April 2024by Bob Mulligan(a personal note is at the end of the newsletter) April Highlights On the 2nd Mercury turns Retrograde until the 25th. Mercury is in Aries (pioneering); we can best use this period to edit our thoughts and actions. Our recent past leaves us with some challenges. However, Mars (ruler of Aries) is in Pisces (sign of completion). This can easily be a three week period of a complete overhaul of our mental life. Guidance miraculously appears when we are doing the right thing. On the 3rd Venus Conjuncts then Parallels Neptune. The urge to create something of beauty is strong, but for most of us this will be a pleasant time to listen to familiar music, read a good book, or reach out to an old friend. On the 8th we have the Aries Solar Eclipse at 2:20 PM EDT. This Eclipse will be quite visible through the center of the United States, spectacular to see. But regardless of where you are, it’s a great time to meditate or to say your prayers. On the 20th Jupiter Conjuncts Uranus; this happens on the 21st degree of Taurus (money); Grace Morris points out in her newsletter that this could occur at the start of a bull market. Excitement and enthusiasm will be present for sure. On the 23rd we have the Full Moon with the Sun in Taurus and Moon in Scorpio at 7:49 PM EDT. This is the Wesak festival, when according to tradition in Theosophical circles, the Buddha returns to earth to give a spiritual push. Many times in the past, I have sat in meditation with esoteric groups during this festival. It is very powerful. On the 29th Mars Conjuncts then Parallels Neptune. This finishes up a cycle. We may make a new commitment to our higher vision of life. We make a better world by being better people. Mars is in Pisces all month; and Venus is in Aries from the 5th to the 29th. We may find dating, romantic interludes, and even the pattern of all relations, altered in not so subtle ways. We must be attentive to other people’s unrealistic assertions and sift through the conversations for truly meaningful insights. The rules of interaction are changing for the better, and this is a month of transition. The New Moon The New Moon is a Solar Eclipse on April 8th at 2:20 PM EDT on the 19th Degree of Aries. The first New Moon of the New Astrological year is potent, but with Mars (ruler of Aries) Conjunct Saturn (the fun police) in Pisces (sign of confusion) we may not be getting off to the fiery start we were expecting. Pluto (lord of the underworld) is the only air sign (abstract thinking) and is alone in the bottom of the chart set for Washington, D.C. There is so much going on behind the scenes that it is easy to fall into paranoia. Conspiracy theories have become so commonplace that we become deaf to them. Decisions made now will only come to light in a couple of years – 2026 to be precise. The Sun enters Taurus Sun enters Taurus April 19th at 10:01 AM EDT. With Mars Sextile the Jupiter/Uranus Conjunction the Solar Month favors pushing our own projects. The Moon is Opposite Saturn showing stress over life’s basic necessities. The Sun Square to Pluto shows that our natural moves at this time are challenged by people demanding innovation. Earth is the dominant ingredient and earth needs material results to be happy. The month of Taurus we embrace the ground, but this year we are stimulated by our sense of touch more than usual. The Full Moon Full Moon is on the 23rd at 7:49 PM EDT on 4 degrees of Taurus/Scorpio. Pluto forms a T-square being 90 degrees away from both Sun and Moon. They are all in fixed signs, and this requires movement of emotional areas of life that are stuck. Without emotional adjustment, the next couple of weeks are turbulent. Retrograde Mercury is Conjunct North Node of the Moon in Aries; the opportunity to blaze a new mental trail is real. Communications are simple, direct, and energetic. The Jupiter/Uranus Conjunction was exact three days ago. It’s still quite active because Venus (goddess of love) in Aries plays a mitigating role being Semi-sextile both Jupiter and Mars and sitting on the mid-point. Love is strong, active, and forcing a change from within. With the Sun on the Mercury/Jupiter midpoint, and on the Mercury/Uranus midpoint, higher wisdom can easily ground the nervous energy. The door for spiritual advancement is wide open. The Weeks From the 1st to the 7th it seems we were moving along at a pleasant clip, and then everything stopped, or at least slowed down. It isn’t just you; everyone is having some difficulty seeing what to do next. It may look like this is a time to rest, or just goof off. But no, this is a time to change approaches. To be observant without “losing it” pays big dividends. Try not to get upset with others. From the 8th to the 14th our feet are moving and our arms are flapping, yet we don’t seem to be moving. This is not just exercise, and we are actually making progress; it just doesn’t seem this way. Real satisfaction comes when we keep our eyes on the goal, do our best, and stay committed to the project. Real progress comes when we release attachments to the end results. We have to be smart enough to recognize that the game has changed and different rules apply. From the 15th to the 21st great expectations can help or misguide us. If we focus our attention on the things we can personally do to make life more pleasant for others, we are on the right path. Bold steps taken in the right direction activate a chain reaction. The future is inevitable and best for all. If we truly know what is ours, we will not begrudge anyone else for what they have. Ownership is responsibility. From the 22nd to the 30th activation is real, inner, and personal. Our thinking must change. A new approach, even to fundamental issues, can bring a welcome alteration to our perspectives. It’s time to shed worn out beliefs. Letting go of despair or self-doubt will automatically lift our spirits. This is not the easiest of times. We all have a responsibility to do our best to bring about a better world for all. The Days 1st – Monday – Mercury turns Retrograde – Regardless of our plans, it’s good to allot some time to see what we are doing. If we are “digging a hole”- is it good, necessary, and for our improvement? This time doesn’t favor change in habits or procedures. Our direction, methods, and end goal are probably fine. But it is prime time to evaluate what we are doing, and view the horizon. 2nd – Tuesday – Mercury Semi-sextile Venus, Sun Semi-sextile Saturn – We win if we focus on what we have and carefully operate within prescribed boundaries. It is easy to get lost in thoughts of “what if”, but this is not helpful. We take a step in the right direction when we keep our vision on what is practical and real. 3rd – Wednesday – Venus Conjunct Neptune, Venus Parallel Neptune – Aspirations for something beyond what we normally experience give potency to our quest to go beyond our limitations. Any movement toward the light is rewarded in kind. Art, literature, and drama through any medium all bring peace. Receiving is nice, but we must share the blessings of the moment to make them ours. 4th – Thursday – Detachment gives true vision. We can feel something brewing in the cosmos that we don’t seem to be able to directly participate in. Awareness of the changes in the environment is to look into a mirror. Is it us or the world that is changing? 5th – Friday – Venus enters Aries – Too many options and too many distractions can water down the effect of our efforts today. We don’t have to be shouting “yippy” with every action. Just getting the job done will bring satisfaction. There is a well-trod path in front of us, a pattern of acceptable procedures. The commonplace doesn’t need embellishment. Just being responsible helps the world situation. 6th – Saturday – Mercury Semi-square Mars, Venus Sextile Pluto – We can see a new way to accomplish common tasks. Bringing others along with our insights requires more than finesse; we must listen to others and incorporate their relevant ideas. Teachers, with many years’ experience, learn valuable lessons from beginning students, when they listen. 7th – Sunday – If we are looking carefully, there is an opening to put icing on the cake; this is not a moment to bake a new cake, just to grab a reachable bonus to our already completed enterprise. Enthusiasm is present, but a new wave is approaching, and we must be patient to catch the coming momentum offered by the cosmos. 8th – Monday – Sun Semi-sextile Jupiter, Venus Semi-square Jupiter, the New Moon is a Solar Eclipse at 2:20 PM EDT on the 19th Degree of Aries, Sun Contra-parallel Saturn, Sun Contra-parallel Mars – It will take strength and patience to take advantage of the gifts offered today. The obstacles in our path help build both resolve and clarification. We need help, but it doesn’t arrive until we choose and are “all in”. Doubt and hesitation block progress. “The Lord helps those who help themselves.” Our personal truths are calling us; we must answer or lose integrity. 9th – Tuesday – Mars Parallel Saturn – Close attention to circumstances within the immediate surroundings allows us to better estimate a timeline for basic tasks. Heeding the warning signs that all is not right can be a lifesaver, well, at least a time saver. Growth may seem slow, but organic progress can’t be hurried. Overlooked details can come back to bite us. If we didn’t get it right the first time, let’s get it right now. 10th – Wednesday – Venus Semi-square Uranus, Sun Semi-sextile Uranus, Mars Conjunct Saturn – An unconventional approach to problems can move us closer to our true goals. Besides, it’s fun to try something new. If we take a little longer to complete an obligation, it’s worth the extra time if we learn something. Our reevaluation process allows us to see more clearly how methods for achievement often color what we want and go after. 11th – Thursday – Venus Contra-parallel Neptune, Sun Conjunct Mercury – The strictly achievable falls far short of our personal ideal. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” but inner perfection isn’t. There are objective, universal values worthy of attention. Adjusting our actions to match our true beliefs brings peace. Facing our own shortcomings is liberating and creates space for a new attitude. Our mind can be transformed. 12th – Friday – Kindness is not passive, but requires commitment and action. To act from our heart’s intuition may strike a blow across the face of reason; however, this is necessary to be in real harmony with our higher self. “The mind makes a good servant but a poor master.” 13th – Saturday – Mercury Semi-sextile Uranus, Mars Semi-square Pluto – We are a cook, we are in the kitchen, and we suddenly get a great idea for a new recipe. But the kitchen is a mess from our last meal preparation. We can write our thoughts down for a new culinary delight, but we still should spend our time cleaning up the mess we have created before we experiment with our innovative creation. 14th – Sunday – Sun Parallel Mercury, Mercury Semi-sextile Jupiter – Empathy increases our communication skills. We reach a larger audience if we are emotionally committed to the welfare of our constituency. Living life alone is fine, but if we want to include others, we need to understand what other people value. If we think that we know what others need, better than they themselves do, welcome to isolation and impotency. Minor corrections can bring pleasure. 15th – Monday – Family and familiar surroundings are begging for our attention. We can be in a warm rubbery sway while we spend our time at the office licking stamps and getting the essential mail to the post office. Art, music, great drama can remind us that everyone in our lives is precious to someone and we improve our lives by changing the definition of family. 16th – Tuesday – Mercury Semi-sextile Mars – We may want to shout from the rooftops. Perhaps there is something to share but most important is to implant a clear direction in our own minds. The feeling that we have the answers to the questions on the test is probably a mirage. Better to test the water without jumping into the deep end of the pool. 17th – Wednesday – Venus Semi-sextile Saturn, Sun Semi-sextile Neptune – Can we be assertive and still be true to our inner light? More than ever, we are able to navigate the space between faith and fanaticism. We can balance personal truth and cordiality. Our own commitment to a path must stand on its own legs without external support. When our audience is the higher mind we are on the road home. 18th – Thursday – Venus Contra-parallel Mars, Mercury Contra-parallel Saturn – We can be balanced by ourselves, but are we happy? Even when feel we are doing the same old thing, we are in a new season, and life is fresh and automatically self regenerating. To be attuned to the cosmos means being in tune with nature. If we are at peace with ourselves we can pass it on. 19th – Friday – Mercury Conjunct Venus, Sun enters Taurus, Mars Sextile Jupiter, Mars Sextile Uranus – The light bulb goes on, the energy is there, now do we have the conviction to take the next step forward? Belief in ourselves and trust in the fabric of our own history is the protein powder that sustains us. We don’t have to convince anyone but ourselves. When we are fearlessly authentic, victory is ours. 20th – Saturday – Sun Semi-square Saturn, Jupiter Conjunct Uranus, Mercury Parallel Venus – We have the pleasure of uncovering things from our past that have been missing in action for awhile. Our ability to welcome the prodigal son back into the fold is an important step in reuniting with forgotten and overlooked treasures. Dorothy always had the power to go back to Kansas; she just needed someone to point it out to her. 21st – Sunday – Sun Square Pluto – If a branch doesn’t bend in the wind, it will eventually break. Our imagination soars when are open to new possibilities. Time spent in Nature is refreshing. Remembering the simple delight of filling our senses with green growing things, in their intended setting, unclutters the mind and relaxes our inner sense of self. 22nd – Monday – Venus Contra-parallel Saturn, Venus Semi-sextile Uranus – We don’t have to do anything to make this day special. Just showing up is enough. Dancing, singing, reading some lines of poetry lift our spirits. We may be nervous and don’t know why. It is good to get some extra rest. It is enough to be part of the parade as it unfolds over the next few days. Choosing compatible partners helps us get on the right frequency. 23rd – Tuesday – Venus Semi-sextile Jupiter, Full Moon is at 7:49 PM EDT on 4 degrees Taurus/Scorpio – If we can remember to “put on our own oxygen mask first”, we can be useful to everyone else. Gathering and planting are both necessary. We ordinarily think of a harvest happening months after we sow seeds. Months separate them, but there is a truth that we expend karma at the same time we create it – usually. The best attitude toward today is to purge ourselves of everything not necessary without trying to resupply. We will get what we need going forward; this means having faith. 24th – Wednesday – We are reaching for the unobtainable, but this is not just an exercise. In order to get comprehensive coverage for our actions, we need to flex our mind as well as our muscles. The acceleration of change may periodically transfix, now is the time to look at our own thought process. If we know what we want to be different, we can correct our mental patterns. 25th – Thursday – Mercury turns Direct – In the process of charting a new course, we can remember why we started on the journey in the first place. When principles are sacrificed for expediency, we must return to the same point on the wheel to correct our behavior. There is a reason that we collectively admire some behaviors and disparage others. What builds character? 26th – Friday – Fired up and ready to go. Let the weekend begin. There is nothing that needs our attention so much that we are redirected. Adventure is a necessary component of a balanced life. Since innovation is coming faster than we can assimilate it, we can easily fall into an echo chamber of our own making. We either ignore a large amount of what is going on, or fall into the delusion that we really do grasp it all. Our best move is to accept our exposure is our enclosure. 27th – Saturday – Venus Semi-sextile Mars – Let’s face it – we need each other. How do we have a meaningful personal life when the rules for relating keep changing? The shifting sands of dating, romance, and sex seem to get more complicated every year, and today we must confront our own preconception. Love in any form has virtue. Our job is to know what is right for us and no one else. 28th – Sunday – Venus Semi-sextile Neptune, Mercury Semi-sextile Saturn – When our actions fall short of our expectations, it is helpful to remember that important journeys begin with the first step, not with the planning. However small our contributions may feel in our own eyes, they are not in vain. Reason can be the first move to go beyond reason; simple acts of kindness can be preliminary to the unfolding of true compassion. 29th – Monday – Mars Conjunct Neptune, Mars Parallel Neptune, Venus enters Taurus – Wisdom comes in stillness. The path to truth feels right. The smallest expression of truthfulness, offered with sincerity, can build toward a grand finale somewhere down the line; but more importantly, when we do the right thing, we give birth to inner joy. 30th – Tuesday – Mars enters Aries, Venus Semi-square Saturn – Action is required, but we need to face the facts, we have been experiencing conflict between duty and desire. A mature love can reveal the amalgamation of the two. Harmony and satisfaction is found in everyday life. The brutally practical can pave the highway to a brilliant future for all. Bob Mulligan is available for personal appointments, astrology classes, and astrological material. Call him at 239-261-2840 or by e-mail at bobmulliga@aol.com. Visit our website, www.theastrologycompany.com. My Personal NoteToday is March 29, 2024 – one year ago I was in a serious car accident and haven’t driven since. What a difference a year makes. I could have been killed. Obviously, God has a plan for me yet. My book manuscript was already with the publisher. Teddy (who was with me in the car at the time of the accident) passed away a short time afterwards. I moved to Myrtle Beach. My life changed in many ways…and I edited some chapters on my book. Chapter 11 and Chapter 2 needed more work anyway, so they were presented as lectures in September and March. Last September I gave a talk. This opportunity to present this talk was offered to me by Kelly O’tillery for the NCGR of San Diego. I would like to thank her and for the technical assistance and friendship of Donna Stellhorn. “The Hierarchy of the Planets” is taken from Chapter 11 of my book: if you didn’t see it – here is the link: The Hierarchy of Planets (youtube.com). Scott Silverman asked me to give a talk for The Astrological Society of Kentucky (ASK), which I did on March 8th. This talk was based on Chapter 2 of my book. If you weren’t able to attend the talk, but wanted to, thanks to Scott’s effort and courtesy of the ASK board, here is the link: Unlocking Your Spiritual Potential (youtube.com). When the Earth and Sun are aligned at the Vernal Equinox, you can balance an egg standing up. Actually you can even do it with a broom stick. I’ve done it so many times I let it go this year. If you haven’t done it before I’ll give you a heads up in September at the time of the Autumnal Equinox. There can be fun at the Equinox. There are many things going on in our personal lives as well as globally that can make us sad. I wanted to share this short 4 minute talk given by one of my personal heroes. Her consummate knowledge and impassioned plea reminds us that we can all live up to our higher calling: AOC Delivers One Of The Greatest Speeches Of Her Career – YouTube In my last newsletter, I had an open letter to my long time friend, Monica Dimino. I sent her a card and included this letter. Her daughter, Isabelle, called me from Brazil. It was heartwarming to know that Monica is loved and being taken care of. In that letter, I mentioned that Monica and I were the only people still alive who were at this first meeting of what was to become OPA. Matthew Carnicelli reminded me by email that he attended that seminal meeting. Then I remembered my then wife, Kathryn, was there as well. She and I had both worked for a long time to birth this organization. If I forgot anyone else, forgive me. About a week ago, returning from a walk, I found an Easter basket at my front door. Then I noticed every door had a basket in front of it. There are 30 apartments in this building which is reserved for people 55 or older. Being a researcher, I looked at the contents of everyone’s basket. They were all unique. Some had printed messages in them. I asked Katie to find the back story. She did. Here is what she discovered:
https://wpde.com/news/local/meals-on-wheels-horry-georgetown-counties-easter-basket-delivery-seniors-volunteer-opportunity-crossword-puzzles-gift-cards-holiday-cheer-faith-based-nonprofit-food-service-south-carolina-march-22-2024 Costco Connections magazine is mostly ads. Thumbing through the recent issue, I noticed an article on Dave’s Killer Bread. I eat the bread, English muffins, bagels, and hamburger buns. Yes, the hamburger buns are the only correct accompaniment for Beyond Burgers. I actually wouldn’t consider any other brand. So I read the article, loved it, and Katie found it online so I could share it with you: March 2024, page 4 (costcoconnection.com) The Jupiter/Uranus Conjunction is coming on the 20th. Many astrologers speak on its significance. A brilliant astrologer and a good friend of many years, Georgia Stathis, is giving a talk on this landmark event, April 15th, and the recording will be available after. It’s FREE, but donations go to the non-profit organization, The Alexandria iBase Project. The sole purpose of this organization is to preserve literature that would otherwise disappear. The link for The Jupiter Uranus Conjunction of 2024 talk will appear on both Georgia Stathis’s website at www.starcycles.com, as well as at www.alexandriaibase.org starting April 15, 2024. “Donations go directly to www.alexandriaibase.org and helps support the amazing work our librarians are doing to categorize, catalogue and help you locate astrological materials by topic, author, title, publisher and we need your help. We have been a 501C3 Non-Profit Educational Foundation since 2015 and are supported by Urania Trust of the UK, Starcycles Publishing and many private donors throughout the world. You can use our FREE database to locate books in either your own collections or collections throughout the world. Please enjoy the presentation and at the same time help our continued efforts.” Juliana, my daughter who is now turning 40, wanted to take a recording of this song to show and tell at her kindergarten class. Of course, I made a cassette for her as there was no video 35 years ago. But what the heck, I thought you might get a kick out of it: R.E.M. – Stand (Video) (youtube.com) There are many versions of Ubi Caritas but this one was special: The Singers – Ubi Caritas – Maurice Duruflé (youtube.com) None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free. – Goethe The whole universe sprang into being for the sake of Divine Love; out of it was it created, because of it does it endure, through it will it regain its Source. Man’s supreme goal is to transmute the timeless love-urge within him into the God-essence of Divine Love. -Meher Baba Give me a call if you want personal information on your own chart – Bob Mulligan – 239-261-2840 | 
