Aries (March 20-April 19) — There’s an old saying that “living well is the best revenge”; meaning, the most appropriate response to the slings and arrows and various other challenges of life. Yet suddenly there are not so many of those challenges, and you might well wonder where they went. So much of what you went through was a battle of words, where there were neither losses nor gains. Now you get to pull your energy in: into your body, into your home, into your feelings, and generally not toss so much out at the world. Share your feelings with people you truly care about, even if it’s just one such person, whether lover, friend or confidant. Soak yourself in a more pleasant environment than you’ve been subjected to for the past couple of months and let it seep out of you, like muscle tension into a hot bath.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Mars, the planet that represents your relationships, has entered the sign Cancer. Your planet, Venus, is about to enter your own birth sign. This draws to a close the many strange twists of the past couple of seasons, and will gently usher you into new emotional and creative territory. This may not have been an easy phase, though it’s certainly been a meaningful one. You’ve discovered some things about yourself for the first time, and remembered past discoveries that you can now implement and experiment with. If the current astrology is saying anything, it’s that life does not happen in your mind. Rather, your mind responds to the interplay between your body and your environment, and sometimes it even guides the process. Feel your own strength and be willing to lead yourself to the beautiful and necessary experiences that you want.

A Reading to Help you Choose Your Future, Gemini

“Listening to an Eric Francis reading is very much like having an intimate conversation with a valued friend and mentor. It showed me a future that can be of my own choosing. This Gemini reading is a neon sign showing me the way.”

— Nora Connaughton, on a previous Gemini Birthday Reading

Dear Reader with Gemini Sun or Rising:

I know a few Geminis who have been struggling this past year with feeling ‘stuck’ — with projects and jobs that aren’t really ‘theirs’, with their dreams, with options pulling in different directions. Yet I also know some who are truly blazing brightly right now.

The Cosmic Twins, by Lizanne Webb.

Whichever description fits you, consider something Eric recently wrote to Geminis: “You’re at that point where you simply must do what’s real, or do your real thing in a way that’s more daring, and reaches deeper into yourself.”

With the Sun in your sign having just made a fortuitous trine to Jupiter, you seem to have a little extra mojo at your disposal as you pursue “your real thing” — even if you’ve felt stuck in some way. But the key to working with Jupiter is to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later, taking steps to prepare the way for ‘luck’.

Pre-order your 2017 Gemini Birthday Reading, and you’ll receive at least an hour of audio astrology plus Eric’s signature tarot reading to help you keep the ball rolling as your year develops.

“It is amazing to me, that no matter what time of the birthday year I refer back to it, it has something to offer. To me it has become not only an annual upcoming preview of one’s year ahead, but a continual informative year long reference guide.”

— Ann Cortese, 87, B.S., M.P. S

You can listen to your reading as many times as you like, tapping into Eric’s uncanny ability to help you focus on what matters most. It’s like an intensive meditation that’s multi-faceted enough to keep even the most active mind engaged, and down-to-Earth enough that you’ll feel empowered to use its insights right away, no matter where you’re at.

Eric pours his heart and soul into your Birthday Reading, making it easier to hear your own heart and soul — and making it a beautiful gift for any Gemini.

Wishing you a bright and beautiful year,

Amanda Painter

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Be careful not to exaggerate your survival needs. In fact, take care to sort out needs from desires. There’s a difference. Needs are on the level of oxygen; desire is on the level of what you might choose on a menu, or what outfit you might wear. One place this shows up specifically is “emotional needs,” which are almost always exaggerated and, consequently, dramatized. It would be better for your happiness in relationships, and your happiness overall, to say want when you mean want, and to set aside the concept of need (except, of course, things like the bathroom, water and sleep). You have a gift not only for survival, but for getting what you want. You can even afford to open your ears to the desires of others and pass forward some of your good fortune.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Mars has entered your sign, which does two helpful things: one is that it removes a source of irritation that’s been bumping around your psyche for many weeks; and two, it signifies motivation and direction. You may decide this week that you didn’t know how lost you were. You may further decide that, actually, you had a pretty good idea where you were going, and that your inner guidance systems were working well all along. However, suddenly, the controls are in your hands, and remaining in contact with your motives counts for more than it did. Mars in Cancer connects your desire nature to your emotions, which for you is empowering. Just ease people into your ideas rather than coming on like a hurricane. Make a suggestion, see how people respond, and give them a little time to get used to it.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — People need ideas to live by more than they need food. There’s a survivalist impulse moving through society, though it’s sly, subtle and is rarely revealed as rooted in desperation: a toxic brew of naiveté and cynicism. You are offering something different; you have your own message, which people around you need to hear. You might invite your closest friends to your home for dinner, and engage them in a real conversation about life, or about anything. Just make sure you have them leave their devices in a designated location and pick them up on the way out. This whole digital thing is very nearly ruining human relationships, because it’s so grossly used, overused and abused. Take part in as many face-to-face conversations as you can, whether it’s small talk or about the fate of the Earth.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You’re in a rare position of leadership now, and you’re here because of your ability to understand things. Well, it’s more than your ability — your willingness is what counts. You can tell the difference between what has substance and what’s full of air. Moreover, that distinction actually matters to you, as does this thing known as meaning. Lest you think this is something normal, I would assure you that it’s far less popular than blue jeans, French fries or rock and roll. However, people will recognize your skill at listening, and the fact that you care about what others have to say, and that gives you influence. Just don’t let on right away if you figure out that someone isn’t being truthful with you. At least you can see what they’re made of, and can respond appropriately.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — It’s been a most unusual year so far, and you’re ready for something different. You’re about to get it: what looks, from your solar chart, like an experience of relationship that’s less erratic, more emotionally grounded and (lacking a better word), deeper in commitment. Yet you would be wise to scan back over the past few months and see what you’ve learned about yourself, from what looks like an extended confrontation with your boundaries, your values and your desires. It would seem that on several occasions, you’ve been taken past your limits, and made some real discoveries. And an extended conjunction between your ruling planet Venus and Chiron, in Pisces, helped you set an agenda for healing. You’re about to enter new territory and take possession of your future. Remember what you’ve learned. Call on your own wisdom when you need it.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Mars, the Scorpio planet, has entered your fellow water sign Cancer. This represents a good few good things, including the potential for a contentious relationship spell to settle down, getting a grip on your finances and, most of all, widening your horizons. You’ve stepped out of the carnival fun-house hall of mirrors and into a world of feelings, possibilities and a desire to connect with people on a deeper level. Remember that your idea of ‘spiritual’ means emotional contact above all else. You may have your beliefs and practices, you might meditate or do yoga, and you know in your soul that the Goddess is real. And all of that translates to spiritual being something distinctly human, plain to see and feel, and easy to understand. Your idea of spiritual is the same one that cats, dogs and kids understand.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Intimacy is the deepest longing of most people, and the thing that’s the most frightening. Yet the only thing we have to fear is ourselves. Your solar chart is reminding you to feed yourself on what you can only have when you’re vulnerable and allow yourself to explore. Often this eludes words, though this week, Mercury arrives in your relationship sign Gemini, which means that the universe and the people in it will seem more conversant. You may be surprised at how direct others are being, and how direct you can be. Therefore, if there’s something you want to talk about, now is the time. If there’s an agreement you want to make with someone, now’s the moment to make your proposal. Just make sure it’s a real conversation, to which you bring your love and your flexibility.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Perhaps despite your deepest hesitation, your life is becoming more passionate. Creative and amorous energy is rising within you, and approaching you. Yet there’s no compromise position between passion and hesitation. You cannot have both; you must choose one way of life or the other. The distinctly modern attempt to have it both ways is to want the human contact and pleasure without the intimacy. Not only is this unsafe, it’s not possible. Proximity to people you’re drawn to is the very thing that inspires and facilitates intimacy, and this happens on a biological level; it’s not merely psychological. Said another way, your body has its own needs and desires. You might pause, tune in and get a feeling for what your cells, your blood and your bones are telling you, every minute of the day.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Notice the many changes in the human environment that take place throughout the week. Suspend your expectations, your judgments and your plans for a moment, and observe, with your feelings, the fact that people are opening up. You run the risk of lingering in your past views of the world. Rather than speculating, become a keen observer of what people say, do, think and feel. At the same time, pay attention to what you say, do, think and feel. Right now your life mission and livelihood depend on your relationship to the public, potentially a rather broad-based and diverse one. You are poised to be a leader, which means being resonant and responsive to what’s happening around you. Through that process, you’ll find that you’re the most effective and the most successful in this unusual and relevant thing that you’re creating.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — This week, all three personal planets — Mercury, Venus and Mars — change signs. Mars has led the way, entering the most creative and passionate angle of your chart (known in astrology as the 5th solar house, which covers creativity, passion, pleasure and play). Venus follows suit next, entering Taurus (your voice, your words and your ideas). And finally Mercury enters Gemini, which arrives with the feeling that home is wherever you happen to be. All of this is positive and encouraging, representing the fulfillment of long-unmet desires. What’s best is that it describes the physical world and how people respond to you. But rather than taking big bites of life, take little sips and see how these new experiences taste. Feel your response, and let the nourishment soak gently into your cells. There’s no rush.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Avoid verbal confrontations this week, as Mars faces off with Saturn. Even logic is unlikely to be persuasive, as anyone you want to convince of something is likely to be coming from a place of intellectual or religious authority, unconcerned about the annoying facts. Since this may be one of those scenarios where the truth seems irrelevant, and where things could easily get out of hand, you might take a different approach. Perhaps focus on your own mental and emotional process. You seem to be stuck on an issue, which feels like a point of integrity; for example, you want to do the right thing, and you have to be strong. You might feel like it’s appropriate to deny yourself something, though it’s worth questioning whether you’ve got another motive, or are just being stubborn. For maximum results, focus your self-inquiry on the emotional level: what you feel rather than what you think.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — You may find yourself mystified by your own thoughts and feelings this week, as if you’ve suddenly become another person. Your chart looks like you’ve suddenly decided to allow yourself to want all the things you’ve forbidden yourself, and committed to nothing short of total personal revolution. Actually, what you learn over the next few days could be enough to liberate you from certain self-concepts that have become far too restrictive. There’s nothing so radical about this; you’ve needed to loosen up your rules of personal conduct for a while. You’re unlikely to become an anarchist or run naked through the streets. You are indeed more likely to state openly what you want, and to indulge some desires that you’ve been keeping on hold for a while. As the Rocky Horror Picture Show so eloquently puts it, “Don’t dream it, be it.”

Gemini Birthdays, Gemini Rising:

Set Your New Moon Intentions with Your 2017 Reading

“2017 Birthday Reading was expansive and mind-blowing, and absolutely on the money in everything. You helped me immeasurably as I change and change and grow, and change some more. What a time!”

— Linsey

Dear Friend and Reader:

We recently experienced the Gemini New Moon: the Sun and Moon merging in your sign. It represents the ability to reconcile different forms of awareness, different viewpoints — even the ‘two different people’ you may feel that you are.

Do your inner twins usually get along? Or do you find yourself often at odds with yourself?

Finding that point of reconciliation is only one of the topics your 2017 Gemini Birthday Reading is designed to address. Eric understands that some very sensitive areas of your chart have some very powerful planets moving through them — and that you’re in a position to make the most of what is being offered to you.

Your reading is two 30-minute segments of studio-quality audio astrology, plus a separate tarot reading (video or audio) for your year ahead.

It’s like getting a chart reading and a life-coaching session all in one — for a fraction of the cost.

Eric offers these readings as a dependable resource you can listen to over and over throughout the year when you need a touchstone, a moment of guidance or just a steady presence to help you focus on your deepest needs and desires, and reorient on your highest potential.

“There is no way I can begin to describe how spot on you are with this reading concerning the place I have been finding myself in over the few years and in particular from last year onwards. Very astutely described! You say something I literally keep thinking whenever I find myself among people. You are actually quoting a very frequent thought of mine. This is stunning.”

— Alexandra Marx, Gemini

When you pre-order your 2017 Gemini Birthday Reading, not only do you lock in the lowest price we offer — you set the intention to begin your year with full, focused, integrated consciousness. With all that’s going on in the world around you, that’s a bold and empowering step.

Wishing you an excellent year,

Amanda Painter

P.S. You can also take advantage of the discounted price when you pre-order the 2017 Gemini Birthday Reading as a gift — for anyone with a Gemini Sun, rising sign or Moon.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — There’s a theory of personality that says the only way we learn who we are is through conflict. Mostly that means the social bump and grind that comes from asserting who you are and what you want. Currently society is set on hair-trigger when it comes to expressing any desire that can’t be fulfilled by shoving a credit card into a chip reader. Yet you seem determined to express what you want, and since that’s the case, be prepared to ruffle a few feathers and get the chickens squawking. Whether you get what you want or not, what you learn will provide you with some valuable information about yourself. And please, don’t let anyone’s response wear down your self-confidence. Rather, be emboldened. There’s plenty of room for you on the planet. Everyone can squish over a little.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — You may be wondering what’s irritating you, or why you’re so nervous. You may also be feeling like finally your fears are not just under control but have been rendered irrelevant by the self-confidence that you can handle anything. Yet be aware you may be feeling a mix of both emotions, as if you’re walking between two worlds. Whatever you have going on, remember that tracking your state of mind will be essential to your success. That means understanding your feelings and your motives, in a way that’s not usually done. Humans rarely care to understand why they might be feeling something (as if the question is impossible to answer), and just about everyone feels that whatever motive they have, it must be pure. You, however, need the details. That means observing yourself carefully, and taking action only when you have an actual grasp on why you’re doing so.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Be mindful of engaging in public controversies this week. Before you weigh in, you’d be wise to assess the energy you would expend, and the potential damage to your reputation. If you’re going to speak up about something, you might start behind the scenes, asking people what they’re thinking, and engaging them in a dialog. One potential risk is that you don’t know where the loudest voices in the room are actually coming from. The thing to look for is financial motivation, particularly as it might impact you. While you’re at it, make sure you account for your own motives where money is concerned, and decide how that would look, were it to enter the discussion. The overall planetary setup is calling for everyone to have a little more integrity. Don’t get any mud on your clothes.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You have options, or at least an out; that’s the important thing to remember. It’ll be easy to forget, and you would benefit from continual mindfulness of your many possible choices. As for the scenario: Mars, slowly making its way across the career and reputation angle of your solar chart, describes you aspiring to some of your most cherished goals, and in a good position to take charge of things. Yet it looks like you might encounter some resistance any way you turn. That calls for taking careful steps, and understanding where people are coming from, as best as you can discern that. Make sure you set aside personal aspirations or your drive for success, for the moment, and understand what people mean when they speak. And if they have not said much, ask them what’s going on.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — This will be an interesting week in your intimate relationships, and you can have fun with that. The thing not to expect is everyone acting in the same old fashion as usual, which is boring anyway. Your solar chart looks like you and a partner are taking a ride on an atomic collider, the better to see what new elements you can form. Through the week, the planetary pattern describes the potential to expand the discussion of relationships to include any and all possibilities. Yes, this is a rare, momentary opening that might allow into your awareness ideas that are usually too controversial or frightening to consider. You have nothing to lose by having any conversation that comes up — especially if you or someone you love feels backed into a corner. Just try to come out of the corner first, make tea, and sit down at the kitchen table.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — This looks like the week when you can settle a long discussion that has veered into finances, agreements and sexual tendencies — and there is a possibility for things to get out of hand. The first question to ask yourself is, do you value your current situation, and if so, why? If you say you love, what exactly do you love? If you’re in a relationship where you share a home and finances, what is the common ground between you? If you find yourself coming up short, you might set aside the prior discussion and begin with that point. If you can identify values that you share with your partners, or organizations you’re involved with, then work from those values as the reality you share. Harmonious relationships, even between very different people, must be rooted in common ground.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — This is the week to practice not taking things personally. That’s much, much easier said than done, but consider this: that which is not meant for you is not personal. Just because something seems directed at you does not make it personal. Thankfully you have the Sagittarian power to stand back and let the sparks fly all around you. If you stay primarily in observer mode, you will learn much about people’s true colors, and what they’re made of on the inside. If you find yourself in a discussion with an intimate partner, do your best to be soft, flexible and open-minded, and actually listen until you have an idea how they perceive reality, including how they perceive you. Do your best not to act in a way that’s parental, officious or pompous. Assume, for the moment, that they’re right.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Events this week will help you discover, and challenge, your hidden beliefs. It’s good to know what those are; if you have some concept of reality that’s running your show, it’s best to be able to state it out loud, though that’s pretty unusual. You might discover, though, that people are holding you accountable for ideas you didn’t even know you had. Before you agree or disagree with anyone’s position, check in and see if that belief or value actually exists. This will take some self-awareness, which is what your life is all about these days. Your environment will provide clues. Make sure you take a wide view of the world around you, and see what you observe in its many contexts. Said another way, look around at the world and withhold judgment long enough to see the diversity of viewpoints — and figure out what you really believe.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Any truly creative process must in some way challenge prevailing public opinion. Otherwise, what’s so creative about it? Seen on an individual level, when you come up with an idea — something happening a lot lately — you must, in that process, challenge something within yourself. Take up that approach boldly. Notice where your newer ideas seem to conflict with your older ones; then notice the way that you challenge the dominant view of the people around you. There’s only so much you’re capable of conforming to the views of others, though if you’re going to break consensus, it helps to do so in an intelligent and thoughtful way. What you may need is time in the privacy of your own room, studio or mind, or writing in a café you don’t usually frequent, where you can say, think and feel anything you want — without regard for the responses that others might have.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — The intensity of this week’s planetary setup could have you feeling like you’re under some unusual pressure, though most of it is coming from inside you. You’ve been in building mode all year, with Saturn moving across the top of your solar chart, making aspects to Chiron in your sign. Everything you accomplish in the outer world is connected to some growth experience in your inner reality. Every time you make a self-discovery, you seem to connect that to something you want to do or express in the world around you. It’s just that at the moment, with Mars and the Sun moving through an ultra-sensitive angle of your chart, you’re feeling restless. You’re probably also feeling confined by what you’re doing. Mars is urging you to bust out in some way. So find a creative way to do that, preferably with a physical component; it just has to be something more interesting than the gym.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Self-esteem is the key to happiness, and you’re currently under the perfect aspects to practice this approach to life. One thing I’ve noticed, working as an astrologer, is that many people undermine their respect for themselves, by sending themselves negative messages. You have every reason to take a bold approach to your happiness, to your aspirations, and to your future plans. Yet you must have a personal code that you live by, and item one of that credo is being aware of any negative inner chatter. The second step is to identify its emotional source. This is not something that can be addressed just with a reasoning process. That’s part of the solution; though ultimately, you must choose to feel good about your existence, about why you came to Earth, and about who you are. Therefore, take any opportunity to love.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — The coming few days and indeed few weeks will be bristling with mental activity. Between Venus making some exciting aspects and Mercury in your sign, your mind is like a Broadway theater where a rock concert has taken up residence. Your ongoing challenge is to translate all those thundering ideas into something physical and tangible. The way to do that is to work in physical substance: put down your phone and work at a table equipped with paper and pencil rather than a computer. Keep your meetings in person as much as possible. And get outside and soak your eyes in sunlight for at least half an hour a day. Your dream life is likely to be particularly compelling this week. Try to capture those feelings, scenarios and images on paper; and remember, every part of the dream represents you.

Gemini Birthdays 2017

What Do You Want For Your Year, Gemini?

The essence of mental discipline is the constant focus on your values and your priorities. Know why you’re doing what you do at all times. Check back and make sure something is actually meaningful in the context of what you have determined that you want.”

— Eric Francis, in the 2017 annual reading for Gemini

Dear Reader with Gemini Sun or Rising (or Friend of a Gemini):

In just a few days, the Gemini New Moon will offer you a unique ‘restart button’ to your year. As it approaches, you might want to ask yourself, “What do you want?”

Your upcoming 2017 Gemini Birthday Reading will help you re-focus your answer to that question — as well as offer a fresh perspective on how to move through the slower-moving astrology that’s affecting your life deeply.

The Gemini reading contains two 30-minute segments of audio astrology, plus a tarot reading for your year (and an extended written description of your sign).

But really what you get is a dependable resource every time you listen to it — and you can listen as many times as you like.

It has occurred to me before that your understanding of Gemini is quite extraordinarily precise and I meant to give you that feedback but never quite found the right moment. There is always such wealth of information in what you broadcast.”

— Alexandra Marx, Gemini

Eric ‘gets’ Geminis: he gets that you’re more than just a good talker; he gets that you’re not all secret double-agents. Most of all, he gets that some very sensitive areas of your chart have some very powerful planets moving through them — and that you’re in a position to make the most of what is being offered to you.

When you pre-order your 2017 Gemini Reading for $24.24, you lock in the lowest price Planet Waves offers. The price will increase as publication nears; it’s well worth it, but Eric likes to reward those who sign on early.

“Eric, you are so right on! Your reading engenders within me feelings of you somehow being able to get inside my mind, inside my heart, and inside my most precious sanctuary…my soul!”

— Ann Cortese, B.S., M.P.S.

With a friendly, accessible, inspiring approach, Eric designs his audio readings to point you in the direction of your highest potential. It’s like getting a chart reading and a life-coaching session all in one — for a fraction of the cost. I hope you’ll take advantage of the opportunity.

Yours & truly,

Amanda Painter

P.S. If you’re not a Gemini but happen to care about one, you can also take advantage of the discounted price when you pre-order the 2017 Gemini Birthday Reading as a gift.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — An emotional entanglement has disappeared as quickly as it appeared. That gives you some evidence that such a thing is possible. Yet you still face the challenge of keeping your emotions flowing and not being distracted with people who have a negative attitude. You have way too much going for you right now to go down anyone’s dark or self-conflicted road. In fact most of the positive gains in your life will come through encountering people who take a distinctly positive attitude, and raising your vibration to the level of a supportive environment. Much of your success in the coming year of your life will be dependent upon your state of mind. Take a self-affirming view and you will invite positive developments into your life. As they say in 12-step programs, this is all about people, places and things.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — This will be an exciting week for you professionally, and I suggest you feel no hesitation about turning up the juice. Start by doing your best work, and then telling people about it. Don’t merely send out resumes. Do those bold and brash things like showing up with your portfolio, or sending a FedEx with a personal letter and samples to someone whose attention you want to get. Aim high, that is, higher than you think you’re capable of, and do the work to back it up. The most common error people make these days is thinking that success is all about image and money. For you, it’s about embodying your own success with every cell, every breath and every word you speak. Make sure that people know you’re capable, willing and ready to go the whole distance.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — In today’s world, leadership is about communicating ideas, and then getting people on the same page. That involves a process of listening, expressing yourself, and being flexible about including the ideas of others in what you’re doing. Even though you’re born under what’s called a fixed sign, the more inclusive and cooperative you are, the more you magnify the influence of your creativity. People need to know they’re being heard; indeed, that anybody at all cares what they think. And just as vital, they need a strong influence to tie together all the loose ends and serve as a kind of coordinating editor. You’re in the perfect position to do precisely that. Just do your utmost to keep pride and ego out of the picture. Leo can be brilliant at embodying the role of public servant. Now is the time.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Your persuasive skills are at a near-record level right now. Therefore, it’s crucial that you know exactly what you’re arguing for or against. Make sure that you’re correct, and have applied full-treatment fact-checking to anything you’re trying to convince anyone of. They’ll believe you even if you’re wrong, and you don’t want to have to send out a correction. One way to avoid problems is to do that thing they put law students through, which is to argue both sides of the case, and find some third alternative viewpoint. Flush out the errors in your thinking. Run your ideas past people you consider critical thinkers, and focus your ideas. If the matter involves investments or any other form of finance, you must redouble your efforts and make sure your facts and your reasoning are impeccable.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — If it seems like partners or a love interest are sending you mixed signals, don’t take it personally. For example, they might seem to be expressing desire for you, and then sending you the message that they didn’t really mean what you thought they meant. This is likely to be an illusion of some kind; be particularly cautious if the internet is involved. First, address any contradictions you find in your own mind and your own communications, and gently sort those out. Then, do something bold and ask people what they want. Not for the rest of forever, but for right now. If you speak up rather than guess, you’re much likelier to find common ground with someone you care about. Put special attention into cultivating trust. Stick to social plans, and show up on time. That’s a fine start.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — The Sun is shining its light on Gemini, one of the most cryptic angles of your solar chart, and that will help you unravel the seeming mystery of a relationship. Here’s the question: to what extent is desire allowed in your intimate partnerships? Do you allow yourself to want what you want with a clear conscience, or do you have to keep stopping to address guilt? Or, interpreting your chart a different way, there are often two sides to desire: wanting, and not wanting what you have once you get it. The more aware of these wrinkles you are, the less often they will pop up as issues that derail the conversation or the flow of passion. Most people have a hard time stating clearly what they want, with neither hesitation nor guilt. You must get good at it, and practice makes perfect.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — The Sun has joined Mars in Gemini, the relationship angle of your chart, which should help you bring your partnerships onto more level ground. Mars slowly working its way across your opposite sign the past few weeks has been a bit itchy and scratchy, except of course when the passion heats up and all of that goes away. One thing to keep in mind is that your Sagittarian self-direction and independence are running high these days, even as you seem to be taking an unusual degree of interest in relationships. There will be developments within your relationships that help teach you not just how to balance out those two seemingly different interests, but rather how to integrate them and treat them as aspects of the same thing. Healthy relationships are made up of individual people, rather than halves of a whole.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Your solar chart this week presents you with an interesting scenario: how effectively can you avoid family, household and work drama, and keep focused on the creative task at hand? This may involve your official job, or it may involve a project you’ve got going on the side. Either way, it looks like the most important priority that you just cannot seem to get to. Of course, there are plenty of compelling reasons to be distracted. The challenge you face is that of any person who is devoted to developing their talent: deciding that what you want to do is more compelling than anything that might sidetrack you. If this takes discipline, it’s nothing other than the same focus of mind and power of prioritization that all successful writers, artists, musicians and businesspeople must master. Go for it.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You’ve entered a phase of your life where, with each useless, negative or in-the-way thing you remove, you will make room for some helpful and productive thing to enter. This involves physical objects, people, groups you belong to, and ideas you have about yourself. It’s a basic principle of the Asian art of feng shui: de-clutter, open up space, and put things you use regularly right where you can reach them. As the spring and summer progress, this process will take up residence in your relationships. The key concept is balance: between self and other, and between seemingly different interests. One thing you’re likely to discover is that as you let go of persistent mental patterns, even ones you’ve experienced since childhood, you make room for a more self-affirming experience of your relationships. As you well know, it’s about time.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — The Sun recently entered Gemini, which is the home and security angle of your solar chart. Two messages are coming through. One is to invest some resources into freshening up your living space. As the old song goes, let the Sun shine in, wash the curtains, and vacuum the remnants of winter out of your windowsills and radiators. Another message may be that you need a change of scenery, even if it’s just for a few days. Pisces is one sign that distinctly needs to have a place to get away to, whether it’s something as modest as a visit to a friend’s house or a night in a B&B or hotel, or as extravagant as a second home. You encounter different aspects of your personality in different spaces you occupy, a fact of your inner makeup that gives you a distinct advantage if you use it.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Take a calm and observant approach to relationships, and stay out of conversations that you don’t understand. Whether in intimate personal matters or the most serious professional ones, remember that everything in life is based upon relationships. At the moment, people around you seem unusually sensitive. There’s a thirst for justice in the air; though, over the coming few days, it could be easily misdirected at anything anyone casually perceives as ‘wrong’. This is why you can take a step back and answer all questions with other questions, preferably after a delay. Mercury, the planet of mind and communication, leaves your sign and enters Taurus this week, which will give you a better sense of where you stand with yourself. Until then, make sure you don’t get brushed aside by the overly ambitious approach of people around you. Take care of yourself and stand up for your own cause.

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Taurus (April 19-May 20) — This week the Sun in your sign makes a helpful aspect to Chiron in Pisces. This calls attention to the extent to which so many people (including technology-averse types who appreciate the physical world, such as yourself) have become their own publicists. You now have an opportunity to align your actual being with whatever it is you broadcast or in any way present to the community. Practice being real, starting now. That may mean saying less rather than more. Consider cleaning up anything that weakens your integrity; for example, secret identities, needless aliases, or whatever you may deem even vaguely deceptive. The result of this public integrity tune-up will be the feeling of being more solid and more honest. What you’re doing over the next few days is part of a much longer-range adjustment of your image and your reputation, which will last clear through late 2018.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Mercury, the Gemini planet, has spent an unusually chaotic spell in Aries, and that’s about to end on Wednesday. You’ve likely settled down some from the teacup ride of the past few weeks, though there’s one matter that you need to focus on. You may not be aware what it is yet, though you’ll figure it out soon enough when Mercury joins forces with Mars in your sign, and helps you drive one specific priority to conclusion. It’s fair to do this to the exclusion of just about all else. If this involves a professional goal, you can take a more assertive and devil-be-damned approach. If it involves a matter of finances in an intimate relationship, it’s essential that you be more tactful and circumspect, though never forgetting your goal. Give people the space and time to decide that yours is the best way of doing things.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — You may be re-evaluating the role of intimate relationships in your life. That would be a healthy thing to do, whether you’re single, committed or somewhere in between. Relationships are usually entered into on a reflex, as if it’s the only option. Yet you need an understanding of your desires, your needs and your motives when it comes to your encounters with others, so that you can make better decisions than you’ve made in the past. You know this cannot be a ‘business as usual’ time in your partnerships: you must proceed with a high degree of consciousness; in particular, about the changes you’re going through. Now is a better time to ask questions than it is to come up with answers. You don’t need a false sense of satisfaction. Rather, you will benefit from getting underneath your own assumptions and figuring out where they came from.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Mercury is about to enter the career and reputation angle of your chart, which is likely to revive a goal that you had to set aside earlier in the year. Make sure you know what you’re working for; it will be beneficial to refine your thinking and focus on what really matters. Once you know that, the way to your objective is through communicating with others. This won’t be about brute force, time-consuming labor or lots of money. Rather, you need to make sure that you say what you need to say clearly and in a compelling way. Be diplomatic, and speak the language of others whenever you can. Do your best to verify that you’re understood and that you know the concerns of others who are directly involved. Certain individuals have more influence than you may think, so be respectful to everyone.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Here’s some good news: The lunar nodes have moved away from the Virgo-Pisces axis after 18 months. This has been a time of enforced changes, upheavals and, ultimately, getting a handle on who you are. Change after change has, if nothing else, helped you get your priorities in order. Toward the end of this phase, over the past month or two, you seem to have progressed with a degree of obsession and determination unusual even for you, which frankly was getting tired and had served its purpose. It was necessary, though, to help you clear the fog that had come into your life through certain relationships that seemed to demand more from you than they were offering to you. You now have the confidence to be on your own, or to be in a relationship that actually works for you. There’s nothing in between.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — One metaphor for your life this year is the True Mirror — the kind that reflects the correct orientation rather than a mirror image. It’s often said that relationships are mirrors, but the question is: what kind? Do you see yourself the way everyone else sees you, or do you see a disorienting and distorted version of your image that nobody else sees? Venus is working its way into an opposition aspect (that is, a face-to-face meeting, reminiscent of a mirror) with Jupiter in your sign. Here’s a clue how to determine what reflection is real: choose the one you want. Choose to be around people you feel good around. Someone healthy for you is someone around whom you feel stable, strong and positive. Different people bring out different qualities from your psyche — and you have a choice.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You’ll need to tread carefully in discussions on joint financial issues, taxes and sex. Beware that the money discussion may be clouded by underlying or unresolved sexual feelings, so you’ll need to keep an eye on that. Here’s a simple way to avoid misunderstandings: set aside all of your expectations. That means entering the discussion as if it’s a clean slate, focusing on where everyone is coming from now, and what everyone’s needs are, now. If the discussion veers into the past, and past commitments, it’s likely to get messy. So you might set aside as many of your concerns, demands and seeming necessities as possible, and actually address what is of actual relevance today. Be careful with the idea that anyone owes anyone something, or even that anyone was supposed to be someone they turned out ‘not to be’. Expectations are the very thing that’s least friendly to relationships.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You may need to assert yourself or work extra diligently at your job this week, though it will be worth the effort. The one thing not to stress over is money. Your assessment of your financial position may not be accurate; it’s likely to be driven by an emotional point of view rather than a mental one. So the first thing to do if you have questions about money is check your balances. Then you can decide what to do about what you discover. Put most of your energy into your creative and work processes, taking advantage of your abundant energy and what promise to be some exciting opportunities to get your work out to the world. Keep a positive attitude every moment that you can. Don’t sweat the small stuff, because it’ll only get in the way of your creativity and overall brilliance.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You seem to be obsessed with a partnership issue, as if it’s necessary that you mark the score right down to the inning. You might want to back off on that approach, if this applies to you, given that it’s not going to lead to anyone’s happiness or any progress in the relationship. In all aspects of your life, you’re being called upon to take a more spiritual approach to existence. Spiritual means loving, forgiving, seeing the big picture and, most of all, putting your own growth ahead of any growth that you think someone else needs. Much of what you’re experiencing now is connected to your early family history, which has, through much of the year, come up for an intensive review. It’s typical of your sign to remain heavily invested in your family of origin, which is one thing; anything that mandates that you give up your adult power, prerogatives and responsibilities is another.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Early in the week — Sunday through Tuesday — monitor your anxiety level closely, rather than trying to stuff or ignore it. Remember that anxiety is not a sign that something is actually wrong. It’s often connected to a particular person or subject, but that rarely bears out in reality. Therefore, take it easy on yourself, and see if you can figure out what’s really up. A few things will help: among them, getting enough rest; getting your body in or near water, whether a bathtub, a lake or an ocean; and taking care of the needs that you might think should be provided by a partner. Also, you can help yourself substantially by prioritizing your most important projects and aspirations and focusing your energy there. You will reap what you sow. If you foster love and cooperation, you will get that, and as the Grateful Dead used to say, if you plant ice, you’re gonna harvest wind.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You’re bigger than anyone’s opinions of you, and the sooner you stop concerning yourself with this elusive thing known as ‘what people think’, the sooner you’ll be free to take charge of your life. You can safely assert yourself in the world, even if you get any noise or static. Make sure you honor your personal commitments, and any contractual agreements you may have that are related to your professional life — and then do whatever you want. It can take some courage and adaptation to live this way, though if there was ever a time you could make the leap that time is now. The more you take full responsibility for yourself and your affairs, the less power any authority figure will have in your life — whether we’re talking about bosses, partners, the government or anyone else.