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Horoscopes | Week of July 20-26, 2009

ARIES (March 21-April 19): On the eve of Tuesday's (Jul 21) solar eclipse, I'm first moved to tell you, dear Aries, that the 'heaviness' or 'criticality' often associated with such dramatic astro-moments doesn't feel (to my intuitive tingles, at least) to be quite so heavy or critical for members of your sign. While of course there will be individual exceptions to this rule among you, for the most part, you Aries folks' forthcoming situation is much more about radical freedom—and, in particular, your personal ability to revel in the soaring pleasures associated with exercising this most human gift. In other words, there's almost a celestial onus upon you, over the course of upcoming months and into the pivotal astrology of mid-next-year, to model a rebellious joy for the rest of us… essentially giving us permission to, alongside you, thumb our noses at any dark clouds of panic that threaten to expel their acid raindrops atop our auras. It is no new news that these are ridiculously momentous—and rather unstable—times in which we're living, and only getting more so every day. We could surely freak out as the suddenly-not-so-solid ground beneath our feet rattles and shakes, and that response would make sense. Or we could legitimately laugh in the face of the apocalyptic doomsdayers, with the faith that periods such as these are chock-full of chances to exercise our uniquely human freedoms to recreate existence to better suit our creative seeds;. This latter option, naturally, is far more fruitful… and fun. But to make that choice requires unbridled courage. You, Aries, are astrology's quintessential courageous pioneer, and you must lead us through this wilderness with the fighting spirit you naturally possess—and with a huge smile on your face, which reflects the knowledge that rebuilding the world is actually rather exciting and enjoyable!

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): If you Taureans are as grounded and sensible as your earthiest-of-the-earth-signs reputation suggests, then you'll understand how comforting it'll be for the rest of us if you can maintain a level head during the eclipse-addled week that's ahead. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to respond to everyone else's larger-than-life reactions to understandably nerve-wracking developments with an understated, reality-check-inspiring 'no big deal'—while, at the same time, resisting the instinct to belittle their exaggeratory demonstrativeness and, instead, exuding a welcoming sense that you understand why they may be so worked up. It's a delicate balance to strike, Taurus, between showing them you sincerely care about their emotional jumbles and helping them moderate the echoing reverberations. The last thing you'll want to do, need I tell you, is to make anybody feel ridiculous or stupid for freaking out about stuff in their life that's unquestionably up-in-the-air; that will surely turn matters more over-the-top. However, your reflecting an assuredness that everything will ultimately work out (because, of course, it generally does) can work wonders in allowing them to see past their initial freakout... and into a future in which they will have adjusted to, perhaps even flourished as a result of, the changes currently transpiring. In case this isn't clear, besides the interpersonal brownie points such assistance will yield you, the main self-serving reason why you ought to bother: Not freaking out along with 'em buys you a significant degree of personal emotional space.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): It seems odd, as I prepare to launch into your eclipse-week horoscope, to advise Geminis (of all people!) to do a little more talking… yet indeed that's part of the message I've got for you twin-souls. However, it's not simply any ol' kind of talking that you ought to engage in but, more specifically, that which directly addresses the precise items you feel you need to secure your footing. That, incidentally, is a much different thing than keeping up your end of a lively conversation (about god-knows-what) with somebody who may (or may not) be able to help you with an essential need, just to maintain a smooth enough connection so that, at some point, they might volunteer the assistance or you might subtly imply you could use a hand. You neither possess that kind of beating-around-the-bush time, nor will you succeed as thoroughly as is presently required by hinting and suggesting and scheming. Just come right out and state your situation, where you are now and where you desire to be in the near future… and be sure to pose such statements to the right person(s) who can actually do something for you. As I mentioned last week, this is not the moment for compromising on commitments you recently made to yourself regarding how you'd next proceed. And with both Mars and Venus still in your court, this direct approach is highly favored—as long as you believe you sincerely deserve what you're asking for.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): First off, Cancer, do yourself a favor and don't think 'long-range consequences'. There's simply too much conjecture involved—and, as a result, too much extraneous mental noise it'll create—when the future is dependent on a lot of variables over which your present situation bears little sway. All you can successfully handle right now is the next step, so, for the time being, please forget about (or at least consciously set aside) what happens after that. Now, as far as 'the next step' is concerned, trying to determine which is the right one to take actually isn't as complicated as it might feel... that is, as soon as you suspend the internal panic about what might transpire once you've taken it. Capture this single in-the-moment eclipse-colored snapshot of your current circumstance inside a vacuum, however, and you might be surprised to discover how obvious the right next step is. No logical analysis or clarifying discussion is necessary to lead you there; in fact, too much talking or analyzing may pull you away from the unambiguous instinct pointing toward what's right for you. You're having another one of your hunches, my dear, and they're rarely wrong. But in case I'm making the whole situation sound simpler than it is, allow me to voice this: Just because you've got a sense of what you ought to do next, that doesn't ease the anxiety of actually doing it. For a Cancerian, alas, following this deep gut-level wisdom is essential for remaining true to what makes you tick—and for keeping the hunches insightfully flowing.

LEO (July 23-August 22): What secret wisdom from your soul aren't you allowing to rise into consciousness, Leo, because it doesn't fit in with your plan, your image, or your tight timeline? Tuesday's solar eclipse on the enigmatic 12th-house side of your sign's cusp is pushing this wisdom up into your face, not unlike the way you might burp up a taste of the meal you feasted on hours earlier… only, in this case, you haven't had the meal yet. Think of it, then, as a psychic burp: a flavor from the future, if you're willing to acknowledge your divinatory sense-buds' rightful role. This week's eclipse initiates a chapter that will, a few months from now, unfold into a very noteworthy one for you Leos—from Oct 09 through Jun 10 (nearly eight months!), Mars will be in your sign, stirring your desires to start some shit up, put yourself first, and demand what you believe is coming to. That said, you will definitely want to know, as much in advance as possible, what shit you ought to be startin 'up… rather than waiting 'til the heightened Mars moment, when you're liable to react impulsively in impatience or anger to restraints others have put upon you, instead of acting with insight on your own most genuine long-term behalf. Only problem is, as long as you're worried about what other people think, your mind will be working overtime, crunching the proverbial numbers with regards to who must concede on which points in order to broker the best deal. Too much white noise. The only way you'll get a mouthful of the wisest psychic burp is if you quit talking, quit stressing about impressing people, and ask the gods to gift you with a sign from behind the veil. They will come through, if greeted with humility.

VIRGO (August 23-September 22): Don't hold yourself back or place unnecessary limits on what's possible before it even has a chance to materialize. Other people may be in the present position of needing to hone in on the more practical options among a vast menu of many appealing delicacies, but you, sweet Virgo, are almost in an opposite boat: You must try not to shut any doors that open forward into unknown futures, just because they hint at possibilities that supposedly 'aren't your kind of thing' or 'could never really work'—though, as far as both those wannabe protestations are concerned, you really never know until you try and you haven't tried before. Despite many potentially positive astro-aspects hinting at expansion in what you're doing with yourself all day (and whether you're getting enough of the rewards you deserve), that stubborn Saturn in your solar 1st threatens to inhibit your ability to reap their fruits… simply because he's trying to convince you (via the voices in your head) that without more concrete information, clear specs and rationally thought-out plans, you'd be a fool to proceed. But that's just one perspective, not the god-given law of the land. And since this week's eclipse in your 11th seems to point to influences from friend-groups or organizational-allegiances, your best bet for finding a different perspective—one that invites you to set forth without a map, to learn from doing, and to embrace the adage 'you only live once'—is from an enthusiastic, glass-half-full, ultra-heart-centered (if not somewhat 'impractical') pal or ally who has a good chance of persuading you to join along. For the sake of experience, please quit troubleshooting trouble that hasn't even happened (and may, in fact, never).

LIBRA (September 23-October 22): This week's eclipse in your solar 10th is all about initiating or solidifying your commitment to being seen, in a professional or community context, as someone who puts your whole genuine self into whatever you're working toward… rather than, say, playing it safe so as to merely protect what you already have, minimize potential losses, and forestall the inevitability of ongoing evolution. Tossing the 9th- and 11th-house influences (Mars/Venus and Mercury, respectively) into the pot adds the nuance of your being motivated, in this public arena, by an underlying sense of 'liberty and justice for all' that makes your efforts significant beyond just what'll benefit you and your ego. Therefore, Libra, it behooves this broader purpose (i.e., your investment in a certain ideal of team-minded fairness) for you to embrace the sort of leadership position that could appear suspiciously similar to 'putting yourself in the center of all', if it weren't for these guiding principles (which aren't 'all about you') that underwrite your work. In other words, the larger movement—the people you're working with and/or on behalf of, the altruistic goals you hope to achieve, the societal change you endorse—will definitely get a boost from your willingness to step up, speak out, and march on, without hesitating to stand in the spotlight because you fear such a role is too 'self-serving'. In this particular situation, it's fairly evident that to serve the greater good necessarily involves serving yourself up as a very visible main course.

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): Devote a chunk of thoughtful moments, in honor of the week's eclipse in your solar 9th, to chewing on questions of principle… specifically, what defining philosophic values could be said, when (in the last throes of breathing humanhood) all is said and done, to undergird who you have been as a person. This is not merely an exercise in navel-gazing, Scorpio (though, even if it were, such purposeful introspection wouldn't be such a terrible thing). Rather, beginning to emit the ripples of clearer guiding life-principles now, at this pivotal eclipse juncture, will assist you over the coming months. The state of your career, public life and/or community position will be an area of dynamic activity for the last quarter of '09 and well into '10… with the possibility of stirred-up dissatisfaction or conflict in your current situation, perspective-flustering starts and stops and starts in new potential opportunities, and/or repeated chances to fight for the primacy of your authentic desires (over, say, 'doing what you should' to suit someone else's priorities). In the height of that future action, you're liable to become sidetracked by personality clashes, short-term glittering promises or other superficial symbols—unless, that is, you've spent some time in advance of that heightening thinking about what really matters to you. By doing that now, before the scope and multiplicity of developments intensifies, will alleviate much confusion and minimize how much sidetracking you'll unconsciously drag yourself into. In fact, don't just think about what's most important to you; write it down and tape it to the wall above your desk, so you're constantly reminded in the months ahead.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21): How you behave toward the person(s) who's presently got your goat is not just about the relationship (whether it's tortured, treasured or something entirely else) between the two of you. As I wrote last week, Sagittarius, this is more of a personal ethical issue for you, related to how sensitively—and empathetically—you navigate this rather sensitive interpersonal situation. (This week's eclipse raises the stakes.) Maybe there's money involved, one person's got it and/or the other person needs it. Perhaps there's an imbalance in who feels which way, and with what degree of intensity, toward whom. Or is it that one of you knows 'too much' about the other's intimate reality and is flirting with an unkind misuse of that knowledge? To help yourself make the best choices, you should remove the other person from your running-through of possible scenarios altogether. Yes, you read me right: Take them out of it. More than that, even: In their place, for hypothetical consideration, substitute the face of someone with whom you have the least complicated, most easy and mutually loving relationship in your life. How would you treat that person, were they standing in the shoes of the more troublesome figure who's presently tempting you to poke them in their hot button? Wouldn't you be gentler, less vindictive, more respectful of the long-term dynamic? Stay inspired by this image, in order to up your game and proceed in any and all potentially tense or difficult encounters as you would with your most precious companion. It's not about who this other person is—it's about you being your best self, no matter who is on the other end.

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19): In the most loving, accepting and considerate tone possible, Capricorn, you might want to remind yourself: 'It really needn't matter that much to me what the hell they decide to do!' I know, I know, such a statement flirts with sounding just a wee bit angry or dismissive… but I swear it's all in the delivery. This sentiment also holds the potential to be quite liberating, if you remove any underlying vestiges of judgment from it and legitimately grant the other person the full freedom to pursue their bliss—without, either directly or through wry (and hardly subtle) implication, letting it affect whatever focus you are trying to fix on the things that you, as an individual, are up to. This week's solar eclipse in your relationship house points to a fresh break… not necessarily in the coupling itself, but in the self-righteousness (conscious or not) you may be bringing to the table in how you interact with the person(s) closest to you. They will create their own pitfalls, stumbling blocks and melodramas, just like we all do in our own ways at our own times. Don't stick your fingers in the middle of their pie and then complain you've gotten 'em dirty. You've got your shit to do; they've got theirs. You can 'stay out of it' without staying out of their lives. You can come together in meaningful interrelation without getting knotted and tangled up in each other's loose ends.

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18): Around eclipse time, where we presently dwell, you'll undoubtedly find scores of folks all around you taking dramatic about-faces, confessing shocking secrets they've kept close to their chests for way too long, and unfurling their welcome mats to greet amazing new chapters of their lives, while perhaps simultaneously turning their backs in defiant discontinuity with old stuff they're ready to leave behind. I expect this eclipse moment to treat you, Aquarius, with decidedly less self-involved drama and shock than many of the others, however… since, after all, you're essentially at a moment of open-ended optimism where you, unlike plenty of others, can rightfully see that almost any new development (whether you choose it or not, whether it seems superficially disappointing or disconcerting) is in fact a wonderful opportunity to expand your horizons and explore uncharted territory. Thank Jupiter & Co. for that precious perspective, and try to spread it around as best you can. If you're going to take this eclipse week seriously at all, it ought to be in looking out for your partner(s) and pals, caringly ensuring they don't overreact to the tumultuous vibe in the air and unduly freak out that the earth is about to split wide open and swallow them whole. If there's anything we can count on in this existence, it's that situations always change and the world keeps spinning… and, once any initial drama or shock fades into familiarity, we always, in the end, end up fine. Better than fine, actually, when we can allow ourselves to morph and mutate. Embody a comfort with that.

PISCES (February 19-March 20): Want to create real waves over this next several-month period, which is being inaugurated by Tuesday's (Jul 21) solar eclipse? Want to transform the notion you've been entertaining, about what you'd genuinely like to be doing, into what you really are doing? This, Pisces, is a pivotal moment for dedicating yourself to making this much-desired scenario actually happen—but only if you're ready to work your ass off, maybe even for a more protracted (and, at times, seemingly endless) period than ever before, between now and next spring. You've got the whole 'envision your destiny' part down fairly solidly, after all. It's the sweat-equity manifestation follow-through that's ready to spring forth, should you enlist yourself in the day-in-day-out heavy lifting, deep drilling, tireless toiling and chugging-along chore-completing required to turn visions into realities. I'm purposely trying to phrase these required efforts in words that don't make it sound 'easy'… because, frankly, it won't be, if indeed you hope to jolt your day-to-day deeds into a more self-gratifying experience. But working that much more intensely toward something you love will prove far more rewarding than working at a satisfactorily measured level in whatever lukewarm situation has circumstantially presented itself. Set intentions now. Get your feet wet with the actual work starting in late-August/early-September. Dive into the brunt of the serious labor by mid-October, and plan on spending a long time slaving… on behalf of birthing a beautiful dream into the flesh.