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Horoscopes | Weeks of December 19, 2011-January 1, 2012

ARIES (March 21-April 19): The fact that (1) more eyes on presently on you than you may be completely aware of and (2) their opinions of you are in the dynamic process of becoming stronger, whether in one direction or the other, is no reason to back away from the venturesome behavior. I believe, Aries, you're at a point where expressing the authentically bold truth of your driving ethic will only further cement your alliances… even as this act may simultaneously stir further antagonism from those who resist your ideas and/or are threatened by your rising power. Please don't shy away from this increasing polarization—unless you have (1) neglected the altruistic element in what you're aiming for, in blind pursuit of the ego-gains you imagine your success in this area will yield you, or (2) not yet completed certain logistical steps that require you to clinch an official sign-off or some other essential bit of mainstream approval. On this second exception, we're really just talking about doing things in their proper order. On the first, which is arguably the more crucial, many people's perceptions of you will wholly hinge on whether or not they genuinely feel a humanitarian, collective-centered verve at the core of your drive. Don't forget that. This horoscope is good for two weeks. There will be no new horoscopes next week. Your next new horoscope will be posted Jan 2 2012. Want more astrobarry? Get my e-book, ASTROBARRY'S 2012: Year-Ahead Forecast and Horoscopes.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Now is the time to take your hard-line stance, on staunch behalf of what can only be dubbed as your most fundamental integrity. Presuming you have deeply pondered the full ripples of ramification that accompany this stance, Taurus, you ought to know exactly what this firm resolve means to your life, and to the lives of those your stance will affect—with absolutely no illusions that some 'escape-clause' technicality might permit you to wiggle out of the one or two self-limiting restrictions you're most ambivalent about. (For consistency's sake, you must accept the sacrifice along with the profound gains.) If all this is understood and accepted, expect a vast increase in the honor afforded you from all directions… even, in a weird way, from those who'll come to dislike you more than ever, due to their discomfort with your hard-line. (Can't please all the people and stand for something.) And if you haven't worked out all the ramifications? Well, the justified reactions of push-back you receive as a result, though not exactly pleasant, are for the best; they'll help you better see what had been overlooked in your process. Swallow the bitter pill, and integrate this difficult knowledge. This also boosts your honor. This horoscope is good for two weeks. There will be no new horoscopes next week. Your next new horoscope will be posted Jan 2 2012. Want more astrobarry? Get my e-book, ASTROBARRY'S 2012: Year-Ahead Forecast and Horoscopes.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The thought-provoking 'meaning-making' leg of this journey is now underway, which provides your spirited cerebral mechanisms a chance to sink their teeth into this latest chunk of bloody meat. We go through life's shit for a reason, after all, Gemini… though that 'reason' isn't always immediately self-evident and often requires putting in a bit of philosophic effort, in order to reap the perspective that doesn't leave us feeling like life is just, well, shit. Dare I say there can be a level of pleasure (not sure this word fits too snugly, but go with me here) in exercising The Observer's distancing techniques for a 'higher' vantage-point on what, from the trenches, has been too full-on to adequately consider? While you tell yourself (and/or other people) the different stories about what has happened (and/or is still happening), don't become too acclimated (and/or addicted) to the torturous version… even as it, to a certain extent, is indeed true. In between the lines, if you listen hard enough, there are moments of experiential calm that also need to be included. They may make no sense, as of yet, but they ought not to be written off as a fluke. Could there be a strange calm in the trauma/drama? This horoscope is good for two weeks. There will be no new horoscopes next week. Your next new horoscope will be posted Jan 2 2012. Want more astrobarry? Get my e-book, ASTROBARRY'S 2012: Year-Ahead Forecast and Horoscopes.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Though your mind may instinctively remain occupied by the productive activities you've been engaged in during these past few weeks, do your best to consciously reattune your attentions to the people now in front of you. You presently have a real solid chance for meaningful, perspective-altering connection, Cancer… both with the folks you're closest to (who you're already fairly deeply connected to but maybe haven't connected with lately) and folks you like but haven't yet had an opportunity to bond with as much as you could. Can you please get out of your head, then, and appreciate what's all around you (and by 'what's', I really mean 'who's')? Yes, it is hard to turn away from a certain momentum that's got you all enthused—and especially so, considering it was just recently that I was encouraging you not to let other people divert you from your tasks-at-hand. However, I believe you now face both (1) incredibly positive interpersonal results from re-prioritizing relationship and (2) similarly negative consequences for overlooking the needs of those in your life by remaining 'too busy'. (And who would've thought I'd ever write a Cancer horoscope about overlooking others' needs? You might not even know you're doing it.) This horoscope is good for two weeks. There will be no new horoscopes next week. Your next new horoscope will be posted Jan 2 2012. Want more astrobarry? Get my e-book, ASTROBARRY'S 2012: Year-Ahead Forecast and Horoscopes.

LEO (July 23-August 22): I don't know if you have any hosting plans over the next couple of weeks, Leo, but the image that's popping into my head is of you busily and happily taking care of tasks while simultaneously basking in the warm company of people you adore. Nice image, as far as I can tell. Whether this is a literal glimpse into what you have in store—or simply a metaphor for a sense of 'whistling-while-you-work' joy in both perpetuating productivity and being especially social in the process—I cannot discern. What matters most about this vision, perhaps, is the positive spark that shoots off of you when you remain in dynamic motion… even at a time in the calendar year when we are told to kick our feet up and cease the doing for a bit. That said, I encourage you not to take the inertly relaxing route through your holidays, but to actively choose to work on projects, volunteer to help others with theirs… hell, even offer to wash the dishes alongside the family-member or friend who invited you over for dinner, if only so you can have the corresponding kitchentime chat that often holds a particular domestic intimacy. You will be happier with yourself during these couple weeks ahead if you're not sitting on your ass, not because you don't deserve a breather but because motion will genuinely feel good. This horoscope is good for two weeks. There will be no new horoscopes next week. Your next new horoscope will be posted Jan 2 2012. Want more astrobarry? Get my e-book, ASTROBARRY'S 2012: Year-Ahead Forecast and Horoscopes.

VIRGO (August 23-September 22): Perhaps the most radical stand you could take, Virgo, during these uptight holidaytime weeks would be to not give a rat's ass. That is to say, when the inevitable instances of somebody's clueless behaviors grating on your last nerve present themselves to your consciousness, you don't have to pay them much mind at all. You don't need to permit them to impact what you're focused on… and you certainly don't need to make the biting remark, no matter how drolly small or supposedly subtle, that registers your disapproval. The real 'fuck them!' would be to not care, to carry on with whatever raucous good-time you require for blowing off steam from the hard work you've been doing and will be continuing to do for months to come, and to not let others infringe upon your spare few days off. The old 'taking the high road' approach, in this context, is less about assuming a moral superiority (though that may be a devilishly delicious fringe benefit, however admittedly small-minded)—it's really a matter of not sweating the small stuff, and keeping yourself oriented to the story of your life, which need only include the characters you choose to deem critical to the narrative arc. The others may be considered 'extras'… and/or left entirely on the cutting-room floor. This horoscope is good for two weeks. There will be no new horoscopes next week. Your next new horoscope will be posted Jan 2 2012. Want more astrobarry? Get my e-book, ASTROBARRY'S 2012: Year-Ahead Forecast and Horoscopes.

LIBRA (September 23-October 22): You have grown in depth of soul; give yourself that much. So you haven't been able to detach or disengage as neatly as you might prefer, Libra, and you keep finding stray threads and other lint-like accessories you keep having to diligently remove from your psyche. Life isn't always an orderly affair, now, is it? These lessons must be cherished as if they were family heirlooms (though the experiences which yielded them may include painful detours you probably wish hadn't been so painful), wisdoms you'll nobly share with the proverbial grandkids. Beneath your kind and gracious surfaces, your eyes will now tell a different story… one that couldn't possibly reveal its whole self in words (even if you were willing to try)… instead which echoes like water droplets falling into a pond inside a dark cave, cool and mineral-rich. This is why certain people give off that vibe of mysterious knowing: having endured initiation rites, they now belong to this secret society. And haven't you accepted this call, and fulfilled the rites? Return back to enjoyable usage of your surfaces, since, after all, there are presently plenty of pleasant exchanges warranting your participation. You might say the same pleasant things you've always said, but we—you and the rest of us—know you aren't the same person inside. This horoscope is good for two weeks. There will be no new horoscopes next week. Your next new horoscope will be posted Jan 2 2012. Want more astrobarry? Get my e-book, ASTROBARRY'S 2012: Year-Ahead Forecast and Horoscopes.

SCORPIO (October 23-November 21): No one has fun at the staid cocktail-party or politely dreary holiday meal. Therefore, Scorpio, entertain and engage yourself (and anyone else with a proclivity for the full-monty) by taking responsibility for keeping these proceedings interesting. Push a few buttons. Laugh too uncomfortably loudly, at all the wrong moments. Encourage the awkward silences and creatively tense moments in the manner that only you can do so adeptly. If perhaps it seems I'm egging on your mischievous side, I can't completely deny the charge. Amongst the preponderance of hokey and predictable Christmastime stories that bombard the TV-and-movie airwaves, the one written and directed by you is something I'd be hungry to devour. Of course, the purpose behind your 'troublemaking' gestures would not ultimately be mean-spirited amusement at others' embarrassment or unease, right? There's got to be something productively cathartic in the generated friction, or you're just stinging to sting. Align to this higher healing potential in your conversational game-playing, and you reap the best of both worlds—entertainment and evolution. This horoscope is good for two weeks. There will be no new horoscopes next week. Your next new horoscope will be posted Jan 2 2012. Want more astrobarry? Get my e-book, ASTROBARRY'S 2012: Year-Ahead Forecast and Horoscopes.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21): During this oh-so-zany time of year, I suggest being (gasp) the practical one in your crowd. Don't, for instance, allow the folks with direct bearing on your personal financial life to pretend as if there aren't budgetary restrictions at play. Try to explain to the dreamers (as gently as possible, please) where there are gaps in their logistical thinking. Take matters of time-management and workflow into your own hands. I know this directive may sound a bit strange to your ears, Sagittarius, but I refuse to partake in indulging the stereotype of you being miserable with the details. Even if practicality isn't what you're known for (and often isn't the first concern that instinctively crosses your mind), you are surely capable of ministering to any of its demands—as long as you believe in your capability, that is. As we have discussed before, you are in the midst of a long-term reconfiguring of your relationship to material reality… which includes, among other items, strengthening your ability to earn more money as a direct result of smartly employing the resources at your disposal. Serving in the role of the practical one over the next couple weeks—not necessarily (but possibly) related to your financial standing, but in smaller and more general ways—is a parallel embodiment of this same reconfiguring. This horoscope is good for two weeks. There will be no new horoscopes next week. Your next new horoscope will be posted Jan 2 2012. Want more astrobarry? Get my e-book, ASTROBARRY'S 2012: Year-Ahead Forecast and Horoscopes.

CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19): The startlingly realization I suspect these recent few weeks have revealed to you—if you're not being so stubbornly self-effacing that you refuse to glance at the obvious—involves understanding you already possess the basic resources required to do whatever it is you've been aiming for over these god-knows-how-many years. In fact, part of the 'realization' could include self-reflective wondering about why it's taken you so long to see this. But Capricorns are notoriously slow-learners (because you love to get in your own way, if only to ensure the experience won't be qualified as too 'easy'), so everything's happening in its perfect time. And perhaps it's only now that you've developed enough confidence (or at least impatience) to decide to finally use what you've got in a fuller capacity. As you engage in holiday revelry for the remainder of 2011 (and you damned well better revel), I suspect your mind will also be partly elsewhere… putting the last pieces of your past year's experience together into a powerful call-to-action for the coming one, digesting, cohering, strategizing. I therefore expect you to kick off 2012 on a high note, Capricorn: eager to work, ready to take active pride in your competency, and done with the self-imposed handicaps. This horoscope is good for two weeks. There will be no new horoscopes next week. Your next new horoscope will be posted Jan 2 2012. Want more astrobarry? Get my e-book, ASTROBARRY'S 2012: Year-Ahead Forecast and Horoscopes.

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18): You're slated to thoroughly enjoy these last two weeks of the year, Aquarius, now that Venus has agreed to bless you with her presence (through mid-January). Whatever transpires at the holiday parties, the family dinners and/or the other end-of-'11 social gatherings, you may feel free to let your personal worries go for the time being… and to rest on an inner optimism, unrelated to the external goings-on, that comes from having learned to take better emotional care of yourself. Talk without shame about whatever's been up in your life—and if or when someone snaps back with an odd off-putting response, wisely recognize that it's about them and their issues. Proceed with the Aquarian's self-protectively mesmerizing chill. Behind your scenes, what's really happened to embolden your internal confidence? If you're on schedule with your development, you have done something pretty major with this past year, whether or not anybody else is aware of it: You've faced a deep core irrational fear head-on, and proven to yourself that this monster has no teeth. You will continue this process a while longer, for sure, but pat yourself on the back for at least one major phantom demon slain. This horoscope is good for two weeks. There will be no new horoscopes next week. Your next new horoscope will be posted Jan 2 2012. Want more astrobarry? Get my e-book, ASTROBARRY'S 2012: Year-Ahead Forecast and Horoscopes.

PISCES (February 19-March 20): If you do nothing more than simply show up, your presence will make an appreciative difference… even if, at the same time, it appears as if you're somehow escaping notice. You're carrying a strange blend of 'being there' and 'not being there', Pisces, which isn't altogether inappropriate, as long as you don't fool yourself into thinking this not-being-there quality to your being-there means you might as well not actually be there. Another way to put this: Your literal physical absence would pose a problem to those whose relationships are important. But I say this not to lay a guilt trip on you, as much as to encourage you to make your appearance even if you don't feel like you want to, since, once you've arrived, you can effectively tinker with the visibility/invisibility quotient to your desired level. Of course, I suspect that once you have swallowed the necessity of your social participation and pushed through any initial hesitations, you'll find you actually prefer the visibility part of the ratio over the disappearing act you'd assumed to want to perform. There's likely to be at least one seductive opportunity to utter the decisive phrase that turns the entire conversation on its head, in a way that gives a certain troublemaker or know-it-all exactly what s/he deserves. Why pass that up? (Especially since, when you're done, you can dematerialize yourself again.) This horoscope is good for two weeks. There will be no new horoscopes next week. Your next new horoscope will be posted Jan 2 2012. Want more astrobarry? Get my e-book, ASTROBARRY'S 2012: Year-Ahead Forecast and Horoscopes.