Forecast for April 13-19, 2006 by Ellen Zucker Thursday brings us the Libra/Aries full moon. This is a special full moon because it brings with it the holidays of Spring: Passover and, this year, Easter. In fact, the date of Passover, like other Jewish holidays is based on the lunar Jewish calendar. As a result Jewish holidays tend to begin on the eve of a new or full moon. Nonetheless, whatever you celebrate, let me begin by wishing you a happy holiday and Spring holiday season. Much of astrology's timing advice is based on the ebb and flow of planetary cycles. And they all begin the same way; two planetary bodies sharing the same space in the sky. Then their orbits cause them to move and separate form one another. Eventually they move so far apart; 180 degrees apart, that they cannot separate any further. Then they drift back together and the cycle begins anew. We are most familiar with the lunar cycle. The dark of the new moon brightens over a two week period towards fullness. And then it appears to shrink again. Two weeks ago we had a new moon. It was actually a solar eclipse, kind of like a new moon on steroids, and it took place at 8 degrees of Aries. Most of us felt a burst of energy. And we've been able to move forward after a frustratingly slow Fall and Winter. Now, we can step back and see what resulted from our efforts that began two weeks ago. The new moon was in Mars ruled Aries, a place of raw energy. For most of us it was a welcome spurt. Aries energy is forward-looking and it initiates. But Aries energy needs to be channelled. When we are filled with Aries energy, we want to run, leap and jump; and if we are not careful, we can easily run roughshod over the sensitivities and feelings of others. But during this full moon, when the Aries Sun is opposed by a Libran moon, we are reminded that it is far more healthy and productive to balance the needs of others with our own. Thursday begins on a mental note as the moon travels through the last degrees of Libra and Mercury, the last degree of Gemini. But by the late afternoon, Mercury squares Pluto. Then, two planets change signs: the moon goes into intense Scorpio and Mars into emotional Cancer. So emotion rules! Tension spills over into Friday morning as Moon squares Saturn. But people relax and gain perspective in the afternoon and evening hours as Moon trines Venus, then Uranus. People feel more upbeat and perky on Easter Sunday now that Moon is in Sagitttarius and the Sun trines Pluto. They are better able to step back and integrate the intensity that came out of the past two days. Give yourself and other people extra space as you begin the workweek on Monday. Emotions can be raw as Moon squares Venus and then Uranus. Moon is still in Sagittarius and it is easy to be blunt. Monday night is a winderful magical time as Moon sextiles Neptune and Venus conjoins Uranus. It's about magic, glamor and surprise! The forward looking, highly spirited energy of fire slows down as we get to mid-week. With the entrance of Moon into Capricorn on Tuesday, late afternoon, followed by a Mercury/Saturn trine will make you feel more grounded and clarify your thinking.