Aries (March 20-April 19) — Your relationships are not a question of who can do what for whom. Rather, think of them as creating a mutually supportive environment. The difference may seem subtle, though what I’m suggesting is more offering, and more giving, and less taking, and less in the way of expectation. Fairness is the necessary primary value. This is not about some form of exact exchange. You may give more than you receive in some situations, but that’s your contribution to the greater good. You are certainly being offered more than you might expect in other situations, and about these things you would be wise to be gracious and receive with a spirit of genuine appreciation. There exists a question of what to do if you’re feeling anger. I would propose that this is about something much older than your current circumstances, and you would be wise to address it as such.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — You must consider what your point of hesitation is. This seems to be influencing a creative project or sexual relationship; perhaps the place where the two meet. What exactly are you not trusting? What idea or fear is preventing you from offering your complete trust? Consider the relationship between trust and vulnerability. They are different facets of the same thing. To trust you must be vulnerable, and being vulnerable is painful unless you are in a position to trust. I suggest you take the discussion, whether with yourself or with someone else, on this level. You seem to be aware that there’s some risk involved in what you want to do. The question is how to approach that with an open heart and an open mind. You will get the most positive results by treating everything as an experiment.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — An artist is someone who is aware of their environment in the moment, and who carefully considers the impact of their words or other creative expression. An artist can be in any field, no matter how technical or seemingly ‘non-artistic’. You’re being called to just such awareness now: to bring yourself and all of your talents into everything you do, but more than that, to understand what you make as being inherently relational: that is, with every breath you breathe, with every mark of a pencil on a page or letter that you type, you are connecting to someone. And in connecting, you’re having an influence and creating an effect. As a matter of your highest ethics and what some call dharma — acting as if to hold the world together — you must consider the impact of what you create. This is best as a matter of day-to-day habit. Your true talent will flourish when you do.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — If ever there was a ‘feather your own nest’ moment of your life, this is it. As one born under the sign Cancer, it’s easy for you to put the needs of others ahead of your own. You do this as much because you need to as because you want to. However, it’s time to reverse this process for a while, and to make a focused effort on taking care of yourself. The first place this translates to is your living space; the second, to any other facet of living that helps you feel more confident and secure. One clue that I can offer you is to focus on the beauty of your living environment. Freshen things up; clear out the corners; bring in what makes you feel alive, such as your favorite colors and textures. When you follow your own aesthetic sense, you feel more spiritually connected. Your relationships go more smoothly. It’s easier for you to relax and open up. That’s all excellent incentive.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Most people don’t know what they believe — and this is a luxury you cannot afford. Not only do you need to know what you believe, but also to discern whether it’s true. Pay attention to what you say every time you utter the phrase ‘I think’, which really means, ‘I believe’. Have you verified whether it’s true, or whether other points of view might expand your thinking? You need to establish yourself as your own fact-checker. You might also be mindful of when you impose your beliefs on others, and back off from that. It would be altogether wiser of you to really understand your own thoughts and ideas rather than exporting them in some way. This will help you develop your considerable intelligence, deepen your maturity and tap into all that you’ve learned. If you present yourself to the people in your life as someone who questions yourself, nobody will need to question you.

Late summer landscape in Washington County, New York. Photo by Eric Francis.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Your world is still vibrating with last week’s total solar eclipse in your sign. It’s now undeniable that you’re fully involved in a process of not just transformation but of claiming some deep aspect of who you are. Here is something to consider, while you’re on the way to doing that, which is the source of your anger: The most toxic anger is what a person takes out on themselves, often in the form of guilt. Yet there are other manifestations, and I suggest you watch them all. It’s possible you’re figuring out that someone has kept you in the dark about an important matter. You might have some idea that you have to cool down before you assert your opinion or make a decision. However, I would say that you need to use your points of leverage, and you have one coming this week. Just bear in mind there are some old issues that are coming up, having nothing directly to do with your current situation. Be clear with yourself about that.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Jupiter enters your sign this week. Without carrying on too much, this is good news for you. Jupiter offers protection, and knowledge, and — in your sign — a sense of fairness. Yet the real gift is one of abundance. You can afford to offer yourself to life without hesitation. You can afford to love whomever you want to love. You are free to take creative risks. Jupiter in your sign is designed to awaken something subtle in you, which is seeing the love and wisdom of the cosmos reflected in anything you perceive as beautiful. Too often the ‘divinity’ factor is assigned to dogma or books about being a better person. There’s something better, though. Yours is the sign that sees the beauty in everything, and is especially adept at bringing beauty into the world. This can come in any form: from thoughtfully arranging the cheese and crackers, to decorating a room, writing a song or making a sculpture. Beauty is your religion. Who needs any other?

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — It’s time to confront the dark side of your relationships: all the emotions that you don’t usually consider. This will, after a little while, have the desirable effect of setting you free. Now let’s consider a few possible emotions. To be clear, I am not proposing that you actually feel them, but I suggest you question whether you do. One is an entitlement to feel jealous, particularly in sexual situations. There’s no emotion more capable of shutting down the love that might flow between you and someone else. Yet you’re missing an opportunity to learn about yourself, and something profound about your existence, if you do. Another is the reluctance to state, in simple and honest terms, what you need — and to allow others the chance to respond. One last is projecting your struggle to love yourself onto others, pretending that for whatever reason they don’t love you. The moment you become aware of any of these (or any related scenarios) you also invoke the power to change them, if you want.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You must be exceptionally careful when dealing with colleagues, as well as with bosses and superior officers. You might lose your temper at exactly the wrong moment, and cause a cascade of events that you truly regret. Therefore, keep a cool head, and keep your opinion to yourself for at least 48 hours after you decide you have one. This will give you time to cool down, and also an opportunity to see things from other points of view. After half that much time, you might decide you don’t even care. If you take that approach, you’ll allow everyone else to reveal their opinions and their psychology while you take it all in; make sure to take at least mental notes and remember what you learn. If you’re a keen observer and bide your time, you will discover opportunities for leadership. There would indeed seem to be some problem that you understand and nobody else does, but wait till they throw up their hands before saying a peep.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Aspects this week move boldly in favor of your career plans, and this will hold true for the next year. Yet the planets in their courses also remind you that bravado is the very last thing you want — that is, being a big shot at whatever you do, rather than someone who does it competently and on time. In one sense, we could say that you’re being given an opportunity to exceed your experience and your usual talent level. You’re likely to be more visible than you typically are, and that means being noticed. Therefore, understate your own case, and be careful never to presume knowledge that you don’t have. Take the ideas of others on board, and be fair-minded. You are, in a sense, a judge of all that you survey. You cannot avoid this, as the tendency of the mind is to assess, compare and evaluate. Yet you must seek balance and impeccable honesty as a conscious act of creative will.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You of all people simply must have faith in humanity, or life isn’t worth living. Jupiter changing signs to Libra this week will help you with just that project. You might also discover that your sense of the future opens up like a window overlooking a vista. It’s there to be seen, to be discovered and to be embarked upon. Despite whatever petty complications you might be going through at the moment, keep your outlook both positive and, most of all, long. Dare to consider what you want to accomplish in a year, or in five or in ten years, knowing there are no guarantees. That’s the point of the adventure, isn’t it? You know, the bit about not being sure whether you can achieve or accomplish something, but aspiring to do it anyway. Dare to be optimistic, even when the world seems to be unraveling. The more you do this, the more likely whatever you’re negotiating or working out with a partner is likely to go brilliantly.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — This week Jupiter moves into Libra, your 8th house of shared finances, passionate sex and deep commitment. (The three are directly related in astrology.) This placement will last for the next year, and it’s an invitation to success. On the most basic level, this opens up a world of resources for you. You have the fully activated potential for your collaborations to be more mutually profitable than ever. Here is the catch: you must select those people with whom you feel the open flow of energy; people who offer themselves and their ideas to you. To gain the best benefits of this transit, that would exclude anyone to whom you have to plead or even ask for what you want. Focus on the people who know what you want, and who want a mutually beneficial relationship. Focus on those who understand that working together and playing together is the way to get there. Love, beauty, intelligence and Eros: let them flow.