In April, you will need to keep calm and carry on, as the British say. This month has more twists and turns than a fast-paced mystery novel, but things will smooth out and go in the right direction by month’s end. Have faith in your abilities, dear Scorpio.

At the start of the month, you seem to doing a project that it is in a new area that few have mastered, and you will be put in the role of pathfinder. You may be the leader of the project, or your role may be better characterized as an entrepreneurial opportunity, and if so, you would be very much in change of the troops. This exciting work opportunity is coming to you as a result of the new moon late last month on March 27, in Aries, 6 degrees.

Uranus is in your sixth house of workaday projects, so they will be exciting, changeable, different, stimulating, and at times nervous-making, but overall, you’d have it no other way. As the frosting on the cake, this endeavor appears to be very well paid, so it’s worth the hard work you will put in, but also worthwhile for all the fun you will have to be part of something so new.

At that last month’s full moon of March 27 (still strong in April), Mars and Neptune were in perfect sync, and because Mars rules Aries, the sign of that new moon, and also Scorpio, it is significant that Mars will be playing a dominant, supportive role. (Keep in mind the new moon that we are discussing here was in Aries.) This aspect linking Mars to Neptune points to the likelihood of the potential for you to contribute your most imaginative, original ideas to this endeavor. Silence your inner critic and don’t hold back.

Because Neptune is the planet that protects the arts, your entrepreneurial spirited endeavor may involve music, art, dance, costume design, set design, film, photography, and other artistic expression. You might also be involved in app or game development for cell phones, or artificial intelligence development, and in all these areas, your creativity would also come into play.

On April 5, you will be fortunate in that Mars and Pluto will be in ideal harmony, and because these are your two rulers, you will likely feel that the force is with you, despite any work-related tensions swirling about you.

I should let you know that Mercury will be retrograde from April 9 to May 3, first traveling in Taurus, and then, as Mercury travels, will rotate backward into Aries. The area you will see the most delays is when trying to hammer out contractual deals. You may also find frustrating delays when applying for funds you need, or if you are self-employed, to get paid what money others owe you. I say this because your seventh and eight houses will be lit up, ruling partners and other people’s money.

Don’t become frustrated at the delays when you encounter them in April, for delays will benefit you. It’s always a blessing to have extra time when you are poised to take an important action. Mercury rules contracts, communications, negotiations, speaking, writing, editing (for publishing and film), software development, telecommunications, travel, shipments, the mails (post office, text, and email), as well as express mail companies like FedEx and UPS, and messengers too. Computer code writing (which might be something you are directing this month) also is governed by Mercury.

When Mercury retrogrades, life begins to shift, and the wind changes direction. Your priorities will shift when conditions change, so it’s wise to watch and wait. If you would like to read my comprehensive essay, “All You Need to Know about Mercury Retrograde,” it is found on my homepage of AstrologyZone.com, on the lower left corner at the bottom of the screen. I worked on it for months, for I kept going back to the piece as points would occur to me at the oddest times. I do hope you will check it out. If you have the premium version of my app, you can find my article on Mercury Retrograde on the menu under Life + Love, and then inside that section under Susan’s Essays.

We tend to notice the retrograde position of planets that orbit closest to earth, and those so-called personal planets are Mercury, Venus, and Mars. Mars is in good shape, but as you see, but we have Mercury retrograde, and then, there is Venus.

Venus has been retrograde since March 5, and is set to stay retrograde in your house of true love until April 15. You may see some sort of delay or setback in regard to a romantic relationship, or in regard to plans for a child or a pregnancy. This is only temporary. Things will start up again when Venus turns direct on April 15, and from there will gradually gain strength until Venus is back to her old self on May 18.

    At the new moon, April 26, you may reveal a secret you’ve been holding, or you may hear of someone else’s secret. A full moon in this house will make you highly intuitive, too, giving you night vision that will protect you. Listen to your instinct.

Still, you may not have to wait quite that long to go on a date, but you do have to finish up with Mercury retrograde first, and leave some space from the day it goes direct to the date you act. If you are getting engaged, that’s a major life event, so if I were you, I’d wait to get engaged after Venus, planet of love, becomes strong – wait as long as you can in May, ideally until after May 18. Venus rules all the joys and luxuries in life – precious jewelry, flowers, perfume, spas, parties, wine, and champagne. It would not be the time to give a party or charity benefit, for Venus is sleeping and as such, withholding her best powers. By all means, do not have plastic surgery or experimental dermatological treatments, or change your hair or color dramatically. If you want to buy hair extensions, wait until May.

The big moment of the month that will bring up all kinds of feelings will happen at the April 10 full moon in your twelfth house in Libra, 22 degrees. The majestic full moon will arrive with ambassador Jupiter, the giver of gifts, luck, and health, and will illuminate your house of secrets and behind-closed-door activities. You may reveal a secret you’ve been holding, or you may hear of someone else’s secret. A full moon in this house will make you highly intuitive, giving you night vision, so follow the small voice within, for your instinct will be there to protect you. Listen to your instinct, even if you will have no facts to explain why you feel as you do.

If you have to have any interaction with medical or dental personnel (possible, for you or for someone you love), the care will be superb. Jupiter will come arm-in-arm with the gracious full moon, and Jupiter is the planet of healing and even sometimes miracles. The twelfth house is associated with confinement – hospitals, rehab centers, physical therapy centers, and other institutions of rehabilitation, and wellness. This same part of the chart rules the subconscious mind, so if you have been talking over problems with a therapist, there’s a good chance you would have a breakthrough at this time.

At the same time as this new moon, a work project will need to be finished but in the eleventh hour may go a bit haywire. Uranus is conjunct the Sun, and there will be one of two areas that may bring sudden change – a work project is likely to go off the rails. A needed, talented co-worker may suddenly announce a departure at a critical time, or the client may ask for substantial changes in the assignment that will have to be done quickly, taking the project in a new direction. Uranus is the planet of thunderbolt change. You won’t see this coming, not in hindsight either. The Sun rules your career status, so this is bound up with your reputation. It is possible for things to go either way, so instead of having something adverse happen, you may get a promotion or outstanding praise.

Romantically, you are very focused on your partner his month, for Mars will be in your engagement / marriage / commitment house for three weeks, a holdover from last month, to continue until April 21. When Mars tours a house, sometimes Mars brings up feelings and an occasional disagreement so that Mars can cleanse the relationship, to be sure nothing festers. If something should come up, there’s a strong reason to be optimistic, for you will have a chance to clear the air and make sure your alliance can stand the test of time.

The new moon of April 26 will appear in Taurus, 6 degrees, in your house of committed partnerships, covering both marriage and business partnerships. You may now feel very close to tying the knot or making a business collaboration official This new moon is sweet – Neptune, the planet of unconditional love and creativity, and Saturn, the planet that helps you create a firm foundation, will deliver their gifts to you, no small blessings.

If you have a birthday that falls on October 30, plus or minus five days, you will enjoy this new moon the most. The same is true if you have Scorpio rising or the natal moon in Scorpio at 7 degrees, or a natal planet in Scorpio, Pisces, Cancer, Taurus, Virgo, or Capricorn at 7 degrees plus or minus five degrees.

If you are single and don’t have a partner, Venus in Pisces is an ideal place for you to host Venus. You might want to try a reconciliation with a love that got away while Venus retrogrades – see what happens. If you have not been dating, I feel it’s best not to start a relationship when Venus is at low grade power as she is now. Wait until May – you will have plenty of opportunities.

Still, you might want to sneak out anyway, so I will give you a fun weekend: April 15-16, when Venus and her lover Mars will combine energies to set off delightful sparks. Venus will technically be moving direct, and although not completely strong, I feel this weekend will be enjoyable, no matter what your marital status. The moon will be in tender Pisces – the stage is set.

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Your assignments seem to have an unusual, changeable quality to them, and all the sudden shifts in direction might be making you tense. The entire department is feeling stressed, and pressure to get the work out will be on everyone as April begins. Yet the project seems to be a lucrative one that either you (if self-employed) or management (if you work for others) values. The assignment you are working on seem to be new, possibly in high tech or biotech area – and this is the part that attracts you – for there will be lots to learn. Taking an entrepreneurial stance is the right way to go, as planets in Aries will urge you to take ownership of the project, and run it as if it were your own. (Maybe it is!) This is all due to a new trend that started in late March when a challenging new moon appeared.

On April 5, you will be fortunate in that Mars and Pluto will be in ideal harmony, and because these are your two rulers, you will likely feel that the force is with you, despite any work-related tensions swirling about you.

Events at the full moon, April 11, may surprise you. Although you may have feared your present project was about to go off the rails, things could improve by the full moon and wind up bringing applause for an important work well done. If this happens, it will seem like a miraculous showing of divine intervention – take it all with a smile. You will have worked hard for this moment. Admittedly, things could go either way, so if you are not pleased with the direction the assignment is taking, show co-workers how to guide things back on track.

Teamwork will be necessary, as Mars in your seventh house of partnership during the first three weeks proves this to be true. Don’t try to take full control, as any moves you make in taking a strong leadership stance won’t work. You must find a way to rally the troops and build cooperation.

Venus will be retrograde until April 15 (an influence that started March 5), so although you probably won’t agree that a partner or the team has the right approach, it’ll be hard for you to persuade anyone to take a different course of action. Go with the flow. It just not your time to insist things should be done completely your way. In your personal life, make no commitments. This is a month of looking back, and examining methods and emotions before moving forward in May.

Mercury will be retrograde from April 9 to May 3, affecting work projects and feelings about your partner. Lots of cosmic dust will be kicked up, so the road ahead won’t be clear. Hold back and stop, look, and listen.  With Jupiter conjunct the moon in your twelfth house of intuition on the full moon April 11, your instinct will be very strong, so follow what your hunches tell you to do.

Everything improves by the new moon in Taurus on April 26. It’s very friendly, so any questions you had about your relationship with your partner should now begin to resolve, and you will feel more confident about planning your future together. If you are single, love will be in the air, and you may meet someone new at a party or other leisure event.

Your very best romantic weekend will be April 15-16 when Venus, in water-sign Pisces most of the month (a glorious place for Venus to be for you), will reach out to Mars, your ruler, in Taurus. Venus is Mars’ cosmic lover, and when found together in aspect, these two set off lovely fireworks in the night sky. This is the same weekend that Venus goes direct, so you may find clues that your love life is delightfully on the upswing.