Horoscopes | Week of October 19-25, 2009

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Don't presume to know what is or isn't available from the other people in your life, whether lifelong intimates or virtual strangers. You can't accurately assess their drift until you're willing to stick around and hear it straight from their lips. And you might be very delightfully startled, Aries, at how eager they are to provide you collaborative support or companionship… if only you lower the speed of your jet-propelled 'Lone Ranger' craft enough so that a life-saving co-pilot can hop in alongside you and turn this solo 'finding yourself' journey into a raucous road-trip movie script, complete with Abbott-and-Costello-ish banter and the occasional greasy-spoon pitstop. Forget about reviewing the skills-list on their resume or checking their personal references. Who do you want to spend your time with? Who'll make the whole endeavor so much more entertaining that you find yourself getting even more excited? Make an enticing proposal. Spin 'em a spiel they can't resist. Throw in an appropriate amount of flirtation, and turn this one-man/woman show into a fruitful dialogue. Really get into it with at least one other noteworthy 'someone else'.

 

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): While the more actively challenging front will remain the domestic one, you have some less-effort-requiring 'low-hanging fruit' waiting to be plucked in the job sphere. This would be an excellent week for some considered, purposeful planning, so that you might spend the remainder of 2009's days working by design, rather than haphazardly filling your get-stuff-done time with whatever happens to come across your desk that moment. Just the most moderate amount of attention paid to listing your priorities in order of importance and scheduling your workdays accordingly, Taurus, will reap major increases in efficiency and effectiveness… as well as eliminate the wasteful expense of mental energy that disorganization breeds. I swear, though: This is not a chore. It is a demonstration of self-respect, of properly valuing your limited work-hours as worthy of reserving for that which matters most. If you're feeling any resistance to such a deliberate delegation of your productive energies, it's probably due to underlying discomfort with fully owning your enhanced, expanded position in the world. (In other words, you no longer need to consume yourself with so much shitwork.)

 

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You have every right to be excited about what you're excited about. My guess, Gemini, is that you've (finally!) nabbed a more uplifting glimpse on a certain matter you'd been privately chewing on or stressing about over recent weeks… and isn't it natural, then, to outwardly express your jubilant relief about the breakthrough? As much as your potential revelation excites me, I also want you to be prepared to face resistance (from other people or circumstances out of your control) to this newly-obtained high-mindedness. It's as if the implication being made is that you're being too naïve or blindly hopeful, glossing over details or complications requiring greater attention, or otherwise painting too simplistic a picture of the situation. Please don't lose your patience, should you face such obstructions or insinuations. Though there may indeed be traces of legitimacy among their attempts to impose extenuating factors, they ought not be permitted to overpower your newfound optimism. And you needn't put back on a furrowed brow or a weighty carriage in order to deal with 'em. Cherish the upbeat—it's an asset for, not a hindrance to, coping with reality's checks.

 

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Messages sent non-verbally out the microscopic apertures in your energy field should be aimed toward holding your psychic own. Reassure the world (and certain of its pushier participants), with metaphysical gestures of comfort, that you still care… as you're simultaneously putting a proverbial arm out. With nary an unkind word exchanged (if even an aloud utterance at all), you are vying for self-control against the downward-sloping pull of others' psychic needs. You love being loving, but come on, Cancer, you've got yourself to worry about. In constant transmission of this 'boundaries' message, there is no cleavage through which you're susceptible to receiving. No, you're not a hard ass. Speaking macro-level, you're sandbagging the property line so as to create a safe haven. Later, perhaps, it'll be secure enough to invite in your fellow wearied travelers for a slice of peach pie and a spot of Earl Grey. By then, though, you will have pulled yourself and the house (metaphoric or literal) together. You'll later appear at the castle gate eager to host company with open nurturing arms. But for now, the neon sign flashes an elusive 'no vacancy' (though, as I said, without actual words). Flip on this do-not-disturb vibe for a spell, just as one lets the door-to-door solicitor believe nobody's home because, just out of the shower and wrapped in a towel, who needs to answer the knock of someone else's agenda?

 

LEO (July 23-August 22): At intermittent moments during the lengthy transit of Mars through your sign (remember it lasts until June 2010), you may well feel a strange unfettered sense of 'no limits!' that doesn't exactly agree with the prevailing experience of most of us presently feeling caught between a rock and a hard place. Indeed, Leo, this could be one of those moments, inspiring you to bite off a big ol' piece of life… and to attempt to consume it without first putting in a sufficient number of chews. I'm sure I don't need to point this out to you (although maybe I do), but there actually are limits. To extend this metaphor of digestion, then, you're presently in danger of either (1) choking on the unrealistically large hunk of experience you're rushing into trying to swallow or (2) successfully getting it all down but ending up with a very upset tummy in the not-so-distant future. In other words, beware of falling prey to the seemingly endless temptations afforded you at this grand-buffet vision of a feast. In all areas of life, pace yourself. The physical bounds of humanhood can only process so much of life at one time. Dole it out responsibly, or you'll unintentionally set yourself back.

 

VIRGO (August 23-September 22): In work, finance and process-related contexts, helping them will help you. Naturally, I won't presume your generosity with non-judgmentally doling out pragmatic suggestions or guidance is merely a factor of what you want to get out of it, Virgo. With your intrinsic orientation toward service (a la 'doing the best job is what's most important'), such blatant self-serving calculation when providing assistance just isn't your style. Still, there's no reason to overlook the simple fact that offering, with an unguarded openness, your unquestionable acumen in these certain areas to other folks who clearly need the help… this will benefit you, though in ways you can't necessarily discern at the moment. And considering you're now entering this 'upcoming period of potential confusion', it doesn't much matter how it benefits you. Just remember this: Happily volunteering your knowledgeable support = good; quietly (and vengefully?) standing by as they tragically flop around and muddle through = not so good.

 

LIBRA (September 23-October 22): There will plenty of time for seriousness in your not-so-distant future, Libra, so let's not make this moment purposelessly heavy. Have fun with it! Permit yourself less perpetual self-consciousness, alleviating (if only temporarily) the worries about what other people will think about you if you simply let loose. In case I haven't made this abundantly clear: This is one of those rare windows of eased fortuitousness, during which you can 'get away' with more than usual. Why wouldn't you take advantage of it now, while supplies last? Let your remarks roll off the tongue with that much more unreserved frankness, knowing the planets' watchful blessings will soften any edges before they hit your audience's ears. Be that much more daring (rather than diplomatic) and outrageous, aware that your surprising behaviors are likelier to make your dumfounded pals giggle until their drinks come out their nose than to leave 'em disappointed or otherwise judgmental. It's all about the playful attitude behind what you're doing, rather than the actual specifics. As long as you're not being mean-spirited (overtly or subconsciously), you'll be cool.

 

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): One of my very best Scorpio friends has long hailed 'Scorpio season'—that is, the time of year around his birthday—as his annual occasion for disappearing from the scene for a few weeks, diving inward into the grey of the oncoming chill (the typical weather up here in the Northern Hemisphere, at least), and brooding on whatever shadowy depths Scorpios explore when the sky is crisp and nobody else is around. I, of course, have always wondered whether it's just an excuse to be unapologetically moody or morose for a little while. But not being a Scorpio myself, I guess I have to take him at his word. Well, my sting-happy scorpion, that season has arrived again, with the Sun moving into Scorpio this week (and sextiling Pluto, no less) like an engraved invitation to be your broodiest, moodiest, most emo-romantic self… away from public view, owing nobody any explanations, and maybe not even bothering to return their calls for a couple weeks. (Let 'em wonder, right?) I'll also add that this would be a good moment for casting some secretive magic spell to pinpoint your intentions (as long as nobody's free will is impeded upon)—and just as bad a moment to mouth off to your boss, who isn't likely to buy into 'Scorpio season' as a pretense for behaving bitchily.

 

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21): If you rightfully see more for yourself than what's currently laid out in front of you, then you should have no trouble taking part in the conversation without allowing the sentiments expressed therein to upset you too greatly. Indeed, Sagittarius, you ought to be able to leisurely browse the marketplace of ideas, listening to all the desperate hustlers spinning sales-speak tales intended to win your official endorsement… and still avoid having to publically commit a single nickel toward any particular deal, which would potentially tie your hands at an untimely juncture. Bowing completely out of the conversation, alas, is too unlikely a Sagittarian behavior for you to put forth without raising some skeptical eyebrows. On the contrary, you might as well encourage the discussion to continue by posing sincere open-ended questions that pull the stakeholders ever deeper into their fact-finding, decision-making process—and distract any-and-everybody from expecting you to make a judgment call. For all that you wisely choice to omit from the public record (which essentially amounts to all firm opinions on your part), you can surely substitute obvious demonstrations of lively engagement in the topic… though, ultimately, your real future investment likely lies far beyond this myopic debate.

 

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19): Your relative sense of self-esteem is peculiarly susceptible to boosts or dips, based directly upon whether you're able to express yourself with both crisp clarity and cordial consideration. You will feel so good about yourself, Capricorn, if you can just come out with it… but in a manner that demonstrates you understand where they might be coming from, and yet without necessarily kowtowing to their perspective by watering down your truth. Similarly, you probably won't feel so hot if either (1) you don't convey what, at least according to your inner compass, needs conveying or (2) you say it with too much of an edge and, even if attaining what immediately appears to be mutual understanding, end up spawning needless under-the-surface antagonism. Please don't underestimate your forcefulness (intended or not), with its power to intimidate—and thus, don't underestimate (with Mars in your 8th awkwardly rubbing against Pluto) how close it is to getting really nasty, if you're not conscientious with your force.

 

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18): Grab your balancing pole and properly position your center of mass, Aquarius, because you've got a tightrope to walk. As a man or woman of principle, I have no doubt you believe strongly in a particular stance that you know better than to betray. And as you've learned even more about your guiding values during this Jupiter-enhanced year, you've hopefully gained that much broader an understanding of why you believe what you do… and/or grown in compassion for those you see it differently. This week, the astrological indicators are setting you up to present a smoothly articulate synopsis of this certain stance—not only by providing a circumstantial reason you must state your case, but also with an easier-than-usual ability to do so. The tightrope part? The 'circumstantial reason' may well involve some interpersonal conflict or clash, which requires you to explain to a disagreeing someone where you're coming from… and which, due to both your expanded confidence and ease of articulation, could cause you to come off sounding extremely pompous or superior (qualities that, incidentally, undermine true Aquarian principles). Just because you know what you believe and are able to say it so smoothly, that doesn't mean you are more objectively right than they are.

 

PISCES (February 19-March 20): Against the broader backdrop of 'attacking whatever unfinished work you've left to gather dust for too long now' (which is the true duty that calls you), you cannot allow others' yearnings (or manipulations) siphon away your focus. Letting existing interactions or interpersonal dynamics simply float along as they've been may seem to save you effort, since 'no change' appears to equal 'nothing new to do'. However, Pisces, it also equals 'no progress'. I'm sure the scariest thing about drawing certain uncomfortable conclusions about how to proceed or speaking certain sharp-sounding comments that'll 'cut it off' is the unknown quality to what'll happen afterward. Thankfully, the Jupiter-Neptune-Chiron conjunction in your 12th is looking after (by trine) your 8th-house Mercury's impetus to use your mind to alter the relational vibration. No, you cannot know how daring to utter irreversible desires or acknowledge unavoidable self-made observations will change the entire energy between you. Yet, we do know that leaving things as they are (as I've already told you) will increase the burdensome suck of personal power away from you and toward who-/whatever's dominating the tone.