We begin April in hard-charging Aries and end the month in steady Taurus. The Bull: Netflix and chill. The Ram: CrossFit and drill.

Indeed, Aries is our most active sign. Ruled by deranged personal trainer Mars, it’s known to produce hyper-driven, competitive, and confrontational personality types. Until April 20th, this Aries influence could serve us well at work, where we need to hit deadlines and conquer more market share, but it might not be the best vibe for around the dinner table, where we tend to prefer tenderness and harmony. Be prepared, therefore, to turn down the heat in social situations the first few weeks of the month, should the need arise.

In contrast, the Bull’s influence from the 20th onward indicates more stability, security, and domestic comfort. Ruled by ritzy Venus, which will be at home in Taurus until April 11th (beaucoup auspicious), the Bull provides shelter from the storm (by which we mean modernity). Keep in mind, though, that Taurus, especially with Venus there, can get a bit too relaxed on the couch. Accordingly, be prepared to step up the energy levels, when necessary, toward the end of April.

While these are the two main influences for the month, the placement of the Sun and your ruling planet in different parts of your chart will, of course, further impact your life in various ways. Check your April horoscopes below to see how.

ARIES

It’s your season, with the Sun exalted in your Ego zone until the 20th. On top of that, your ruling planet, aggressive Mars, has finally left Gemini after an abnormally long, eight month stay there. This means that both the Sun and Mars-on-the-move are in good condition for you this month. Mars will specifically be activating your Home zone, so you could be experiencing a yen to make some changes around your hearth. Such an impulse will be supported by the Aries Sun in your Selfhood zone, which is all about fresh starts. Find a new object for the coffee table (or a new coffee table). Lucky Jupiter is also in the Ram, but only for six more weeks. It leaves mid May, and won’t return for 12 years. Whenever the Sun and Jupiter are in one's sign, we must take advantage of this auspicious conjunction. Here is an invitation to be even more emboldened, more risk-taking, and more expansive, especially over the next three weeks, while this Sun/Jupiter conjunction is active. Don’t worry so much about the details right now–just work on launching projects (be they personal or professional). You can refine later.

TAURUS

Your ruler, lovely Venus, is luxuriating in your Ego zone until April 11th. This is your once-a-year-ruling-planet-homecoming, meaning it’s always a favourable time for Venusian activities, as they pertain to selfhood and identity. Beautifying, caring for, and loving oneself is the prescription with this transit. Seek out an ethos of restoration, rejuvenation, and revitalisation: long walks, novel-reading, quiet time with your help-mate. On the 11th, Venus moves into Gemini, where it activates your Money zone. Gemini is about ideas and talking things out. You could get inspired with lucrative notions for improving your brand, during conversations with friends, or even strangers, around this time. And, finally, it’s your season, as the Sun shifts into your sign on April 20th. Again, the thematics of self-care and revitalisation apply here: be easy, because life gets more hectic next month with Gemini season.

GEMINI

Your ruling planet, lightening fast Mercury, finishes up a transit through Aries to start the month, before slowing way down in fixed-earth Taurus on April 3rd. Use those few Mercury-in-Aries days to get stuff done, related to communication and business. Once Mercury hits the Bull, your quicksilver nature might feel somewhat hamstrung by this placement. As always, though, learn to work with the transit. Mercury-in-Taurus, while excruciatingly slow for you, suggests a time for editing, thinking through tentative business plans, or revising older ones. Seeing that Mercury is also in a money-oriented sign (Taurus is all about Yankee dollar), this transit might also support analysing budgets, either personal or professional. Until the 20th, observe that the brash and combative Aries Sun energises your Friendship zone. A bit of drama, banter, and light-hearted fisticuffs with friends could arise during the transit. Aries energy isn’t great for yielding to the vagaries of group dynamics. Hence fisticuffs.

CANCER

Your ruling planet, the Moon, will be full in your Home zone on April 6th. This is an excellent placement for some sort of celebration around the hearth, surrounded by friends or family. Your instincts for care and nurturing should be fully activated on this date, so have others over to merry-make. Meanwhile, the aggressive Aries Sun energises your Career zone until late April. The Ram brings courage to the field of battle (remember it is ruled by warrior Mars). Use that courage to be more bold: ask for a raise, or for a new project out of your comfort zone. Keep in mind, too, that lucky Jupiter is currently blazing through Aries: do not shy away from reasonable risk-taking, given this auspicious transit. On the 19th, just as the Sun leaves the Ram, please note that you have a New Moon eclipse there. Eclipses are confusing and conflicted moments, so make your bold moves before this date, rather than on it.

LEO

Even the Sun, your ruler, shines brighter in some places than others. As a case in point, it’s exalted in Aries right now, where, until April 20th, it energises your zone of Philosophy, Education, Travel, and Spirituality. What’s more, expansive Jupiter, which loves this part of the chart most, is conjunct the Sun for the next three weeks. Do not shrink from grandiose goals, not that your outsized personality ever does. Ultimately, these placements are giving the green light to think in broad strokes rather than in the tedium of pointillism. Travel plans, a return to school, or some sort of spiritual/psychedelic quest are portended with this Sun/Jupiter conjunction. On the 20th, the Sun moves into steady Taurus, where it will activate your Career zone. After the grand transits of Aries season, the down-to-earth Taurus Sun indicates a time to be consistent and stable, as pertains to your profession–no sudden movements.

VIRGO

On April 3rd, your ruler, talkative Mercury, moves out of brazen Aries and into slowpoke Taurus. The Bull tends to ground and stabilise the flightiness of Mercury, making it more deliberate. Your earthy nature values this calmer version of the Messenger Planet. As such, this transit isn’t about being prolific, but rather for making sure things are perfect. Memos, emails, essays, petitions, legal briefs will benefit from this more methodical Mercury. All that said, though, your ruling planet nonetheless retrogrades on the 21st. Mercury retrogrades are a thorn in everyone’s sides, auguring glitches, delays, and mistakes in communication. But this wonkiness (and the errors they inevitably cause) especially distresses your precise Virgo nature. This retrograde will specifically impact your zone of Higher Learning, and Travel. Proceed with extra caution and plan for delays with trips.

LIBRA

A big, bright shining month for Libra. Until the 11th, radiant Venus, your ruler, finds itself magnificently placed in Taurus, a sign it also rules. Having your planet happy at home in another sign is like watching a sibling succeed. Not quite as good as your own success, and maybe tinged with a bit of jealousy, but ultimately powerful and gratifying. Use this transit to rejuvenate yourself, whenever possible: think about a weekend retreat with a helpmate, drinking tea and crossword puzzling in matching robes perhaps. Until the 20th, lucky Jupiter “bonifies” the self-centred Aries Sun in your Relationship zone. In astrology, “bonify” means to make better or to counterbalance one planetary influence with another. The Aries Sun isn’t great in the Relationship sector of a chart, but Jupiter’s co-presence there augurs the kind of harmony your balanced nature requires and desires. Please also circle April 11th on your calendar: Jupiter and the Sun meet together in your Relationship sector, then. It’s the best day of the year to robe and derobe, in the name of love.

SCORPIO

The high-octane Aries Sun highlights your zone of Routine until the 20th. You should have lots of energy and gusto for gym and health regimen. Aries is ruled by Mars–also known as the Knife. What unhealthy habits can you cut out of your routine? On the 20th, the Sun shifts into sweet, Venus-ruled Taurus, where it will light up your Relationship zone. Softer romantic feelings and yearning could arise due to Taurus influence, but there’s a snag: on the 21st, Mercury goes retrograde in this part of the chart, too. The possibility for confusion and miscommunication with a helpmate or business partner is rife around this date. You may feel out of sync with them, but the lesson of this transit: talk through misunderstandings to arrive at a deeper connection. The only thing to avoid is avoidant behaviour itself.

SAGITTARIUS

Big fun month. Until the 20th, your ruling planet, generous Jupiter, and the Sun activate the Romance and Recreation zone of your chart. Jupiter makes everything bigger and better, so take your adventurous Sadge spirit out into the world to find luck in love. Just remember that Jupiter in the Romance zone is known to be an extremely fertile transit, both in terms of creativity and procreation. On April 11th, Jupiter syncs up exactly with the Sun, while Venus also enters into your Relationship zone. In other words, your strongest day of the year for love, romance, luck. Alas, this is the last full month that Jupiter finds itself so well-positioned for you, before it crosses into a cadent (that is, somewhat boring) house in mid-May. So, go big until then, Sadge. On the 21st, the Sun transits into slow and steady Taurus, where it activates your House of Routine...yawns.

CAPRICORN

Domestic themes prevail this month. The combative Aries Sun highlights your Home zone until the 20th, while red-hot Mars energises homebody Cancer and your Relationship sector. This means that you not only have domestic-related issues in your chart, but lots and lots of fire. How might this manifest? For one, Mars in the Moon-ruled Crab could make you more susceptible to mood swings. Cancer is changeable, Mars flammable. Watch out. Likewise, the Aries Sun could lead to squabbling about chores, bills, leaving the coffee rinds in the sink YET AGAIN. Clearly, we don’t want squabbling. Consider, then, that Mars and Aries need direction. Take on all the work at home this month. See the job and do the job (regardless of who should be cleaning the coffee rinds up). Everyone will benefit from your domestic valour, including, of course, yourself, which is what matters most.

AQUARIUS

Think about self-promotion this month. True, we tend to denigrate this behaviour as narcissistic, but the Stars are sanctioning this pathology somewhat. How so? The headstrong, “me-first” Aries Sun will be highlighting your Communication zone. Ram energy can cause one to be somewhat boastful and self-aggrandising. But maybe it’s time you put some work into talking about what you’re doing in the world? Maybe you should extend your brand with some bold social media pronouncements? Maybe you need to get on LinkedIn with a pumped up CV that actually captures your magic and experience rather than effacing yourself in milquetoast corporate-speak? Beware, however, of coming across as too boastful or overly heated in your self-presentation. After all, the Ram is ruled by firecracker Mars, which could lend some aggression to your words. You want to be colourful, not choleric.

PISCES

The reckless Aries Sun lights up your Money zone this season. Uh oh. You and the Ram can be bad at managing your pocketbooks (does this reference make sense in 2023, or did I just sound like my grandmother?). You spend out of a deep spirit of generosity (remember that gift-giver Jupiter rules your chart). Aries, on the other hand, spends out of an almost majestic kind of self-absorption. Yet the result is the same, in the end: money woes with the pocketbook. The advice: get a little selfish (a little more Aries), if you’re going to spend. No more free lunches for your friends. Treat yourself, instead. On April 11th onward, your sweetest transit of the month. That's when lovely Venus flits into your Home sector–a time to beautify your place with a new purchase (see above) and have loved ones near. In late April, the Sun shifts into Taurus, where it will light up your Communication zone. On the 21st, talkative Mercury goes retrograde here, a placement that could lead to overly stubborn or bullish opinions. Just make sure you check all correspondences twice before sending.

Photo by Andres Perez on Unsplash