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Horoscopes | Week of June 11-17, 2007

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You've had quite a couple weeks, haven't you? I don't suppose I need to point out that this smooth sailing won't last forever. (Nothing does, does it?) Therefore, if you're a forward-thinking Aries—alas, many of you generally aren't—you'll want to take full advantage of it while you still can. Whatever is this special sorcerous sauce that's permeated the ethers recently… isn't it something you wish you could bottle and save for later, so any time you're feeling lethargic or off-your-rocker, you can drink it down and miraculously return to top form? That's sort of what you'll get by hatching a longer-term plan for keeping this current enthusiasm intact. If enduring happiness is indeed one of your goals (and for most of us, it is), you'll have to tame your impulsive tendencies just a smidge to reach it. First, slowing yourself down just a bit will help you not to burn out quite as fast—as you well know, racing at sprint speed can leave you ill-prepared for the marathon. Second, reconnecting with your friends (and/or making nice with whomever you may have annoyed or offended, purposely or not, during these recent weeks) will put your life back into a real-life context, as opposed to the bubble of self-direction that's kept you occupied but not necessarily interactive. And third, listening more closely to the gentler inner voice (you know, the one that periodically wants to curl up in a ball and weep, but isn't always permitted to) that tells you enough is enough will stop you from passing over from 'energized' to 'aggravated'—and save you bits of unproductive anger. If you need a night off, to cuddle up and cry, please do so. It doesn't mean you're sad, depressed or 'losing it', just because you have some emotions to release.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): 'What on earth is psychic housecleaning?' you might ask, perplexed by my suggestion that this activity is what your week's all about. Let me describe the visual I'm seeing: the head-and-shoulders of a normal person (let's say you), surrounded by what can only be called an 'aura'… only instead of being a smooth uniform outline of color-light, there are several scattered clumps of residual unsettled ('stormy', one might say) energy at a few different points around the body, disconnected from each other and quite active. Dude, I know I'm being a bit 'out there' (especially for you Taureans), but do you catch my drift? In other words, you're still under the effect of leftover agitation or disquietude—on the most obtuse, hard-to-pinpoint level—stemming from events of the past three weeks or so. While what happened is largely over, you haven't quite moved through (and thus cleared out) your reactions to said events. And rather than move forward with the dregs of psychic debris still clinging to you, I suggest you spend some time washing it off… whether through conscious mental processing, private spiritual practice, or pure-and-simple rest-and-relaxation. Get away from it all, Taurus. That's far smarter than trying to take actions to respond outwardly, in some dramatic fashion (to make your point, perhaps?) without having a very accurate sense of where they might lead you. Don't dive into that water, since it's impossible to tell just how deep it is, at least from here. Next week, Mars moves out of your solar 12th and into your sign… at which point you'll have far more to go on, and (hopefully) a cleaner aura with which to meet the world and its challenges.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Beware of becoming stricken with a bad case of the drifting beliefs. You'll know you've been exposed when your supposedly-already-made-up mind starts changing its tune, once you sense the other person in your pairing doesn't groove with your line of thinking. Then, perhaps before you even know it, you begin to perform a gradual (or not-so-gradual) backpedaling routine… and the prior-made 'declarations' have suddenly morphed backward in time into 'tentative possibilities' or (worse) 'uninformed opinions', and now you're stepping over yourself to apologize, accommodate or flatly surrender. Why cave to the pressure, whether real or imagined? Stand your ground, if you hope to show your pushy other-half that you have convictions, too. There's nothing wrong with making a steadfast commitment to what will leave you feeling most safe, secure and responsible—even if somebody else can't (or won't) understand your rationale behind it. Sometimes, to take care of your own needs, you've got to follow the gut. Now, if you're able to find true confidence in your position (knowing it's sincerely what's best for you), you shouldn't need a lot of talk to make your case. In fact, the more you opt to 'defend' yourself (as if that's even necessary), the likelier you'll mistakenly blurt out something that'll give him or her ammunition for toppling your argument. That's why too much discussion is more apt to get you into trouble, rather than get anyone to see your side more than they already do. Stay firm, but say little about the details why.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): If you haven't already noticed by now, Cancer, your mental frames of reference are currently being unsystematically strewn all over the map. Can you even determine, beyond the shadow of a doubt, which compass point is aiming north… or how many millimeters equal a mile on that lusterless legend? Well, you couldn't expect much else, when I inform you that Mercury stations to retrograde motion this week (Fri Jun 15) in your sign. When such a Merc-retro thing occurs, you're wisest to plan on unforeseen delays, complications and miscoordinations—and because the sign is Cancer, the reasons behind 'em are probably pretty hard to pinpoint on a logistical level, seeing as they're more emotional or intuitive in nature. That said, please understand: It's perfectly fine to switch your answer. We all do it, you know. And what could be a better justification for a heel-dragging or an about-face than it just doesn't feel right? More than most signs, you have an innate knack for which actions will display care and nurture for those around you… and which are bound to upset someone. As long as you're not suckering yourself out, just to play martyr in another person's big show, you should feel free to shift gears on a note of compassion or instinct. Thus, don't get too attached to choices you think you're ready to make. Over the coming few weeks, new details may come to light—and alter the picture you thought you fully understood. If that means taking more time before announcing a final decision, it's totally worth the delay.

LEO (July 23-August 22): You know how some of your friendships make you kind of nervous… like, God forbid you say the wrong thing (or the right thing when they're in the wrong mood), and you'll actually detect minor reverberations in the judgments they hold about you unfolding behind their glossy irises? And then there are others, in which virtually nothing you say or do could call into question the unconditional love and respect you hold for each other? Can you identify which are which, Leo? Or a better question (since all I can seem to do in this horoscope so far is ask questions): Do the close chums you surround yourself with represent, to the best of your friend-making ability, the kind of person you want to be… or do you just keep them around out of convenience, because it's too hard to find 'real' friends? The answers, of course, must all come from you. I cannot offer you profiles on specific pals, to tell you whether each one is a bosom buddyship-for-life or requires too much self-censorship on your part to qualify as deeply 'genuine'. (I mean, I could offer you such a service—but you'd need to get their birth info and consent, and you'd need to pay me.) But the larger point is about allowing yourself to be wholly and completely comfortable when you're with those you consider your peeps, and not having to worry about altering your behaviors in order to conform to others' standards. Now's a good time to seek out confirmation that you're hangin' with the right folks, as opposed to circulating in circles that give off the wrong idea about you. If you don't trust and adore your social companions, they ain't cuttin' it for you. If you do… well, make sure you tell 'em so on a regular basis.

VIRGO (August 23-September 22): Whenever your ruler Mercury goes retrograde, as he does this week (Fri Jun 15), there's always a heightened chance of inadvertent communicative goofs, mucked-up transmissions and detoured transportations. But as far as this particular one goes, Virgo, the worst of it will play out through your participation in team projects, social groups or friend communities (it retros in your solar 11th)—and hopefully leave the rest of your life fairly unperturbed. Aside from the necessity of heeding requisite warnings to remain patient and double-check everything, your week is excellent for sinking yourself head-to-toe into work. When it comes to meeting objectives, you're an awesome force to be reckoned with. And if you get caught up in some professional dispute, have faith you'll score the win—that is, as long as you fight fairly for what's right. However, Merc-retro will rear its ugly head the minute the disagreement veers into personal territory… even if you imagine you're sticking to the impersonal business perspective when pointing out where a co-worker's performance is sub-par. Even with the most valiant attempt to steer the friction away from personality issues, you're liable to be misunderstood as soon as you utter somebody's name—and that somebody, upon hearing his/her name uttered, immediately snaps into self-defense mode and jumps all over your words. So obviously, it'll be behoove you to refrain from naming names, if at all possible, mainly to minimize the chance of distracting everyone from the topic at hand and subjecting yourself to being blamed for blaming. I might add, once you do emerge on top, please be gracious to the apparent 'loser'… but not too gracious that it rings inauthentic.

LIBRA (September 23-October 22): Be on high alert against making dumb mistakes or silly slipups, especially in stressful career-related situations. At the same time, stay attuned to sudden revelations (especially on the unspoken level of 'finally getting it') that make themselves known to you… perhaps as an indirect result of somebody else's dumb mistakes or silly slipups. One man's blunder is another's golden opportunity—which one do you want to be, Libra? You'll swing toward the disadvantageous position if you're too eager to please the big boss or the super-important client… risking the likelihood of shoving your foot deep into your mouth, just to get on their 'good side'. Your obvious attempts at coming off charming will hit 'em flat, since your underlying motives won't be very well hidden. And since you don't get a second chance to make that first impression, opt for 'professional' over 'likable'. You'll lean closer to the gold, however, by paying close attention to others' stabs at dazzling the VIP audience with phony façades that only do a mediocre job of covering for their dissatisfactory progress on the work itself. In such situations, it's best to just observe… and let your colleague (whether a well-respected or rather-unliked one) save his own butt or dig his own grave accordingly. You'll learn a lot from watching this other person bob and weave. But no matter which way it shakes out, please bear in mind that, for this week at least, the emotional intent behind these public communications (yours and others) will speak louder—and more clearly—than the actual words themselves. Play it safe, so you're not sorry later.

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): It's a particularly intense dark Moon for you this week (Thu Jun 14), falling in your solar 8th and opposing Pluto… and the message I'm reading into it, on your behalf, is: Spend your next couple weeks working it out, one way or the other. Okay, so what is this cryptic 'it' you should be working out, Scorpio? It's some interpersonal pickle (what else did you expect?) that centers on the issue of 'give and take'—and you must figure out what's appropriate to give and to take, whether your take on the matter lines up with the other person's, and what to do if it doesn't. You're reaching the 'can't ignore it anymore' impasse moment in this situation, and you really want to get this resolved so you can move on—with or without relationship intact. Before launching any attacks, remind yourself: Your feelings may be legit, but how you express them makes all the difference between 'productive' and 'poisonous'. Do you want to be heard? Or do you just want revenge? The deep, true answer pivots on how much you actually care about the particular person. If it's enough to inspire you to see it from their perspective, you have a better chance of slogging through the potentially unpleasant negotiations toward a mutually rewarding outcome. (After all, if you really love 'em, you'll want them to be happily satisfied, too.) However, on the same token, you have more to lose with such folks. If they remove themselves from the dynamic completely, you'll miss out—another reason to be cautious with your approach. If you're merely out for blood, to secure your own dominance and squash the inadequate compromise being proposed, with no need to keep bridges unburned… that's something else entirely. I'm pretty sure you know how to handle that scenario.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21): This oath must be spoken aloud, in the presence of one or more corroborating witnesses: 'I, Sagittarius, do solemnly swear to listen carefully to what the other person in my relationship is saying about his or her desires… no, better yet, I promise to actually solicit said opinion, inviting the feedback with an open heart (and a non-reactionary mouth), rather than waiting for them to wait for me to be in the right mood. I understand that this other person might not be as direct or forceful in speaking up as I am, though his/her needs are no less important than mine. I care about equitability enough to level the playing field, making it easier than ever for other players to deliver their messages to me. I'm aware the question of whether or not I agree with what's being said is actually irrelevant to the practice of listening—in fact, it can be quite detrimental, if I'm so busy constructing my counterargument before fully establishing what central argument I'm supposedly countering. I don't want to gain my favor at the expense of my beloved other-half's satisfaction… so, from this context, I realize that a 'victory' on my part won't leave any actual victors. I own my power by not insisting on being right, but by being so secure in my selfhood that I can risk the apparent impeccability of my thought process to accommodate those I care for. I realize I'm in a rather fortunate position right now. I'm proud to extend this fortunateness outward to the other person, as a gesture of generosity that far outweighs anything else.' This oath must be kept throughout the week, and your behavior is subject to evaluation by aforementioned corroborating witness(es). Amen.

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19): If the well-meaning support you offer your main squeeze or a close friend unexpectedly blows up in your face, don't go ballistic. Simply chalk it up to a harmless misunderstanding. While your ability to empathize may be functioning at full throttle, your mastery over the right phrasings to convey that empathy is impaired by Mercury's station-to-retrograde in your solar 7th house of relationships. Though your actual designs might not align with your attempts to convey them—and thus your approach may mismatch your partner's or pal's delicate state—please know that it'll soon pass. And in light of that piece of news, don't be so hard on yourself… or on them. There's no need to hold onto any bad feelings that might've arisen, as an unfortunate result. For now, let the situation rest. Consider sinking your care into more tangible activities, where whatever physical objects you touch will be directly and productively impacted by your efforts, in a rather predictable fashion—chores, exercises, straightforward projects. All the better, too, if you can carry out the work on your own… and consequently circumvent the potential for more Merc-retro-in-the-7th misconstrued messages. Why not set yourself up for basic successes in self-contained contexts… rather than having your helpful offerings mangled and munched by the sheer nuisance of trying to communicate effectively in a setting of crossed signals?

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18): For all you single Aquarians out there, it's an ideal week to hit the dating scene—and to face any fears that might hold you back from it. When you go out for an evening of entertainment with another person (and don't overlook that fun is the whole point of a date), you needn't worry about whether you've found Mr. or Ms. Perfect. Even in the worst-case scenario, there's always a way to reap some kind of enjoyment for yourself… though it may be found in remembering all the gnarly details, so you'll have a great story to tell for years to come. When you're scanning the possibilities at a party or club, you don't have to size everyone up in advance, according to some list of criteria that might exclude a good match due to an arbitrary detail. At any given moment (if you can stay in this one right here), it's not about landing your dream guy/girl, as much as just being in the game. Quickly shutting out a huge number of options doesn't actually get you to the altar (or wherever you're hoping to get) any more effectively. Meanwhile, if you're already partnered up, it could be time to speak up—kindly and gently, of course—on topics where you wouldn't mind seeing things change. Don't phrase your conversational starters in terms that criticize your other half, but rather in a way that centers on what you want to get that you're not getting. It's super-important not to put the squeeze on your squeeze, so that your feedback increases their sense of pressure. Instead, talk about 'growth' and 'excitement'… you know, that kind of thing. And make sure it's clear how both of you will benefit.

PISCES (February 19-March 20): After a rather happenin' helping of activity and excitement recently, it's quite likely you've overlooked (mistakenly or on purpose) a few key items on that seemingly never-ending to-do list. These aren't the big-mamas of the undone tasks, however… you know, the 'reorganize your office space' or 'paint the house' sort that lingers over your head for six months or a year at a time, leaving you with a perpetual shadow of guilt for shirking your duty. No, Pisces, these are just a smattering of finer details—an unpaid bill, a minor repair, a trip to return something at the department store (and put a couple extra bucks back in your pocket)—that require a good chunk of your time this week. But they needn't hog an inordinate amount… and you shouldn't feel like they come at the cost of the enjoyable moments you've recently been partaking of. Rather, attending to the practical loose ends, with a bit of cleaning and chore-doing and getting back on track, will only leave you feeling more settled and sane… at which point you'll be better able to get back to the fun. Don't think of it as the necessity of completing work before getting to play—that'll make it all too tempting to skip ahead, and shun the 'work' part. Instead, conceive of the errand-running and bed-making like preparations that must be made, in order to grant yourself the total freedom to leave it all behind, knowing it's been taken care of. You wouldn't leave for a road trip without charging your mobile phone and filling the car with gas, would you? Same difference.