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Horoscopes | Week of May 2-8, 2005

ARIES (March 21-April 19): What you have in mind might not be in exact alignment with what the universe has in store. Or, if proposing that 'the universe' possesses such consciousness sets off your bullshit detector, then let me simplify… What you have in mind likely doesn't match up with what certain other people have already committed to and worked toward achieving. The universe itself is a composite of all the wills of all the beings in existence. At any time, some situation that functions for the greater good of the greater number of these beings will not serve the desires you hold, Aries—or will not appear to serve these desires (assuming, even, that these desires are your true desires). You've almost surely reached one of these temporarily frustrating points, though you may or may not consciously know it. And your most probable reaction, considering Mercury's forcefully antagonistic placement in square to Saturn in Cancer, is to lash out verbally, toward yourself and/or others. The immediate result is likely to be hurt feelings, yours and/or others'. Let any such stings persist and dissipate of their own accord. Trying to 'take back' words doesn't work. Then, surrender to the direction the universe has things flowing; otherwise you'll continue to entertain similar frustration for an indefinite time.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): This is a great week to answer the ring of your higher calling, and to confront the ways your stubbornness of self-identification limits you. In other words, 'what you are supposed to do' requires some behaviors that 'who you are' currently inhibits or prevents altogether. Incidentally, this 'supposed to do' is not of my determination… it comes from a wise voice inside you, both above and beneath the entrenchments of ego (e.g., shame, habit, risk aversion), which always has the right answers. 'Who you are', alas, is too often an amalgamation of things other people told you about yourself and your fears insist upon maintaining because it's easier than being someone different. This week is perfect for purposely eliciting the uncomfortable or challenging experiences that will force you to do what you're supposed to do, at the expense of who you've told yourself you are. Venus is watching over, ensuring that what at some other time would be jarring to the point of destabilization will yield a softer landing, though no less transformative an impact. Use her blessing while you've got it.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Tell people what you think they should be doing, and how you think they should be doing it. Not only am I sanctioning outward expression of the know-it-all in you (and we all have one), but I'm also encouraging you to be less guarded with the feedback you provide. Now, who knows how folks will react to such loose statements of direct opinion coming from you, who they've likely counted on to casually advocate for both sides? The point is, for this week, it doesn't matter. It's worth gambling the certain advantage you suppose you keep by holding back, to support forward movement for all of us through letting us hear what you really have to say. If you remain in protected mode, you will never discover how this impersonal release of your personal truths could impact you in your relationships and social contacts… and your best possible destiny may be resting on how this impact would carry you. So, tell people what to do. Even if they don't listen, their reactions will move some things—and reveal a lot.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Underneath the surface, there's a subtle but growing friction between the Saturn-in-Cancer-provoked pressure to work on yourself and the real-world requirements of work you must do as yourself. We modern humans, despite our relative abundance, rarely have the luxury to excuse ourselves from unceasing career/duty toil, in order to resolve our identity issues with healthy, loving patience. But for you, Cancer, you might as well stop privately fidgeting and futzing with how you see yourself, how you want to see yourself and what you wish you didn't see, and complete some of that same work with on-the-job training. Right now, the best way to get honest with yourself is to be honest with certain powers that be, thus initiating a dialogue through which they can also be honest with you. Once this back and forth is open, you will learn a lot about where you stand in relation to the group. And any surprise you feel points directly at where your self-imposed identity requires further honest unpeeling and eventual reinvention.

LEO (July 23-August 22): Last week, I told you to hold firm and tight to your highest goals, out of concern that you'd let others' influences distract you. By taking that advice to heart, Leo, you will have learned something about how fierce or faint your calling is… and how susceptible or impermeable to outside pressures you are. This week, I reiterate the advice—but with a catch. The New Moon in your 10th invites you to recommit to the practical work you must assume to fulfill your ultimate career goals, while its square to Neptune in your 7th frames the challenge of alluring partnership benefits enchanting you away to la-la-land. You can adopt an interpretation of this aspect similar to last week's horoscope and pledge to act as you'd always intended, without letting other people's issues alter the course. Or you can read it another way: Other people have a fresh approach and intriguing new inspiration to offer, if you can allow a break from your one-track closed-mindedness. Which it is depends on whether you generally err on the side of (1) too easily swayed by others or (2) not open enough to them.

VIRGO (August 23-September 22): Again, I point you back to your horoscope from two weeks ago because it speaks poignantly to the central pitfall of the archetypal Virgo—the imposition of stringent categories of allowable behavior, leading to overwhelming feelings of guilt and inadequacy when personal imperfections leave you short of attainment. In a positive light, categorical Virgoan thinking is unparalleled when it comes to logical analysis and neat, efficient completion of important tasks. But at times such as these, when influences like Mars in Pisces and Neptune squaring the New Moon convolute reason and dexterity for us all, you often face an uncompromising inner critic. Listen here: There's little you can do to improve the flow of current circumstances, no matter how smartly or intently you try. It's out of your hands, so let the standards go for the time being. Furthermore, that wicked urge to do away with pleasantries and spit out cutting observational comments of questionable intent is back in high gear. Just because you may be right about something from the official overall view doesn't mean you're right about it now, in this oddly unreasonable stretch.

LIBRA (September 23-October 22): The surest avenue for further entrenching yourself in those long-existing professional inhibitions? Continuing to assume you do an adequate job of hiding your true feelings, just by agreeing to go along with someone else's less-than-brilliant gameplan. They've spied your conspiratorial wink, the crossed fingers behind your back that allegedly reserve you a loophole. Your reservations undermine others' fullest faith in you. They're not hoping for somebody who merely settles for them (is that what you're doing?), when they can go out and find someone else who authentically shares their vision. You're not being fair to yourself or to them if you don't say those certain things that must be said. (I assume you know what I mean.) Luck supports you in continuing on the same path, but doing the deeds and saying those little truths with more freedom and directness. That is, taking risks without risking everything. The bigger risk is speaking nothing, while your eyes silently betray you.

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): So which is it? Making yourself feel better in a given moment by using the same safe tricks of relating, or seeking genuine lasting self-satisfaction by doing relationships differently? Saying the 'right' thing out of presumed obligation, or refusing to kowtow in order to uphold your ethical responsibility to yourself to pursue what you want? You could easily assume that the latter options in both either/ors are what I advocate, Scorpio. But wouldn't that be too easy? I do think you'd benefit from following both latter choices this week. Yet, the former options shouldn't be avoided completely. In the first case, to honor yourself, you must differentiate between (1) making yourself feel genuinely good by staying true to what you know about your relationship needs and (2) escaping into the easy addictive fix of interpersonal manipulation… and then refuse to indulge (2). In the second, you need not consume yourself with fine distinctions between 'right' and 'wrong', if it's keeping you from saying anything at all. Looking back over this horoscope, the only certain thing is, if an answer seems too simple, it is.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21): Here's a moment in time when the wide expanse of too much freedom, usually the seed of your greatest contentment, is simply that—too much. The very details which are generally the bane of your existence, those irksome impediments to following the dangling carrot with the highest worldview, are what you'll handle best right now, Sag. You've been assigned to play the role of Serious Business Guy/Girl in this week's sketch, and you'll have to study your lines carefully, as this character stretches you to the max of your acting talents. It's not that you aren't good at taking important business seriously… but come on, 'Serious Business Guy/Girl' is not how someone would first think of you. Yet, a soberer stance on the fine points (whether in work projects, with health concerns, or in organizing the house) will provide you an energizing reconnection to living in the moment, believe it or not. You can always catch the next train to Over There, after doing some more work over here.

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19): Speak out about what you need, especially on the home front, where so much recent activity has shifted the energy and instigated an undecidedness that has yet to be concretely resolved. Don't assume it's not worth complicating matters by suggesting a fresh outlook, nor that your supposedly minor requests should be withheld so that you can 'save up' for a big one later. I'm not too shy to say, 'Faulty reasoning.' We expect you to provide declarations of authentic emotional desire, not merely premeditated statements intended for conceding the battle now to win the war later. With Saturn in your 7th continuing to frame relationship lessons for you, this test asks that you resist succumbing to passive-aggression by actually putting out what you need from others in order to feel comfortable and cared for—and, at the same time, doing so without an air of audacious confrontation or self-righteousness. In short, the motivation must be pure truth and forthrightness about yourself, without being too careful nor conciliatory nor condescending nor self-effacing. It's a delicate balance that's key for your relationship success: learning not to beat yourself up for having needs… and not beating up anyone else for honest unwillingness to meet those needs, once they're told what they are.

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18): Some of that same old uncertainty about which 'you' you project into the world crops up, thanks to the feels-like-forever (14 years' worth!) effect of Neptune in your 1st, which pulls steadiness away from the New Moon in your 4th and threatens to undermine the logistical foundation-laying your emotional well-being craves. Once again, I must remind you to heed the simple immediate needs and settle yourself down, even though the overarching large-looming need to know must be left unfulfilled for now. Just like learning new lessons about the value of money involves simultaneously treating it with more responsible respect and refusing to let it suppress your unstoppably libertine nature. None of it seems to make sense, for somehow you're supposed to keep your feet on the ground, while at the same time refusing to get fixed into limiting frameworks, since you have no idea what kooky turns tomorrow has in store. And guess what else? I have no sense to offer here. That's why small, simple, self-satisfying steps of purposeful pragmatism work well now… and working well now is all that matters now.

PISCES (February 19-March 20): Continuing from last week's acknowledgment that this current Neptune-flavored, Mars-in-Pisces atmosphere favors you and your natural mode of moving through the world, let me be the first to encourage you to release expectations to be anything other than what you feel like being and breathe a relaxing sigh of relief. Save any ferocity for staying hell-bent on taking things as they come, and refuse to make up stories or excuses for why others' hopes have not been met. You probably intuit certain explanations, but there's no need to try to put words to them. Don't take anything too seriously, and help yourself by enjoying moments on their own terms, rather than insisting they be building blocks toward something else. Displaying comfort with the unknown is a skill you're instinctively blessed with… and it's often others, whose inability to deal bleeds into your consciousness, who stress you out. Did you ever think about it that way? Are you confident enough to own that truth?