With lots happening in Aries this week, including the grand entrance of Chiron into your sign, you might expect to be dashing about like a dog on a mission. However, the changes need time to shake and settle themselves into place, and so do you. Mercury is stationing direct; and a New Moon is taking place amid the conjunction that’s defined the last couple of years.

You seem to be taking matters pretty much in your stride, with something of a determination to move forward in career-related ambitions regardless of pesky little things like the present Mercury retrograde. To a large extent you may feel that you’re somewhat of an open book.

Mercury stations retrograde in your sign today, just as a powerful aspect approaches between the Sun and your ruler Mars. This might feel like conflicting messages; though it needn’t if you take the long view, and recognize that the spotlight currently on you is no transitory beam. You are laying the foundation for lasting progress. From that perspective, a few weeks at a relatively slower pace is at worst a minor blip.

The New Moon this week is pivotal, acting as a kind of checkpoint for reviewing the eight-year sojourn of Chiron through your sign, and hopefully giving you a glimpse forward into life after Chiron enters Aries. For you, this may feel particularly like renewal, to the point of a metaphorical rebirth. That situation could take time to develop fully. In the meantime, consider this a reasonable moment to give thanks, raise a glass and celebrate what you’ve accomplished.

The period since your traditional ruler Jupiter entered your 9th house has been a sort of living experiment in how much you can achieve, and how much progress you can make, in a really short space of time. For you, this retrograde phase is unlikely to be merely about reflection and review. It’s far more probable that you’re being called to shift gears, and to spend more time getting your message disseminated on a wider scale.

This week’s astrology is an invitation for you to be unapologetic about who you are. This is no time for obfuscations, half-truths, or compromises. You must be yourself, wholly and gloriously. There will always be people who think it’s cool to act unimpressed, or who confuse self-fulfillment or self-esteem with an ego trip; by now, I am sure you know this is rubbish.

Today’s eclipse would seem to be the latest in a series of events that basically add up to a rebirthing process for you. The last solar eclipse, back in August, perhaps first clued you in that some of the habits you’d held over from the past were no longer serving their purpose. Our coping mechanisms are really astonishing, but they have a use-by date.

You will likely move further on your journey toward a better understanding of yourself by making a conscious decision to act in ways that honor who you are. This is somewhat about upholding the values you cherish. However, it would also seem that how you participate in your community and environment may provide you with an important clue to what’s going on behind the scenes.

It’s pretty much the prerogative, if not exclusively so, of your sign to say, “I shall be my unique self, and social approval be damned.” Yet, considering how much courage this takes, it’s not at all surprising if you’re tempted, even usually, to placate the more conservative part of you. Right now, though, it would seem you’re being challenged to be brave and shine in your full glory.

Rarely does any major effort worth the making beget instant results. Yet it seems you’re feeling under pressure to produce them. Try to rest a little easier. Even professional magicians, who literally do pull rabbits out of hats, train for a while to perfect their skill. This week there’ll be a further change, which will probably come through as a piece of the puzzle you perhaps didn’t realize you were missing.

Up and at ‘em, Capricorn! With all the activity in your sign, you must surely be buzzing with energy, feeling completely rejuvenated and…wait, why are you shutting yourself in your room and turning on the mood music? Actually, it is true that you’re probably in an unusually fertile moment, and receiving a lot of attention.

With your ruling planet Saturn now firmly in your sign, hopefully you’re beginning to feel considerably more like yourself. This week looks to present a fair few opportunities to rock this new you out on the town and dazzle (or at least entertain) your friends. Just remember that this is territory you’re still exploring, and don’t rush into anything if you feel too uncomfortable.