Horoscopes | Week of June 7-13, 2010

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In light of Jupiter and Uranus now officially conjunct in your sign, Aries, I'd be utterly shocked if you told me little-to-nothing was presently going on in your life. (In fact, it would be a flashing-neon warning sign that you're actively resisting the unavoidable pressure to move ahead to the next thing.) Presuming, then, that most of you are seeing more excitation—whether it's generating peppy optimism or overwhelming overload—than you have in a while, perhaps your biggest worry is how to consciously aim the energy, with laser-beam focus, toward the most potentially fruitful tasks. Your ruler Mars has now moved into your solar 6th (the house where we diligently plow through our day-to-day duties, chores and habits), where he both disposits and inconjuncts Jupiter and Uranus… which is a lot of astro-jargon for the fact that you both (1) possess tons of physical initiative for getting your shit done and (2) may simultaneously suffer from such an excess of desire to bust out of your day-to-day container once and for all that it may take every ounce of long-view discipline you can muster to keep from flipping the proverbial bird to all the obstacles (whether actual humans or methodological inefficiencies) and starting your own religion of No More Dicking Around! Take Action Now! (And Let the Cards Fall Where They May!). Somewhere between traditional responsibility and fuck-it-all radical independence lies a middle road. Is that the one you should take? (Or might you need to swerve more to one side than the other?)

 

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You should probably inform them you're here… and that you possess a very particular (and not necessarily 'open to interpretation') opinion on the hot-topic water-cooler issues of the day. It would be a shame, now that Mars has reached your solar 5th, Taurus, to play the bashful wallflower in really any context at all. Your presence is not only desired, but your absence would be duly noted. All that said, however, you mustn't be too taken aback, should you discover the self-expression you put forth with what you thought was elementary clarity ends up revealing something else about yourself than you consciously intended. As much discomfort as such a revelation may cause your ego, you really ought to rise to the occasion… and internally accept that folks on the outside are seeing certain parts of you that you yourself may presently be blind to. Are you willing to own that you aren't as fully self-aware as you thought? (Being a human, it's par for the course.) Will you permit just enough of this lack of knowledge to enter your consciousness, as part of an admittedly cryptic humbling process that, if handled gracefully, will yield an incredibly enhanced version of you about a year from now?

 

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): A cool refreshing breeze blows in, stirring the fallen leaves from their ground-heap… carrying away the most obvious evidence of your recent dip in this endless cycling and recycling of life's joys and sorrows. Bless the departing mementos with your gratitude (yes, gratitude), for every sort of season must come—if only in order for it to then go again, and deliver something else to replace it. While I'm sure you won't soon forget this season's events, their after-aura is now passing out of your immediate scope. And now, onto the next. Please don't feel guilty, Gemini, for moving on (if not permanently, then certainly for a nice spell). You'll do nothing dishonorable by shifting your mindset… consciously choosing to file away those remaining threads of thematic heaviness somewhere you're sure to return later, so you may entertain novel thoughts about newly relevant topics (and catch a friggin' break already). Leave your windows wide open, metaphorically speaking, and air out this stale environment. Burn the proverbial sage, if you have to, to clear the energy. You may need to battle against the part of you that's deeply attached to replaying the most tear-jerking scenes in your head over and over again, since, for the time being, all that'll do is perpetuate the angst. The full emotional processing may not be complete, but it usually occurs in stages… with intermittent intermissions for relieving one's self.

 

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Don't assume to know how your best-laid plans for success are 'supposed to' play out. The universe is a hell of a lot smarter than any one of us… even you, Cancer, with your infinite intuitive wisdoms. Just because you catch a psychic whiff or gut-instinct glimpse of your manifested future, such a vision typically doesn't neatly fill in all the narrative blanks between there and here. Sometimes, the only path leading all the way to the field of dreams (and not merely to the lovely panoramic vista overlooking it from the outskirts) is a ridiculously circuitous trail—with each marker that'll direct you to the next checkpoint only showing up one at a time, partial but curiosity-inspiring, from the mouths of various chums, colleagues and contacts. Try to cut a straight solitary byway (or so it seems) through the jungle, and you'll end up squandering at least as much energy (if not more) on climbing fences, fording streams and chopping down vegetative barriers than if you would've simply asked for advice and assistance. (Hello? Last week's horoscope ring a bell?) Your greatest career boon just may show up in a terribly non-descript package; keep totally to yourself, though, and you might never find out it's arrived.

 

LEO (July 23-August 22): Step down from the hot seat. Cool yourself off. Let somebody else serve as lightning-rod for celebratory attention and/or envious projection. You now have a reoriented life to settle yourself into, Leo… and the last thing you need are more rapidly developing or devolving situations to give you more change to adjust to. Don't let me give you the wrong idea, alas, that all the 'change' (a fairly non-descriptive word in itself, since life is always in constant flux) has already occurred; in this unusually active moment in history, each day brings new surprises. Yet, in terms of actually courting additional developments (or, as the case may be, dramas), I'd just give it a rest. Finish chewing up what's already on your plate before heading back to the buffet for second-helpings. If you don't grant yourself ample time and space to digest this latest serving, you might accidently stuff your tummy too full of treats—and end up nauseous, sluggish, and not a whole lot of fun to be around. (P.S. Beware of putting out too much on-the-record commentary about how other people in your circle are handling their lives. You're only inviting criticism back on yourself.)

 

VIRGO (August 23-September 22): Hop to it, Virgo! Everything you've been putting off for far too long now (although, since everything happens at the perfect time, that putting-off period was just right) is at last ready for your immediate attention. I expect you, therefore, to fully commit to making up for lost time over the coming several weeks… which also means that any and all forms of 'beating around the bush' should be considered off-limits (and, in fact, detrimental to your well-being). Yes, you heard me correctly: No beating around the bush. Thus, if you've been wearing a poker-face and purposely holding your tongue while privately weaving plans for a forthcoming detour (and that turn-off is now right up ahead), certain affected parties may be shocked as shit once you finally unveil your intentions to them. And since all indirect-style mincing of words and couching of truths is officially disallowed, you really have no choice but to proceed into the eye of the storm and, if circumstances demand it, to shock their shit. Of course, you actually do have another choice—let the fear freak you out to the point of personal paralysis, abandon this opportunity to assert your desires, and allow inner resentment to overwhelm you while other people continue to call your shots. (But what kind of choice is that?)

 

LIBRA (September 23-October 22): It might be quite interesting to allow somebody else to lead for several moments… just as long as you don't get dragged so far out of 'reality' (or the generally agreed-upon version of it) that you prematurely shut the door on what you're secretly hoping or planning to do a few months from now. With the tremendous Jupiter/Uranus-in-the-7th thrust to wager 'safe, sound, same-old and stale' for the contrast of wacky expansion in your important relationship(s), you have much novel knowledge to reap from the oddball influence of those close folks who love to push the envelope. Go on and let 'em push you, Libra, at least for a tentative exploratory spell (which could last several weeks). This is a rather fruitful time to cede some control, as Mars is now joining Saturn in your 12th… a planetary mix that'll make it hard to direct yourself along any clear-cut path, and instead is best used for merely protecting yourself from going too out-there (or all the way off the deep end). It's like making sure your seat-belt is fastened or you've got a backup parachute: Once those safety measures are secured, you're free to take off on the wild ride. Later next month, you can choose whether you want to keep on riding this ride—or, after having given it a fair try, decide it's just not for you.

 

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): You won't likely get as far ahead as you'd like, Scorpio, without clearly informing the people apt to help carry you there what exactly they can do for you. And yet, at the same time, if you're not fully aware of the potential impatience, irritation or envy that might unconsciously creep into your tone-of-voice as you connect with folks who have dragged their feet, not done what they said they would, and/or achieved more than you have (with less skill, panache or merit)… well, let's just say, they're not going to rush to set aside their thousands of other to-dos in order to help you. However, I have great faith in your ability to work around such emotional trigger-issues, to don the proper apparent attitude and play to their personality profile, so you increase the chance they'll give you a boost. (This could be labeled 'using your psychological wisdom'… or, just as accurately, 'being manipulative'. Depends on whether you're lying to and/or harming them.) All the while, keep going with your other, more independent work. For your physical well-being, you must continue expelling your energy, rather than merely proceeding at somebody else's pace.

 

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21): You're suffering from an increasingly severe case of 'the Everything, All at Once Syndrome'. Symptoms may include: trying to cram twenty-seven hours of activities into a day; simultaneous opportunities opening in both your public and private lives; a burning desire to stop participating in all 'obligatory' engagements (while quietly knowing there are compelling reasons not to stomp defiantly away); and/or a barely-controllable urge to tell the individual(s) who doesn't fully and genuinely support your most ambitious intentions to go screw themselves. My prescriptions for treatment: (1) Take care of all pressing work-related responsibilities during the first half of the week. Not only does the astrology favor it, but getting the gears set into motion earlier rather than later is better. (2) Strive to include portions of both strictly-disciplined effort toward goals and purely pleasurable goof-off time into each day. The more you restrict yourself from fun, the more destructively your inner rebel may react. Balance supports sustainability. (3) If you have something to say to someone, wait until the weekend or later if you want a more reasonable conversation. However, if you're eager to give 'em a piece of your mind and make sure they hear it (but don't care about hurt feelings or burnt bridges), go for it on Thursday or Friday (Jun 10-11).

 

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19): The sense of inner emotional relief/release you're craving, Capricorn, might not be as attainable via the self-righteous 'I guess I just have higher ethical standards than you do' route. As long as you feel a need to school anyone on 'the right thing to do', you're obviously still attached to the hope they will humbly admit the error of their ways and sign up for whatever exercise in penitence proves their apologetic deference. This week's struggle involves moderating the crusader in you with a more pragmatic approach to both your personal next-steps and your interpersonal communications. Don't worry about setting them straight (for this isn't a one-man/woman job and, anyhow, you're not so likely to succeed); merely concern yourself with the end result you wish to achieve. In case you were wondering, my advice says nothing about letting wrong-doers off the hook for their wrong-doings. While I feel it's always advantageous to strive for forgiveness (for your own freedom, not theirs), it's also wise not to forget. Choose your words and actions carefully, so you increase the chances of getting what you want out of the situation: Refrain from rubbing any noses in the leftover pooh-stains, but don't go so overboard as to suggest (falsely, I might add) you've forgotten who's complicit.

 

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18): By the second half of the week, the clock's ever-spinning hands will now read: 'Get back in touch.' You are due to reenter the communicative sphere—that is, to start issuing those calls and emails, posts and tweets (or passenger-pigeon missives, if that's your thing)—and to create a boisterous splash in the process. In other words, Aquarius, power up the megaphone, and blast the announcement that you're back in the business of full-time social participation. Flaunt the oddities of your personality, instead of feebly attempting to 'blend' or play Swiss diplomat. As you're making the most of your theatrical reintroduction, brace yourself for the increased possibility of confronting crass or just-plain-ugly reactions from a former partner, jealous competitor or questionable frenemy (perhaps lingering fallout from your past-six-months' trials). If such a reaction should arise, acknowledge what it says about this poor-sport's current state of mind… but by golly, do not let it stop you in your tracks. (If anything, continue on louder and prouder.)

 

PISCES (February 19-March 20): If I were to read your forecast using the most formulaic, fortune-telling-type astrology, I'd simply report (1) you're facing some choice between (a) your own positive financial evolution and (b) pressures from a romantic or business partner, (2) making this choice is apt to require some heavy-duty self-assertion on your part and/or could lead to an actual conflict, if you're having trouble getting yourself heard, and (3) past a certain basic point, there isn't really much to explain, and continuing on with the discussion is likelier to cause you to lose your balance rather than to convince the other person to see it your way. Of course, Pisces, my brand of astrology is a bit more evocative and open-to-different-interpretations. That said, the themes remain the same (and, come to think of it, aren't too dissimilar from last week's horoscope either): You're well-positioned to take big risks, based on harnessing your self-worth (and/or any investment capital you may possess) and bringing it to market… but the biggest challenge is whether you can fend off those who'd rather you expend your energies (and/or your cold hard cash) on their interests rather than your own.