Dear Friend and Reader:

If you’re Taurus or Taurus rising, your astrology this year is sending a message about specific projects, goals or healing missions. Specific is the opposite of general. That means it’s time to refine and focus your agenda. You have brilliant discoveries to make, particularly about your creativity. I’ll explain them in this letter, which is a preview of your 2015 birthday reading. Last year’s reading is included free, in the PS.

True-color rendition of Venus, a planet similar to Earth.

There is a crucial issue of how you handle self-criticism — particularly of your creative endeavors, and of yourself as a lover. The usual options in this world, which are blaming oneself for everything or letting oneself off the hook for everything, don’t count for much now.

What matters is that you recognize the extent to which you critique yourself unfairly, that you discover how that developed, and that you make some adjustments to your psychology.

This is all designed to give you an easier time living within your own mind (which you and I know is a very busy place). Taurus is one of the most mentally active signs of the zodiac. And it’s one of the most creative — of enduring gifts to the world. This is the year to refine your talent, discover new talents and express yourself boldly.

This year’s Taurus astrology has several distinctions. I’ll go over these in some technical detail (not too much!) and which I’ll expand upon in the audio version. This year’s Taurus birthday reading also includes a written interpretation.

Venus Retrograde from July 25 through Sept. 6

First, Venus, the planet associated with Taurus (its ‘ruling’ planet) will be retrograde between July 25 and Sept. 6. Venus is retrograde the least of all the planets. It happens for about six weeks every 18 months. For this reason, every Venus retrograde is always a significant turning point.

Venus of Willendorf, more than 25,000 years old, was discovered during excavation in Austria in 1908.

Venus will station retrograde in the very first degree of Virgo, then back up into Leo, where it will be for the duration of the retrograde. Venus will spend much of its current cycle in Leo — approximately five months, from June 6 though Oct. 8.

That puts a Leo emphasis on the next year and a half of your life. That means bold and stylish; that means confident and aware. But in the midst of that, Venus will spend three weeks in Virgo. And it will be conjunct a slow-moving point that is about focus, overfocus and unfair self-evaluation.

So in the midst of a lot of Leo — seeing your beauty, taking pride in yourself and loving who you are and what you do — there is this three-week pause to reflect on the details. Notice them; see what you’ve been missing. This really is about observing the obvious. This journey describes how you will grow in your creative abilities, and discover the true value of what you offer the world.

Three Conjunctions of Venus and Mars

The other interesting factor for Taurus this year is three conjunctions of Venus and Mars. Mars is the planet symbolic of your relationship partners (whether you’re male or female).

One has already happened, in early January (in Aries). The next two are on Sept. 1 (in Leo) and Nov. 2 (in Virgo). This is the story of a relationship. It describes a series of phases that an encounter with someone is going through, on the way to arriving in a place of mutual understanding.

The relationship may go through ups and downs during that time. The thing to be cautious of is competition. Even beauty- and comfort-loving Taurus can be a fierce competitor. That would only complicate matters, where love and intimacy are concerned.

In many ways, doing something other than competition would answer just about any scenario or impasse you arrive at in a relationship. That could be on any level, such as scorekeeping, money, sex, sex appeal, success, whatever. Do your best to foster cooperation, and a sense of mutual assistance, not just with important partners but with everyone.

I will go over these and many other themes in the Taurus birthday reading, which is available now for pre-order.

Lovingly,

PS — Here is the Taurus reading for last year, at no charge. Just listen! If you’ve never encountered one of my audio readings, you’re in for a treat. I am able to read astrology without your birthdate, drawing on 20 years of working with clients and writing horoscopes for newspapers around the world. This is more personal than the “custom readings” offered by other websites, I promise.