Subject: Weekly Forecast by Astrologer Coach: Sonja Francis

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Please note that all times given below are Eastern Standard Time -- to change the listed times to your own time zone, I recommend clicking here for the time and date converter

This week’s headline items: Pluto in Aquarius will be exalted (stationing) all week; Pluto comes to a halt on Monday early afternoon to start its annual Retrograde phase; a powerful Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio becomes exact on Friday early afternoon; and Venus changes signs from Gemini to Cancer on Sunday late morning.

There will be three Moon Void of Course (VoC) phases this weekMonday evening (for 6 hours), Thursday early morning (for a little over 5 hours), and Saturday late morning (for 5.5 hours).
Before we get to this week's Forecast, a last reminder...

My monthly Forecasting Forum will be live on Friday this week!

Friday, May 5th at 5pm ET/2pm PT: our next Monthly Forecasting Forum about Jupiter’s one-year journey through Taurus (May 16th, 2023 - May 25th, 2024). Get a sense of how this impacts you personally -- MP4 recording is available within 24 hours after the live event.

Jupiter is about expansion and our mental & spiritual growth. Jupiter in Taurus is earthy and loves material comfort. How will this show up for you? What area of your life will be most affected?



Monday, May 1st:

Mondaythe Moon remains in detail-oriented, practical Virgo all day. It will journey there until Tuesday very early morning. We are generous with our time/services, and we love to help others. We also have a fondness for science and anything that makes sense in our world — things and knowledge we can apply and use.

Health might also come into focus at this time. We notice the parts that make up the whole; this is a great time to see if our daily routines (eating, work, self-care, etc.) align with our long-term goals.

Monday afternoon, at 1:09pm EDTPluto comes to a halt at 0º21' of Aquarius, starting its yearly 5-month Retrograde phase (until Oct. 10th). Pluto's energy will continue to move more slowly, and therefore more exalted, until May 16th.

When an outer planet stops, its energy gets more pronounced; we become more aware of its impact on us -- and this can sometimes cause discomfort. We are being asked to hang out with that discomfort until the planet's energy has picked up speed again (around May 16th).

During the Retrograde phase, we will have a chance to connect to anything associated with Pluto from within. Pluto is associated with our soul purpose, as well as the process of empowerment -- our ability to feel empowered from within -- and with our deepest passions. This forces us to see what really motivates us.

Pluto in Aquarius emphasizes some very powerful issues that we are currently dealing with collectively -- a sort of re-birthing of our social connections, social causes, political parties, unions, and collaborations with like-minded people in general – which could, in turn, bring up feelings of being out of control.

Finding our tribe -- one that resonates wholeheartedly with our unique flavor -- may become an obsession. We may also experience grief, a desire to belong or fit in, a desire to create a future that is worth "living into", or other intense feelings. The more we obsess, the more out of control we will feel.

The key is to focus on what we have influence over and on transforming denser energy patterns into lighter ones (in other words, becoming more conscious of our denser energy patterns so we can bring awareness and acceptance to them).

Personally and collectively, it will serve us to observe in any given moment what we would like to envision for ourselves and for others, rather than holding on to any obsessive thoughts or traumatized feelings stemming from the past that no longer serve us.

Ask yourself: How might releasing historically-based patterns of self-protection or survival support my having healthy social connections? Once aware of what those patterns are, could I experiment with surrendering all of my fears to a “higher power” (for example, the power of my eternal Soul, my divine Self)?

Until June 11th, we need to tap into our inner free spirit and embrace our future wholeheartedly. Looking back to see what has kept us from doing so in the first place will be very useful. Where have I been trying a little too hard to self-protect? Where have I been trying to control a political or social outcome?

Pluto in Aquarius is in its Retrograde phase. It is asking us to be authentic in our interactions and look at our own motivations for connecting with people, networks, affiliations, causes, etc. Given this, ask yourself: Am I coming from love, inclusion, and an open heart? Or am I coming from fear, separation, and wanting to fight (or protect)?

Until June 11th, ask yourself: What am I painfully aware of? What stems from the past and needs to be transformed? What might open up if I placed 5% more focus on enjoyment, gratitude, and healthy self-expression? How could I connect with others and have fun while giving everyone space to be their unique Selves? Could I release all fears about the future and simply trust life?

This Retrograde phase is also asking us to investigate any focus, fear, or obsession we have around changing social norms or any social/political causes. What might be the deeper value of not losing our individual self-expression? Or our joy in life? How might that serve our various networks or communities? Or the collective?

We also covered Pluto's new journey through Aquarius, as it relates to our own individual birth charts, in our recent Forecasting Forum "Pluto in Aquarius & Eclipse Season"click here for more info and to get this 120 min. webinar 

From June 11th - Oct. 10th, when Pluto has moved back into Capricorn, we need to tap into our inner authenticity, embracing the entirety of ourselves — the good, the bad, and the ugly. Paradoxically, this will help us let go of any habits, behaviors, or fears that are holding us back from feeling fully empowered from within.

Pluto in Capricorn in its Retrograde phase is asking us to step into our own authority and asks us not to give our power away to authority figures out there in the world (politicians, doctors, judges, police officers, parents, teachers, etc.). Instead, we need to take responsibility for our own decisions and the choices that we make for ourselves long-term.

The consequences of our choices and motivations also become more obvious during the Retrograde phase. It is therefore more important than ever to ask yourself: Am I choosing from love or fear?

We are invited to tap into our passion, strength, and Soul's purpose from the inside out. This deeper connection will support us in our journey toward authenticity. We can then build a future (and long-term goals) that aligns with our Soul's purpose. Ask yourself: What do I "just know", deep down?

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in the following: 0-2 degrees of AquariusLeoTaurusScorpio, or 27-29 degrees of Capricorn, Cancer, Aries, or Libra,? If so, you will feel this Retrograde phase more strongly. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Scorpio (Pluto is the ruler of Scorpio).

Monday eveninga Sun/Mercury alignment in 11º of Taurus becomes exact at 7:28pm EDT. We started to feel this aspect build from Saturday evening on, and it will remain strong until next week, Wednesday evening (May 3rd). When the Sun and Mercury come together, we are especially sharp, communicative, and open. This aspect indicates a confident mind and an analytical approach to life.

Intelligence and communication abilities are strong. We can expect a no-nonsense approach to decision-making. Ideas tend to be practical and useful.

That said, we may not listen as well as the other speaks -- we might be too busy thinking about what to say next. Words matter now, so choose them wisely: If people hung on your every word, what would you say then? What would you hold back from saying?

Our opinions are usually strong during this time; we like to think independently and are proud of our opinions and our thoughts. For this reason, our egos might get bruised if we are not "heard" -- if our opinions are pushed aside, ignored, or criticized. As best as you can, express yourself fully, knowing that others may have different opinions… and that's ok.

We may dig in our heels, but find it does not serve us, so choose your battles wisely and seek peace wherever possible.

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in 8-14 degrees 
of Taurus, Scorpio, Aquarius, or Leo? If so, you will be more affected by this alignment. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Leo, Gemini, or Virgo (the Sun rules Leo; Mercury is the ruler of Gemini and Virgo).

Monday at 7:53pm EDT, we enter a Moon VoC that will last for a little over 6 hours, until 2:09am EDT (Tuesday very early morning). Use this intuitive time to find a balance between head and heart, facts and faith, reason and intuition.
It's a great time for connecting with others and being of service. You may also want to talk to your pets or engage in more spiritual conversations that can also support our physical well-being.

As always with a Moon VoC, as best as you can, don't start anything brand-new, stick to routine things, or simply go with the flow. You may also want to plan Monday evening until Tuesday very early morning ahead of time. 

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PS: To apply my forecasts and videos to your own birth chart, watch my 30-minute class on: "How to Read Your Birth Chart" and feel free to go to my Facebook Fan page for some of my daily forecasts ;-)
If you have any general questions about Astrology, feel free to reach out via email or my website. If your question requires that I pull up your birth chart, I will ask you to book a reading with me, or join my Monthly Forecasting Forum.

To book a personal reading, go to my Services-page now! All readings are done via skype, FaceTime, zoom or phone. 
Looking forward to supporting you ;-)

Have a fantastic week! 
Many blessings, 
Sonja

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Sonja Francis, AC, PIttsburgh, PA 15024, United States of America
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