Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Mars newly in your sign is giving you drive and motivation, at the same time it may be stirring up your deepest insecurities. The thing about those lurking doubts is that they were always there. When you push them to the surface by exercising your will and your intention, you gain an opportunity to resolve something that has done nothing but secretly consume your gumption and your confidence. Most of this is the toxic residue of old family drama. Don’t be too confused by the way in which all of society currently seems more interested in wallowing in its dysfunction. From the look of your solar chart, you are feeling driven to do the right thing for yourself, even as you figure out what it is. Now comes the question of how to handle your fears, which may be manifesting as actual situations you have to address, or people who may embody them. The first thing is not to ignore them. Then start asking questions: my favorite therapy question is, whose issue is this? Whatever emotional material or karma may be bubbling up, I assure you that most of it is not your own. It’s either a kind of inheritance, or was pushed on you by ancestors, predecessors and relatives you might think the better of. Families, however, tend to be insensitive to the feelings of children, even when they are not downright cruel — and usually both are factors. You are sorting this all out in real time, even as you engage and confront the world with your own drive, desires, needs, and wishes. Let them (whomever) object. That is merely a matter of opinion. More to the point, notice who cooperates, and even closer, make sure you cooperate with yourself. It is time to be your own best friend.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Your ruling planet Mars is moving through one of the distinctly uncomfortable areas in your chart — Libra, your 12th house. Anything in the 12th can keep people up at night, or lace their waking consciousness with anxiety they might not even notice. However, you’re likely to notice Mars doing its thing because suddenly you’re obsessively worried in ways that are unusual even for you. I suggest you read the Libra entry where I cover ground that also applies to you, though there is more to say specifically for Scorpio. It is fair to say that vulnerability is not your strong suit, or something you consider especially pleasant. You may find yourself there, and not like it so much, and this explains some of the more defensive elements of your nature. There is a fine line between defensive and mean, and they have one thing in common, which is the sense of being justified. That is the thing you want to watch out for. From a spiritual standpoint, the most productive use of this complicated transit is to practice forgiveness. The complexity, by the way, is about Mars (which represents you) motivated from a place concealed from normal awareness. This in turn is sparking up old material stashed in many different aspects of your life, many different kinds of relationships and situations. You may see little fires spark up nearly simultaneously in different places with different people and wonder why it’s all happening at the same time. Well, it’s all one emotional arsonist, working remotely. The common thread is your fear, wherever it may come from. It’s impressive how little people question their own fears, and how (in turn) they tend to be ruled by them. This is not productive, and you have better things to do with your energy, in a world so complex your grandparents’ heads would explode if they had to survive for one day in this environment.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You may finally be getting a handle on what a serious problem jealousy is, and why it’s so toxic for you. Fortunately, this is happening at a moment when you’re ready to let go of many of the competitive aspects of your nature. They may advance your cause in some ways, though cooperation is by far the more significant skill and personal attribute to encourage in yourself. It’s one thing to be driven to be “the best.” Eventually, you will play on a team or be in a band or take part in some collaborative venture. This calls for another essential skill, which is mental flexibility. One would think that the mind is the most malleable substance in the universe. As it turns out, it’s the one of the most rigid; many people tend to lock into fixed thought patterns, to which they hold themselves prisoner. One of the qualities that defines Sagittarius is the placement of Aquarius in your chart: it’s your 3rd house, which is where we find much information about cognitive process. At the moment, Jupiter and Saturn are working their way through Aquarius together for the first time in centuries. Together, they caution you to be aware of what you do not know, while at the same time be determined to find out what you need to learn. This is the kind of discovery that changes your mind. It’s the difference between reading a book taking notes, and skimming an article. Then comes expression: when you communicate, it’s up to you to be understood, and that is a specific, tangible goal. This takes revision, review, rethinking, and deep consideration. Who has time for this? Well, it depends on what you want from life. True, useful intelligence is not an accident. You may need to sift through a ton of ore to produce an ounce of gold. So be it.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Now is the time to review your goals rather than to drive them forward. It’s true that with Mars moving across the achievement angle of your chart (Libra, your solar 10th house), you may be hot to trot on certain professional objectives that have been lacking for motivation and opportunity. However, Mercury is about to be retrograde in this same angle of your chart, and that will have the tendency to scramble your radar, and even send you off course. Therefore, though Mars wants to go fast, Mercury is saying slow down and be meticulous. Any goal actually worth working toward is worth doing well, and that usually means careful planning and preparation. However, you may be feeling impatient and impulsive about certain matters of very high priority, and that is a formula for setbacks, and therefore, for wasting time and energy. Much will come into focus on Oct. 9, at which time there is a triple conjunction of Mercury, Mars and the Sun. That is the time when your actual goal might be in focus, and I suggest counting little to nothing as worth acting on. Instead, clean up past issues, do careful review of your files, and generally clear your desk. Many seeming distractions are going to emerge, and some of these will require deep personal work — this is the part that is likely to happen sooner rather than later. Now is not the time to fight against yourself; it’s the time to learn about and understand yourself, and take care of the things that need to be attended to. This is not about the rest of your life; critical matters are going to come to a head pretty quickly over the next three weeks, and more than anything, you will need to be ready and willing to engage them in a rational and sensitive way — as the leader of your own life.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — The most significant questions are spiritual; they always are: they relate to the nature of existence. Seen one way, current aspects describe you under some unusual pressure, duress, or up against your limits of how much responsibility you can handle. In this is some unusual pressure to grow, change and be accountable to yourself that you may have never felt before. This is all real, and necessary, and immediate — though there is more. That more would best arrive in the form of a question, preferably one that does not begin with “why?” (Such are rarely honest inquiries.) The more honest variety of questions begin with “what,” as it is something tangible and less open to speculation. “What do I know?” or “What do I feel about this?” You might also ask yourself, “What do I want to do with my remaining time on Earth?” The question of purpose is central right now. And it is not necessarily easy, as it has many layers, and people tend to work at cross-purposes to themselves. So as part of the discussion of purpose is noticing what does not align with your mission, and what may directly conflict. This is the part that takes deeper honesty, as you may determine that certain circumstances of your life do, in fact, interfere with what you want. Then comes what to do about them. Any pressure you are feeling is not really coming from your “to do” list, or the pressures on your time. Rather, in my view, it’s this alignment of matters that draw on the deepest level of your values, and how and whether you act on them. When you get real about this, it will manifest as a practical matter of what to do, and when. Stay tuned: information is forthcoming, from within you. Your spiritual guidance is not external: you contain your connection.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — The forthcoming Full Moon in your birth sign will shine the intuitive light on all that is difficult to see in stark daylight. With Neptune making its long, seemingly endless, journey through your sign, there are many times when your life and your consciousness are shrouded in fog. To see through it, you need dim light and gentle intuition. Slow down a little. This approach will be useful through the next few weeks of Mercury, Mars, and the Sun together in Libra (with Mercury retrograde). Libra, your 8th solar house, describes where you connect with the world. This is a complicated house, where everything can turn into a transaction, and where it’s easy for fear to slip in. Your role is to keep your focus on the human level. It will also help if you don’t allow petty matters to dominate your attention. There are big movements on the horizon: critical decisions, rearrangements in relationships, and most of all, an atmosphere where you can actually make progress on the business and financial fronts. Yet for this astrology to work in your favor, you will need to prioritize, which means sorting out what matters more from what does not matter as much. Certain small matters will count for more than they seem; other developments that appear to loom large will be less substantial than they seem at first. Your correct guidance at all times will be based on what you want. While it may not be easy to spot this in any given moment, you might think back on what you’ve said you’ve wanted at least 100 times the past few years. Some of that includes wanting less of certain things that still belong in your life. Libra is all about finding a balance, which is an ongoing experiment and may at times seem impossible. With one hand, work with what is practical, and with the other, keep reaching for the gold ring.

Aries (March 20-April 19) — There must be a line between “public” and “private.” You may take some of this for granted, such as assuming that your dresser drawers or safe deposit box are your domain exclusively. Yet it’s not that simple when you consider the way that values said to be “collective” are personally imposed on you. That the contents of your nightstand may be “private” means little when the contents of your phone or computer are being vacuumed into various databases and your movement is being tracked wherever you go. So how do you handle this? Where do you place the line? You can set it all the way to one side — in the words of A Course in Miracles, “There are no private thoughts.” How would you feel if all of your feelings and ideas were known to the world? And if they are already known, is there any need for a border of any kind? You can also experiment with considering your values as you relate to others: what in the feelings or spaces of another person do you consider to be their private territory, and not yours? That may reveal your deeper values on this matter, because you’re likely to expect that others respect the boundaries you support for people you care about. Do you hold others to that same standard? Anyway, where your space ends and that of others begins is the place to study over the next few weeks, as Mercury, Mars and later the Sun dance around your relationship angle Libra. Something seems to be coming to a head, which peaks on October 9 with the revelation of a situation that you will need to confront. But the hints and clues will be fluttering around every day between now and then. Study the little disputes and skirmishes over mental and physical space, and see if you can make an agreement with the people in your life about what belongs to you.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — One topic the world has lost track of is mental health. Any legit healer or practitioner (even a weightlifting trainer) will tell you that the mind primarily sets the tone for the body. Even the Department of Homeland Security acknowledges that one news report can send thousands of people scurrying to hospitals with the physical symptoms of a disease or toxic exposure that they do not have. The mental realm is now at the forefront of your quest for wellness, with Mars moving through Libra (your house of health and wellbeing) and Mercury making a retrograde there between Sept. 27 and Oct. 18. The aspect pattern created by these planets may initially have the effect of pushing you out of balance. This may arrive in the form of uncertainty about decisions you need to make, which in turn may have the effect of causing delays when you really want to move quickly. This tension can be stressful, as can any sense that the world, or people close to you, are not cooperating with or supporting your efforts. I suggest you start by rolling back any deadlines by about six weeks. There are many things you’re addressing now that do not need to be finalized for a while. Your sense of pressure is an illusion or mental construct. If you take charge and consciously structure your time, you will feel a much better sense of control. If you are not driving yourself to meet some imaginary deadline or abstract sense of when you must do something, you will feel like your life is in balance. Start with the due-date and work yourself backwards. It will also help if you don’t truly rely on people who have proven to be flaky in the past. Delegate as little as possible, or as much as absolutely necessary — and only to those you trust with your peace of mind.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Isabel Hickey once described the 5th house as that of “esoteric karma.” She gave no further explanation, and I have not been able to find further reference in the literature (such as the writing of Alice Bailey, whom she revered) — though I have long pondered her idea working on charts for my clients, and in readings like this. I bring this up now because the focus of the sky is shifting rapidly to Libra, your 5th solar house, or whole-sign house if you’re Libra rising. Mars is there, and Mercury will soon be retrograde. The 5th is the house of experiments, games, fun and the taking of risks. I think of it as a zone in the chart where one thing leads to another in unexpected ways. This involves the seemingly random quality of the 5th, and also the way that most people are a bit hapless about their sexual encounters and creative activities. Many people want to have fun and don’t really care what happens as a result. However, now is the time to bring your focus and full attention to these areas of your life. I also suggest you make careful choices when considering physical activities, and err on the safer side, even in activities where you’re experienced. However, the most likely forum is going to be that of sex and relationships, and here, you will want to make good choices. Ideally these will be based on deeper values rather than superficial whims, or passing fancies. Consider that any involvement could turn into any outcome. Use what you know about people from the past to make decisions in the present. Be especially cautious of social pressure or doing anything whatsoever because other people are doing it. That right there is a potential opening into outcomes you may not want. Stick to who and what you actually know, for reasons that you understand.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — An unusual set of circumstances may be dredging up family baggage from the past, and the insecurities that come along with it. You don’t need to succumb to this; if you’re paying attention to what you’re feeling, you will be less likely to do so. Yet awareness is the key: noticing what’s really going on with you at all times, and tracking carefully how you are responding to others who show up in your environment. There are two parts to this: who these characters actually are, and what within you is triggered by their presence, or by something totally unrelated but which seems to involve other people. For one born under the sign Cancer, it’s not easy to have total detachment, or any at all. However, remember that your own emotional responses are coming from you, no matter what the seeming external source. That is the place to focus. The whole galaxy is riddled with scammers, schemers, and unkind people. Not everyone has your discretion, judgment, ethics or goodwill. You will feel better if you don’t expect them to. Also note that for a diversity of reasons, you are coming into your power and that means visibility; which in turn means attracting more attention, both positive and negative. Practice the art of not judging yourself based on the judgments of others. If you only knew how little they actually cared, you would be a lot less invested in their seemingly vociferous opinions. And you must be your own model of morality, truth and justice. If you are fortunate enough to have people in your life whom you genuinely respect, that’s a wonderful thing — though even with your trusted exemplars present, you must set your own standard. Sometimes you will take the high road, and other times you will walk through the valley.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — The presence of Jupiter, Saturn and the looming arrival of Pluto in your opposite sign Aquarius have you under some unusual pressure right now. There are many possibilities, though they fall into a few major categories. The first and best of these is declaring your independence from all that would have you be someone other than who you are. Yet the pressure to cave in may be enormous, and if you’re paying attention, you may see that this is the perfect opportunity to get a handle on all those who would try to run your life. Those influences come from places large and small, distant and nearby. They are all the same, as they all filter through your awareness. Meanwhile, for the next few weeks, there will be some dramatic activity in the sign Libra, which for you is about making decisions — or not doing so. Now, your discernment is going to be a work in progress for the next six or eight weeks, mostly due to Mercury, Mars and the Sun doing some acrobatics in the house associated with your conscious thought process (the 3rd, for you, Libra). You might keep two questions handy: what am I noticing abut this now? And, what additional information do I need to feel confident making a decision? Right now, conscious hesitation will work in your favor. By that I mean a thought such as: “I know a lot about this person, though I feel like pausing for some reason I don’t fully understand.” Or, “I am waiting for missing information.” Or, “I want more options.” (Make them for yourself.) There may, however, come a time that you know you have all the information you need to do the thing you want to do. (That may show up around Oct. 9.) Even then, interposing a short delay to track any incoming additional information would be prudent, before you fully commit to a point of view. Even then, it will help if you hang loose, and be open to re-evaluating your point of view a little every day.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — It is essential that you maintain balance between what you believe and what you have proven to be true; between what you hope for and what is necessary; between what others say is right for them and what you have determined is right for you. This is not a casual affair: it is the essence of life. The eminently no-bullshit A Course in Miracles offers the reminder that we humans have one and only one power on Earth: the ability to make decisions. If everything comes back to that one thing, it would matter what informs those choices. A decision made on partial or incorrect information is made recklessly, and is liable to result in the unhelpful exercise of your only real influence. This is especially urgent in an environment where 99% of what you hear coming in from outside yourself is either incorrect or intentional disinformation. Your life journey is now about using your discernment. It always was, though the stakes are higher, and the diversions are coming in from all directions. You may feel like you’re at the end of your tether, and you may also feel like there is no way to actually tell what is true and what is not. The two feelings are related, and neither is actually valid. First, you have plenty of energy. Second, you are capable of figuring out what is true and what is not based on objective, verifiable criteria that you could persuade a reasonable person is valid. You are that reasonable person. You do fine until you run into the foggy delusions of certain people around you, and hand your power of decision over to them. It is now time to claim that back, whatever may have been your reason for assigning to another person, institution or authority that which is in fact your own. In the short run, this is not the easier path — in truth, it is the only one.

beautifully illustrated by Deirdre Tanton

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