Your April Horoscope Is Here

As the days get longer and brighter, our optimism and hopes for the future increase. April 2021 is a literally and figuratively sunny time, celestially and here on Earth. And yet, even as our minds race ahead toward the rest of springtime and the expansive warmth of summer, our hearts and our bodies may lag behind, weighed down by the memories of last April (and the rest of 2020, for that matter). Where the new moon on the 11th will drum up Big Dreams for the days to come, the full moon on the 26th will remind you of the problems and secrets you've brushed to the back of your mind.

Can you dwell in this duality? Can you toe the line between the future and the past? Can you allow them to coexist, and even seek to satisfy them both? That will be the challenge of this month. Even if you can't strike a perfect balance (and, truly, few can), you will succeed if you leave April behind with a greater sense of peace between your heart and mind.

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Your birthday season may be in its second half, but there is still plenty of celebrating left to do, Aries. On the 3rd, Mercury joins the sun and Venus in your sign, jumpstarting your mental game after a period of quietude. Where last month may have seen you in a ponderous mood, you'll now feel empowered and downright eager to share your thoughts (every single one of them) with those around you. Just don't get tongue-tied along the way, dear Ram. The hazard of this transit, which will last until the 19th, is that your mouth could get ahead of your mind, which could, in turn, lead to oversharing, jokes made out of turn, or promises that simply cannot be kept.

The new moon will take place in your sign on the 11th and give you a chance to catch your breath. Your fiery sign usually prefers to act first and think later, but this lunar phase will urge you to take a step back and, simply, observe the present moment rather than respond to it. In adopting a more passive perspective, you may notice something vital — an opportunity, a budding relationship, a quiet need within yourself — that you'd normally overlook. Just for this one night, listen, Aries. What you hear will inform how you move through the world and navigate the rest of the month.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20)

Your moment in the sun is right around the corner, Taurus. In fact, you'll get a head start on those warm solar season vibes when Venus, your ruling planet, slides into your sign on the 14th, five days before the sun itself moves in for its annual month-long stay. The planet of love and beauty will supercharge your natural inclination toward romanticism. This could manifest as a flurry of flirting or increased intimacy with your current partner, but this planetary influence could also compel you to spend more time on your own, being kind and showing care where you need it most. This is a wonderful time to pamper yourself — and to schedule self-maintenance appointments like a dental cleaning or eye exam. They might not be as warm and fuzzy as a bubble bath, but they're just as restorative.

Your birthday season begins on the 19th, the same day that messenger planet Mercury enters your sign. What have you been champing at the bit to say, Taurus? An opportunity to voice your truth could be on the horizon.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20)

They say March goes in like a lion and out like a lamb, but you'll start April off still feeling like the queen of the jungle. This is thanks in no small part to Mars, ruler of conflict, confrontation, and confidence coasting through your sign. Last month we encouraged you to lean into the motivation-boosting effects of this transit, and that advice still applies, but do be warned: Some people will see you asserting yourself and take it as their cue to lock horns with you. Hold fast to your convictions, Gemini, but don't beckon meaningless arguments.

When the red planet exits your sign and moves into Cancer on the 23rd, it won't be enough to simply express yourself and your needs. You will only feel fulfilled if you pursue your needs and secure them for the long-term. Your whims and impulses around money will speak volumes now — are you itching to spend or anxious to save? It will be difficult to see beyond the current moment, but it's only when you do that you'll know what the right financial move will be.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22)

Aries season always finds you taking stock of your professional progress, Cancer, and the new moon on the 11th will bring those reflections to a head. This quiet lunar phase will ask you, based on what you've seen and received from the last month of mulling over your career, where do you want to go next? Even if you've felt stuck in a working rut, the new moon is immensely restorative — you could emerge from the evening of the 11th not only with a new career goal in mind but a renewed feeling of capability when it comes to your job. It's so easy to take the skills we use every day for granted and fail to see them as the assets they truly are. Make time on the new moon to reacquaint yourself with all your gifts.

Mars moves into your sign on the 23rd, which should make you feel more empowered to pursue — or simply ask for — what you want. However, your sign and the action planet are not a natural match. Cancers tend to be confrontation-averse, but Mars urges us to address problems head-on. This planetary pressure to act against your nature could backfire and make you feel all the more eager to withdraw when tensions arise or, even worse, choose passive aggression over direct honesty.

Leo (July 23 - August 22)

From the 3rd to the 19th, ultra-intellectual Mercury will urge you to explore complex ideas and strike up heady, abstract conversations, all in the name of viewing the world through a more zoomed-out lens. From this vantage point, it'll be easier to see how seemingly separate problems have common roots, or perhaps how far your work extends into your larger network. The 19th will see Mercury moving on and the sun supercharging your career for the next month or so. Don't forget what your mental musings taught you early in the month — you may be able to apply those learnings to efforts that lead to greater earnings.

The full moon on the 26th beams through your sector of home and hearth, signaling that the time has come to nest, dear Leo. It's all the more important that you take time to be truly present at home while the sun is in your career house. Despite your sign's tendency to focus on how things look from the outside, you need to strike some semblance of balance between your personal and professional worlds in order to thrive. So, even if you're firing from all cylinders as Taurus season begins, the 26th should be blocked off in your calendar for quality time with your loved ones, either at home and IRL or from afar and over the phone.

Virgo (August 23 - September 22)

You'll spend a lot of time in your own head this month, Virgo. And you need only keep an eye on your ruling planet, Mercury, to see why. The messenger planet will move into Aries on the 3rd and ask that you lift the mental trap door that leads to your subconscious. You don't have to dust off every old axe you've ever wanted to grind, but you should take some time to spring clean your backlog of quiet concerns and nagging worries. Is it at all possible that, now that some time has passed, you can resurface these feelings and air them to those who need to hear them? This is ripe territory for a catastrophic thought spiral, but it's an important task to take on in order to feel lighter by the time Mercury makes its next move.

And that move will come on the 19th, when Mercury drastically shifts gears, closes that trap door, and urges you to look outside of yourself for answers. If the first half of the month tested your emotional fortitude, the second half will help you gauge your mental flexibility. Are you willing to stretch past your normal limits of perception? To what extent are you able to expand your focus? How wide is the periphery of your mind's eye? Your earth sign stubbornness will initially balk at the very idea of thinking outside the Virgo box, but a little discomfort can lead to a major reward.

Libra (September 22 - October 23)

Relationships of all stripes and levels of intimacy are of great value to you, Libra, thanks to both your ruling element, sociable air, and ruling planet, lovey-dovey Venus. But, this month, it'll be in your interest to prioritize your closest partnerships, including ones that are just on the verge of getting much closer. If you aren't quite sure which bonds warrant strengthening, mark your calendar for the 14th, when Venus moves into the peaceful sign of Taurus. Your realization will not be dramatic — don't expect to feel a lightning-esque spark where there was nothing before. Rather, an off-handed compliment, an unexpected touch, or a spur-of-the-moment text will more likely be your tip-off as to who you should spend more time with.

This theme of intimacy will continue as Taurus season begins on the 19th, compelling you to plumb the depths of not just your relationships but your feelings, habits, and imagination. This level of introspection is rare for you, but it will help you realize what's motivating your choices in love, work, and life in general.

Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)

Last month, we asked you to take the matter of self-care seriously, specifically while the sun moves through Aries. Well, the sun is in the sign of the Ram until the 19th, so this work must continue — and, truly, sometimes simply planning dinner can feel like a chore. But, consider for a moment, dear Scorp, how tending to your needs might actually feel nice. Don't force yourself to have a good time, but do keep an eye out for sudden glimmers of joy, unexpectedly genuine belts of laughter. If you can identify how you make yourself happy in your everyday life, you'll be better equipped to request the proper love and care from your loved ones.

There will be no better time to address issues surrounding affection than Taurus season, which kicks off on the 19th. This is your annual opportunity to focus your energies on your most important partnerships, particularly ones that could use a little TLC. Has a once generous bond taken a turn for the transactional? Has a warming flirtation started to run cold? Part of this work will be to determine which relationships have run their course and should not demand too much of your attention.

Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)

The end of Aries season finds you afflicted with serious spring fever — and it's well within your right to make hay while the sun shines, Sag. You have a clear understanding of what feels good right now and we encourage you to chase that feeling. The new moon on the 11th will further clarify what you need to do in order to feel emotionally and creatively satisfied, especially in the weeks to come.

Feeling "good" will take a backseat to feeling "well" on the 19th, when the sun moves into Taurus and your house of health. Of course, there are undeniable points of intersection between pleasure and wellness — enjoying rest, good food, and emotional and physical connections with a partner all come to mind. But, there are cases in which the source of a temporarily good feeling is ultimately detrimental to your well-being. Any and all means of instant but unsustainable gratification have got to go, dear Archer. You can phase them out gradually or quit cold turkey, but however you do it, stay focused on how you feel and how your life progresses without them. You may be surprised what sorts of unquestionably positive forces can move into that space you've freed up.

Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)

Aries season always puts you in a domestic mood, Capricorn, one in which you wear your sign's reputation as the dad of the Zodiac with pride. This is a wonderful time to replace worn-out housewares, throw out stuff no one uses anymore, and tackle any other spring cleaning chores. These tasks may be purely physical, but a cleanout of a more figurative nature could be in order, too. The new moon on the 11th will clarify both muddy familial dynamics and home repair conundrums — whatever happens to be plaguing your home life will come to the forefront, with a potential solution close behind.

Even hardworking Goats deserve a little spring break, don't you think? Believe it or not, you'll have had your fill of housework (and work, period) by the 19th when the sun moves into your pleasure sector and kicks off Taurus season in one fell swoop. Put down the phone, laptop, or whatever your work device of choice may be. If it feels like you're severing a limb, that's all the more reason to take a break. Find a leisure activity that still provides you with a sense of productivity — bake, write, teach your pet a new trick. It's important to try things just for the fun of it, Capricorn. Otherwise, everything will become work.

Aquarius (January 20 - February 18)

A fiercely independent sign like yours doesn't always ask for help, even when it's needed, Aquarius. However, the month will begin on a busy (if not frenzied) note for you, and you may realize that you have no other option than to wave someone down for support. Specifically, your time and energy will feel stretched beyond their reach, and it won't be a single thing demanding your attention. Rather, this is likely a case of too many small things (middling tasks, "quick" phone calls, nearby errands) piling up too quickly. Luckily, there are those in your life who can help — just remember who you've shown up for in the past.

Taurus season, a time each year where you feel happiest at home, preferably alone, and with a blank journal for you to fill, will be punctuated by the full moon in Scorpio on the 26th. This lunar phase will shake you out of your Taurean comfort zone for a night in the name of professional advancement — beaming its way through your career sector, the full moon will highlight not only who's noticing you at work, but how you can take advantage of that attention. You may be able to take the floor at an upcoming meeting and dazzle the higher-ups with your ideas. Or, you might turn heads just by working steadily and independently, doing what you've always done best, but finally with the right people watching.

Pisces (February 19 - March 20)

Money matters can be tricky to confront for all of us, but for a sign like yours, which is known to swim between the realms of memory and reality, imagination and truth, getting down to brass tacks can be downright nauseating. Nevertheless, you may feel pressured to find greater financial balance as April opens, thanks to the sun paying a visit to your house of money and resources. Don't panic if you feel overwhelmed. If you can wait until the 11th, the new moon that evening will help you hone in on a definition of financial stability that feels personal and specific to your situation. Beyond that, in the quietude of the new moon, you can also start to devise a plan that will help you reach that kind of stability in due time.

If the new moon sees you pinching pennies and drafting spreadsheets, the full moon on the 26th will demand you do the opposite. That doesn't mean go on a spending spree. In fact, put cash out of your mind entirely. This lunar phase will teach you the inherent value of your experiences and ideas. Again, you're a naturally imaginative sign, a trait that's often caricatured or dismissed. Now's your chance to invest in your creativity and celebrate how it informs your decisions.