THIS WEEK — Mercury is now in Aquarius, and on Monday it enters new territory for the first time after the recent retrograde. Since the Internet came along, it seems like everyone has heard of Mercury retrograde, though there are nuances.

“Aphrodite Urania as patroness of the arts” — Griepenkerl, 1877-78

What happens today is that what’s called the ‘shadow phase’ ends, and the retrograde cycle comes to an end. If you’ve been experiencing frustrations with technology, with communications, with money or with getting your plans in order, you’re likely to get some relief.

More significant is that you use this two-month phase of what I will call ‘Mercury clear’ to initiate your new projects. This is a much better time to make major purchases, conduct negotiations and enter agreements than any time around the retrograde.

The purpose of astrology is to use time well. It’s less like some magical process and more like a table of tides. No sailor would set out for sea without knowing the tidal conditions, and we have astrology to help guide our complex lives — mainly by providing a map to the environment of time.

On Tuesday, Venus will enter Aquarius. There are a few ways to read this, though my favorite is that it represents agape, the Greek word for brotherly love. Except here, it’s in the style of the goddess. This is love that’s about friendship, and is inclusive of more than two people. It may include groups of friends, or any style of loving where the theme is communication and bonding rather than solemn commitment.

Your horoscope for the week is below.

Lovingly,

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Aries (March 20-April 19) — For the next week or so it will be easier to speak with people about subjects that are usually difficult or impossible to bring up. At the same time, it’s also easier to avoid any subject by glossing it over. The choice is yours. Regarding the first possibility, you wouldn’t know something is easier unless you try it. So you might ponder what you’ve wanted to discuss with intimate partners or close friends that you have not been able to, or if there hasn’t been an opportunity. This might involve sex, or it might involve money. The benefit you have now is that others will be more comfortable with taboo topics, and you are more comfortable in the territory of your own private business. This wide and unusual opening will not last forever. Take advantage of it while you can.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Take your time with whatever plan you’re working up. It looks as if you’re not quite ready to go public or to bring in more collaborators. That time will arrive soon enough. The only people who need to be involved are the ones who are ultimately responsible, even if that’s just you and perhaps a close adviser. There is also some psychology involved that I suggest you consider. Usually our relationship to success, to moving up in the world, and to recognition is mingled with our feelings about our parents. This could involve how successful they told you that you’d be, how successful they are, or whether they’re jealous of your accomplishments. If you take the time to consider this now, you won’t have to do it some time in the future, when the stakes will be much higher.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — You may feel this week as if a cloud has passed over you, and you can finally see the Sun and the sky. It’s been a while. You’re someone who lives for new experiences, and you have plenty of them to look forward to. I suggest you go consciously into fresh territory in your life. There are things you’ve wanted to explore for a while — they might involve spiritual or intellectual interests, or someplace you want to go. Encourage your curiosity to expand. If you want to go somewhere, look at photos of the place. If you’re curious about a topic (for example Tibetan Buddhism, a Supreme Court case, or scientists’ visions for the future) get a book on the subject and start reading. Your mind is a fertile field right now, and what you plant will grow.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — You’re probably wondering when all the shifts and shake-ups will settle down. It would help if you see the larger process, which is that you’re gradually gathering a new group of people around you — one that will be more stable and supportive. For this reason I suggest you not only go with the changes, but trust them. You can even use the process consciously. For example, write down all the things in your life that you would change if you could. Once you have an idea what you want to change, it’s easier to see the opportunity to make the change when you have it in front of you. One thing to remind yourself is that you’re creative, and this is running at a high point lately. You can afford to trust yourself, and to be more daring than usual.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Be careful not to let your fears run away with you. The thing about fear — and this cannot be said often enough, or to enough people — is that fear is usually fantasy, directed at something that’s neither true nor real. The problem is that it seems so convincing. The other problem is that bad things actually do happen, though not nearly as often as we expect them to. What I suggest you do is to guard your inputs. You’re unusually sensitive to influences coming in through media — television, films and even music. I suggest you experiment by indulging only influences that are positive and creative. Another way to say this is to assess the nutritional content of what you indulge in with your senses, and what you soak your mind in. If you consume what is healthy, loving and wholesome, that’s how you’ll feel.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Depending on how you look at it, your astrological picture is one of being able to really feel where someone else is coming from, or a study in boundary issues. The thing to remember is that people depend on one another; we have to, for many things. We’re also subject to one another’s moods and life experiences. You’re now wide open to the influences of others, and as such, you need to manage all that influx. You can have empathy and still have clear boundaries. Contrary to popular belief, these are not walls but rather bridges. Said another way, you don’t need to block people as much as you need to have clear lines of communication. That is where your most dependable power comes from. The more understanding you possess, the more influence you will have over the flow of events.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — If your attention has been dominated by emotional or family matters, it’s time to start having more fun. It would seem that, going back to the beginning of the year, you’ve been encountering complexities that you wanted to get beyond but which seemed to be holding you back. Now you’re being set free to experience many other facets of life. To use this freedom, you need to make two decisions — one is either to get out the door, or to be among your people, or to pick up creative projects that you’ve been distracted from. The other is to leave behind the emotional states associated with solving complex problems. Your experience influences how you feel, though it also works the other way. Gently let those old attachments go, especially any lingering affinity for struggle or emotional confusion.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Mars moving slowly through your sign is bestowing an unusual kind of confidence — the kind where you may feel as if you belong anywhere you go. This is some rare astrology, and I suggest you use it wisely. You have an agenda, you have goals and you have plans for self-improvement. The time is perfect for you to use what I would describe as unusual personal power to go past boundaries that have held you back in the past. This may involve penetrating your own psychology or emotional resistance, or working your way up in the world. Doors that were blocked in the past are now open, but you have to put your hand on the knob and turn it, to prove this to yourself. Others can be helpful, though you need to seek out their assistance in a respectful way.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You will feel better, and better able to make progress in your life, if you can let go of something that’s troubling you from the past. It may be some half-completed goodbye or a development you have not fully come to terms with yet. Doing so consciously will help you restore your energy and simplify your affairs. We live in a time when very little that happens in the past is actually resolved. As a result, it tends to collect; then it’s difficult for people to focus their minds on the present and the future. You’ve reached a point where you know you must come to terms with certain points of history. The question is how? The answer is: consciously, and a little bit every day. The more honest you are with yourself, the better you will feel.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Strive to be fair with others. I know fairness isn’t a big hit these days, but that doesn’t detract from how necessary it is for you now. You can begin by making sure you hear and understand all sides of an issue. Know when you’re being arbitrary, and take a step back. It’s fair to say, “I don’t see where you’re coming from. Please explain it to me.” Or you can say, “I follow your thinking up to this one point. Get me over the hump.” Following someone’s logic doesn’t mean that you agree with them. What it does is to open up space for potential compromise. There is an added benefit, which is giving people the feeling of being heard. That reduces stress in the environment. And of course, if you decide someone is right, the real benefit is that you learned something helpful.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You’ve been on a roll with good ideas the past few weeks, though the best is yet to come. Keep mulling over the possibilities, though pay attention to the subtle levels of your mind. You know how ideas sometimes float in seemingly from nowhere? Those are the ones you want. If you wake up from a dream with the sense of seeing a problem in a new way, write down the details. You have a powerful intellect, though what you need to tap into now is your intuition. To do this, focus on listening to your own mind, and notice how you respond to the thoughts of others. Something perfectly ridiculous, or unrelated to the topic at hand, can spark a clever idea in your mind. I would, however, remind you of one guiding principle for what you’re doing: service.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Later this week, the Sun enters your birth sign. So many other planets are currently in Pisces that you may feel a little overwhelmed or disorganized. The Sun’s one-month presence in your home corner of the sky will provide a unifying influence. It’s time to come back to your astrological roots: you’re a creative, pleasure-seeking person. This is true even given the responsibilities you have, and your desire to be an authentic success. Your creativity and desire to feel good can guide and motivate you. Ultimately, you will only be happy succeeding at what is truly right for you, so those are healthy guides. Working well, and intelligently, are essential to honor. Your sense of devotion and commitment are as well. Focus on feeling good and those things will come as naturally to you as sunshine and water.