Retrogrades, Eclipses and Squares, Oh My!
A Rare Hybrid Solar Eclipse, Taurus Season Greetings & Mercury Retrograde
2023’s Spring Eclipse Season begins with a rare hybrid Solar Eclipse on 4/19-20 and a wildly jam-packed Astro weekend thereafter.
Notably, Taurus Season takes root on 4/20 and Mercury Retrograde does its backspin boogie on 4/21, tied up nicely with the dazzling Lyrids Meteor Shower from 4/21-22. The Sun will also conjunct the North Node in Taurus on 4/25, illuminating a brighter golden path ahead, while Saturn in Pisces makes a spiritual sextile, inducing understanding and humanitarian responsibility.
4/20 ARIES NEW MOON + HYBRID SOLAR ECLIPSE
Shifting from total to annular, the Solar Eclipse will be mostly visible to the Pacific and Indian Oceans starting late April 19 into the AM of April 20. As the 2nd Aries New Moon of 2023, this bonus round can be viewed as a bookend, passing the baton between fast-paced Aries Season and into the relaxed enjoyment of luxurious Taurus. While Eclipses are not best for ritual work, this Aries New Moon recalls our initial Aries Season / Zodiac New Year wishes, highlighting any needed or auspicious revisions in our plans (Mercury Retrograde is GREAT for this).
The 2023 Eclipse Seasons will be the last hurrah for the Taurus-Scorpio Nodes, which switch to Aries-Libra on July 17 for roughly 18 months (a deeper dive awaits in Substack Summer). The Taurus-Scorpio Axis was mused in a previous November 2022 post while a gander of Eclipse energies were reviewed in October 2022. Earth always experiences Eclipses in pairs, one New and one Full Moon. This extended loom somewhat interrupts what we usually do for Moon Magick.
On May 5th, we will have a Lunar Eclipse during the Scorpio Full Moon, lush with dark romantic energies, to complete the pair for 2023’s Spring Eclipse Season.
4/20 - 5/21 TAURUS SEASON
On the evening of April 20, the Sun will move into Taurus, just a few hours after the Solar Eclipse.
We absolutely love Taurus Season! As an Earth Sign ruled by Venus, Taurus Time grounds into slow-mo moments of pleasure. It’s a time to be in the body, connect with the senses, and enjoy our beautiful Spring (and in the Southern Hemisphere, Autumn).
How appropriate that Earth Day is during Taurus Season, this year on April 22 AND how appropriate that 4/20 falls on the start of Taurus, too! We are absolutely marijuana advocates and our upcoming Venus zine (TBA Taurus Season 2023) includes instructions for Moon Goddess Cannabutter by our Co-Editor Murda Hill (pre-order available for all Patreon May sign-ups).
4/21 - 5/14 MERCURY RETROGRADE
Almost the entirety of Taurus Season will fall within Mercury Retrograde.
We’ve said much on Mercury Retrograde in past Museletters and find this time to be full of myths and misunderstandings. While it can create chaos in communication, bringing back ghosts from our Pasts and other mix-ups, we believe Mercury Retrograde is a really useful time to get our lives in order. For our April Patreon feature, we’ve put together a little digizine for ALL TIERS, on all things Mercury Retrograde, including exes and hexes, arriving Sunday. Instead of the doom and gloom of the 3-4 times a year Earthlings feel the backspin, it’s important to learn the ways in which it is a useful time, too!