Horoscopes | Week of June 14-20, 2010

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Being creative here on the earthly plane requires an astute blend of (1) inspired vision and (2) sweat-labor persistence in bringing the inspiration into being. Right now, Aries, you've got both core ingredients flowing through your person in abundant supply. Venus's entry into your solar 5th, to trine Jupiter and Uranus, is a creatively playful transit… which provides the promise of catapulting you beyond the same tired retreadings, if you're willing to outwardly experiment with whatever latest crazy notion pops into your awareness. As long as you keep copies of your previous draft or other breadcrumbs to lead you back to where you started should you not like where your creative play carries you, there's little harm in darting way outside the box. Meanwhile, Mars and Pluto join forces across your work houses (the 6th and 10th), injecting ruthless passion into your drive to get this shit to the next level of completion. Couple these two influences, and you have the makings for a tremendously productive week for self-expressive projects and/or self-managed careers—or, if we split 'em up, a totally gripping workweek and a lot of playful fun after hours.

 

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You might think me ape-shit mad when I inform you of the increasing benefits you may soon experience from insistently carving out ample alone-time—more than your typical mini-moment of half-peace and sort-of-quiet (a lot more); the self-indulgent joy in sheer privacy (i.e., nobody expects anything from you); a profound sense of being cared for (because you're actually caring for yourself)—right when it seems like occasions for mixing and mingling and making your presence known are multiplying like breed-happy bunnies. I'm not kidding, though: Despite countless chances to lose yourself among the social throngs through leisurely time-frittering, I wouldn't recommend taking your 'loss of self' so lightly. (See how the tone changes with a little rhetorical rearranging?) While 'losing yourself' is presently a useful direction to head, there is a meaningful distinction between (1) going along with a crowd, allowing interpersonal persuasiveness to mold who you appear to be, for the ease of social exchange, and (2) consciously dissolving your ego, in order to evaluate whether certain outward identities still accurately describe you. It's this latter contemplative version I'm endorsing which may serve you better as a solitary affair.

 

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Outwardly, remain non-committal. Just as you're (hopefully) making external moves toward some new chapter of day-by-day existence, you're still (unfortunately?) burning off some residual emotional stress in your private life. Therefore, Gemini, I must strongly persuade you not to get yourself too far into whatever this 'next thing' appears to offer… not because it's bad or wrong, but simply to mitigate how much of your still-tender innards you flirt with rubbing raw again before they've had the chance to heal. In fact, at this point, one 'next thing' might just as easily be swapped for the next 'next', or the one after that, and it would be perfectly understandable if you kept all your latest engagements at a fairly innocuous, arms-length distance. My wish for you, in presenting this horoscope advice, is that you take it as permission to occupy yourself with uncomplicated, entertaining social encounters—and whenever you start to stress about some possible deeper implication or consequence, you cap that moment's involvement and flit on to something (or somebody) else. Anything more than that could spawn additional overwhelm or drama you just don't need right now.

 

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Want to conjure another new opportunity? some extra bucks? a more public venue for confidently sharing the worldly knowledge you've worked hard to attain? Put your feelers out, Cancer. Don't wait for them to come feeling for you. If you're willing to happily take responsibility for all the social reachings-out (instead of internally fussing over whether you'll be bugging your acquaintances by initiating a conversation), you may receive a more powerful response than you expected. This is an exercise in owning pride in your capabilities… with simultaneous understanding that, even though it's likely not everybody will welcome your contact with open arms, such responses pose no judgment on your overall suitability. I did mention a 'powerful' response, right? 'Powerful' can imply either powerfully enthusiastic or powerfully put off. Here's the catch: Regardless of which way they react, it's all ultimately good news for your growth process. You can't expect the charmed 'yes' without your fair share of 'no's.

 

LEO (July 23-August 22): Your assignment for the week, should you choose to accept it, is to honor Venus's arrival to your sign (where she stays through Jul 10) by prioritizing the pursuit of your version of transcendent beauty. What exactly that means, Leo, is up to you insofar as (1) you derive an immediate appreciation of life's grandeur from the experience, (2) it opens your eyes to what else is out there, beyond the day-to-day aggravations, and (3) you feel more alive than ever afterwards. On the other hand, Venus doesn't really want to hear your complaints, since a lack of gratitude for all that you have is the surest deterrent to her bringing you any more goodies. I'm not dismissing the possibility you may indeed have real reasons to complain—merely reminding you that, after months of conflict-managing and problem-solving, you're in major need of focusing on the positive. Dismiss that new-agey thinking if you'd like, but most major modes of philosophical understanding are in agreement: We see what we want to see. And aren't you overdue for seeing the good everywhere you look?

 

VIRGO (August 23-September 22): Please don't convince yourself you need to glimpse fairly instantaneous affirmation that what you're doing is working, in order to continue with it. You waited this long, Virgo… you can't seriously expect the entire picture to change overnight, just because you've gotten your groove back and are now so very ready to rumble. Your naturally reasonable process of (1) making a small move, (2) waiting and watching for results, (3) analyzing the results, so you might revise the plan based on them before then (4) making another small move is simply not the appropriate approach during this unusual season. Instead, you ought to just keep on goin'… making move after move after move (and none of them necessarily so modest they don't attract notice), without expecting to receive clear feedback as to how or whether you should tinker with this strategy, until sufficient time has passed that you suddenly look up and gasp at how dramatically the scene has indeed evolved. By all means, don't stop now—and don't fuss about what the numbers presently read. Revolutions are waged one humble day at a time, but the revolutionaries rarely pause to question the spirit that's propelling them onward.

 

LIBRA (September 23-October 22): Keep on cruising by on charm, at least for the time being… but please be clear on the difference between (1) putting on your people-pleasing face and saying all the right things in order to fit in and (2) deploying charisma to gain yourself entry into stimulating social-scenes, to gather data (from the 'exploring your curiosities' perspective) for possible future self-reorientations. In case you're missing my drift, Libra, you needn't strive to squeeze yourself into a particular box, simply to participate… especially when you can just as easily play the 'innocent experimenter' role (not so innocently as they might presume, I'll add) and allow yourself to protrude as something of an outsider (albeit a polite, likable one). Meanwhile, your chaperone, accomplice or escort must be granted a wide berth for his/her eccentricities—without judgment on your part—in order for you to experience something way out of your comfort zone, semi-vicariously through them (and tentatively for yourself). Grin and talk your way into odd circumstances, but without signing any release forms.

 

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): From last October through just this month, Mars was stirring up an unbelievably unsettled vibe in your house of career/outer-world ambition (the 10th), leaving many of you without a stable position, an easy relationship with a boss, and/or a calm acceptance of your current level of achievement. That has now given way to Venus entering your 10th, Scorpio, which bespeaks of you finally seeing more fortunate dividends from that long span of strife. Her double-trines to Jupiter and Uranus in your 6th tell me you're likeliest to actually reap evidence of Venus's good-luck effect by scrambling up the daily processes you deploy to get stuff done. Work earlier or later hours. Begin with Step Four, skip Two and Three altogether, and create a different version of One to serve as Five. If given the choice between following the typical-protocol neat procedures and purposely demonstrating a D.I.Y. rebelliousness in your methods, be the rebel. You won't likely tap into the vein of opportunity if you merely continue going through the motions of the same perfunctory tasks day in and day out; instead, you'll emit an energy of tedium.

 

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21): I won't urge you to ignore your accelerating wanderlust. I'm past the point of testing your patience, dangling the equivalent of a freshly-baked pie beneath your nose and expecting you to demurely murmur, 'No, thank you,' and return to your celery sticks. Life only gets more exciting from here, Sagittarius… which is why I'm deeply suspect of any Sags claiming a current lack of major engagement with some expansive, enjoyable activity you've determined to be personally meaningful to your life. Thus, if you have nothing going on that'll rally your enthusiasm, you probably need to get away from day-to-day life… for such much-needed 'putting life into perspective' distance. Can you steal a quick vacation? a weekend retreat? a class, study-group or adventure that'll free up your excessively-occupied busywork mind, so it may attune to a more contemplative vibe? For your sake, I hope so. I understand your professional life may be requiring more of you than ever. That's exactly why you need to step back and straighten out your priorities: if only so you truly understand why you're working so hard.

 

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19): As we discussed last week, there's a fine line between (1) an almost-intimidating firmness in your moral stance, if indeed you are that confident in your knowledge of what's right for you and (2) a preachy proselytizing attitude toward others, implying your self-confidence makes you a 'better' or 'more together' person (and that what works for you ought to work for them just as aptly). I do advocate your firm stance, Capricorn, even to the point where it could seem excessively rigid to those who'd prefer you to see finer shades of grey among your stark blacks and whites. Just be sure you're sure, if you're going to draw such an 'all or nothing' line in the sand—after all, you could end up on the 'nothing' side. Still, if you're that sure, you'll exemplify a model of clear-cut integrity for the folks who are stumbling around the middle-ground, fumbling for a compass point. Yet, I hope you'll also experience a certain freedom from too much psychological attachment to whatever collateral fallout may come from others reacting to your firmness. That's where the 'papa don't preach' part comes in: Once you've made your position known, continuing to press it onto them actually detracts from its power. If you're that sure, why be so attached to whether anyone else is on board?

 

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18): Have you forgotten how irresistible you can be, Aquarius? Wouldn't surprise me if you had. Therefore, I'm thrilled to report you're due to receive a flattering reminder of your undeniable appeal. With Venus entering your house of interpersonal-relating, others should be pleased as punch to revel in your company—a delightful switch from all those months of Mars making you somewhat more disagreeable. Use this influence to your advantage, by frosting the surfaces of your 'get-back-in-touch' communications with an extra layer of overtly-expressed appreciation for pals' presence in your life. Nothing begets more good vibes than sending 'em out yourself. In other news, if there's unpleasant interpersonal business that requires attending to (though I'm sure you'd prefer not to deal with it now that life's finally lightening up), attending to it once and for all will set off a chain-reaction of personal healing deeper than you may realize. (Imagine not feeling paranoid about that certain something blowing up in your face…)

 

PISCES (February 19-March 20): One of the nicest things you can do this week, Pisces, is to take a more-aggressive-than-usual interest in a pal's or partner's social well-being… and actively encourage them to either (1) spend more time with the folks who really get where they're coming from and/or (2) limit the unsupportive impact certain other individuals may be having over their day-to-day lives. In other words, if you're presently sensing which behaviors are likeliest to increase the happiness of somebody you care for, please inform them of your observation—even with the knowledge that it's far 'safer' not to offer feedback on other people's choices. Yes, of course, it's possible they won't take it with the good-hearted intentions you possess. (You do have good intentions, right? You wouldn't be urging 'em to dump their best friend and focus all their energies on you, purely for selfish reasons, would you?) But I still think the positive potentials outweigh the negatives in this scenario… especially as such proactive relationship investments on your part will go far to counteract your unhealthier tendency to 'be okay' with whatever anybody else is doing (when, at the same time, you secretly harbor certain opinions on the matter).