Aries (March 20-April 19) — There’s no point holding on, or stuffing your feelings down, and there is no point pushing another person. There are what seem to be competing forces in your psyche right now — one is saying you must break free, or get control. Another is saying that you must devote yourself to healing. Either way, you need to vent some energy. You need to express your life force. And it’s vital that you not allow what you perceive as the constraints of a relationship to stop you from doing that. Nobody owns you, nobody can and they never will. It’s possible to convince yourself that they do, and that you don’t really have any choices, and that may be a core belief that you need to address. Equally, if you feel blocked by not having anyone to share with, it’ll help if you go beyond that perceived obstacle and get real about sharing with yourself.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Push could come to shove in a relationship, though I suggest you consider the possibility that none of this is about you. In other words, what is happening with a partner or love interest is all about them, and not about you. I don’t mean to imply that they don’t care, or that you don’t matter. I do mean to say that you are not really the subject of their situation, no matter what it may seem. However, because so much of relating to other humans involves projecting onto others, and introjecting what others send our way, the boundary between what is mine and what is yours can get extremely fuzzy. You can try to sort things out, or you can refer to astrology, which says: don’t take on what is not yours — and at the moment most of what you’re witnessing fits that category.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Don’t panic. I mean, OK, you can if you want. If you insist. If you think it would be fun. But would it? If there is a crux of your fear, it’s an especially harsh level of criticism that you may be inflicting on yourself. However, you don’t look like the original source of the data. It looks like you’re carrying around the self-inflicted emotional torture gene, and it’s acting up. While you don’t have to blame anyone, it might help to notice where this is coming from. To you it may seem as natural as holding a spoon, and it may indeed have been passed along to you from the person who also taught you how to eat. You seem to be burning up so much energy that you could make yourself unwell. I suggest you commit to expressing every drop of your energy in a positive and creative way. Don’t ask how, just do it.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — If you’ve been experiencing some kind of emotional or sexual blockage, you may be feeling a drive to work it out and open up. If you have not identified the theme as sexual, it’s worth considering, because the astrology illustrates that vividly. It may, however, be something on a level deeper than you’re accustomed to going. That is the nature of healing — it happens in layers. We are all, as in all of us, the inheritors of the sexual pain, mistrust and frustration of the ages. For many centuries, sex has been used against the human race, as everything from a weapon of war to a tool for social control. Society’s current insistence that sex be a commodity is not much of an improvement; it’s the same old drama. Know that you’re unraveling something larger than yourself, but that at your core, you are yourself, with your feelings and your desires — and that is all you need to be.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Life is a game of truth or dare, or rather, truth and dare. When you admit the truth, you’re more likely to dare. This is an emotional level of alchemy. The reason the truth is so daring is because it demands action. The way this shows up in your chart, the first bold step is admitting how you feel. That will take a lot of pressure off of you, especially if you feel like the walls are closing in, or if you have no space to admit to your desire. It seems as if decisions made long ago, especially those related to your home life, are confining you. And that alone may be frightening. Yet it would be less frightening if you would practice some emotional flexibility. Here is a clue — that would feel like losing control. It’s not, exactly; what you would be losing is the illusion of control, and gaining access to a connection to flow and movement that allows you to actually steer your boat down the river.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Self-critique is not the answer to everything, nor is endless mental rationalization. You are entitled to feel how you feel. It’s neither right nor wrong. If you don’t like how you feel, you have two choices — one is to understand the cause and do something about it; another is to change your mind. You can do the second without doing the first, though I would say that’s unlikely. In the end, you will just have to change your mind. The problem with the analysis of cause is that it can be biased, and in this scenario, the bias is likely to be against you. The thing to remember is that you were not born in a vacuum. You entered the world through multiple strands of DNA, into one or more pre-existing family situations, and with your own personal karma. While it’s true that things were done to you, in order to get to the next level, you will have to go beyond blame. Accountability is another thing, and that requires documentation, multiple viewpoints and a balanced analysis. Mostly it involves owning what is yours, and letting go of what is not yours.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — When people are afraid to look within themselves, usually this is associated with the darkness they expect to be there. Sometimes it seems like the whole world is in reaction to this one perceived fear — that the inner world is a kind of nightmare. But what if the opposite is true? If you feel any aversion to looking inward, consider that what you’re afraid to see is the light that’s within you. It may be that the veil of self-blame is just that, a scrim that blocks your inner view, onto which all kinds of scary imagery is projected. You may find that obstacle especially frustrating over the next few days, to the point where you’re ready to tear it down and see what’s actually on the other side. You can trust one thing, at least — there is another side, and what’s there is different from the movie projected onto the screen.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You know you want to let go. You seem to be holding on as a matter of will, but deeper down you know that what you need to do is let go of all the resistance in your body. This is not about letting go of your commitments, or of your desire for some consistency in your life. Rather, it’s an invitation to honor the truth that life not only involves change, it is based on change. This is true for everything from the development of an individual fetus to the evolution of a species to how we will respond to the biosphere crisis. Perhaps the single most useful, most beautiful and most potent human attribute is adaptation. You don’t want to give up this power; you want to work with it as closely as you can. Change is imminent, and the truth is it can serve you very well, if you participate as its creative partner.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You may be wondering when your luck will run out. You’re not there yet, and you have a long way to go. What I suggest you consider is when your fear will run out. You seem to have reached a limit of how much you can worry, how concerned you can be, how averse you are to taking the kinds of chances that you really want to take. It would seem that your even greater fear is allowing yourself to actually feel. This story is older than you, and it may be as old as civilization, so you don’t have to take it so personally. For sure there is a family story involved, and I suggest you note the relatives whose emotions either ran below the freezing point or never seemed to drop below the boiling point. Yet what is indeed personal is that your own need to feel is exceeding your resistance. And in one burst, you may experience anything from pain to guilt to raw desire of a kind that you are often reluctant to admit to. Start with yourself. Then consider the virtue of living out loud.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You may find yourself in a position where you need to take an unpopular position. That may be the right thing to do. I suggest however that you consider what, exactly, you’re pushing back against. Do you really need to assert yourself against anyone or anything outside yourself, or do you just need to do your thing? It depends on what your goal is, which is partly about your circumstances. For example, in order to make a statement, you don’t need to defend your right to free speech; you just need to say what’s on your mind. That strongly implies that you have a right to do so, and you don’t need to make that extra point. It seems that you want to find your distinct place in society. Therefore, do what you must, do what you want, and don’t explain yourself until someone tries to stop you.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Others seem to repeatedly make the same mistakes, and there’s nothing you can really do about it. You cannot get control over them. What you can do is take charge of your life. But rather than do this in an abrupt or aggressive way, I suggest you take the motivation you’re feeling now and convey it into a longterm commitment. You know what you have to do. You know that ultimately you are responsible for your own existence. Even if there are outside factors influencing you, the quest of individual consciousness and volition seems to be about relating to them in a tangible way. That, in turn, requires a high level of awareness, and the willingness to stand up for yourself. Yet where that happens first is in your own life. It may involve a revolt against those who conditioned you to be submissive to them, at the expense of your own intentions. But remember — this is an inner revolution, not one conducted on the phone or in the streets.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You must have faith in yourself no matter how much your confidence annoys other people. Yet for that to work, you must maintain an unusual level of self-awareness. For many people that is tricky enough. yet there’s one more element involved. You need to observe your environment with precision, while not taking on the burdens of others, or the issues they try to lay on you. And one more. It’s essential not to project your material onto others. The way to accomplish all of this is to maintain a high level of inner focus while you maintain a circumspect view of the world around you. Account for your viewpoint, then notice how many other viewpoints there are. Don’t confuse the two. Just because you’re correct does not mean that someone else has to be wrong. Just because something appears to be true does not make you wrong. True confidence goes beyond all of that, which is why it can be such a source of aggravation to those who cannot go there. You know you can. You know it’s time. And you know that faith trumps hope any day.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You may be thinking you’re having too much fun, when it seems you have so much work to do. What I suggest is that you keep the fun going, then connect that frame of mind to the work you have to do. If work is not fun, it’s drudgery, and that is life-depleting. Your long-term mission is to choose situations specifically for their ability to integrate productivity and pleasure. It’s true that every minute of fun is not necessarily productive, nor is every minute of productivity a hoot, though in an integrated reality there is enough to create a mutual presence most of the time. It’s becoming apparent that you will benefit from setting specific goals, then reassessing every time you reach one of them. The central concept here is specific. It’s important to set a goal to a degree of clarity that you actually know when you’ve met the goal. Sometimes you must aim high, and sometimes you must stick to the basics.

 

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Pay attention to a situation in your life that gradually seems to be coming to a head. It’s true that you or someone close to you is reaching a natural limit, though that limit does not mean the end. Rather, it appears as a conscious change in your relationship to structure. Usually, structure is experienced as an unconscious element; it would probably not occur to you to reorient your house, or to move a hillside. Where the mind and feelings are concerned, structure is conceptual and therefore flexible. It usually exists due to prior programming, though it can be raised to the level of a conscious understanding. One thing is clear — you need to conduct your affairs in a wider field of reality, where there is more space to move around, to experience your feelings, and to express your desire. With that in mind, you might consider visiting an actual field and noticing how that feels, or working in a place where you have plenty of room.

 

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — You seem ready to put the pieces together. That is, the pieces of yourself — which may be different interests, opinions, inner voices, plans or ideas. They are not separate and therefore they don’t need to compete. Yet you may first have to go through a tight spot where you decide that everything in your mind is irrelevant, which might feel like a crisis. If you persist, you will pop through to the other side where you may notice that your ideas are indeed irrelevant if you don’t relate them to one another. Once you start to make the connections, meaning will emerge. Said another way, meaning is always contextual. The same astrology chart can apply to a child born in a birthing center, and a car running a stop sign outside the birthing center. The meaning of astrology, or of ideas, is revealed by the context in which they are set. The first context is you; the second is their interrelationship.

 

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — This is the time to experience what it means to feel good about yourself. Venus and Jupiter are forming a conjunction in Leo, your solar 2nd house. This is a way of saying that you have full access to your inner resources, and you have everything going for you. Now your goal is to actually experience that. I don’t mean analyze it, or prove that it’s true, or look for the ways it may not be true. I mean experience as a direct reality, like looking at the sky and noticing that it’s blue. One other element of this astrology is that you can afford to be real. Try it for a few days — say only what is true for you. Express what you want. Do nothing to conceal your reality. Wear the clothes you want to wear, skip the makeup if you want, and go only to events and functions that actually suit your fancy. Take some notes on the experiment and see what you learn.

 

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You don’t have to push yourself so hard, especially around financial or family issues. And you don’t have to worry, even though that would seem to be one of your ‘natural’ inclinations. Worry is like driving with the brakes on; energy that could go into momentum is put into heat and unnecessary wear and tear. Focus on your resources, and on your ability to manifest more if you need them. Focus on the fact that people care about you, which has a magnetic and otherwise attractive quality. But that won’t work if you have yourself under undue pressure. If you want to use your mind, focus on ideas and putting them into action. Once you get past the thin, barely existent layer of self-critique, you will find that you are a wealth of ideas, which will go well with having the drive and the energy to put into using them well.

 

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You seem to be straining with the need to express yourself in some way, though for whatever reason you cannot bring yourself to do it. I think you know exactly what you want to say, and you may even be ready to commit to your point of view. But something seems to be stopping you. What you’re likely to be feeling is a blockage that’s been there for a while, but now it’s being matched by a new depth of intensity and urgency, most of which is emotional. What you are yearning for is expression on the level of visceral need rather than on the level of intellect. Remember that when you make the choice to express yourself — it’s not necessary to prove anything, or to be right, or even to be precise. It’s only necessary to ‘go there’ — to go where you want and need to go, and to get your feelings out and onto paper as best you can. The temptation to analyze, dissect and disprove may be strong. Be stronger.

 

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — What exactly are you struggling with? What is the nature of your inner conflict? Is it about what you want, or what you want but you’re denying yourself? What are those two factors involved, the desire and the denial? There’s another angle of approach to your life that will feel much more fruitful. It can start with not trying to prove, deny or disprove that you’re worthy of love, no matter how you feel. Rather, you can take the leap to loving — that is, loving everyone. This may sound crazy, or like nostalgic 1960s jive. It is anything but jive, especially for you, right now (if astrology means anything). Widen your world. Expand your sense of yourself by encountering more people in more places. Take a breath and notice how alive the people around you are, and count yourself as one of them. If you cannot quite get there, take every opportunity to learn from example — especially from people who know how to forgive themselves as a way of life. This is the key, to nearly everything.

 

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — How honest with yourself can you be? If there is some limit, what is the hang-up? Your life story for the next couple of weeks will be about working your way to that boundary or limit. Many times in your life, you’ve found it easy to be in denial. Now, between your own inner pressure and the lurking sensation that you cannot respond to your own needs, denial will verge on impossible. Incidentally, there seems to be something here about your mom. The reason she did not respond to her own needs was not because she didn’t want to — by my estimation, it was because at key times she was not flexible enough to change when she needed to. That is the name of the tune — flexibility. The more conscious the better.

 

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — God loves you, but what do you fear? Your charts describe a scenario where your darkest ideas of what is possible meet your most faithful expectations. I think it will be necessary to stay in contact with both sides of this equation, and to get swept away by neither of them. Your fears speak of an emotional issue that you’re trying to resolve. It’s something that prevents you from fully expressing your freedom of choice. The feeling may be some shade of, “If I do what I want, the worst thing will happen.” That is not true, but it is a feeling. On the other side of the equation, you can feel your horizons opening up and you know that much more is possible than you’ve dreamed of any time lately. There is substance to your desires, which can take on structure and form as real experiences. That is a workable tool rather than a promise or a guarantee. Therefore, stay true to your vision for yourself.

 

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — You do not have to conform to what someone else wants or says is right for you. You do, however, have the option to agree with someone’s opinion, or to tailor what you’re doing to what you think would be socially appropriate. But is that really going to help you succeed? My take is that you will cover the most ground by tuning into what you know you want to express, and saying (or doing) it in your own way. True, you might make mistakes. You might rub some people the wrong way. You might transgress a few boundaries. And what if you do? It’s necessary to experiment with the edge in order to figure out where it is, and to determine your relationship to it. This is never mastered by considering the theory alone. Experience is the key, and while experience is its own reward, you can be sure that there will be others.

 

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You may be feeling a call to take authority over certain areas of your life. If you run an organization, you may be feeling the calling to get a grip and make sure things happen right. I suggest you proceed gently, though I would caution that your astrology may be guiding you in the direction of being bossy. Keep the whole situation in mind, and spend plenty of time considering where other people are coming from before you make any additional demands on them. Your key to success is avoiding confrontation. It will help to have clear goals, then present those to people in a low-energy format and see if they are interested in signing on. This is leadership by agreement, which is a form of consensus-building. With consensus, the underlying values are the thing to focus on. Establish common ground, which will lead to common goals and the mutual desire to fulfill them. This is easier, more fun and more humane than the usual top-down school of management offered by the world.

 

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — One of the most intriguing things about this world, as opposed to many other worlds, is the diversity of experience that is possible here. You really can go anywhere right from where you’re sitting right now. In actual fact, anything is possible, which means that many seemingly conflicting possibilities are available at the same time. There’s also a huge diversity of potential in human nature, which leads to some amazing experiences, some dismal ones and a wide variety in between. For all of these reasons, it’s essential that you always keep in mind what you want. What you want is the only guiding force that you, personally, can use to guide your own life through such a maze of possibilities. That does not mean you will get what you want all the time, but what it does mean is that you have an organizing principle you can apply when making choices about people and circumstances. It’s fair to say that the freedom to choose is your only freedom at all, which is a good reason to stay awake and alert.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You may be feeling a truly odd kind of insecure, as if within your greatest strength lies your worst weakness. You can turn that one around, however. All you need to do is remember that you can. If you think of your experience as being more like a dream, it will be easier to transpose between the two similar thought forms, ‘weakness within strength’ or ‘strength within weakness’. One of the ideas on which the thought form turns is your faith in your power to create. This you have, especially right now, with so many planets moving through your solar 5th house and a spectacular Full Moon coming. Of the Full Moon, the message seems to be reveal yourself. Show the world what you can do, and by extension, who you are. That gesture might be connected with some worry or some fear, though now is the time to push yourself a little, and to take the extra risk, in particular, the risk of being seen, known and acknowledged.

 

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — This week’s astrology describes an adventure of some kind — it looks like leadership, but a participatory variety of the stuff. You may not define yourself as a ‘leader’, though if you remember that all humans are looking to nearly all other humans they encounter as examples of what to be or not to be, then everyone is in the role of setting an example. For you over the next few days, as the Aquarius Full Moon passes through town, you will see the extent, and the relevance, of your involvement in a situation, and the benefit of the example that you set. It would be great if we could go beyond the necessity for bosses, CEOs and generals. By engaging with people on what you might think of as a co-organizational level, you can help the world, or at least your world, take a step beyond that. Trust one thing if nothing else — people respect you for your sincerity. And that is real respect.

 

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Beware of resentment in any form. Beware of the sensation that someone — potentially anyone, though it looks like someone you’re intimate with — is interfering with your ethics or values. It may be that you really do want to take someone’s point of view on board, but make sure that’s true — make sure you’re not being influenced by some external factor, such as money. One test of the situation is whether you really can say what you feel. Do you believe that you will get fair treatment if you were to speak up? If you’re concerned about either of those things, I suggest you go deeper and investigate what is influencing you. I will give you a clue from your astrology — the concept of marriage is involved. By that I mean what it is, or is supposed to be, or that marriage is the pearl of great price, or your most valuable asset — and your real feelings about that, and I do mean feelings and not your opinion.

 

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Do you identify as a person first, or as a partner first? This is one of the core questions of feminism by the way, discussed by the likes of Simone de Beauvoir and Erica Jong and many others. It was Jong who said that she wanted to be a whole person and not half of a relationship. We need this wisdom now, and I suggest you might be the first beneficiary of this body of thought. It has several branches, including the notion of owning another person, in many different shades and tones; the value of jealousy and the presumption of a right to be jealous; the notion of control; and any feeling that might lead to the desire for revenge. There is a light side to all of this, which is the idea of justice, and justice can and indeed must spread into our most intimate relationships. Remember, though, when you stand up for fairness, do so in a way that is fair. If you want truth, be truthful. If you want partnership on level ground, then be that partner, first and foremost.

 

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Your life seems to be hanging in the balance, and you may be experiencing some situations as being unusually polarized. This might be showing up as a ‘me versus them’ scenario. You also seem incredibly restless, which is why you may feel like you have interests that are different from those of others, who themselves may be feeling restless and counting on you for stability. Sussing out the full equation, I suggest that the thing, the idea or the necessity that everything is teetering on is nourishment. There are many other manifestations of the astrology, though they appear to be superficial. The nourishment factor is the deepest level. You need it every way, such as food, space to yourself, space with others, and sex. Space and sex intersect with the presence of Vesta in Scorpio — though this may be tricky, because there may be so many people around, sex will happen when there is space for it to happen. This is a core element of nourishment, though most would pretend otherwise.

 

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Are you searching for The One? For the ideal counterpart or reflection of yourself who would complete your life that everyone would approve of, which would lead to perfect happiness? Oh good! I didn’t think so. But you may be feeling some social pressure to fulfill that script. You may be seeing many other people around you play out this particular drama, and you certainly know the perils. I would mention that many seemingly lesser aspects of the game amount to the same thing — the search for the one boyfriend or girlfriend instead of a friend or lover, to give one example. I believe and have observed that people can find unusual compatibility, though the search for The One is much different from this. Your relationship life is potentially far more colorful and more fun than anybody’s prewritten script, anything that your friends would recognize, anything that your friends would approve of.

 

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Do you really want to be the boss? Do you really need to? Despite some recent impulses to that effect, I really don’t think so. Taking authority (in any conventional form of the notion) would be pointless in this situation. Yes, you know things really should be happening a certain way. What you want is cooperation. For that to happen, it would help immensely if you cooperated. Make it a point to work with, collaborate with, and draw inspiration from others. Consider this a special benefit of who you are. Out of these associations, another model of leadership will emerge — something more distinctly collective, made of individuals, self-organized, in which everyone has their unique role. Everyone knows that the world can work this way, and many people have been envisioning this for decades. Even if it’s not happening on a massive scale, it can happen in your life.

 

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — I love the connection between the word ‘authority’ and ‘authorship’. Authority means taking control over something, which is directly related to creating a story. If we add the concept ‘authorized’, that means you certify that the story you are creating is in fact of your own creation, and something you approve of. How would it feel to live this way? You know you want to; you know that the element of story has been vital to your life lately, as has the element of being present for your own power, and also willing to use it. If this makes you nervous, think of it as writing the story you want to tell. The great thing about writing is that it can be rewritten, revised and re-thought-through, and when you are doing this with your whole existence, you know you really are living. You are indeed the author of your own life, so pick up your pen and make contact with the page.

 

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — So many possibilities! So much hesitation. What is going on? That would be a good question to ask yourself. I detect a scenario where you feel as if pursuing the best life has to offer could lead to the worst life has to offer. I think this is a common phenomenon, though for you right now it may be operating in an ‘unconscious’ way. By that, I mean that it may seem like something else, or you have not given language to what you are experiencing. As for those supposedly worst things, they all seem to be shadows cast over desire. Desire is indeed haunted in our society — by various religious perspectives that call it sinful, or attachment, or the cause of all suffering. I suggest you be honest with yourself about what you want, and put it into words so that you can look at them and read them back to yourself. You may need to go through several layers of desire to get to the core of the onion; or you may recognize a distinct, unique constellation that says something that only you understand.

 

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — The question of Self is written all over the sky right now. Many people offer the idea that all love is rooted in selflove, though there is a question lurking behind that — at what point does selflove become narcissism? I will tell you — it doesn’t. They are two different things, both of which are part of our psyches and part of our environment. Often narcissism describes the lack of selflove, which is how you can identify it. Yet there is that part of the psyche that must focus exclusively on its own experience; that must admire itself in a fully self-absorbed way, which is different from the gentler and subtler light of actually loving oneself. Narcissism is a problem, but the bigger question is what to do about it. Loving oneself is part of the solution, though I think that indulging the full experience in a fully conscious way can be helpful. Consider the possibility that your life is all about you. Consider the idea that existence is a reflection of the fact that you exist and nothing more. I am not saying this is true — I’m saying it’s worth running through your biocomputer and seeing what you get back.

 

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You’re getting the message to take charge, though you may feel like you’re headed for some obstacle you presently cannot see. That may be true, though to me it looks more like a point of contact where you actually get to accomplish something, make a change or take control of your destiny. There are two distinct sides to Aquarius. One is the egalitarian, we’re-all-in-this-together side. The other more resembles a drill sergeant. You’ll need to draw upon elements of both to make the most of the astrology that will be coursing through your chart like lightning the next couple of weeks. Remember that all groups need leaders, even if their only role is to focus the agenda and the conversation. Leaders are wise to draw their power from the consent of the governed, making it clear that leadership is an act of service. Get permission from those you would supervise, take charge and get things going.

 

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You seem to crave bonding to a creative project, and I suggest you tie the knot. You may have several choices, but you know the one that you want as your primary devotion. Like any devotion, this will require what some would consider sacrifice, though this looks more like arranging your life around the commitment. You have plenty of energy — I really mean more than you need, so you actually have the mojo that you need to tune your life to the occasion. All of this coincides with some new horizons opening up on the work front. There seems to be something happening on a scale that you are unaccustomed to, at least any time lately, and it may feel a little daunting — though I suggest you not be daunted, and rather align yourself with the highest and best possibilities. That is your path to the highest and best results.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Your charts are a beautiful mix of dark and light, which I suggest you think of as colors and hues. The planetary alignment of Mars in Scorpio and Jupiter in Leo is granting you access to the full spectrum of experience — particularly sexual experience, which always translates into some form of relationship. Yet while this energy is coursing through you, I suggest you think of it in its creative and biological form rather than as needing some kind of social structure, form or commitment. The pleasures and benefits of this astrology are available in the moment, and would best be shorn of attachment to the past or the future. You might think that requires instant enlightenment, which is true, in a way, if you think of enlightenment as being in tune with yourself, what you want and what you have to share. Focus on that and you’ll have this odd sense of knowing who you are.

 

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Someone’s desire for you, or the intensity of a particular relationship, might ordinarily be the kind of thing that shakes your foundations. I suggest you experiment with being able to hold the energy. There is plenty of it, resonating within you emotionally, and while it’s intense it may have you feeling insecure. It’s as if under some circumstances it might be the right thing but the waves of passion may be reaching you at an odd or awkward angle. If you feel the desire to retreat or pull back, maybe take a breath and see where the passion or attraction leads you. You might not be ‘exactly equally attracted’ but does that matter so much? Someone’s interest in you does not mean that you owe them anything, only that you have an opportunity to experience life in a new way, that moment.

 

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Turn it up, by which I mean, turn up your energy, and turn yourself on. Your ideas are sweet and juicy right now, especially if you happen to love words, which you do, though the current astrology is lavish for photos, video and other forms of imagery. Your mind is hot right now and if you tap into your idea core, you won’t be able to stop yourself. At the same time you have energy and drive to get a lot of work done, so choose what you want to do and do it. Pick the thing you’ve wanted to say or express visually and get about doing it. Don’t worry if you end up working all night. You will have plenty of energy for more mundane tasks the next day. And as I suggest to every true artist or writer, keep a notebook or sketchbook with you at all times. Graft it to your cellphone and keep them in your hand together. Write down or sketch everything that comes to you. Don’t worry what your friends might think. They know you don’t work for the NSA — because it would be too boring.

 

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Venus is in your sign now, which has you cast in the role of love magnet. Focus on that and love that about yourself. Keep your energy moving and pay attention to your environment. People are noticing you. You could roll out of bed and throw on any clothes and you would be turning heads. Now, what to do with this seemingly mystical power? Remember anyone you’ve wanted to connect with and pay them a visit — preferably in person, so they get the full experience of you. Be bold and ask them out even if you think they’re out of your league. If you’re already in a relationship, this is the time to soak it in some fresh energy, new experiences, or any immersion in beauty. One way to do that is to love as much as you can from wherever you are. You are in fact free to love, no matter what anyone may say, think or do. Remind yourself of that every time you need to.

 

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Jupiter has been welcomed into your sign by a spectacular New Moon. Mars in Scorpio is lighting a fire underneath you and looks like it’s challenging you to get free of your emotional comfort zones or discomfort zones — whichever the case may be. In any event, be aware of the fear that might hold you back from fully expressing yourself or from taking advantage of the fact that you carry immense protection right now, as well as charm, charisma and a sense of potential. The only thing that could stop you is being afraid or wanting to exert control over what does not need to be controlled. Part of the scenario involves what happened to certain relatives if they started to feel ‘too good’ or as if life was going ‘too well’. This is an old story that you’ve wanted to end for a while, and you can now write its last chapter.

 

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Use your imagination — for everything. It is a powerful resource and it’s especially rich right now. Your tendency at the moment might be to think in ways that are more narrow, more connected to what has gone wrong in the past, or to consider your options with a hyper-vigilant sense of responsibility. I suggest you go in the opposite direction — wide open, considering the possibilities, no matter how risky or dangerous they may seem. Think way outside your normal sense of scale. If you consider a long trip 100 miles, multiply that to 1,000 miles. If you are considering renting an apartment, consider a house and imagine what you might do with the extra space. Apply this to your whole life — what you do, what you want to create, and most of all, who you are. You are much bigger than you think.

 

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Yes, you are naturally social, though this is going past all limits now. You are in a moment of contact, so spend as much time around other people as you can, especially in small groups rather than crowds. Of course, the meeting that turns out to be the most meaningful could come at any moment, so be alert to who is around you and take every opportunity to say hello to someone you don’t know who you happen to meet in a public place. There’s another side to this — this is an excellent time for financial negotiations, particularly where your career is concerned. The thing to remember is that you are a rare resource, you possess knowledge and skills and you get results even in the midst of the unraveling world. You have solid ground to negotiate from. Your asset value to others will have at least one fine moment this week where you get no compensation; the term is pro bono.

 

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Consider the ritual aspect of everything you do — making breakfast, getting ready for work, preparing to go out. Think of these things less as habits than as moments of preparation for an experience. Take every step consciously, with as much mindfulness as you can muster. Notice how you feel while you’re doing this. One attribute of ritual is preparing space — that might be your desk or your living room or a clearing in a forest. It might be your kitchen before baking or your bedroom before a lover comes over. Focus on the use of space, its purpose, how it feels and how it looks. Remove anything that is extraneous. And consider the central organizing principle of the space, the way that a hearth used to define the central idea of a home. Every space has its hearth — know what it is, and tend the fire.

 

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Allow your fear to motivate you. Most spiritual paths teach that fear is false or that it’s meaningless or that it’s bad. I believe that fear is energy. It’s also connected to an early-warning system that has been hijacked by various entities (religion, warmongers, drug salesmen) and which basically drives people insane. Yet addressing fear is an essential element of growth, no matter what branch of growth we’re talking about. Right now, your fear describes something about your potential. It’s as if when you identify something that you’re anxious about, consider whether the opposite is true, and let that be a statement of the possibilities that are open to you, or a comment on what you want to accomplish. You could say that fear is sending you the worst possible information. You could say that it’s sending you truly useful information if you know how to work with it.

 

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Rare aspects this week suggest you have a knack for investments and other topics related to shared finances. You may experience a windfall, or the solution to a longstanding problem may suddenly manifest. It might look too good to be true. Of course, it’s your job to perform due diligence on even the best-looking opportunities or solutions, though you don’t need to approach this with suspicion. Contrary to popular belief, there is a surplus of energy in the universe, including money. If you want money, I suggest you be friendly with it and toward it. Recognize that nearly any profit or success emerges out of a collaboration of some kind, and that resources and talents can combine to create a synergistic condition — the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. If you proceed in an atmosphere of trust, and with people you respect, you’ll do very well.

 

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Your life seems to be a story of claiming something and then giving something up. If you take charge and assert yourself, you may be noticing that there is a sacrifice associated with leadership — it might be added responsibility or a demand for impeccability. Yet while this is happening you are also being offered new opportunities and gifts from people who care about you. Indeed, beyond the world of duty and authority there is a whole other environment opening up, what you might think of as a gift economy. At first it may seem that it’s offering you more than you are offering back, and you may be wondering if there is a catch. Yet your chart suggests that you will never be asked to give more than you can offer, and that what seems like a small gesture to you might be experienced by someone else as truly significant and indeed unavailable elsewhere. Have confidence in that.

 

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — You have just about everything going for you right now. It’s important to recognize these moments, because they’re relatively rare. One thing that might be getting in the way is how much you have to do, though you may have noticed that your responsibilities have taken a lighter vibration. You are able to get more done with less expenditure of energy. Take advantage of that and make sure you collect on the dividends. Speaking of, your work is worth more than you know. Send that message and send it consistently. More than anything, know it in your heart. While you have an abundance of energy, make some important changes that you’ve been putting off. They may involve your physical space, your diet, your work patterns, or taking up some activity that you’ve wanted to do for a long time. As for love, keep your heart open and the universe will take care of the rest.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Humanity seems to live in terror of its own creative strength. We see this play out so many ways — in schools that ban creativity, in political movements where people sacrifice their own freedom, in people who object to sex in any form except for a scandal, or those who deny any notion that there is more to life than they have today. Fear of creative strength also comes in the form of denying the kind of pleasure that nourishes in favor of pleasure that depletes. This is no longer your path, to the extent that it ever was. I would describe this phase of your life as being about pumping your vital force with gusto, in every form you know it to take. Make your choices based on how edgy they are, not in terms of what you get but what you must offer or take the risk of becoming. Take the risk not of danger, but of failure — you will be glad you did.

 

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — You may be tempted to do or say things in an effort to please those you feel are in positions of authority. Yet it would be better to take authority, especially over your own ideas. You don’t have to meet any standard except for being real. However, in our society this concept needs some explanation. Being real means matching your words to your actual opinion. It means matching the expression on your face to how you really feel. It means asking a question when you don’t know, instead of guessing, though that includes first checking in with yourself to assess what knowledge you already have. To take authority you have to be your own authority, which is a complex task; rather than being about bossing yourself around, it’s about having a balanced viewpoint, taking different opinions under advisement and ultimately being responsible for your own decisions. Someone who can do that is a valuable person within any group or organization.

 

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — It’s been said that a smart person learns from his or her own mistakes, but a truly wise person learns from the mistakes of others. You are now entering territory that you’ve seen others struggle with many times. You may be concerned that you have to go through some similar crisis, though I assure you that you do not. The experiences of others do not need to warn you off of any ambition or intention you may have. Rather, I suggest you get some information about the territory from those who have been there. In the end, your success is going to depend on how resourceful you are. So I suggest you take a wide view of resources, including your own talents and skills, what people close to you might be able to offer (starting with blood relatives you actually trust), and finally, money. There may also be one well-positioned individual who can be a positive influence. Remember: use your allies.

 

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — There remains the ongoing puzzle of how you translate what you feel into words. Anyone who has been friends with a dog knows that it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it. With humans, what you say is as meaningful as how you say it, and this often translates to the feeling behind the message. That is also the challenge — actually feeling when you speak, and aligning your emotions with your words. It’s worth stepping up to that one. At the same time, there’s that little problem of words being so easily misunderstood. Today and for the next few days, it would be a good idea to choose your words with extra care, and to go through several drafts of anything you want to put in writing. Leave it on your screen for a while and stare at it before pushing ‘send’ — for hours or a day or two. You will be glad you did.

 

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You may be concerned that you have some unknown or undetected weakness or vulnerability, which is persisting even with Jupiter in your birth sign. It’s true that there is something concealed, that you’re concerned about revealing or don’t want known about you. But that is not necessarily a disadvantage. If you work with this feeling, you may discover that it contains power. You can, for example, consider that something you perceive as fearful may play to your advantage. Whatever you’re sensing has the power to go both ways. That much is clear. But that does not mean that it’s a random factor. On one level you’re experiencing a test of your expectations, or of what you presume in the face of missing information. Life is holding out some unusual promises for you now. That is sometimes a little edgy. Keep your thoughts positive. In the end, you will be glad you saved yourself needless anxiety, and fostered the skill of positive thinking.

 

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Notice who you meet or even randomly encounter over the next few days, and treat everyone with fully conscious respect. Eliminate any standoffish attitude you might have, burn off any fog that might sometimes surround you, and focus on who you are speaking with. Treat everyone with care and compassion, and lean in with an ear for how you might help. Go out of your way to treat everyone the same way, which means with the utmost attentiveness. It is an unfortunate habit of current society to take an uppity approach with people based on the flimsiest excuse, with no excuse or out of habit. It seems too much to ask for people to present themselves to the world with even a modicum of humility, as if to do so is to lower oneself in some way. This is a profound misunderstanding, and it’s one that you don’t want and cannot afford right now.

 

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Although Mars stationed direct in your sign on May 19, it has yet to enter new territory. Said another way, Mars is still in ‘shadow phase’ and has not gone past the degree where it stationed retrograde back in March. This happens soon — but not before one final experience of whatever the retrograde symbolized. True, it meant many things to many people, but since early December your life has had a dominant feeling, a recurring theme or persistent issue. It’s the one thing that many or most things have had in common. There is an underlying circumstance or pattern that is related to this issue, and you’re about to see what it is. There is some theme of fairness, and it’s related to honoring commitments. It may also be related to the ways in which you hold others to honoring their commitments to you. The way you did things in the past will no longer serve you. Now you have one distinct advantage: you know this, and that will help you make the decision you need to make.

 

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Sleepwalking, being in autopilot, trance state, spacing out. Everyone drifts into this state at some point, though currently many people are drifting through life paying as little attention as possible. Often this is aided and abetted by alcohol, pills or other substances. I don’t know your personal circumstances, but I do know your solar chart. Right now you need to pay attention. I could list off a dozen reasons from just your solar chart, though let’s skip that. Pay attention. Notice where you are and who is around you. Notice what you’re doing and why. Come out of the dream state and enter fully waking state. That means taking nothing for granted and yes, as one of your Scorpio cousins recently said to me, it means keeping your mind alert and active at all times even if this seems really weird. Engage your awareness fully, in manual mode, and keep waking up as many times as necessary.

 

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You are starting to see possibilities where you did not see them before. Correspondingly, you may also be seeing problems you didn’t notice before, though I would propose that those problems may not exist. You may be saying that if the problems are not real, then how do I know the potentials are real? Well, the mind is better at making up problems that don’t exist than it is at coming up with solutions or creative options. Even if this is a matter of emphasis, it will pay to focus your attention on what works, or what will help, rather than on what might not be going well. One thing I’ve noticed in my decades of working with people as their astrologer is that most are not so good at seeing the possibilities. You are — and if you want, you also have the discipline to make them real.

 

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Your chart describes an inheritance of some kind. That concept can be expressed many different ways, though the overall inference is success and benefit. You have resources available to you and there are people willing to help you out. Should you be in a position to receive assistance of some kind from an investor, make sure you preserve your rights, that you don’t get in over your head and that you have a relatively easy way out of the arrangement if it does not work. Understand who is taking the risk and what risk that really is. Finally, keep the benefits in mind. Any arrangement would best be based on mutual benefit and on love of the work. The same aspect pattern describes a very friendly scenario in love and sex. Just keep reminding yourself that every person is their own individual, free to come and go as they please.

 

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Who is your reference point for self-esteem? You need an example, and if you discover that you’re not finding too many of them in the world, consider that a sign that you’re using your discernment. Your astrology suggests that the past few months have had a special theme, which is understanding the emotional basis for self-worth, or lack thereof. It is not a mental exercise. For you self-worth resides at the root of your emotional nature. The central message of this time in your life is that no matter what anyone has done to you, or what has happened to you, you are the one who decides how you feel about yourself. You decide who you call as a witness. You decide who you believe. Ultimately, you make your own decision about who you are. Yet that decision has an emotional basis, not a logical one. That is the beauty, and the biggest challenge.

 

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Make your work count. Recognize the value of what you do, by which I mean look carefully, note the facts, observe the world around you and really get it all the way. You have no need to look to others for reassurance, even though it’s likely that you are being recognized for your contribution. Part of this means recognizing the economic value of what you contribute. By that I mean its inherent value and its value to support you and those who directly benefit from it. Yet in the same way that a dollar is exchanged many times and is therefore more than its face value, your work extends far beyond your immediate circle of awareness and benefits those who you may never meet or know about. Therefore I suggest you use some exceptionally positive astrology and make it work for you — in every way, including how much fun you have doing it, and the special pleasure that comes from total dedication to quality.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — Focus your ambition on actually getting something done, and you actually will. It’s easy to make plans and to spin out ideas. It requires a little something extra, such as focused effort, a game plan and one other thing — the desire to make it happen. You can have all the other ingredients, and they add up to nothing without the desire to make it happen. This weekend’s Full Moon in the angle of your chart associated with success and recognition will give you a boost of confidence, and the contact with Pluto will help you focus your determination. I suggest you stop talking about your plans and put all your energy into taking the concrete steps to completing something that you know is meaningful, necessary or potentially urgent. Focus on quality but not at the expense of getting hung up. Appearance is important but in the current equation it could be a serious distraction. Stick to integrity.

 

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — From the look of your solar charts, you’re getting a lot done, though you seem to be feeling edgy about something, such as money. I would not be surprised if there are moments when you get a bit panicky for no special reason. The deeper story of your charts, however, is about your commitment to living differently from how previous generations in your family did. If you do, of course, they may think you’re weird and some people will express vocal disapproval. You may have an inner attachment to approval. Be determined to let none of these things stop you, or sap any of your confidence. Indeed, I suggest you draw strength and confirmation from any disapproval you might encounter, or that you may fear. Be aware of how many generations of tradition you may be breaking with your determination to do what is right for you, and to love in the way that is right for you.

 

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — You can afford to feel better about yourself. Better would mean less worried about what other people think and what they do, and more focused on what you want to do, and what you want to share with others. You’re working with a potential emotional distortion, which might manifest as difficulty expressing your needs and your feelings. Complicating things somewhat is the fact that you seem to feel two different ways, which are likely to conflict, so you’re never fully sure that you are expressing a true need or feeling. There is one absolutely safe one that you can explore — express love, gratitude and care. It’s always appropriate to share your appreciation and your loyalty, particularly since so few people do it in words. Support people in whatever they want. Set them free from your expectations and attachments and you will set yourself free from those same bindings. Then, love is possible.

 

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — This weekend’s Full Moon in your opposite sign Capricorn will shine the light on how much potential your relationships have, and how far you’ve come redefining yourself in the context of partnership. Having Capricorn as your relationship house is not easy, because it places an emphasis on structure in our already over-structured concept of what it means to share an experience of love with another person. But Pluto has been doing its work in this angle of your chart, and you’ve cleared out a fairly large space where it’s possible to be yourself. This might include having relationships on common ground much closer to your own terms; sorting out the extremely annoying and usually false differences between friend and lover; and not living like you owe some debt to the past five generations. If you owe them anything, it’s being happy in ways that they could not or did not consider possible.

 

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — If you are concerned about a matter of health, I suggest you guide yourself away from worst-case scenarios, and keep a focus on taking care of yourself. Self-care is the theme of your life these days, which comes with many different dimensions. One of them is finding that space where your work is integrated in a healthy way with the rest of your existence. For a while it may seem like you’re resolving a paradox, which is true. You may have to experiment with one end of the equation for a while, then the other, in order to find not only the right balance but also the point of integration you’re looking for. Jupiter ingressing your sign next week will give you more energy and better ideas to work with. You will have a bolder idea of what success is, and what it means to you. That will give you a goal you can work toward, and that you can feel good about. In healing, in work and in every facet of life, motivation is everything.

 

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — In all matters professional, keep your strategy in mind. You are likely to have your goal in mind, and there is a chance you will put your goal above everything, which will not get you any closer to that goal. Part of your strategy must involve an extreme helping of diplomacy. You must present the right demeanor or posture to the appropriate person, and be aware at all times to whom you are speaking. Your solar chart cautions that you could be perceived as authoritarian or driven by jealousy — which are unlikely to be true (however, I suggest you do a careful check-in with yourself on these matters, since it is possible). I suggest you strive for consistency with people, which is a sign of maturity and your respect for them. And be cautious at the least thought that others do not care about you, or don’t respect you. That is a trap, and it’s unlikely to be true.

 

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Mars in your birth sign, combined with a variety of other factors, describes you in a situation where you may have to push an issue that you don’t feel comfortable doing. The sensation will be something like exceeding your authority, and possibly feeling guilty about it — but knowing intuitively that you’re correct in doing so. This might also come with the feeling of claiming some space to exist that you might have previously abandoned. Be aware of the fear of others wanting to get revenge or acting against you subversively — this is more of a feeling than an actual probability, but the feeling is what counts, because it has the power to dominate your reality. Said simply, the time has come to pluck up the courage to run your own life. That means being direct with others, which means speaking up, not festering on your own secrets till they ferment into resentment.

 

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Saturn in your sign is the original symbol of enforced growth. Saturn is saying, “It is time.” It’s true that most people experience Saturn as a depressive influence, as a burden or as a limit — though this is a limited perspective, and it most likely does not take into account the essential factor of maturity. Saturn in your sign is saying you need a structure to your life that embraces all of the functions you want to fulfill as an adult with the freedom of choice. Your life is not about recreation. It’s not about self-fulfillment. Those are ingredients in a whole life, but not the whole purpose of life. In a word, your current purpose is fulfilling your function; taking up elements of why you came to this planet at this time. One measure of purpose is your creative work product. It’s about what you make, which is an expression of your purpose. The key here is tangibility — the actual substance of achievement, not merely an abstract concept of growth.

 

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Your ruling planet Jupiter is about to change signs, and this means it’s time to focus your energy and your intentions. There is enormous potential in this transit, but you will need to be clear, apply energy and follow through on what you start. For the past month or so it’s been possible to run a little wild, to skimp on commitments and to let yourself be dominated by your emotions rather than on what actually makes sense logically. At the same time, you’re seeking real creative freedom and solid collaborations. And, I would remind you that you’re working with real creative power — which comes with responsibility, and connecting your creative power to an actual purpose that serves humanity. Jupiter in Leo will boost your creative confidence, and make sure you get to live out the connection between creativity, passion and fun — but when you get to the essence of Leo, it’s about responsibility to the community. Leo puts work above play, and above money. Look after these details. You are well respected but this will raise the stakes — your integrity is on the line.

 

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — This weekend brings an extraordinary Full Moon in your birth sign, and with that will come a surge of confidence and energy. Mixed in with that might be some bouts of insecurity, which may have you wondering which side of the equation is really true — your strength or your fear. This is a situation where the presence of fear serves a useful purpose, which is to alert you that you’ve entered (or are about to enter) some new personal territory. You may think of this as alerting you to actual, external risks. The real risk, it would seem, is to your dependency on structure, on following past patterns, and on the fear of venturing into unfamiliar territory — in a word, your ego. But don’t think of ego as an identity, rather as a set of attachments that hijack your identity. Your job is to get it back. Recognize your attachments and focus your courage. You asked to be set free from your past and this is your chance. You asked to do something different, and this is your opportunity.

 

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Inner vision provided by this weekend’s Capricorn Full Moon will show you just how much space in your mind you’ve cleared out. Space translates to additional energy, room for your own thoughts and freedom from worry about what other people think. Space means freedom from the burdens of others, to an increasing degree. You’re not totally liberated, but it’s as if you realized you were living in an ancient mansion that had been passed down from generations before you. You took over one wing of the house, cleaned it out and started decorating and furnishing it the way you want. You have made it your own, which translates to many large and small developments in your life. This progress would not have been possible without all the inner clearing and renovation that you’ve been involved with. Consider this a good start. The light of the Full Moon will reveal how much further you can take the same basic idea.

 

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Use your allies. Or perhaps better said, count on your friends and your closest colleagues. You have some influential or even powerful friends, and you share plenty of common ground with them in terms of a desire to accomplish what is right and what is true. I suggest you be bold about making proposals and exploring your options for partnerships and associations that are not only mutually profitable but also beneficial to the wider community. Though Pisces has a reputation for lacking structure and direction, you do the best when you work with and within an organizational group of some kind, and you would be the likely person to initiate that. It’s not merely that you have that particular talent. You have something else going for you, which is the ability to go beyond the cynicism and defeatism that is so popular right now. Your Pisces vision can show you what is possible — and if you open your eyes and look you will see that means anything.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — If you want to tap an energy source that will get you moving, let it come from a deep place. Ideas and insights will not suffice. They are helpful and you have a lot to say these days. But that is merely the wind above the tide. The tide, the moving water, is what you want to carry you. This is not about emoting but rather about feeling your strength as inner presence, as confidence and as freedom from the usual array of security issues that are so abundant these days. Your next major decision is not the usual ‘leap without looking’ endeavor. Rather, there are additional points of grounding and of confirmation available that will confirm that you’re making the right choice. One of those is harmony between the inner and the outer environments, which can flow seamlessly into one another. If there is conflict between what you feel and your external feedback — for example, emotional resistance from others — pause and investigate what that is about.

 

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — One definition of ‘true love’ that I would propose is the ability to love oneself in the presence of another person. Most of what we call true love is the seemingly direct transaction: I love you and you love me. There’s a more complex dynamic at play, which seems to be about how we feel about ourselves in the presence of others. I think that as we find a path out of the current dark maze that our society calls love, the self-acceptance factor is the one to look out for. It reverses the notion of love from something that is projected and introjected into something that is admitted to be an inner experience. No matter what may be going on outside you, your entire experience of life is mediated by your mind, your feelings, your perceptions. I suggest you test this logic — instead of ‘how much does he/she love me?’ consider that the question is ‘how do I feel about myself when I am with you?’

 

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Now that Mercury has stationed direct in your sign, you can see how quickly the tide can turn. What made no sense, or was frustrating your best efforts, can suddenly run smoothly. Completely bungled communications can seem to sort themselves out. Seemingly intractable problems can unravel. You might ask how this happens. You might ask what factors of your own consciousness contribute to your perception of problems that may not even exist. There is, however, one matter that is calling for immediate focus. If the question involves sex, then the underlying matter relates to health. If everyone is healthy, there really is no issue. If the matter involves money, make sure you sort out the motives of the people involved and see whose intentions are self-serving and related to power, and whose intentions relate to taking care of others. You cannot change people but it always helps to know who they are.

 

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — The Sun’s alignment with Pluto is giving you the confidence to meet a certain person in a direct, bold and confident way. They may seem like they have more power or influence than you, though I assure you it does not feel that way to them. You are very likely to seem the more confident person in the dynamic, and if you don’t remember that you won’t understand why someone you perceive as powerful or confident does not seem to be acting that way. In fact if you notice the things they say that hint at how invisible they feel, and take that as a clue, you will make progress on clear communication with them. Remember, though, that you may feel like they have inordinate influence over you, such as in the sexual realm, and they are unlikely to register this fact. To them you seem bolder, brighter, more visible and full of vitality. Keep that in mind and things will make a lot more sense.

 

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Don’t fall for the sensation of being lost. Choose any one point of orientation and that feeling will disappear. That might be work. It might be your health. It might be your family. If you have one focused motive or intention, your other priorities will fall into their correct place. You cannot sort them all out at once, or take care of everything at once. It will be simple enough to put things in order, once you know your first priority. In reality, all of the subjects I’ve described are related; it’s really a matter of emphasis what you call it. While you’re prioritizing, I suggest you comb through the events of the past six months and notice whether you’re still responding to life in ways that may have been appropriate much earlier in the year. Many things are about to change in your life, and it will help immensely if you keep your focus on the present and the future. You may not know it yet, but the past really is gone.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Mercury, the planet associated with your sign, has returned to direct motion in the angle of your chart associated with your professional activities and reputation. You may discover that a long series of developments that made no sense, or that seemed to work to your disadvantage, have put you in a position of distinct advantage. You need to think in a clear strategy. Your plan cannot merely be about how to achieve your goals. That would be easy enough. Rather, you need to achieve your goals and make sure that you don’t do any damage; that you work with others and build relationships for the future; that you learn and know what you are learning. What you’re experiencing is on one level a political exercise. It’s about fostering mutual cooperation. The person who brings this idea into the equation is the one who is helping pioneer a future where we go beyond winners and losers, and where the game is about everyone coming out ahead.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You seem ready to attempt something that in the past would have had you shaking at the knees. However, you’ve come a long way since then, and you’ve come a long way the past couple of months. You can question whether you’re confident enough. You can question whether you’re ready. You can question whether you’re standing on a solid foundation. But the only way to answer those questions is through experience. Experience will require that you actually assert yourself — or rather, that you continue to do so, because Mars in your sign for the past seven months has done a lot for your initiative. Said another way, you’ve figured out that your role is not merely passive; your role is not merely to adapt. Your role is to be someone who changes your world in creative ways. And to the extent that anyone can ever give you permission to do that, you just got it.

 

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Mars retrograde is over, and the planet that traditionally rules your sign will soon be in your sign; then you can add up your various losses and gains and see where you really stand with yourself. But before that happens, you’re about to go on a kind of odyssey — an inner and outer adventure. Some of the places you go will seem oddly familiar. Others will seem entirely new. What you must be careful of, in the first instance, is your unconscious actions leading to strife among others. The core of this journey is being able to maintain your mindfulness and understand the impact of your thoughts and your actions. In other words, you are learning to pay attention. This does not mean tiptoeing around others who are easily provoked. It means engaging them directly, and recognizing the influence that you have on them and on your environment. You have substantial power in your hands. You must learn how to use it wisely — and the next three to four weeks will bring many opportunities to do so.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — As you communicate and otherwise relate to people, be sure not to hold them to your past. It’s likely that others have moved beyond certain spiritual or emotional matters that you are still grappling with, or have no special need to address them now. Therefore, align yourself with their present, and keep your focus in that framework of reality. This will have the effect of calling you forth into your present, where you know that you can see over the limits that may have been in your life before. You have not necessarily surpassed each limit. You may still have work to do (who doesn’t?). Yet you know that this is also a matter of two points of view; two approaches to life. One is deeply engrained, indeed, it goes back generations. One points to the way that anyone goes beyond history, beyond the limits supposedly set on their success and happiness by their predecessors. Others will lead the way for you, and you will lead the way for them.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Do not cower in the face of beauty. Stand tall and make friends with those who are talented, passionate and charismatic. Consider them an example for how you can be. You would be wise to consider them a reflection of your potential self. One other suggestion, as the Cancer Sun moves into opposition to Pluto in Capricorn. You need to understand the impact you have on others. You’re quick to assume that you make no special impression; it would seem that many times you feel invisible. If that’s your perception, you have that backwards. You often make a profound impression on others — though you almost always miss this fact. If the impression you make does not align with how you feel about yourself, that is, if you are wondering how or why you could influence someone or be so noticeable ‘cus it’s just li’l ol’ you, I suggest you study the details of life more. Engage in closer conversation with people until you get a sense of who and what they perceive when they experience you.

 

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Compared to prior times in your life, even fairly recent ones, you are relatively free of over-burden or complexity. I know that everyone’s life seems complicated, but as people grow and master their various challenges, it’s easy to forget just how mixed up things were not so long ago. This gives you flexibility, it gives you a measure of freedom and a bit of excess capacity to assist someone who may be in need. Consider who in your life could benefit from your support — it may be intellectual, it may be something you can do for them in the political arena of business, or it might be a way you can assist with a financial strategy. Someone may reach out to you, or you may have been observing them for a while. I suggest you be efficient and a bit shrewd in how you offer your assistance, and how you go about implementing it. This may be as simple as an introduction to someone else, an idea, or focusing a group effort among others perfectly capable of making something happen.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Stay close to who and what you love the most. I know that recent months have had you running so hard you’ve been at the point of overheating. These experiences have led to finding ways to simplify your life, and keeping close to the experiences you value the most is a reward for that. There is a point of contact approaching. It looks like a combination of sexual and creative. Looking at those words on the page, however, I am reminded how few people would use them in the same sentence, no more than they would say ‘taking a shower’ and ‘creative’ in the same sentence. Well, besides the fact that many great ideas have been born in the shower, sex and creativity are flames in the same fire. One feeds the other. Where one is strong, the other has a much greater chance of being strong. It looks like your passion and your talent are approaching a flashpoint. This is art. This is love. This is life.

 

Aries (March 20-April 19) — There are moments when it’s possible to open up to what feels like cosmic energy in a way that changes your life. There are things that feel like inspiration that are something else entirely. You will need to use your discernment if you notice any unusually intense flow of information, emotion or some form of light. Listen to what it’s saying and tune into where it’s coming from. That this might happen with the help of a cup of wine or such is less significant than the content of the message, such as the presence of any emotion other than love. Second thing to check is whether you can integrate what happens the next day. Do you feel inclined to put it to use when you’re in a state closer to ‘normal’ consciousness? The experience may exist in a world apart, such as a ritual, a dream, an erotic session or another state of mind. Bring it home to the big world and set it free.

 

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — The sense of potential you may be feeling is tempered by what seem like the limits and boundaries of reality. Yet is this an internal or external block? It seems to be outside you, yet it’s worth asking whether you’re encountering an inner limit. Notice how you allocate your energy. Is there some out-of-control aspect of your life? If this is another person with whom you share an intimate bond, notice whether your energy flows around them or into them. Note what energy is returning to you. The deeper question, though, is whether and to what extent you’re able to influence your own emotions. Notice where you tend to lose your ability to keep a grip. There are some situations where you’ll want to let go of all control, though I suggest you have an idea in advance what you want those to be.

 

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Few people on Earth don’t struggle with self-esteem. This is a complex issue, in part because so many are challenged, and we don’t have many healthy models of what it means to respect oneself. Self-esteem is conflated with narcissism; which is only true to the extent that one is attempting to compensate for the other. On the other side of that coin are people who just don’t feel adequate and there’s no way even to fake it. Know where you stand on these matters. This means knowing where you stand with yourself. This can be tricky, because there are likely to be false messages involved. If so, account for those, and think carefully about the impact they have had on how you feel about yourself. The other thing to keep in mind is that you’re not alone. Many are on this quest seeking inner clarity and acceptance. You stand among them, and they among you. Remember, selflove comes from your self.

 

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Is it possible to keep secrets from yourself? Why would you want to? Transits to your solar chart are taking you in the opposite direction — toward a space where you can admit anything to yourself. This may be true to the point where you will begin to encounter a diversity of ideas and feelings from the alternate side of your nature, sensations and memories to which you don’t normally have access. You’ll be shown these things to acknowledge, affirm, make peace with and ultimately, to integrate consciously. That you have two distinct sides of your nature is not something you’re always in contact with, and you may not have discovered the extent to which it’s true. Having your inner aspects in contact will help you concentrate your energy, focus your intent and run at full strength. As Mercury dips into the most introspective and unusual angle of your solar chart, I think you’re about to show yourself a few things.

 

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Some of the most interesting stuff in the world is right in plain sight. It may be peering out from the other side of the mirror or one step off of the main drag into a little alley, but it’s right there. Nearly all of it, in fact. Most people aren’t nearly as sly as they seem. Indeed, they are rather transparent, and just good at turning one aspect of their nature in the direction of most who can see them. You seem to have plunged into another dimension of your world as a spy among the familiar, who are now turning up in all kinds of interesting colors and shades. Can anyone else see this? Look around for who can. You may not want to say anything if you see the gleam in their eye. As for yourself, this would be a fine time to put out for all to see something you’ve wanted to show off for a while.

 

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — Success works in strange ways. Be open to unusual events that work to your advantage, even things others would prefer to avoid. That might include anything from your own insecurities to a flight being diverted and ending up in a city you didn’t plan to be in. You might not get along with someone and notice how that helps you out. You might meet your boss’s boss’s boss one day and discover that you hit it off. Without veering an inch toward superstition, you can consider everything you see and hear to be a potential message from the goddesses and gods, however you may think of them — preferably as your close allies and mentors. In that case you can welcome any sources of inbound information, and you can trust your perception and what you say about what you notice. The more candid you are, the more you will see who is really on your wavelength.

 

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — The question, as always, is “how is the sex?” Yes, there’s a con game going around where you’re never supposed to admit that; not long into any conversation sex is supposed to genuflect to relationship. While we all need, want and do sail the good ship Relate, that’s often a way up the ladder and out of the water on which it floats. Among the many aspects of sex to consider is what you love that you also feel guilty about. The reason does not matter — guilt is extremely creative at coming up with rationales to justify its own existence. If there’s such a thing as the ego, this is it. It may be the power aspect of a relationship that turns you on. It may be the age factor and it may be that you seek from another person what you really want to give yourself, and you’re letting that be OK for now. Now, as for my original question…

 

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You have a perfect view of who someone is. If you pay attention you notice that this seems like peering into a mirror. The unusual thing is how different from how you feel the image in this mirror looks. You may be feeling old and looking at young, knowing it’s yourself. You may be feeling inflexible and looking at the very picture of relaxation. You may be feeling unworthy and know that you’re being embraced by love. You don’t have to trust this image or accept it as real, though it would be useful if you asked yourself, “what if what I’m seeing is real?” Just consider the potential and notice your response. One thing I would point out is that you may be harboring some fantasies of purity. Those could take a diversity of forms, including ideas of celibacy, virginity, relationship orthodoxy, or wanting to work out your issues with your parents before you get close to anyone. Go where it’s hot.

 

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Tonight’s Full Moon in your birth sign is an interesting specimen, and I’ve never seen anything so Sagittarian in my life. You could be inspired to go on the bender of a lifetime and throw yourself into that light-pulsing experiment where you come out the other end before you even went in. You might gallop through the forest and be standing before the ancestral cave where you can meet any relative going back countless generations. You may get called in one direction, keep going and find out that you’ve taken yourself to a place you only vaguely suspected existed. As I said, the ultimate Sagittarian moment. Give yourself some space and time to do something with it. You need more freedom and you need it soon — and as long as you’re paying attention you’ll be able to go wherever you want and land yourself safely on solid ground.

 

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Don’t worry if you feel like you’re going to explode. You probably won’t, though I suggest you find a way to let off some psychic pressure. Anything from art to orgasm to loud music will do, though definitely vent energy in the direction of creativity and/or pleasure. It would be useful to do this tonight, while the Moon is at exact full phase in a mysterious little (actually, enormous) dimension of your chart called the 12th house. Yet once the Full Moon passes, Luna herself will ingress Capricorn and be there through Sunday afternoon, so you get an extended moment of embodying movement, change and cracking free of whatever may have contained you. You do have the option to hold this energy down, which would be worse than a missed opportunity. The impulse to get drunk may be rather potent — that doesn’t count as creative either. Give yourself what you actually need and want. You know what it is.

 

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Whatever you say and do is likely to make a vivid and widespread impression on the world around you, so keep it relevant and classy. You have unusual insight into what people are going through, especially what they’re not admitting to, though remember — just because someone doesn’t admit something doesn’t mean they don’t know. We have a conditioned tendency to assume that someone does not know, that they lack intention, that they’re not really informed. This is called denying awareness. Instead of doing that, I suggest you look for evidence of awareness, both in the people you engage with or observe, and within yourself. This is a form of affirmation requiring some bravery, because denial has its motives and its uses. The more you unravel denial, the more you’ll see you don’t want it.

 

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Take control of your definition of success. Yes, control in any form is challenging, and it may be an illusion. Yet a clear definition of something would be one of the easier things to get some clarity on, as long as you remember that it’s an evolving work. The way this looks in the charts, you’re less likely to be trying to work something out conceptually and more likely to be describing something that you already understand, or that you can finally see clearly. The description matters because this is a fleeting moment. Granted, this subject feels palpable now, perhaps even vividly obvious. You have a rare perspective on the power of your reputation, which must at this point be able to pick up some of the labor that has always been left to you. Yet this particular point of view is in rapid motion, so I suggest you collect what you know in some form that you can access tomorrow, or in a year.