Mercury retrograde from April 1 to 25, be ready for complications (II)

The dates of Mercury retrograde in 2024

Know that Mercury retrogrades every 88 days, or more or less 3 times a year.

From April 1 to 25: Mercury retrograde in Aries

Aries is a Fire sign and therefore a sign of action. It is also a symbol of energy, speed, spontaneity, even immaturity. Indeed, Aries has a tendency to rush forward without thinking, even if it means turning back if they made a mistake in order to start again elsewhere. At least he acts, he moves, he tries, he tries...

Usually, therefore, with the influence of Aries, we rush headlong, but not this time! Mercury retrograde forces us to hit the brakes. We're going to play it a little cooler, think before jumping into the arena.

Less cookie-cutter blabbering, we are a little less spontaneous, less superficial, more patient. We might slow down a little, but hey, we're going to dig deeper and that's important! This will allow us to build on solid ground afterwards. Indeed, let's not forget that Mercury is the star of reflection. When he is retrograde he therefore insists on thinking, taking a step back and considering all the possibilities of action and the situation before moving forward. This Mercury retrograde will therefore slow us down, but it is for a good cause, to prevent us from falling into the little faults of Aries: haste, impatience or even carelessness.

A two-phase downgrade

• Between April 10 and 12, Mercury retrograde will be Conjunct the Sun in Aries: it will further impact us in our actions and our professional decision-making.
• Between the 18th and 21st, Mercury retrograde will be Conjunct Venus in Aries: it will act more in our emotional relationships. We will have to be careful not to speak too quickly, make false promises or get involved with a person without thinking, despite a crush… 

What are the astrological signs most impacted by Mercury retrograde in Aries?

All astrological signs should remain cautious and patient during the period of Mercury retrograde. However, in April, some will be much more affected than others, these are Aries, Libra, Cancer, Capricorn, Virgo and Gemini. If your ascendant is in one of these signs, the influence could also be strongly felt. And if you don't yet know your ascendant, calculate it for free.

From August 5 to 28: Mercury retrogrades in Virgo then in Leo So, hang in there!

Mercury will make a mess of our daily routine.

If your toaster decides to give up the ghost, your car breaks down, the train is late, or customer service leaves you in circles, take a deep breath.

It's just Mercury testing our zen attitude. The best thing to do here is to take a deep breath and put things into perspective, after all, yes it's annoying but no one died.

From August 16, we go into surgical precision mode, we are more measured, more timid, more precise. We're going to want to control everything, refine the details, and delegate? Pff, not even in a dream! We might lose some of our mojo, but we'll be so friendly and helpful that no one will blame us.

From November 26 to December 15: Mercury Retrograde in Sagittarius

To end the year in style, Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius will play tricks on us on the road. Breakdowns, strikes, GPS wandering... Prepare for adventure! And if you are in the middle of learning or training, expect some twists and turns.

But don't panic, we are warriors, we will handle this like pros!

Be particularly vigilant when Mercury retrogrades, put all the chances on your side, monitor your accounts, your invoices, plan a plan B, etc. Come on, keep smiling, stay flexible and everything will be fine. After all, it's not Mercury that's going to dictate our good mood, is it? Come on, let’s breathe and move forward!

💫 So yes, Mercury retrograde, it's always a bit annoying but see it as a chance to slow down to realign your thoughts with your actions. It's the perfect time to reflect on yourself, your desires, your deep desires and take the time to refine your projects and dreams.

Find strength in pause, wisdom in silence. Let this time teach you the art of patience and the virtue of reflection. Embrace challenges as invitations to grow, and turn unexpected events into springboards toward a deeper understanding of yourself.

Mercury retrogrades from April 1 to 25, be ready for complications (I)

Mercury is the planet of communication, intellect, memory, and transportation. Your Mercury sign influences all these traits, like whether you’re a triple texter, if you use an Excel spreadsheet to plan every weekend trip or just ~go with the flow~, and which Wikipedia pages you spend hours reading. Mercury is the planet of the mind—it rules how we make sense of the world and our place in it.

You've probably already heard about Mercury retrograde, the astrological event that makes everything in our lives complicated.

Mercury retrograde, we're not going to lie, it's a hassle. During this period, difficulties accumulate, which is why it is important to prepare well. Don't panic, I'll tell you everything. Know that Mercury retrogrades several times in 2024, here are the dates to note in your diary.Delays, last-minute schedule changes, car breakdowns, communication problems or even couple arguments. What if Mercury retrograde was the cause of all these problems?

 I'll help you get ahead of these complications, in the meantime, stay calm and prepare yourself some herbal tea to survive Mercury retrograde.

Mercury retrograde: explanations and influence

During their courses, the planets sometimes seem to slow down, then stop their progress, reverse their progress and start back. In common language among astrologers, we say that the planets are moving backwards. Which makes our detractors jump, convinced that they have clear proof of our madness! Well no, we know that the planets don't go backwards 

The planets revolve around the Sun. But as we observe them from the Earth which itself is in motion, this causes an optical effect.

 We indeed have the impression that sometimes certain planets stagnate or even decline in their movement. This is called the Retrograde movement. In reality, the planet continues its circle imperturbably.

 To understand better, imagine yourself on a stationary train. If through the window you see a train going in the other direction, you may have the impression that it is your train going backwards. The ephemeris takes into account this movement of the planets, they indicate the retrograde with an R and the movement which becomes direct again with a D.

📌 Good to know: 

People who were born during a Mercury retrograde phase may encounter difficulties and communication problems. They may also lack self-confidence, or feel misunderstood; this phase encourages them to think more introspectively.

These retrograde periods last approximately 3 weeks and result in:

• Slowness, even immobility
• Setbacks
• Return to the interior
• Questioning
• Reflection

In astrology, the effects of a Retrograde planet change depending on the usual influences of the star. Thus Mercury Retrograde will play on the means of communication, contracts, transport.

(to be continued)

New TikTok trend - Find your soul mate based on the phases of the Moon

This trend plays on magical thinking and offers a certain psychological comfort. This has all the hallmarks of a TikTok trend

The “Moon Phase” trend has taken the TikTok platform by storm. The hashtag “Moonphasetrend” has almost 332 million views, not counting other hashtags that are also very popular, such as #moonphase (more than 533 million views), #moonphasetrendcouples (more than 100 million views) and #moonphasesoulmates ( 19.4 million views). Nothing surprising in this since the trend combines romance and astrology, two themes that are popular on the Chinese social network. The last one even has the right to its own universe at TikTok: Astrotok!

How to know your love compatibility?

In the quest for a romantic partner, the latest TikTok trend takes the concept of soulmates to a celestial level: turning to the Moon to find your other half. The principle is simple: just drag the phases of the Moon from the day of birth of both partners, if a full Moon forms... you are soul mates!

Do you find it too good or too simple to be true? You are right. So, if the phases don't line up, wait a bit before packing your bags! In any case, this is what Ben Radford, deputy editor-in-chief of the scientific magazine Skeptical Inquirer, recommends when interviewed by space.com: “What this trend is missing is a real logical link between the phase of the Moon and the personality or the relationship compatibility. Why on earth would the phase of the Moon have any connection or effect on relationship compatibility? ".

But if some users got caught up in the game, a large number preferred to use this trend with humor, by testing their compatibility with friends, family or even with their pet!

“Moon phase”: What does science say about it?

According to NASA, the Moon has only eight phases: new Moon, crescent-waxing, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full Moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent. Which means that based solely on the “moon phase” criterion, the “moon phase” method only allows four possible combinations to make a “whole moon” (new moon and full moon, third quarter moon and first quarter moon, waning gibbous and crescent-waxing, and waning crescent and waxing gibbous.) If we relate the number of possible combinations to the (approximately) 8 billion inhabitants of the earth, and we start from the principle that a category is only compatible with one other category (are you still following?), this means that each person should have around a billion possible “soulmates”... A criterion that the many tiktokers proudly displaying their compatibility (while incompatible souls depress) do not seem to have taken into account.

What the Full Moon Means in Astrology

In astrological terms, a Full Moon occurs when the Sun is in opposition to the Moon, which means the Sun is straight across from the Moon with the Earth in between. 

Because the Moon reflects light from the Sun, this creates the visual effect of a full Moon from our vantage. On a symbolic level, the Sun represents spirit (or insert your preferred word of choice, whether divinity or universe or fill-in-the-blank). 

The Moon represents the physical as well as the emotional body. The Full Moon is a time to be receptive, to take the light and awareness of spirit into your emotional and physical body.

The full Moon is not a moment in time or a single-day happening. It is a phase of the Moon that is active for at least three days. Letting yourself really be with the Moon during the full phase and whatever presents itself to you can become a practice of emotional mastery, especially during the lead-up to the lunar event.

Note what comes up for you in your emotional body. What is being illuminated? What behaviors or thoughts can no longer hide in the shadows? What darkness can no longer withstand the light? Specifically, what unhelpful mental patterns, self-destructive habits, or unhealthy communication styles need attention? Perhaps you can find the strength to incur change or to find help at this time. It is a continual progression.

Why each Full Moon is different

All full Moons share the attributes explained above, yet each has a different feeling. This is because each lunar cycle coexists with a different configuration of planetary forces. With each full Moon, stay mindful of the zodiac sign that is affecting the Moon, as well as the other planetary influences.

How the full Moon affects your tides…

The full Moon exerts a stronger pull on the water, causing the waves to flow higher than during any other phase of the Moon. This is a scientific fact.

Full Moon Rituals

What we must know and remember is that in the New Moon we intend and in the Full Moon, we purify. Full Moon rituals are “purification rituals”. This phenomenon is ideal for making Moon water! You can leave a container with distilled water overnight in the light of the moon and use it to wash and thus purify yourself. The Full Moon is also the ideal time to free ourselves, note what prevents us from moving forward, toxic relationships, problematic situations and “return them to the earth or burn them” explains Isabelle.

Stay mindful that every full Moon brings with it different energies. Our monthly astrological forecasts key into what is to come so you can continue to tap in and release your resistance to whatever is happening.

Why you might not sleep well before a full Moon

The Full Moon is said to have an effect on our physiological and our emotional health. During Full Moons, people have a tendency to be awakened at night, find more difficulty sleeping, and/or have heightened experiences during the dream state. There is scientific research to support the correlation between less sleep and Full Moons, although there is not a clear scientific reason as to why

The Symbolism of the New Moon

The New Moon is commonly known as a time to initiate beginnings. Something to also be mindful of is that when the new Moon occurs, it not only begins a new cycle, but also ends the previous phase. We are reminded to reflect on the cyclical nature of reality, to see that every beginnings and ends are in a constant relationships, because every beginning is an end, and every end is a beginning.

In astrology, Sun represents spirit whereas Moon represents  physical and emotional body

 What does it mean when these two conjunct? One of my teachers speaks of the New Moon as a gestation period. It is the right moment when the physical and emotional body can rest and reset in the womb of one’s spirit. No separation exists during this phase.

There is significance in any sort of conjunction, which is when separate elements join one another in order to continue on their path of perfection. The Sun and the Moon, which were recently in union during the full phase of the lunar cycle and then separated, join one another in order to continue on their path of perfection. The Sun and Moon combine and separate themselves, only to recombine in a continued and an everlasting cycle.

This is the relationship - the alchemy - between spirit and matter that can be consciously attuned to if we take heed of the magic of the New and Full Moon cycles.

From a psychological perspective, the Sun represents awareness and the expression of light that emanates from Source. The Moon represents our emotions that reflect our experience of that light. The new Moon can bring us into a careful investigation of how our emotions continue to ebb and flow within the steady light of awareness.

Why Every Next New Moon is Different

Well, \every Moon cycle is in a different sign of the zodiac, which means not only will have its own particular flavor, but it will exist somewhere different within your personal birth chart. Each iteration of the new Moon brings a specific invitation wnd energy in your life.

Why the New Moon Affects You

The Full Moon is characterized by the Sun which opposes the Moon and which illuminates "what is going or not going well" explains Zaza, in your new intention, your new start or your projects. When the New Moon increases in energetic power for 15 days, the Full Moon has its full power as soon as it opposes the Sun, on the evening of the Full Moon, then gradually descends in terms of energies, over the following 15 days.

What to Do During the New Moon

For centuries, the new Moon has been considered an ideal time for seeding things. As such, it is often talked about as the time to set intentions for the lunar cycle that is being birthed. Lesser known is the fact that in many cultures, the Moon wasn’t considered to be “new” until her light returned from the phase of observable darkness.

This by no means implies that we should discontinue setting intentions during the New Moon. However, this knowledge enables us to experience the dark phase as an invitation to feel into the cycle from a more embodied perspective.

New Moon Rituals

The New Moon is "a new beginning" and it is also an opportunity to take stock of our intentions, desires and projects. You can write them down on a sheet of paper, “fold it and keep it under our pillow,” . We can also take advantage of the New Moon to recharge our crystals in order to “launch all our projects” specifies the astrologer.

You should return to this orientation with the New Moon every month. This time is like being in the womb, the place of gestation, receiving the nourishment of being in the dark, and connecting with something more than myself in order to go on the journey of actualizing at the next Full Moon.

New Moon and Full Moon: What do they mean and What are the differences between

The Moon, as we know, impacts astrology and the zodiac signs. As the Sun, the Moon and the other planets move from sign to sign, two recurring phenomena stand out and systematically influence our mood, the vision and evolution of our projects and our intimate bonds: the New Moon and the Full Moon.

The New Moon and the Full Moon are two distinct phenomena that do not impact us in the same way. We will try in the following to reveal the differences between, how to welcome them and what rituals we can put in place during the different stages of the lunar cycle.

These two phenomena occur once a month and do not have the same impact at all. Also, to help you better accept them or get energetic benefits from them, we can each involve in very distinct rituals. 

New Moon and Full Moon: what are their differences?

In astrology, we speak of a “lunar month”. A lunar month lasts 29 days. It begins with a New Moon. When the Moon is “new,” its orbit falls directly between the Sun and the Earth. In astrological terms, this means the Moon is conjunct, or joined with, the Sun. Because the Moon reflects light from the Sun, it seems to have disappeared from our vantage at this phase of the lunar cycle.

A Full Moon, conversely, occurs when the Sun and Moon are in opposition, or straight across from one another with the Earth in between, which creates the visual effect of it being fully illuminated. Due to the obvious external expression of its energy, the full Moon receives vastly more attention, although it would be wise to cultivate a relationship with the new Moon.

The New Moon and the Full Moon are therefore two distinct phenomena. By consequence, they are very distinct implications in our lives and they can be differentlely accompanied by rituals.

If we know what a New Moon and Full Moon mean and look like and measure the influence and impact of each on our mood, we should know that the Moon's influences are powerful at other times in its cycle and not just when it is  new or full  status!

By following, I invite you to read the posts related in detail to the New Moon and the Full Moon

Easter: here's why the full moon in March 25, 2024 will be very special

A special full moon is on the horizon in March 2024, having an impact on the celebration of Easter. Explanations.

•   The full moon, aligning Moon, Earth and Sun every 29 days, is crucial in determining the date of Easter.
•   In 2024, the full moon on March 25 determines that Easter will be celebrated on Sunday March 31.
•   The date of Easter influences other Christian holidays such as Ascension on May 9 and Pentecost on May 19, 2024.

The full moon appears every 29 days. It marks a lunar phase where the Moon, Earth and Sun approximately align. This phase is also of crucial importance, particularly in calculating the date of Easter, the most important holiday in the Christian calendar marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Indeed, the date of Easter depends on a calculation which may seem complex involving the full moon. This date subsequently determines a certain number of other public holidays such as Palm Sunday, the start of Lent, Ascension and Pentecost. This is why the moon plays a major role, especially during the month of March.

THE FULL MOON PLAYS A DECISIVE ROLE ON THE DATE OF THE EASTER CELEBRATION

Indeed, according to the Council of Nicaea dating from 325 AD, the day of spring is conventionally fixed on March 21 each year. This date is fixed, even if, as is the case this year, the start of spring may be shifted to March 19 or March 20 depending on the spring equinox, i.e. the precise day of the year when the day phase is as long as the night phase. In 2024, it took place on March 20 and not March 21.

Mars will therefore experience its third full moon of the year in a few days. It will thus be the first to occur after the spring equinox. The date of the celebration of Easter Sunday will depend on this first full moon of spring. And this year, the latter will coincide, within a few days, with the spring equinox.

AN UNUSUAL EASTER CALENDAR THIS YEAR

Indeed, the full moon of March will fall on Monday March 25, 2024. Thus, still according to the Council of Nicaea, Easter must take place on the first Sunday following this full moon. This is why the celebration of Easter Day will take place this year on Sunday March 31.

On the other hand, a relatively rare occurrence, Easter Monday, which is certainly a public holiday, but not a day of celebration, will fall on Monday April 1, 2024. In fact, according to the calendar, the fact that the Monday of Easter coincides with April 1 and has only happened 7 times since 1900. A boon for children who will be able to enjoy their chocolate on this day while playing jokes on their pockets.

EASTER VARIES EVERY YEAR DEPENDING ON THE FULL MOON

So, it is now easier to understand why Easter never falls on the same date every year. It is the moon which determines the day of its celebration. On the other hand, this Christian holiday is always located between March 22 and April 25 with March 21 as the reference date for its calculation.

Finally, note that Easter is celebrated on March 31, 2024 this year, so the Ascension, which occurs 40 days after Easter, will fall on Thursday, May 9, 2024. Likewise, Pentecost, which is celebrated 50 days after Easter, will fall on Sunday. May 19, 2024. Dates which are certainly important in the Christian calendar, but also as public holidays.