Mercury and The Sun Enter Taurus;
A Scorpio Full Moon, and Earth Day 2008
By Shelley L. Ackerman
[From my 'Shimmering Stars' column in
The Westchester Guardian, © 2008]

When Pope Benedict XVI replaced John Paul II in 2005, I cast his horoscope and wrote about it on beliefnet.com. At the time, I wondered what 2008 would bring.
John Ratzinger was born on April 16, 1927 at 4:15 AM in Marktl am Inn, in Bavaria, Germany. Born on an approaching Full Moon, he is an Aries with Pisces rising and the Moon in Libra. Aries is ruled by Mars and his Mars is at the very last (the 29th) degree of Gemini - and out of bounds. Though reportedly shy, by all accounts the Pontiff (who spent a brief period of time during his teens in Hitler’s Youth Movement) has a strong will. And since Gemini is the sign of words, it’s not surprising that articulate Benedict XVI is an avid reader.
His current (2008) transits are worrisome: With Pluto opposite his Mars all year and transiting Uranus on his ascendant his safety anywhere can’t be guaranteed. But he is using the energy of these transits well: Much to the Pope’s credit, and true to his Aries Sun sign. he has addressed the sexual abuse that rocked the church in recent years and met the crisis head on (pardon the pun). “It’s better to have good priests than to have many” said the Pontiff on Thursday in Washington DC, and he prayed with several individuals who were abused by priests.
But as long as celibacy is mandatory for Catholic Clerics, and birth control and homosexuality are labeled sinful and denied as a part of life, how will the poverty in the world and the pedophilia and sexual abuse in the church ever be eradicated?
Invariably, all organized religions become stale, and at some point cease to serve the spiritual needs of the people. When religion is more about empty rituals aimed at control and not about the empowerment of the individual, it’s time to look elsewhere.
Taurus is the sign of ownership, values, lust, and sensuality. The Catholic Church is one of the wealthiest institutions in the world but it is one that does little to end the cycle of poverty. So to balance out the rigid orthodoxy of the Church and other similarly disconnected religious institutions, I thought it fitting to post Gandhi's take on the Seven Deadly Sins.
Mohandas Karamachand Gandhi, one of the most influential figures in modern social and political activism, considered these traits to be the most spiritually perilous to humanity.
On April 17, Mercury, the planet of communication and transportation, entered Taurus. As a rule, when the Messenger God travels through the earthy sign of the bull, thoughts slow down and though the words take more time, they are more grounded and literally have more weight. Paradoxically however, Mercury will race through dense Taurus this Spring in a little more than 15 days. It’s a hurry up and wait scenario if ever there was one. The Earthy energy is further amplified when the Sun enters lusty Taurus on April 19th.
This weekend’s Full Moon in Scorpio, and grand trine (a harmonious alliance between planets in the same element) between the Sun/Mercury, Saturn and Pluto provides a rare combination of dramatic and productive energy to get things moving in both our financial and our romantic lives.
Last June, when leaving Skidmore after the IWWG Remember the Magic Conference, several of us were seated at the Saratoga Springs Amtrak Station, waiting for our train which had been delayed three hours. We struck up a conversation with a very attractive woman who was in town to put the final touches on a medical convention for breast cancer specialists. The upshot: She said that several doctors were now convinced that the alarming rates of breast cancer were probably connected to plastics and food, especially water bottles.
This week, the news from Canada confirms the link between plastics and cancer.
And finally kudos to NYC Mayor, Michael Bloomberg for his truthful shout out to America:
“Whoever wins the presidency in November, at least we’ll have an adult in office who can lead and accomplish something.”

Chart: Full Moon Taurus-Scorpio
Click for larger view
ARIES: Your financial life is about to get the mega ‘shot in the arm’ that’s been a long time coming. And since this bounty from up above will need ongoing upkeep, be prepared for a cut into your free time. (It’s so worth it though). Your love life isn’t doing too bad either, and that will get better too if you stop cutting your nose to spite your face. Unless you give a little on the 23rd, what could be an evening of spicy romance will deteriorate into a knock down drag out.
TAURUS: Be encouraged, be inspired, and above all be willing to stretch beyond your comfort zone: The exceptional support offered by way of the Earth Grand Trine (a triangular patter of at least three planets in the same element) to you this week should not pass without you making something of it. Since Taurus is so sensual, it’s easy to just order a rich meal, some drinks, and relax into glorious satiation – but don’t. The more you put pen to paper the more you’ll earn in the months to come. Avoid battles of will with a partner.
GEMINI: Okay chatterbox, it’s time for you to say less and do more. Air signs resist the ‘weight’ of earth, but earth is required to keep the schedule you need to bring in the $$ you must have to keep the fun going in the way that you want. If you’re able to remain still and quiet and keep off your blackberry or cell phone long enough to hear your inner guidance, and cop to what you’ve been doing wrong, the positive planetary alignment of planets now in earth signs could generate a new state of awareness and move you into brand new territory. So- RU Ready for an upgrade?
CANCER: Like your Pisces and Scorpio (water sign) counterparts, Cancerians will benefit greatly by the grand alignment of planets in practical earth signs this week. The communication houses of your chart are alive and well and if you ever wanted to straighten out a misunderstanding and move things to a new and better level with someone you hold dear, now is the time. A group affiliation with like-minded souls will provide the support you’ve been seeking.
LEO: Get your priorities in order and keep ‘em there. The very thought of wasting time on frivolities (an overseas dalliance?) is especially self-destructive in light of what’s possible for you now. The alignment of earth planets in your money houses speaks of a window of opportunity in which you can alleviate the pain of a long standing financial burden and build some equity for the future. If a career choice is to be made, go with the sure thing.
VIRGO: Your diligence and attention to detail are about to be well rewarded. The alignment of planets in earth signs will serve to uplift you and you may even experience a revelation or two that changes the way you look at life in general. Don’t allow the jealousy of an out of whack friend get you off kilter. None of it is caused by or really directed at you. Prudence makes perfect, so give yourself a pat on the back and keep up the good work.
LIBRA: You’ve let the compassionate side of yourself get the upper hand and it’s time to pull in the reins just a tad. Since September, demanding and exacting Saturn in Virgo has been rummaging through your 12th house of karmic hobgoblins making you feel responsible for everything and everyone under the sun. And while it’s admirable to be a good Samaritan, you can’t do everybody else’s work for them. Set some boundaries and don’t feel guilty about it.
SCORPIO: The Full Moon in your sign is beautifully supported by planets that influence your power as a communicator, the commitment of friends with integrity and the love of a partner. The key is to not mess it up by being over emotional or regressing to the lower and mistrusting part of your nature. Now is not the time to let your over-active suspicious mind run amok and mess up a good thing.
SAGITTARIUS: With the Sun and Mercury’s entrance into sensual practical Taurus, the emphasis clearly shifts to finding creative ways to maintain and improve your health. And since “power brokers” Pluto and Saturn are there to support this endeavor and pad your pocketbook, you really can’t lose. See how your day to day routine could be made easier. A partner’s needs may conflict with what you have in mind but a resolution can be reached if both of you will compromise a little.
CAPRICORN: No one needs to tell you to seize the day. Earth signs (such as yours) rock and rule and this weekend, the heavens have you placed in a State of Grace and primed for some serious dream-building. The Sun and Mercury in Taurus positively align with your ruler Saturn (in Virgo) to support your every move through much of the week. Romance-wise: an overall sense of well-being should have you in great shape: If not, now is the time to fix- counseling may be the way to go.
AQUARIUS: Tend to your garden both literally and figuratively. The Sun and Mercury in Taurus directs your attention to taking care of business in and around the home. This focus will pay off beautifully. Have visitors come to you and venture out as little as possible: A close neighbor or a sibling’s demands may seriously interfere with work commitments and just why he or she is being so unreasonable is beyond anyone’s comprehension. Be compassionate, do what you can, but cave to no body’s craziness.
PISCES: It’s been said many times that good communication is the key to success as well as the key to building good relationships. The alignment of planets in your Earthy-communication houses presents you with a golden opportunity to clear up many misunderstandings and to establish a rapport with a number of people and institutions that will help you for years to come. If there’s any residual investment psychological or otherwise keeping things messy, now is the time to fix it for good and move on.