New Moon in Taurus

This is today, the 26th April, around 1 pm GMT.

It's nice for a change. And it's simple: start something that makes you feel good and/or increases your resources. It's the right time for planting seeds.

Solid, grounded, tangible, pleasurable. These are Taurus words. Also: slow, deliberate, patient. The things set in motion this lunar cycle will grow quietly and slowly, but be very deeply rooted. It's long-term stuff and will need to be nurtured.

It also represents a radically new direction. Taurus can be habitual and complacent, but what's in development here is not the same old same old at all. We are not going back over old ground or doing what we've always done. We're in uncharted territory, consolidating the new.

New ideas and associations will be popping up all over the place. We have some intense, buzzing Mercury action going on: a mutual reception between Mercury in warrior sign Aries, and Mars, who has just moved into thinky Gemini. This is some lit-up mental energy.

Plus Mercury is getting set to station direct on the 3rd May, and he's conjunct Uranus, planet of upheaval and revolution, now and well into May. And he's very well aspected: trining Saturn in Sagittarius and also the north node. This is the beginning of our grand fire trine, full of enthusiasm and inspiration. We'll have it for much of the rest of 2017.

In short, if you can't come up with a new approach at this time, you never will. The sky is really supporting creativity, inspiration and innovation. It's a waste of this energy to keep on doing the same old shit and expecting it to work out. So take a bit of a gamble, change things up a bit, start something you feel excited about. What have you got to lose?

You may be moving on from something tough and painful, but it should be apparent at this time that progress is being made. Taurus' ruler Venus, dispositor of the new moon, is still in a tough place, but she's moving forward. She's back from her underworld journey after stationing direct on the 15th April, and she's finished tangoing with Chiron (unhealable wounds) and Saturn (limits), though she's still in range of both. So we're still feeling the effect of those aspects: deep hurt and harsh realities in love and money matters; painful limits that must be accepted.

But we are moving on from all the regret and nostalgia. Venus re-enters Aries on the 28th April, and then it's full speed ahead, and on to new vistas. And by the time of the full moon in Scorpio on the 10th May, our beautiful grand fire trine will be in full effect, and things will be shifting fast.

The north node moves to Leo the day before the full moon – and this is a big deal. For the past 18 months, with the north node in Virgo, I've been harping on about doing your Virgo – cleaning, organizing staying healthy, attending to details and everyday tasks, serving others, being humble. Virgo was the path through the fog of these weird times.

And that's still the case, now and for the next two weeks: so keep doing your Virgo! Double up on it if necessary – do the full Marie Kondo thing on your underwear...

But keep in mind, this emphasis on nitpickiness is nearly over. Once the north node shifts to Leo on the 9th May, the tone changes to something much more fun. Creativity, showmanship, romance, self-expression, bling, ego! That's what we'll be focused on for the next 18 months, and I'm looking forward to it.

Anyway, happy new moon in Taurus to all. Plant a seed now, with the intention of growing something luxuriant and fantastical, because this is a powerfully fertile time.