This is one of those weeks when the astrological tone shifts slightly; think of it like putting on glasses with colored lenses, except these glasses go on your mind and emotions. What’s going on around you has not changed, but the tint of how you perceive it might.

Photo by Amanda Painter.

In a world like the one we’re living in — constant political and natural crises; the internet dictating what we see, react to and believe; media whiplash with every cultural backlash — every ounce of deliberateness counts. Life is overwhelming, and many people feel the need to tune out, go numb and seek ‘entertainment’.

Others want so desperately to fix the pain around them, they forget to take care of themselves. And with the idea of ‘outrage du jour’ becoming almost literally a new outrage every single day, it can be hard to track how your own process of evaluating issues and responding to them — as well as how you relate to loved ones — might be shifting.

Which brings us to the astrological highlights of this week: both Mercury and Venus change signs this week. Mercury just left Scorpio and entered Sagittarius earlier today. Venus leaves Libra and enters Scorpio on Tuesday at 6:38 am EST (11:38 UTC).

Whereas Mercury in Scorpio might have had your mind acting something like a sleuth’s magnifying glass or a surgeon’s scalpel — focused on getting beneath the surface with strong intention — Mercury in Sagittarius could feel a little looser. OK, your thoughts and communication might feel a lot looser: shooting from the hip, an easier sense of humor and, perhaps, needing more effort to stay focused.

Meanwhile, Venus leaves one of the signs it rules (and where, therefore, it feels more comfortable) — Libra — for a sign where it tends to have a harder time ‘acting natural’. Scorpio is opposite Taurus (the other sign Venus rules) and is traditionally ruled by Mars. This puts the planet of receptivity and the female archetype into a sign that shares the assertive masculinity of Mars.

Yet Scorpio is also a water sign: emotional and deep. Venus here needs to remember “real lovingness,” as astrologer Isabel Hickey puts it. That is, it might require more conscious effort to feel one’s way into empathy if possessiveness, jealousy or fear begins to encroach into a relationship situation (or any interpersonal interaction).

A hemispheric view of Venus in false color to emphasize the topography. Image by NASA/JPL/USGS.

Having Mercury in Sagittarius should help to balance things out, and bring some ease or resiliency into the mix. But as anyone who sells things for a living will tell you, most people make major decisions based more on emotion than on facts.

So while the mental landscape is more attuned to the big picture rather than details, it’s worth remembering that one of the emblems of emotion in astrology — Venus — is in an especially reactive space for the next three-and-a-half weeks. Often feeling deeply leads to reacting strongly; sometimes this is warranted. Sometimes, however, it is not. If you notice a reaction (yours or someone else’s) that seems much larger than the issue at hand, that’s your clue to step back, take a breath, and consider what’s really going on beneath the surface.

So, pay attention to what glasses you’re wearing these next few weeks. You would not want to drive with your reading glasses on or wear your sunglasses at night. And while you cannot control what signs the planets are in, you can stay aware of how your perception might be altered. That allows you to be more deliberate in everything you do. The world could use more of our intellectual rigor in our consumption of media.

At the same time, we could all use a little more softness in our dealings with each other; that is, the awareness that we’re all just human beings trying to survive, wanting to be loved, wanting to feel good, wanting to know we have a positive impact on those around us. When Venus enters Scorpio Tuesday morning, the Moon will be in the first degree of Cancer, making a beautiful trine. That’s really your image for how to navigate the next few weeks: feeling all the feels, letting it feed your creativity, and taking care of those you love — and yourself — with open arms.