy or envy in your romance department. It is important to think about what unhealed parts of you or what unmet needs may be responsible for this. How can you heal yourself or meet these needs for yourself? What can you channel or express? Can this jealousy or envy push you in a positive direction towards your goals?

Sagittarius: This week Mercury turns retrograde in Taurus on April 21 until May 14. It can feel like many of your projects are suddenly on hold. This can actually be an opportunity to slow down and to enjoy some time off just doing nothing. Since it occurs in your wellness and daily routine sector, try to consider ways to eliminate any unnecessary stress on your day and to focus on what you truly enjoy.

Capricorn: This week Mercury turns retrograde in fellow Earth sign Taurus until early May. This transit occurs in your work and career sector. It is ill advised to quit or start jobs during this time, or to agree to take on new responsibilities or challenges until May 16, if possible. As with all Mercury retrogrades, communications and technology can be tricky, so make sure you back up files and double check those emails.

Aquarius: This week Mercury turns retrograde in Taurus from April 21 until May 14. This transit occurs in your 4th house of home and family. It can create tensions and strained communication with close friends, family, and people that you live with. It is a good time to practice being empathetic and flexible and to not judge anyone too harshly at this time, as everyone is feeling a bit foggy and confused and things can be easily misconstrued. It is best to hold off on home improvement projects, moves, or big agreements until mid May. This time can best be used for planning, dreaming, and keeping things simple. 

Pisces: This week Mercury turns retrograde in Taurus from April 21 until May 14. This transit occurs rather appropriately in your communication sector, where it can make travel, electronic communication, and conversation a bit more tricky than usual. Things might get lost in the mail or lost in cyberspace, so be sure to dube check on such matters. While this is all terribly inconvenient, it is an ideal time to practice being more deliberate, straightforward, and self aware. Be patient with yourself and others. Meanwhile a Venus and Pluto sesquiquadrate (an astrological event in which two heavenly bodies are exactly 1.5 quadrants apart) can have us looking for issues in our romantic relationships where there aren’t any. You may be reading into things your partner says too deeply or looking for signs of malice, but most likely there is none! Beware of jealousy and suspicion. Take it as a sign to look within.

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