(Correction for March report: Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879, not March 1.)

April is named in honor of Aphrodite (Venus), daughter of Zeus (Jupiter) and Dione (Greek nature goddess). The word April comes from the Latin aperire, meaning, "I open." Some say that it refers to the opening of the soul, and the yearly reawakening of our relationship to Mother Earth. April is the month of openings – the Earth opens up to receive seed, the leaves of growing plants unfold, and flowers open to the Sun. Venus brings our inner values into the open so that we may compare them with our outer lives. April was once called Ostermonth: the month of the Ost-end wind (wind from the east).

April’s gemstone is the diamond, associated with purity, innocence, healing and promises. The traditional engagement ring promises faithfulness, and identifies the bride-to-be as pure and protected. The diamond, also called adamas (indomitable) in biblical days, being the hardest of crystals, symbolized aspiration to the stability and commitment of marriage. A ring of precious metal, such as gold is symbolic of protection and timelessness. Diamonds are like spiritual vitamins. They enhance and amplify the energy of the soul. Diamonds aid in the opening of the two high chakras, and can be worn anywhere on the body in this regard. Faceting a diamond is like developing and perfecting the different characteristics of the mind, intellect and spirit. As man’s nature is perfected, so it parallels the beauty of the diamond.

April first is dedicated to Venus’ half-brother Hermes (Mercury), son of Zeus and Maia, (Greco-Roman fire goddess) in the form of the trickster. All Fools Day originated in ancient days when the king’s jester could tell him the truth in humorous form without risk of punishment, as the court jester was considered a voice from the gods. In the Norse tradition he is known as the mischievous god Loki, brother of Odin. He was the personification of fire and lightning, and of recreation, stressing the human need for pleasure and merriment. This also marks the Hindu festival of Huli (the Hindu version of the Trickster), wherein people are sent on fruitless or pointless errands, or given difficult riddles to solve (this may be where the scavenger hunt originated). These ordeals taught individuals about themselves. The Trickster teaches us lessons in the form of tricks and pranks. The antidotes or solutions to his puzzles are hidden within the challenge, and can be discerned by putting yourself in the place of the challenger. All fools day operates only from morning until noon.

April has a recurring theme that has to do with joining together. It’s interesting to note that both the zipper and the safety pin were patented, and Velcro was invented -- during the month of April.

On April 8 the Hana Matsuri (Kambutsu-e), or Festival of Flowers, is annually observed in Japan’s Buddhist temples as a nativity celebration of the Buddha's birth. Buddha was born in the garden of Lumbini in what is now southern Napal, and he immediately took seven steps, and pointed up with one hand and down with the other, and stated: "I am alone in heaven and on Earth". Immediately, nine dragons came down from heaven and baptized him with pure water. Part of the annual ritual observance includes decorating a temple garden or hall (hanamido) with flowers, and serving a sweet tea (amacha) from dried and boiled hydrangea leaves. The tea is sprinkled on the head of a statue of the baby Buddha who points heavenward and earthward (also symbolic of the I Ching), symbolizing the legendary birth of the Buddha. After the ceremony, festival visitors take the magical amacha home to share with family members. They also use the tea to create a spell to keep the home safe from snakes, and unwanted insects and animals. The Buddha’s birth, illumination, death and transcendence are venerated in a month-long festival culminating at the Wesak full Moon in May.

April 15 was the midpoint of CEREA´LIA, an eight-day festival celebrated at Rome in honor of Ceres (aka Demeter), whose wanderings in search of her lost daughter Proserpine (aka Kore) were represented by women clothed in white, running about with lighted torches. Proserpine was kidnapped by Pluto, god of the underworld while she sat in a field with a lap full of daffodils. Some think that she was immobilized or entranced by the toxic aroma of the daffodils. Proserpine became queen of the underworld for half the year, and returned to her mother for the other half. The festival was completed with entreaties to Ceres, goddess of the Earth and its fruits for successful crops.

As the Sun moves into the earth sign, Taurus (April 19), Loving values may more easily emphasized in our outer activities, including the significance of our shared responsibility for the environment.

Earth Day, April 22 is a celebration of the home that we all share, and the Earth goddess, Gaia. The first Earth Day was organized in 1970 to support recycling, tree planting, and community commitment to the future. It continues to encourage respect for life on earth, and encourages methods to ensure quality of the soil, air, and water. Earth Day is now observed in more than 140 nations

April 22 is the equivalent in the Islamic calendar of 12 Rabi-ull-Awwal, 1426, the birthday of the prophet, Muhammed.

Passover (Hebrew: Pesach) begins this year on April 24. It is the eight-day celebration of the ancient Jews’ liberation from Egyptian bondage. Pesach also means, "the hobbling," which refers to the ancient ceremonial spring dance of the partridge, and symbolizes the spiral dance of the Minotar’s maze. An inner theme of April is to call upon your inner values and strength to help overcome obstacles and restrictions to your life path.

St. Mark's Day, April 24/25 coincides with the old Roman festival of the Robigalia. They share the purpose of asking for heaven’s blessing for the growing of crops. St Mark’s day heralds the return of migratory birds from the south to nest and raise families.

Beltane, the Celtic start of the summer season, begins at sunset on April 30th. The patron of Beltane is Diana, goddess of the hunt, of wealth, wisdom, and tender affection. Beltane means "bright fire," and is the fire festival that begins the yearly spiritual cycle. Nine, the sacred number of endings was the basis of this festival in 19th century Scotland. Nine teams of nine married men gathered logs from the nine sacred trees of the Celts. At sunset all fires were extinguished, and at sunrise a new fire was kindled without the use of metal. All the people danced around the bonfire in a sunwise direction, and jumped over the flames and through the smoke, which purified and transformed their spirits. After the flames had died down, farm animals were driven over a path cleared through the smoking coals, to ensure their fertility. The people then danced around a Maypole that pierced the Earth as a phallic symbol of co-joining and fertilization. Dew was collected, and the people drank of it and washed their faces with it. The people then took coals home to re-kindle their hearth fires. They had all partaken of all four elements, and the alchemical process was complete. They were assured that the community was again whole and blessed by their divinities.

We continue to search for meaning in all parts of our lives. We find significance in the simplest of ideas or concepts. Those ideas have their expression in symbolism and symbols. The same basic symbols pop up in many places and in many different philosophies and religions. If we search with an open mind, we often find places where our meanings agree, often in what was previously perceived as rivalry.

April 30 is dedicated to St Sophia in Russian Orthodoxy, where she is sometimes called Mokosha, or Moist Mother Earth. Sophia is venerated as the goddess of Wisdom and Spirit. Known as Hohkma in Hebrew, Sapientia in Latin, and the Celtic goddess-figure Sheela-na-gigs – all these words mean wisdom. In Jewish lore, God's female side, source of his true power is Sophia. Sophia is mentioned liberally in the Bible: in Proverbs, I Kings, and the Song of Solomon. Wisdom is seen to be the basis of the alchemical process:

"Water from Earth = dew, distilled from the female alone – the moist matrix of life.

Air from water = steam, distilled from the female by the male – the energy of creation.

Fire from air = gas, distilled from the male alone – the life-giving breath.

Earth from fire = a forged metal or fired mould, wrought by the female from the male – the child or offspring of union."

From the Aurora Consurgens, an alchemical manuscript attributed to Thomas Aquinas

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