An incredible amount of activity is taking place in the sky this week, it’s hard to highlight just one. What is standing out unequivocally is the stationing retrograde of three planets. First Saturn on Monday, then Venus on Wednesday, and finally Jupiter on Thursday. In addition, Pluto just stationed retrograde on April 25, which is notable for its ability to draw out things into the open where we can address some deep psychological material.
Notably as well, the Sun makes a sextile to Neptune on Sunday the 10th, a trine to Pluto on Friday the 15th, and a trine to Jupiter on Sunday the 17th. These are very favourable aspects that promote a considerable amount of inspiration and positive or constructive flow into our lives. The Sun’s highlight to both Jupiter and Pluto having just stationed retrograde, there is a powerful invitation to piece together many important aspects of what we’ve been working on for several months.
So, we have two distinct areas of focus. First are the retrograde stations. The other is the Sun’s wonderful aspects to the above planets who are themselves in a very harmonious relationship to each other (Neptune in Pisces sextile the Jupiter/Pluto conjunction in Capricorn). The Sun’s energy will help us get started on these retrograde investigations and will provide the proper attitude of compassion both to ourselves and to others as we begin some important work.
What does all this mean? Retrograde periods are a time of integration and inner work where the energy of that planet goes inward to retrace its astrological steps over where it first traversed. We are going over known material to ensure we got it right or can get it “better”. Further, the stationing retrograde of a planet is intense and often a moment of truth or revelation regarding the work we are doing. The planet is basically standing still before its station which will intensify the energy and expose something important for us to consider.
Saturn’s retrograde has some real important implications about how we’ve been processing the world lockdown experience and everything attached to that. It could represent a time of serious questioning of facts and truths handed down to us from those in authority. I expect a fair amount of doctors, scientists and activists speaking out and asking for transparency and disclosure. We’ve already seen this happening, only to be deleted from various social media and video platforms.
I also expect that the conditions upon which the lockdown was implemented will be eased as Saturn’s energy will become more introverted for approximately four months. It will also reenter Capricorn, making this journey of questioning and integration even more visceral.
Venus stationing retrograde will impact many but on varying degrees. It will be a time of evaluation both on the financial spectrum of our lives and how we value ourselves within the dynamics of relating to others, particularly as we return to a world where we can’t see each other smile, and where we have become a personal threat within ten feet.
I would invite everyone to be as loving as possible, to say hello to strangers, and to listen to them so that we can help each other trust one another again. Jupiter stationing retrograde will bring us some wonderful opportunities to do that, along with the blessings that brings for our social fabric.
Success and achievement has brought us forward in life and others have come around and surrounded you with their acknowledgment. This is a warm start to the week, one that gifts you with something you have already achieved within yourself as seen in last week’s reading.
As is the case with true authentic presence, it is the personal process by which one comes to terms with one’s deeper motivations and patterns of thought that true self-confidence emerges. Belief in oneself is much more than knowing one can do a certain thing. It is the certainty that one can be calm and grounded amid so much uncertainty.
The core from which we operate must resonate with the power of what we know to be true for us and we must sift through any material that may suggest otherwise in order to get there. The harmony of such an inner relationship is the gravity by which we operate and by which we determine the basis of our relationships.
This truth impulse creates a wave of influence that is inspiring to be around and lights us up when we observe it in others. So it is with the 6 of Cups. Our outer recognition is just a manifestation of what we have already recognized within us. It is a responsibility that also must be free from an agenda. Just when we feel we have achieved something, we also must be comfortable giving it up.
To be free in this life, one must leave any notion of recognition behind. To understand that this is not important is to understand that life is always a cycle of having awareness and finding awareness. We are continually expanding and growing, so while today’s experience is filled with praise, tomorrow’s will be a foray into the unknown. We will never know tomorrow except to prepare for its eventuality. Tapping into the laws of the vibrational universe is the key to unlocking this mystery.
Giving up and releasing the ego’s need for validation is seen clearly as the focal point of the reading this week. We seem intent on deliberately surrendering to something so that we can gain a deeper insight and perspective. We’ve laid the foundation to do this as seen by the once worn wreath now transformed into a halo of expansive vision.
A piece of the puzzle is emerging and we need to slow down and work with it. It is very important to understand that limitations can be useful in determining solutions. This answer is elusive and hangs in the ether. Time will be our aid in allowing elements to fall into place.
Hold off, don’t rush into any conclusions. Be still. Change is in the air and many things are shifting and in flux. Observe. We don’t have to convince anyone of anything and feeling pressed could be a trap of the ego’s need to remain active.
An element of confusion is coming into the forefront as shown by the hands behind the back of the upside down man, moving into the crossed arms of the individual sitting against the tree. Take time in your observations and notice a solution that appears in unexpected places.
It will help to ground ourselves after this period of suspension, so look for ways to distance yourself from any emotional entanglements or exaggerations. There could be a sensation that things aren’t moving ahead as you would like or as quickly. There’s no rush, and we can find much comfort in gaining some perspective about seeing how things are in fact working out so well.
The energy all around us next week will feel slow and internal, and we will need to adjust our expectations, both of ourselves and of others. It is a wonderful time for creativity, nourishment and healing. Taking care of the little things and appreciating the small blessings taking place will yield tremendous benefit for the future. Take time to make small gestures, to listen and to understand people, and take a moment to say, “I love you.”
Thanks for reading, and I wish you a wonderful week!
Daniel Palmo
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let us be awake.
Unfolding Tarot 
very good post, I particularly like your description of retrogates, simple but very helpful perhaps for that reason one can relate to it so much easily
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Thank you, Sophia!
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