The week begins with the Taurus new moon. At new moon times the New Group of World Servers supports the endeavors of the women and men of Goodwill everywhere. New moon times, having an Aries/Uranus flavor, are โall things newโ times. However, with all of the retrogradesโMercury, Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto (Thursday, Pluto stations)โespecially Mercury retrograde, we only consider (not act upon) plans and ideas, assessing and re-assessing them until Mercury retrograde is over. Mercury remains retrograde until next Wednesday, May 3, remaining in its retrograde shadow until May 21. Then we can move forward more easily. Maybe!
Friday, Venus enters Aries and Mercury joins Uranus. Itโs a changeable unexpected day. Sunday with Chiron, we are careful not to hurt one another. We practice โAhimsaโ (doing no harm). Monday is the festival of Beltane. An ancient Celtic festival, Beltane is celebrated on May 1 (May Day). Beltane informs us that we are now between spring equinox and summer solstice. In the Catholic Church, Mary, Queen of the May, is crowned. When my mother was a young girl she was May Queen. She crowned Mary with May flowers. When I was a young girl, I, too, was May Queen. I crowned Mary with May flowers, too.
In earlier times, in 19th century Ireland and Scotland, yellow flowers (primrose, rowan, hawthorn, gorse, hazel, marigold) were gathered, made into bouquets, placed at doorways and windows and offered as spring gifts. Sometimes loose flowers were strewn about dairy floors or made intoย garlands, placed around cows and milking and butter-making equipment. The yellow flowers evoked the golden fire of the Sun. This festival tells us summerโs almost here!
ARIES: Be careful that you donโt become exhausted from ceaseless work. Itโs best to create your own schedule, have your own business, independently working at your own pace and not be disoriented by those with a different pace. Only one twelfth of the population is Aries. Everything you do has your own Aries signature and enthusiasm. Gain the respect of others working with you. Be generous, kind and compassionate. Soul virtues.
TAURUS: Usually youโre placid and quiet, seek comfort, pleasure and fine food. However, another side of you loves risk-taking and speculation. Itโs a sense of play for others but, to you, very serious. Often (silently) youโre competitive. You respect the fiercely independent, sports enthusiasts and good talkers. Somehow you always get what you want and everyone admires you. People wonder often about you. You never tell.
GEMINI: Sometimes you feel anger or confusions or protection concerning your early childhood years. Sometimes you realize there are childhood realities you canโt quite remember. You sense that present behaviors have roots in childhood. Your instincts tell you beliefs, thoughts and ideas must change. First, every life experience must be accepted and embraced. Wounds begin to heal when we realize all family, friend and relationship choices and experiences were made by us before birth.
CANCER: Youโre learning to speak truthfully. Sometimes what you say hurts others. Youโre also learning discriminationโhow to communicate with both truth and kindness. This takes many lives for everyone. You want to be direct and clear. But sometimes our communication is tinged with judgment and/or provocation. You can be informative and you can be kind, too. It takes lots of learning. We are all learning this together.
LEO: You ask often how is something made and what are the steps and methods to creating it yourself. You love things practical. But they must also be beautiful, make money, have value, be challenging and keep you independent. This sounds like the type of relationships you seek. Itโs good to be slow and steady in all endeavors. Soon the pace will pick up. Careful to spend money only on things of value. Nothing bearing any resemblance to the past.
VIRGO: Sometimes we react immediately and with force to new situations and events, like firecrackers ready to ignite. Itโs good at these times to take Aconite (homeopath) when nerves seem stressed and over reactive. This is the activity of Mars in Gemini working with Mercury (your ruler). Sometimes you begin things and then canโt complete them. This will pass. Donโt stir up any discontent or trouble anywhere. It returns with a powerful lightning-like force.
LIBRA: Have you felt a bit discouraged, convinced your efforts wonโt be seen, heard or understood. You have wanted to cease certain ways of living, acting or being but this too felt difficult. That time will come. You have not felt your usual sense of self. Often these days youโre overtired. You work well on your own, your values and principles are strong, yet one aspect of your life feels incomplete, not quite right and empty. What is it?
SCORPIO: Certain people in your life actually help you to achieve your many hopes, wishes, goals and dreams. Most of these people are acquaintances, few are close friends. This is how you like it. You choose only a few trustworthy people to support your aims in life. You have the warrior sensibility. Whatever your goals, you achieve them. Often under cover and in the dark of night. For protection. We can learn from you.
SAGITTARIUS: Youโre one of the signs that seeks freedom above all, so you can accomplish independent, original work. The stars have endowed you with courage to pursue your own endeavors, choices and decisions, allowing you autonomy. Ambition carries you to the heights and to the depths and always to the โrazorโs edge.โ When you add charm, care of others, a bit of music and good food to the mix, youโre without limit.
CAPRICORN: You love different ideas, constant learning, challenges and humor. You donโt like self-righteousness in others, especially when others donโt understand your character. Youโre playful yet serious, energetic within limits. You like to laugh, have a quirky sense of humor. Right now, youโre pondering upon and seeking new endeavors, a new path in life and a new identity. Itโs in a garden with mulberry, lilac, lime and fig trees. Chickens all around. And a greenhouse.
AQUARIUS: When you know deeply what you want to pursue, the opportunity finally appears. ย Sometimes you feel no one loves you, or thereโs no relationship ahead. You are uncomfortable with anything or anyone that projects illusions. You discover and uncover things. You live in the future, in a place not yet realized by most of humanity. You can be lonely. There are others, magical like you. Call to them.
PISCES: Cooperation, kindness and forethought are the qualities needed while relating to those close to you. Often itโs best to work one-on-one. Compromise isnโt easy unless thereโs deep respect for one another. Youโre learning how to lead, counsel and be a leader. A difficult task. Let others think they are your heroes and heroines. This is the way diplomats work. Diplomacy, compromise, negotiations are art forms. Youโre the artist.
Celebrate Mother Earth by joining Save Our Shores in their efforts to keep her shores healthy and litter-free with the Earth Day coastal cleanup. Cleanups are scheduled across 10 beaches, rivers, and inland locations in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. Last yearโs Earth Day cleanups prevented 9,226 pounds of pollution from entering the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Bring friends and family, some reusable buckets, gloves and reusable water bottles. ย 
Break through borders of all kinds with inspiring local organizations fighting for cultural, artistic, and political justice this Friday, April 21. The Museum of Art & History will offer hands-on workshops, performances and demonstrations to bring the community together and discover our common ties. Take part in the Whisper Wall communal art project to deconstruct stigmas around mental health with the MAHโs teen activist group Subject to Change. Dive into Reel Work Film Festival Shortsโ documentary films by workers, activists, students and the public, groove to El Sistemaโs orchestra participatory music performance and dance with the Creative Young Artists. Full schedule online. 
With the 18th annual Soupline Supper, Homeless Services invites community members to change a life with a bowl of soup. Sample delicious specialty soups, fresh salads, artisan breads, and desserts served by โcelebrity ladlersโ from the local community. Sponsorships help families and individuals experiencing homelessness to regain their dignity and self-sufficiency while also reducing homelessness in Santa Cruz County. 
Santa Cruz is one of 425 communities joining the global gathering of people in support of science in daily lives and in understanding the natural world. With the main March for Science taking place in Washington, D.C., satellite marches are planned to take place all over the world. In Santa Cruz, residents and organizations are invited to take part in the community-friendly peaceful rally starting at city hall and then walking through downtown, along the San Lorenzo river walk and ending in San Lorenzo Park with the Earth Day celebration. 
