Horoscopes | Week of April 9-15, 2007

ARIES (March 21-April 19): The words and ideas will be zooming back and forth and every which way around, Aries… thanks to two sign-shifts this week that are sure to inspire and enliven your brain. First off, thinker-and-talker Mercury heads into your sign, stimulating your chatty-Kathy sensibilities to speed-reader capacity. Plus, Venus moves into your solar 3rd, a house linked with our communications and transmissions, essential to how we navigate the local circles of our everyday lives… and we all know Venus charms the pants off whatever zone she visits. When combined, these astro-influences bode extremely well for your ability to generate a variety of quick, direct answers that'll ring true (or at least pleasantly enjoyable, if not self-referencing) to those who hear 'em. Just remember—your truth doesn't need to be universally true in order to be true for you. When you know you're onto something, you'll just know. That's also a good excuse not to bother pausing too long, in order to carefully and quietly weigh the different possibilities. If you're unsure, then just truck on ahead. You'll cover more ground that way, and get out more options and opinions in the process. God forbid you should actually goof, make a rash decision or inadvertently speed past a good opportunity… don't worry about it. You'll be able to grab it on your next go-around. Besides, it's not enough of a risk to discredit your rather reliable reliance on first instincts. You are an Aries.

 

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): It's decidedly not a week for making heart-pounding, life-changing decisions, Taurus. In fact, whatever you can do to sit this one out—whether through literal isolation, or merely by keeping up appearances—I recommend you do it. Let me be clear, though: Nothing necessarily bad will be headed at you, if you aren't able to excuse yourself from the table early and go play quietly in the yard. Rather, this recommendation is more about shielding yourself from the insistence others may have that you submit to their timetables. Just because someone may be pushing you to decide or commit, that doesn't mean you must do so now… though they may represent this opportunity as 'fleeting' and try to get you officially on board to ease their jitters. Feel free to stall 'em for a few weeks. You've got way too many experiences of a distinctly more pleasurable variety to enjoy here and now, without being prematurely forced in the future for reasons not relevant to you. Just because this other person is feeling the heat, it still doesn't make the situation urgent for you. Take however much time you need. After all, as a Taurus, you are not to be rushed on any account.

 

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You may recall that, a couple weeks back, I told you 'good stuff is most definitely brewing under the surface'… and not to fear your prospects had dried up. Well, Gemini, you'll see just what I meant over the course of these upcoming couple weeks. Beginning midweek, Venus will be brightening up your sign, bringing her beloved brand of aura-polishing goodwill and heightened appreciation for the world's bountiful best. Now's the time to breathe out, let your hair down a bit, and start enjoying some of the perks. While the Venus effect won't come on super-strong all at once, it's sufficient of a mood-lifter to bring a bit of break from the typical worries… and reconnect you with the breezier side of life. But if you're quietly attentive enough to detect this changing tide, you will also begin to notice people are suddenly starting to see you in a much more unilaterally flattering light. Sshhh! It's only just beginning. Don't question it. Rather, pop on your sunglasses, and bask in the process of your star-power amplifying to unusually glittery levels. As your week winds to close, you should hopefully receive one noteworthy hint of the 'good stuff' coming into material being… whether it's in your career zone, love-related, or centered in the home. Whatever manifests, this should qualify as just merely enough to dissolve your doubts… and help you open up further, to let more sunshine in. Believe me, it's on the way…

 

CANCER (June 21-July 22): While it's good to stay sensitive to others' feelings, you mustn't allow the questionable vibes you're picking up off them to halt you from continuing to climb. Whether they intend to or not, a romantic partner, friend or colleague could pressure you to temper your ambitions… preventing you from increasing your worldly influence so you don't throw off the already-established 'balance', in order to maintain your current relationship as is. If what I'm saying sounds like it's coming from left field, Cancer, don't discount it wholesale—if this is in effect, much of it would be unspoken, maybe even unconscious to both parties. But that doesn't mean it's not actively functioning as a stop-valve on your outer-world activities right now… leading you to unwittingly undermine your own efforts, keeping everybody safe and sound and contained right where you are. This is not a problem per se, for it's up to you to decide how important this striving-to-achieve element is to your overall well-being. However, I don't want you to choose to cap your aspirations without full awareness of what you're doing—and without considering how the invisible psychic pulls from someone else might impact this choice. You needn't do anything with this week's horoscopic suggestion… other than tune into the invisible interpersonal strings that might subtly be holding you back from the hilltop throne. Only once you recognize the dynamics for what they are can you decide how best to proceed.

 

LEO (July 23-August 22): In a rather sharp contrast from last week's advice, let me encourage you to downplay those bold 'me first' tendencies that sometimes give you Leo kids a bad name. This is not the place to debate the technicalities of whether Leos really do try to make it all about themselves. (For the record, I personally don't see it that way.) What's more important is whether other people will interpret your behaviors as such, regardless of your intentions… which is why I began by suggesting you de-emphasize the parts of yourself liable to give that impression. Then, in lieu of it 'being all about you', you can make it all about the other person—or, more specifically, all about your friends. Throw yourself behind those you value, with loving support for whatever they're presently occupied with. If one of your pals has a birthday or special occasion on the horizon, volunteer to pull the celebration together. If someone needs help working on her house or is hunting for a sitter to watch her brood, roll up your sleeves and get dirty. Obviously, these types of efforts will do wonders for the quality of your friendships… demonstrating through action, rather than words (which can go real cheap), how much you care for them. But there's another fringe benefit that comes along with shifting your focus to them… and that is: It will take your mind off your own damn crap.

 

VIRGO (August 23-September 22): Put your critical-thinking cap on, Virgo, because your unrivalled analytic skills are desperately needed on the job. Aim your eye-for-detail straight into the eye-of-the-storm, and aid the folks-in-charge in figuring out what's not quite right within their organization. They are blind to what you can clearly see. And your most lucrative career move will come from helping to root out 'the bad seed', whether it's an error in the programming code, a loose gear in the engine, or one particular somebody who's not taking his/her duties seriously enough. Don't fear the consequences of speaking up. Is it worth risking everyone's professional well-being, just to avoid one nerve-wracking moment? Will you stand by and silently let efficiency and effectiveness slip? Or are you brave enough to nip this rot in the bud? You mustn't think of it as 'snitching', even if your truth-telling observations threaten someone else's job security. Rather, you'll simply be 'doing the right thing', as long as you focus your remarks on the job itself… and refrain from any personal digs. Describe the situation as you understand it, but reserve the overt assessment for those whose official responsibility it is. You are a dutiful servant, and will accordingly reap the dividends when faithfully serving your duties.

 

LIBRA (September 23-October 22): 'Life's too short not to!' That's what you should be telling yourself repeatedly throughout your week, Libra, to prevent you from settling too inertly into a comfortable—read: unchallenging, and therefore unrewarding—circumstance. Perhaps a demanding yoga class would be the ideal backdrop for illustrating the type of stretch I'm advocating… based upon what'll push you just barely to the limit of your current capabilities, but without pain and the constant need to compare your supposed 'progress' with those around you. After all, there's no absolute scale (of what, anyway?) against which you must measure yourself. The only legitimate basis for judging the kind of welcome you're offering Venus's entry into your solar 9th is whether you're taking some kind of exhilarating risk. It doesn't have to be a big life-changing one, like quitting everything on the spot and moving to Madagascar… just enough to create that mildly terrifying sensation in your body, indicating that this anticipated act will equal personal growth. With wordmaster Mercury moving into your 7th, this may involve collecting the courage to say what you need to say to a certain someone, though the thought of actually saying it aloud give you tremors or a minor case of nausea. You know you're ready to get it off your chest, even if 'ready' never feels quite ready until your mouth starts moving. (I'll bet the other person's ready to hear it, too.)

 

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): This is a perfect week for slipping back into the shadows, obscuring your face in a hard-to-read light and redirecting everybody's attention to some other so-called 'next big thing'. You don't need to work the artifice of such an ingénue role, Scorpio, because what you've got goin' on is far more captivating on a longer-term level… and far less superficial. Instead of advertising your wares in neon lights, as if you're desperately afraid they'll forget about you unless you beg them to check you out… simply be suggestive. You know how to do this, too. It's that typical Scorpionic 'air of mystery' you've woven a thousand times, to leave 'em wondering what else lurks beneath that seemingly impenetrable exterior. Work it now, m'dear. Their hungry hearts will be dying to find out more. And the less you give away on first glance, the more strongly they'll flock to your smoldering secretiveness. It doesn't quite matter which topic of casual conversation you use as the cover excuse, to mask the non-verbal communication weighing dense and sticky in the air between you. Speak about whatever you want, but most of the talking will be done with eyes, hands and energy fields. Use your power for good, however… because once they're under your spell, they stand no chance against you. What happens next is beyond the scope of this horoscope. I gather you won't succumb to yanking their chain, just to prove who's pulling the strings. Don't turn this undefined chemistry into an ego game.

 

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21): If relationships (in their various guises) are a topic of interest to you, my dear Sagittarius, then you should be pleased to learn that love-lady Venus is entering your 7th house, where our one-on-one relationships play out. This has 'good news' written all over it… especially when we throw in Mercury's transition into your 5th, which gives the planetary messenger his explicit permission to speak out, loudly and shamelessly. In other words, you get to unapologetically flash your feathers—and it's likelier than usual that your wannabe-honey or potential new partner will respond favorably (instead of, say, finding your boisterousness obnoxious). So make your romantic gestures and dramatic declarations now, while the planets are adding a touch of their love magic. Your sweetie-pie (or the one you wish was) will receive the message in the best light possible. More than that, this person may likely have some good news for you, too… but may be reserving the disclosure until they've heard what you have to say first. Get the ball rolling, then. Sing it from the treetops. And if haven't got a particular missive to deliver to a certain someone, then just sing something. There's absolutely nothing wrong with transmitting the sound of your own voice to far and wide corners. But make it an award-winning performance.

 

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19): Skip out on the obligatory scenes that'll have you plastering a gooey grin on your face and murmuring perfunctory laughs for jokes you really don't find funny. Frankly, it's a rotten week for keeping up appearances. You've got other weightier topics on your mind—or, more properly, in your heart—that too easily expose how ridiculous it would be to show up somewhere just because it's the polite thing to do. Your inner emotional process should be allowed to take precedence over a packed social schedule, or whatever other public participations feel like a distracting burden. You'll actually feel a lot happier if you throw yourself into some piece of practical work you can both start and finish within a few days' time… surrendering the need for some inspirational 'higher perspective' to a simple dedication to the task-at-hand. And it's all the better if you can work at it alone, or at least with somebody who doesn't expect you to make shallow small-talk, just to fill the silent spaces. You mustn't cave to the pressure to share what's going on inside you, unless you legitimately feel like discussing it. The truth is, you might not even know what to say. Maybe there isn't anything to say. (Say about what, anyway?) Can't a Capricorn be left to his or her own devices, without reason or rationalization?

 

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18): During the course of your week, Aquarius, you should detect a trend of increasing social activity… a passage outward, from the confines of your private wonderland to a place amidst the throes of constant contact, communication and connection. (My metabolism sped up just writing that.) Themes to emphasize as you reemerge into civilization: circulation, stimulation, the exchange of personally compelling whimsy, and basically anything that'll spur you on into this upsurge of creative thinking. Venus's transit into your solar 5th virtually guarantees a return of instamatic pleasure… that experience of every faint breeze hitting your skin with deep refreshment, of every sweet berry telling your taste-buds it's the most delicious one you've ever sample. Hyperbole, or intentionally way-over-the-top exaggeration, is strongly encouraged. Additional details or extra half-paragraphs, offered as a fanciful flourish to any tale told, are greatly appreciated. Romantic notions, as always, will fuel the beautification process. All that you mustn't do is hog your own attention, depriving the rest of us from your insightful one-liners and latest-and-greatest kooky plans. However you end up spending your week, make sure it's overflowing with a variety of short-span episodes that provide light-hearted good times. When you start to lag, change outfits and head to another part of town.

 

PISCES (February 19-March 20): Now that Mars is in your sign, of which I respectfully informed you last week, you should hopefully have a freshly recycled heap of full-steam-ahead energy at your disposal. Please note, Pisces: This energy is for you to use in looking out for numero uno… that is, yourself. So before you stop in your tracks to ponder whether you're about to step on someone's toes, just keep on going. Being considerate is a wonderful trait, and one that you generally possess in copious amounts. But you can also easily take it too far, ignoring your own desires in order to demonstrate your warmhearted allegiance to somebody else. With Mercury now in your solar 2nd, you're sitting on a goldmine packed full with flashes of intuitive genius… brainstorms intended solely to bolster your own worldly security. Your ideas have what it takes to catapult you toward increasing wealth and self-confidence, but they won't necessarily work for anyone else. Likewise, the 'sound advice' others are tossing out might be objectively intelligent, but aren't exactly what you need to be obeying. If you simply can't resist the peer pressure to follow other people's leads or sign over your future profits to a nonessential middleman, then stick stubbornly to yourself.