Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — It is likely that your exploration of your true being and your reasons for living will clash with your family, or what you consider your community. Therefore, be prepared for such an action, or make the choice to do nothing new or assert your desires (and the latter is unlikely). The reaction could take a diversity of forms, though the bottom line is the whole notion of being accepted by your perceived tribe. Both Scorpio Sun and rising are extremely sensitive to group pressures and expectations, despite your self-image of doing what you want, when you want. Everyone knows that to truly step out involves alienating some people, which often leads to the discovery of who your friends are and are not. Your goal is not to ruffle feathers or shake anyone up — that would be a misunderstanding of your growth necessities. Rather, you seek only to be uncompromisingly who you are. While modern political theory would call for some kind of negotiation or intervention, what you are seeking to express is not negotiable. It is your birthright. Yet this requires an element of surrendering the need for approval, acceptance and support from people you seem to cling to for just those things. This may seem like an impossible choice, though it is not. You do not need permission to make your own decisions, other than from yourself. You do not need to know in advance who will have what response or reaction to you — that is making your life about other people rather than about yourself. And what of that? Well, a quick spin through the cable channels will result in numerous claims that do so is in some way antisocial or monstrous, negligent or intentionally harmful (or in a word, ‘selfish’). That is the central issue of our times.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Take this opportunity to sort out your thoughts, and in particular, your business plan for the next couple of years. While Jupiter is moving in direct motion through Aquarius (which ends in late December), you have the potential for an extended moment of clarity. This means access to your thoughts relatively unclouded by your emotions or confusing astral influences. The fusion of Sagittarius and Aquarius (through Jupiter) is about practical idealism. As Jupiter moves into Pisces and into a conjunction with Neptune in early 2022, the practical melts away and your idealism can venture into unrealistic territory. What you size up and figure out now can guide you for many years, if you get clear with yourself and use your assessment as a guide to the future. I know I’m making this sound easy, in a world where few people remember yesterday and even fewer have the ability to propose what they might want tomorrow to look like. We live in times of mandatory terror, which is thinly veiled as mere anxiety. Any thoughtful reflection can be unsettling or even disturbing. The current trajectory of collective events does not end in a good place; all you need to do is extend the lines on the graph following the current trend. Presently, you have the ability to think in a way that is independent of the fears of others. This is not assured, though the potential is in reach. Once Jupiter is in Pisces, it will be more difficult for you to slip out of the thrall of others and their magical solutions to problems that don’t exist. You are an intelligent person, and you would be well-served to listen to what your ethics and your senses are telling you. Logic and reason play a role in this process, and right now, you have full access to these things.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Jupiter and your ruling planet Saturn have turned to direct motion in the financial angle of your chart. If money has not started to flow more freely, you are confident that it soon will be doing so. This, in turn, is a reflection of your deeper faith in yourself, and understanding something about the strength of your character. However, this is not about posing, or faking it till you make it. It’s not about your affect but rather your psychic orientation toward yourself. Access to inner strength is sublime. It does not clock you or anyone else on the head. It’s like taking careful steps on a floor, feeling the truth that it will hold you up, rather than hesitating because with each step, the boards seem to give way and threaten to snap. Events the coming month or so, particularly toward mid-month, will challenge your confidence and may seem to shake your faith in yourself. Yet you are the only person who can do that or allow it to happen. Beware of any situation where you are turned against yourself — particularly by anything defining itself as a group or a collective. Closer to the point, be careful of interpreting any such notion from the phantom known as society. It is an illusion; a conjuring; a product of nonstop public relations effort that seeks only to alienate people from themselves. You could easily get caught in this yet again. You will know you are if you judge yourself against some external standard of goodness, or hold yourself to a moral standard where you come up short. It is one thing to choose to do what is right. It is another to feel like you are being tried and convicted in some nonexistent court of public opinion. 

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — One role of Aquarius is to bring people together. The question is, for what purpose? Your own, or something you’ve been told to do? For some natural and friendly experience, or to submit to the will of others? What is not written in astrology books is the two-faceted nature of your sign. In one expression, Aquarius is about individuality and freedom. In another, it is about everyone believing, thinking and doing the same thing — though this cannot happen, the effort is what matters. Aquarius is the sign whose natives refuse to brand themselves liberal or conservative, as they can have distinct elements of both. The question today is, where do you stand? When you look at the world and see what those in authority are doing, do you agree with it? How closely are you looking and listening to what people say — that is, besides their claimed anxiety over one particular news item? Aquarius is a humanitarian sign, and it’s currently populated by the two largest planets. Jupiter has a way of setting fashion trends, and we are currently in “do gooder” territory. Just like Cola-Cola sold people turtle doves, a cozy home, peace, love and harmony in the 1970s, we are now being sold a kind of social consciousness — but is it the real thing? This time in your life is a profound test of your values and whether you are true to them. The whole matter is clouded by the presence of Neptune in Pisces, which is urging you to either take a truly humanitarian approach, or to challenge yourself and ask whether you’re really doing so. Yet the critical matter is that your true direction is not going to come from outside yourself, and anything that does is suspect. Yet listening to the inner voice of one’s conscience is lost and verging on forgotten. It is up to you to remember — for you and everyone around you.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — It must seem like there is quite a bit that is outside of your control, influence and awareness. Some things (and some people) have gone missing, though you might not remember till you find them accidentally. You are also under unusual pressure, though you might not be able to give it a name. It’s important that you do, so that you can see the way that subtle feelings are influencing your perception of your existence, of your future, and the choices you are making now. You need something like what (in the days before GPS) used to be called the standard deviation chart on a ship. Vessels have their own magnetic field, which would influence the compass. But the corrections could be determined, such that an apparent compass heading of 245 degrees could be corrected to 249 degrees, compensating for a four-degree known deviation. You need something like this, so that you can correct your own perceptions, or at least nudge them in the right direction. There are two factors to be aware of. The conjunction of Pallas and Nessus in your birth sign is giving you a keen sense of the corruption of the world, and in particular, the political system. This might incline you to either ignore your observations, obsess over them, or compensate with a Pollyanna view (“all people are inherently good inside”). Second, Chiron in your 2nd solar house Aries is likely to be taking your self-esteem down a few notches from where it should be. This, in turn, could lead you to act as if people don’t care, and to take their actions personally when they are not. Sincerity begins with you. Respect begins with you. The fair and just use of power begins with you. You are still making all of your own choices, regardless of any propaganda that you are not.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — You may feel as if a commitment in a relationship or partnership is interfering with your self-development, and for that matter, with your wider social life as well. I would agree: you seem to be in a tight spot, though you’re also fully invested. Therefore, focus on taking care of what you have given yourself to, and allow the other aspects of your life to wrap themselves around this particular involvement. From the look of your solar chart, it’s unclear whether this matter pertains to an intimate personal commitment, or a professional and financial commitment. It may be all of the above, and even if a few of the above are involved, you’re in a situation that you can think of as being about your whole being in a state of transformation: your life could be taking a whole new form. This will come with various trials and tribulations that will be worth enduring and, if you can, embracing in the most positive way possible. You are where you are for a reason, and not one determined by fate. You made a series of decisions that got you where you are today. Some of them were based on wanting something, and others seem to have been based on avoiding a sense of discomfort or of being a misfit. Speaking of which: not exactly belonging is the overarching theme of your astrology for the foreseeable future. You would likely have it to some degree no matter what you’re doing. Every individual is unique (and that is one of the few appropriate uses of that word, it’s so true). Yet most people plaster over their true being with image control and assorted public relations tactics in order to seem likeable or to avoid rejection. This is simply not an option. And that’s a beautiful thing, because the only answer to your situation is sincerity.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — This month brings the first lunar eclipse in your birth sign in many years, the first of a series of eclipse events that will gradually shift your relationship to yourself and to others. Eclipses return to sign pairs (in this case Taurus/Scorpio) on an approximately nine-year cycle, so they are the kinds of events that mark decades. Generally, these involve events that interrupt the continuity of one’s life. Things that have been the same forever can give way to transitions. At other times, there may be sudden disruptions, though that does not look like what you have in store this month. The first event is a partial lunar eclipse on Nov. 19, which will serve as a reminder of many things you need to change or adjust. You have the ability to get busy with an agenda for the elements of your life that are calling for revision. This should be easier than usual; with revolutionary Uranus making its way through your birth sign, you are under the constant influence of “something has to give.” Yet you are a person of habit more than any other sign of the zodiac, and it’s not easy for you to give up your familiar territory, whether mental, physical or relational. Yet it’s important to recognize that you’re in the zone of make changes, or your life will be changed for you. You do not need to alter, amend or restructure everything at once. Rather, begin the process in earnest, with a few important decisions. The thing to watch is the underlying basis of how you come to your conclusion of what to do: that is called referencing your values. With each adjustment you make, you will come a little closer to the level of what you might call your personal constitution. You have such a thing, even if you haven’t read it.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — If you want to feel better, you might consider food. We all know the world has gone gung-ho over one theoretically brand-new “disease” and one experimental drug, and is convinced this is the solution to everything. That could only be possible under late-stage capitalism and full digital conditions. All the organic vegetable co-ops in the universe don’t seem to be enough to remind us that food and health are intimately related, and that food and water matter more than any other variable when it comes to predicting health and wellness outcomes. Your particular reminder is that Ceres is making a long passage through your sign (in all, it stretches on until May 2022). Your solar chart shows you have a sense of invincibility where your health is concerned, though you’re also subject to an ongoing, ungrounded fear of terminal illnesses. This may be acting up now that Mars is making its way across Scorpio, your 6th solar house, which can provoke anxiety about your physical health. Yet bear in mind that your body is wholly under the influence of your mind, and vice versa. You will feel how you feel, meaning that stress, tension and fear impact both your emotions and your physical body. No fast-acting solution is possible. Often, such things do far more harm than good, if they do any good at all. And though you may think that some intervention (involving a sharp object, Mars) may make you feel better, defenses tend to build tension and anxiety against the thing defended against, whether that thing is real or imaginary. So, you might start with something old-world, and eat the food that your ancestors thrived on (by which I mean in the early 20th century and before). You might also avoid that which aggravates you, and most things that come prepared out of packages. Make your choices consciously, and do not confuse wellbeing with immortality.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — With the Sun now moving through Scorpio, you have likely regained your sense of perspective. You need that: the wide, panoramic view, rather than the telescopic or microscopic view. This includes your view of yourself. It’s essential that you see your life in its context, which is not easy, as you are at the center of your world. And what is that context? As was once said by a sage of old, “By their works, ye shall know them.” Or as is properly written in scripture, “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” And it concludes, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Study what you make, with any part of you that is capable of creation. When you study what you feel, you may wonder about the seemingly taboo elements of your desire nature, or of your creative nature. Taboo is one thing; malevolent is quite another. Beware the trick which leads people to believe that edgy, different, deep, interesting, saucy or hungry is somehow bad. You certainly qualify as different, and you’re willing to explore feelings and desires that others would never dare to get near, much less enter with sincere curiosity. You are being invited to experience all of the different facets of your nature, without judging them, or yourself. What that Bible verse does not make clear that when that good tree brings forth its fruit, there may be a deep journey on the way to creation, and the integration of many elements from nature. Trees detoxify the environment, for example, by trapping carbon dioxide and turning it into a pear or a cherry. Therefore, allow yourself to feel, to be, and to create — then, suspend judgment and trust your process. While you’re at it, pay attention to what people make.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Mars moving through one of the most sensitive angles of your chart is either lighting a fire under you, or setting off the fire alarm. Be cautious of the place where your own insecurities intersect with what you perceive as challenges in business and personal partnerships. Under the current astrology, it would be easy for you to feel hemmed in by rules or responsibilities you don’t like. However, the more productive use of these conditions and the astrology that symbolizes them, is to work with an organized structure and take advantage of the collaboration with others to get the job done. As usual, you are in the coordinating role. Once you put on the red jacket and take over as senior steward, you will find many resources, and people willing to accomplish the goals as you define them. People are very likely to respond to your leadership in positive ways, and they will feel good about it. As much as people want to help, they don’t know how to work together toward a common goal, so they need to be shown, and have a good example set. These days, you have the perfect blend of an original — even daring — approach to leadership, and also respect for people’s boundaries and their resistance to change. You don’t need to advertise how innovative you are; just gradually push the edge into some interesting experiments. You will find that some of them get a result, and each time you do, you will learn something and get additional ideas. The world is ridiculously risk-averse right now. Nearly everyone is shell shocked and disoriented by the events of the past two years. You can afford to take some chances, and to try things that others might not think of or be willing to try. 

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You are pursuing something that is moving slower than you are, so you don’t need to rush. Rather, invest your thoughts and energy into tracking what you want, and in what direction you are headed. Slow down and pay careful attention to everything and everyone around you, rather than being blinded by desire or seeming necessity. From the look of your solar charts, you must be cautious of investing yourself in a situation that seems desirable now, but which is leading toward an emotionally and mentally complicated situation. That situation could manifest seemingly out of nowhere, though the setup is in place now. There are so many forces at play it would take a while to go through the possibilities. However, it’s crucial to treat any even vaguely obsessive energy with extreme care. In our world, we think of caution as attempting to avoid and evade any possible risk. That is not true; there is a risk to everything, even drinking a cup of coffee. Rather, I am suggesting that you make choices one at a time, in the context of understanding why you want what (or who) you want. One element of this scenario is a potential clash between what you want or need as an individual, and what is considered acceptable by society. You may find yourself in a position where having given up a right or a privilege will conflict with your basic right to make choices about your existence. You are, however, still in ongoing control of whether you give up your power — or at least you have an influence, as long as you recognize the issue for what it is. We cannot have it both ways: a perfectly egalitarian and ‘nonthreatening’ world where everyone gets to be in their safe little comfort zone, and a world of free individuals working out their choices. 

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Who you are is in part the product of your past. Yet your current reality does not need to be dictated by your past — including very distant elements of family history you may have no idea are driving you. Yet discovering the various factors and forces is the theme of the next few weeks. You are in one of those astrological phases where this is a good time to remind you that nearly all of the karma you feel like you’re dragging around, working out or burning as fuel is the property of your parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. This is not what most people have in mind when they think of an inheritance, yet we all collect a little or a whole lot of this from the people who came before us. You may discover a vast, underground well of drama coming from previous generations. Yet you may not recognize it as such. It may manifest in such a way that you really think it’s about you personally, such as the direct results of your past actions in this lifetime. I am not proposing this to absolve you of responsibility for the decisions you make. Rather, what I’m saying is that the source of energy that is powering what seems to be a present situation has been around for a long time, and has been passed down generation to generation. It is difficult to think that a bunch of immigrants walking around in fedoras and wool overcoats in 1920 could have anything to do with our world today, though in truth, the issues were the same; the opportunities were the same; the social pressures were the same. Nearly everyone longs for liberation, and nearly everyone is terrified to challenge what is habitual, familiar and scripted by the dictates of the past.

beautifully illustrated by Deirdre Tanton

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