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Horoscopes | Week of September 6-12, 2010

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Are you still stomping your feet, kicking your chair, and going on and on about how all those exciting next-steps appear to have come to a grinding halt? We've already been through this, Aries: You've hit the limbo-like lull (though, truthfully, it's not really calm enough to 'lull' anybody into anything) between two intervals of fairly active advances. This is not a sign, therefore, you've hit a permanent dead-end or nothing more will come of all your hard work. It's just a factor of timing. And this chunk of time is intended for cleaning up any traces (or puddles) of bad blood between you and any individual, authority-figure or organization who holds the ability to make things harder for you than they need be. Forthrightly acknowledge to said folks where you could've done better—without expecting them to follow suit, since 'tit for tat' is not necessarily the name of this game (and you can only do you, after all). It's also a period for investing more deeply in those with whom you share a passion but haven't had a chance to 'go all the way there' with. The progression of events, which you're eagerly waiting on, will pick up again later.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Still got stuff to finish that'll require you to sequester yourself away from too much interpersonal distraction? Well, hop to it then, Taurus, since I see the remainder of your year being occupied—and rather happily, I might add—with more meaningful one-on-one interaction than perhaps has recently been the case. In fact, I would be remiss not to mention the heightened possibility of an unexpectedly fresh relationship involvement or on-again recurrence of some prior commingling, thanks to Venus's prolonged presence in your solar 7th. This could prove to be your chance to finally unite your stated relationship-related ideologies with your actual lived experience (since it's all too common to sell our beliefs out when we fall under the spell of romance)… though, for that to be the case, you should brace yourself for awkward stumblings and uncomfortable conversations, which are essential ingredients of an authentic bond. For now, though, it's enough to clear your plate as best as you can, to prepare a supportive setting for whatever transpires next.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I will once again make a case for you going out of your way to carve out mornings, afternoons and/or evenings for unapologetic frivolity. Seriously, Gemini, you need the playtime. Still coming off some admitted shocks to the system, your nerves have been too frazzled not to soothe their frayed ends in your personal version of a 'cool glass of water' (or 'of gin', as the case may be). And soon enough, you'll have some more shit to deal with, as the next chapter in whatever's already had you covered in the stuff presents itself… though I'd say it may be more a factor of you tackling the logistical side-effect integrations of your already-altered reality (e.g., functional business tasks, shifts in daily habit, clean-up work) than you having to swallow even more heavy news. These assignments you have ahead of you will, for better and possibly for worse, make these affected circumstances more real. Before 'going there', please steal yourself some more fun, okay…?

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Find a little time to see those pals you adore but haven't had a chance to hang with in way too long. I'm harboring this sneaking suspicion, Cancer, that as this month dissolves into the next, you're liable to fall into some wholly absorbing leisure participation—maybe amorous? maybe artistic? undoubtedly entertaining!—that'll suck up more of your spare hours than you can presently imagine. And while this is indeed titillating news (isn't it?), you shouldn't expect to end up with any additional opportunities for reaching out beyond what (or who) is right in front of your face any time soon. (If anything, you'll feel even busier, but in a desirable way.) Therefore, do it now. Plan a few coffee-klatches, card-games or cocktail-hours… whatever informal meet-ups will allow you to touch base with those friends who may not be your 'everyday people' yet still hold importance in your life. Otherwise, a lot more time will pass before you even notice.

LEO (July 23-August 22): Wrap up the bulk of that 'unfinished business' now. Pretty soon, Leo, you might not feel much up to it… mainly because you're soon to rediscover the joys of quieter home-bound incubation time (and/or to hit abruptly up against whatever's inhibiting your ability to enjoy such private quiet). In the short term, then, close the loop on as many incomplete communications as possible, over the relatively brief period of this week and next. If you've got to sit yourself down for a six-hour stint of conversational closures, bill payments, inbox clearings-out, status-update comments and follow-ups, and hilarity-inspiring punctuation marks… by all means, get it all taken care of in one fail swoop. You won't want to leave any justifiable reason for colleagues or acquaintances to still 'need' something from you, so they may later intrude upon your hibernation. Nip that in the bud up front.

VIRGO (August 23-September 22): With a new moon (Wed Sep 8) and your ruler Mercury ending his silly retrograde (Sun Sep 12)—and both events occurring in your sign—this is a super-powerful week for consciously setting your intentions for how the remainder of '10 is to play out. Yes, Virgo, we're already talking about the end of the year… and between now and then, you may surprise yourself with how much energy is spent learning (1) how to gently correct folks, acquaintances and strangers alike, when they've gotten a wrong impression of you, misinterpreted a fact or taken undue liberties, but (2) without coming off like a superior-sounding know-it-all or an uptight bitch. This is a wonderfully ripe lesson in both choosing your battles wisely (because sometimes it doesn't really matter if their facts are wrong) and appreciating the not-always-purposeful intensity with which you may invest offhand remarks that don't really warrant such overemphasis. In setting intentions, then, I'd concentrate on prioritizing impeccable precision in those areas where your results are most significant in shaping the overall direction of your life… and lightening up everywhere else.

LIBRA (September 23-October 22): Recently, it's more important for you to identify what it is you want (and/or don't want) than to occupy yourself with worries about how to nab it. You Librans often must wrestle your judicious inner-considerer into submission, in order to hit a core of purer heart-centered inclination—untempered desire!—without already assessing its functional feasibility. Hopefully, over this past month of heightened planetary activity in your sign, you've gained a closer understanding of your uniquely individual proclivities in this world. (No more watering it down to try to suit other people, right?) The next many weeks ahead, then, shall serve as your experiment in seeking to secure those most-desired goodies… with the fair expectation that it'll likely take multiple stabs, with much effort, by varying strategy, in order to pull it off. Give yourself through the end of the year. It's worth the investment.

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): Now, it's on. Or at least it's beginning to be so… with this 'on' representing nothing less than an unqualified onslaught of positive attention streaming in your direction, Scorpio, thanks to Venus's entry into your Wednesday (Sep 8). No need to paint yourself gold and assume the go-go dancer's stance atop a bumping speaker quite yet, though, since you've got plenty of time to take advantage of that extra sparkle to your shine. While Venus ordinarily spends about 3-4 weeks in a sign, she'll remain in Scorpio this go-around through early January (minus a few weeks in November)… a result of her upcoming retrograde (Oct 8-Nov 18), which is more news than you need to totally digest now, but which will obviously put you in the spotlight for some time to come. Your traditional ruler Mars won't hit your sign until next week, however. Then, you'll be better positioned to assert specific desires or other agendas. For this week, just start casually letting people know you're actively readying your big comeback.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21): In what might read like incredibly challenging advice to follow, I recommend gallantly tabling all covetous questions regarding when you're ever going to 'get yours' until 2011. That definitely does not mean halting your goal-driven efforts to attain this elusive 'yours' by working your little buns off. On the contrary, Sagittarius: The next couple weeks ahead are fantastic for coordinating your professional action-plan for the rest of '10. Just don't fill your spare moments with impatient finger-tapping and clock-watching, as if you need to check every few seconds to see if the big deal has shown up yet. While your thoughtfully-exerted energies won't be going to waste (far from it, in fact), the benefits you'll reap from those expenditures aren't likely to appear in identifiable form for a few more months. They are developing behind the scenes until just the right moment. That incredible challenge I mentioned, therefore, is really about how strongly you can hold faith in the truism that sustained consistent effort does pay off—if not sooner, then surely later—without the short-attention-span demons causing too much trouble.

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19): Take the initiative, and volunteer glimpses of your wider vision for shared benefit. But don't just leave it at the level of brainstorm suggestions, Capricorn—assume responsibility for putting words into action, not as a lone pack-mule, but as leader and inspirer and co-participant all in one. You're sure to draw great pleasure from the 'we're all in this together' camaraderie you'll help create… not to mention the wonderful feeling you'll be left with, as you see this collective project take shape before your very eyes over the coming months. Part of this process, a bit further down the road, could involve you discovering an undesired or untrustworthy link in your chain of alliances, a person who isn't playing by the rules the rest of the group agreed upon and who therefore needs 'dealing with'. The onus will likely fall on you to do this dealing, firmly enough that the sanctity of the team is preserved (though it might necessitate an unpleasant ejection) but not so despotically that it jeopardizes your ability to be a team-player and -leader. You actually do need to work with other people… the right ones, that is.

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18): You may not be out of the woods yet, Aquarius, but you once finally 'get there'—which essentially means 'disentangling yourself from recent snags', and which shouldn't take more than another few weeks—you can expect to receive some sort of hoopla in honor of your longer-term achievements. Actually, to be more precise, these two developments will be unfolding sort of simultaneously, the de-snagging still tapering off while the recognition begins to pick up. Over these next several months, with Venus stuck in your public-reputation house (the solar 10th) for an unusual length of time, you'll almost surely climb another rung up the ladder toward that goal you've stretched so diligently toward. But in a seemingly cruel twist of fate, you'll have to confront whether this latest ascent provides you the sense of fantastic reward you've long lusted after… or if it's some weird karmic retribution, King Midas style, that's here to help you refine the intentions behind your aspirational hunger. Too much success in one area, after all, can easily throw a person way off balance, though it may be quite a 'good' problem to have…

PISCES (February 19-March 20): Before you set off to pretend that the last two months didn't really happen (a la 'the dream season' of Dallas [bonus: video link]), Pisces, I urge you to step back for a few seconds… to give a certain somebody the chance to say just the very thing you need to hear to remind you, yes, in fact this recent season did occur. (And for a very productive purpose in your overarching personal development, I might add.) Thankfully, you don't really need to know that 'purpose' right now; your next several months will be spent coming to a cumulative philosophical understanding of why you had to move forward. Which is precisely why I don't want you to entertain unrealistic notions that slyly sliding slightly backwards wouldn't stir much shit (for yourself or others). It likely would. You're on a trajectory here. Innocently 'treading water' is not a workable option. The currents are too strong. You must keep advancing toward something, or you will be carried elsewhere (potentially to some far-off locale you'll later wonder how the hell you ever ended up at). Staying where you've been, simply put, is impossible.