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Written and Narrated by Pam Younghans
Current and previous weeks astrological overviews
Astrological Overview: April 22 - 28, 2024
Astrologer Pam Younghans writes this weekly astrological journal based on planetary influences, and offers perspectives and insights to assist you in making the best use of current energies. This column is not intended as prediction. Your own experience will be more specifically defined by transits to your personal chart.
Aspects of Note this Week:
All times listed are Pacific Standard Time. For Eastern Time, add 3 hours; Add 7 hours for Universal Time (UT), but add 8 hours for BST.
Monday: No major aspects are exact today
Tuesday: Full Moon 4:48 p.m. PDT (04 Scorpio 17)
Wednesday: No major aspects are exact today
Thursday: Venus conjunct Eris, Mercury SD
Friday: No major aspects are exact today
Saturday: No major aspects are exact today
Sunday: Mars conjunct Neptune
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PINK FULL MOON: The current lunar cycle reaches its crescendo on Tuesday as the Moon shines its brightest in the night sky. Indigenous peoples in eastern North America called the Full Moon of April the "Pink Moon," due to it occurring when the herb Moss Pink (creeping phlox) was in full bloom.
This particular Full Moon is of special importance because it is the climax of the lunar cycle that began with the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8. Issues and events that were initiated around the time of that mega New Moon should see significant developments this week, as new revelations come into our awareness.
THE PLUTO EFFECT: The planet Pluto, known as the Great Transformer, is a strong influence in this week's Full Moon. When the Scorpio Moon opposes the Taurus Sun at 4:48 p.m. PDT on April 23, they will each be at 04°17´ of their respective signs. At that time, Pluto will be sitting at 02°05´ Aquarius, forming a hard square aspect to both luminaries.
Pluto, though currently labeled a "dwarf planet" by astronomers, is a powerful force in astrology. As the Psychotherapist Planet, Pluto digs deep into our psyches to expose the shadow, bringing into our awareness the subconscious fears and motivations that have been controlling us from behind the scenes.
As we work with Pluto, we become aware of emotions and memories that have been suppressed or repressed, but that have been affecting our behaviors and self-concept. Whether they have been residing just beneath the surface or buried more deeply in our unconscious, Pluto gives us the opportunity to transmute them.
FIXED T-SQUARE: The emotional impact of the Full Moon is increased by Pluto's involvement, especially since the Sun, the Moon, and Pluto will form a configuration called a "T-square." To visualize this formation, imagine a large letter T in the sky, with the Sun and the Moon at opposite ends of the crossbar and Pluto at the base of the stem.
A T-square indicates a great deal of tension and pressure that is ready to erupt. Under its influence, people can act irrationally or impulsively. Our primary challenges with this T-square are to be flexible in our expectations, to have courage in a crisis, and to value inner strength over having outer control. As such, we must be aware of where we are intolerant, resistant to change, stubbornly attached to the status quo, or trying to control or manipulate circumstances instead of embracing the soul lesson involved.
Pluto, as it sits at the all-important "apex" point at the base of the T-square, has a pivotal role in the issues we will be working with this week's Full Moon. Like a skilled psychotherapist, Pluto will reveal and highlight the shadow, and in so doing, motivate us to make changes in areas where we have been resistant thus far. With Pluto's help, the awareness brought by the lunation becomes the first step in a process of cleansing, purging, and detoxification — after which we can rise, like the Phoenix, from the ashes of what once was.
THIS WEEK'S ASPECTS: Here are my brief interpretations of this week's most important planetary aspects:
Monday
No major aspects are exact today.
Tuesday
Full Moon: The Pink Moon perfects at 4:48 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, April 23. At that time, the Moon will be a 04°17´ Scorpio, opposite the Sun at the same degree of Taurus.
Wednesday
No major aspects are exact today.
Thursday
Venus conjunct Eris: This aspect encourages us to take new risks in relationship and financial matters, but is also impulsive and perhaps oblivious to the longer-term consequences of our actions.
Mercury stations direct: Mercury completes its retrograde phase, coming to a standstill at 5:53 a.m. PDT today. Over the past three weeks, we have had opportunities to rethink and review ideas and plans. As the Messenger Planet gradually picks up speed over the coming days, we are supported in implementing the insights we've gained and moving forward with projects.
Friday
No major aspects are exact today.
Saturday
No major aspects are exact today.
Sunday
Mars conjunct Neptune: Mars is the planet of action and desire; as it conjoins idealistic Neptune in Pisces, we are supported in aligning our personal will with Divine Will and Divine Compassion. This may be a good time to create an intention that involves being of service in new ways, since the ego is strongly informed by the intuition.
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IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS THIS WEEK (April 22 - 28):
This is a pivotal year for you, Taurus. How you have defined yourself is undergoing dramatic change, which can be challenging if you are resistant. You may feel compelled to act in ways that are contrary to your usual values, or that don't take into account your longer-term security. You may also feel almost obsessed about a certain issue or area of your life, which draws your attention to the exclusion of other concerns. As you get in touch with an unfamiliar aspect of yourself, with a passion or a compulsion that has been hidden or under control until now, your self-concept will inevitably and irrevocably change. This force will be at work for everyone with birthdays this week, but perhaps strongest for those whose birth anniversary is in the first few days of the week (April 22-25). (Solar Return Sun square Pluto)
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TRANSLATION and AUDIO/VIDEO VERSION: This weekly Journal is recorded (in English) AND the text is transcribed into 30 languages! You'll see a row of flags under "Available Languages" in the upper right. And, there are options to listen to the audio (in English) or watch a video directly beneath the photo (see top of page).
The Journal entry is usually updated by Sunday evening, with the recordings appearing late Sunday or by Monday depending on your time zone. Please share this information with those who might benefit.
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CLASSES AND WEBINARS by Pam Younghans:
"DANCES WITH FIREFLIES": I invite you to join us for my webinar covering May-August 2024, airing live on May 1 — only two weeks away! Please see the description on this page, or click here to register: https://pam-may-august2024.eventbrite.com
INSTAGRAM POSTS: Please check out my daily astrological updates on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamyounghans/
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For previous weeks of the Astrological Journal, click here.
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About the Author
Pam Younghans is a professional astrologer, editor, and writer. She lives in a log home northeast of Seattle, Washington with her beloved animal companions. She has been interpreting charts professionally for over 25 years. If you are interested in an astrology reading, e-mail
For more information about NorthPoint Astrology offerings, please visit NorthPointAstrology.com or visit her Facebook page.
