This month we will see two very busy time periods on the cardinal axis in addition to the long-awaited stations and forward moving motion of both Mercury and Mars. Mercury stations direct on April 4th and Mars stations direct on April 13th.

In early April we find Mercury in contra-antiscion to Uranus twice, due to Mercury's station. At the second occurrence, in addition to Mercury|Uranus we find the contra-antiscia of Mars|Saturn, along with the still lingering Saturn|Neptune antiscia, and Venus|Saturn joining in briefly on the axis. This all occurs on and around the Full Moon on April 6th. The other eventful time occurs later in the month around April 16th, when Sun|Mars are antiscia while Sun|Neptune and Mars|Saturn are contra-antiscia and Mercury lies on the Aries Point.

Here is the list of antiscia for the month. As usual, bold dates indicate the strongest day for a particular planetary expression. Dates showing only one planet indicate its ingress into a Cardinal sign (or 15 degrees Fixed), i.e. it is sitting directly on the Cardinal axis and ought to feature prominently that day. Those marked with an asterisk are antiscia formed around the midpoint of two Cardinal signs, which means they fall equidistant around 15 degrees Fixed. Those with a (c) indicate contra-antiscia and are symmetrical arrangements around the Aries/Libra axis, the equinoctial points, as opposed to the solstitial points (antiscia).

April 2012

1^st, 2^nd Mercury|Uranus (c)

1^st—9^th Saturn|Neptune

4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, 9^th, 10^th Mercury|Uranus

6^th Venus|Saturn *

6^th—30^th (strongest on and around 13 & 27) Mars|Saturn (c)

7^th, 8^th Jupiter * (15 deg Fixed)

11^th Sun|Venus *

14^th, 15^th, 16^th Sun|Mars

16^th Mercury (c)

15^th, 16^th, 17^th Sun|Neptune (c)

29^th Sun|Jupiter *

29^th, 30^th Venus|Pluto (c)

Chart @ Full Moon, SA|NE (antiscia), ME|UR + MA|SA (contra-antiscia), VE|SA *

Antiscia and contra-antiscia are terms used to describe planets falling evenly, or symmetrically, around the Cardinal points (0 Cancer/Capricorn and 0 Aries/Libra - the solstice/equinox points), aka the Cardinal axis. It is a concept that has been utilized by astrologers as far back as Manilius in the 1st century, and was written about somewhat extensively by Firmicus Maternus in the 4th century. It is thought, because everything on earth is affected by and responds to seasonal change, the Cardinal axis is therefore a point we all share and so is important and relevant for everyone. It is the point through which we connect to the world.