astrobarry.com the web

Horoscopes | Week of February 26-March 4, 2007

ARIES (March 21-April 19): As an Aries, your levels of physical vitality and energetic effectiveness are important gauges of your overall emotional well-being. Should you feel blocked from your fullest range of motion, ineffective at mustering the gusto to assert your wants, or generally 'not right' in your body, the ramifications go far deeper than they might for other less-active signs. That said, pay attention this week to which day-to-day activities really rev your engine up, and which drain the initiative right out of you… which moments in your routine are the power-points, and which the lag spots… when you've got to force yourself to keep going, and when you've got enough oomph to get yourself and everyone else up and off their asses, too. Powerful awareness achieved in this arena now can inspire you to rearrange the flow of your week, to maximize your peaks and downplay your valleys. Do it quickly, too. Why wait around, when you know what'll immediately boost your mood? The simple truth: You will be happier if you can sync up with what your physical self is telling you. Because these are intense days ahead, you'll have plenty of chances to study your bodily reactions to what's going on around you. With Venus in your sign, though, you're still in a much better position than many other folks. Here's another hint: Don't flaunt how well you're doing. All that'll achieve is a handful of evil stares… and maybe a couple snide behind-your-back remarks. Instead, stay out of the way of the stressed-out majority… and keep reflecting on what you might learn about yourself.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Right about now, you could be reaching a point of decreased patience with following the rules apparently set forth by society, whichever subsets of society contain you within their ranks, and/or the friend-group or 'cool clique' you've desired to be part of. (This is sort of a continuation and/or amplification of last week, eh?) Maybe you're even telling yourself something like, 'I'm sick and tired of this shit! I'm going to do whatever the friggin' fuck I want, and to hell with the rest of 'em!' Well, Taurus, I wholeheartedly support most of that sentiment (the 'doing whatever you want' part, for sure)… but I must call you out on that last bit, if in fact you're serious about wanting everyone else to screw off. Whenever we start thinking in terms of 'the whole world' or 'society', 'everyone else' or some other imaginary bogeymen, we're entering the territory of abstractions, where notions of a monolithic 'them' are what's preventing us from simply being ourselves—when it's actually us who's just not doing it. That doesn't lessen the real emotion behind it, of course. Who among us, anyway, hasn't felt like this before? However, before you start lashing out, or even 'innocently' venting these sentiments to those you might be simultaneously indicting, please understand there's a heightened possibility of saying the wrong things to the right people. In other words, the greater the influence of some specific audience in your life, the more eager your foot will be to lodge itself in your mouth. That's why, no matter how you're feeling, I urge you to be as outwardly warm as you possibly can. This week, super-friendliness could save your butt.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Over these coming few weeks, you're reaching a pivotal point in determining how you'll want to proceed in your professional career and/or other outside-world contribution. How do you want to be known to others? And more importantly, how do you want to feel about what you're doing out there on the public stage? Oftentimes, Gemini, we conceive of our biggest aspirations in idealized terms… without pausing to consider what our inner experience will become, should we actually attain the dream. Most of us simply assume that, once we're a best-selling novelist or an Oscar nominee or we've finally stumbled upon that long-awaited cure for cancer, all our internal turbulence will even out… and life will be, at last, perfect. To that flight of fanciful thought, reality usually delivers a condescending 'Ha!' With accomplishment comes further responsibility; plus, all the new-and-improved goals become reset at a higher level than they were before, since there's always more to accomplish. And maybe, for instance, all the unforgiving deadlines and publisher pressures and self-promotion requirements will ultimately sap all the joy out of the once-joyous writing process, which defeats the whole purpose of wanting to become a best-seller novelists, anyhow. (The same 'what-if' train works for any other goals, too.) That's no excuse to throw in the towel, though—just a good reason to delve further into the emotions behind your professional ambitions. How will it feel? If you listen to your gut on this one, you may face some difficult decisions in the imminent future—which could amount to a major reinvention, if you're brave enough for it. However you slice it, there's no looking back from here. Be kind to yourself, if this landmark brings up some old stuff. If you're willing to talk it out, there's no lack of supportive words among the many folks who love you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): In a certain sense, Cancer, you're caught in the delicate purgatory-space between a rock and a hard place… so here's hoping you're good at deciphering microscopic differences between this and that, in order to hit a satisfying balance. On one hand, I'm compelled to advise you not to take everything so seriously. The astro-justification for such advice? This week's lunar eclipse in your 3rd house, opposing the Sun and Uranus in your 9th… which desperately wants you to explore variations to 'the way you've always done it', so you can release the innate insistence on 'my way or the highway' that's underlying your potential to overestimate the seriousness of certain circumstances. The lesson here is to break the big picture up into lots of littler chunks, so one thing doesn't seem to hinge so dependently on the next, granting you greater freedom to handle all the parts in a freer, looser manner. But then, on the other hand, there's the ongoing Saturn-Neptune opposition across your 2nd/8th, reminding you to protect your own interests—even if you must hold a rigid boundary over something that might seem small to the other person, but isn't small to you. (Sound familiar? It's been a recurring theme, as I reported two weeks ago.) If you allow others to fudge this boundary in one little area and/or another, the breaches will quickly add up—and, in the long run, turn you resentful, exhausted and/or poor. You can only give so much of yourself, before you're bone dry. Now, can you discern between (1) the stuff that's not worth getting so bent out of shape about, because there are other alternatives equally as appropriate, and (2) the stuff that, while it might not seem worth getting bent out of shape about, actually requires you to hold firm on, in order to look out for your own solid footing? Spend your week trying.

LEO (July 23-August 22): My, what a tangled web of relationship intrigue you weave! The most cogent comment I can make about your current complexities—which, by this point, may feel as if they're dragging on and on—is that you're exactly where you're supposed to be. Whether the action's transpiring in your love-life, with a family member or a tight-as-family compadre… you're in the process of airing what's been previously keep under wraps, and still aren't sure what you'll find on the other end. This is either an acute intensification of intimacy, a distressing corrosion of the connection, or some convoluted amalgam of the two. In any case, it'll never be the way it was again. (And incidentally, that's a good thing, whether you can see that right now or not.) Yet, there's still no conclusion, Leo. You're still in it, making all the spirited moves that move you at any given moment… saying more than you perhaps meant to say, then trying to repudiate or redraft… losing yourself in the bliss or furor, then forgetting where you are… creating or overdramatizing 'issues', just to have something to crank your gears about. My judgment on that? As well you should be. How else will you learn and grow? If, however, you respond to this horoscope (as you therefore would've to the last several) with utter confusion as to what the hell I'm talking about… well, let's just say you're probably repressing something that's too troublesome to tackle, and are hoping to sail smoothly along without mentioning the twelve-eyed purple people-eater in the center of the room. Within the next two or three weeks, though, you may be pushed into dealing.

VIRGO (August 23-September 22): A lunar eclipse in your sign this week, Virgo, is liable to deliver an especially wild—and potentially rocky—week to you, with mixed emotions flying every which way. Though it may be wise to watch out for overreactions, there's something to be said for letting those pent-up feelings rip. More than anything or anyone else, your emotional truth is king. You need no other justification for doing or saying whatever moves you, other than a check-in with your inner wisdom to ensure it's right for you. Don't freak out if what you're feeling now doesn't match up with how things have been for you in the past (or even the recent past). At this astro-juncture, the wheels of change are turning, and you'll be setting yourself up for disaster by demanding your emotions fit themselves back inside their prior veal-pen so they can't move. In particular (and this won't come as a surprise, if you've been following your scopes for a while), this tide-shift affects the manner in which you seek out and/or maintain your important one-on-one relationships. Suddenly, you may have a strong desire to spend lots of time with a certain someone (friend, fuckbuddy, soulmate, creative partner…). Or you might abruptly want major distance from an individual who's cramping your style. Even if you're just being impulsive and the vibe passes within a month, there's some real meat deep in those urges. Besides, how can you know whether this truth is only true for the time being… or forever after? However you can, commit to exploring what's under there in the short term—with the intention of making smarter (and more final?) decisions in about three or four weeks.

LIBRA (September 23-October 22): As I'm sure you're aware, your regular routine won't stay as it is forever. And you, Libra, are on the edge of a major shift in how you spend your days… though, unfortunately, it's unclear what specific changes will be on deck for you. Nothing to do, then, but permit yourself the nervous unsettledness that comes from being in transition but not knowing to or from what. Be generous, and grant yourself a good month of fumbling through the dark… waking up earlier or later, losing your drive to workout or eat well, wanting to clean the house like a madwoman/-man, or whatever strange permutation of your usual rhythms dares to crop up. (Mind you, among the unforeseen impulses that'll appear could be the desire to get shit-faced and call in hungover… er, 'sick'.) Ride the disorientation out, but not without some comforting company. See, there's still enough fantastic astro-business going down on the 'people' front that you should be able to set the logistical questions aside—gladly allowing the unknown to remain unknown, rather than trying to figure it out—and enjoy the companionship of friends or a flirty paramour. And instead of just inviting each other to do the 'same old thing' together, come up with a new activity (e.g., a craft class, a sport, a different kind of dancing, a shopping trip to an unusual destination) to keep life interesting… and distract yourself from whatever's lacking resolution. This isn't as tangential or irrelevant a piece of extra advice as it may sound, though. This new activity could become something you do more often… a regular part of the updated schedule you'll be living within the next couple months. If you don't consciously pick something to do that you'll actually look forward to, that space is likelier to fill up with bad habits.

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): Are you ready to find out what your friends really think about you? Don't stress about it, Scorpio—it's probably not what you're afraid of. (But hey, what are you afraid of them thinking? That's probably pretty interesting material in itself, eh?) Simply put, the folks you regularly hang with have a deeper insight into you than you might realize… despite your attempts to put on a perfect face or hold your cards quite close to your chest. They've been watching you long enough to have caught certain themes repeating themselves… those same mistakes you've made over and over again, that predictable type of guy or girl who always gets your loins hot, the 'major realizations' that you already realized a dozen times prior (remember?). No matter if you're the most self-aware person in the galaxy or a totally clueless clod, everybody has his blindspots… and everybody can benefit from getting the 'outside perspective' on one's self from the people he trusts the most (his friends, presumably). If you're sincerely invested in continuing to become the best person you can be, then this is an ideal time to take in some supportive feedback—though it might not be the easiest stuff to hear during those first few minutes. There's no other way to gain that knowledge except listening. Take in your friends' wise words, and I'm sure you'll find, among the touchier subjects, lots of positive reinforcement and loving embrace. These people have stuck with you for good reason.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21): Over the next few weeks, you've got a zillion and one easy chances to have a good time… as you'll clearly see when your friskiest friends (and, hopefully, that gorgeous knockout you've been eyeing) suddenly all want a piece of you. Your hardest choice to make might well be, 'How can I squeeze it all in?' And yet, while the escapades are transpiring and the laughter roaring all around, you might hear the bewildering whispers of something else lurking in the background. 'Is there something I should be worrying about?' you could wonder, as a slight suspicion that one piece of your life is starting to fall short sneaks up on you. Perhaps you can barely hear this faint sentiment over the jukebox's blaring beats or the smart-ass comment streaming effortlessly from your own mouth. And yet, it provides enough of a contrast from the festivities to stand out in your mind… and threatens to block your ability to fully enjoy the good times. What is it? This, Sagittarius, is your challenge this week—to pay extra-super-close attention to where your mind wanders when it's given the chance, since it's providing you clues (disguised in the form of typical anxiety-provoking minutiae) to what needs changing in your life. Take note of what looms overhead while you're trying to let loose—job? home life? relationship commitments? For every Sagittarian, the answer may be different. But the most advantageous result would still be the same: Removing whatever's the obstacle standing between you and truly feeling free to enjoy your life. For now, just take note.

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19): On the quest to lead an honorable, principled existence, Capricorn, you must heed the voice that tells you when you've discovered a non-negotiable value fundamental feeling good about yourself… and make whatever life-transformations are necessary to ensure you're living according to that value. Otherwise, you'll always be looking over your shoulder at the nagging disappointment you'll bear for 'selling out' or 'selling yourself short'. You can't fudge on these points by being intentionally vague, so as to leave enough room for misinterpretations to weasel your way out of the responsibility to be clear. Omission can very much serve as a form of dishonesty—made even worse by the fact you're only cheating yourself, when it comes to standing true to what matters. I don't expect you to have all the solutions for how to embody this meaningful life… merely the guts to claim it as an important goal, and to speak up when you're falling out of integrity. Only by speaking the truth will the alternatives and possibilities make themselves known… as a reward for your courage. The hardest part could be facing others' judgments on your self-defining declarations. After all, what's important to you might seem like a meaningless technicality or an uppity rallying-cry to them (or, vice versa, theirs to you). These differences in perspective need not be seen as hurtful, nor should they serve as an excuse to stay mum. If anything, it's all the more reason to spell it out, being straightforward rather than presumptuous. Once you forcefully set the vibration for what you want to attract in life, the bits and pieces will start flocking to your energy-field.

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18): At the root of your altruistic life-mission, Aquarius, is a much more personal drive… the push to feel successful at releasing your core of individual expression into the cosmos, rather than wasting your lifetime on superficial drivel. If you aren't involved in projects, activities or alliances that laugh in the face of tradition, cut through the repressive mechanisms constantly at work in society, or otherwise buck the typically-boring trends… well, then, you'd might as well be counting toothpicks into boxes of 500s all day everyday until the whistle blows. Compromises between a mainstream lifestyle and a more suitably Aquarian lifestyle are made in tiny ways all the time—agreeing to play along in the capitalist money-economy, following certain laws that are rather silly to 'the thinking man', wearing the appropriate clothes to weddings and bar-mitzvahs. But at certain times, such as this current juncture, the urge to go happy-crazy (however you friggin' want!) and break free from the boredom (which somehow slyly crept in) grows stronger. And since you're an Aquarius, I expect you to expect me to encourage you onward and upward: 'Rebel against the status quo! Bring diverse people together over common interests! Wear pink polka-dots!' All of that is indeed worthy of your efforts… so long as you don't forget to consider the feelings of a certain somebody (your sweetie-pie or some other partner-in-crime) who'll also be affected by the choices you make. You mustn't use your grand 'mission' as an excuse to back out of interpersonal commitments to this person. Back at the root of your motivations is that need to express yourself—but isn't its whole point so that you're comfortable in your own skin, and therefore that much more present for the people (the real individuals, not the abstracted 'people') you love? I know it's much harder to claim your freedom and still maintain good relationship manners. However, I have deep faith you're capable of doing both.

PISCES (February 19-March 20): Let me be blunt with you, Pisces. These next few weeks will be anything but stable, with a pair of eclipses scrambling up members of your zodiac sign more than just about anyone else. Rather than panic, I'd suggest using it as your grand justification for acting all turbulently zany… with the basic premise of escaping from routine at every twist and turn. 'Routine', especially at this point in your evolution, is akin to 'lifelessness'. This week's lunar eclipse falls in your 7th, or the house of one-on-one relationships—and is likely to provide you a heavy-handed dose of cut-to-the-chase gospel on your primary partner-coupling, or why you aren't in one. Watch and listen closely. If you like what you're picking up, then you must overtly congratulate yourself for putting in the work. After all, you didn't make it here by chance. However, if you don't like the truth that's being revealed, you've got to commit to learning some lesson from it… a lesson, that is, which will lead you to take stalemate-busting action to move things along, one way or the other. This lunar eclipse is also closely aligned with Uranus, still in your sign and still pressing you toward dramatic discontinuity wherever things are dreary or stale. Two weeks from now, the succeeding solar eclipse falls in Pisces as well… casting this entire month-or-so period as perhaps your best time of 2007 to make changes, set intentions, and bid adieu to the past. All of this, alas, depends on you for its molding-and-shaping—unless you'd prefer the universe to shake you up, without giving you a say in the matter.