The Sun enters Taurus II on 29 April 2025 at 10:16 pm EDT. In western Massachusetts, where I live, this puts the Sun in the sixth house, in the masculine/latent quadrant and in a night house in a night-ruled sign, in a night-ruled chart. It suggests some uncomfortable days ahead in the ten days, seven hours, and 43 minutes that the Sun will take to pass through this decan, which includes May Day or Beltaine (in some ways, this date on 29 April 2025 marks “astrological Beltane”). Austin Coppock called this decan The Lingam Yoni, while T. Susan Chang called it Mysteries at the Threshold. The Golden Dawn associated it with the generosity visible in the 6 of Pentacles in the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot deck — which deliver beneficence to some, but not all.
The ancient Greeks (properly, the hellenized residents of ancient Alexandria) honored the Horae, or Hours/Seasons at this time of year. Sometimes numbered as three sisters, other times as 24 siblings, and still other times as thirty-six, or fifteen (the day used to be divided into 12 day-hours and three night-vigils), the Horae were responsible for both the changing seasons, and the daily progression of the hours. This made them responsible for the regular movements of Sun, Moon, planets and stars by primary directions — a collegium of spirits so orderly and regular in their administration of law that the heavens themselves could be reliably clocked to their determinations. The Horae bring both regularity and immediacy to the work of the day — one thing follows the other as the day proceeds through noon into sundown and so on into night. Although from our perspective, life seems chaotic and tumultuous at many times — the Horae see it from the perspective of time as an even and steady flow where each action has its place.
It’s perhaps for this reason that Austin Coppock named this decan The Lingam Yoni. It has that characteristic of good sex, where one natural action flows into the next in a deliberate and orderly way: the hand here moves to a new position there. The arm that was a pillow is now a column supporting a body, thus. Day follows naturally out of night, and night emerges from day. Every action has its proper place and time, under the Hours.
But there is also agency, and personal action, under this decan: What we do here and now, resonates — not in eternity, perhaps, but in immanence. The pinched flesh here turns into a gasp there, the tender patting of one hand turns into another hand slapping; the laughter in one mouth becomes a growl in a different throat. The Hours proceed regularly from one another — but the also permit each of us the immediacy of our own personal charism, to act and to do and to react in each moment. The cosmic weft of time is a complex tapestry of millions of lives interacting, drawn together by the inexplicable weave of a Jacquard loom constructing a brocade or a tapestry out of … us.
The Six of Pentacles speaks to this motion, too — when we give generously to one, are we not withholding our gifts from another? When one person begs for favor, is not another moved to pity? What about disgust? We are surrounded by, enmeshed in, the tensile and six-dimensional web of interrelationships —pulling and pushing on another moment to moment.
The dodeks, or twelfth parts, of this decan, recapitulate Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius. Each of these 2° 30′ sectors has a part to play in telling the story of a romantic break-up and either its renewal or the start of a new relationship. First Virgo analyzes the relationship with callous facts. Libra weighs the relationship in the balance and finds it wanting. Scorpio stings the relationship and poisons it… but Sagittarius intervenes and delivers either the remedy in the form a targeted effort to win back love from its current challenges; or starts the process of looking for new love in a wilder and single(-r) state.
House Delineations
The First House of self and self-presentation is Sagittarius ruled by opposing and detrimented Jupiter in Gemini. Squaring Saturn adds definition through push-pull relationships to elders in your family tree. You’re probably defining yourself these days in terms of what you do for others — a spouse or romantic partner, and members of your family for whom you may be acting as a special kind of caretaker. This may require more travel than usual, and it’s probably challenging to define your self-hood these days when so much of your time is about connection to others. It may help for you to think of yourself as a healer this week — engaging in care for others, but dedicated to making people comfortable and well.
The Second House of wealth and possessions is Capricorn ruled by sextile Saturn in Pisces. Personal wealth may be defined by familial wealth this week. You’re not so much concerned about what’s in your wallet as what’s in everyone else’s wallet — does your spouse have enough? Kids? Housemates? There’s a tendency to hoard when Capricorn is the second house — but real wealth is being able to pay for roses as well as bread. Attend to beauty matters as well as nutrition this week; don’t hoard what brings happiness.
The Third House of extended family and siblings is Aquarius ruled by inconjunct Saturn in Pisces. Sextile Mercury and trining but detrimented Jupiter in Gemini provide familial and spousal support to local matters. Pluto is present, in a rough separating opposition with Mars. Relationships with siblings and extended family require opening old information in a new way. Pluto’s keyword, transformation, tends to be thrown around a lot but that often means converting a liquid to a pressurized gas, or trying to overfill your teacup, or having a little coffee with your sugar and cream — too much of something can often be overwhelming and unbalanced. Interactions with family matters are likely to require hot-headed communication that’s only going to be cooled off with a vision for broader happiness and help from a supportive partner who’s willing to cut a line or two: they can’t push your buttons if the wire’s snipped.
The Fourth House of household and family is Pisces ruled by squaring, detrimented Jupiter in Gemini. Saturn and Venus have completed a conjunction here, and the North Node is present. Family and household matters are likely to bring a mixture of deep contentment and inner joy, as well as harshness and hunger and hardship. There’s an eagerness to conclude old business which must be managed carefully and with attention to aesthetics, but also with an almost tedious, ponderous focus on mental and physical health. Pursue both kinds of well-being this week.
The Fifth House of pleasure, hobbies, and children is Aries ruled by trining Mars in Leo — and hosting Neptune the visionary and Mercury the communicator. Favorable results from your intended amusements can be obtained, but it’s as important to communicate about your hobbies as it is to act on them or put your tools to use. When it comes to managing your enjoyments, plan to be sovereign: claim your own expertise, and refuse to yield time to work or household matters if your hobbies are how you maintain emotional or intellectual equilibrium. You could vacuum mindlessly when you’re tired, but you can only put in hours at your sewing table or blacksmith’s anvil if you’re alert.
The Sixth House of work and employee and illness (and its prevention) is Taurus, ruled by sextile and exalted Venus in Pisces, and hosting the Sun and Uranus. It’s a good time to put some long-term plans on autopilot, but use the next ten days to construct plans that require immediate day-to-day engagement: do your errands, complete your to-do list, review personal safety plans with employees, do your yoga routines daily. If you don’t have some kind of personal spiritual practice, it’s perhaps worth taking up prayer beads sometime soon. If it’s already part of your practice… you might consider if it’s time to put down that practice for a while, and try other routines that you’ve let languish a while.
The Seventh House of relationships, spouse, and significant peers is Gemini, ruled by sextile Mercury in Aries. The Moon is present, in the Sixth Mansion The Little Star of Great Light, a place favorable to relationships and the renewal of expressions of love. With Jupiter’s presence it’s likely that you and your significant other are spending considerable time working on your own passions and issues, and not getting to spend a great deal of time in one another’s company. Even so that time is likely to be full of contentment and peace in one another and gladness for the relationship. There are many incoming hiccups, due to a range of complex issues to consider: what information and insights you need to get through the current contentions; what hybrid solutions you may be able to offer to others; and how to give a Picard-like “engage!” to the plans you need to enact.
The Eighth House of obligations is Cancer, ruled by the inconjunct Moon. Trining exalted Venus provides familial support to your duties and chores. There’s a swift circuit of tasks that probably need to be accomplished without emotional baggage attached to them; as a Buddhist friend of mine says, “pain is inevitable, suffering optional.” Whether you need to wait at the Motor Vehicles Registry for hours or get the oil in your car changed or wait for a plumber or manage a septic system, do so with patience. Bring a physical, paper book with you and put down your phone — Mars is inconjunct, so it’s a good time to practice letting go of outrage. (Joshua Michael Schrei, of the podcast The Emerald, calls outrage a narrow-band emotion: “bland and unfulfilling, a temporary and unsustainable jolt”… sit with that one a while.)
The Ninth House of travel, education, and religion is Leo ruled by the squaring Sun and hosting Mars. Long distance trips bring hardship and challenge, but rarely in the form of technical delays like late planes or trains or automobiles. Instead, focus on the behaviors of the security theater-crew, waving magical wands at passengers and shoving opaque luggage through transparency devices. Expect that a fair number of these players are going to be thrown under a spotlight in clear and exciting ways in the coming days — not always in situations we enjoy. Bring a book.
The Tenth House of career and reputation is Virgo, ruled by the inconjunct Mercury. Opposing Venus and Saturn set familial intentions in a place of higher priority than what you do at work. The South Node and the Midheaven together indicate that old solutions or processes that you helped design are now causing problems, and you may be called upon to fix or update them for current circumstances. This is likely to be an ongoing problem requiring your attention for some time to come; try not to allow it to interfere with your enjoyment of other parts of life, and remember to keep your attention on what your household needs rather than on your boss’s expectations: no matter how good your reputation at work, it’s not going to be improved or worsened by much that you do or don’t do this week.
The Eleventh House of allies and associates is Libra ruled by the exalted but inconjunct Venus. Trining but detrimented Jupiter and opposing Mercury manage to keep social niceties greased, but remember to focus on your own stuff and on your primary relationships to spouse and family. Economic matters are likely to be a real concern between you and your extended web of associates, acquaintances, and professional contacts. Urge your friends and colleagues to focus their attention on the private needs of their households, or on their hobbies, but do so in an off-the-record kind of way, with what musician Paul Simon called hints and allegations. Private gatherings at your home are a good idea, so are potlucks and planned community buffets are more likely to be good for greasing your social wheels than restaurants, bars, or other public places. Hiking and activities in nature are also preferable.
The Twelfth House of obstacle and opportunity is Scorpio, ruled by squaring Mars in Leo, but receiving support from trining Venus in Pisces. The people with whom you’re romantically involved may not really be available for the more intimate acts usually associated with romance, but that doesn’t mean the desire goes away. Your sexual interest and desire may be emboldened to go haring off on adventures, or to break the standard expectations and norms of your relationships as a result. You may also find that there are other parts of your life where there’s a responsibility to hold secrets or keep confidences, where you would rather just speak them aloud and rob them of their power over you. Yes, that’s fine — if they’re your secrets. Otherwise, remember that some stories are not yours to share.
Horoscopes by Rising Sign
Decan I of any sign (usually covering the 21st of the month to the first of the following month) is free to all visitors; Decan II is only available to Patreon and Ko-Fi.com subscribers; and Decan III is available to Patreon, Ko-Fi, and MailChimp subscribers.
I recommend reading your Sun sign, Moon sign, and Rising sign for best results. I write them with rising sign in mind, but several people have told me they find that they do better with all three.
Sagittarius: Your spouse or significant other(s) may need to spend time away, but not for reasons that are troubling to the two of you. Instead, you may find that you have opportunities to live in greater love even when separating. You’re more than capable of handling matters at home, but there are likely to be a mix of beautiful and ugly moments ahead. You might want to keep an eye on the pets’ well-being over the next ten days. Build some to-do lists and planned ways to have fun — right now there’s a lot of focus on your essential responsibilities (more are coming soon!) and there’s a bit of breathing room in the rest of this week.
Capricorn: Financial matters are likely to be much on your mind this week, especially if you’re self-employed or own a business. The next few weeks are likely to be challenging to your hobbies and personal entertainments, as well as to your extended family. You may also have some transformative successes in your financial life, which will make it hard for you to see the distress or restriction on others, even those who are very close to you. The temptation will be very strong to refuse the obligations that others try to pass on to you, but here is a real chance for you to be visionary and sovereign about your leadership roles, both within your family and among your underlings and allies. You and your spouse may not immediately see eye to eye on how to share your abundance with others, but love is likely to win out as you seek the virtuous road through the next ten days.
Aquarius: One of the issues you’ll face this week, is when to use your genuine professional skills to help your extended family — and when to shut up and figure it out for themselves. You are probably not in a good position to help family members financially this week, although they’re likely to ask; however, you may be able to support in more resourceful and appropriate ways — with gifts of food, or time (like childcare if that’s appropriate or easy) or advice; or handholding through a process they find difficult. The important thing is to wait for the request, rather than to volunteer. Your ability to solve their problem are unquestionable; but the reality is that they may be resentful or ungrateful for the help offered. If it’s your spouse or significant other’s family, it’s especially important to wait for them to ask. Make clear where your boundaries are, though — this is what I can do for free, and here is where I have to start asking you for compensation. If it’s not going to be fun, you can stop before you get to the dollar-sign.
Pisces: You’re likely to feel a strong pull between career matters and home or household issues. Generously giving your time to home and to family (not necessarily the same thing) will leave little room for professional matters — and that’s especially true if you and your spouse or significant other have child-care issues that require addressing. One of the few places in your schedule where cuts are possible are in your upcoming travel plans: is it too late to get a refund, or to change your bookings? I don’t know that your financial life is going to go off a cliff, but there’s indicators that some expenses need to be reined in, and you need to do a better job of tracking receipts and expenses and income more carefully. Look clearly and honestly at your current relationships with your neighbors, extended family, and intimate circle of friends — are you doing more labor for them than you should?
Aries: Self-care sometimes requires a tiara. Do you have one? Try this: put on your coronet, real or imaginary, and tell people what you want to do to have fun right now. It might include travel plans, or attending a class together, or a workshop — it might be a visionary dream circle, or a night in with the artists’ tools. Even if nobody decides to come, you can still set aside a night of emotional privacy for you to express the grief and the beautiful adoration you feel for familial issues, for the challenges of your daily professional life, for the possible upending of your finances or the complexities of your close friendships. One way or another, bring the spotlight to yourself and let the rays shine on your glittering bejeweled crown for a moment — and then put that authority to work.
Taurus: Everything you do for the next ten days is likely to have immediately actionable consequences that show up on a daily basis. Your spiritual practices may be going through some upheaval as well — you may find that you’re being challenged about what you believe, or that your current circumstances cause you to question how you express those beliefs. One way or another, you’re likely to be facing a bit of a … not a crisis, but a period of doubt, as what you believe runs up against the limits and possibilities of what you must do. Financial matters are likely humming on all cylinders, but home and relationship are either far away or facing some reservations — it’s not that you don’t love them (probably), it’s just that things need some freshening up. What needs to be taken out of the trunk, and what silences need breaking?
Gemini: Relationships (or lack thereof) may be an essential topic over the next ten days, but it’s likely to be out in public or causing drama with family members or close friends. You’re holding the connection as a sacred and beautiful thing, and you’re likely able to be generous and giving to your partner (or you’d like to be). Yet the way that this relationship (or lack) affects your household is going to be ‘front page news’ as it were among your friends… who will either be trying to fix you up with someone, or talk you through whatever the current upheaval is. The thing is — the upheaval isn’t as large as you may be making it out to be; and it’s more likely that you’re using relationship issues to cover over a more serious drama playing out in your workplace, or in the journey through the winter-of-discontent that you’re currently on. It may be time to spend an hour of time in daily retreat with yourself, and re-establish the traditions that will bring you peace.
Cancer: Some weeks there is just too much to do. And this week, you’re expected to give generously of your time and limited patience to help your spouse or significant other complete a few important tasks that are currently beyond their means. Sure, you’ll do it because you love them (or you’re in business with them at least), but it doesn’t mean that this isn’t going to be rough on your personal finances. Your extended family is also dredging up some older issues that are going to bring a big stink, too — you have better tools and techniques for helping folks address the nasty odors than most, but it might be worth sitting this one out. It might also be a paid gig under the right circumstances, too. Speaking of paid gigs… remember to have fun at work, and articulate a higher or better vision of how the workplace could run. You might be regarded as talking out of turn by a hidebound boss… but it’s not just about the big cheese, it’s also about the people who are planning on walking out and going somewhere else eventually. One of them might be your boss someday… or maybe your employee? Keep your colleagues “in network” even if you don’t work with them any more.
Leo: Travel matters and educational issues are highlighted these next ten days, as various forces steal your time to shine and put the brakes on your home and household life in alienating and lonely ways. Showing generosity and love to a friend is important this week, but you may think of it as an act of sympathy or pity rather than true devotion. Professional roles require you to buckle down and work when you’d rather be doing your own thing — but the boss will pay for customary services rather than a radical re-think. Your home life is where you should be centered and at peace, but one possible point of contention is an upset of the equilibrium between you and any partner(s) you may have. The risk is that you may try to frame yourself as a critic on the outside, when in fact you’re deep inside the system. It’s not “how do you atone for this?” but “How do we fix this together?”
Virgo: Professional hardships will have you digging through your archives (and boneyards) to find the things that will make you stand out from the crowd, but you may be at a phase of your career when you have to do big stuff for free and charge for the details instead of the other way around. It’s enough to make you want to take your ball and go home — but there are unresolved issues there that you’ll have to target before you get to rest. And some of those things may be one of those tired, frustrating conversations with a spouse, housemate or significant other that leads to beautiful things but starts with, “So I really don’t want to talk about this right now, but….” It’ll be helpful to you both if you walk in with a plan for maintaining what is now, and do what you can to put out whatever fire is currently turning things ash-colored. You may also want to take a traditional trip together to something that feeds you both spiritually, but it’s likely something that you can there and back again in a day-trip: a foreign adventure may feel like pie in the sky anyway, but for this you’d do well to keep your feet on the ground.
Libra: Try to see a friend on a daily basis; at the very least call them from home before the end of your work day. It’s a good time to share the hardships of your life with them, but also to share the beauty of your days together. You’re not going to be doing this for them, though, but for yourself, to help give shape to the next ten days. Having fun may be difficult, or making space for the new amusements to come into your life — they’ll either come in overwhelming waves or small tidal shifts that will be hard to notice until they’ve changed the shape of your life significantly. It’s possible that some of these conversations will stir up old arguments, or make you feel like you have to go back through some of your old journals or return to some of the places where magic intruded eagerly into your life — but whether you go in person or only in memory, it’s a journey worth making to the places where you loved well, or where you felt like the beloved one. There’s no obligation to try this, of course, but the hardships of your life will be more easily addressed if you can communicate clearly about what you want and your vision for the future of your relationships.
Scorpio: “It might be lonelier,” Emily Dickinson wrote, “without the loneliness,” and so it may prove this week. Your attention may be on how few dollars are in your wallet, or how much of your resources have to be planted in your partner’s hands to maintain household necessities — and you may critique that, or find that it cripples your amusements… but it may be worth remembering that limitation and constraint is often part of the way that the tides of beauty rise and fall. It is by working within the limits you face that elegance emerges. This requires a certain amount of planning and forethought to bring forth a new and fiery vision to be sure… but it’s within the realm of possibility that you can forge a new light worth displaying to others.
Colophon
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If you want to read some of my astrologically-oriented poetry, the largest collection is called A Full Volume of Splendor and Starlight, available through my Etsy shop, and containing poems and hymns to the planets, constellations, decan deities, and Moon Mansion angels. While not astrological, Festae contains hymns to some of the older Roman gods and spirits from the calendar created by Numa Pompilius, the second ancient King of Rome.
I use iPhemeris for my charting software, and screenshot it to make charts. I want to thank the team that develops iPhemeris for the addition of Terms and Decans to their charts. I also use Hugh Tran‘s Physis typeface to craft logos for this blog, as well.
I use Christopher Warnock‘s The Mansions of the Moon as the basis of my Moon placement delineations, and Austin Coppock‘s 36 Faces for much of my planetary delineations. Neither gentleman endorses me.
