This is the month to get all fired up since so many of the planets will be in the fire signs, and especially in Aries. This means people are going to be very focused on themselves. Others might use stronger words such as selfish or narcissistic, but not me. It will certainly be a time when people won’t have a lot of patience. This will be seen on a global scale. • First, we have Mercury in retrograde until April 28. This is the perfect time for you to take care of tasks you have been avoiding, and also to work on getting yourself back in shape. Avoid starting new projects, buying anything electronic, having optional surgery, or signing any documents. After the 28th, the gates will be wide open and it will be time to move forward. • Second, Neptune puts her big toe into her home sign of Pisces from April through August before entering Pisces next February for a longer stay. For the history buffs, the last time Neptune was in Pisces was 1847–1862. As Neptune moves into Pisces, she is going to have a strong impact on people born in the earliest days of Pisces, Gemini, Virgo, and Sagittarius. • Third, Pluto goes retrograde on the 9th, going back to recover old ground. This is going to be a time for the nation to look hard at its finances. From April through September, Americans will have to take their fiscal medicine. Needless to say, people will be especially critical of the government. • Good days to sit out on the patio and have some Mexican food and a margarita are the 2nd, 6th, 9th, 19th, and 20th. Days to duck and cover are the 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, 18th, 19th, 22nd, 23rd, 27th, and 30th.
ARIES (March 21–April 19). Happy Birthday to the Arians. There is so much going on in your sign this month that you may not be sleeping well. As with all birthdays, this is the time when your personal solar cycle comes to an end and you start a new year. You are reassessing big parts of your life. And having Mercury retrograde in your sign makes you really look back on who you once were. You will bring a lot of things to a close this month, and that may be hard on your existing relationships—particularly if you are having relationship problems you’re trying to avoid. You are bursting at the seams to let your new self out, but some people may not be ready for that new and improved version of you. You’ll be direct and to the point, but not everyone will be ready for the pointed part.
TAURUS (April 20–May 20). The beginning of the month is certainly a time for you to rest and retreat. Your psychic energies are more sensitive this month. You will want to be around less drama and more like-minded people. Some of you may seek isolation or meditation so you can be alone with your thoughts. This is also a time to pay attention to your health regimen. You might even return to a previous health program. Friends will be especially important to you this month. You will be weeding out some casual friends as you look for deeper connections.
GEMINI (May 21–June 21). You start the month with Mercury, your ruler, in retrograde. This retrograde is also taking place with your friends, social groups, and community organizations. You will be reexamining those parts of your life. This area of your life needs to work better, and you will see the problems more clearly than you have in a while. You will also be connecting with people you haven’t seen lately. In business, this is a great time to connect with old clients, but not such a great time to find new ones. Romantic relationships need some renewal, and things might get testy if you are trying to do things to make them more fun. Those of you born in the early days of the sign have some really big career questions to deal with.
CANCER (June 22–July 22). The planets are all packing into your career sector during April. As you become more visible and more vocal, you will notice that more people are listening. Pay attention this month while Mercury is retrograde. If there are things that have not been working and you haven’t fixed them, this will be the month to find a fix. Be grateful for this heads-up, or you may be mad that you missed the opportunity. If you are having a difficult time at work or the business has financial problems, things may come to a head so they can be dealt with. Family members seem distant and not very supportive. Look around and see the people who really do support you.
LEO (July 23–August 22). Most of you Lionesses and Lions are ready to take a break from your routine and have some fun. This is a great month for a quick getaway to someplace you’ve been to before. You are open to new mental challenges, so taking a class that you’ve always had an interest in would be very good for you. You have been rather serious lately, and you are beyond ready to be less restrained. You are currently really working on your health habits, eating better, and getting more exercise.
VIRGO (August 23–September 22). With your ruling planet Mercury in retrograde, this is your month to go back and take care of things that you’ve successfully avoided until now. You may have to look at financial problems, romantic intimacy issues, and dealing with some fears that you keep hidden. You are feeling trapped by all of this, and the Universe just wants you to let yourself out of those chains. Relationships take on a much deeper tone during April as you find your partner wanting a closer connection with you. Although it may not be easy on you, working on your relationship will clear the air between you.
LIBRA (September 23–October 23). All of the planets are in your relationship sector this month, so this is where your focus will be. And with Mercury retrograde in that sector, old issues or old lovers could come back into the picture and require you to reexamine that part of your life. If you are having trouble, this is a very unsettling time. Your partner may be taking on a whole new direction in life, and you’ll wonder where you fit in. Since you are looking at long-term security in a much more serious way, you could be adding your partner’s issues to your own list of worries. This is a time of renewal in your relationships, so use April to your benefit.
SCORPIO (October 24–November 21). Getting your routines in shape at work and at home is your primary goal for April. This can be an especially irritating month when it comes to co-workers. There could be a lot more drama than you normally like. Pay attention to your health concerns during this time. Your body will be unusually stressed, and that can take a great toll on your health. You may need to visit someone in the hospital or take care of someone who is in poor health. In a more mundane sphere, just get things cleaned up and put everything in its place.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22–December 21). Your sign has recess written all over it this month, so you are ready to go outside and play. Try to mix some business and pleasure since you would rather be playing. You won’t be paying too much attention to details, so keep your schedule light. Some old family issues are coming to the surface—perhaps things that may have been purposely hidden from you. You are certainly in a can-do mode, and you will be ready to tackle any problems. Reach out to friends for help. You are not supposed to go it alone.
CAPRICORN (December 22–January 19). All of the planets are visiting the area of your chart that represents home, family, and roots—so get out your gardening gloves and start clearing out the weeds. For elderly family members, this can be a time of crisis. Keep yourself available in case you need to make a snap decision. For some of you, this is about remodeling your home or looking for another place to live. Buried family issues are likely to surface this month. Things may get pretty crazy on the 10th and the 11th. Yes, this is always about career for Capricorns. Your base is unsettled. Be ready for change.
AQUARIUS (January 20–February 18). This is your month to speak up and explain what has been on your mind for the last several years. Nothing may escape your watchful eye. Connections with your early youth or issues with brothers and sisters may surface. With Mercury in retrograde, it’s likely you’ll hear from people from your youth. Money and security is really on your mind from now through August. You are in a very creative time financially, and this will become an even bigger theme next year.
PISCES (February 19–March 20). The planets are checking into your financial sector this month, along with the Mercury retrograde. You will be cleaning up this area of your life. Most of this is old business without much that is really new. Over the next seven years, you will work to get rid of financial burdens that make you feel trapped. You may be very mad about some of this, but diplomacy is your friend. Be a true diplomat and think things through before you act. In the end, you can find a much better solution to your problems.
Read Lilly Roddy’s forecast for all of 2011 at OutSmartMagazine.com. For more astro-insight, log on to lillyroddy.com.
